The Connected Curriculum - Challenge #17

How to Use Twitter for Education

As Twitter etches a place for itself as a valid source of information, many academic organizations and online schools are making the most of Twitter by providing relevant and swift information to existing and potential students.

There are several benefits that come with using this social media stage for educational purposes.

Starting Out

·       Make the account educational. Start by putting the necessary information that will define your account as an informative platform. Provide images, concise descriptions, contact information and a couple of tweets.
 

·       Organize your account. Many tools and applications are available on Twitter that let you organize information as well as select which groups or persons to follow or unfollow.
 

·      Write informative tweets. Start attracting attention by providing tweets that will intrigue your target audience. Tweet a several times each day but be cautious not to be tagged as a spammer.
 

·       Individualize. Many with Twitter accounts appreciate that it’s better to make it seem as if followers are communicating to a real person.

Correct Online Manners
 

·       Read the guidelines. Review the rules and policies on Twitter to make communications legal and fun.
 

·       Be innovative. Attempt to post original tweets as much as you can. You can launch yourself as a reliable educational source quicker by providing posts that not found anywhere else.
 

·       Break up public and private. Group messages are intended to deliver knowledge to followers but direct messages should be solely between you and the student to preserve confidentiality.
 

·       Stay on top. Provide updates daily and answer questions and concerns quickly. Avoid needless delays when answering concerns and complaints. 

Successful Communication
 

·       Identify the limits. Twitter posts are constrained to 140 characters so it’s imperative to know the correct words to voice and when retweeting.
 

·       Provide resolutions. Whenever students communicate concerns and complaints, be specific and provide the correct solutions without further delay.
 

·       Utilize Twitter chat. You can introduce chats regarding issues that are decidedly related to your group.
 

·       Connect and collaborate. Ask question and start discussions with students and peers to cover a number of related issues and topics.
 

·       Apply hashtags. Hashtags are an effective way to attract attention and drive the right followers. Choose the correct words after the “#” symbol.
 

·      Establish key networks. There are countless Twitter users who will be valuable in networking with the right people and students with whom your discussions will appeal to.
 

·      Share, share, share. When there are new and exciting issues and topics regarding your specific field, upload and/or share it on Twitter to attract more followers.
 

·      Invite followers. Tag individuals and ask people to join conversations and hashtags. Also invite them to share their own material and research.
 

·       Get to the point. When communicating with students, the information should be brief and to the point. This will impress that you are a dependable and subject-rich source.

    Professional Learning

·       Research. Twitter is an impressive research tool. Just use the search bar to look for connected issues and trending topics and join the conversations.
 

·       Live tweets. Seminars and meetings can be done through live tweets. These will keep followers posted every few minutes.

·       Seek a mentor. Trainers and coaches are also available who can offer quick tips and guidance for interested learners free of charge.

·      Locate the right group. A departmental group can be created on Twitter which permits coworkers to talk about business, informal circumstances and other things without difficulty. Study more about Important Hashtags for the Education Sector.
 

The Classroom Setup
 

·      Construct a community. Twitter groups can be created which assist students belonging to the same school to come together online.

·      Give out homework. New issues and homework can be posted through the social media network.

·      Special conversations. Some instructors like to use Twitter to provide a voice for student concerns and questions in a less formal environment. Read more about Tweet Chats.

·      Provide resources. Articles, essays and other resources can be shared on Twitter among students and teachers.

·       Gather feedback. Twitter is also an immense platform to get feedback from students. This facilitates in strengthening the bond between student and instructor and points to the path of effective learning.

Until tomorrow...

Collaborate and connect your curriculum!