Research

‘Social Media in Higher Education’

EdD Research Topic

Distance learners often have additional concerns in relation to their studying as they have less of a student identity and support network. Social media offers distance learners a space to ‘meet’ other students in similar situations and build their own support network. My research looked into how distance learners use Twitter including the networks they create, how the communication they take part in fits within a Community of Inquiry model and the subsequent impact this communication has on feelings of identity. My published thesis will be available in the next few months.

Thesis available here: ‘Distance learners’ use of Twitter: networks and communities, social presence, and learner voices’, EdD Thesis. The Open University.

Publications

Kelly, O., 2024: ‘Should the Open University keep using Twitter (X)‘ Blog Post, 20 September 2024
Kelly, O., 2024: ‘Twitter may still be a great place for student communities‘, University World News, 18 May 2024
Emke, M. & Kelly, O., 2024. Social Network Analysis for Language Education Research. In: R. Hampel & U. Stickler, eds. The Bloomsbury Handbook of Language Learning and Technology. Bloomsbury Academic, pp. 397-412.
Kelly, O., 2024. OU language student interaction via X (Twitter), In: Fayram, J., Austen, S. and Phillips, H. (eds.) Online Teaching and Learning in a Changing Pedagogic and Linguistic Landscape. Melbourne: Castledown
Kelly, O., 2024. ‘Using qualitative content analysis of social presence indicators within the Community of Inquiry model’, Journal of Social Media for Learning
Kelly, O., 2022. OU Student use of Twitter. The Hoot, Available at: https://thehootstudents.com/ou-student-use-of-twitter/
Kelly, O., 2019. ‘How OU Language students make use of Twitter alongside their studies’ https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED596851.pdf