The invisible labor of social media pedagogy: A case study of #TeamRhetoric community-building on Twitter

Abstract

In this article, I share a case study illustrating potentials and pitfalls of social media technologies in writing pedagogy to network students and disciplinary stakeholders. It is drawn from a larger dataset, a mixed-methods study exploring social media in pedagogy and professional contexts by writing studies faculty. The case study emerged from a graduate-level course I taught that used Twitter as a digital bridge to build community among students, faculty, and professional organizations. Through the case study, I offer a deeper dive into issues that can arise regarding invisible, uncompensated digital labor when teaching with social media. To offer faculty and administrators pedagogical takeaways connected to this case study, I provide a heuristic (a table with guiding questions and further readings) for conscientious consideration and use of pedagogical social media—an attempt to make visible some of these labor and ethical concerns.