Micro Blogging?

Phenomenon is defined by Webster’s online dictionary (www.m-w.com) as a rare or significant fact or event. I would say that is exactly what the usage of twitter has become. In an article in Engineering & technology (http://kn.theiet.org/magazine/issues/0906/twitter-0906.cfm ) from the April 2009 Kris Sangani writes that the user base for Twitter has increased 900% in the last year. According to the article, “It began in March 2006 as a research and development project inside San Francisco podcasting company Odeo….” Sangani hypothesizes that the current success was aided by the numerous high profile personalities that are using the service including the President.

So, why should the educational community twitter? In the article Home Alone! Still Collaborating by Mary Ann Bell and Tricia Kuon, the authors point out that it is almost impossible to not somehow collaborate with someone professionally. (this appeared in the Mar/Apr ‘09 issue of Knowledge Quest a publication of the American Librarians Association. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=38813483&site=ehost-live ) Their work with twitter started experimentally, like most users “playing” around and seeing who was using it and why. One of their first experiences was at a conference where a flowing dialog took place discussing the conference, individual speakers as well as social plans. Using an electronic medium to discuss in real-time issues being presented. The second thing they noticed was that it helped them in their writing. Being forced to write a micro blog causes one to be concise with language. The writers found many useful ways for students to use twitter for collaboration. Following like-minded people can expand what you know and how you think about topics.

In a study done at Stanford Jonathan List and Brent Bryant (http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/winter2009/List/index.htm ) purposely investigated the use of social networking tools. The study the included tools twitter, Ning, and Moodle. Students in the study were required to follow all other students in their group and their instructor. The study found that students used twitter for peer tutoring and found that it helped them with both quality of work and clarity of instructions. They used Twitter for communication with instructors to clarify assignments and to inquire about future assignments. The project concluded that the use of twitter was only effective when combined with other tools; it was a great initiator of many positive interactions. So can it be useful in a more traditional classroom?

There is an interesting video on YouTube showing the use of twitter in a University of Texas history class. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WPVWDkF7U8 ) The professor uses it as a stimulus for classroom discussion. Could this work in a high school setting? Perhaps, but there are always concerns about school policies concerning use of mobile technology. After watching this video and reflecting on comments from my last blog I am wondering how long this will be effective? The novelty effect is something to be considered. There may be only a short window where use of this kind of technology will be effective in the classroom.

My final thoughts for this blog go in a completely different direction. I am currently looking forward to reading the book The Dumbest Generation by Mark Bauerlein (on order, should be here soon). The author has a website that is interesting, http://www.dumbestgeneration.com/welcome.html . I am intrigued by the writer’s questions of how the increase in digital technology affects learning and concentration. I have not read the book yet but feel it would be intellectually dishonest not to pursue questions of the possible negative impact on learning. Twittering fits right into my concerns about concentration. If we are sitting in class listening to a lecture as well as caring on virtual conversations is there legitimate engagement taking place? I am not trying to go backwards in terms of the digital age but would like to think more deeply about how to make education more effective within it.