Examining the Use of Twitter in Online Classes: Can Twitter Improve Interaction and Engagement?

Abstract

Student engagement promotes communication and knowledge acquisition, a concept that is challenged in the online environment as few opportunities exist to physically connect instructors and learners. Limited research suggests that social media is a tool that can positively impact student engagement in the online classroom, which is especially relevant in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic and learning formats transitioning online. Specifically, Twitter, a favoured format for sharing news, entertainment, and professional networking, may provide a platform and an opportunity for engagement between students and the instructor outside of the traditional, formal classroom setting. This research explores how postsecondary students enrolled in two introductory online self-directed asynchronous courses used social media tools for personal, professional, and academic purposes and how Twitter, as a course evaluation requirement, contributed to interaction and engagement. Relying on 104 pre- and 34 post-semester surveys, our analysis revealed that while Twitter was not used as widely as other social media platforms, a notable proportion of students shared positive perceptions about Twitter’s use. Further analysis revealed some polarizing results with recommendations for successfully implementing Twitter in online learning.