Teacher Twitter Chats: Gender Differences in Participants' Contributions

Abstract

Gender differences in participation were examined across four Twitter chats for social studies teachers. Analyses drawing on mixed methods revealed that while there was parity across most kinds of tweets, participants identified as men were more likely to use the examined Twitter chats to share resources, give advice, boast, promote their own blog/resource/website, and offer critique to another participants' tweet. Participants identified as women were more likely to write tweets that included positive affirmations for other chat participants. These findings suggest that there are differences in the way that women and men tend to participate in teacher Twitter chat spaces.

Keywords:

• Twitter
• gender
• in-service education
• professional development

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Stacey L. Kerr

Stacey Kerr is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Central Michigan University. Her research interests include geography education, and issues of gender and space. Please address correspondence regarding this article to Stacey L. Kerr, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Central Michigan University, Dow Science Complex, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

Mardi J. Schmeichel

Mardi Schmeichel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Theory & Practice at the University of Georgia. Her research interests include social media use, neoliberalism, and social studies education.