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Twitter as Higher-Education Community of Practice: A Political Science Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2022

Natalie Jester Open the ORCID record for Natalie Jester [Opens in a new window]
Natalie Jester*
Affiliation:
University of Gloucestershire, UK
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Abstract

A community of practice is where a group works together toward a shared goal. This article argues that Twitter hosts a community of practice within political science and international relations. This occurs in three key ways: (1) offering an area to share feelings about our role as educators, (2) connecting to a wider network of educators in our discipline (and other disciplines), and (3) providing a space to proffer practical support. This has been especially true during the current COVID-19 pandemic, when many educators are teaching remotely and potentially feeling cut off from colleagues and students at their institution. In more normal times, Twitter also offers a valuable means of connecting with other scholars in the discipline across the world, providing a space to learn from and support one another. The article concludes by reflecting on what this might mean for continued professional development in the political science and international relations discipline.

Type
Article
Information
PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 55 , Issue 4 , October 2022 , pp. 815 - 819
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the American Political Science Association

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