140 Characters in Search of a Story Using Twitter in Language Arts

“ Brevity is the soul of wit.” Polonius Hamlet II.ii

“ Brevity is the soul of T wit ter .” (what he really meant)

Participate via Twitter http://twitter.com/sschwister Tweet to @sschwister Take notes Post questions Participate in activities

http://twitter.com/sschwister

Tweet to @sschwister

Take notes

Post questions

Participate in activities

What is microblogging? Micro-blogging is a form of multimedia blogging that allows users to send brief text updates (say, 140 characters or fewer). . . . Wikipedia

Micro-blogging is a form of multimedia blogging that allows users to send brief text updates (say, 140 characters or fewer). . . .

Wikipedia

And why should we care? “ Why would you subject your friends to your daily minutiae? And conversely, how much of their trivia can you absorb? The growth of ambient intimacy can seem like modern narcissism taken to a new, supermetabolic extreme….” Clive Thompson

“ Why would you subject your friends to your daily minutiae? And conversely, how much of their trivia can you absorb? The growth of ambient intimacy can seem like modern narcissism taken to a new, supermetabolic extreme….”

Clive Thompson

Strengths of microblogging Concise Metacognitive Social & collaborative Ephemeral

Concise

Metacognitive

Social & collaborative

Ephemeral

Concise “ Twitter’s 140-character limit provides a great framework for creating compact messages. Not that there’s anything wrong with being verbose; yet having taught writing, there’s much to be said for getting straight to the point .” Chris Sessums “ I like Twitter for its asynchronous, forced concision ….” Barbara Ganley

“ Twitter’s 140-character limit provides a great framework for creating compact messages. Not that there’s anything wrong with being verbose; yet having taught writing, there’s much to be said for getting straight to the point .”

Chris Sessums

“ I like Twitter for its asynchronous, forced concision ….”

Barbara Ganley

Metacognitive “ I also want to explore students using tweets to send out questions and observations to the group while engaged in the "solo work" of the course--the reading and ruminating and writing that so often happens alone. How might sending links and notes this way deepen and broaden our learning experience together?” Barbara Ganley

“ I also want to explore students using tweets to send out questions and observations to the group while engaged in the "solo work" of the course--the reading and ruminating and writing that so often happens alone. How might sending links and notes this way deepen and broaden our learning experience together?”

Barbara Ganley

Social and collaborative “ Twitter and other constant-contact media create social proprioception. They give a group of people a sense of itself , making possible weird, fascinating feats of coordination .” Clive Thompson

“ Twitter and other constant-contact media create social proprioception. They give a group of people a sense of itself , making possible weird, fascinating feats of coordination .”

Clive Thompson

Ephemeral “ The power of twitter in the classroom lies in harnessing the instantaneous and ephemeral nature of the tool.” Darren Kuropatwa

“ The power of twitter in the classroom lies in harnessing the instantaneous and ephemeral nature of the tool.”

Darren Kuropatwa

Wait a second. Q: What if Twitter is not an option at my school? A: No problem. These ideas can work offline, too.

Q: What if Twitter is not an option at my school?

A: No problem. These ideas can work offline, too.

Twitter Basics @replies - Public reply RT - Re-Tweet DM - Direct message Tinyurl - Shorter is better

@replies - Public reply

RT - Re-Tweet

DM - Direct message

Tinyurl - Shorter is better

Twitter Talk What I’m doing What I’m thinking Sharing resources & links Conversation via @replies

What I’m doing

What I’m thinking

Sharing resources & links

Conversation via @replies

Getting started Sign up for free account at Twitter Twitter in Plain English The Big Juicy Twitter Guide Blogging Sueblimely : Twitter for Beginners

Sign up for free account at Twitter

Twitter in Plain English

The Big Juicy Twitter Guide

Blogging Sueblimely : Twitter for Beginners

Use Twitter to bring literature into your classroom

Intrigued by first lines?

Classic literature, a line at a time

New literature, a line at a time

Use Twitter to prompt writing

Daily writing ideas

Use Twitter to collaborate

Twittories, or Twitter stories

Use Twitter to find an audience

YouthVoices

Flash fiction & tiny poetry

Flash fiction Wikipedia : “Fiction of extreme brevity” Contains (or implies) traditional elements of fiction: character, plot, etc. FlashFictionOnline

Wikipedia : “Fiction of extreme brevity”

Contains (or implies) traditional elements of fiction: character, plot, etc.

FlashFictionOnline

For sale: baby shoes, never worn. Ernest Hemingway

Novel in 12 Words or Less Twelve-word novel win changes life. Fame, drugs, adultery, sorrow, tears, blood. Obituary. First five words free, she thought. Charles dead. Yacht for sale. Louise's love of poodles was overshadowed only by her love of barbecue. On The Media’s 2007 Novel Challenge

Twelve-word novel win changes life. Fame, drugs, adultery, sorrow, tears, blood.

Obituary. First five words free, she thought. Charles dead. Yacht for sale.

Louise's love of poodles was overshadowed only by her love of barbecue.

On The Media’s 2007 Novel Challenge

Tiny poetry: Twaiku Twaiku: Haiku in 140 characters or less Copyblogger Twaiku contest A wandering ghost / My dead father cries “Uncle!” / I must have revenge. “ I’m following you” / A compliment on Twitter / Not so in real life

Twaiku: Haiku in 140 characters or less

Copyblogger Twaiku contest

A wandering ghost / My dead father cries “Uncle!” / I must have revenge.

“ I’m following you” / A compliment on Twitter / Not so in real life

Tiny poetry: Twitku Twitku: micro-haiku 17 characters in 5/7/5 format Tiny Poetry Society wiki hello/twitter/verse

Twitku: micro-haiku

17 characters in 5/7/5 format

Tiny Poetry Society wiki

hello/twitter/verse

Tiny poems by Diane Cordell

It’s your turn. Try your hand at a 12-word novel, twaiku, or twitku. Tweet your composition to @sschwister

Try your hand at a 12-word novel, twaiku, or twitku.

Tweet your composition to @sschwister

Edmodo Twitter for education Private micro-blogging No student email address needed Teacher controls group settings

Twitter for education

Private micro-blogging

No student email address needed

Teacher controls group settings

Log in to Edmodo Go to http://www. edmodo .com Click “Student” link Enter group code: ncu652

Go to http://www. edmodo .com

Click “Student” link

Enter group code: ncu652

Sample microblogging activity “ Reading for the Gist.” Harvey & Goudvis, Strategies That Work (2000). Use a variety of strategies to construct meaning Ask questions, make connections, visualize, make predictions, synthesize Notes used for reader response

“ Reading for the Gist.” Harvey & Goudvis, Strategies That Work (2000).

Use a variety of strategies to construct meaning

Ask questions, make connections, visualize, make predictions, synthesize

Notes used for reader response

Lord of the Flies reader response Read-aloud from Golding’s Lord of the Flies During reading, note responses in Edmodo Main ideas, questions, connections, predictions, inferences

Read-aloud from Golding’s Lord of the Flies

During reading, note responses in Edmodo

Main ideas, questions, connections, predictions, inferences

Standards-based lesson ideas IRA/NCTE Standards for English Language Arts K-12 MN Standards in Language Arts Reading and Literature Writing Speaking, Listening, and Viewing

IRA/NCTE Standards for English Language Arts

K-12 MN Standards in Language Arts

Reading and Literature

Writing

Speaking, Listening, and Viewing

Reading and Literature Reading comprehension: QAR (Question-Answer Relationship) strategy: Twitter sticky notes Understanding dialogue in dramatic works: Reimagine Shakespeare dialogue as Twitter exchange Biographical study: Synthesize insights into subject through a-day-in-the-lifeTwitter postings

Reading comprehension: QAR (Question-Answer Relationship) strategy: Twitter sticky notes

Understanding dialogue in dramatic works: Reimagine Shakespeare dialogue as Twitter exchange

Biographical study: Synthesize insights into subject through a-day-in-the-lifeTwitter postings

Writing Persuasive essay: A concise thesis statement in 140 characters Research: Use microblogging to provide progress updates, organize ideas, evaluate resources Audience and point of view: Use Twitter “scenarios” to develop understanding

Persuasive essay: A concise thesis statement in 140 characters

Research: Use microblogging to provide progress updates, organize ideas, evaluate resources

Audience and point of view: Use Twitter “scenarios” to develop understanding

Speaking, Listening, & Viewing Evaluate media sources: Twitter as citizen journalism Social notetaking: Use microblogging to provide feedback for oral presentations

Evaluate media sources: Twitter as citizen journalism

Social notetaking: Use microblogging to provide feedback for oral presentations

What ideas do you have? Post them at the 140 Characters in Search of a Story page . Send them to me: [email_address] http://twitter. com/sschwister

Post them at the 140 Characters in Search of a Story page .

Send them to me:

[email_address]

http://twitter. com/sschwister

Additional reading & resources NCTE Inbox: Twitter: 140-Character Professional Development and Writing Tool Chris Sessums : Twitter Me This: Brainstorming Potential Educational Uses for Twitter Darren Kuropatwa : Twitter: Ephemeral Learning Tool Terry Freedman: Twittering in the classroom: some issues Clive Thompson in Wired: How Twitter Creates a Sixth Social Sense Clive Thompson in NYTimes .com: Brave New World of Digital Intimacy Brian Stelten & Noam Cohem in NYTimes .com: Citizen Journalists Provided Glimpses of Mumbai Attacks NPR’s On The Media: The Twitter Wire Service

NCTE Inbox: Twitter: 140-Character Professional Development and Writing Tool

Chris Sessums : Twitter Me This: Brainstorming Potential Educational Uses for Twitter

Darren Kuropatwa : Twitter: Ephemeral Learning Tool

Terry Freedman: Twittering in the classroom: some issues

Clive Thompson in Wired: How Twitter Creates a Sixth Social Sense

Clive Thompson in NYTimes .com: Brave New World of Digital Intimacy

Brian Stelten & Noam Cohem in NYTimes .com: Citizen Journalists Provided Glimpses of Mumbai Attacks

NPR’s On The Media: The Twitter Wire Service

Contact Scott Schwister [email_address]