Running head: IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

IS SOCIAL MEDIA, AS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DEVELOPMENT
TOOL, BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

A Doctoral Capstone Project
Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research
Department of Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership

In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Education

Jason E. Pappas
California University of Pennsylvania
August 2020

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

© Copyright by
Jason E. Pappas
All Rights Reserved
August 2020

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IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

California University of Pennsylvania
School of Graduate Studies and Research
Department of Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership

We hereby approve the capstone of

Jason Edward Pappas

Candidate for the Degree of Doctor of Education

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables

vi

List of Figures

vii

Abstract

viii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

1

1.1 NEED FOR EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1

1.2 BACKGROUND

2

1.2.1 Reflection

2

1.2.2 Educational Experience

3

1.3 OUTCOMES DESIRED

4

1.4 FINANCIAL IMPLICATION

4

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW

6

2.1 INTRODUCTION

6

2.2 THE CALL FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

7

2.3 THE HISTORY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

9

2.4 CURRENT TRENDS IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

13

2.5 EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

17

2.6 PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES

20

2.7 HISTORY OF SOCIAL MEDIA

28

2.8 TWITTER AS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

29

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

34

3.1 INTRODUCTION

34

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3.2 PURPOSE

35

3.3 SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

36

3.4 INTERVENTION and RESEARCH PLAN

42

3.5 RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODS and DATA COLLECTION

45

3.6 VALIDITY

48

3.7 SUMMARY / TRANSITION

50

CHAPTER IV: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

53

4.1 INTRODUCTION

53

4.2 DATA ANALYSIS

54

4.3 RESULTS

57

4.4 DISCUSSION

69

4.5 SUMMARY / TRANSITION

71

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

73

5.1 INTRODUCTION

73

5.2 CONCLUSIONS

75

5.3 FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH

82

5.4 SUMMARY / CONCLUDING STATEMENT

85

DEFINITION OF TERMS

88

REFERENCES

90

Appendix A

Consent Form

102

Appendix B

Institutional Review Board Approval

104

Appendix C

Survey Instrument

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List of Tables

Table 1

Gender and Years of Service of Staff Members

48

Table 2

Demographic Data of Survey Teachers

49

Table 3

Teachers with No Use of Twitter

62

Table 4

Teachers with Use of Twitter

63

Table 5

Twitter Frequency

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List of Figures

Figure 1

Teaching Experience

46

Figure 2

Teacher Age Range

46

Figure 3

Years with Twitter Account

48

Figure 4

District Costs for Professional Development

52

Figure 5

Engagement Usage of Twitter

53

Figure 6

Teaching Experience at the High School

61

Figure 7

High School Teachers Age Range

61

Figure 8

Teachers with No Use

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Figure 9

Teaching with Twitter

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Abstract
The purpose of this research project was to investigate a method for a small rural school
district to provide fiscally responsible, effective, and personalized professional
development to all of its staff members. The use of social media, such as Twitter, has
allowed teachers the ability to connect with other educators, develop professional
learning networks, share ideas, and seek out teaching strategies that would allow teachers
to connect with all students at little to no cost. This research study investigated how
teachers in a small, rural, southwestern Pennsylvania high school utilized social media as
a means to grow professionally, connect with other professionals, and collaborate with
other professionals around the world. The researcher surveyed a population of 28 high
school teachers with various years of service. Teachers were surveyed on their use of
Twitter and how the app has impacted their professional development. This research also
addressed how Twitter has impacted the teachers’ professional development and how
they utilized it with other professionals. During the study, the teachers were asked how
Twitter allowed them to connect with other teachers, professionals, and new content. The
research also investigated whether or not Twitter had the ability to change teachers’
knowledge of content, and if it allowed teachers to grow professionally. Finally, the
research conducted a finding of the finance of professional development and compares
the costs associated with the professional learning communities to the costs of using
social media for the development of professionals.

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CHAPTER I
Introduction
The Need for Effective Professional Development
Professional development remains a financial problem for small, rural school
districts. Districts that are limited with their budgets have a difficult time finding ways to
provide meaningful professional development to all staff. They provide professional
development that may be cheap, unorganized, and in a manner that is presented
ineffectively. The professional development that is presented to their staff may be
irrelevant to certain content and subject areas, and therefore ineffective to many
classroom teachers. Professional development may be repetitive over time or it may be a
state mandate that the presenter feels uncomfortable with the topic.
Districts are always looking for ways to save money and cut expenditures from
their budget. Effective personalized learning and cheap professional development is
always a demand for leaders in districts that are financially strapped. Districts look for
effective and innovative ways to obtain a successful school of high standards and high
student achievement. With today’s need-to-know-now technology, is social media as a
professional learning development tool beneficial for teachers within small, rural
districts?

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Reflection
Smaller districts that do not have the financial support and resources that larger
districts have access to are forced to find creative ways to be resourceful. This focus has
resulted from collecting data from small, rural schools. Districts that are financially
strapped look for ways to save on spending and to reduce costs in order to cut
professional development opportunities that do not produce effective results. The need
for schools to look for current trends and to connect with other professionals can now be
done at a minimal cost through the use of social media.
The use of social media in small districts has allowed teachers to connect with
other teachers and professionals across the globe. Teachers have been able to collaborate
with others and seek out answers to questions that may improve student achievement
and allow them to grow their professional learning communities. Through professional
learning communities within social media platforms, teachers are able to research
teaching strategies, explore new teaching methods, ask questions, and follow
professionals that produce effective results.
These attributes of professional learning communities and the use of social
media come with a very small price tag. Most social media applications that are used by
teachers, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, are free and are used by
professionals to share ideas and gain answers to problems. Teachers can create profiles
on Twitter, connect with other colleagues, professional groups, and seek out educational
adventures with no costs at all. Teachers may also be able to connect with others on their
own time and seek immediate answers as needed. This function of Twitter has allowed
districts the ability to provide professional learning opportunities at no cost to the district

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and provide professional development hours to teachers without sending them out of
their classrooms.
The ability to effectively use Twitter as a tool for professional development
opportunities have led to questions for district leaders. Leaders want to know how a tool
such as social media can impact teachers, and how social media can replace the
traditional lecture style of professional development. These questions have led to the
following lead questions for this research:
1. How has social media impacted professional development at Frazier High School?
2. What are the impacts (if any) of using social media on teacher-interface, teachercontent, teacher-instructor, and teacher-teacher interactions?
3. What professional growth changes have occurred as a result of using social media as a
teacher?
Educational Experience
During the time this research was occurring, the researcher was the high school
principal of a small rural school district, approximately 30 miles south of Pittsburgh.
The district had 1100 students and operated one high school, one middle school, and one
elementary school. There were 80.5 teachers within the district, and 25 of the teachers
were full-time teachers at the high school. There were 350 students enrolled at the high
school in grades 9-12. There were eight Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment
opportunities through two local colleges, and a local career and technical center that
students in grades 10-12 attended. The district operated on a seventeen-million-dollar
budget and has consistently raised taxes each year since 2014.

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The researcher studied the impact of social media, specifically Twitter, on the 25
high school teachers, as well as three teachers that were shared between the middle
school and high school. All 28 teachers were given access to the same study and all
teachers had the same opportunity throughout the study to participate or decline.
Outcomes Desired
If the research proved that social media as a professional learning development
tool was beneficial for teachers in small rural schools, this would have a potential major
impact on how professional development was provided to teachers. The research could
save the district thousands of dollars and provide effective professional development
that was specific to the teacher's content-area. The outcome from this study would allow
teachers to gain professional learning at their convenience and would be specific to the
content area they were teaching. The outcome would also allow teachers to research
specific learning strategies as needed for their classroom to help all students reach their
learning outcomes.
Financial Implication
The financial implication of this study would save the district in expenditures for
professional development. By implementing and utilizing a free social media platform,
teachers would be able to connect with other professionals on their own time to improve
their pedagogy and help the achievement of all students. The district would benefit
financially from the free sources of a social media platform and save on the costs of
professional development. Expenses from the study would occur from the presentation
of social media as a professional learning development tool, with the majority of the
budget expense being within the first year. After the first year of training, the district

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would have minimal expenses in the form of training teachers for the use of professional
development and would know how to properly and effectively use this resource to
benefit the teacher when growing professionally.

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CHAPTER II
Literature Review
Introduction
The scope of this research is to identify the benefit of social media as a
professional learning community (PLC) for teachers in small rural schools. Professional
development opportunities and learning networks where educators have exchanged
ideas, acquired new knowledge, and received feedback have existed almost since the
beginnings of education itself (Kabilan, Adlina, and Embi, 2011; Killion, 2011). PLCs
have been an opportunity for educators to gather and receive new ideas and strategies for
their classrooms.
Educators have always been able to ask questions and they always try to seek out
the answers. This review looks at literature relevant to the research of PLCs and
integrates information gained from professional development within a PLC.
Additionally, this review examines the use of social media, specifically Twitter, by
educators in small rural schools as a means of professional development. Twitter has
become more acceptable by educators in the past decade within their profession.
Educators seek opportunities for professional development and are implementing social
media platforms for growing their professional networks. The goal of this literature
review is to see if the use of social media as a professional learning development tool is
beneficial for teachers.
To understand PLCs and professional development for teachers, a study of a
review is necessary to determine the current state of research in the field. To search for
and identify literature relevant to this research, this researcher utilized EBSCOhost in

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ERIC databases. This researcher also performed different searches via Google Scholar
and ProQuest (Dissertations and Theses database). During the search process, this
researcher looked for subject matter that included: "teachers and professional
development," "professional development," "social media," "social media and teachers,"
"twitter and teachers,” and "social media and professional development."
Throughout this research, there were studies conducted on the practice of social
media as professional development, however, not many studies were centered on small,
rural districts. Many of the studies identified the strengths and weaknesses of social
media tools. This researcher looked into the use of social media and the history of
professional development. The study also included the history of social media, the
impact of professional development, and the importance of professional learning
communities for educators.
The Call for Professional Development
Professional development allows teachers the opportunity to grow in their
profession. Provided by the school or district, professional development can cover a
variety of topics. The main goal of professional development is to assist and prepare
teachers by giving them the knowledge and skills they need to prepare all learners and
assure that they achieve high standards of learning and growth (U.S. Department of
Education, 1996). Effective professional development is key for today’s high-stakes
educational spotlight. In public schools, professional development is constantly under
scrutiny for its effectiveness. Lawmakers and taxpayers are always questioning the use
of professional development and any correlation with the achievement of student
learning.

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Teacher and staff professional development needs to be effective if schools are
going to change. Teachers' high-quality professional development and the effects of
increased teacher knowledge are observed with student performance across academic
settings (Darling-Hammond, 1999). Schools must be willing to accept that teachers are
at the center of student achievement. Districts and states are being held to high standards
and teachers must be willing to accept the challenge that allows them to build upon their
professional backgrounds. Professional development allows teachers to build upon the
successes of the school community. The district and schools must create high
expectations through comprehensive planning that will lead to achievable goals. In
addition, teachers must create a clear understanding of the social, cultural, and economic
differences students can bring to the classroom (Fuhrman, 2003).
Professional development must be relevant to every classroom teacher and must
be adopted in the curriculum. Effective professional development that is geared towards
the success of the students must support the needs of the learners and be current with the
skills that will assist students in solving problems. The development of professional
programs for teachers should meet the achievement needs of the school community.
According to Wagner (2002), change must begin from the context of the classroom and
the community and must be aware of the system goals and applicable research.
For students to become today's problem solvers, districts must invest in their
teachers and provide training that allows for growth in student achievement. A study by
the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (1996) demonstrated that
districts must make investments in teacher knowledge and skills, which will result in a
greater increase in student growth than any other distribution of educational funding.

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According to the National Research Council (2004), there is a demand for
professional development that is relevant to the classroom teacher. This is evident as
teachers lack the training to interpret data about their students. From this information,
teachers are unable to meet the learning needs for students that are struggling. Teachers
may also not have enough additional professional development to know strategies that
help them deliver the content of the discipline they are teaching. This lack of
professional knowledge may lead to instruction that is lacking the delivery that is both
engaging the student and challenging the student to think conceptually. Professional
development must be expansive and allow teachers to grow their content knowledge and
focus on improving student outcomes and increasing student experiences.
Every teacher has a different teaching technique and methods. Teachers develop
differently through age differences, college-experiences, and personal experiences as a
student. Just like students, experiences and knowledge bases varied with classroom
teachers (Lortie, 1975). According to Cochran-Smith and Lytle (1999), knowledge from
experience combined with knowledge generated from teaching episodes leads to implicit
and explicit know-how of teaching. Since teaching styles vary and teaching needs are
different, teachers should have the ability to seek out professional development that
allows the educator to seek interests and needs that will help their students be successful.
This style of professional development will allow teachers to network with others that
have similar interests with curriculum, instructional delivery, or classroom issues.
The History of Professional Development
According to Corey (1957), in the 19th and early 20th centuries, teachers lacked
a good education and were therefore "deficient" in teaching skills. Teacher training that

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was presented through in-service education focused on correcting teacher deficiencies
by large group instruction at teacher institutes. In-service teacher training was first
implemented in the 1850s to assist teachers in improving their instructional practices.
This training was to help teachers acquire the techniques necessary to improve on their
instructional practices in the classroom. Professional development became the gathering
of teachers to discuss and share their knowledge within their schools.
In the 1930s, teacher training shifted towards workshops, which led to the belief
that the training programs offered were the main purpose. The training was to help
teachers reduce the areas of needs, and to help teachers grow their knowledge. The prior
purpose of professional development focused on correcting individual teacher
deficiencies, while in-service programs evolved towards generating cooperative,
problem-solving approaches to instruction (Corey, 1957).
According to Tyler (1987), twenty men in 1930 decided to form the Society for
Curriculum Study. This group began to develop into supervision and eventually merged
with the Directors and Supervisors of Instruction group of the National Education
Association. Together, they formed the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development (ASCD), which remains a powerful force in the professional development
of teachers (Tyler, 1987). As the growth of educational committees continued through
the 1930s, the Work Relief in Education program hired unemployed educators to teach
other unemployed adults (Cook, 1977). A study was conducted over eight years that
concentrated on transforming secondary education for teachers and students, known as
the Progressive Education Association’s Eight-Year Study. Additionally, this research

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created professional development options for teachers called an "in-service workshop"
(Tyack and Cuban, 1995).
During the 1950s, school criticism began caused by fear, memories of difficult
times for families, and social turmoil. Historic events such as Sputnik and World War II
lead to uncertainty and reform to education in the 1960s. President Lyndon B. Johnson
advocated that the field of education pay attention to research on teaching and learning
(Tyack and Cuban, 1995). There was a need for mathematics and science as the space
race began. Faced with such rapid change, the use of new technology like overhead
projectors, tape recorders, films, and television frustrated teachers, as they couldn’t
effectively utilize the innovation in their profession (Fenstermacher and Berliner, 1985).
In the 1970s, President Nixon’s Watergate Scandal caused distrust with the
American public. This filtered into other areas as well, including education. According
to Tyack and Cuban (1995), there was a continuation of some of the education reforms
from the 1960s that carried over to the 1970s. If schools were going to fix the problems
with society, then teachers were going to need coaching and professional development
for their efforts to be successful. The 1970s became a mass marketing era intended to
give solutions to the problems. Professional development was becoming more
centralized within the building with teachers and administrators conducting their
training.
In the 1980s, President Reagan released the report, A Nation at Risk, to address
the assertion that schools within the United States were failing. This report set off a
wave of reform from local, state, and federal officials. The report made
recommendations for correcting public education, including professional development

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for teachers. In the late 1980s, President Bush implemented national standards and
teachers began to feel the pressure. At this time, teaching to the test became popular,
while teachers began to feel like they were caught in the middle.
During President Clinton’s administration, they enacted a standards-based vision
named the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This act challenged the
nation to implement assessments that are aligned to the standards. ESEA was
implemented to hold schools accountable for meeting academic standards and
challenged classroom teachers to meet the needs of all students and increase student
achievement.
With the turn of the century, President Bush enacted the No Child Left Behind
Act (NCLB) of 2001. This act included that every child would be taught by highly
qualified teachers and applied to all subjects, including the arts and humanities. NCLB
included teachers that provided instruction to students that had limited English
proficiency and taught students regardless of any learning disability.
One of the key points of NCLB was to address the need for school improvement
and to improve student achievement. During the years of NCLB, schools were held
accountable and teachers, regardless of certification, were trained from administration to
see that all students were successful and showing academic growth. According to the
United States Department of Education (2009), the quality of professional development
that teachers receive is critically important if professional development is to have the
intended effects of improving instruction and student learning.
As a result of NCLB, schools began to implement professional development that
included activities to increase the teacher's knowledge of their content area. According

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to No Child Left Behind (2001), professional development is defined as activities that
"are high quality, sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused to have a positive and
lasting impact on classroom instruction and the teacher's performance in the classroom;
and are not 1-day or short-term workshops or conferences…" (Title IX, Section
9101(34)).
From the 1960s, professional learning communities were introduced as a way for
teachers in isolation to meet and work with other teachers in similar content areas.
Created from the meaningless and disconnected staff meetings, most teachers learned
outside of the school day and away from the building. Most educators had to enroll in
evening classes or programs for professionals even if the content was not specific to
their classroom assignments. Rick DuFour and Michael Fullan have provided
meaningful guidance to educators on the concept of developing professional learning
communities. With the emergence of NCLB comes a focus on learning rather than
teaching, teachers who work collaboratively, and are personally responsible for student
academic results (DuFour, 2004).
Current Trends in Professional Development
America is known for its ability to discover solutions for illnesses, land men on
the moon, invent self-driving cars, and develop thumbnail size computers. However,
America continues to struggle with its ability to change the educational system.
Education has evolved from the uniform structure to a more flexible way to deliver
instruction. Professional development should also follow along with classroom
instruction and create a chance for teachers to enhance their own professional
development.

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According to the U.S. Department of Education (2007), educators must be
willing to accept new and innovative ways to deliver instruction and engage in
professional development, if it is an expectation for students to become the world's
innovators. Today's administrators must find ways to deliver meaningful professional
development. Professional development must be presented in an effective way that
inspires buy-in from the staff. The new ideas must foster trust and interest with the staff.
Leadership must find ways to see that the new ideas are implemented, and they must
continue to support the teachers as they strive for these goals.
Professional development is a critical element of comprehensive or “systemic”
reform (American Federation of Teachers, 2008). Professional development is a key
resource for education reform (Darling-Hammond and McLaughlin, 2011). With
changes that districts and states adopt, school reform must occur for student success.
Changes in the teaching profession have created a need for professional development
that can respond to the teachers’ questions and concerns “just-in-time” and “on the spot”
(Plair, 2008). According to Lock (2006), the phrase “just-in-time” describes professional
development that is responsive, timely, and effective. Schools will need to change
curriculum, assessments, teaching styles and strategies, and all elements of education.
Without proper professional development, improved student achievement will not
happen in today's schools.
According to the American Federation of Teachers (2008), professional
development should deepen and broaden knowledge of content. Teachers not strong in
their content area will not be able to deepen the content knowledge for the students.
Teachers must collaborate and be able to discuss the concepts and how they are

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connected through the grade levels. Professional development should allow teachers to
be able to explain how students should understand the content. This happens with the
knowledge of how the teaching and learning process occurs for their students. The best
available research should be provided to the teachers along with data that supports the
change. Additionally, without a connection to state standards and curriculum,
professional development will likely be ignored by and irrelevant to the educator. After
all, professional development must be instrumental to the success of student
achievement.
Professional development lectures for teachers do not work any differently than
classroom lectures for students. Professional development still occurs through a lecture
style, allowing teachers no time to connect to their curricula and quickly creating
disconnect from the lecture. Most topics include school safety, classroom management,
special education regulations, and on some occasions, literacy. For most professional
development, when the session ends so does the support that goes along with it.
Professional development provides an opportunity for teachers to learn new skills and
strategies.
With traditional professional development, there is very little to no time for
follow-up or reflection. The time allotted for teacher development programs have been
criticized for being unable to provide the follow-up guidance necessary to implement
new curricula and teaching strategies (Barnett, 2002). Even when teachers are exposed
to conventional one-day workshops or afternoon training sessions associated,
professional development programs fail to provide sustained mentoring opportunities at

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various stages throughout their career (Wei, Darling-Hammond, Andree, Richardson,
and Orphanos 2009).
In today’s ever-changing hold-accountable profession, educators are busy with
full schedules, activities after school, lesson planning, and grading. Districts and school
leaders are being held accountable for student achievement. Teachers are now
accountable for college and career readiness. With the addition of initiative after
initiative, teachers are provided minimal time for prep periods, lunch breaks, and faceto-face time for professional conversations with their peers. As districts continue to look
for ways to save money, not replacing teachers that retire is one option in which many
partake. Teachers are also required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to undertake
professional development for their licenses to remain in the “active” status.
Guskey (2000) suggests that professional development should meet the needs of
the teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff members, including principals. In the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, educators have been mandated to continue
professional development with the passing of Act 48 of 1999. According to Act 48 and
PERMS (1999), Act 48 requires all Pennsylvania Educators holding Pennsylvania public
school certifications (including Instructional I and II, Educational Specialist I and II,
Administrative, Supervisor, Letters of Eligibility, and all vocational certificates) to
participate in ongoing professional education.
Professional development can involve substantial time away from the classroom,
a considerable amount of planning, travel-time, the conference cost with registration,
hotels, food, and time for attending a presentation or workshop. Professional
development is also one of the leading reasons teachers are out of their classrooms.

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Students are left with a substitute teacher relaying information to students or just
monitoring the class. However, recent trends in education and education financing have
put constraints on schools and districts in terms of professional development
opportunities and resources being offered and made available (Killion, 2011). Barlow
(2005) states that, “The use of PLCs is the best, least expensive, most professional (sic)
rewarding way to improve schools… Such communities hold out immense,
unprecedented hope for schools and the improvement of teaching” (pp. 137-138).
Effective Professional Development
According to the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (2008), most
teachers know what works with professional development. Teachers do not want to be
lectured and they do not want professional development that is irrelevant to their
profession. Professional development should be able to be implemented within the
classroom. Professional development should be differentiated so that the learning
opportunities meet the needs of the teacher and the needs that the students have within
their classroom or school. Teachers want professional development that engages them in
inquiry-based and focused learning. Teachers should have professional development that
utilizes innovative technology and permits the teacher to engage in interest-driven
learning.
Professional development should be Praxis-oriented, allowing educators to
continually learn from each other as they engage in the interplay of reflection and action
(Reich et al., 2011). Studies by Bauer (2010), King (2011), and Reich et al., (2011) have
shown extended experiences of professional learning that are ongoing, rather than
concentrated, are more beneficial. Additionally, effective professional development

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should engage educators in learning that is both dynamic and flexible; it should take
advantage of mentors and both formal and informal modes of learning to enhance
teachers' awareness of their strengths, weaknesses, practices, and philosophies (Bauer,
2010; Kabilian et al., 2011).
Districts should pre-assess the needs of the educators similar to a pretest that
would be given by a teacher to their students. From the pre-assessment, the district could
create sessions that would meet the needs of the teachers. Teachers that are experienced
in the specific area(s) of professional development could then be exempt or even present
as session leaders. Teachers could then learn from their colleagues, which could increase
their efficacy.
By having teacher-led professional development, teachers can build relationships
with colleagues, universities, and other organizations. This style of professional
development also erases "one and done" professional development. Teachers can followup with self-reflections, discussions after professional development, and to hear
successes and struggles amongst their colleagues. For this teacher-led professional
development to work, schools must schedule a time for teachers to plan lessons, observe
others’ classrooms, analyze the work of the students, and reflect on their instruction.
With beneficial professional development, teachers can grow and meet the needs
of all their students. According to Huffman (2012), "Through appropriate professional
development/training of faculty, social networking tools can be utilized to enhance the
educational experience of students by extending the learning beyond the walls of the
traditional classroom." Districts wanting to improve on student learning and increase
employee job satisfaction must present professional development that is effective.

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Professional development programs that are effective have specific goals and objectives,
engage teachers intellectually, actively involve teachers, consist of multiple sessions
over a period of time, and provide an opportunity for all teachers to learn with, and
from, their colleagues. They also provide opportunities for teachers to participate and
adopt new strategies (French, 1997).
Professional development that is effective should help the teacher become a
better professional. Professional development should assist the teacher in teaching
strategies, methodology, pedagogy, and classroom strategies. If professional
development does not improve the success of student learning, then this time utilized for
professional development is wasted time and resources. With the increase of online
learning, teachers are looking for ways to improve their classroom performance by
taking professional development into their own hands. The response to online
professional development opportunities provides positive professional growth and
overwhelming teacher enthusiasm as a solution for meeting professional development
needs (Marrero et al, 2010).
Online professional development has led to an increase in professional learning
communities. Professional learning communities (PLCs) allow educators to meet and
discuss like-minded matters, discover teaching strategies, and/or explore the latest in the
educational world. With the growing connectivity of online educators, teachers are now
able to connect with other teachers on their schedule, discussing topics of choice.
Educators are quick to realize with PLCs that professional development does not need to
happen in person or in real-time. PLCs have enabled educators to engage in high-quality
professional development and provide them greater access to educators and education

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specialists. Berge (1995) suggests interacting with relevant content and interpersonal
interaction between professional learning communities is critical to meaningful learning.
Educators know that collaboration is key to a student's success in today's world.
Teachers can also improve their pedagogy through collaboration with each other and
online PLCs. Isolation is no longer the key to a successful learner. Students learn best
through an environment where collaboration amongst their peers is evident. With online
PLCs, the learner (teacher) can experience face-to-face collaboration with other
colleagues. This online experience creates an environment where the educator can
discuss, observe, and reflect. According to Bonk, Wisher, and Nigrelli (2004), these
activities increase the relevance of the learning experience.
Professional Learning Communities
During President Ronald Reagan's administration, "A Nation at Risk" was
published, which was considered a milestone in the American educational system.
According to Scribner, Cockrell, Cockrell and Valentine (1999), teacher
professionalization and teacher development have become significant issues to discuss
in school development. During the1990s, learning communities were described as "a
place where students and adults alike encourage everyone else's learning" (Roberts and
Pritt, 2008).
Teachers participate in professional development to "develop, implement, and
share practices, knowledge, and values that address the needs of all students" (Schlager,
Fusco et al., 2004). According to Roberts and Pruitt (2008), within schools the learning
community is a continuous procedure of collaborative interactions among teachers,

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students, leaders, staff, and parents by the way of conversation to help develop learning
and life. This in turn helps individuals better contribute to the learning community.
Seashore Louis (2003) developed their view of PLCs to help teachers expand
their sights and goals from sharing individuals' actions to building a common culture,
which developed continued collaboration in more substantiated, knowledgeable ways.
Teachers tend to give more detail to students’ outcomes by testing and examining their
own ideas. According to Hord et al. (2009), a PLC is a team in which teachers have
universal views on collaborating, sharing, reflecting, and the needs of their teaching and
learning practice. Many other researchers described the PLC as a positive environment
where teachers work and interact with others to achieve the common goal of student
accomplishments under the powerful system led by an effective school leader (Hord,
Roussin and Sommers, 2009).
DuFour et al. 2006) defined the term PLC as, “Educators committed to working
collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve
better results for the students they serve” (p. 217). This paradigm shift, which has
created many implications on schools, has moved the focus from teaching to learning.
This shift assumes that the main goal of public education is not to assure that students
are just taught, but that they also learn. As the school shifts forward, every professional
in the building must engage with colleagues in the ongoing exploration of the three
crucial aspects of a PLC. PLCs have caused an isolated teacher-centered approach to
change the focus to instruction that creates a student-centered approach. Within the
student-centered approach, teachers work independently and collaboratively, focusing
on a shared mission of collective capacity building, identifying learning gaps, and

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developing effective instructional practices to fulfill the needs of all students. The school
administrators, beginning to understand the effectiveness of PLCs, started to invest
resources and time into one by restructuring institutional systems so teachers could
gather and discuss enhancing curriculum knowledge, share ideas and develop local
standards and assessments (Darling-Hammond 1996).
With a PLC, educators can focus on solving the concerns of their school.
DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Many (2006) describe three important elements of a
successful PLC: focus on learning, collaborative culture, and results-oriented thinking.
The role of the principal changes when a school implements a PLC that focuses on
learning instead of teaching. As principals shift their focus to instructional results, they
have less time to focus on teachers’ lesson plans.
The success of PLCs largely depends on collective inquiry, reducing isolation
among teachers, and the reflection on current institutional practices. PLCs allow
teachers the ability to share responsibilities for the learning of all students and create
capacity for learning. Student success becomes the only institutional priority, and the
focus moves away from excuses and blame to an approach focused on learner individual
needs (DuFour et al. 2006).
Reeves (2010) studied the effects of professional development on student
achievement gains. He discovered when schools implemented PLCs, student
achievement increased. This only happened when schools worked together and
participated in deep discussions that resulted from the analysis of student data. Teachers
discussed planning, implemented instructional strategies, and consistently monitored
student results. Highly effective teachers must model this process by collaborating,

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engaging in ongoing professional development, reflecting through communication and
feedback, and using instructional technology tools to enhance instruction (Reich,
Levinson, and Johnston 2011; Trust 2012). Reeves’ study, which looked at schools in
the United States and Canada, resulted in the conclusion that the deeper the PLC was
implemented within the school, the more student achievements resulted. Interpreting his
analysis, Newmann and Wehlage (1995) stated that, “If schools want to enhance their
organizational capacity to boost student learning, they should work on building a
professional community that is characterized by shared purpose, collaborative activity,
and collective responsibility among staff” (p. 37).
DuFour et al. (2006) found that schools must also give teachers time to analyze
and discuss state and district curriculum documents. More importantly, teacher
conversations must quickly move beyond “What are we expected to teach?” to “How
will we know when each student has learned?” When teachers meet in a PLC, teachers
can gather to discuss and share data. These teachers meet to achieve a goal specific to
their grade level and their school. During the PLC, teachers discuss the data and develop
a plan to meet the goal through accountability and ever-changing classroom practices.
Timperley (2008) even states that “Findings from many studies suggest that
participation in a professional community with one’s colleagues is an integral part of
professional learning that impacts positively on students” (p. 19).
DuFour (2007) observed that if administrators were to advocate for a learning
community approach, then they were obligated to create structures that make teacher
collaboration meaningful. He also stated that the following guidelines are met to ensure
the proper methods are in place for collaboration. According to DuFour (2007), these

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guidelines are (a) teachers have time available to meet during the contractual day, (b)
clear priorities are drawn for teacher collaboration, (c) teams have the appropriate
knowledge base available to make decisions, (d) training is provided and differentiated
for teams, (e) teams have access to templates and models to inform their work, and (f)
clear expectations are laid out for teams to use to access the quality of their work.
Educators do not believe that working in isolation is the best strategy for
improving schools. Rosenhotlz (1999) stated that traditionally, teachers used to work in
isolation much like independent contractors within a school. Educators need to
collaborate and share their ideas and stop working in isolation. Educators cannot
continue to work in a situation where they don't share ideas, teaching strategies, or
classroom materials. Also, they must stop making excuses that they cannot find the time,
that they need more training, or that they do not have the skills. Schools that created
collaborative work environments have succeeded. As Barth (1991) wrote,
Are teachers and administrators willing to accept the fact that they are part of the
problem?... God didn't create self-contained classrooms, 50-minute periods, and
subjects taught in isolation. We did—because we find working alone safer than
and preferable to working together. (pp 126-127)
During this research, Stoll et al. (2007) offered examples of how school context
can impact teacher learning. Referencing their research on school size showed that large
schools often had more difficulties in developing a strong sense of group identification
across the whole building, and noted that improvement is also more challenging in
secondary schools. Also, factors such as the location of schools in rural or isolated areas,
the climate of the student body, and the history of the school can impact learning

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communities. Finally, external influences are cited as factors that can impact the work of
professional learning communities. These include the level of support from the
community, policy decisions, and the availability of learning infrastructures such as
access to university faculty and programs.
Through the results-oriented thinking, the focus of the PLC is on the results of
action. PLCs are judged on the effectiveness of the results. Teachers must work together
to improve student achievement. The methods that are used for learning new concepts
are changing for both students and teachers. If teachers expect to implement 21stcentury learning in classrooms to prepare students to succeed in today's globally
connected and emergent world, teachers must develop their expertise with new learning
technologies (Killion, 2011, p. 3).
DuFour et al. (2004) argued that a school truly committed to the concept of
learning for each student will develop consistent, systematic procedures for responding
when students do not learn. He also mentioned that schools and classrooms should be
driven by results and work to develop a plan around those results. This plan would then
be implemented and aligned through assessment and data analysis. The leaders of the
school could then use this data to emphasize a collaborative approach to continual
improvement and research into best practice, where working together becomes routine.
There must be common formative assessments and an ongoing assessment of programs
and initiatives within the school. DuFour et al. (2006) reminds us of the need for
frequent recognition. One’s goal in a PLC is to find people’s talents, aspirations, and
skills, and showcase them. The goal is to “leave a legacy of leaders,” not create a legacy
for oneself.

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Technology is used as a bridge to connect small schools to opportunity.
However, in small schools where budgets are tight, funding is cut for professional
development to save money. Technology can be used to facilitate the work of a PLC and
is widely discussed in the literature. Liberman (2000) notes how technology has changed
the way people communicate, work and learn. She also suggests that educators who
participate in overlapping workgroups organized through online educational reform
networks can recreate the scholarship of teaching. If districts view PLCs through this
perspective, an online environment can be effective for collaborating and networking
with others that are experts in particular communities of practice.
According to the United States Congress Office of Technology Assessment
(1995), the lack of teacher training is one of the greatest roadblocks to integrating
technology into a school's curriculum. That same report revealed that most school
districts spend less than 15 percent of their technology budgets on teacher training and
development (Brand, 1997). Technology has connected teachers throughout the world
and has enabled them to discuss similar concepts. MacIsaac (2000) describes an online
resource for physics teachers where the group has multiple email lists for discussing
high school physics, professional research into physics learning, and a discussion that
focused on the design and construction of the physics laboratory and demonstration
apparatus. Here, the online environment provided additional time and space for this
community to learn and collaborate.
In small rural schools, only a few teachers exist that contain the same teaching
certifications, which makes it extremely difficult to discuss teaching strategies and
concepts. As a result, schools are using technology to build online learning

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communities. By building an online learning community, Dalgarno and Colgan (2007)
reported that priorities and learning needs of teachers during pre-service included:
discussions with experts in topics such as mathematics curriculum, technology
integration, differentiating instruction, building understanding of mathematical concepts,
a bank of challenging problems and lessons selected by an expert appropriate for the
classroom, and the ability to share lesson plans and activities. From this study, the
results suggest that professional development can include alternate forms from the
preliminary list and could expand upon professional development that promotes ongoing
interaction with colleagues, as well as provides a sense of community. This study also
included that teachers demonstrated a positive experience when a skilled facilitator with
a personal connection to the professional learning presented to the online community of
practice.
The ability to connect and build on PLCs is not only held to interact on the
teaching practice with each other, but also to create a place for professionals to share
ideas and work collaboratively to improve the academic performance of students. Henri
and Pudelko (2003) provide a framework for educators to analyze and evaluate the
activity and learning in virtual communities. Communities of similar practices exist and
are seen as developing among people who already share a common working interest.
They identified four learning communities: (1) a community of practice; (2) a goaloriented community of interest; (3) a learner community; and (4) a community of
interest. They also noted that mutual concerns and approaches exist within the
communities to enhance professional practice.

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According to Marzano (2013), when the PLC process is used to its full potential,
it can help create a school environment that is safe, orderly, collaborative, and learnerfocused. He maintains that "the PLC process can change the basic dynamic of leadership
within a school, allowing school leaders to have a more efficient and direct impact upon
what occurs in classrooms" (Marzano, 2013, p. 19).
The ability for teachers to connect is difficult due to the scheduling of all
mandated requirements, managerial paperwork, and all of the professional tasks that
exist for a teacher. The time to sit down and talk is even difficult on professional
development days. Teachers that engage in a PLC can have powerful conversations and
think about their teaching and learning in meaningful ways. The time that teachers take
to work together can be enhanced and incur benefits of collaboration through a PLC.
Many organizations have been created to show their support for PLCs. Support
has increased for school reform that endorses the PLC process. For example, Annenberg
Institute for School Reform (2004) states,
We support and encourage the use of professional learning communities (PLCs)
as a central element for effective professional development and a comprehensive
reform initiative. In our experience, PLCs have the potential to enhance the
professional culture with a school district.
History of Social Media
The history of social media began with the invention of the World Wide Web in
1991, when Tim Berners-Lee managed to connect hypertext technology to the Internet.
This formed the basis of a new type of networked community (Dijck, 2013). Through
the end of the 20th century, the internet allowed users to join or actively use groups, but

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29

would not allow users to be interactive. Only after the turn of the century did the internet
open up two-way communication between users and allow them to interact with each
other. This communication allowed users to talk to friends, share pictures, watch videos,
scribble and draw notes, and even talk to people through live connections. With these
features came programs such as AOL, Hotmail, webcams, and notepad, which allowed
users to connect with each other and share personal stories. These platforms allowed
users to share with other users and changed the essence of private communication.
During the turn of the century, more and more inventions of online platforms
allowed users to share ideas and stories. According to Dijck (2013), Blogger (1999),
Wikipedia (2001), Myspace (2003), Facebook (2004), Flickr (2004), YouTube (2005),
Twitter (2006), and a wide array of ensuing platforms began to offer web tools that
sparked old and new online communication tactics. The creations of these platforms
allowed users to connect with each other and engage in activities where the social
activity became a verb. The earliest example of such coding and branding phenomenon
in the online world is the evolution of “googling,” now a synonym for online search
(Dijck, 2013). Still, only a few platforms have reached a level of popularity where the
brand has become synonymous with a verb the way “tweeting” has.
Twitter as a Professional Learning Community
In 2006, Twitter was created by the software company Odeo (Twitter launches,
2019) to help redefine the podcasting industry. Since then, journalists, lawyers, and
medical doctors began to use the platform to dialogue their professional experiences.
Educators also began to centralize their online networking by taking their conversations
to Twitter and using the platform for informal professional development (Boss, 2008).

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Twitter is a digital social networking service that allows users to send out short
messages called "tweets." In this way, Twitter has allowed educators to communicate
with each other and share ideas across the globe. This form of communication has
allowed teachers to remove barriers from collaboration and gives them access to direct
communication with individuals, which used to be limited or nonexistent. In the past,
administration and professional development leaders would have to filter their ideas and
knowledge for the audience. Sharing ideas would be limited to small groups within the
building or area of professional development. Teachers would be limited to participation
and only the "brave" teachers would actively participate in the conversation.
As teachers seek out a conversation, teachers can send "tweets" that identify with
their topic of interest. The "tweet" can be 280 characters—140 characters was the limit
until November 2017—and can be seen by anyone that follows or views the user. The
author of the "tweet" can post links, videos, live streams, and even poll users. Users also
have the opportunity to direct-message individuals and groups and receive responses
from their direct-message, offering advice or suggestions on the question of concern that
may not be seen by others.
Through the power of "tweets", users can start a conversation with other
educators that all have the opportunity to contribute in a discussion at their own pace. It
can be difficult for teachers to share their honest opinions and ideas, particularly when
their views are different from their district’s vision. It is natural for teachers to want to
discuss and interact organically and share ideas face-to-face. With Twitter, educators can
share ideas and classroom experiences, connect with other professionals, discuss
strategies, and learn from others.

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Educators believe that Twitter connects teachers looking for professional
development that promotes higher-level thinking and engages the students. With the use
of Twitter, teachers can connect with other educators and professionals in specific
content areas, professional interest groups, and specific professional development
interests. Twitter allows for quick responses to teachers' questions and concerns. Twitter
users have the ability to "follow" other users, and the opportunity to receive updates
automatically when the users they follow "tweet." By using the at-sign and a user's
Twitter username, known as a reply or mention, one user may specifically call the
attention of another user to the "tweet" containing the mention ("About replies and
mentions?", 2014). Through this ability to "follow" and attract "followers," educators
can build their own PLC of colleagues and friends who can assist a teacher with advice,
resources, and almost instant response on almost any topic of interest.
Hashtags are another useful method of specifying subject matter on Twitter,
created by the use of the octothorpe and a short, subject-specific phrase (Doctor, 2013).
Teachers can connect at any time of their day to share ideas and activities, to discuss
strategies or evaluate procedures, or discover new ideas that will enhance their students'
knowledge with professionals alike. Hashtags are utilized by educators on an incredible
breadth of education topics (Blumengarten, 2014).
The most popular hashtag among the educator community on Twitter is #edchat
(Bearden, 2013). Active educators on the Twitter platform organized a community of
teachers around the hashtag in 2009 (Frontpage, n.d.). Teachers can post and search for
topics using the #edchat search feature. The active community of educators post often to
this hashtag and have scheduled chat sessions frequently through Twitter. Through the

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use of this hashtag, users could seek out information, post questions, or share their
success with other like-minded educators. By 2012, the weekly #edchat sessions had
several hundred active participants and thousands of posts each week (Anderson, 2012).
There is much less Twitter noise through specific sessions such as #edchat,
making it easier for teachers to focus on specific content areas. The "tweets" of focused
groups can support content area-specific teachers and provide a clear resource for a
topic. As with #edchat, subject-specific chats such as #sschat (for discussion of Social
Studies) and #engchat (for the discussion of English) will often revolve around specific
topics for their weekly chats, addressing pertinent or requested topics (Schulten, 2011).
Social networking sites have been rapidly adopted by children and, especially,
teenagers and young people worldwide, enabling new opportunities for the
presentation of the self, learning, construction of a wide circle of relationships,
and the management of privacy and intimacy. On the other hand, there are also
concerns that social networking increases the likelihood of new risks to the self,
these centering on the loss of privacy, bullying, harmful contacts and more
(Livingston and Brake, 2010, p.75).
Since educators can create, share, and retrieve information through social media
platforms such as Twitter, pedagogy can be discussed anywhere. Using Twitter, teachers
can "tweet" and research the method and practice of their teaching, focusing on a
specific subject or content area. Twitter, and other forms of social media, have become a
significant resource for teachers, both for their own benefit and for student learning.
Teachers must engage with social media in order to best prepare students for today's
society.

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33

If schools fail to see the importance of social media as an effective use of
professional development, then the schools will fail the students. "Without addressing or
acknowledging that our students are using social networking tools, we place them at
risk" (Huffman, 2012). With the use of social media, teachers will become connected
with other teachers and be able to share ideas that meet the needs of their students.
When teachers utilize Twitter, they are engaging with the community and
removing themselves from isolation practices that can be harmful to their mental health.
Twitter allows for teachers to connect with other teachers of the same content, grade
level, and even demographic—something that in-house professional development does
not allow. Twitter can also benefit teachers by providing information about the latest and
best practices, resources, and innovative ideas (Huffman, 2012).

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CHAPTER III
Methodology
Introduction
The purpose of this qualitative study was to research the effectiveness of social
media as a professional learning development tool for educators, and whether or not it
provides the ability to build professional learning communities for teachers in a small
district with limited funds for professional development. Traditionally, professional
development is offered to educators with little or no professional connection to their
teaching content area. Effective and meaningful professional development that has a
connection to teachers’ content area is a problem for small, rural school districts.
Districts are limited with their professional development budgets and have a difficult
time finding ways to provide meaningful professional development to staff. There is also
a problem with teachers connecting professionally with other teachers in small districts
to discuss content and teaching strategies. The lack of funding and professional
development opportunities restricts teachers from sharing ideas and gaining new
strategies for their classroom and trying to connect their teaching to students that may
require a different method of learning.
With the availability of online professional learning communities, teachers are
able to share ideas with colleagues across the globe, learn new ideas for the classroom,
and gain strategies to connect with all students. This study focused on a high school staff
that was introduced to social media, specifically Twitter, and analyze the ability of the
app to connect teachers to other teachers, educational groups, and teaching
professionals. This study used qualitative methods, including Google surveys, to gather

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35

data on the impact of social media as a professional development tool and the
establishment of professional learning communities in a small rural school.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of social media as a
professional development tool, including the connection of professional learning
communities. This study considers the use of Twitter and the app’s ability to assist
teachers in a manner of professional growth. Through the use of surveys, teachers were
asked how Twitter has impacted them professionally and if Twitter has helped them
connect with other professionals in professional learning communities. The surveys
were distributed through Google Forms and the teachers were asked to complete closed
and open-ended questions. The data collected would examine their use of Twitter, the
ability of Twitter to allow them to grow professionally, and the willingness of teachers
to join professional learning communities on the app.
The research for this study was gathered by teachers responding to the initial
following topic areas:
1. How has social media, such as Twitter, impacted professional development for
you professionally?
2. What are the professional impacts (if any) of using social media on teacherinterface, teacher-content, teacher-instructor, and teacher-teacher interactions?
3. What professional growth changes have you made as a result of using social
media as a teacher?

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36

Setting and Participants
This study looked at the use of social media, specifically Twitter, as a tool for
professional development and professional learning communities. This study was
conducted in the Frazier School District, a small rural school district located in the
Southwestern corner of Pennsylvania, approximately 35 miles south of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. The district comprises five separate municipalities and encompasses
approximately 58.3 square miles with a population base of 8,631 residents. At the time
of the study, the district operates three separate schools: one elementary school, a middle
school, and a high school. Enrollment in the district at the time the survey was
conducted was approximately 1,150 students and has remained fairly steady to slightly
declining over the past decade. The staff consisted of 80 teachers, 43 support personnel,
and seven administrators.
The district employs 25 full-time teachers at the high school, and three teachers
that are shared between the high school and middle school. There are 350 students at the
high school in grades 9-12. There are eight Advanced Placement courses, five classes
that are dual enrollment opportunities through two local colleges, and a local career and
technical center that students in grades 10-12 can attend. The district operates on a 17million-dollar budget and has consistently raised taxes each year since 2014.
The high school, where the research was conducted, has 42.3% of the teachers
with over 20 years of teaching experience. The second highest number of years of
teaching experience comes from 21.3% of teachers with 8 - 12 years of teaching
experience. Third in years of experience comes from 19.2% of teachers with 12 - 20
years of teaching experience. There were 7.7% of teachers with 2 - 5 years of teaching

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37

experience, and 3.8% of teachers with 0 - 2 years of experience and 5 - 8 years of
experience at the high school, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1
Teaching Experience

The teachers also varied in ages in which the data was collected as shown in
Figure 2. The teachers that responded reported an age range of 31 - 40 years of age,
which equated to 46.2% of the high school staff. The second largest demographic of
teachers ages 41 - 50 years old was 38.5% of the staff. The third largest demographic of
teachers was 11.5% of teachers that were 51 years of age and older.

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Figure 2
Teacher Age Range

The researcher sent a consent form through email to the teachers informing them
of the research. This letter invited the teacher to participate in a research study about the
use of social media as a professional learning development tool titled, “Is Social Media,
as a Professional Learning Development Tool, Beneficial for Teachers?”. The teachers
were asked to participate as a high school teacher that may have used social media as a
professional development tool. The procedure involved completing a survey that would
take approximately 10 minutes in total length. The survey questions were about the use
of social media as a tool for professional development and the use of social media to
connect with other teachers and professionals to join a professional learning community.
Through the teachers’ participation, the researcher would gain an understanding of the
use of social media and needs for content-specific professional development (See
Appendix A for Consent Form).
The researcher, through the Institutional Review Board, submitted for approval
via email and received an email as official notification for the proposal titled, “Is Social

39

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

Media, as a Professional Learning Development Tool, Beneficial for Teachers?”
(Proposal #19-002) was approved by the California University of Pennsylvania
Institutional Review Board as submitted (See Appendix B for Institutional Review
Board Approval 19_19-002).
A survey was created in Google Forms and transmitted through Gmail to the
teachers. The survey that was used with the sample teachers were current educators at
the high school. 28 teachers were invited to participate in the survey. The staff
demographics consisted of 13 male teachers and 15 female teachers, along with their
years of service, as shown in Table 1. The years of experience were also analyzed as
eight males had between zero and nine years of service, three males had between 10 and
19 years of service, and two males had 20 plus years of service. Of the females at the
high school that responded to the survey, four had between zero and nine years of
service, four had between 10 and 19 years of service, and seven had 20 plus years of
service.
Table 1
Gender and Years of Service of Staff teachers
Gender

0-9 years of service

10-19 years of service

20+ years of
service

Male

8

3

2

Female

4

4

7

Teachers had the option to participate further into the survey but first had to
answer the question of whether or not they had a Twitter account. Some educators could

40

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

not respond to the complete survey, as four teachers reported that they did not have a
Twitter account. The survey then ended for those teachers, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3
Years with Twitter Account

The survey also included open-ended questions to provide personal responses to
their use of Twitter. This qualitative survey asked introduction questions using closedresponse questions collecting information on basic demographic data, gender, years of
service, and questions relating to their professional use of Twitter. These teachers
provided the demographic data as shown in Table 2. This data identifies their role in
education, as well as their years of experience using Twitter in the education
community. The survey instrument can be found in Appendix C and full responses are
provided in Appendix D.
Table 2
Demographic Data of Survey teachers

What is your
focused content
area?

How long have you had
a Twitter account for
How many years of
networking with other
teaching experience
educators?
do you have?

What is your
age range?

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

41

English Language 1 - 2 years
Arts

20 + years

51 + years old

Science

8 - 12 years

31 - 40 years
old

English Language I don’t have an account
Arts

0 - 2 years

31 - 40 years
old

English Language 1 - 2 years
Arts

8 - 12 years

31 - 40 years
old

Science

1 - 2 years

12 - 20 years

41 - 50 years
old

History

4 - 5 years

8 - 12 years

31 - 40 years
old

Math

I don’t have an account

12 - 20 years

31 - 40 years
old

Math

0 - 1 years

20 + years

51 + years old

Science

I don’t have an account

20 + years

51 + years old

English Language 0 - 1 years
Arts

8 - 12 years

31 - 40 years
old

Arts and
Humanities

1 - 2 years

20 + years

41 - 50 years
old

Arts and
Humanities

I don’t have an account

2 - 5 years

20 - 25 years
old

Arts and
Humanities

4 - 5 years

12 - 20 years

31 - 40 years
old

Math

1 - 2 years

20 + years

41 - 50 years
old

Physical
Education /
Health

1 - 2 years

8 - 12 years

31 - 40 years
old

Physical
Education /
Health

5 + years

12 - 20 years

31 - 40 years
old

2 - 3 years

42

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

History

1 - 2 years

5 - 8 years

31 - 40 years
old

English Language 0 - 1 years
Arts

20 + years

41 - 50 years
old

Arts and
Humanities

0 - 1 years

20 + years

41 - 50 years
old

Math

0 - 1 years

20 + years

41 - 50 years
old

Math

0 - 1 years

12 - 20 years

41 - 50 years
old

History

0 -1 years

20 + years

41 - 50 years
old

Science

1 - 2 years

20 + years

41 - 50 years
old

Technology

1 - 2 years

20 + years

41 - 50 years
old

History

1 - 2 years

8 - 12 years

31 - 40 years
old

Arts and
Humanities

0 - 1 years

2 - 5 years

31 - 40 years
old

Intervention and Research Plan
The researcher surveyed the 28 high school teachers to determine the use of
Twitter in their personal professional development plan. The goal was to see the ways in
which social media, specifically Twitter, impacted professional development for them as
educators, as well as the professional impacts (if any) of using social media on their
teacher-interface, teacher-content, teacher-instructor, and teacher-teacher interactions.
Additionally, the researcher sought to discover what professional growth changes
occurred as a result of using social media as a teacher.

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

43

Teachers were selected at the high school so the researcher could develop a list
of teachers using Twitter for professional development, plus how many years the teacher
had been using Twitter, and if they used Twitter for professional learning communities.
The researcher developed the survey questions and created a Google Form for
distribution through the district's Gmail email accounts. The researcher utilized Google
Forms because it is a web-based service that allows the user to create and distribute
surveys to specific individuals. Google Forms allowed immediate feedback and reports
on the responses and data that was collected. Teachers remained anonymous and could
opt-out of the survey by choosing that they did not have a Twitter account during the
introduction part of the survey.
Data that was collected from the survey was analyzed to determine if teachers in
the small rural high school were using Twitter for professional development and
professional learning communities. The data also provided the extent to which it was
being utilized, and if Twitter had changed the teacher professionally. Teachers also
described how Twitter personalized their professional learning opportunities and if
Twitter made a positive impact on their professional development.
Data was also collected on the financial implication of professional development,
and whether or not teachers believed that Twitter could provide relevant professional
development at no cost to the school district. Data regarding financial costs of
professional development that they spent out of their own pockets for the training of
Twitter was collected, and then compared to the costs of professional development that
the district had spent from 2014 through 2020 on group professional development. See

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44

Figure 4 for the cost comparison of district-wide professional development versus the
cost for Twitter professional development.

Figure 4
District Costs for Professional Development

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45

Research Design, Methods and Data Collection
This inquiry-based research study explored how teachers in a small, rural school
district used Twitter as a professional learning tool. The research also includes the
impact that Twitter had on professional development and how social media has allowed
teachers to connect with other professionals outside of their own building. The main
goal of professional development is to assist and prepare teachers by giving them the
knowledge and skills they need to prepare all learners while ensuring they achieve high
standards of learning and growth (U.S. Department of Education, 1996). Teachers were
to report their usage and engagement with Twitter by checking the appropriate box as
shown in Figure 5.

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

Figure 5
Engagement Usage of Twitter

46

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

47

Data from the use of Twitter came from teachers that were questioned through
the qualitative model, allowing teachers the ability to explain their answers by
responding to open-ended questions. Teachers were given access to the following
questions:
● Describe how Twitter has impacted your professional development.
● What specific professional development from Twitter have you
implemented in your classroom?
● Describe how Twitter has allowed you to access professional
development outside of classroom time.
● How has Twitter impacted you professionally by teacher-teacher
interactions?
● Explain how Twitter has impacted you professionally by teacher-content
interactions?
● Describe how Twitter has impacted your professional learning
community through teacher-interface, teacher-content, teacher-instructor,
and/or teacher-teacher interactions?
● Describe how Twitter has changed you professionally.
● Explain how your content knowledge has changed as a result of using
Twitter.
● How has Twitter provided you opportunities to grow professionally by
connecting with professionals outside of the education field?
● Explain how Twitter has fiscally impacted your professional
development.

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48

Research was also collected through teachers that were evaluated through the
differentiated supervision model, which allowed teachers to focus on a professional
development project and implement the research into their classrooms while being
evaluated for their effort into trying new teaching methods. After providing them with
the necessary information, five teachers were observed integrating a strategy into their
classrooms that they discovered using Twitter. The survey provided the necessary data
to evaluate the effectiveness of the professional development that was created through
the connection of social media.
Research was also conducted through the use of field notes in which the
researcher collected data while observing teachers implement a new teaching method
into their classrooms, one that was entirely developed through the use of social media.
This observational data was an important piece as the discovery of the new teaching
strategy was observed when implemented within the classroom lesson. Observations
were conducted through the agreement of the teacher and the researcher with an
understanding of the use of the new professional development strategy.
Validity
During the time of this study, the researcher carefully thought about what
questions to ask to increase the accuracy and the truthfulness of the teachers’ responses.
The questions were carefully planned and piloted with the internal committee member to
assure the validity of the question. The researcher chose credibility as the main type of
validity to focus on during the research collection at the current time that the survey was
conducted. Although the survey method was conducted to gather data, this was only a

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49

survey strategy. Data collection also occurred through face-to-face interviews, classroom
observations, and by following users on social media.
Through the interpretations of the collected data, the researcher used the
superintendent of the school district to analyze and discuss the collected data. This
discussion allowed the researcher to view the collected data on the use of Twitter from
another person’s perspective. This review presented a view of the data from a source
knowledgeable of professional development and the capability of social media. From the
peer debriefing, the researcher determined some of the data collection demonstrated
some educators lacked a core understanding of the social media platform, and therefore
were not comfortable using it in their classrooms.
During the collection of data, the researcher also engaged in observation of
classroom lessons where the teacher implemented a new strategy that was discovered
through Twitter. The gathering of data through observations allowed the researcher to
see the impact that Twitter may have had on the teachers’ methodologies, and why some
teachers used Twitter as a consistent teaching and communication tool within their
classes. The observations that occurred from the information collected through the data
survey allowed the researcher to understand how and why teachers referred to Twitter to
gain new teaching strategies and project ideas.
The researcher recorded data from the survey through the use of Google Sheets.
The use of Google Sheets allowed for teacher data to be recorded as stated and the
incorporation of accurate charts and graphs. The data collected was maintained in a
cloud-base data management system and was updated in real-time as data was inputted.
The data collected included teacher demographics, content area, age range, length of

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50

usage of social media, impact of social media, and teacher effectiveness from
professional development opportunities. Discussions with three teachers that
demonstrated knowledge of the use of Twitter as a professional development tool were
scripted from a recording, with permission, through the use of an application on a
smartphone. This allowed for accuracy while collecting data from the conversation and
provided an accurate representation of the impact of social media on the teachers’
professional development.
The process of discussing the researcher's interpretation of the data with the
teacher allowed for accurate data representation in the final collection period. The
researcher then checked the accuracy of the collected data. This included whether or not
the data was truthful, and if it was captured in a manner that described the teachers’
professional development and experiences with social media.
Data was collected in a variety of ways, including a survey through Google
Forms, open-ended questions, classroom observations, and conversations. Data from the
use of Twitter came from teachers that were questioned through the qualitative model,
allowing them to expand upon their answers by responding to open-ended questions.
Through the use of field notes, which allowed the researcher to collect data from
observations in the classroom while the new teaching method was being implemented,
allowed the researcher to step into the field to gather information on the use and
effectiveness of social media as a professional learning tool.
Summary / Transition
In summary, this study researched how teachers in a small, rural school district
in southwestern Pennsylvania, with limited funds for professional development, could

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51

utilize social media for online professional development opportunities. The researcher
surveyed 28 teachers within the high school building to determine how the use of
Twitter has impacted their professional development and if they were involved with
professional learning communities. The survey also asked the respondent to what extent
they have utilized Twitter, how long they have had an account, and whether or not they
use Twitter to connect with other educators. Responses from the first part of the survey
were used to collect demographic information on the respondent but did not identify the
person. This data was used to group the teachers by age ranges, years of experience
teaching, and their focused content area. One question at the beginning of the survey
asked if the participant currently had a Twitter account, followed by a statement that the
survey would end if they selected they did not have an account. Data from the second
half of the survey was utilized to further understand how teachers were engaging with
the social media platform to connect with other educators, and how Twitter has changed
them professionally. The research questioned the teachers on the frequency at which
they shared links and connected with other educators to exchange ideas and seek out
solutions. The survey also gained input from the teachers by having them describe how
Twitter has impacted their teaching and how, or if, Twitter has impacted their
professional development. The survey also addressed the cost of professional
development and whether or not using Twitter allowed them to grow as an educator
without financial implications to the district. Face-to-face interviews were recorded and
reviewed by the respondent and recorder after the interview. And finally, classroom
observations were recorded by the researcher and reviewed with the respondent,
discussing how the implementation of the teaching strategy from Twitter had impacted

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52

students’ learning, and if using Twitter improved upon the teaching of the lesson. The
use of this data will summarize each respondent’s information in the study and how the
use of online professional learning for teacher growth has impacted the way they engage
with their classrooms.

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53

CHAPTER IV
Data Analysis and Results
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to focus on how school districts provided
professional development to all staff members and whether social media was beneficial
for teachers in terms of professional learning communities. The goal of this study was
twofold: to research the effectiveness of social media as a professional learning
development tool for educators, and to analyze the site’s ability to host professional
learning communities for teachers in a small district with limited funds for professional
development.
Traditionally, professional development was offered to educators with little or no
professional connection to their teaching content area. Small, rural school districts have
been limited in their professional development budgets and as a result, often have a
difficult time finding ways to provide effective and meaningful professional
development to all staff. Additionally, teachers had a difficult time connecting
professionally with other teachers in small districts. Lack of funding and professional
development opportunities restricted teachers from sharing ideas and gaining new
strategies for their classroom, strategies they might have needed to connect with students
requiring a different method of learning than what they were used to. The researcher
surveyed the staff of a small, rural high school in southwestern Pennsylvania to
determine the effectiveness of social media as a professional learning development tool
and the ability for teachers to use social media to establish professional learning
communities.

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54

This chapter will present the data analysis process and address the process the
researcher used to analyze the data. Data from the research was used to develop a
sample of teachers within the high school that used social media as a professional
development tool. Using the sample, the researcher conducted interviews with the
teachers over a period of one semester. The interviews occurred either in the
researcher’s office or in the teacher’s classroom. Each interview was transcribed and
reviewed with the teacher as a final discussion. The following sections of this chapter
include data results from the initial survey, a profile of the teachers surveyed, a
discussion of the interview questions, and results from the data analysis. Finally, this
chapter concludes with a clear and comprehensive summary that illustrates the use of
social media as a professional learning development tool in a small, rural school.
Data Analysis
Using a Google account, a survey was created using Google Forms and shared
with 28 high school teachers. The purpose of the survey was to investigate the impact of
social media, specifically Twitter, as a professional development tool, including the
connection of professional learning communities. The survey considered the use of
Twitter and the ability to assist teachers in the manner of growing professionally.
Through the use of the survey, teachers were asked how Twitter has impacted them
professionally and if Twitter has helped them connect with other professionals in
professional learning communities. The survey was created in Google Forms and shared
with the teachers through their official school Gmail account. The teachers were asked
to complete closed and open-ended questions. The data collected would determine their
use of Twitter, the ability of Twitter to allow them to grow professionally, and the

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

55

willingness of teachers to join professional learning communities on Twitter. The initial
survey collected 26 teachers or 92.8% of the 28 teachers in the high school.
During the research for teachers that utilize Twitter for professional development
opportunities, the survey revealed 42.3% of the teachers had over 20 years of teaching
experience. The second most years of teaching experience came from 21.3% of teachers
with 8 - 12 years of teaching experience. Third in years of experience was 19.2% of
teachers with 12 - 20 years of teaching experience. Finally, there were 7.7% of teachers
with 2 – 5 years of teaching experience, and 3.8% of teachers with 0 - 2 years of
experience and 5 - 8 years of experience at the high school, as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6
Teaching Experience at the High School

The teachers also varied in age range, as shown in Figure 7. The teachers that
responded reported an age range of 31 - 40 years of age, which equated to 46.2% of the
high school staff. The second largest demographic of teachers ages 41 - 50 years old was

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

56

38.5% of the staff. The third largest demographic of teachers was 11.5% of teachers that
were 51 years of age and older.
Figure 7
High School Teacher Age Range

All 22 teachers who reported that they had a Twitter account stated they had
Twitter for at least one year. Six of the teachers recorded that they “Never” use Twitter
to engage in educational related activities. Two of the teachers that recorded they do not
use Twitter for educational purposes are history teachers, two were math teachers, one
was an English teacher, and one was an arts and humanities teacher. The remaining 16
teachers recorded they have utilized Twitter in some manner for educational purposes.
Of the 16 teachers, three were English teachers, three were science teachers, three were
arts and humanities teachers, two were math teachers, two were history teachers, two
were physical education teachers, and one was a technology teacher. See Figure 8 for
teachers that do not have Twitter, or that have Twitter but do not use it for educational
purposes.

57

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

Figure 8
Teachers with No Use
Content Area

Years
Teaching

Age Range

Years on Twitter

Use for Educational
Purposes

Arts and Humanities

2-5

20-25

I don't have an
account

-

English Language
Arts

0-2

31-40

I don't have an
account

Math

12-20

31-40

I don't have an
account

-

Science

20+

51+

I don't have an
account

-

History

8-12

31-40

4-5

No

History

20+

41-50

0-1

No

Math

20+

41-50

0-1

No

Math

20+

41-50

1-2

No

English Language
Arts

8-12

31-40

0-1

No

Arts and Humanities

2-5

31-40

0-1

No

The organization and analysis of the data from the initial survey allowed the
researcher to progress to the final data collection phase by identifying teachers within
the small rural high school who utilized social media as a professional learning
development tool. Final data was collected through the use of a survey through Google
Forms, classroom observations, and through semi-structured interviews that took place
in the teacher’s classroom and/or the researcher’s office.
Results
The following section addresses each research question identified in the
researcher’s study for the teachers that utilized Twitter for educational purposes. This

58

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

section is organized based on the manner in which the questions were asked in the
Google survey, classroom observations, and researcher-teacher discussion. Direct
quotations may be used throughout this section to capture the actual responses of the use
of Twitter. Sixteen teachers responded to the survey that they utilized Twitter for
educational purposes. See Figure 9 for teacher demographics regarding teachers that
utilize Twitter.
Figure 9
Teaching with Twitter
Content Area

Years
Teaching

Age

Years on
Twitter

Use for Educational
Purposes

History

5-8

31-40

1-2

Yes

English Language Arts

8-12

31-40

1-2

Yes

Science

8-12

31-40

2-3

Yes

History

8-12

31-40

1-2

Yes

Physical Education /
Health

8-12

31-40

1-2

Yes

Math

12-20

41-50

0-1

Yes

Physical Education /
Health

12-20

31-40

5+

Yes

Science

12-20

41-50

1-2

Yes

Arts and Humanities

12-20

31-40

4-5

Yes

English Language Arts

20+

41-50

0-1

Yes

Arts and Humanities

20+

41-50

0-1

Yes

Math

20+

51+

0-1

Yes

Arts and Humanities

20+

41-50

1-2

Yes

Science

20+

41-50

1-2

Yes

Technology

20+

41-50

1-2

Yes

English Language Arts

20+

51+

1-2

Yes

59

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

The researcher used the survey through Google Forms to collect data from the
teachers and their use of the social media platform for educational purposes. The Google
Form survey asked the teachers how often they used Twitter for educational purposes.
The survey was emailed to the teachers through their school Gmail accounts to be
completed on their own. Data from the initial survey was used to separate the teachers
that utilized Twitter for educational purposes from the teachers that did not use Twitter
for educational purposes or did not have a Twitter account. 16 teachers completed the
survey based on the frequent use of Twitter. As shown below, Table 5 represents how
frequently teachers engaged with Twitter for the following activities.
Table 5
Twitter Frequency
Never

Sometimes Regularly

Daily

Share a link to an online resource

7

8

0

1

Research a new strategy that you
implement in class

8

7

1

0

Reshare a resource shared by others

5

10

0

1

Follow a link to a resource shared by others

0

12

3

1

Read posts marked with an educational
hashtag

2

11

2

1

Post with an educational hashtag

6

10

0

0

Engage in a professional dialogue using an
@reply

10

6

0

0

Ask for help or advice from other teachers /
professionals

12

4

0

0

Provide help or advice to other teachers /
professionals

11

5

0

0

IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

60

Data analysis revealed that teachers who used Twitter for educational purposes
only used the social media platform sometimes to never. The majority of the teachers
used Twitter for resharing a resource shared by others and sharing a link to an online
resource. 12 of the 16 teachers followed a link to a resource that was shared by others.
11 teachers read posts that were marked with an educational hashtag and 10 teachers
posted a "tweet" with an educational hashtag. 10 teachers never engaged in a
professional dialogue using an “@” reply symbol, and only 12 teachers asked for help or
advice from other teachers or other professionals. This data was shared with the teachers
during interviews and discussions that took place in the researcher’s office to further
gain information on the use of Twitter for educational purposes and professional
development.
The following section addresses each research question identified in this study
and specifies the interview questions that were asked of each participant. The
information is organized in the manner that the research questions were presented, and
in the order of the responses from the teachers. The researcher developed and asked the
following questions to acquire the data to answer research question one (1):
Research Question 1: How has social media, such as Twitter, impacted professional
development for you professionally?
● Describe how Twitter has impacted your professional development.
● What specific professional development from Twitter have you
implemented in your classroom?
● Describe how Twitter has allowed you to access professional
development outside of classroom time.

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61

Research Question 2: What are the professional impacts (if any) of using social
media on teacher-interface, teacher-content, teacher-instructor, and teacherteacher interactions
● How has Twitter impacted you professionally by teacher-teacher
interactions?
● Explain how Twitter has impacted you professionally by teacher-content
interactions?
● Describe how Twitter has impacted your professional learning
community through teacher-interface, teacher-content, teacher-instructor,
and/or teacher-teacher interactions?
Research Question 3: What professional growth changes have you made as a result
of using social media as a teacher?
● Describe how Twitter has changed you professionally.
● Explain how your content knowledge has changed as a result of using
Twitter.
● How has Twitter provided you opportunities to grow professionally by
connecting with professionals outside of the education field?
After reviewing the data that was collected from the responses in terms of how
teachers were using Twitter for professional development, several consensus themes
emerged. There was a consensus that teachers who utilized Twitter were not using the
social media platform effectively for professional development opportunities. Based on
the responses from the teachers that were interviewed, they believed that the
professional development should be presented to the teachers and not something that the

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62

teachers should have to research and do on their own. They also stated that the quality of
professional development needs to improve and that most professional development did
not need to be a full day of training.
The teachers that were interviewed also believed that through the use of Twitter,
those that were engaged in online professional development have developed a means of
seeking their own remedy for strengthening their weaknesses. The teachers also stated
that the greatest benefit of professional development was the ability to create an
opportunity to personally seek out the strategies they needed for all of their students to
be successful. The choice for online professional development allowed the teacher to
grow professionally on their own terms.
Data analysis from the survey results found that most teachers did not find an
educational value to the use of technology as means for professional development. Many
of the teachers stated that they found Twitter a burden and that they were bombarded
with "tweets" and information that they did not find useful. However, seven teachers did
find value in the use of Twitter. They discovered that the ability to connect with other
teachers and share content made it very useful to find strategies and activities to share in
their classrooms. Several teachers also stated that they were able to find new best
practices that they have implemented in their classrooms. Using Twitter allowed them to
stay up-to-date with new educational apps, giving them the ability to connect with their
students and share these new applications with their colleagues. Social media has
allowed the teachers to share student achievement and showcase student projects with
the school community. Through the use of social media, the teachers found that their

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63

professional network had grown outside of the district, giving them the ability to connect
with other educators and professionals all over the world.
Through the analysis of this data, it was found that some teachers only use one
form of social media, such as Facebook, for personal use, and then use another form,
like Instagram, to post student work. These teachers did not find Twitter useful and only
used social media specifically for a few reasons. The teachers did not see any
professional advantage to Twitter and were not interested in seeking ways to grow
professionally through the use of social media. One of the teachers believed that it was
the district’s responsibility to provide professional development opportunities, and to
provide them at the time indicated through the collective bargaining agreement.
The next section will describe in detail the effective use of social media as a
professional learning tool in terms of how the teacher utilizes professional development
opportunities available through Twitter. The data provided will also include direct
quotes from the interview with the respondent to reiterate their response from the initial
survey.
Teacher #1
Teacher #1 was a history teacher with five to eight years of teaching and was 31
to 40 years of age. They found that Twitter allowed them to discover and incorporate
new resources into their lesson plans. The teacher utilized Twitter to display student
work as well as communicate changes to the class schedule and lesson planning to all
students and parents with the action of a “tweet.” Twitter has allowed Teacher #1 to stay
up to date with new educational apps and technology, “such as updates to Kahoot which
I discovered on Twitter.”

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64

For the past six years, Teacher #1 has utilized Twitter to see what other teachers
were doing in their classrooms. They stated, “I find it fascinating that I can connect with
educators across the country, and world, to see what they are doing.” Twitter has also
impacted Teacher #1 by giving them interesting information about historical events,
people, and other details that might be useful for their classroom lessons. Teacher #1
responded that Twitter has changed them professionally by allowing them to connect
with new educational tools, develop new ideas, and implement strategies with no costs
to the district. Additionally, it gave them the opportunity to meet new people, discover
valuable resources, and expand the breadth of their historical knowledge, all of which
has resulted in their professional growth. Teacher #1 stated, “Twitter allows for the
ability to follow different people, corporations, businesses outside of the educational
field.”
Teacher #2
Teacher #2 was an English Language Arts teacher that had 8 to 12 years of
teaching experience and was 31 to 40 years of age. They believed Twitter impacted their
professional development by being able to reach others and expanding their professional
learning community. Teacher #2 also found that "tweets" could assist in teaching
preparations and had given them access to specific content they might not find
otherwise. Twitter allowed Teacher #2 to network with other educators and virtually
look into other classrooms. Additionally, Teacher #2 was able to gather articles and
resources that were relevant to current lessons and supplement learning material for their
students.

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65

Through the use of Twitter, Teacher #2 found that social media had positively
impacted their professional learning community, as they had been able to gain further
insight on best practices from within the educational community all over the world.
Twitter also heightened the teacher’s level of professional awareness by keeping them
updated on current events and cultural issues that may be of discussion amongst the
students in the classroom, along with current educational practices and professional
networking opportunities.
Teacher #3
Teacher #3 was a physical education/health teacher with 8 to 12 years of
teaching experience, aged 31 to 40 years old. Teacher #3 utilized a variety of social
media platforms for professional development, particularly Facebook. Through the use
of this social media platform, Teacher #3 was able to share their students’ achievements.
Using Facebook has allowed them to connect with other professionals within their
content area, as well as colleagues involved in extracurricular activities that might be of
interest. Facebook and Twitter have allowed Teacher #3 to gain access to other
resources that they use in class, as well as recognize student achievements and share
teaching resources.
When asked how social media has changed them professionally, Teacher #3
identified that Twitter gave them access to additional resources to improve their
classroom instruction, and it allowed them to have a better understanding of what
neighboring districts were doing in terms of special events. Social media also allowed
Teacher #3 to grow professionally by connecting them with educators outside of the

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66

classroom and showing them what those educators were doing in their own classrooms
and districts.
Teacher #4
Teacher #4 was a history teacher of 8 to 12 years and was between 31 to 40 years
of age. They explained that Twitter impacted their professional development by
allowing them to see the opinions and issues that other educators are facing. This has
allowed Teacher #4 to develop any strategies that may help alleviate issues before they
become problems in the classroom. In addition to classroom strategies, Twitter gave
Teacher #4 the ability to find classroom activities and ideas that could be implemented
in accordance with the way teachers on the app have implemented the new activity.
Twitter also allowed Teacher #4 to connect with other educators outside of their area.
Teacher #4 valued the ability to connect with other educators through Twitter by
collaborating with others and seeing a snapshot of the educators’ daily activities. Twitter
allowed them to share resources and ideas, and in turn, expanded their teaching
community beyond the district. Teacher #4 believed that Twitter changed them
professionally by seeing the challenges that educators faced in similar sized districts and
how they overcame those obstacles. In addition to connecting with other educators,
Teacher #4 also stated that Twitter provided them the opportunity to grow professionally
by connecting them with professionals outside of the educational field.
Teacher #5
Teacher #5 was a technology teacher for 20 plus years and was 41 to 50 years of
age. Teacher #5 explained that Twitter impacted their professional development by
providing them access to educational articles related to their curriculum. They explained

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that they utilized Twitter to find resources to help implement spreadsheet activities
within their course. Outside of the classroom, Twitter gave Teacher #5 access to
professional development articles that were relevant to their instruction. They also
recorded that Twitter provided them with enrichment opportunities that they had
implemented in their classroom. Twitter also connected Teacher #5 with other teachers
in their discipline.
Teacher #5 explained that they believed Twitter allowed them to connect with
other educators that dealt with similar issues in small districts. Spending time on Twitter
added content knowledge to their profession, something that the district was never able
to provide. Teacher #5 also stated that Twitter had not given them opportunities for
connection beyond their profession, as they generally did not use the platform for any
reason other than educational purposes.
Teacher #6
Teacher #6 was a physical education/health teacher with 12 to 20 years of
teaching experience. The teacher’s age ranged from 31 to 40 years of age. Teacher #6
explained that Twitter had been impacting their professional development for quite some
time, as they had been utilizing the social media platform to recognize student
achievements. Additionally, they had recently been using Twitter to gather new
activities for their students. They experienced successes from the new resources that
they had implemented in their classroom, and students enjoyed the new lessons.
Teacher #6 explained that even though they had not been impacted much by
teacher-teacher interaction on Twitter, that was a goal for them in the future as they
looked to connect with other educators across the country. They also explained that

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Twitter impacted their teacher-content interactions as they discovered new content ideas
and had implemented them successfully in their classes.
Teacher #6 described that Twitter changed them professionally by helping them
grow on a daily basis. They also described how new strategies are just a "tweet" away,
and they are constantly changing and evolving. The teacher believed that they are
expanding their knowledge through improved subject activities that they find on Twitter,
which they can then take to their classroom and implement into their lessons. Teacher #6
stated, “Twitter allows teachers to go beyond the educational field. It’s endless
possibilities of content and just communication [that] lets teachers expand on what they
know.”
Teacher #7
Teacher #7 was a science teacher with 12 to twenty 20 years of experience and
41 to 50 years of age. They explained that Twitter impacted their professional
development by increasing their interaction with other educators and students. Teacher
#7 found more options for accessing professional development on Twitter and
implemented some of the new strategies and activities in their classrooms. Outside of the
classroom, Teacher #7 wanted to find more options for accessing professional
development on Twitter.
Teacher #7 believed that Twitter increased their teacher-teacher interactions by
allowing them to connect with other teachers outside of the district. They also explained
that Twitter impacted their professional development with teacher-content interactions
by providing access to the latest news pertaining to their subject content. Teacher #7
believed that Twitter impacted their professional learning community by giving them the

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opportunity to quickly engage with what was happening in programs at other schools,
and to learn how to implement those programs within their own classroom and building.
They also believed that Twitter had been beneficial to them professionally, as it
provided updates that were valuable when implementing new strategies in the
classroom. They also explained that Twitter allowed them to see the work of other
students and educators before implementing any new activities in their classes. Teacher
#7 explained that through Twitter, they had been able to make and maintain connections
with people outside of the educational field, such as students who had graduated and
were part of the science program while in high school.
Discussion
The survey instrument was generated to allow teachers to explore their
understanding and use of social media as a professional development tool in the
educational community. Teachers were asked to define their role in the small rural
district, years in education, and age range. The age of the teachers was collected to
determine if there were any trends in the survey teachers’ Twitter activity in relation to
their age. Teachers were asked if they had a social media platform that they used for
professional development opportunities. If they did, they could continue on with the
survey.
The teachers were asked how frequently they used Twitter on a professional
basis. Then, the survey gave them a list of activities that could be performed on Twitter,
such as sharing a link, researching a new strategy, resharing a resource, following a link
shared by others, reading posts marked by an educational hashtag, engaging in
professional dialogue, seeking educational advice, or providing help or advice to other

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professionals. The teachers were given the option to identify how often they utilized
Twitter for educational purposes into four categories: Never, Sometimes, Regularly, or
Daily.
Nine open-ended free response questions were included in the survey. Teachers
were asked how Twitter has impacted their professional development, how Twitter has
impacted their professional learning communities, and how Twitter has changed them
professionally. Teachers could answer these questions with an open-ended response.
Survey responses were presented graphically for analysis and demographic data
was used to analyze any trends. Open-ended questions were organized based on three
research questions:
● How has social media, such as Twitter, impacted professional
development for you professionally?
● What are the professional impacts (if any) of using social media on
teacher-interface, teacher-content, teacher-instructor, and teacher-teacher
interactions?
● What professional growth changes have you made as a result of using
social media as a teacher?
The gathered survey responses were analyzed through the use of Google Sheets, a
spreadsheet that created tables, charts, diagrams, and figures. Data was organized based
on the use of social media and years of social media experience. Open-ended questions
were divided by common themes relating to the use of Twitter. The themes were the
community of use, practice, and knowledge, and were sought and documented from the
survey data.

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Summary / Transition
From the data that was collected from the surveys, interviews, and classroom
observations to answer the research questions, the study revealed that social media, such
as Twitter, provided teachers with effective professional development opportunities and
also connected teachers to professional learning communities. The primary focus of
professional development focuses on the improvement of a professions practice. The
teacher's professional knowledge and teaching skills need to positively impact a
student's learning and growth. It is prudent that school leaders create an effective
professional development program for all teachers that is flexible and addresses the
individual needs of every teacher. Only through individualized professional
development can school leaders develop a professional growth program that allows for
teachers to address and strengthen their weaknesses, build on their strengths, and
connect with other educators to share stories and find solutions to classroom struggles.
Schools need to eliminate the “one-size-fits-all” professional development and provide
teachers with an effective model of individualized learning that can be also delivered to
their students.
In Chapter 5, conclusions will address the effectiveness of individualized
professional development and describes how it will be applied in a small, rural high
school. The chapter will also provide how the implementation of individualized
professional development will benefit the teacher and the students. Also, the fiscal
implications of implementing individualized professional development and professional
learning communities will be reflected from the data provided. From this chapter, future

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plans will be presented based on the data gathered from surveys that addressed whether
or not social media was beneficial as a professional learning development tool.

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CHAPTER V
Conclusions and Recommendations
Introduction
As proven by the data in Chapter 1, professional development has not really
changed much from the beginning of education. From traditional sit-down professional
development lectures to a one-size-fits all presentation, professional development
remains unchanged for many schools. However, with the accessibility of technology in
the palm of teachers’ hands, social media such as Twitter has given them the ability to
engage in virtual professional development. Through social media, teachers can connect
electronically with other teachers, find and share content instantly, and collaborate with
other professionals around the globe. This chapter will state conclusions about the
effectiveness of social media as a professional learning development tool and how
teachers can use this model to help plan for individualized professional development.
In Chapter 1 of this research project, this researcher stated that professional
development remains a financial problem for small, rural school districts. While little is
known about the financial impact of professional development, small districts that are
limited with their budgets have a difficult time finding ways to provide meaningful
professional development to all teachers. Small districts provide professional
development that may be cheap, unorganized, or irrelevant to content and subject areas,
and therefore ineffective to many classroom teachers. Mandatory professional
development without relevance, lacking support with collaboration and coaching followthrough, and respect for teachers’ experience will always be counterproductive.

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Districts are always looking for ways to save money and cut expenditures from
their budget. Effective personalized learning and cheap professional development is
always a demand for leaders in small, rural districts that are financially strapped.
Districts look for effective and innovative ways to meet high standards and obtain high
student achievement. With today’s need-to-know-now technology, is social media as a
professional learning development tool beneficial for teachers?
The purpose of this capstone research project was to focus on the use of social
media as an effective form of professional development, and whether or not teachers
were able to use it to learn from professional communities. The goal of the research was
to see if teachers in small rural school districts were able to use social media to connect
with other educators, learn and share relevant content, and also connect with other
professionals outside of the educational field. From this study, the research would be
able to determine if social media had a positive outcome on effective professional
development for all educators while working with a limited-to-no budget.
To address the research questions that were established in Chapter 3, this study
explains how the researcher conducted the research and will describe the results with
supportive data. The data will describe how social media could be implemented in small,
rural school districts in western Pennsylvania with no costs to the district, all while
providing effective professional development to all teachers in all content areas. This
data will also provide explanations to the professional impact that the use of social
media has on teacher-interface, teacher-content, and teacher-teacher interactions.
The researcher began collecting data by surveying 28 high school teachers
located in a small, rural high school in southwestern Pennsylvania. The survey was

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created to collect data on the usage and effectiveness of social media as a professional
learning development tool. The selected teachers for the initial survey were all high
school teachers. Data from this initial data survey was analyzed to determine if the high
school teachers utilized social media as a professional learning development tool, how
they engaged with social media for professional use, and if the usage of social media
provided growth opportunities.
Through the analysis of the initial survey, the researcher developed 10 openended free response questions that allowed the teachers to elaborate on their use of
social media and the professional opportunities that social media has provided them.
Final data was collected through informal interviews in the researcher’s office. These
interviews clarified the use of social media and classroom observations, in which the
researcher examined the implementation of classroom strategies obtained from social
media. The gathering of data through observations and interviews allowed the researcher
to see the impact that Twitter may have had on the educators’ teaching strategies, as well
as how some teachers used Twitter as a consistent teaching and communication tool
within their classes. The observations that occurred from the information collected
through the data survey allowed the researcher to understand why teachers referred to
Twitter to gain new teaching strategies and project ideas.
Conclusions
Research question #1: How has social media, such as Twitter, impacted
professional development for you professionally?
As online professional development continues to expand through the use of
social media, such as Twitter, more professionals are looking towards instant access to

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gain knowledge. Twitter has individualized professional development and social media
has allowed teachers to connect with other professionals outside of their own building.
The main goal of professional development is to assist and prepare teachers by giving
them the knowledge and skills they need to prepare all learners and assure they achieve
high standards of learning and growth (U.S. Department of Education, 1996). Teachers
are utilizing online professional development for self-growth and to develop new
methods for delivering instruction.
Teachers are also able to share opinions and research articles that address issues
they may be facing in the classroom. Twitter has allowed teachers to interact with other
educators, students, and parents not only within the classroom, but also outside the
school and district. By gaining individualized professional development, social media
has enabled teachers to find specific apps and content that helps address students’
individual learning needs. Twitter has also assisted teachers in communicating with
students once they leave the room, communicating curriculum changes to parents,
staying up to date with new technology and applications, and allowing them to expand
their professional network outside of the district and across the globe.
As indicated in Chapter 4, teachers identified a variety of ways that they
regularly engage with Twitter for professional development in the following manner:
● Share a link to an online educational resource
● Research a new strategy that they have implemented in class
● Reshare a resource that was shared by others
● Follow a link to a resource shared by others
● Read posts with an educational hashtag

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● Post with an educational hashtag
● Engage in a professional dialogue using an @ reply
● Ask for help or advice from other teachers / professionals
● Provide help or advice to other teachers / professionals
In summary, teachers have utilized social media for professional development
and have developed meaningful relationships that are designed to assist them in meeting
the needs of their students. The combination of following professionals, sharing
resources, reading online articles, or seeking out help and advice confirms that social
media, such as Twitter, can be beneficial to teachers for professional development.
After reflecting on the first research question and the methods in which teachers
are using social media as a professional learning development tool, the researcher can
confidently state that social media is positively impacting the ability for teachers to gain,
share, and research educational methods for the improvement of their practice. However,
the data lacks how the quality of professional development may impact academic
successes of the students and how this professional development could be measured. As
stated above, teachers are regularly using social media as a reference tool that can be
shared with other teachers and districts looking for free, individualized professional
development. Any teacher who wants to connect, grow, and share teaching resources
can contribute to their own professional development through the use of social media
while also building upon their repertoire of teaching strategies.
Research question #2: What are the professional impacts (if any) of using social
media on teacher-interface, teacher-content, teacher-instructor, and teacherteacher interactions?

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During the analysis of the data from research question #2, a theme emerged
through the research that indicated the impacts of using social media as teacherinterface, teacher-content, teacher-instructor, and teacher-teacher interactions are limited
by the use of the respondent. Teachers are able to connect with other professionals in
other professions and are able to see what other teachers are doing in their classrooms.
They are also able to establish rapport with other teachers and gauge interest levels of
various topics. Additionally, teachers responded that they have been able to grow
professionally through teacher-content interactions by researching the latest news,
finding useful strategies, and discovering new resources that allow teachers to share
content with others.
Through the use of social media, teachers have been able to expand their
professional network beyond the school building and district. Twitter gives them
immediate access to useful content to implement within their classrooms, and a place to
gather and share data on the new strategy. Teachers stated that Twitter has allowed them
to expand their professional network beyond the classroom walls, foundation, and
district boundaries by connecting with others through the use of social media. Finally,
teachers have been able to discover resources that allowed them to meet the learning
needs of students that may be difficult or disinterested.
Twitter has allowed teachers to share content more easily by following other
teachers and hashtags. Twitter has also allowed teachers to research and implement in
their curriculum interesting historical facts, people, etc., that are not identified in
standard printed material. Also, social media has provided teachers the opportunity to
incorporate enrichment activities for use in their curriculum and provide students with a

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choice when it comes to expanding their learning. Teachers have also utilized Twitter to
gather new ideas and use them immediately as many ideas come with proven results.
Twitter has allowed teachers the ability to use the latest news pertaining to content,
scientific research, and current events.
When educators engaged with social media outside of school, the following
themes occurred:
● Informed user of what other professionals are doing
● Snapshots of educator’s daily activities
● Provided enrichment activities
● Establish rapport with other teachers
● Stay up-to-date with the latest classroom trends
● Relevant articles and resources for classroom instruction
● Connect with other teachers outside the district
● Share student achievements and recognize others
● Current educational tools and developmental ideas
● Communicate what is happening in school
In summary of research questions #2, according to Huffman (2012), "Through
appropriate professional development/training of faculty, social networking tools can be
utilized to enhance the educational experience of students by extending the learning
beyond the walls of the traditional classroom." Teachers need to expand their knowledge
at all levels to meet the learning needs of all students. It is important that teachers
continue to grow and seek opportunities through free platforms to gain as much
knowledge as possible for the success of all students.

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Research question #3: What professional growth changes have you made as a result
of using social media as a teacher?
When compared to the teachers that did not use Twitter for professional
development, teachers who did believed that social media has led to their professional
growth. It is critical for the success of all students that their teachers have the ability to
receive effective professional development and all necessary resources, including access
to the most recent teaching strategies. Data from research question #3 revealed that
social media can lead to teacher growth and that it does give teachers the ability to
connect with other teachers, content creators, and professionals.
As indicated in Chapter 4, teachers found value through the use of Twitter for
professional development. Teachers were able to connect with other teachers through the
app, and that connection made it easy to find new strategies and activities to share in
their classrooms and with other teachers. The teachers also stated that they were able to
find new best practices that they have implemented in their classrooms by connecting
with other teachers. Twitter allowed the teachers to stay up to date with new educational
apps that gave them the opportunity to connect with students and share new applications
with colleagues. Social media has also allowed teachers to share student achievement
and showcase student projects with the community. Additionally, using social media has
grown their professional network outside of the district, allowing them to connect with
other educators and professionals around the world.
Respondents to research question #3 stated social media has created professional
growth in the following ways:

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● Quick communication with other professionals
● Connections with other professionals and to see other work
● Ability to gain new educational tools, developments, and ideas
● Heightened professional awareness on “hot topics”
● Growth in teaching strategies and technology tools
● Discover solutions to challenges that educators face
● Additional tools and resources available
● Ability to see student work and other educators
● Discover new material and resources
● New articles of relevance to current lessons
● Additional resources and strategies
● Connecting with other educators and districts
● Exposure to new professionals
● Instant collaboration and connection with teachers
● Endless content and expansion on knowledge
● Networking capabilities with other professionals
● Connections with businesses, corporations, and people in the educational
field
In conclusion, teachers that utilized social media for professional growth
opportunities have experienced the ability to connect with other teachers, educators, and
professionals to expand on their professional knowledge. For many teachers,
professional development has to be relevant and personal to be effective. Teachers found
that Twitter was an effective and efficient way to locate resources and strategies to

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implement in their classroom. Teachers were able to make new connections with other
educators, business leaders, and professionals across a variety of fields that gave the
teacher new material to add to their lessons.
Upon reflecting on research question #3 and the professional growth that
teachers have achieved through apps like Twitter, the researcher affirms that effective
professional development through the use of social media can positively impact the
ability of teachers to connect with and provide new information for their students. Social
media provides educators with the tools and training they need to learn new, relevant
subject matter, and does so while promoting communication with others in their field. In
essence, this researcher believes that social media offers teachers unlimited access to
resources and a network of professionals to help them gain insight to the outside world.
Future Directions for Research
This capstone research project is the beginning of a journey into the use of social
media as a professional development tool for teachers and how social media can connect
teachers with professional learning communities, as well as a review of the history of
education and the implementation of professional development. Additionally, the use of
social media for professional development can continue to be researched in the wake of
the Coronavirus pandemic, with studies shifting to the effective use of social media as a
professional development tool before the pandemic versus the way it will be used after.
This researcher recommends the following for future researchers:
● Replicate the study and gather similar data on the use of social media in school
districts for professional development reasons, and then compare and contrast the
results.

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● Replicate the study and investigate how schools are providing professional
development to teachers using a remote or distance learning method and
compare and contrast the results to this study.
● Conduct a case study of a specific small rural school district or a group of small
rural schools that use free professional development resources for their teachers
and compare and contrast the results to a school or a group of small schools that
provide teachers the opportunity to use social media as a professional learning
development tool.
● Investigate how small school districts across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania
are using social media as a professional learning development tool and compare
and contrast the results to this study.
● Conduct a research study where small rural school districts utilize social media
for establishing professional learning communities within their schools and
compare and contrast the results to this study.
● Investigate the effectiveness of social media as a professional learning
community and compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of the
professional learning community to schools that do not allow social media to be
used to establish professional learning communities.
● Investigate, through the use of a case study, the impact of social media as a
professional learning development tool on student achievement in a small rural
school.

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Even though the data in this capstone research project reveals a favorable image
of social media as a professional learning development tool, the teachers that
participated in the informal interviews in the researcher’s office were all excited about
any new technology and eager to learn. In the future, a capstone project could research
the effectiveness of social media with a large group of teachers across a wider area that
implemented social media on their own for the purpose of professional development and
professional learning communities.
The results from the no-fiscal impact that social media has had on school
districts could be researched against the results from professional development that costs
districts thousands of dollars. A study could be conducted that investigated the effects of
expensive “whole-group” professional development and compare and contrast against
the use of social media with zero costs.
The issues that districts fiscally face today and the lack of effective,
personalized, professional development provided to teachers has not been researched in
depth within this capstone research project. Future studies could investigate the use of
money for professional development and the ability to connect with all educators within
the school system. Additionally, a study could be done regarding the use of money for
professional development versus other expenses within the district’s budget, and how
the use of these funds academically impacted the teaching and learning within the
district.
During this study, the researcher was impressed with the use of social media as a
professional learning development tool without the directive from the principal to
implement this model.

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Summary / Concluding Statement
Through this capstone research project, it has become evident that social media
is effectively being utilized by teachers for the purpose of professional development, or
learning and connecting with professional learning communities. The researcher realized
that the best way to cut expenses on things like professional development, conference
costs, and teacher training while still meeting professional development needs is to
provide teachers with the opportunity to learn how to use social media and integrate it
into their classrooms. The researcher believed this project has proven that teachers are
willing to grow and seek out help from other teachers and professionals when the
opportunity arises, and social media makes it easy for them to do so.
As required by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, districts must provide
teachers with opportunities for professional development to improve their professional
practice. This professional development should improve the teachers’ practice by
allowing them to focus on specific, individualized areas of need, but unfortunately, rural
districts cannot always afford to provide individualized professional development to
every single staff member. With the use of technology and the accessibility of
connectivity applications like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, teachers in
school districts around the world are finally able to connect with each other in their
specific area of need for free. Social media provides the resources and flexibility to meet
the personal needs of every teacher and the student whenever they need it, which has the
power to revolutionize professional development inside and outside of the classroom.
This researcher has learned that some teachers believe that professional
development should be the responsibility of the district and some teachers believe that

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effective professional development is that of the teacher. A school with a strong leader
that encourages individuality and growth is the key to a successful professional
development program. A school must have a principal with an understanding of the
power of social media and be willing to lead the charge of individualized professional
development. The ability for school leaders and teachers to grow and improve their
pedagogy must be shared between all parties and teachers must be willing to seek out
their own professional development and growth with others. The teacher must be willing
to take the lead in their classroom with new strategies and be willing to share those
strategies with colleagues and other professionals.
Through this research project, this researcher discovered that teachers in the
small rural school district have the ability to connect with other professionals and
colleagues across the world when willing to take the time to learn how social media can
help them achieve personal growth. During the study, teachers were engaged in
numerous professional development methods and discussions on the improvement of
their professional practice. The time that the teachers spent researching strategies,
engaging in professional conversations with others, and sharing stories and student work
with others occurred by their own willingness, without a directive from the principal or
district.
Many of the teachers in this capstone research project indicated that they were
using Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to communicate and engage with their students,
parents, and other professionals. They have discovered the power that these applications
have when researching educational articles and materials that could be applicable in
their professional practice. In the future, this researcher would like to continue to expand

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on this research and implement professional learning development methods using social
media applications and establishing professional learning communities with other
members of the educational community. For example, school counselors could benefit
from the unlimited resources that are available online regarding mental health,
relationships, career building, and the importance of student self-advocacy.
With the movement to online learning and a hybrid learning environment, school
administrators have the power to shift the paradigm in the delivery of professional
development and the ability to meet the needs of all stakeholders. This researcher
believes that as schools begin to adapt to life in a post-pandemic world, school districts
have the ability to change how they share ideas and collaborate with others. Social
media applications will be a portal through which teachers can share new experiences
and make lasting connections.

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Definitions of Terms

Edchat: A conversation on Twitter denoted using an education-related hashtag. The
conversation may take place at an appointed time or asynchronously over a long period
(Whitby, 2010).
Hashtag: A symbol created using the octothorpe (colloquially referred to as the pound
or number sign) (Doctor, 2013).
Professional development: Development in one's profession, e.g. through seminars,
courses, etc (Professional Development, 2010). According to Learning Forward
(formerly the National Staff Development Council) and adopted by ESEA, it is a
"comprehensive, sustained, and intensive approach to improving teachers' and principals'
effectiveness in raising student achievement" (Choy, Chen, and Bugarin, 2006). Avalos
(2011) defines professional development as "is about teachers learning, learning how to
learn, and transforming their knowledge into practice for the benefit of their students'
growth" (p. 10).
Professional Learning Community: (PLC) is educators committed to working
collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve
better results for the students they serve (DuFour, 2020).
Teacher: Any professional educator who is involved in the field of education, including
classroom professionals, school administrators, technology directors, or other specialists.
Timeline: A series of posts to Twitter that appear in reverse chronological order
(About your Twitter timeline., 2020).

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Twitter: A microblogging platform that allows educators from all corners of the globe
to communicate in 280 characters or less and allows for the sharing of resources,
discussion of best practices, and collaboration (Sheninger, 2019). According to
Rodesiler (2011), teachers are using Twitter to establish “professional learning beyond
the workshops provided in their respective buildings or districts as they receive and
distribute content tailored to their specific interests in teaching and learning” (p. 52).
Tweet: A message of 280 characters or less that is posted on Twitter (Sheninger, 2019).

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A
Consent Form

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IS SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFICIAL FOR TEACHERS?

APPENDIX B
Institutional Review Board Approval 19_19-002

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APPENDIX C
Survey Instrument

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