ERIC Number: EJ1288385
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1528-5804
EISSN: N/A
Perceptions of Administrators' Support for Grades K-5 Teachers' Professional Learning with Twitter: What Does It Look Like?
Nochumson, Talia
Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education (CITE Journal), v21 n1 2021
This mixed-methods study investigated support for Grades K-5 teachers' learning with Twitter. As more teachers turn to the Twitter microblogging service as an online space for professional development (PD), it is important to understand how and if teachers believe school administrators' support their use of Twitter for teacher PD. Key findings from this study revealed that two thirds of participants considered their administrators to be supportive of Twitter for their PD. Support was perceived when administrators, including superintendents and principals, were (a) active Twitter users and (b) encouraged teachers to share what they had learned on Twitter. However, some participants expressed feeling discouraged by administrators who seemed mostly interested in maintaining the status quo in their schools. Support from administrators may help teachers critically evaluate information they learn from Twitter and ensure its alignment with evidence-based teaching practices, skills that are necessary in an era with an abundance of easily accessed information. In consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic, school leaders and policymakers may want to consider their support for teachers' use of Twitter as a legitimate resource for professional learning, especially for ideas related to remote teaching and online learning.
Descriptors: Teacher Administrator Relationship, Elementary School Teachers, Faculty Development, Social Media, Teacher Attitudes, Principals, Superintendents
Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education. P.O. Box 719, Waynesville, NC 28786. Fax: 828-246-9557; Web site: http://www.citejournal.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A