Professional Development in Online Social Networks: Do Live Twitter Chats and Between-Chat Interactions Foster and Reflect Networked Knowledge Activities?

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze different Twitter chat communities and identify which networked knowledge activities (collection, curations, sharing, brokering, negotiating, and constructing) are most commonly used during live Twitter chats compared to which networked knowledge activities are most commonly used between-chats. A combination of computer mediated discourse analysis and social network analysis are used.

This study is applicable to anyone interested in online professional development and educational researchers. This study answers the following research questions: What are the primary knowledge activities visible in a Twitter-based professional learning network? Do activities differ depending on time (during chat, between chat)? What is the level of interaction depending on time (during chat, between chat)?

Authors

• Kari Knisely Word, Florida State University – Tallahassee

• Vanessa Paz Dennen, The Florida State University