Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2022

Keywords

Cultural and social implications, Improving classroom teaching, Post-secondary education, Mobile learning, Social media, College completion

Abstract

This study evaluates the long-term impact of a randomized controlled study which utilized Twitter as an educational intervention to extend the course beyond the physical and time constraints of face-to-face instruction. Participants included 125 undergraduates from a mid-sized midwestern doctoral granting university in the United States. Outcomes previously published include increased engagement and grades for the intervention group (Twitter) compared to the control group. In the longitudinal study presented here, interaction effects were analyzed between GPA, ACT, gender, and socio-economic status with first-to second year retention rates, 6-year graduation rates and 6-year graduation rates in STEM fields.
A statistically significant interaction effect was found between socio-economic status and the intervention (Twitter), resulting in an increased likelihood of graduating in STEM compared to students with low-socioeconomic status (SES) in the control group. This finding indicates that low cost or free technology has the potential to expand the face-to-face classroom in meaningful ways, can increase access to faculty, can increase access to peer-support and ultimately enhance 6-year STEM graduation among low SES students.

Publication Title

Heliyon

Volume

8

Issue

1

First Page

e08679

DOI of Published Version

10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08679

Publisher

Elsevier

Rights

Copyright © the Authors

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