PE6 Twitter

Twitter allows posting any message, annoucement, idea or opinion. The user has the opportunity to communicate anything, in a short and precise way. This is because to Tweet (abbreviated term used in Twitter. Refers to post a message) only have 140 characters. For this reason might be perfect to be used as a tool for education.

Twitter allows teachers communicate almost immediatly any messages and share any announcement to their students. Like the material that  will be discussed in class, a post of his blog, an article from a newspaper or tell them to watch a documentary. If the material that the teacher wants to discuss,  is available on a digital version, he simply also post the link were the student could find it, on the same Tweet.

Twitter is great for helping to maintain and comply with an agenda, but can also help when  by any reason or circumstance our plans changes. If for example one day the teacher feel unwell to gather the class, just Tweet saying to their students, that he is not available for give his class that day. This prevents the student reaches the room, and find that the teacher did not came. Also the teacher could put additional material, following people or organizations. For example if the class is about art, could follow the MoMA or the Guggenheim museum. If the class is about economy could follow news at The econosmist, WSJ  or even check what Joseph Stigliz, George Soros and Paul Krugman have to said about a particular situation. Put also the opinion of Noah Chomsky and Francis Fukuyama to add a anarchist and a liberal conservative view on the situation.Very traditional? then added to Steven D. Levitt, Chris Anderson, Warren Buffett, Slavoj Zizeck or Stephen Colbert. With them you can always count on to discuss any subject, on a non-traditional way (and regularly, are very intelligent with their comments).

So far I've only told one side of the academic usefulness of Twitter, the teacher, but students can also be very helpfull in the enriching of knowledge.Previously, I said that the teacher can refer the material that will discussed on class. At the same tweet the student can tell if he likes (and select it as a bookmark), or do not like and indicate why. Also, can post some alternate version of the material (a link where the film looks better, or where to find the document in another language or discussed by any other academic or expert). Possibly this will generate reactions, comments and discussions between the community following the teacher's tweet, and even can be extended to the students accounts, if they decide retweet it. These actions will enrich the debate and awareness, generating different views and even versions of the same subject.