How and Why Social Studies Educators Use Twitter: A Survey of the Field

• In Event: 33.078 - Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: 33.078-18 - New Directions in K–12 Social Studies Education

Abstract

The microblogging service Twitter offers a platform that many social studies educators are increasingly using for a variety of purposes. Among other activities, educators engage in Professional Development (PD) using the #sschat hashtag to share ideas, resources, and collaborate in a variety of ways. To better comprehend how and why social studies educators use Twitter we conducted a survey of 303 K-16 self-identified social studies educators. Responses provided quantitative and qualitative data indicating intense and multifaceted use, with professional development (PD) uses more common than interactions with students or families. Educators valued Twitter’s personalized, immediate nature, and the positive and collaborative community it facilitated. Many cited Twitter’s role in combating isolation and described it as superior to traditional PD.

Authors

• Daniel G Krutka, Texas Woman's University

• Jeffrey Paul Carpenter, Elon University