There is limited research regarding the use of social media or other types of media in online courses. In 2013, I surveyed 110 adjunct professors from a Linkedin group to determine if they added media (including social media) to already developed curriculum. Due to the prevalence of online classes, it might help curriculum designers to determine media preferences. This type of study may also demonstrate the flexibility of online courses, the perception of content requirements in online courses, and professors’ best practices.
Some of the social sites that professors used included Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube; female professors used these sites more than male. Sites like Twitter were chosen for this study because they have shown to be useful for marketing courses for product trending. However, Youtube was the most frequently used of the social media sites. The most popular links added to courses included news-based websites like NBC, CBS, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal. Most of the professors believed these news sites were appropriate additions to the classroom. Many of the respondents were over 46 years of age with more than eight years of experience. The results were published in the Journal of Scholastic Inquiry: Education, Volume 1, Issue 1 in Fall of 2013.
The following demonstrates professors’ choices of media based on years of experience. The Facebook category included other social media sites like Twitter. The Websites/Official category includes news sites. To see the video presentation of this study regarding online professors’ media choices at the Journal of Scholastic Inquiry Conference, click here.
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