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Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract

The advent of Web 2.0 technologies such as Twitter are reflective of an improved capacity for global educative collaboration. Yet there is an absence of research determining the potential of social media within Health and Physical Education Teacher Education (H-PETE). The aim of this paper was to therefore determine pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) perceptions of the potential of using Twitter within H-PETE training. The study was underpinned by a constructivist online learning framework. PSTs (n=35) enrolled at a regional Australian university were recruited to participate via online survey. Themes revealed PSTs perceived Twitter could be valuable during H-PETE for facilitating learning, technology engagement, capturing international insight, enhancing collaboration and communication. In contrast, PSTs described potential barriers to using Twitter relating to receiving adequate training, privacy, excessive technology use, determining Twitter’s functionality and application across educational contexts. Unpacking PSTs’ perceptions of the potential of Twitter within H-PETE can contribute to the pedagogical decisions made by teacher educators to improve social media uptake in PSTs.

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.14221/ajte.2018v44n2.3