Doing Online Relearning through Information Skills (DORIS): Using Social Media in Higher Education

Your Name and Title:

Juan D. Machin-Mastromatteo, M.Sc.

School, Library, or Organization Name:

Tallinn University, Institute of Information Studies

Area of the World from Which You Will Present:

Europe (Estonia)

Language in Which You Will Present:

English

Target Audience(s):

Educators, teachers, and librarians

Short Session Description (one line):

I present my research on using social media in higher education, with some methods and theories

Full Session Description (as long as you would like):

I summarize some of the developments that have taken place within my doctoral research on the use social media in higher education. Specifically, the methodological refinements developed in order to conduct my final study. The research aims are to determine significant issues, challenges and opportunities that emerge when social media are integrated into learning environments in higher education. Furthermore, learning, literacies, and social media are conceived as elements that mutually shape one another during the study. The method used in this research is participatory action research. With this methodological approach, a series of learning interventions, activities, and assignments labeled as ‘Doing Online Relearning through Information Skills’ (DORIS) were planned. These were comprised of physical meetings and different assignments and online activities between them. The instruments considered for the collection of data are: a diagnostic questionnaire, a blog, social learners’ reports, a second questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The method for analyzing data is going to be content analysis, so a framework of preliminary categories is presented. Moreover, the three dimensions of learning (cognitive, social, and emotional) and the theory of affinity spaces provide powerful analytical lenses for analyzing and discussing the data gathered in this study. The framework of DORIS might be useful for researchers, academics and librarians. It can be taken to develop learning interventions for learning and researching about and with social media or other technology mediated learning environments. Furthermore, it can also be adapted for teaching information literacy programs or other topics from an information skills framework.

Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session:

http://judamasmas.com (my blog)

http://tinyurl.com/jmlearning2 (slides from my previous presentation. If this session is accepted I will have different slides! :)  )