Social Media-Based Data Collection and Analysis in Educational Research

The past decades have brought many changes to education, including the role of social media in education. Social media data offer educational researchers first-hand insights into educational processes. This is different from most traditional and often obtrusive data collection methods (e.g., interviews and surveys). Many researchers have explored the role of social media in education, such as the value of social media in the classroom, the relationship between academic achievement and social media. However, the role of social media in educational research, including data collection and analysis from social media, has been examined to a far lesser degree. This study seeks to discuss the potential of social media for educational research. The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate the process of collecting and analyzing social media data through a pilot study of current math educational conditions.