Spanish teachers’ use of social media and smart mobile devices for teaching: Perceptions and needs

Abstract

New learning environments and social media have taken a step forward with their use in the classroom, even showing themselves to be an important reinforcement for education during a situation of exceptionality caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Teacher´s actions and perceptions in this regard have been essential for a quick response in a global lockdown in which mobile technologies has play an essential role. This study presents descriptive correlational research with two main objectives: firstly, to find out accessibility and self-directed use of SNS and, secondly, to describe the perceived utility on SMD (smart mobile devices) and SNS (social network sites) for Spanish teachers. With a quantitative and qualitative methodological approach correlations among established variables were analyzed in a sample of 2,048 Spanish teachers. Results point out firstly, highlighting the absence of differences in terms of age and gender, thus demonstrating its maximum penetration among teachers; secondly by showing the relationship between frequency of use and positive perception towards relevance in pedagogical activity. Conclusions addressed from the qualitative approach show interesting issues pointing lack of knowledge, sense of responsibility and risks associated when teachers express their perceptions regarding the use of SMD and SNS in a pedagogical integration. These imply a positive perspective since teachers demand support and training, but no rejection as could be expected.

Keywords

• Social networks
• smartphone
• teachers
• learning
• pedagogical sources