How Do Educational Researchers Utilize from Social Media?

Year 2019, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 179 - 207, 01.02.2019

Erkan Çalışkan

https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.463514

Abstract

Social media is very popular on the Internet and individuals utilize from social media in different ways. The present study investigated the educational researchers’ social media uses and their opinions about using social media as a research, teaching and learning environment for educational purposes within a sample of Turkish educational researchers. A total of 207 researchers participated in this study. The results showed that 62% of the researchers utilized from social media for their previous educational studies and 90% of them planned to utilize from social media for their educational studies in the near future. Most of the educational researchers think positive about the usage of social media within educational studies, but they have complained about the insufficiency of literature. It has been seen that the researchers’ study at the Department of Computer and Instruction Technologies Education use social media more effective and younger researchers utilize from social media more and think to utilize more in faculties of education.

Keywords

Educational researchers, Educational studies, Social media, Web 2.0.

Eğitim Araştırmacıları Sosyal Medyadan Nasıl Yararlanmaktadır?

Abstract

Günümüzde kullanım oranları gittikçe artan sosyal medyadan bireyler farklı yollarla faydalanmaktadırlar. Bu keşif araştırmasında, eğitim araştırmacılarının sosyal medya kullanımları ve sosyal medyayı eğitim amaçlı bir araştırma, öğretim ve öğrenim ortamı olarak kullanmaları hakkındaki görüşleri araştırılmıştır. Bu çalışmaya eğitim alanında çalışma yapan toplam 207 araştırmacı katılmıştır. Sonuçlar, araştırmacıların %62'sinin, önceki eğitim çalışmaları için sosyal medyadan yararlandığını ve bunların %90'ının, yakın gelecekte de eğitim çalışmaları için sosyal medyadan yararlanmayı planladıklarını göstermektedir. Eğitim araştırmacılarının çoğu, eğitim çalışmalarında sosyal medyanın kullanımı hakkında olumlu düşünceye sahiptirler. Ancak eğitim çalışmalarında sosyal medya kullanımıyla ilgili literatürün yetersizliğinden şikayetçidirler. Çalışmaya katılan araştırmacılardan Bilgisayar ve Öğretim Teknolojileri Eğitimi Bölümü'nde çalışan akademik personelin sosyal medyadan daha etkili yararlandıkları görülmüştür. Genç araştırmacıların sosyal medyayı daha çok kullanma eğiliminde oldukları bulunmuştur. Aynı zamanda sosyal medyayı günlük yaşamlarında daha etkin kullanan araştırmacılar eğitim çalışmalarında da sosyal medyadan daha yoğun yararlanmaktadırlar. Eğitim araştırmacılarının teknik bilgi eksikliklerinin giderilerek sosyal medya ögelerini benimsemeleri ve kullanmaları teşvik edilebilir.

Keywords

Eğitim araştırmacıları, Eğitim araştırmaları, Sosyal medya, Web 2.0.

References

• Ada, M.B., Stansfield, M., & Baxter, G. (2017). Using mobile learning and social media to enhance learner feedback: Some empirical evidence. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 9(1), 70-90. DOI: 10.1108/JARHE-07-2015-0060
• Ajjan, H., & Hartshorne, R. (2008). Investigating faculty decisions to adopt Web 2.0 technologies: Theory and empirical tests. Internet and Higher Education 11(2), 71-80.
• Al-Bahrani, A., Patel, D., & Sheridan, B. (2015). Engaging students using social media: The students’ perspective. International Review of Economics Education, 19, 36-50.DOI:10.1016/j.iree.2015.06.001
• Albion, P. (2008). Web 2.0 in teacher education: Two imperatives for action. Computers in the Schools 25(3/4), 181-198.
• Amador, P., & Amador J. (2014). Academic advising via Facebook: Examining student help seeking. The Internet and Higher Education, 21, 9-16. DOI: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2013.10.003
• Aspey, S. (2011). New survey finds more than ninety Percent of college faculty use social media in the workplace. PR Newswire [New York], 11 April. Accessed 23 January, 2018. http://www.prweb.com/releases/college_faculty/social_media/prweb5240914.htm
• Aydin, S. (2012). A review of research on Facebook as an educational environment. Educational Technology Research & Development, 60, 1093–1106.
• Back, M. (2013). Using Facebook data to analyze learner interaction during study abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 46(3), 377–401.
• Borštnar, M.K. (2012). Towards understanding collaborative learning in the social media environment. Organizacija, 45(3), 100-107.
• Bozanta, A., & Mardikyan, S. (2017). The effects of social media use on collaborative learning: A case of Turkey. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, 18(1), 96-110.
• Brech, F.M., Messer, U., Schee, B.A.V., Rauschnabel, P.A., & Ivens, B.S. (2017). Engaging fans and the community in social media: Interaction with institutions of higher education on Facebook. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 27(1), 112-130. DOI: 10.1080/08841241.2016.1219803
• Callaghan, N., & Bower, M. (2012). Learning through social networking sites – the critical role of the teacher. Educational Media International, 49(1), 1-17.
• Cao, Y., Ajjan, H., & Hong, P. (2013). Using social media applications for educational outcomes in college teaching: A structural equation analysis. British Journal of Educational Technology, 44(4), 581–593.
• Castro, J.C. (2012). Learning and teaching art: Through social media. Studies in Art Education, 53(2), 152-169.
• Chen, B., & Bryer, T. (2012). Investigating instructional strategies for using social media in formal and informal learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(1), 87-104.
• Chu, S.K.W., Capio, C.M., van Aalst, J.C.W., & Cheng, E.W.L. (2017). Evaluating the use of a social media tool for collaborative group writing of secondary school students in Hong Kong. Computers & Education, 110, 170-180. DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2017.03.006
• Conway, M. (2011). Book review: Educating educators with social media, Charles Wankel. On the Horizon, 19(4), 350-354.
• Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2012). Personal Learning Environments, social media, and self-regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. Internet and Higher Education, 15, 3–8.
• Donelan, H. (2016). Social media for professional development and networking opportunities in academia. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 40(5), 706-729. DOI: 10.1080/0309877X.2015.1014321
• Eysenbach, G., & Till, J.E. (2001). Ethical issues in qualitative research on internet communities. British Medical Journal, 323, 1103–1105.
• Evans, C. (2014). Twitter for teaching: Can social media be used to enhance the process of learning? British Journal of Educational Technology, 45(5), 902-915. DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12099
• Ferriter, W.M. (2010-2011). Digitally speaking / Using social media to reach your community. Educational Leadership / The Effective Educator (December 2010 / January 2011), 68(4), 87-88.
• Frankel, M.S., & Siang, S. (1999). Ethical and legal aspects of human subjects’ research on the Internet. Accessed 11 February, 2017. http://www.aaas.org/spp/sfrl/projects/intres/report.pdf
• Friesen, N., & Lowe, S. (2012). The questionable promise of social media for education: connective learning and the commercial imperative. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 28, 183–194.
• Galiatsatos, P., Porto-Carreiro, F., Hayashi, J., Zakaria, S., & Christmas, C. (2016). The use of social media to supplement resident medical education – the SMART-ME initiative. Medical Education Online, 21(1): 29332. DOI: 10.3402/meo.v21.29332
• Gao, F., Luo, T., & Zhang, K. (2012). Tweeting for learning: A critical analysis of research on microblogging in education published in 2008–2011. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(5), 783–801.
• Garcia, L.S., & Costa Silva, C.M. (2017). Differences between perceived usefulness of social media and institutional channels by undergraduate students. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 14(3), 196-215. DOI: 10.1108/ITSE-01-2017-0009
• Gonzales L., Vodicka, D., & White, J. (2011). Leadership 2.0 social media in advocacy. Leadership, 41(1), 18-38.
• Gülbahar, Y., Rapp, C., Kilis, S., & Sitnikova, A. (2017). Enriching higher education with social media: Development and evaluation of a social media toolkit. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(1), 23-39.
• Güler, K. (2015). Social media-based learning in the design studio: A comparative study. Computers & Education, 87, 192-203. DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2015.06.004
• Grosseck, G., & Holotescu, C. (2011). Academic research in 140 characters or less. Paper presented at the 7th International Scientific Conference eLearning and Software for Education, Bucharest, Romania, April 28-29.
• Hansen, D.L. (2011). Exploring social media relationships. On the Horizon, 19(1), 43-51.
• Hanson, C., West, J., Neiger, B., Thackeray, R., Barnes, M., & McIntyre, E. (2011). Use and acceptance of social media among health educators. American Journal of Health Education, 42(4), 197-204.
• Hookway, N. (2008). `Entering the blogosphere': Some strategies for using blogs in social research. Qualitative Research, 8(1), 91-113.
• Kaplan, A.M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenge and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68. DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003
• Kimmons, R., & Veletsianos, G. (2016). Education scholars’ evolving uses of twitter as a conference backchannel and social commentary platform. British Journal of Educational Technology, 47(3), 445-464. DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12428
• Knight, C.G., & Kaye, L.K. (2016). ‘To tweet or not to tweet?’ A comparison of academics’ and students’ usage of Twitter in academic contexts. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 53(2), 145-155. DOI: 10.1080/14703297.2014.928229
• Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2007). Social technology and social networks. School Library Monthly 23(5), 40-44.
• Li, J., & Greenhow, C. (2015). Scholars and social media: tweeting in the conference backchannel for professional learning. Educational Media International, 52(1), 1-14. DOI: 10.1080/09523987.2015.1005426
• Maloney, S., Moss, A., & Ilic, D. (2014). Social media in health professional education: a student perspective on user levels and prospective applications. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 19, 687-697. DOI: 10.1007/s10459-014-9495-7
• Manca, S., & Ranieri, M. (2016). “Yes for sharing, no for teaching!”: Social Media in academic practices. Internet and Higher Education, 29, 63–74. DOI: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.12.004
• Manca, S., & Ranieri, M. (2017). Networked scholarship and motivations for social media use in scholarly communication. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(2), 123-138.
• Matzat, U., & Vrieling, E.M. (2016). Self-regulated learning and social media – a ‘natural alliance’? Evidence on students’ self-regulation of learning, social media use, and student–teacher relationship. Learning, Media and Technology, 41(1), 73-99. DOI: 10.1080/17439884.2015.1064953
• Mazman, S.G., & Koçak Usluel, Y. (2010). Modeling educational usage of Facebook. Computers & Education, 55, 444-453.
• McLoughlin, C., & Lee, J.W. (2007). Social software and participatory learning: pedagogical choices with technology affordances in the web 2.0 era. Paper presented at the Ascilite, Singapore 2007, December 2-5.
• Meishar-Tal, H., Kurtz, G., & Pieterse, E. (2012). Facebook groups as LMS: A case study. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 13(4): 33-48.
• Moll, R., & Nielsen, W. (2017). Development and validation of a social media and science learning survey. International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement, 7(1), 14-30. DOI: 10.1080/21548455.2016.1161255
• Muijs, D., West, M., & Ainscow, M. (2012). Why network? Theoretical perspectives on networking. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 21(1), 5-26.
• Murthy, D. (2008). Digital ethnography: An examination of the use of new technologies for social research. Sociology, 42(5), 837-855.
• Neier, S., & Zayer, T. (2015). Students’ perceptions and experiences of social media in higher education. Journal of Marketing Education, 37(3), 133-143. DOI: 10.1177/0273475315583748
• O’Boyle, I. (2014). Mobilising social media in sport management education. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 15, 58–60. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhlste.2014.05.002
• Pereira, R., Baranauskas, M.C.C., & da Silva, S.R.P. (2013). Social software and educational technology: Informal, formal and technical values. Educational Technology & Society, 16(1), 4–14.
• Poellhuber, B., & Anderson, T. (2011). Distance students’ readiness for social media and collaboration. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(6), 102-125.
• Poynter, R. (2010). The handbook of online and social media research: Tools and techniques for market researchers. UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
• Prensky, M. (2001a). Digital natives, digital immigrants, Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1,3–6. DOI: 10.1108/10748120110424816
• Prensky, M. (2001b). Digital natives, digital immigrants, Part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6), 1,3–6. DOI: 10.1108/10748120110424843
• Prensky, M. (2005). Listen to the natives. Educational Leadership, 63(4), 8–13.
• Rochez, C. (2015). Historians of education and social media. History of Education, 44(4), 405-414. DOI: 10.1080/0046760X.2015.1036137
• Roy, D., Taylor, J., Cheston, C.C., Flickinger, T.E., & Chisolm, M.S. (2016). Social media: Portrait of an emerging tool in medical education. Academic Psychiatry, 40, 136-140. DOI: 10.1007/s40596-014-0278-5
• Sanchez, R.A., Cortijo, V., & Javed, U. (2014). Students' perceptions of Facebook for academic purposes. Computers & Education, 70, 138-149. DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2013.08.012
• Sarapin, S.H., & Morris, P.L. (2015). Faculty and Facebook friending: Instructor-student online social communication from the professor's perspective. The Internet and Higher Education, 27, 14-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.04.001
• Selwyn, N. (2007). Screw Blackboard ... do it on Facebook!: An investigation of students' educational use of Facebook. Paper presented to the Poke 1.0 - Facebook social research symposium, University of London, November 15.
• Sim, J.W.S., & Hew, K.F. (2010). The use of weblogs in higher education settings: A review of empirical research. Educational Research Review, 5, 151–163. DOI: 10.1016/j.edurev.2010.01.001
• Smith, E.E. (2016). “A real double-edged sword:” Undergraduate perceptions of social media in their learning. Computers & Education, 103, 44-58. DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2016.09.009
• Smith, S., Salaway, S., & Caruso, J.B. (2009). The ECAR study of undergraduate students and information technology, Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research. Accessed 20 July, 2017, http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/ecar-study-undergraduate-students-and-information-technology-2009
• Sullivan, J. (2017). China scholars and Twitter. Research Report. Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. DOI: 10.1017/S0305741017000017
• Tyson, W. (2010). Pitch Perfect: Communicating with traditional and social media for scholars, researchers, and academic leaders. Virginia: Stylus Publishing.
• Veletsianos, G. (2013). Open practices and identity: Evidence from researchers and educators’ social media participation. British Journal of Educational Technology 44(4): 639–651.
• Veletsianos, G., & Kimmons, R. (2016). Scholars in an increasingly open and digital world: How do education professors and students use Twitter? Internet and Higher Education, 30, 1–10. DOI: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2016.02.002
• Veletsianos, G., Kimmons, R., & French, K.D. (2013). Instructor experiences with a social networking site in a higher education setting: expectations, frustrations, appropriation, and compartmentalization. Educational Technology Research & Development, 61, 255-278.
• Wang, C.M., (2012). Using Facebook for cross-cultural collaboration: the experience of students from Taiwan. Educational Media International, 49(1), 63-76.
• Wankel, C. (2009). Management education using social media. Organization Management Journal, 6(4), 251-262.
• Wilkinson, D., & Thelwall, M. (2011). Researching personal information on the public web: Methods and ethics. Social Science Computer Review, 29(4), 387-401.
• Williams, A.E., & Woodacre, M.A. (2016). The possibilities and perils of academic social networking sites. Online Information Review, 40(2), 282-294. DOI: 10.1108/OIR-10-2015-0327
• Yoo, S.J., & Huang, W.H.D. (2011). Comparison of web 2.0 technology acceptance level based on cultural differences. Educational Technology & Society, 14(4), 241–252.