cons of tweeting
I'm not a fan of tweeting because it is quite distracting and takes the focus away from the lesson to be taught as well as disregards correct writing format.
Ramonica,
I think you have students follow some tweets and have them evaluate them regarding impact. We think about them interacting but they can follow too.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
If tweeting could be used as a tool to relate to the students, I think it could have a positive effect.
Eileen,
Thanks you for the note. I want to have as many tools in my tool box to engage learners. I am not a proponent of adding more and more to students I want to add better and better. Social media is a great tool to engage learning and create community. I think we don't make the community goal as important as we should.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Finally -- a viable reason to use social media tools outside of the LMS. I've been grappling with this issue since starting this course, and your response here, Dr. W., brings it home for me. Thanks.
Ginger,
For some it isn't but I have them to main point microblogging where they have to cut to the important "stuff" with few words.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Akilah--
I agree that social media interactions can be a distraction if not monitoring the postings properly. I am not an effective "tweeter," as 140 characters is not enough for me!
Geri,
You are right, it benefits the students; but it can also relieve our workload. We don't have to recreate the wheel in creating multimedia experiences.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
As we move forward we as Instructors must be willing to use various medias to reach our students.
Stephanie,
Do you use a rubric to grade your discussions regarding writing? You have to build those expectations and hold students to it. When I teach my writing course, students have to write everything in proper writing form. I want students in the habit of writing correctly for everything. I have sent emails back for review. . .
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I have difficulties with a few of my students each class with both discussion board postings and even in their papers for a unit, with not using proper academic writing. The problem is more significant in the discussion board postings. They will come up with abbreviations that are not common and in the beginning try to sometimes use texting language in their discussion board postings. They often will not capitalize words that should be, such as "I". I work with them and by the end of the class, most of them are doing better, but not all. As a result, I agree that allowing texting language in the micro-blogging sends a mixed message, and should not be used. The other problem is that then the instructor will be required to know what their abbreviations are, and may not.
Morissa,
You would have to develop expectations as well as a rubric for grading. That would help you with the formatting.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Trude,
True, many of the LMS's are looking more like social media sites. I would use other tools because students to "camp out" in the LMS. They will use it but that is not their preferred area. I am just trying to consider ways to engage.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree that utilizing Twitter can be a confusing message for students. It could be useful, but I still have too many concerns that they are not yet comfortable enough with proper formatting to switch between the two.
I guess I'm feeling a bit confused. Our LMS has much of this functionality already built in. Using sites like Twitter seems redundant. I have enough trouble getting students to use the functionality built into the LMS. As it is, it is difficult to communicate via class announcements, instant messaging, email, discussion boards and chats and get students to focus on all of them. Why add to the confusion?
Barbara,
Yes I have. I have started to discuss IM and tweeting and there use in the business community. I have an exercise that I use this technique. I set the scenario. They have to communicate a tweet or IM to discuss an issue within the scenario. I count characters (under 140) I look for specific business words. I look for passive/active language, and good communication tools. I created a rubric with those criteria. I also have a student evaluate it as the receiver and assess the effectiveness of the tweet.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello Kelly,
Have you noticed that the tweeting activity translates into better technical writing? Have you developed a way to assess this?
Barb
Akilah,
It can, I have used tweeting as a way to get students to be more concise in their message. They tend to be too wordy for technical writing and this exercise makes a great point.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
