Using social media in academic practice: a student-led training initiative

Abstract

The effective use of social and participative media is widely seen as a key requirement in 21st century academic practice and professional development (Research Information Network, 2010). This paper describes a collaborative, student-led initiative that identifi ed a gap in existing doctoral training provision and delivered a series of interactive sessions to PhD students and early career researchers at the University of Nottingham. With an emphasis less on the technologies and more on their social, participatory and collaborative affordances, the sessions were designed and presented by two PhD students to raise awareness of social media and provide an opportunity for discussion and shared practice. In summarising the initiative, we provide key observations, perspectives and feedback from the session organisers and attendees, and refl ect on relevant literature and our experiences and feedback from presenting at the Future Learningscapes conference.