written by Martha
Beagle, Berea College, Berea, Kentucky
In 2008 Twitter
became a social networking phenomena, and its popularity has
grown tremendously. Twitter is a tool that lets you post brief
updates about your everyday thoughts and activities to the
Web via browser, cell phone, or Instant Messenger. The messages
are limited to 140 characters, so they lean toward brief,
concise statements. These statements can be broadcasted and
received from a computer or cell phone to all who "subscribe"
to your broadcast and are called "tweets." You,
in turn, can receive messages from all those you subscribe
to.
Also known as a microblogging
tool, Twitter has educational potential and can be used in
formal learning settings. It is hard to understand its potential
when posting can only be 140 characters or less, but it can
be a place to ask for teaching ideas, get lesson plan ideas,
resource recommendations, and connect with other professionals.
It makes sense for us to think about its uses in our classrooms
with our mobile learners. Twitter can be incorporated into
our classrooms as an educational and fun way of learning.
The focus of this article will present uses of Twitter and
communication, Twitter and class projects and content, and
Twitter tools.
Communication
Twitter offers innovative and interesting ways to expose
unique approaches of communication in our classrooms.
Direct Tweet
A unique way of contacting a student, or a student
contacting a teacher, without having to share a cell
phone number. This can be set up on a cell phone as
a mobile alert, or to an email account as an email alerts.
These direct messages are only viewable by the person
receiving the message.
Group Twitter
Developing a Twitter group allows teachers and students
to get to know each other. There are some third party
services, which will be provided in the third section
of this article, that allow groups to be public or private
as well as being able to post messages for the group.
Make Announcements
Because Twitter can be set up as phone or email alerts,
reminders can be posted about homework assignments,
project due dates, upcoming events, upcoming examinations,
or any other class news and shared.
Brainstorming
Because of the 140 character limit, Twitter allows
students and teachers to share ideas anytime and anywhere;
for example, something that might have been presented
or discussed in a classroom setting, outcome of a recent
sporting event, etc.
Take a Poll
Opinions, or getting feedback on class topics or future
topics, is a possibility using Twitter. An application
called PollDaddy
can help in designing a poll question and using Twitter.
Daily Learning
It makes sense to believe that learning will continue
beyond the walls of the classroom, because tweeter feeds
can happen more frequently throughout a day and not
just during a class meeting time. Twitter allows for
a daily opportunity for enhancing learning.
Twitter and Class Projects and Content
Twitter can enhance, support and generate creative opportunities
for learning related to class projects and class content.
Twitter Specific Assignments
Develop an assignment that helps students learn how
to use Twitter. An assignment designed over a span of
two days using only Twitter helps your students and
their use of Twitter in an educational context.
Spread the News
Have students send out tweets about scores of their
favorite college and/or professional teams, sporting
results, or class news by way of a Twitter feed.
Follow Mentors, Sporting Heroes/Heroines
Using personal names, key figures can be followed
on Twitter. Students will be able to keep up with their
activities.
Follow an Idea, Word, or Event
By sending "track_______" with a word,
event, or idea, students will be able to follow their
personal request. All tweets with the entered keyword
will be organized and sent as alerts.
Follow News Stories
Sources, such as Twackle
that provides the most recent sports stories on Twitter,
or BreakingNews
that provides the most recent global news, help to provide
students with an opportunity to follow news headlines.
Twitter Search
Using the search tool on Twitter and entering a keyword
immediately provides your students with all of the tweets
related to that particular word. Lots can be discovered
using this.
Twitter Tools
The following tools provide help in being able to use Twitter
more efficiently in less time and getting the most from what
Twitter has to offer.
This is a free desktop client software program that
helps manage your Twitter, and provides features such
as URL shortening, new message notifications, image
posts, tweet searches, and more.
This tool provides the opportunity to schedule future
tweet postings as well as other unique tools not listed
above.
Conclusion
Twitter is a real-time information network that can connect
your students to the latest information, and what they find
as the most compelling posts and follow those conversations.
The cumulative effect of using Twitter can be its true worthiness
in our classrooms. Twitter can foster and spread powerful
ideas among your students. Your challenge as the teacher is
to very carefully consider the value of this social networking
phenomena and how best to use it with your students.
