Social Media Learning as a Pedagogical Tool
Twitter and Engagement in Civic Dialogue and Public Policy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12380357 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jennie Sweet-Cushman (0000-0003-2652-5713, Chatham University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 763-770 |
| Publication date | 2019-07-09 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | PS Political Science & Politics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1049-0965 • E-ISSN: 1537-5935 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s1049096519000933 |
| OpenAlex | W2962217705 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 19 |
Both social media use and the civic disengagement of college students continue to be on the rise, posing instruction challenges around how and what students are interested in learning in their college classrooms. This pedagogical case study examines the effectiveness of using Twitter to develop a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) that incorporates the use of social media learning—specifically using social media to expose students to a greater depth and breadth of contemporary topics—as a tool of instruction in a political science curriculum. I assess whether social media learning equips students with media literacy skills that aid them in engaging in civic dialogue, understanding public policy, and identifying stakeholders on all sides and aspects of an issue—potential precursors to deeper civic engagement. I find that students seem to overestimate their ability to learn about political issues and are skeptical of social media. However, the use of social media as a component of a PLE (1) provides a pathway for enhanced media literacy and deeper learning, (2) makes learning about an issue more appealing, and (3) engages students who are less interested in a traditional classroom delivery
Civic engagement · Curriculum · Disengagement theory · Epistemology · Literacy · Mathematics education · Media literacy · Pedagogy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Skepticism · Social media · Sociology · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Literacy, Media, and Education · Psychology · Social Media and Politics
Social Consequences of Internet Use
Facebook and political engagement
Personal Learning Environments, social media, and self-regulated learning
The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades
Personalised and self regulated learning in the Web 2.0 era
Is Social Media Too Social for Class? A Case Study of Twitter Use
Online news consumption research
Information, expression, participation
Teaching Civic Engagement Across the Disciplines
Tweeting for learning
Does Internet Use Affect Engagement? A Meta-Analysis of Research
Political Knowledge, Political Engagement, and Civic Education
Young adults' online participation behaviors
| Citations per year | 0.67 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2020 - 2025 (6) |
| Highly cited | No |