“Student Perceptions of Writing Instruction: Twitter as a Tool for Pedagogical Growth”

by Sarah Lonelodge and Katie Rieger | Xchanges 15.1, Spring 2020

Conclusion

We have suggested four overarching pedagogical implications that may be useful for instructors who incorporate writing components in their courses. Since the tweets in this study were collected from various disciplines across various universities and colleges rather than writing courses only, the findings suggest that writing instruction within multiple disciplines could benefit from the results. Writing is assigned by instructors across campus and at all levels, and professors may need to adjust practices in order to foster more positive attitudes toward writing.

The overriding implication of this study is that professors impact students’ attitudes toward learning and writing in positive and negative ways. While this notion may be commonsensical to many in higher education, this study provides several specific indications of instructor influence in students’ writing processes. Using Twitter as a tool to gain insights into common issues and perceptions students have about writing across campus can be helpful to improve pedagogical practices and students’ agency and confidence.