DESIGN OF INFORMAL ONLINE LEARNING COMMUNITIES IN

EDUCATION

Disserta(onDefenseWhitneyKilgoreJune20,2016

@whitneykilgore

THE PURPOSE

Categorized their structure and explained the lived experiences of the chat designers

Twitter chats

@whitneykilgore

TOPICS OF INQUIRYHow does the Twitter chat structure align with the designer of the chat’s teaching philosophy?

What practical processes are in place to support the Twitter chat? How are the chats run and by whom?

What structural changes have been made since the initial design of the chat?

What is the perceived value or utility of the chat?

@whitneykilgore

Literature Review

THE LITERATUREUS DOE’s Office of Ed Tech Future Ready program advises use Twitter chats as a no-cost option for professional development.

Little academic research available regarding the use of microblogging as professional development.

No existing comparative analysis of Twitter chat designs.

• Chatformat• Volumeofpar0cipa0on• Modera0onmethods• Digitaltoolsused

Categoriza0onofStateTwi=erChats

• PurposiveSampling• 5Twi=erChatdesigners

Recrui0ng• Scheduled&Recorded• Transcribed• MemberChecked

Interviews

• A=ributecoding• InVivocoding• Structuralcoding• Themesemerge

Analysis• Reviewofemergentthemesmayrevealareasforfurtherresearch

Repor0ng

RESEARCH DESIGN

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CATEGORIZATION Documented Design Elements

Format of Chat (Q/A, other)

Volume of Tweets

Availability of an Chat Archive

Website recorded on USDOE website

Digital Presence (website)

Use of a Moderator account or hosts

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INCLUSION CRITERIA

Used existing criteria defined by the USDOE selected state Twitter chats to include

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CHAT CATEGORIESState Hashtag Twitter Chats Organized by Category

Moderator Driven Host Driven

Guest Host with Mod Support

Live Google Hangout

During ChatRotating

Moderators

#vachat #nebedchat #edchatri #nyedchat #caedchat#wyoedchat #paedchat #iledchat #iaedchat #njed

#gaed #edchatme #sced#edchathi #nced #kyedchat#wischat #ndedchat

#arkedchat #edchatma#fledchat #ohedchat

#mtedchat #aledchat#sdedchat #inelearn#moedchat #miched

#vted #txeduchat#idedchat #oklaed

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PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICSChat Chat Format Pseudonym Age Gender Position

Chat A Moderator Driven Rachel 40 Female

Principal at private school

Chat B Rotating Moderator Phoebe 39 Female Educational

consultant

Chat CChat with

Live GHO on Air

Chandler 48 Male High school principal

Chat DGuest Host

w/Moderator Support

Ross 50 MaleSupt. of K12

school district

Chat E Host Driven Joey 35 MaleMiddle

school vice principal

Chat Miscategorized

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CODING PROCESS

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TOI #1 PHILOSOPHYInterviewee Pedagogical

Philosophy Chat DesignLevel of

Moderator Control

Alignment of Chat to Philosophy

Rachel Flexible pedagogy, meeting learners need

Moderator Driven High Misaligned: Chat is highly

controlled by the moderator

Phoebe Student Led & Inquiry-based

Rotating Moderator Moderate

Somewhat Aligned: Not student led, but the Q/A format supports Inquiry Based Learning

ChandlerCreate positive experiences and leave a legacy

Chat with Live Google Hangout on Air

HighAligned: The high moderator control supports his desire to create the experience

RossShifted from Controller of information to facilitator

Guest Host with Moderator Support

Low Aligned: The low moderator control is aligned with facilitating

Joey Education is about relationships Host Driven None *This chat was miscategorized

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MODERATOR CONTROL

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TOI #2 PROCESSESInterviewee Chat Design Co-

mod Hosts Topics Planning Tools

Rachel Moderator Driven 2 No

Flexible topics: state issues, but more appeal

with broader issuesGoogle doc & storify

Phoebe Rotating Moderator 10 Occasional

Topics from curiosity, personal research, happening in the

Twitterverse

Google tools (docs, sites, sheets) Meet face to face

annually, rotate moderators

ChandlerChat with Live

Google Hangout on Air

6 YesOccasionally State

specific topic - due to state board of edu

Conference call & Google doc recently added Voxer

RossGuest Host with

Moderator Support

1 YesGeneral topics of interest Occasional state specific

topics (legislative)Google spreadsheet

Joey Host Driven 6 No Topics with broad appeal Google docs

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TOI #3 CHANGESChat A: none

Chat B: attempted to add in GHO but they were too distracting & provided questions in advance of chat time

Chat C: added a second time and GHO into the chat

Chat D: none

Chat E: quit having the chat due to scheduling but added more moderators and back online

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TOI #4 VALUE

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IMPLICATIONSMandatory Components • Leadership• Design• Regularity• Support

Needed for Learning Community Development • Promotion• Appealing Topics• Participants

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LIMITATIONSHard to determine value without chat participants input

First study to evaluate Twitter chat designs

Additional design focused research needed to support findings

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FUTURE RESEARCH

Social Network Analysis (SNA)

Explore Dormant Chats

Participants perceptions of Twitter chat value

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CONCLUSIONS1 2

3

# 3Without leadership online communities may fail

# 2Moderators are the social glue

# 1Time intensive & requires team support

QUESTIONS?