Teacher Collaboration and Professional Development on Twitter: An Epistemic Network Analysis

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Seven
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers' Professional Learning and Development (Table 2)

Abstract

Teachers turn to many sources for support with social media-based communities increasingly being an important factor in teachers’ professional learning. This study examines teacher collaboration in a Twitter community for Biology teachers (N=2,040 tweets, N=93 teachers). Using epistemic network analyses, we examined the collaborative structures in these communities to identify how participation can relate to high-quality features of teacher professional development. Results indicate that some teachers use Twitter with a content focus and coherent to their individual contexts and knowledge. Notably, differences in collaboration and participation patterns by teachers’ overall activity level hint at the existence of an online community of practice. Overall, this study illustrate how Twitter may serve as a relevant avenue for teacher learning.

Authors

• Christian Fischer, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
  Presenting Author

• Yoana Omarchevska, Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien
  Presenting Author

• Tim Fütterer, University of Tübingen
  Presenting Author

• Joshua M. Rosenberg, University of Tennessee
  Presenting Author