Hashtags and Pins in Education: Digital Native Educators in Digital Habitats
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Kennesaw State University DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations Department of Instructional Technology Fall 10-25-2019 Hashtags and Pins in Education: Digital Native Educators in Digital Habitats. Kelly Pilgrim Cassidy [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/instruceddoc_etd Part of the Educational Technology Commons, and the Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons Recommended Citation Cassidy, Kelly Pilgrim, "Hashtags and Pins in Education: Digital Native Educators in Digital Habitats." (2019). Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations. 7. https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/instruceddoc_etd/7 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Instructional Technology at DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Running head: HASHTAGS and PINS Hashtags and Pins in Education: Digital Native Educators in Digital Habitats Kelly Pilgrim Cassidy Kennesaw State University Bagwell College of Education Department of Instructional Technology Dr. Julie Moore, Dissertation Chair A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Bagwell College of Education HASHTAGS and PINS 1 Dedication In a myriad of ways, this dissertation has revolved around the conceptual understanding of human habitats and how they are in flux due to changes we experience in this journey of life. I have been blessed by members of my habitat who have been there from the beginning, such as my parents, Kenneth and Wanda Pilgrim (#ParentingGoals), my sister, McKenzie, (#Sisterhood) and brother, Lee (#TechGeek). They recognized very early that every vacation would include me begging to visit the nearest bookstore and frequently I would drag them into conversations revolving around whatever scientific concept with which I was currently enamored. I am sure they were somewhat relieved when John (#Parabatai) arrived. For the past 27 years, he has been my constant intellectual counterpoint. Together we have created (#JKLRS) and nurtured three amazing boys, Logan (#Engineer, #MIT2026), Reed (#PitcherLife, #FishFearMe, #Bibliophile) and Seth (#ChessMaster, #Songwriter), who delight and surprise us daily with an abundance of joy. I could never express my gratitude to all of them for their patience with my pursuit of endless knowledge to obtain my doctorate. I am also indebted to all of the research participants in the study who trusted me to enter their Digital Habitats and worked with me to accurately represent their experiences as Digital Native Educators. Finally, throughout my time at KSU, Dr. Julie Moore (#Mentorship), my dissertation chair, has provided countless hours of mentorship, intellectual leadership and emotional support through the entire process. The ITEC team (#ITECEdD), especially Dr. Julie Moore, Dr. Jo Williamson and Dr. Julia Fuller, have been vital to the compilation of my research and the culmination of my doctoral journey. HASHTAGS and PINS 2 Abstract As technology becomes more ubiquitous in society, education cannot ignore the impact it is having on education. This research seeks to understand how Digital Native educators are using Digital Habitats in their professional practice. By gaining a deeper understanding of how educators use Digital Habitats, including their tools, like hashtags and pins, we can begin to develop ways to incorporate these skills into our teacher preparation programs. The knowledge gained from this study can help administrators, technology leaders and coaches to better understand their Digital Native teachers and how they are using these technology tools in their professional practice. This qualitative study was conducted with six public-school Digital Native educator participants. Data was collected in the form of interviews, focus groups, digital archives, observations and documents. The data was coded, categorized and analyzed for thematic revelations. Some of the key findings supported established literature and others extended and refined the current knowledge base. Overall, the findings of the study demonstrate the participants’ interesting and excessive usage of their Digital Habitats personally and professionally. The gregarious nature of the Digital Native educators in this study supported their infusion of Digital Habitat elements into their personal and professional landscapes. Keywords: digital native, digital habitat, hashtag, twitter, pinterest, instagram, pin, professional learning, professional development HASHTAGS and PINS 3 Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 3 List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. 7 List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 9 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................ 9 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 14 Goals of the Study ..................................................................................................................... 15 Study Impacts........................................................................................................................ 15 Local Context ............................................................................................................................ 17 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................. 19 Framework of the Study- Worldview ....................................................................................... 20 Review of Relevant Terms........................................................................................................ 26 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 28 Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 29 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 29 Literature Inclusion Guidelines ................................................................................................. 29 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................. 31 Review of Literature Strands .................................................................................................... 32 Generational Labels .............................................................................................................. 32 Digital Natives & Digital Immigrants................................................................................... 36 Hashtags ................................................................................................................................ 41 Social Platforms: Networking, Publishing and Bookmarking .............................................. 44 Professional Development vs Professional Learning ........................................................... 52 HASHTAGS and PINS 4 Professional Learning Networks ........................................................................................... 54 Digital Habitats ..................................................................................................................... 55 Digital Natives as Educators ................................................................................................. 60 Gaps Identified in the Literature Review .................................................................................. 65 Age of Participants ................................................................................................................ 65 Digital Habitats and the Melding of Public and Private Personas ........................................ 66 Social Media and Networking use by Digital Native Educators .......................................... 66 Hashtags ................................................................................................................................ 66 Summary and Implications of Literature Review ..................................................................... 67 Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................................... 68 Review of Worldview and Goals of the Study ........................................................................