When the Last Bell Rings: Using Social Media for Teacher Development
Abstract: Progress has been made in the applications of Internet use in schools, though some traditional schools are still unsure of the new revolutionary technologies, keeping Internet practices such as social media use on the periphery of their core academic practices. “Computers have not penetrated the core of schools, even though they have come to dominate the way people in the outside world read, write, calculate and think.” (Collins & Halverson, 2009, p. 6). Meanwhile, teachers are struggling to meet the stressfully high standards that today’s schools require (Darling-Hammond, 2006). Is it possible that teachers use social media as a means for personal development, which transcends into better teaching practices? This question involving the relationship between the social media phenomenon and teachers merit exploration. The following paragraphs are taken from a dissertation study currently in progress.
Presider: Jackie Booth, Keiser University Graduate School