A paper recently published online in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (JCAL) has generated lively discussion on how the educational use of Twitter can affect college student engagement and grades. The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades by R Junco, G Heiberger and E Loken was published in November last year. The paper ‘provides experimental evidence that Twitter can be used as an educational tool to help engage students and to mobilise faculty into a more active and participatory role’ (quoted from the abstract).
However, a JCAL reader, Dr Ellen Murphy, has raised some interesting issues about the paper, particularly about the language that is used to describe cause and effect, in a letter she wrote to the JCAL Editor, Charles Crook. Rather than being published in JCAL itself, we think the debate and correspondence between the authors, Dr Murphy and the JCAL Editor is better aired via this blog.
Read:
- Author’s response (Reynol Junco)
JCAL Editor’s response
Letter to the Editor in response to The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades (E. Murphy)
This letter was submitted with a view to publication in the journal. Our advice on submissions does include the possibility of such correspondence. However, in my 8-year tenure as Editor, this is the first time I have had to consider that possibility. Moreover, ‘letters’ seem scarce items across the whole history of the journal. On the other hand, it is certainly Continue reading “Can Twitter be used as an educational tool?”
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