Twitter time

Since I am home with a sick toddler, I’m making use of my day at home by doing more anecdotal research on using Web 2.0 tools such as Twitter for educational purposes.  I’m wondering what your thoughts are on the matter, especially if you are a twitterer.  I myself was skeptical of opening myself up to this potentially fast-paced form of engagement, but so far I am having fun and pleased to receive tweets about my students’ scholastic pursuits. 

From EdVentures in Technology:

Now, integrating technology into the classroom experience at the higher ed level can be challenging and often means more preparatory work, and yet it has the potential to be far more engaging than the relatively static experience of lectures, overheads and PowerPoint presentations. Consider the opportunities for learning we could create if we tap our students’ affinity for technology by challenging them in class to find and share appropriate and timely references, news briefs, videos or lectures on our subject matter. Imagine if we showed our students how technology can serve them, rather than the other way around.

Absolutely.  I really like how this blogger frames the benefits of utilizing technology for the classroom.

Here are some of the benefits I see at present:

1. It can help break down barriers - between classmates who are in different performance areas, between the class and the Professor
2. It helps build community - with classmates you wouldn’t necessarily otherwise interact with, and again, it’s a way to interact with your Professor, hopefully!
3. You can, as you are experiencing something or reflecting about something relevent (or not), easily and quickly share your thoughts with others using your cell phone, for instance
4. It’s fast, efficient, fairly immediate
5. You might actually learn something!
6. You already text like mad, so why not text about theory?
7. We don’t need everyone’s cell phone numbers to twitter with them!

Of course I do see some shortcomings as well.  Perhaps I’ll let my students (or others who wish to respond) address this in the comments . . .

Hey, did you know that you can learn languages using Twitter?