How Others Can Benefit

Things to keep in mind if you intend to use Twitter in your course:

1. Be clear on the activity and provide clear instructions on expectations. For example: You are were required to post three tweets as well as three replies to other students’ posts about what they had read, watched, or browsed.
2. Instructors should model expected behaviours by monitoring the postings and interactions and posting tweets and replies.
3. Do not assume that learners familiar with Twitter. Conduct a poll to see how familiar your students are with blogging and microblogging. Provide resources such as the following to familiarize them with the purpose and the process of tweeting: Twitter Tutorial or Beginners By David A. Cox or Twitter Tutorial for Beginners 2016 | How to Create a Twitter Account or How to Use Twitter: App Tutorial (HD).
4. Clearly communicate the pedagogical rationale for using twitter. In addition to how to use Twitter, ensure that student understand why you are using Twitter in you course – to increase engagement, cooperative learning and participation. Twitter provides a low stress
5. Create a hashtag specifically for your course that includes numbers and letters. For example: #COMM60116
6. Integrate Twitter activities into the course design. For example: post discussion topics related to course assignments, lectures and readings.
7. Encourage back-channeling to enhance student learning, student engagement and so you know who is Twitter provides a low stress way for students to ask questions