Needs Analysis of a Social Media Tool for Hawai’i K-12 Teachers

Abstract

This study used an online survey and in-person focus group to gather opinions from 16 teacher-leaders about their use of social media professionally, and features they desired in a new social media tool designed for a large school district. Results indicate teachers had complex views of social media that included valuing networking and resource sharing yet some were troubled by issues of privacy, usability and the superficiality of online communication. Teachers requested many features in a collaboration tool, including features from well-known tools such as Facebook, Twitter and Craigslist. They desired aspects of formal professional development such as administrative support and aspects of informal professional development communities such as being teacher-led and voluntary. When asked about a district-specific tool, they were wary of being monitored and of not receiving sufficient peer buy-in, but agreed such a tool would benefit new teachers and teachers on neighbor islands. Practical implications are discussed.