Can Twitter Really Support Learning & Performance?

Just this week, I set up my first ever Twitter account for the purpose of this course, and am still getting used to the habit of tweeting and sharing relevant information and perspectives on the topics being discussed in the class. Well, we all know that structure drives behavior, right? Similarly, I believe that it could also be argued for the case of exploiting and utilizing social media tools to support learning and performance. I admit I was skeptical in the beginning, questioning how could a tool with a limited 140 characters possibly help me to foster a learning environment or experience? But as I played around more and got familiar with Twitter, I think this might actually work. To reinforce my beliefs, I looked up the internet, and indeed there are many resources out there to suggest how educators or professionals in this field could use Twitter to effect learning. Hence, I will summarize and share my perspectives in this post the ways we can harness the power of Twitter to support and enhance learning or performance.

1. Optimize your lists
Vanessa has shared in the class blog on how to create lists and separate our streams based on topics and interest. I shall also add that the key success factor is not just to create the lists, but to optimize the lists. From the perspective of supporting learners, lists done right could enhance classroom management, provide timely updates to learners, grow the learning communities, focus the conversations, direct learners to the right resources, content and materials, etc.

2. Encourage participation and sharing
Twitter should be a participatory experience; the more active learners are on the platform, the more engaging the experience and the learning they get out of it. Twitter is 24/7 and can be accessed anytime, anywhere. This provides enormous opportunity for instructors and learners to share valuable perspectives, ideas, thoughts, links and related resources without delay. This allows the learning experience to be more current and authentic as learners constantly draw connections and reflect on the different perspectives.

3. Use chats to facilitate discussions, track and follow the issues
Twitter chats could be a great synchronous tool to facilitate discussions and debate on issues, provide immediate feedback, allow learners to ask questions, participate in polls, etc. This process can certainly close the gaps and enhance the interactions between instructors and learners. The Twitter environment could also strengthen collaboration and understanding in the class, encouraging informal information exchange, a critical adjunct to structured learning events.

4. Twitter is "social" media, and it helps!
People like Twitter because it connects them to the society at large! Learners crave a sense of belonging to communities, and this is exactly what Twitter can provide; a personalized experience and unconstrained connections to areas of interest. When used appropriately, educators can certainly use the tool to support and help learners to accelerate their learning curves, optimized their learning experience and expand their "social" circles.