This document discusses using social media, specifically Twitter, in the classroom. It provides examples of how Twitter can improve engagement, participation, writing, community, learning and memory for students. It then gives an overview of Twitter, including what it is, how it works, and how users can customize their profiles. The document outlines how one professor used Twitter assignments to improve student writing by having them argue positions in 140 characters or less. It also provides lessons learned, positive outcomes, and suggests expanding the use of social media in the classroom to include Instagram and blogs.

1. Social Media in the
Classroom
Dr. Alice Louise Kassens February 2015

2. 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. 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

6. 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

7. Rubric

8. Research Results

9. 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)

10. Helpful tools

11. Helpful tools
Make a story
Storify (www.storify.com)
Example: https://storify.com/alicekassens/all-volunteer-
army-or-conscription-1

12. Helpful tools

13. 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

14. 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

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

16. Instagram

17. Sample Assignment
Post an example of complementary goods that you observed over the weekend.

18. Blogs

19. Sample assignment

20. Helpful tools

21. 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