So what does an oil change have to do with Twitter? Surprisingly, they have a lot of similarities!
Reflection on Twitter
Of all the assignments in our course this year, this was the one I was looking forward to the least. My primary purpose in using any of the Web 2.0 tools has always been to find those that would enhance student engagement and improve student learning. I could not see how Twitter could offer anything to those ends. All I had ever heard about Twitter was during the morning gossip update on my local radio station. So what good for education could come from Twitter?
For this course, we were asked to remain open-minded about each of the various tools we would be trying. And I have been for every one, but I was more closed-minded approaching this week's research then in any other, and honestly, I approached it grudgingly. In fact, I really procrastinated even beginning my research because I had already decided Twitter couldn't offer me much!
I signed up for Twitter a couple of months ago. Twitter is also called microblogging because essentially you have 140 characters to make your point. If you've been off the planet for awhile and have no clue about Twitter, I found a couple of fun songs that might make you want to learn more.
Unfortunately, I was not as enthusiastic as the kids above when I started learning about Twitter. In fact, I made a couple of initial tweets, signed up to follow a few others and promptly forgot about it. In fact, even now, I only have tweeted a dozen times! I knew a lot of people received tweets on their phones, but I did not want to do this for two reasons. One, I don't use my cell phone regularly. If I forget to charge it, it might sit in the bottom of my purse for a week before I remember again. Two, if I did have it on, I didn't want to be receiving tweets all the time as I would find that distracting. However, I did not realize there were services like twitterlicious and tweetdeck that would notify me about incoming tweets on my computer.
Eventually there was no choice but to get reading or I knew I was never going to be able to make this post. I signed up first for twitterlicious. It was easy to load up to my computer and it put a little notification box in the corner where the latest tweets would show up. However, after a short time, I was informed that the program had quit running on my computer and I would be notified if there was a fix for the problem. Since I had been having trouble getting to the links posted on the tweets, I decided this was a sign to try something else. By this time, a number of people I had been reading had mentioned how much they really enjoyed tweetdeck, so I thought I would try it.
As it turns out, tweetdeck is really an awesome service. First, my tweetdeck page can also incorporate my facebook and myspace updates. So that makes things more efficient. Second, when I am working on my computer, I get an actual little tweet and a notice in the corner with someone's update or tweet. The sound is super cute. I found tweetdeck much easier to use because when people tweet a link, it shows up like a link and I could quickly click on it and take a look. On twitterlicious, I could never click it as a link and had to retype it.
If you are thinking of using Twitter, sign up for a service like tweetdeck! It makes all the difference in the world. I just didn't have time to check all my accounts, so I didn't. This is why I was not getting anything at all out of Twitter at first. It's a lot like having an RSS feed. Let the information come to you. Don't spend your time looking for it!
Since I have signed up for tweetdeck, I'm much more up-to-date on my friends as well as on professional information because I see status updates while I'm working too, and I don't have to log in to Facebook to do that (yes, I know status updates can go to phones, see above).
There are some things one needs to know in order for Twitter to make sense. D: is a direct tweet. RT is a retweet. Use an @ before a username if you are retweeting or tweeting about someonel. There is such a thing as "tweetiquette," and users must become familiar with it. John D. Valaro who writes The Human Strategist had some straight forward tips for tweeting in his article Tweetiquette for Beginners. He gives some very straightforward tips for using Twitter and what the various symbols mean.
Twitter and my Personal Learning
I have to be honest here. I haven't really used Twitter for any real learning outside of education and libraries. I have used it for some entertainment. I signed up to follow Ellen DeGeneres because I really like her. I also signed up to follow Perez Hilton, who, by the way, tweets a lot! It's kind of cool on nights like tonight when I'm watching the American Music Awards and he is there. I see him on the television and then get one of his tweets.
However, Twitter has Apps (that's applications). I found out from a very cool article entitled 5 Ways Twitter Can Make Your Life Better, that I can subscribe to Remember the Milk which allows you to create a "to do" list. This would be a great one to have sent to your cell phone (providing you kept it charged). Ever gone to a conference, couldn't find parking in the nearby lots and had to park at the meters? Ever forget to plug those meters? Yeah, me too! Well a subscription to Timer can remind you to plug your meter in 45 minutes! No more tickets!
One other use for Twitter is to follow breaking news. New agencies all have Twitter feeds. I can subscribe to CBC, CNN or my favourite local radio station C95.
One other task I might use Twitter for help with a particular question. For example, I wish I had been on Twitter when I purchased the laptop I use in my role as SSLA secretary. I have had some trouble with it in the short time I have owned it. Maybe, I could have asked for some advice about which laptop would have been the best.
How many applications are there for Twitter? Probably more than we can count! For at least a partial list, try the Twitter Application Database. There are currently 39 pages of them! I'm sure you'll find something you like!
Twitter and Teaching and Learning
I began my research, as always, with a visit to YouTube for a quick introductory video. Of course the guys at Common Craft have a great introductory video, Twitter in Plain English, but I also found this little gem. These guys are not going to win any Oscars for their acting talent, but I liked this particular video because it speaks specifically to Twitter in Education.
Twitter isn't new to educators. In fact, many educators have been using Twitter to advantage for some time. Don't believe me? There was actually a conference called The #140 Conference! I've embedded the video for two interviews from this conference. The first is an interview with Steve Anderson. Steve is an educator and currently an Instructional Technologist for Stokes County in the United States. In this brief interview he explains his how he uses Twitter and how you can get started with it. I started following him on Twitter because I was already following his blog, and he seems to have lots of good ideas and passion.
The next is an interview with high school adminstrator Eric Sheninger. He discusses how his use of Twitter has evolved. He also notes that more administrators need to be on Twitter.
There are probably as many ways to use Twitter as there are educators, but I guess for me, I really like the professional development aspect of it more than actually using it with students at least at this particular point and time. Jason Renshaw who maintains a weblog called English Raven had a post called Twitter for teachers: why you should start tweeting. He gives some very good reasons for educators to be on Twitter. Some of his reasons are the same that I find the most exciting. You can stay up-to-date on new ideas. You can find out about conferences, resources, and links. You can participate in discussions about topics important to you. There is a very
In his article Twitter finally gains academic approval, Davey Winder notes that some universities in the UK and Australia have recognized the value of Twitter not only in their journalism courses but also as a personal learning network tool for students. This makes perfect sense to me as that is how I am now seeing my use of Twitter.
I don't know Phil Bradley, but one of his posts, Use Twitter in Libraries, was on our trailfire. He has this great post where he talks about all the different uses for Twitter in a library. Some of them are the usual like posting hours, new staff, upcoming events, and things of that nature. But among what he notes are the more interesting uses are keeping up on trending information, finding answers to questions, and getting/staying in touch with experts in one's field. These are all legitimate reasons to use Twitter.
In her article in Library Journal 20 Ways for Librarians to use Twitter, Sonja Cole includes such suggestions as: recommending a book, blog, video or website; give a daily tip; start a Twitter book club (tweet reactions to a book); connect with other librarians, participate in #FollowFriday by recommending others; and ask others for favourite posts.
Two ways that I can see myself using Twitter with students at this time is having them follow the tweets of an author for a semester. Another is an idea I got from an article Twittering Dante by Lauren Barack which was published in the School Library Journal. She suggests having students Twitter as if they were Dante writing to his Beatrice in each of the levels of hell. Personally, I think to write as a character and to have to be succinct enough to express a character's thoughts in 140 characters requires a high level of thinking. I also think we need to move beyond the typical models of writing and include models that are appropriate for the 21st century.
There is a wealth of information about Twitter and Education online. One article I read had a link to twitter4teachers which can help connect you with people in your field that you might want to follow. They are broken down into EVERY possible subject area. As well, you can sign up for a Twitter Mentor if you would like someone to help you set up your own personal learning network.
On Cybrary Man's Educational Websites, he has a great list of links to every possible site with helpl for using Twitter, Twitter for educators, Twitter tips for teachers, mashups with Twitter, tutorials and more. I am this close to saying that if it isn't on this site, you don't need it!
I see Twitter as a hard sell to staff though. I know that I didn't crack easily. I think I really have to use it for awhile longer too in order to be able to speak with more conviction . It can be an efficient complement to my repetoire of supports. At this time, I'm still a "peeping Tracy" and not really an active contributor, but as I become more knowledgeable, I will have more to share than simply updates on my life.
So why, when we are busier than ever, do I want to add on yet another technology? Well (drum roll, please), the people on Twitter are friendly. They want to help you out. Twitter is efficient (everything you need to know in 140 characters). It is informative - experts from around the world share their knowledge and answer questions. And let's face it, anything that makes the job of being a teacher and/or teacher-librarian easier, is going to extend your life in the field and make you run a whole lot smoother!
Just like an oil change for your vehicle, Twitter can increase your productivity, knowledge, and life expectency, and it takes less than 10 minutes to sign up! What are you waiting for?
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