Social media practicesBenefits and risks for doctoral researchers

Andy CoverdaleSchool of Education | University of Nottingham

SRHE Conference | Celtic Manor | 14 December 2012

PAPER 0130

Social media adoption and use

In context with established practices:

– Legitimise forms of academic quality and reward

– Regulate processes of induction and socialisation

Social media as disruptive technology – opportunities and challenges

Paradox – engagement vs. conformity

Framing the ‘feral’ in social media practice:

– Deterritorialisation

– Granularity

THE DOCTORAL CONTEXT

DETERRITORIALISATION

Spaces of Enclosure (Edwards & Usher, 2008)

Affinity Spaces (Gee, 2004)

Academic Tribes and Territories (Becher & Trowler, 1989)

GRANULARITY

- formality

- frequency

- content

- format

- length

BARRIERS?

Time-consumingLow initial rewardsLack of knowledge / awareness (‘best practices’)TechnophobiaLack of institutional / departmental supportInstitutional constraints or regulationsNot formally recognised / rewarded by institution Insignificant and frivolousEgocentric, opinionated and self-publicisingNot trustworthy, unreliable contentLack of academic rigourSocial media as a ‘commercial imperative’ (non-academic)Compromise formal publication opportunitiesThreats to representation (self, institution, research)Risks of disclosure (research design, findings etc.)Issues of privacyCopyright and IPPotential misappropriation of contentRisk of exposing academic naivety / immaturityLow regard of contribution – “I’ve nothing to say”Compromise existing personal / recreational use and online identitiesCompromise professional relationships (e.g. lecturer / student)

PR

AC

TIC

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ITIM

AC

YR

ISK

AV

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SIO

NTime-consumingLow initial rewardsLack of knowledge / awareness (‘best practices’)TechnophobiaLack of institutional / departmental supportInstitutional constraints or regulationsNot formally recognised / rewarded by institution Insignificant and frivolousEgocentric, opinionated and self-publicisingNot trustworthy, unreliable contentLack of academic rigourSocial media as a ‘commercial imperative’ (non-academic)Compromise formal publication opportunitiesThreats to representation (self, institution, research)Risks of disclosure (research design, findings etc.)Issues of privacyCopyright and IPPotential misappropriation of contentRisk of exposing academic naivety / immaturityLow regard of contribution – “I’ve nothing to say”Compromise existing personal / recreational use and online identitiesCompromise professional relationships (e.g. lecturer / student)

Commentary on general academic activities – teaching, internships and research projects

Reports on academic events – workshops, seminars and conferences (including ‘live-blogging’)

Development of theoretical and conceptual thinking

Research methods and methodologies

Academic writing practices

Using research tools and software

Training and professional development

Emotional development and well-being related to academic practice

Book and article reviews

BLOGGING CONTENT

BLOGGING PURPOSES

Writing practice – experimenting, developing and refining ‘academic voice’

Writing discipline – regularity, time-constraints

Identity work – defining research and professional contexts

Scoping – potential leads and future collaborations

Self-promotion – skills, knowledge and experience

Engaging with wider audience – including interdisciplinary and non-academic

Informal peer review – blogging and commenting

Exploring wider contexts of research field – sociocultural, political and economic

Advocacy – doctoral, disciplinary and departmental

Biographical – creative and reflective processes of narrative and documentation

Contribute to networking activities

Based on: Jacob E Bardram | The “Fish Model” (2007) http://www.itu.dk/people/bardram/pmwiki/?n=Main.ArtPhD

Contribute to the development of formal texts

Work-in-progress – shape ideas, concepts and methodologies

Present personal perspectives, experiences and subjectivities

‘Blogify’ formal texts

Present summaries of formal texts and personal perspectives

Public engagement (non-specialist, non-academic)

BLOG

THESIS

BLOG > THESIS

THESIS > BLOG

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS

Social media practice as a contested space

Institutional leveraging of social media (platforms and practices)

Impact, outreach and public engagement agendas

Output vs. process

Thanks!

This presentation is available on my blog http://www.phdblog.net