ExploringSocialMediaasaResearchToolfor
MeasuringEngagementinaPaleontological
CommunityofPrac<ce• Lisa Lundgren*, School of
Teaching and Learning (STL), UF
• Kent Crippen, STL, UF• Bruce MacFadden, Florida
Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), UF
• Betty Dunckel, FLMNH, UF• Shari Ellis, FLMNH, UF• Eleanor Gardner, FLMNH, UF
Theore<calFrameworkCharacteristic De,inition(Wenger,2002) FOSSILCoP
DomainofKnowledge
Theareaofinterest Understandingthenaturalworldthroughthecollection,preparation,curationandstudyoffossilsandthescienceofpaleontology.
CommunityofPeople
Peoplewhocareaboutthedomain;"thesocialfabricoflearning"(p.28)
FossilgroupmembersFossilenthusiastsProfessionalpaleontologistsProfessionalscienceeducators
SharedPractice "asetofframeworks,ideas,tools,information,styles,language,storiesanddocumentsthatcommunitymembersshare"(p.28)"asetofsociallydeCinedwaysofdoingthingsinadomain:asetofcommonapproachesandsharedstandardsthatcreateabasisforaction,communication,problemsolving,performanceandaccountability."(p.38)
InquirySocialLearningFieldTripsCollectionPreparationIdentiCicationDigitizationOutreach
ResearchQues+on
Which social media components are most engaging, for whom, and under what conditions?
SocialMediaTools
1.
2.
3.
FOSSILProjectTwiHer
Tweets Following Followers
640 148 580
• HowdoesFOSSILuseTwiHer?– Retwee<ngimportantpaleonews
– InformingfollowersofupcomingFOSSILevents
– Sharingphotos&interes<nginforma<onlearnedatconferences,fieldtrips,&mee<ngs
LevelsofEngagement1.NoInterac<on Userscrollspastpost
2.Favori<ngamessage Indica<onofinterestincontent
3.Retwee<ngamessage
Wan<ngaposttoshowupinownTwiHerfeed
4.Retwee<ngamessage&addingowncommentary
Postappearsinownfeedwithperson’sthoughts
HowFOSSILdefines“Engagement”forTwiHer
FOSSILProjectFacebook
• 2,113 likes as of October 2015 • How does FOSSIL use Facebook?
• Creating novel content which informs likers of upcoming FOSSIL events • Sharing photos & interesting information learned at conferences, field trips, &
meetings • Posting paleontological news stories featuring amateur or professional
paleontologists • Posting resources for k-12 teachers, such as links to websites with lesson plans
HowFOSSILdefines“Engagement”forFacebook
LevelsofEngagement1.NoInterac<on Userscrollspastpost
2.Likingapost Userclicks“like”
3.Sharingapost Userincludespostonownoranother’s<meline
4.Commen<ngonapost Useraddsownthoughtstoapost
Findings:LevelsofEngagementonFacebook
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
LMP3
-N
LMP1
-M
LMP2
-A
LJEP2-M
LJEP1-N
JEP1
-M
LJEP4-M
LJYP3-M
JYP2
-A
LJYP2-A
AP2-M
LAP1
-A
LAP3
-A
SP1-N
SP3-N
SP2-N
LOCP
3-M
OCP
3-A
LOCP
1-A
LNOVP
3-M
NOVP
1-M
LNOVP
2-M
DECP
1-M
LDEC
P3-M
LD
ECP2
-A
LJAN
P2-M
JANP2
-M
LJAN
P3-M
LFEB
P2-M
LFEB
P3-M
FEBP
3-M
MAR
P1-M
MAR
P2-M
MAR
P3-M
MAR
P4-M
LAPR
P1-M
LAPR
P2-M
LM
AY1-M
LMAY
3-A
FOSSILProjectFacebookEngagementLevels,May2014-May2015
Likes
Comments
Shares
Findings:DifferentPostTypesonFacebook
MostEngagedwith:NewsPostContainsinforma<onaboutcurrenthappeningsinpaleontology;linkstoa“news”websiteorothersocialmediapage
Findings:Summary• Post types
– Most engagement: News
– Least engagement: Opportunity
• Most engagement is low – in the form of likes – SOLUTION: Create posts
more relevant to our user base
• Community feedback via focus group – Fossil ID posts & posts
about upcoming events
FurtherResearch
• Do social media personas (e.g. lurkers, “average” users, or advanced users) influence the ways in which the FOSSIL CoP engage in social paleontology? – Creating interview protocols & focus
groups from random sampling of social media users to understand their social media desires
Joinusinsocialpaleontology!facebook.com/thefossilprojecttwitter.com/projectfossilcommunity.myfossil.org
THANKS!QUESTIONS?
