Interactive Workshop

Julie Meloni

In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the basics of Twitter and see some practical examples of using Twitter as a microblogging platform and real-time information network useful for both teachers and students. We will take a look at different types of Twitter clients (web-based, desktop, mobile) and ways that Twitter can be integrated into other sites and services (personal web sites, blogs, Facebook, etc.).  Participants will learn about Twitter grammars, various types of tweets (thin vs. thick content, retweets, retweets with comments, etc.), and third-party applications used to enhance and archive Twitter conversations and content.  Finally, participants will learn how Twitter is currently used as a backchannel for lectures and conferences, and some common types of Twitter-based assignments in the classroom. At the end of the workshop, participants will brainstorm additional possibilities for Twitter use by themselves and their students.