The use of social media technology by students in the classroom is a new
development in the field of higher education; many higher education professionals
do not know much about why social media technology is used, how it is used, and
how often it is used (Kear, et al., 2010). As such, the underlying relationship of
social media technology with established educational theories and practices is not
well understood.
When deciding how best to address the research question I was guided by
Creswell (2003) and Denzin & Lincoln (2003). According to Creswell, qualitative
inquiry is best employed when exploring processes. A qualitative research
approach explores a social problem in a natural setting that requires the creation
of a complex, holistic perspective as seen through the eyes of those living these
experiences. Similarly, Denzin & Lincoln (2003) see qualitative research as being
the most appropriate methodology for extracting research value from descriptive
data that are generated through personal experiences. Given these considerations,
a qualitative approach seemed appropriate.
Having selected a qualitative approach, I needed to make two more design
decisions: from what knowledge claim position or theoretical paradigm would I
address the problem and what would the most appropriate qualitative research
method be. Creswell (2003) identified four major knowledge claim positions:
post-positivism; constructivism; advocacy/participation; and pragmatism.
Additional knowledge claim positions have also been identified: critical theory;