This qualitative case study explores the experiences of K-12 art teachers in the United States who participate in the #K12ArtChat, as a form of professional learning. Grounded in social constructivist learning, connectivism, and informal learning, this study addressed how and why art educators use Twitter Chats for professional growth and the potential impact of participation on their teaching practices. Five themes emerged from this study: Twitter's role as a professional development art education platform, the fostering of personal relationships and support, active community participation and advocacy, continuous professional development, and any perceived pedagogical shifts. With a significant emphasis on combatting the pervasive issue of teacher isolation, especially for those educators positioned as singletons without access to content-specific professional learning opportunities, the findings advocate for a shift in the perceptions and practices surrounding professional development for K-12 art educators.
","abstract_html":"<p>This qualitative case study explores the experiences of K-12 art teachers in the United States who participate in the #K12ArtChat, as a form of professional learning. Grounded in social constructivist learning, connectivism, and informal learning, this study addressed how and why art educators use Twitter Chats for professional growth and the potential impact of participation on their teaching practices. Five themes emerged from this study: Twitter's role as a professional development art education platform, the fostering of personal relationships and support, active community participation and advocacy, continuous professional development, and any perceived pedagogical shifts. With a significant emphasis on combatting the pervasive issue of teacher isolation, especially for those educators positioned as singletons without access to content-specific professional learning opportunities, the findings advocate for a shift in the perceptions and practices surrounding professional development for K-12 art educators.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Heyser, Jennifer"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Instructional Technology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Julia Fuller","Dr. Jabari Cain"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-12-14T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2023-12-14T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:44:06Z","subjects":["Twitter Chats","Professional Development","Art Education","Teacher Isolation","Education","Educational Technology","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/instruceddoc_etd/23","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Julia Fuller","Dr. Jabari Cain"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Heyser, Jennifer"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Instructional Technology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Twitter Chats","Professional Development","Art Education","Teacher Isolation","Education","Educational Technology","Teacher Education and Professional Development"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/instruceddoc_etd/23"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This qualitative case study explores the experiences of K-12 art teachers in the United States who participate in the #K12ArtChat, as a form of professional learning. Grounded in social constructivist learning, connectivism, and informal learning, this study addressed how and why art educators use Twitter Chats for professional growth and the potential impact of participation on their teaching practices. Five themes emerged from this study: Twitter's role as a professional development art education platform, the fostering of personal relationships and support, active community participation and advocacy, continuous professional development, and any perceived pedagogical shifts. With a significant emphasis on combatting the pervasive issue of teacher isolation, especially for those educators positioned as singletons without access to content-specific professional learning opportunities, the findings advocate for a shift in the perceptions and practices surrounding professional development for K-12 art educators.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Digital Bridges: How Art Educators Build Professional Learning Networks on Twitter"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Julia Fuller","Dr. Jabari Cain"],"dc:creator":["Heyser, Jennifer"],"dc:description.abstract":["This qualitative case study explores the experiences of K-12 art teachers in the United States who participate in the #K12ArtChat, as a form of professional learning. Grounded in social constructivist learning, connectivism, and informal learning, this study addressed how and why art educators use Twitter Chats for professional growth and the potential impact of participation on their teaching practices. Five themes emerged from this study: Twitter's role as a professional development art education platform, the fostering of personal relationships and support, active community participation and advocacy, continuous professional development, and any perceived pedagogical shifts. With a significant emphasis on combatting the pervasive issue of teacher isolation, especially for those educators positioned as singletons without access to content-specific professional learning opportunities, the findings advocate for a shift in the perceptions and practices surrounding professional development for K-12 art educators.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/instruceddoc_etd/23"],"dc:subject":["Twitter Chats","Professional Development","Art Education","Teacher Isolation","Education","Educational Technology","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"dc:title":["Digital Bridges: How Art Educators Build Professional Learning Networks on Twitter"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Instructional Technology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:44:06Z"}