@educators : The functionality of Twitter in an online graduate aphasia course

SoTL Lab

Lian Arzbecker, Torri Pulley, Tom Sather, Joe Sanfelippo
2017 ASHA Convention, American Speech–Language–Hearing Association, Los Angeles, CA, 2017 Nov

Cite

APA Click to copy
Arzbecker, L., Pulley, T., Sather, T., & Sanfelippo, J. (2017). @educators : The functionality of Twitter in an online graduate aphasia course. Los Angeles, CA: 2017 ASHA Convention.

Chicago/Turabian Click to copy
Arzbecker, Lian, Torri Pulley, Tom Sather, and Joe Sanfelippo. “@Educators : The Functionality of Twitter in an Online Graduate Aphasia Course.” Los Angeles, CA: 2017 ASHA Convention, 2017.

MLA Click to copy
Arzbecker, Lian, et al. @Educators : The Functionality of Twitter in an Online Graduate Aphasia Course. 2017 ASHA Convention, 2017.

BibTeX Click to copy

@conference{lian2017a,
  title = {@educators : The functionality of Twitter in an online graduate aphasia course},
  year = {2017},
  month = nov,
  address = {Los Angeles, CA},
  organization = {American Speech–Language–Hearing Association},
  publisher = {2017 ASHA Convention},
  author = {Arzbecker, Lian and Pulley, Torri and Sather, Tom and Sanfelippo, Joe},
  month_numeric = {11}
}

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to examine the pedagogical and professional network building effects of Twitter integration into a graduate-level, communications sciences and disorders (CSD), online course. There are multiple professionals in CSD and healthcare-related fields who utilize Twitter to disseminate relevant clinical and academic content. Thus we hypothesize that students' learning experience will be enhanced by using Twitter as an academic learning tool. Additionally, Twitter may serve as an effective medium for students to network with academic and clinical professionals. In this study, 26 online CSD graduate students were surveyed using a pre-developed survey regarding Twitter attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, a freeware Twitter analytics program (Tweetchup) and an anonymous open-ended questionnaire were used for measuring Twitter activity and behavior. Multiple Twitter behaviors were analyzed including number of tweets, types of content followed, and embedded use within course assignments. Results indicate a wide range of Twitter use and perceptions among participants. Results will be discussed related to the advantages and disadvantages of Twitter use in an online course, student perceptions of Twitter use, and application of Twitter to support content learning as well as professional networking.