Abstract
This article shows how a group of language teachers use Twitter as a tool for continuous professional development through the #MFLtwitterati hashtag. Based on data collected through a survey (n = 116) and interviews (n = 11), it describes how this collective of teachers use the hashtag and evaluates the impact of their Twitter network on their teaching practices. The results show that most users try the suggestions and ideas that they find on this network, which have a positive impact on their teaching. Finally, the article assesses whether the hashtag users can be described as a community of practice.
Highlights
As many schools around the globe suffer cuts to their funding for Continuous Professional Development (CPD), some teachers have taken to Twitter as a replacement for formal learning opportunities through conversations, sharing ideas and resources (Greenhalgh and Koehler, 2017)
Who are the #MFLtwitterati? The results provide a picture of the #MFLtwitterati users as language teachers, mostly female, and mainly based in schools in the UK
Surprising is the large proportion of teachers who are based in the UK
Summary
As many schools around the globe suffer cuts to their funding for Continuous Professional Development (CPD), some teachers have taken to Twitter as a replacement for formal learning opportunities through conversations, sharing ideas and resources (Greenhalgh and Koehler, 2017). Twitter is a microblogging tool where users can post messages (tweets) of up to 280 characters (the limit was 140 up to November 2017) as well as links, photos and videos, polls and live video streaming. It has a feature for direct messaging to individuals or groups. In 2017 Twitter had over one billion registered accounts, of which 330 million were active. Hashtags are an essential part of Twitter. They are words or combinations of words preceded by the # sign to indicate the topic of the tweet. Hashtags are used for Twitter Chats, where users utilise a hashtag for a pre-arranged conversation on a specific topic
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
