Presentation for 2014 NETA Conference (San Diego, November 6); results from multi-class use of incorporating Twitter in economics courses to improve writing

1. Tweeting to improve
writing & expand the
learning environment
Dr. Alice Louise Kassens & Dr. Michael Enz, Roanoke College
NETA 2014

2. Introduction
• Assessment results suggested
deficiencies in student writing
• Framing an argument biggest issue
• Assigning additional writing assignments
(traditional) is not always feasible/effective
• Need for frequent, small-scale
assignment(s)  Twitter

3. Twitter in the classroom
• Twitter has been shown to improve:
– Engagement
– Participation
– Writing
– Community
– Learning
– Memory

4. Twitter 101
• Online microblogging
technology
• Post “tweets” up to
140 characters
• Over 200 million
active users, over 400
million tweets/day
• Free service,
www.twitter.com
• Accessed through
variety of portals:
cellphone, computer,
tablet
• Tweets can include
pictures and videos
• User’s twitter page
can be customized
using templates

5. Roanoke College
• Small liberal arts college in Salem, VA
(~2,000 students)
• Economics major and minor
• Principles (micro and macro) required for
BUAD, International Relations, Health
Care Administration, …

6. Framingham State University
• A slightly larger state university that
attempts to prepare students for a
productive life (~4,000 undergraduate and
2,000 graduate students)
• Economics major and minor
• Intermediate microeconomics WAS
required for all Business Majors

7. The sample
Roanoke College
•Principles of
Macroeconomics (1)
•No prerequisites
•Freshmen  Senior
•Economics majors, minors,
BUAD, other
•N = 18 (24)
•@kassensecon122,
#kassensecon122
FSU
•Intermediate
Microeconomics (2)
•Principles of
Microeconomics and
Macroeconomics Required
•Economics and Business
Majors
•N = 49 (53)
•@enzec302, #enzecon

8. Methods
• Pre-test (writing assignment)
– Enz: part of presentation score
– Kassens: in class writing assignment, not graded
• Ten graded twitter assignments during semester
– Enz: 10%
– Kassens: 10%
• Post-test (writing assignment)
– Enz: same assignment, weight as pre-test
– Kassens: graded blog post (5%)

9. Sample Assignment
Twitter assignment #2
Use the economic principle of comparative
advantage to argue in favor of a volunteer
military over conscription.
Student A: A volunteer army has a comparative
advantage over conscription because more desire
to fight will lead to productive soldiers
#kassensecon122

10. Rubric

11. Results

12. Results

13. Results

14. Results

15. Helpful tools
Live streaming twitter feed
Hootfeed (https://hootsuite.com/hootfeed) – “free” (
http://ow.ly/DNEsQ )
Others
•TweetBeam (www.tweetbeam.com) – “free” (
http://www.tweetbeam.com/show?id=EBG5l)

16. Helpful tools
Archiving tweets (grading)
Tweet Archivist (www.tweetarchivist.com) - paid
Others
•Request from www.twitter.com
•Tweet Book (www.tweetbook.in) – “free”, only your tweets,
favorites
•TAGS (https://tags.hawksey.info/) - “free”, Google sheet

17. Lessons learned
• Twitter uses an algorithm to block
accounts; a process to get reset
• Unique hashtag (test it before you use it)
• Set up account for class only
• Emphasize difference between @ and #
• Great feedback, students enjoyed the
asignments

18. Positive externalities
• Expand the classroom
• Teach responsible social media use
• Increased student interaction

19. Questions?
Alice Louise Kassens
Roanoke College
@RnningEconomist
kassens@roanoke.edu
Related work:
The Journal of Economic Education,
2014, vol. 45, issue 2, pages 101-109
Michael Enz
Roanoke College
@enz_mike
enz@roanonke.edu