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Social Media Interaction as Informal Science Learning: a Comparison of Message Design in Two Niches

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Abstract

Social media provides science learners opportunities to interact with content-specific messages. However, most science-specific social media content is designed to disseminate information instead of encouraging dialog. In this novel, ex post facto exploratory study of a science social media community, we sought to understand the relationships among community member interaction, design elements of messages, and post type on two digital niches (i.e., Facebook and Twitter). Framed by the theory of symbolic interactionism, we conducted a content analysis of 1370 messages that were systematically created by an informal science learning project and found that usage frequency of messaging elements varied by niche; interaction within each niche differed, varying by messaging element; and differential interaction was found to be associated with post types within Facebook only. This study suggests a pathway for developing and examining social media as an educational component of informal science learning.

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Acknowledgments

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (1322725). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. We thank the undergraduate intern who initially helped with coding of posts in 2017 as well as the three undergraduate interns who assisted with coding posts as part of their undergraduate research project in spring 2018.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Mansfield, CT, USA

    Lisa Lundgren

  2. School of Teaching and Learning, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Kent J. Crippen & Richard T. Bex II

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  1. Lisa Lundgren
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Correspondence to Kent J. Crippen.

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The research was approved and found to be exempt under University of Florida institutional review board, protocol number IRB201601751.

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Lundgren, L., Crippen, K.J. & Bex, R.T. Social Media Interaction as Informal Science Learning: a Comparison of Message Design in Two Niches. Res Sci Educ 52, 1–20 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-09911-y

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