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Twitter in the classroom

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What is twitter?

• Twitter is a microblogging platform.• Users short updates, often called "Tweets"

of 140 characters or fewer. These messages are posted to the user’s profile, followers, and are searchable on Twitter search.

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Twitter Stats

• Pew Research Study Released in May 2012 around 15% of online adults have used Twitter. 8% have used in a typical day.

• 26% were in the age group of 18-29.

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Twitter Stats

Taken from Pew Research

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Twitter Terminology• Tweet – an individual post • Re-tweet (RT)– retelling someone else’s tweet• Modified Tweet (MT) – modifying someone else’s

tweet• @username – a public message to a specific person• Direct – message to a follower• #hashtag – A tag that tracks groups & discussions• Lists – Organize your followers• More terminology on Twittonary

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Hashtags• Popular hashtags in education: #edtech, #

highered, #lrnchat, #socmedia, #edusocmedia, #socialmedia, #sachat, #smchat

• Popular ways to find hashtags: Hashtags.org, what the trend, twubs, trendsmap.com

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Twitter APITwitter allows users access to their database

for use on their own websites and projectsExample 1Example 2

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Twitter Aps• Hootsuite – manage multiple Social Media

accounts, sets up timed tweets• TweetDeck – Organize your twitter

followers, set up timed tweets• TwitPic – Share pics via Twitter• TweetReach- Measure your twitter reach• Twuffer – compose future tweets• Trendsmap – Map of Twitter Hashtag

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Twitter for Course Updates

• Increases interaction between instructors and students• Enhances communication• Overcomes challenges of distance learning• Helps students stay organized• Provides medium for instructors to enhance their

identity and encourage students• Students can let teacher know they have completed an

assignment

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Guidelines

• Use a human voice• Be mindful that Twitter is public and

searchable• Decide whether to use a personal of

professional twitter handle and stick to it– You can use a @Soc354class for your class and

@ProfSmith personally

• Keep to one platform for classroom usage

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Example of Course Updates

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Class Chatter

• Use hashtags to facilitate real-time discussion on videos, reading assignments or assessments questions.

• Can be used during class or outside of a classroom

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Class Chatter Example

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Other Classroom Ideas

• Track a conference • Track the rise and fall of trends• Follow industry professionals – a journalist

may tweet events real time• Follow a famous person• Track usage of words/hashtags