Twitter

This page is part of a larger technology guide for distance and digital learning tools, which was created to fulfill the requirements of the portfolio project for OTL542.

Twitter is a social media platform organized around the concept of "microblogging." Users interact publicly through "tweets," which are constrained to 280 characters in length (up from the original 140-character limit).

Twitter in e-Learning
Twitter is commonly used by educators and students in higher education as a tool to encourage learning and the sharing of ideas both formally and informally. In their roles as researchers and authors, faculty are often encouraged to share their work and thereby increase the public profile of the institutions they are affiliated with. By creating and using hashtags, students and educators can share ideas and communicate about highly specialized content areas that invite input from anyone in the broader public with a similar interest. Research has found that using Twitter in a university setting provides enhanced opportunities for informal learning, gives shy or reserved students a forum for greater participation, enhances overall engagement, and may even be connected to higher course grades.

Additional Resources

 * Twitter.com. Create a profile on the social media site.
 * Using Twitter as an educator. A guide for academics who are interested in using Twitter to reach their students and the greater public.