Twitter is a microblogging platform that allows users to post messages of up to 140 characters. Users can follow friends and see their tweets. Twitter can be used in the classroom to allow students to comment and reflect on class topics, find resources for assignments, and stay connected with classmates after graduation. Some advantages are quick information sharing and accessibility anywhere, while disadvantages include potential high volume of posts and lack of participation or motivation from some students. Accommodations for special needs students include pairing them with classmates.

1. Twitter

2. What is it? Twitter is a free micro-blogging website where you are limited to using 140 characters or less in your postings. You create an account, find friends to follow, and start posting. You can access twitter through the web with your computer and even by text messaging to your phone.

3. Twitter in the Classroom Twitter is designed to be a miniblog that answers the question “What are you doing?”. Each post is known as a tweet and users follow the tweets of their network. Twitter is a great way for your students to hunt out various resources for assignments, projects, and even internship placements.

4. Classroom Objectives To provide students a venue to comment, question, and/or reflect on what we’ve done in class. This will be an asset for those students that may be uncomfortable with expressing thoughts within the classroom.

5. Advantages Student are able to get answers and information to questions they have. They discover the skills and knowledge each of them have to offer. Instructors can get information out quickly and the students can access it anywhere (field trip arrangements or changes). Great tool they are able to continue using when they have graduated to keep in touch with classmates.

6. Even more advantages… 140 characters forces users to be brief and to the point. Twitter can hold students accountable to what they are working on. Group members have an idea of what each other are working on.

7. Disadvantages High volume of students Lack of participation and motivation Tracking Private/Public Losing the main reason and purpose for using Twitter Website is down Student doesn’t have access to computer outside of school

8. Accommodations If there are students with special needs then you could pair them up with another student in the class. This would benefit both students by allowing the special need student to be a part of the activity as well as having the other student be a part of helping a fellow classmate and building confidence and a positive atmosphere.

9. Video

10. Setting up your Account Go to the internet Type in the website address: www.twitter.com Go to Get Started – Join! You will need to create a login and password Time to Play! Can you find your classmates?

11. Questions & Comments

12. Resources http://t4tl.wikispaces.com/Twitter Dave Cormier and ED366h classmates http://web20primer.wetpaint.com/page/Twitter+in+the+Classroom?t=anon www.commoncraft.com/twitter www.twitter.com