Instructional Designer, Researcher, and Intrepid Mama
Our publication titled “Social Media Use by Instructional Design Departments” was recently published under ‘early release’ by the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology #openaccess
Romero-Hall, E., Kimmons, R., & Veletsianos, G. (2018). Social media use by instructional design departments. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 34(5), 86-98. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.3817
Our latest publication titled “Examining Distance Learners in Hybrid Synchronous Instruction: Successes and Challenges” in now available #openaccess as part of the latest issues of Online Learning Journal (Special Issues of the AERA SIG Online Teaching and Learning):
Romero-Hall, E. & Vicentini, C. (2017). Examining distance learners in hybrid synchronous instruction: Successes and challenges. Online Learning, 21(4). doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.24059/olj.v21i4.1258.
There is no doubt that social media is ingrained in the way society communicates today, for good or bad. There is evidence that the use of social media will continue to grow as applications expand and new ones enter the market in the near future. Users are eager to try applications that offer engaging and unique ways to communicate with others. For example, today thirty percent of teens rank Snapchat as their most important social network (Oremus, 2015). This platform which was first released in 2011, today has a market of 166 million daily active users (Oremus, 2015).
The great majority of social media users access this platforms for informal, social interactions with friends, family, and acquaintances. Yet, we have also seen an increase in the use of social media for teaching and learning purposes across many different fields (Rodríguez-Hoyos, Salmón, & Fernández-Díaz, 2015). There is also a large number of social media research efforts that hope to better understand and analyze:
Again, it is safe to say that researchers want to learn more about the platforms, the users, and different matters associated with social media use.
A few months ago, I engaged in a research project collaboration with Dr. Royce Kimmons and Dr. George Veletsianos who are Directors of the Digital Learning and Social Media Group. The aim of the project was to understand how Instructional Design (ID) graduate programs use social media accounts. We wanted to know what type of content was posted in these accounts, how many users liked/followed these accounts, how engaged were these accounts in the content sharing process, and what kind of interactions others had with these social media accounts.
To gather the social media accounts of ID graduate programs, we took a different approach. Instead of combing the Internet and social media platforms in search of accounts associated with ID graduate programs, we created an editable Google Spreadsheet and posted it in different outlets to allow our colleagues and graduate students to share their accounts with us. We asked ID faculty members and graduate students to share the public social media sites of their ID program. This focus on public social media accounts was due to the fact that we were primarily interested on Twitter accounts for our research project. However, faculty members and graduate students gladly shared both public and private social media accounts. Here is a link to the public Google Spreadsheet: http://tiny.cc/IDTSocialMediaAccounts.
Today, there are total of forty-six different higher education institutions listed in the spreadsheet, including public and private institutions within the United States and Canada. Based on the content shared in the spreadsheet, we saw that some ID programs/departments have predominantly public social media accounts to communicate with graduate students, faculty, and other stakeholders. In a few instances, ID programs/department have both public and private social media communities. For some ID programs/departments a “hashtag” was the main form of digital togetherness (see Table 1). However, the most common type of social media account by ID graduate programs, based on the data collected via the spreadsheet, are Facebook Pages (see Table 2).
Table 1. Hashtags of Instructional Design Graduate Programs
| Institution | Program or Department | Hashtag |
| Brigham Young University | Instructional Psychology & Technology | #iptsters
|
| California State University Fullerton
|
Master of Science Instructional Design and Technology (MSIDT) | #msidt
|
| Indian River State College
|
School of Education | #irscTeach
|
| Loyola University Maryland
|
Master of Education in Educational Technology | #LoyolaET
|
| Royal Roads University
|
School of Education & Technology | #rrumalat
|
| The University of Texas at Austin | Leaning Technologies Program | #UTLT
|
| University of North Texas
|
Learning Technologies Program | #untLT
|
| University of Wyoming
|
Instructional Technology Program | #wyoitec
|
| Wichita State University
|
Learning and Instructional Design | #MEdLID
|
We have maintained the editable spreadsheet available for others to access and edit (add other social media accounts). Although we used this editable spreadsheet as a way to crowdsource IDT program/departments social media accounts, I would hope that the spreadsheet serves as a resource for graduate students and faculty across ID programs. If you know other ID program/department which have a social media account and is not listed in the spreadsheet, please add them. This spreadsheet is opened to IDT programs across the globe.
Table 2. Facebook Page of ID Graduate Departments and Programs
| Institution | Program /Department | Facebook Page |
| Boise State University | Educational Technology | https://www.facebook.com/edtechbsu/ |
| California State University Fullerton | Instructional Design and Technology | https://www.facebook.com/MSIDTFullerton/ |
| Emporia State University | Instructional Design and Technology | https://www.facebook.com/idtesu |
| Fairfield University | Educational Technology | https://www.facebook.com/FairfieldGSEAP/ |
| Georgia Southern University | Department of Leadership, Technology, & Human Development | https://www.facebook.com/itec.georgiasouthern |
| Indiana University-Bloomington | Instructional Systems Technology | https://www.facebook.com/groups/iugist/ |
| James Madison University | Technology and Leadership Education Department | https://www.facebook.com/JMU-Educational-Technology |
| Michigan State University | Educational Technology | https://www.facebook.com/MAETMSU |
| Michigan State University | Educational Psychology and Educational Technology | https://www.facebook.com/msuepet |
| Mississippi State University | Instructional Systems and Workforce Development | https://www.facebook.com/iswd.grad |
| Northern Illinois University | Educational Technology, Research and Assessment | https://www.facebook.com/niuetra |
| Pasco-Hernando State College | Academic Technology Department | https://www.facebook.com/ATPHSC/ |
| Purdue University | Learning Design and Technology | https://www.facebook.com/purduelearningdesignandtechnology |
| The University of Tampa | Instructional Design and Technology | https://www.facebook.com/UTIDT/ |
| University of California, Irvine | E-Learning Instructional Desig | https://www.facebook.com/eLearningCertificate/ |
| University of Georgia | Learning, Design, and Technology | https://www.facebook.com/itsauga/ |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | Learning Design and Technology | https://www.facebook.com/LTECHawaii |
| University of Minnesota | Curriculum and Instruction/Learning Technologies | https://www.facebook.com/LTMediaLab |
| University of North Texas | Learning Technologies | https://www.facebook.com/UNTLearningTechnologies |
| University of South Alabama | Instructional Design Performance Improvement Program | https://www.facebook.com/South-Alabama-Instructional-Design-Performance-Improvement-Program |
| University of South Carolina | Educational Technology | https://www.facebook.com/EdTechatUofSC/ |
| University of Toronto | Knowledge Media Design Institute | https://web.facebook.com/KMDI-Toronto |
| University of West Georgia | Educational Technology & Foundations | https://www.facebook.com/UwgDepartmentOfEducationalTechnologyFoundations |
| Valdosta State University | Instructional Technology | https://www.facebook.com/vsuidt |
| West Virginia University | Instructional Design and Technology | https://www.facebook.com/CEHS-Dept-of-Learning-Sciences-and-Human-Development |
| Western Kentucky University | Instructional Design | https://www.facebook.com/wku.instructional.design/ |
References
Oremus, W. (2015). Is Snapchat really confusing, or I am just old? Technology: Innovation, The Internet, Gadgets, and More. Slate. Retrieved from: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2015/01/snapchat_why_teens_favorite_app_makes_the_facebook_generation_feel_old.html
Rodríguez-Hoyos, C., Salmón, I. H., & Fernández-Díaz, E. (2015). Research on SNS and education: The state of the art and its challenges. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 31(1), 100-111.
Please consider joining us during this Research and Theory Division panel session at the AECT 2017 International Convention:
Lead Discussant:
Enilda Romero-Hall
University of Tampa
Discussants:
Zeni Colorado-Reza
Emporia State University
Ginger Watson
University of Virginia
Camille Dickson-Deane
University of Melbourne
Ayesha Sadaf
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Tugce Aldemir
Pennsylvania State University
See you in Jacksonville. Hope you can join us!
I have been dreading writing this post because just thinking about the events that transpired makes me emotional and sad. However, I feel encouraged to share my story thanks to the many comments I have received (in person or online) from other women who can relate to my previous post about been an academic mama. I hope that this post reaches others (men and women) so that we can be more open to share and discuss the emotions, decisions, and life experiences during/after a miscarriage.
Here is my story:
It was August 2014 and I was super excited! I had recently found out that we were expecting a baby. I am a woman in my mid-thirties so, before finding out about my pregnancy, I was a bit worried about the possibility of getting pregnant. Finding out that I was expecting, filled me with joy. I was happy. Of course, I experienced all the symptoms that a woman will endure in the first three months of pregnancy (nausea, exhaustion, vomiting). As an assistant professor that Fall 2014 semester was difficult, both emotionally and physically. However, pregnancy wise everything seemed to be going well. During my eight week check-up, I had an ultrasound and was able to hear the baby’s heartbeat.
The day before my 12 week check-up, I looked in the mirror and I remember telling my significant other that I did not feel pregnant. I was no longer feeling nauseous and I noticed my belly was not growing as much as before. He told me not to worry (perhaps it was normal as I was going into the second trimester). The next day, October 30, was probably the most difficult day in my life. I met my husband at the hospital to see the doctor and have an ultrasound. It was going to be his first time getting to see the baby. I remember laying in the hospital bed while the ultrasound technician tried for several minutes to find the heartbeat of the baby. However, after a few minutes she turned to me and said: “I am so sorry. Your baby does not have a heartbeat. Based on the size of your fetus, you probably miscarried a week or so ago.” I felt my heart drop to my stomach. I kept wanting the technician to be wrong. A few minutes later, the doctor walked in and she reassure me that I had not done anything wrong. She mentioned that a high percentage of pregnancies end in miscarriages. She asked me if I preferred to wait for my body to miscarried on his own or if I prefer a D&C (Dilation and Curettage). I decided that I would much rather have a D&C (your body can take weeks before it realizes that you need to miscarry the fetus). The doctor scheduled me for an emergency D&C the next day, which meant full anesthesia and a trip into the operating room (OR). That evening we went home and cried for hours.
I could not sleep at all (this went on for several nights). I spend hours thinking about everything I had done the previous weeks. Wondering if I had too much stress, if I worked too hard, if I ate enough… maybe it was the yoga class I did… I thought I did something wrong…
The next day, October 31, I had an emergency D&C. It was an outpatient procedure so I went home that evening and was given orders to return for a post-operative appointment in 6 weeks. The following week, still feeling sad and heartbroken, I attended the AECT conference. I really was not in the mood to socialize but I did it because… at least I could focus my attention on something else for a few days and it was in state so if I had any medical issues I could return home quickly. After returning home from the conference, I still had a month and a half until the end of the semester and I had to find strength (mentally and physically) to make it until finals week.
I wish I could tell you that my recovery after the D&C was smooth sailing. Nope. It was far from that. I found out after six weeks of “recovery” that the D&C was not performed correctly (I still had tissues of placeta from my pregnancy in my uterus) and that in order to recover I was going to have a second D&C. Yes, this things happen. For a second time, I had to go into the OR (on December 26: a day after Christmas and just a few days before leaving the country for a professional development trip overseas). I was extremely weak physically (anemia) and upset by the fact that I was still dealing with something I wanted to put behind me. So there I was on December 26 back in the OR. A few weeks later, during my professional development trip, I was sitting in a coffee shop in Istanbul reflecting on everything and just hoping to recover. At the beginning of the Spring 2015 semester (beginning of February) I had my post operative check up for the second D&C and I was relieved to find out that it had all gone well.
The physical and emotional recovery from the miscarriage took months for me… Yet, the world continued to move forward around me. I tried my best to deal with the loss but I would lie if I told you that I “took time” to myself. I had only told a few friends what I had experienced and I could tell it was extremely awkward for them to find ways to approach the topic. I was able to openly discuss what had happened with my mom and husband. It helped me tremendously. I know that there are women who experience many miscarriages (two, three, or more). Just know that you are not alone. When I told my mom what had happened, she told me that she had also experienced a miscarriage. Something she had never shared with me before. Again, it is hard for me share something so personal but I think it is important. I no longer blame myself for my miscarriage. I have taken the time to read more about it and discussed the topic with other women who have experience it.
AECT’s Research and Theory Division will be hosting the 2017 Early Career Symposium this year sponsored by AECT. The symposium will be held as a half day online conference October 28th and at the annual AECT International Convention on Tuesday, November 7 (half day 1-6 PM starting with lunch) and Wednesday, November 8 (half day, 7:30AM – noon, ending with lunch together with the AECT Board), 2017, in Jacksonville, Florida. The symposium will thus engage participants in a day and a half of focused career mentoring and networking.
The symposium will reimburse Early Career faculty and Advanced Graduate Students with the conference fee ($395 for Early Career Faculty and $240 for Advanced Graduate Students). Reimbursements are pending submission of receipts after the symposium.
http://www.aect.org/events/mentor/CareerSymposium.asp
