The Role of Social Media Technology Tools in Higher Education Instruction PDF
Preview The Role of Social Media Technology Tools in Higher Education Instruction
Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2015 The Role of Social Media Technology Tools in Higher Education Instruction Marlene Natalie Holder-Ellis Walden University Follow this and additional works at:https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of theHigher Education Administration Commons, and theHigher Education and Teaching Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please [email protected]. Walden University COLLEGE OF EDUCATION This is to certify that the doctoral study by Marlene Holder-Ellis has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Dan Cernusca, Committee Chairperson, Education Faculty Dr. Therese Kanai, Committee Member, Education Faculty Dr. Billie Andersson, University Reviewer, Education Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2015 Abstract The Role of Social Media Technology Tools in Higher Education Instruction by Marlene Holder-Ellis MSc, Central Connecticut State University, 2004 BA, University of the West Indies, 2000 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University September 2015 Abstract Although instructors at a Western Caribbean university use technology in the instructional process, they rarely use social media tools for teaching and learning. This exploratory qualitative case study addressed faculty members’ perceived role of social media technology tools in higher education instruction at the local university. The conceptual frameworks that guided this study were the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model. Ten faculty members at the local university were selected through a purposeful sampling process and were interviewed. Interview transcripts were organized using an iterative coding process and were analyzed for recurring themes. Trustworthiness was established through peer review, member checking, peer debriefing, and triangulation. The themes that emerged from the interviews revealed factors that encouraged the use of social media tools such as freedom in learning, growth in inferential skills, ease of communication, or access to a repository of online lessons. In addition, factors that discouraged the use of social media were also discovered, such as unreliability of the tools, hindrance to cognitive growth, or the increased number of cyber bullies. The resulting project consisted of a white paper that will disseminate the findings from this study to stakeholders with the goal of initiating a collaborative process focused on the use of social media tools in instruction. Recommendations from this project study may help to implement and integrate social media tools in instruction. The project contributes to social change through faculty members’ stronger understanding of both those factors that encourage the use of social media tools and the barriers that prevent their effective use in instruction. The Role of Social Media Technology Tools in Higher Education Instruction by Marlene Holder-Ellis MSc, Central Connecticut State University, 2004 BA, University of the West Indies, 2000 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University September 2015 Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................................................................................v List of Figures .................................................................................................................... vi Section 1: The Problem ........................................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................1 Definition of the Problem ..............................................................................................4 Rationale ........................................................................................................................6 Evidence of the Problem at the Local Level ........................................................... 6 Evidence of the Problem From the Professional Literature .................................... 9 Definition of Key Terms ..............................................................................................18 Significance..................................................................................................................19 Research Questions ......................................................................................................21 Review of Literature ....................................................................................................22 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework ............................................................... 23 Critical Review of Literature ................................................................................ 27 Implications..................................................................................................................39 Summary ......................................................................................................................40 Section 2: The Methodology ..............................................................................................42 Introduction ..................................................................................................................42 Research Design and Approach ...................................................................................42 Population and Sample ................................................................................................44 Procedures for Gaining Access to Participants ..................................................... 47 i Methods of Establishing Researcher/Participant Working Relationships ............ 48 Ethical Protection of Participants.......................................................................... 49 Data Collection Procedures and Instruments ...............................................................51 Role of the Researcher .......................................................................................... 54 Data Analysis ...............................................................................................................54 Procedures to Ensure Trustworthiness of Research .............................................. 55 Procedure for Dealing with Discrepant Cases ...................................................... 57 Research Findings ........................................................................................................57 Theme Description ................................................................................................ 57 Theme 1: Effectiveness of Social Media Tools in Instruction .............................. 58 Theme 2: Students Benefit From Using Social Media Tools ............................... 67 Theme 3: General Benefits That Faculty Derive From Using Social Media Tools ......................................................................................................... 74 Theme 4: Training in the Use of Social Media Tools ........................................... 80 Theme 5: Accessibility and Availability of Social Media Tools .......................... 84 Theme 6: Concerns in Using Social Media Tools in Instruction .......................... 86 Theme 7: Institutional Policies Regarding the Use of Social Media Tools .......... 92 Theme 8: Support Staff for Those Who Use Social Media Tools in Instruction ................................................................................................. 95 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................98 Section 3: The Project ......................................................................................................100 Introduction ................................................................................................................100 ii Rationale ....................................................................................................................101 Review of Literature ..................................................................................................102 White Papers ....................................................................................................... 102 Collaboration to Increase the Use of Social Media Tools at WCU .................... 107 Project Description and Goal .....................................................................................108 Potential Resources and Existing Supports................................................................112 Potential Barriers and Solutions.................................................................................112 Implementation Timeline ...........................................................................................113 Roles and Responsibilities .........................................................................................114 Project Evaluation Plan ..............................................................................................115 Key Stakeholders .......................................................................................................115 Project Implications ...................................................................................................116 Social Change Implications ................................................................................ 116 Far-Reaching Impact ........................................................................................... 116 Conclusion .................................................................................................................118 Section 4: Reflections and Conclusions ...........................................................................119 Introduction ................................................................................................................119 Project Strengths ........................................................................................................119 Limitations and Recommendations for Alternative Approaches ...............................120 Scholarship .................................................................................................................121 Project Development ..................................................................................................122 Leadership and Change ..............................................................................................122 iii Self as a Scholar .........................................................................................................123 Self as a Practitioner ..................................................................................................124 Self as a Project Developer ........................................................................................124 Reflection on the Importance of the Work ................................................................125 Implications, Applications, and Directions for Future Research ...............................126 Potential Impact for Positive Social Change .............................................................126 Conclusion .................................................................................................................128 References ........................................................................................................................129 Appendix A: White Paper ................................................................................................139 Appendix B: Consent Form .............................................................................................157 Appendix C: Demographic Data—Letter to Potential Participants .................................160 Appendix D: Interview Protocol ......................................................................................161 iv List of Tables Table 1. Demographics of Participants…………………………………………………..44 Table 2. Participants’ Self-Reported Responses on the Use of Social Media Tools…….45 Table 3. Themes Identified in Analysis of Data, Along With Research Questions……...54 v
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