Here at the Institute we’re just starting to think about experimenting with microblogging, 140 character posts called “tweets” within a social network or out in the wilds of the Internet. Just in time, here’s a short video from the Chronicle of Higher Education in which a Professor describes using Twitter, a microblogging service, with his students.
This video is a follow-up to an earlier article in the Chronicle on the use of Twitter in education. For other takes on Twitter, see see this academic article and Howard Rheingold’s discussion of why he’s hooked on microblogging via Twitter. Links via Chris Lott.
It seems hard to believe that universities wouldn't pick up the tab for this additional (and experimental) expense to students. Regardless though, it does raise interesting questions about what kinds of guidelines an instructor could set that might encourage helpful, productive Twittering. The instructor quoted in the earlier article who uses Twitter to elicit instant feedback after class sessions does seem to have hit on the right idea; on the other hand, the instructor receiving Twitters about a student's new pet rabbit is perhaps a little blinded by a technology that might need to be reined in a bit in order to be useful…
Yes, the rabbit thing scares me a bit too:)
Another issue: what if we want to tune out technology, to, gasp, read a book? Not only do I have to turn off the computer, etc but now I have to deal with my phone twittering? At all hours?About pet rabbits? Hmm.
I think Twitter has interesting possibilities but I'd use it only with some definite guidlines. But, by making it so ( for example telling my students NO to twitter me on weekends, or omit hamster stories) would I be killing what is exciting/innovative about it?