Twitter is an example of a microblogging service that allows users to post messages (Tweets) of up to 140 characters long.
The author's tweets can be sent from anywhere with a web connection (including mobile devices). The tweets then appear on the author's own Twitter page, as well as being fed to any people who have chosen to 'follow' the author (in effect subscribing to their feed of updated messages)
Twitter accounts can be restricted or opened up to everyone.
Use in education
This slide show and video is a basic introduction to Twitter and also highlights many aspects to consider with relation to education. Click here for a large version of the presentation (needs Flash)
Here are a number of suggested uses for Twitter:
- A college in China used Twitter with native Chinese students as a tool to train language and cultural competence. Students had to post a certain number of English tweets and react to the tweets of their fellow students.
- Twitter can be used to quickly evaluate a real time event. For example questions and comments can be streamed during a lecture. Or comments can be collected after a test has taken place.
- Here is a video about Twitter (and other technologies) being used at Roosevelt HS in Minneapolis.
- This article from The Chronicle of Higher Education discusses instructor Cole Camplese’s use of Twitter, streaming Tweets from students on screen during lectures, as part of the instructional process.
How do I do that?
Further links on Twitter and education
- The E-Learning at UWE Twitter feed - updates and thoughts from the E-Learning Development Unit.
- 50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Education - wide selection of thoughts and ideas presented in short bits
- 10 Twitter Tips for Higher Education - more detailed practical tips
- Twitter for teachers and students - advice from an elearning blog
- Using Twitter as an Education Tool - looking at academia and using twitter in storytelling projects
Various Twitter applications
Here is a screenshot of a typical Twitter page (as seen through the www.twitter.com website)
Twitter applications
www.twitter.com allows you to see yours and others posts in a linear time line. However, there are applications out there that allow you to organise these posts into categories - effectively filling and sifting through the potentially overwhelming stream of information. Examples of categories might include friends,
Indicated by a # tag. So, for example, a trending topic on the elections in the Britain might have the tag #electionUK would organise ALL tweets from everyone into that particular list. From here you could sift the posts into friends, business colleagues, strangers, people you met on holiday etc.
There are applications that can help you sift this information:
Page last updated 23 April 2012