Exploring the use of social media by community-engaged university people

ABSTRACT

This article describes one aspect of a research project that sought to describe and interpret the perspectives of university colleagues who are community-engaged, about their community-engagement, within one research-intensive university in New Zealand. We explored the communication devices and processes used during community engagement, with a focus on social media, and in the context of identifying the professional development needs of colleagues within our institution. Our research involved an inductive analysis of 25 interviews with community-engaged university people, supported by context-generating discussions and workshops. Our data reveals reoccurring themes involving varying degrees of successful targeted use of social media, disappointment in the performance of social media, and confidence in traditional communication approaches. Overall we identified rational decision-making to find workable approaches, in an academic environment supported by skill transfer from private life to work life. We discuss the implications of our research to the roles and practices of academic development.

KEYWORDS:

• Social media
• community engagement
• third mission
• academic development
• academic communication

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge with gratitude the support of many community-engaged colleagues at the University of Otago.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kerry Shephard

Kerry Shephard is professor of higher education development and interested in how students develop their values, attitudes and dispositions, and what higher education teachers do to influence these and other aspects of student learning. Kerry was PI of this project.

Kim Brown

Dr. Kim Brown was a research assistant on this project. Kim is professional practice fellow in the University of Otago’s Graduate Research School.

Tess Guiney

Dr. Tess Guiney was a research assistant on this project. Tess is currently policy analyst in New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Lynley Deaker

Lynley Deaker was a research assistant on this project and has recently retired.

Gala Hesson

Gala Hesson supported interview recording and analysis in this project. Gala is currently a freelance artist and designer.