Chapter 7: Exploring Learner–Content Interactions in a University Course Through Social Media use

When meaningfully integrated into a university course, social media can enhance learner–content interactions (Buzzetto-More, 2012; Öztürk, 2015; Shih, 2011; Webb, 2009). While there is a literature base that demonstrates the benefits and uses of social media in online learning, little empirical research details how these tools are meaningfully integrated in support of content interactions in university courses. Using Moore’s (1997) TD framework and Pinch’s and Bijker’s (1984) SCOT model, this study explores how social media is employed by learners in a university course in service of learner–content interactions. The findings show that social media was employed by the instructor in service of learners’ professional development, but modified by the learners to support content understanding. This suggests a need for purposeful instructional design around how social media tools are integrated into a course in support of the learners’ needs prior to their integration into the instructional experience.