Based on teacher perceptions, would the use of social media via mobile devices in grades 9-12 classrooms increase student engagement in learning activities?

Abstract

This research study addressed teachers’ perceptions of the use of social networking via mobile devices and the impact that social media accessed via mobile devices has on the learning engagement of students in grades 9-12 in select Louisiana high schools, in a rural southern parish of the United States (Gibbs, 2012). The study examined teachers’ perceptions of whether or not the use of social media improved students’ engagement in learning activities. Some researchers assert that the use of social media and smart cell phones is both the current and future mode of communication and that educators would do well to embrace these technology tools in the classroom, instilling correct use of the social media networking, or digital citizenship (Smith, 2007). Social media networking can inspire students to manipulate language and can also enhance student engagement in the classroom (Kolb, 2008). Other researchers maintain that social media networking through mobile devices promotes use of shortcuts, abbreviations, idioms and slang through chat acronyms. This study examined these two schools of thought by disseminating a 52 question survey to 240 high school teachers via Survey Monkey. Only 51 were completed on Survey Monkey because of parish technology difficulties. Ninety-five teachers completed the surveys by way of paper copies. Results of both surveys were merged (a total of 146) to form the data used . Quantitative methods and results were balanced by qualitative analyses of teacher written responses to survey questions. The responses to the survey questions were used to determine whether the use of social media networking via mobile devices such as cell phones in grades 9-12 secondary classrooms increased student engagement in learning activities. Overall this study revealed that teachers perceived the use of social networking via mobile devices would improve student engagement in learning activities as the mobile devices would motivate the disengaged student by addressing differentiated learning, vary learning styles and promote collaboration in the classroom. The perception of the teachers is that students already know how to download applications, calculate problems, research, email, and text on mobile devices enabling easy access to learning anytime, anywhere (Peat & Maldonado, 2006).