"Do Not Call Me an Influencer": How Spanish Educational Influencers Perceive Themselves

• In Event: International Perspective on Advantages and Disadvantages of Teachers' Social Media Use

Abstract

Purpose
Social networking sites are creating opportunities for teachers to learn from others (Authors, 2019). In these spaces, so-called "educational influencers" have emerged (Authors, 2019), but have been the subject of scarce research. Some results reveal monetary motivations in influencers' profiles (Authors, 2022). In this study, we contrasted the results of previous research and the guiding principles espoused by Spanish educational influencers (Authors, 2021).

Perspectives
Influencers have been analyzed in online marketing studies (Vrontis et al. 2021). In education, the concept of influencer adopts certain differences based on the context of teachers’ work. Although education may be understood as a public service in which the marketing, advertising, sales, and consumption of products are at the margin, some trends seem to contradict this idea (Authors, 2022). Several studies have analyzed "online teacherpreneurship" in which teachers with leadership capacity share educational materials, gain recognition from other teachers, and become influential figures (Shelton et al. 2021). Through social networking site activities, educational influencers assume a form of informal leadership earned from the trust and recognition that their peers confer them. This leadership is built on individuality, initiative, and motivation to share and exchange ideas, experiences and materials with other teachers (Authors, 2021). However, differences in the adoption of the term "educational influencer" may relate to these figures’ context and culture.

Methods and Data
Eighteen Spanish educational influencers comprised the participants. These influencers were identified in a previous study. In this research, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interviews covered participation in digital social networks, their origin and evolution on these sites, the topics they cover, their perception of their identity as educational influencers, and the learning obtained and generated within these digital spaces.

Results
We identified four dimensions that characterize Spanish educational influencers. First, they do not identify with the term influencers or with the term "micro-celebrity" (Authors, 2022) or "teacherpreneurs" (Shelton et al., 2021). They consider these concepts to have a pejorative connotation due to the commercial, pecuniary, superficial, or even unprofessional nature of these terms. Second, they can be considered new "digital artisans" (Huberman, 1993): teachers who feel they have something to tell and build their discourse around their personal preferences, interests, concerns, and experiences with teaching. Third, their intention is to create affinity spaces (Gee, 2005) that allow teachers to share and learn from each other (Rosenberg et al., 2016; Authors, 2020). Fourth, their reward comes from recognition that provides them with satisfaction and a sense of self-efficacy.

Scholarly Significance
In this study, we found that there are clear differences in the motivations and conceptions assumed by Spanish educational influencers and those identified in the international literature. Unlike influencers in other contexts, Spanish influencers appear not to be guided by monetary motivations. They see themselves as collaborating altruistically, but may receive other less obvious rewards, such as enhanced professional reputation and the possibility of becoming educational trainers.

Authors

• Paula Marcelo-Martinez, University of Sevilla
  Presenting Author

• Carlos Marcelo, University of Sevilla
  Non-Presenting Author