Learning in the palm of your hand: an exploration of the value of online education-related X/Twitter chats for professional learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT Since Twitter’s 2006 inception, educators have used the platform, more recently rebranded as X, for multiple purposes related to teaching and learning. Social media such as X have proven to be flexible sources of just-in-time learning for many educators across sectors. Education-related X hashtags and the synchronous and asynchronous chats associated with many of them have played host to various kinds of interactions amongst participants. Educators access ideas, share resources and connect with colleagues. Chats related to hashtags can function as Social Learning Spaces, where members drive the learning agenda and learning is rooted in mutual engagement. However, little is formally known about the value participants gain from being involved in these chats and how they contribute to their professional learning. They remain a relatively unrecognised form of professional learning. This qualitative study sought to explore participants’ experiences and determine what learning they gained from their chat involvement. A thematic analysis revealed participants were in two main categories: those who used X chats to gain ideas for teaching, and more experienced teachers who valued chats for their broad discussion of theory, issues, and challenges around their practice. These findings provide insight into how such forms of professional learning should be recognised and validated in educational contexts.