Keeping pace with twitter

Educational use of twitter: keeping the pace

Alison HardySchool of Education

@hardy_alisonTodays meet: http://

todaysmeet.com/keepingpace

Research question

• How can twitter be used, in conjunction with other web based technologies, in a time limited educational setting?

What am I using twitter for?

• Give out notices• Remind students• Sharing information/ resources• Sharing what I am reading now• Canvassing opinion• Keeping up to date with my subject• Chatting to colleagues, peers and students (a little)NB: separate course & personal accounts, I don’t follow students

Why twitter?

• Free access• Short comments: 140 characters or less• Interactive• Search tools within twitter: hashtag

Issues/limitations with twitter• Tweets can be difficult to find• In the moment

Context

• Year 2 UG module• Students experienced in using wikis and

discussion boards• Prior to the session most were following me on

twitter• I had been using twitter for 11 months• 59 tweets sent by me between 9.33 am and

12.13pm.• The session ran from 10- 12 on a Monday morning

Twitter name: @hardy_alisonTodays meet: http://todaysmeet.com/keepingpace

Setting upList of students on twitterPrivate list

WikiInformation given before the session

ScreenrScreencasts of instructions

NOW discussion boardsUsed during the session

Session plan 1Content page from NOW for the session

Session plan 2Section of lecturer's plan showing stages of session

Stage Time Subject matter Lecturer activity Student activity Resources/Differentiation/Notes

Assessment Category of activity

1. Prior to start Stage 2 #dtes2

Practice topic in NOW

Screenr preparedTweet:Ready to start #dtes2 ?

Make at least one post to topic ‘Practice topic’

NOW discussion All to have made a postSome to have replied to another postFew to have started a new thread

Student led

2. 10-10.05Stage 3 #dtes2

Introduction to session

Screenr with information about where resources are for this morning’s session

Watch screenr and find relevant resources

WikiNOW: content for today, discussion and buzzScreenrSkype?TwitterIndividual notes on topics

Lecturer led

3. 10.05 - 10.25 Stage 4 #dtes2

Online discussion in groups of 3 on NOW

Monitor online discussion 1. Read instructions on topic

2. Contribute to discussion topic as per instructions!

NOWIndividual notes on topics

All to have made an appropriate post which uses readingSome summary/ conclusion of the topicFew to have identified key points for sharing with peers

Student led

4. 10.25 – 10.40Stage 5 #dtes2

Preparation for jigsaw & grab a coffee

1. Post groups for next stage on wiki

2. Open new discussion forum

3. Get a coffee4. Read tweets!

1. Check new groups – on wiki

2. Read instructions for new discussion in NOW

3. Prepare information for sharing about your topic

4. Get a coffee!5. Post a tweet about

how this morning is going

NOW discussion on topicIndividual notes on topics TwitterWiki

None Student activity

Hashtag26 tweets sent by me during the session to all students taking part, most using #dtes2

Definition: The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages. (Twitter, 2013)

Analysis of my tweets: How I planned to use twitter

Keep the pace Provide examples and advice

How I actually used twitterCategory of comment/tweet

Total number of lecturer tweets

Tweets with only one focus

Tweets with >1 focus

Instruction to whole group

18 2 16

Encouragement 26 12 14

Identifying good practice

4 0 4

Helping out/ advising 22 12 10

Chat 14 8 6

Keeping the pace 21 0 21

Examples of categories 1

Instruction Encouragement

Examples of categories 2

Highlighting good practice Help and advice

Examples of categories 3

Instructing, keeping pace and helping Chat

Example of categories 4

Pace

Feedback from students

Conclusion/ further discussion• Needed significant set up time• Tweets written in advance – make use of other applications such as

TweetDeck