Developing a Scholarly Identity on Twitter as an International Graduate Student

• In Event: Social Media, Identity, and Student Voice

Abstract

Developing a scholarly social media presence is becoming a part of doctoral education. We investigated how two South Korean international graduate students experienced using Twitter as a course assignment to develop a scholarly identity online. We used interviews to collect data and Gee’s (2000; 2008) framework for identity to analyze the results. Our analysis suggested that participants strategically used Twitter to develop and sustain aspects of a scholarly identity. Additionally, participants reported a stronger sense of cohesion amongst their cohort due to the Twitter assignment. However, participants stopped using their Twitter accounts after the assignment ended. Related research suggests that course objectives for using Twitter to improve interpersonal relationships offer better outcomes compared to future-term, professional-only objectives.

Authors

• William Bork, Michigan State University

• Sarah Galvin, Michigan State University

• Kathryn Rich, Michigan State University