K-12 teachers’ professional development and learning on social media: a systematic literature review
| Date | 24 December 2024 |
| Pages | 214-244 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-12-2023-0198 |
| Published date | 24 December 2024 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library & information services |
| Author | Feliza Marie Santos Mercado,Sungwon Shin |
K-12 teachers’professional
development and learning on social
media: a systematic literature review
Feliza Marie Santos Mercado and Sungwon Shin
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Texas Tech University System,
Lubbock, Texas, USA
Abstract
Purpose –In response to challenges in traditional professional development, educators are increasingly
utilizing social media platforms to customize their learning experiences and facilitate their professional
growth. This systematicliterature review seeks to examine articles publishedbetween January 2018 and July
2023 to synthesize evidence on the ways in which teachers are leveraging social media to improve their
teachingpractices.
Design/methodology/approach –The authors used thePreferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews
and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) to guide the literature review process. First, the authors establishedsynthesis
questions, set up eligibility criteria and determined search engines and search terms to identify the relevant
literature. Second, the authors sorted and selectedfrom the preliminary article search and screened based on
the established criteria. Finally, the authors analyzed each selected article’s content, which included coding,
interpretingthe themes and organizing the findings.
Findings –Teachers are increasingly using social media for professional development, engaging in
collaboration, empowering connection, and relationship-building through teacherpreneurship. They take on
various roles, from info-consumers and info-networkers to self-seeking contributors, vocationalists and
lurkers. Despite these benefits,challenges remain, such as potential for unexpected misunderstandings,social
comparison that can lead to low self-esteem, which can hinder effective engagement in social media-based
professionaldevelopment. Additionally, this paperobserved a growing trend in scholarly articles on thistopic,
particularly from 2020, 2021 and 2022, highlighting its increasing relevance and impact on the educational
community.
Research limitations/implications –This systematic literature review focused exclusively on studies
involving in-service K-12 teachers as participants, excluding perspectives from preservice teachers, higher
education instructors, instructional coaches and school administrators. While these other educational
professionals undoubtedly offer valuable insights into improving teaching practices and contribute
significantly to social media-based professional development, this review aimed to center the experiencesof
K-12 in-service teachers to understand their unique professional development needs and practices.
Consequently, it does notcapture the potential synergies between K-12 teachers and other educator groups,
such as the ways in which school administratorsmight support or enhance in-service teachers’professional
development through social media. Futurestudies could explore these interactions more deeply to provide a
fuller pictureof the collective expertise within thesegroups.
Practical implications –The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the value of social media for informal
professional development,as shown by the increased number of publications on this topic during that period.
However, some social media platforms prioritize consumerism over educational resources, emphasizing the
need for educatorsto critically evaluate their sources. Teachersshould be discerning in their resource selection,
ensuringthat educational references are credible andfree of hidden costs.
Social implications –This study uncovered several unique patterns in how teachers use social media,
revealing both benefits and challenges. Notably, some teachersare leveraging social media not only to build
professional connections but also to engage in commercial activities. While this practice can create a
ILS
126,3/4
214
Received14 December 2023
Revised4 A pril2024
25 November2024
Accepted 29 November 2024
Informationand Learning
Sciences
Vol.126 No. 3/4, 2025
pp. 214-244
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2398-5348
DOI 10.1108/ILS-12-2023-0198
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2398-5348.htm
supportive network–where teachers promote one another’s visibility,share products and seek support –it can
also detract from the intended purpose of professional learning. The focus on brand-building and profit-
making may overshadowauthentic community-building and collaborative growth.Additionally, the presence
of paid content introduces financial barriers, as many teachers have limited resources for professional
development.
Originality/value –This study provides a comprehensivereview of recent literature (January 2018 to July
2023) on teachers' use of social media for professionaldevelopment and learning, offering fresh insights into
emerging trends.Notably, findings of this study highlightthe role of teacherpreneurship in fostering beneficial
social connectionswithin digital spaces, a factor that has gained prominenceas teachers seek collaborative and
supportive networks. Additionally, this research sheds lighton lurking as a common strategy among teachers
to avoid conflict and misunderstandings when engaging in social media-based professional development.
Furthermore, by addressing various challenges, this paper presents suggestions for thoughtfully integrating
social media into school professional development programs, with the intention of supporting the diverse
needs of teachersand fostering their professional growth.
Keywords Social media, Professional development, Professional learning,
Informal professional development, In-service teachers, K-12 teachers
Paper type Literature review
Introduction
As the teaching profession evolves, teachersare increasingly using social media platforms to
build connections with colleagues and to enhance their pedagogical practices. Socialmedia
platforms, such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and WhatsApp, are internet-based tools
that enable users to create and share content. This user-generated content (UGC)
encompasses a wide rangeof media, including text, images and videos (Luca, 2015). Beyond
the content itself, social media facilitates interactions through features like likes, shares,
comments and metadata, collectivelyforming a complex value chain (Naab and Sehl, 2017;
Santos, 2022). Due to this feature, social media can provide a learningspace for teachers to
share educational content, post messages and receive comments from colleagues outside
their institution. These posts and responses in social media have enabled professional
interactions that supported teachers’lifelong learning (Naab and Sehl, 2017;Ranieri, 2019),
which involves them in “a continuousengagement in acquiring and applying knowledge and
skills in the context of self-directed problems”(Fischer, 2000, p. 8). As a result, educators
have participated in continuous professional development (PD) and learning through social
media, where they can engage with fellow teachers and experts to access the updated
teaching practices.
Indeed, social media is an increasingly indispensable tool for K-12 teachers to enhance
their PD and stay abreast of educational advancements. Today’s educators are integrating
new emerging technologies into classroominstruction, such as mobile learning technologies
(e.g., apps, mobile devices), gaming technologies, artificial intelligence and many more
(Dubé and Wen, 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly transformed the
education and learning landscape. Many educators were compelled to adopt a diverse and
individualized approach to using social media for emergency remote teaching, due to the
limited training opportunitiesavailable to manage the rapid shift from face-to-face to online
modality (Aguilar et al., 2021;Trust and Whalen, 2020). As a result, social media will likely
continue to be a valuable resource for teachers in the post-COVID-19 pandemic “new
normal”(Brown et al., 2021). By leveraging social media platforms, educators can connect
with colleagues worldwide,share best practices and collaborate on innovative projects.
Many systematic literature reviews have been published about social media and PD
across various fields, including higher education, librarianship and K-12 education (e.g.,
Bruguera et al., 2019;Greenhow et al., 2020;Luo et al., 2020;Luo and Hostetler, 2020).
Information and
Learning Sciences
215
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