Twitter

Platform

Designed for all platforms

Description

 

Twitter, a free microblogging site, allows users to broadcast 140 character “tweets” publically or privately (direct message).  Tweets can include links to other sites and are sourced or identified by hashtags (hashtags are tags that have the hash (#) symbol in front of them).  See the end of this post for resources on hashtags.

The following pdf file is a handout produced by the plpnetwork.com that gives an overview of twitter, how to grow your pln, and how to use twitter in the classroom twitter-handbook-for-teachers.

• How to use twitter (link to wiki-how manual)
• Twitter website

Here is a short video on how one class uses twitter in their classroom

Twitter can take some time to get used to.. but it is well worth the perseverance (I have heard it said it takes up to 6 months to fully become comfortable with Twitter).  Tweeters (those that use twitter) have developed a language of their own to fit into the 140 characters,  check out the “Twittonary” for abbreviations and twitter related words. 

Here are some beginners tips for getting started and connecting with other users.  Just for fun here is a really great blog on the 10 stages of Twitter

Two resources that are available to track hashtags and tweets are:

• Tweetdeck
• Flipboard

Also when adding links you may need to shorten the web address – check out the blog on Bitly for more information

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Hashtags:

• Edublog list of top education related hashtags for 2011
• Cybrary Man’s Educational Web Sites
• 10 educational hashtags to follow on twitter
• BC education – #bclearns
• Bring your own device – #byod

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Exercise #1

1. Goto www.twitter.comand signup for an account. 
   1. Tips to remember when signing up:
      1. Use a name that would be recognizable
      2. Keep it professional
2. Follow another tweeter
   1. Login to twitter – on the top menu choose @Connect
   2. On the left sidebar .. the second section down are a few options for following
      1. Suggestions of who to follow
      2. Browse catagories
      3. Find friends
   3. If you know the twitter name of the person you are looking for enter it under find friends
      1. If you do not have anyone to follow – ask the teacher their twitter name and follow them
      2. Once you have followed one tweeter – check out who they are following and follow a few of the same people.
      3. Have the students follow each other as well
3. Send a tweet
   1. Goto your home page – on the left sidebar top section type in the box that states “compose new tweet”
   2. Choose a person to send it to – perferably someone who is in the room and can confirm it arriving
   3. Send the tweet
4. Send a direct message
   1. On the top menu on the far right is a block picture of a persons head with an arrow down beside it – click on this it will bring up a drop down menu – the first item is direct message
   2. To start off a direct message type “DM” followed by the persons call name “@namehere” then type the message – type “DM @teacherstwittername Testing out the direct message function”
   3. Check with the teacher to see if it has been received
5. Hashtags
   1. Find three hashtags that would be of interest to you – look through the lists provided on this webpage; do a google search; ask the techer
   2. Send a tweet to the teacher Testing the hashtag option #put_hashtag_name_here