"Creating Virtual Communities of Practice with the Visual Social Media Platform Pinterest" by Julie A. Delello

Selected Works of Rochell McWhorter

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Creating Virtual Communities of Practice with the Visual Social Media Platform Pinterest

International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments (2014)

Julie A. Delello, University of Texas at Tyler
Dr. Rochell R. McWhorter, University of Texas at Tyler

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Abstract

This paper reports results of a mixed methods study on the use of the visual social media platform Pinterest in the higher education classroom. Research methods included data collection of pre-experience and post-experience student surveys from two disciplines, education and business, regarding students’ experiences using Pinterest for learning. A total of 227 students (189 undergraduate and 38 graduate students) participated in the study. Findings included student attitudes regarding the usability of Pinterest in the classroom setting, student learning and development, and ways Pinterest facilitated the development of a VCoP. Recommendations for future classroom use are given.

Keywords

case studies,
career development,
communities of practice,
Pinterest,
social media,
usability,
visual technologies,
visual literacy,
Web 2.0,
visual networks,
virtual communities,
online communities,
web based communities,
higher education,
e-learning,
electronic learning,
student attitudes

Disciplines

Education

Publication Date

2014

DOI

10.1504/IJSMILE.2014.064205

Publisher Statement

First published in the International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments.

Citation Information

Delello, J. A., & McWhorter, R. R. (2014). Creating Virtual Communities of Practice with the Visual Social Media Platform Pinterest. International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments (IJSMILE)., 2.(3), 216 – 236.