TWITTER and Other Mobile-izing Tools for Teaching and Learning

Cell Phone Use (Statistics) 255.4 million wireless subscribers in US 1 84% of total U.S. population 1 35% of cell phone owners send and receive text messages 2 48.1 billion text-messages sent per month 1 1 http://www.ctia.org/advocacy/research/index.cfm/AID/10323 2 http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Cell_phone_study.pdf

255.4 million wireless subscribers in US 1

84% of total U.S. population 1

35% of cell phone owners send and receive text messages 2

48.1 billion text-messages sent per month 1

Cell Phone Use (Applications*) Campus Security Alert system Communication among students (Instant messaging) * Specifically regarding text-messaging on campus

Campus Security Alert system

Communication among students (Instant messaging)

Cell Phone Use (Applications + ) Teacher bulletins or class reminders Text-Messaging based surveys & Polls Building community outside classroom + Examples of applications in the classrooms

Teacher bulletins or class reminders

Text-Messaging based surveys & Polls

Building community outside classroom

Bulletins and Class Reminders Textmarks.com – it’s FREE! Students subscribe to class text feed by typing CLASS** to 41411 Students get class updates via text on phone every time teacher creates new alerts No need to know student cell phone numbers ** ‘CLASS’ is just an example word, teachers can choose any word for their class when setting up account

Textmarks.com – it’s FREE!

Students subscribe to class text feed by typing CLASS** to 41411

Students get class updates via text on phone every time teacher creates new alerts

No need to know student cell phone numbers

TM-based Surveys & Polls PollEverywhere.com * Create live polls Survey students Gain instant feedback from class Similar to using clickers in classroom No need to know student cell phone numbers * Free and paid subscriptions available – see website for feature details

PollEverywhere.com *

Create live polls

Survey students

Gain instant feedback from class

Similar to using clickers in classroom

No need to know student cell phone numbers

Twitter * – What is it? Mini-updates in 140 characters of text (or less) Microblog of whatever you want it to be… Answers the question: What are you doing?” * http://www.twitter.com

Mini-updates in 140 characters of text (or less)

Microblog of whatever you want it to be…

Twitter – Teaching & Learning Create bulletins or class reminders Build student connection beyond classroom Students become part of a global community No need to know student cell phone numbers* * Students must update Twitter setting to link incoming messages to phone.

Create bulletins or class reminders

Build student connection beyond classroom

Students become part of a global community

No need to know student cell phone numbers*

“ HealthyBee” An example of a Twitter used by an instructor for a college health class Create profile so students & colleagues can follow you. Keep your updates public or private.

This is the visual list of who you are following (aka your students) All “tweets” are included on this timeline (most recent on top) so you never miss an update. HES100: Remember to bring a nutrition label to class. Send updates on class assignments, announcements, website URLs, or general info. BULLETINS & CLASS REMINDERS

Thanks for bringing it up @dncr4u3 , the quiz will stay available for one more day Create public chatter among your students. A Tweets with “@” plus username means it’s a public reply to a specific user. STUDENT CONNECTION BEYOND CLASSROOM Promote classroom community by suggesting your students also follow each other

You can send a private message directly to a student, too. Student will receive your direct message via: Email Twitter Cell Phone (if activated) STUDENT CONNECTION BEYOND CLASSROOM

GLOBAL COMMUNITY Suggest that students find other Twitter users to follow related to their interests or class topics. i.e. – a search for “health” found many health-related feeds, such as BBC Health and American Cancer Society who post news on their Twitter feed) -and- A search for “fitness” found professionals, such as, personal trainers, body builders, and fitness enthusiasts

Grab the Twitter code and embed your updates or timeline on your blog or social network.

Twitter - Mashups Schedule updates and reminders to your students in advance so you won’t miss a beat – er – a tweet

Twitter - Mashups Put all your students into one “crowd” and follow everyone at-a-glance on the web. (see also TwitterCamp)

Twitter – Example of Teacher Uses Announcement Communication with students Class Reinforcements Discussion Prompts & Additional Follow-ups Task Reminders

Twitter – Example of Student Uses Health-related feeds Most health-related feeds post URLs that link to a blog post or news article. Students were asked to follow the feed & stay current on news. This tweet sums up what they learned. Response to a discussion prompt Personal Comment Student feeds

Twitter – Class Observations * … 42% considered themselves ‘High’ to ‘Average’ proficiency with computer technologies 78.6% found using Twitter (RSS) ‘very easy to easy’ Most students used Twitter only for responding to ‘discussion prompts’ Most students used web to tweet (not phones) 69.2% said they will NOT continue using Twitter * Observations based on 30 students in a 2-year college / institution. This was just a pilot assignment.

42% considered themselves ‘High’ to ‘Average’ proficiency with computer technologies

78.6% found using Twitter (RSS) ‘very easy to easy’

Most students used Twitter only for responding to ‘discussion prompts’

Most students used web to tweet (not phones)

69.2% said they will NOT continue using Twitter

Twitter – Student Feedback ( pros ) Familiar with new technology Easy-access “… the information that was provided throughout the semester.” “… so many different people or groups that are signed up for it.” “ I felt involved in my class.” Following other Twitter “ I liked that you could read other peoples' posts about facts.”

Familiar with new technology

Easy-access

“… the information that was provided throughout the semester.”

“… so many different people or groups that are signed up for it.”

“ I felt involved in my class.”

Following other Twitter

“ I liked that you could read other peoples' posts about facts.”

Twitter – Student Feedback ( cons ) Technical difficulties (searching for other Twitter feeds, posting a profile picture, etc) Credibility of health-related feeds “ Thought the whole thing was a real waste of time.” “ That you could only type about 140 letters. That was not enough to actually tell anybody anything.”

Technical difficulties (searching for other Twitter feeds, posting a profile picture, etc)

Credibility of health-related feeds

“ Thought the whole thing was a real waste of time.”

“ That you could only type about 140 letters. That was not enough to actually tell anybody anything.”

References http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/10/23/why-twitter-isnt-a-waste-of-time/ http://crowdstatus.com http://tweetlater.com http://Tweetstats.com http://Tweetscan.com or http://metweets.com Check out the wiki for ‘all-things’ Twitter http://twitter.pbwiki.com http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/twitter-for-academia/