20 reasons to use Twitter in adult learning
February 10, 2013 5 Comments
It’s famous for starting revolutions and keeping Sally Bercow busy but what can Twitter do to supplement and enrich adult education?
Twitter is best used alongside more deep and detailed consideration of learning and professionalism. It can be too superficial, random and addictive if we use it unthinkingly but it can also be informative and valuable. The rise of the Heads’ Roundtable shows its power to bring people together quickly around educational matters. (See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/feb/04/ebc-headteachers-on-twitter-baccalaureate)
Here’s a list of 20 benefits of Twitter for students and educators.
1. Useful addition to Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) for students and educators to support continuing development
2. Is democratic with no hierarchies
3. Is inexpensive and flexible
4. Offers intellectual freedom with self-selected and user-generated content
5. Provides customised content based on people you choose to follow
6. Can raise public awareness of educational and linked campaigns
7. Enables students to follow specialists, experts and historical figures
8. Can make international connections, enabling learning from different countries’ approaches to education
9. Supports online communities of practice, with links to longer articles, blogs. videos and other resources
10. Hashtags give access to selected subjects or conversations
11. Provides immediate reporting of current affairs and policy updates
12. Provides a virtual common room for students, tutors and researchers
13. Supports networking without conference fees
14. Provides a forum for multi-agency connections around specific issues
15. Creates alliances between people and organisations
16. Is ready when you are to dip in and out of
17. Encourages new ideas and different perspectives
18. Shows citizen journalism in action
19. Enables communication of messages about course updates
20. Has wide appeal to tech-savvy students, staff and volunteers and is comparatively easy to learn
Do you agree with the list? Are there more benefits?
Do you think it’s over-hyped or a waste of time?
What about digital exclusion?
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