Date
4-7-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Jeffrey S. Savage
Keywords
behavior, education, efficacy, ethics, social media, teacher
Disciplines
Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Callwood, Vernon R., "Investigating the Difference in Social Media Violations Between Novice and Experienced Teachers in the Virgin Islands Based on a Self-Report Measure of Seriousness of Ethical Trespass and Frequency of Social Media Use" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8131.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8131
Abstract
The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to investigate social media violations among novice and experienced teachers in the Virgin Islands, using a self-report measure of the seriousness of ethical trespass and the frequency of social media use. Research on the appropriate use of social media by teachers was still inchoate in developing social media literacy and establishing a protocol among educators, especially in the US Virgin Islands. Additional research can help to develop a framework for educators’ use of social media, thus influencing their praxis and student achievement. Very little research exists on the appropriate use of social media for US Virgin Islands teachers, creating a gap in establishing protocols among professionals to develop social media literacy in educational settings. To help fill this gap, the current study proposed a study that gathered responses from a convenience sample of public and private elementary, middle, and high school teachers with varying years of service and teaching experience across regions of the Caribbean. The Teachers' Judgments about Ethical Violations Survey was administered to novice and veteran teachers in the US Virgin Islands. A multivariable analysis of variance was conducted to examine how novice and experienced teachers in the Virgin Islands differed in their perceptions of ethical violations on social media, assessing two key factors: the perceived severity of these ethical breaches and how often teachers use social media. The MANOVA analyzed the differences in these areas within individual teachers (within-subject effects) and between the two groups of teachers (between-subject effects). Additional research was recommended to examine educators' social media use and establish a protocol that aligns with professional etiquette.
