Re-Examining The Use Of Educational Policy And Employee Use Of Social Media In K-12 Schools: A Foucauldian Analysis Of Discourse And Power

This dissertation deconstructs the effects of power relations at play in the use of educational policy on the topic of social media use by K-12 educators. To this end, an exploration of how policy acts as discourse to produce knowledge, subjectivities and docile bodies of employees through the creation and use of instruments, such as new hire orientation and professional development training courses is completed. This research employs post qualitative inquiry and the process of thinking with theory as tools for deconstruction. Michel Foucault's theories of discourse, power relations, subjectivity and resistance are primarily used for co-reading with various texts. Through thinking with theory, power relations are exposed and there by open to more direct challenges. This research does not suggest a better alternative to policy or advocate for its death, instead it calls for different conversations around its use and purpose. One of the findings of this research is that policy cannot solve employee use of social media issues. Therefore, if policy cannot fix problems, then educational leaders must ask, "Is policy necessary?" This research argues for the use of thinking with theory as a necessary tool for analyzing complex educational issues in new, nontraditional ways.