Last week on this blog Kelli Marshall explained how Twitter can be used as a discussion tool in the literature classroom. Building on that, I want to look at the nitty-gritty of what to consider if you decide to experiment with Twitter in your course.
There are three main things you and your students need to know to have a good conversation on Twitter.
Tweeting is pretty simple and is similar to SMS texting—though you may want to show students how to shorten links (through services like bitly.com) and provide them with rules for decorum. @Replying or @mentioning people is also really easy: you can either hit the reply button below a person’s tweet, or, in your own tweet, type in that person’s Twitter handle preceded by the @ symbol. Either way, that person will be notified of your reply and can then tweet back to you, a system that encourages conversation.
Using #hashtags is also simple but requires some initial setup. A #hashtag is something that you include in a tweet in order to categorize it. #Hashtags are commonly used in tweets that mention trending world or local events; they are also created for conferences and gatherings. Basically, #hashtags bring together tweets that are related by topic area. The easiest way to set up a discussion for your class is to create a course-specific #hashtag and have your students include it in any of their course-related posts. Then you can all search for the #hashtag on Twitter (or by using a service like hashtags.org) and find an up-to-date listing of all tweets that include it.
To set up your course #hashtag, just include it in a tweet (you can also set up an official archive of your #hashtag through a service like TwapperKeeper). Before you create a #hashtag for your course, consider two things: its uniqueness and length. First, because #hashtags are not private and anyone can attach yours to their tweet, make your course #hashtag rare enough to limit outside use. For example, if you’re teaching a course on postmodern literature (listed as English 467), avoid a tag such as #pomolit and go for something that the general population is not likely to use, such as #pmlit467. Outside use of your course tag will make it more difficult for you and your students to find course tweets. Second, consider the length of your #hashtag. Tweets can be only 140 characters long, so if students need to include the #hashtag in their responses, you need to keep the tag brief. Students may already feel constrained by 140 characters, so it’s best not to cramp them even more with a long, required hashtag. Make it as brief and unusual as possible.
Twitter lends itself nicely to the discussion needs of a literature course. It provides an easy-to-use platform for engagement, while allowing students to maintain their privacy. Tweeting in your course may take time to get used to and requires some initial prep and instructions; but once you get the formalities out of the way, your class can participate in an ongoing, social conversation that helps extend textual engagement outside of the classroom— while providing a basis for conversation inside of it.
Tim – another great post. Innovative, eminently practical stuff.