Tweetful Meaning: Student Perceptions of Twitter and Institutional Tweets

Abstract

This study examined student perceptions of both use of Twitter in general and the official Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Twitter account, @IUPUI.  Focus groups were conducted to identify student perceptions of their interactions with the @IUPUI Twitter handle. Connections were made to student involvement and engagement theories. Implications for higher education professionals were addressed in the study’s emergent themes: gathering information, choosing to engage, networking, and constructing a caring environment.