USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR LEARNING
As we see the advent of an explosion in social media, we can think of using (some of) them to enhance our learning events and experiences, plus help us:
- connect with each other specially those who are less articulate and verbose in learning style
- find out what people’s interests and opinions are;
- discover what people may be working on (applications, problems, issues, etc.);
- and learn from one another beyond the confines of the class.
The beauty in all these new technologies is that you can start well before the course. And continue long after the course is over.
For the purpose of the course you are attending we will be using two platforms, i.e. Twitter and Ning. We will give you the details about Ning towards the end of the Course. To start with, we wish to encourage you to use Twitter.
Making sense of Twitter
Suffice to say, you need to make sense of Twitter before you can understand how to use it as a learning (networking) resource.
Twitter is a synchronous communication tool. It allows you to send instant messages to more than one person, using no more than 140 characters in a message. Following Twitter via the Twitter web page is clunky and give you no real appreciation what you can achieve. The best way to receive and send message is through one of the numerous tools that allows you to read
messages as soon as they are posted. This gives an immediacy to interactions
– you get instant help, advice and information.
How to follow Twitter
One easy way to follow Twitter is thru TwitterFox (now Echofon) which is an
add-on that is embedded into Firefox, which is an Internet browser. Every time a message is posted, You see it as a pop-up. The other popular tool for
monitoring Twitter is Tweetdeck. This is a tool that is downloaded onto your computer. Not only can you read tweets as they are posted, you can also group and categorize them so that you follow a particular topic. Here’s information about the numerous Twitter tools that are available. We suggest you play around and experiment to see what suits you best, keeping in mind that your server (corporate & institutions) might block access to some tools.
Twitter and cell phones
One of the advantages Twitter has over other instant messaging services is that it can be used on your cell phone. This is a particular advantage when you are attending a course and may not have regular access to your PC. Different cell phones will even allow you to get Apps that make this feature easy and enjoyable.
How you can use Twitter to enhance personal learning
Twitter is an incredibly powerful tool for making connections with people who then become part of your personal learning network. Thus, Twitter can used for:
- quick sharing information and resources;
- mentoring, advice and support;
- brainstorming and feedback;
- seeking immediate help;
- raising questions for discussion, etc.
Let’s get started
Certain generations, especially those who were not born with Social Media may not see the point about using Twitter. We suggest that you try it out this time, even just for curiosity sake. Remember, your children, subordinates, customers, suppliers, etc. may already be using it. So, here is how to go about participating.
- Go to Twitter.com and create your own account
- Go to “Settings” and edit whatever you wish on your account. Be sure to, at least, fill in a name recognizable to the class. You are free not to give any other details about yourself. You can have twitter communicate with your mobile phone by entering your number under “Devices”
- Go to http://twitter.com/nsc1009 and click on the “Follow” button and begin following the course site
- Send out your first few tweets or reply to other people’s tweets.
