Chirp? No, Twitter!

Twitter? Ohhh, do I HAVE to? Oops! Did I say that out loud?

What is wrong with me? I am an admitted Facebook junkie. I prowl around on Facebook multiple times a day, every day. (I might save money and time by not having t.v., but I seem to fill the vacancy quite well!) But I just can’t seem to “get” Twitter! Why not?

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a communication tool based on the idea of micro-blogging. Users create short messages, called tweets, in 140 characters or less to share current news, links, or information. The tweets are displayed on the user's profile page and are shared with his/her followers (subscribers). It was established in 2006. According to Compete, by June 2009, Twitter had 23 million unique visitors.

Butterscotch.com has created a 10-part Twitter How To video series (or watch them combined all into one) that is helpful to get users set up and comfortable with Twitter. Mashable: The Social Media Guide has also created a Twitter Guide Book with a significant amount of relevant, useful information.

My Exploration

Prior to this course, I was not on Twitter. I barely knew what Twitter was and I was not interested in knowing any more than that. Until now…

Because I knew that it was expected and I had to learn about it in order to write about it, I joined. OK, done. Check that off my “to do” list.

Oh, wait! I was actually expected to USE it and DO something with it… OK. Tweet a couple times, find my classmates and a couple other people or groups that were usually linked through Joanne’s Trailfire (i.e. Lee LeFever and JustOneMoreBook). Ok, done, again.

I am missing something, right? Well, as this blog post came closer and I started to do more research on Twitter, I realized I was missing A LOT!

I did not realize that major news services, companies, and celebrities (Hollywood types, yes, but I mean more local celebrities) would maintain active Twitter accounts. I did not realize the potential for sharing links and the exposure one would have to the vast array of knowledge and personal interest.

Along the way I have found it strange that seemingly random people would want to follow me on Twitter. I have also found it hard to "stalk" celebrities since I can't seem to determine which accounts are legitimate! However, I have been thrilled that I can chose to follow someone, even if I don't really know them, like Joyce Valenza. She didn't have to actively accept a request from me. (Although I am aware she could choose to block me.)

Conventions and Language

I am still getting a feel for the lay of the Twitter-land. I felt lost at first and figuring out a couple of the conventions and terms helped me. (However, I must admit, I still feel like I am on the outside of the in-crowd!)

@UserName - That is how you send a (public) message to another Tweeter. (If you are responding to a tweet they have made, when you place your mouse cursor over their tweet, there is a return arrow you can select and it will start the message with the proper formatting for you.)

RT @UserName - This is a return tweet or re-tweet. If you read a tweet that you want to tweet yourself, you give credit by starting your tweet in this manner.

NUDGE @UserName - This is an accepted convention to nudge someone to tweet if they haven't updated in the last 24 hours. ...no pressure there!

OH preceding your tweet means that it was something you overheard.

#Subject - Called a hashtag. If you are commenting on a popular subject this helps categorize them. (I am still wrapping my head around this one!)

#FollowFriday @UserName - Every Friday users suggest other users that they think are interesting and other users might want to follow.

The number of (predominately slang) words that originated from "twitter" is astounding and rather overwhelming! I had to check in with the the Urban Dictionary more than once while reading about Twitter... twoosh, tweet tooth, tweet-a-holic, and tweetaphobic (I think that was me!)

The Spin-Offs!

My head is spinning with the spin-offs, or other tools that utilize Twitter in some fashion!

Here are just a few…

Tweetpic – This tool allows you to add pictures to your tweets. (You automatically have an account at Tweetpic if you have a Twitter account.)

Twhirl , Twitterrific, Google Gadgets (Twitter), Twitter Opera Widget, or TweetDeck – These are (just some of the) desktop clients that allow you to manage your Twitter account .

Tweet-U-Later – Send Tweets at a scheduled time. (From the home page… “Hey, got a terminal illness? Schedule messages for years in advance so you can tweet the living from your grave.” Ugh!)

Twubble, or TwitDir - Two examples of search tools to help you find people on Twitter.

Twitterment, Twitt(url)y, - Twitter search engines. (Again, these are just two of many!)

And so on, and so on, and so on... for extensive lists of Twitter applications check out Squidoo or the Twitter Fan Wiki.

There are also tools like TinyUrl and Bit.ly that are useful in the creation of tweets because they shorten the URLs on links in your precious 140 characters.

Implications for Teaching and the Library

Announcements – It is a quick, up-to-the minute medium for communicating with your audience, whether you are trying to give some quick information to parents or library patrons. (However, this does require your audience to actually be “listening”.) It can also be used to share breaking information from a conference or meeting.

Two-way Communication - Twitter is a useful tool for quick responds to patron queries.

Professional Development - Twitter makes it easy to share ideas, links, and challenges with global or local colleagues. You can be exposed to a vast array of information that you may not have been otherwise.

Current Information - In more than one major event around the world (i.e. China's earthquake in May, or Michael Jackson's death in June) tweets kept others informed of the breaking news, often well before leading news suppliers.

Lee Kolbert, in A Geeky Momma's Blog, has done extensive research on using Twitter in schools. She has complied a list of different school divisions that have established a Twitter account as well as a list of specific teachers utilizing Twitter for communication. (Fascinating tidbit: Her lists are published by Google Docs and they automatically update every five minutes even though her original blog post is static. Amazing!) She has also created a wiki dedicated to Twitter use in schools. She is a wealth of information!

Some ideas included in her wiki are:

*Announcement board (School events, homework)

*Subject summaries (develop summarizational skills and help review)

*Students write tweets from a character or historical person's perspective

*Use as an "exit slip" to demonstrate understanding

*Submit answers to an on-line or oral quiz

I also found a Twitter4Teachers wiki with wikipages for different subjects/specialists, including librarians. The wikipage is an extensive list of librarians on twitter, blogs, and contacts. (I added at least half a dozen people to follow through this page!)

In her blog, Carol Cooper-Taylor also suggests ways educators can use Twitter. One piece of advice that resonated with me was "Instead of answering the question, “What are you doing?”, answer the question, “What has your attention?” This sets the stage for sharing and collaboration. She also suggests that you "Share the human side of your institution. If you’re bothering to tweet, it means you believe social media has value for human connections. Point us to pictures and other human things".

The New York Times ran an interesting article, Putting Twitter's World to Use, containing information on creative ways other professionals and businesses have started to use Twitter from medical staff during an operation, to Dell computer using tweets to solve design flaws, to an on-line travel company providing advise. Twitter is effective due to its public nature.

But, why am I not a believer?

Maybe I will come around, but I am not a believer. I have not been convinced that Twitter is a necessary Web 2.0 tool. I have not been convinced that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

I find tweets (can be) very similar to Facebook status lines. I prefer Facebook, but don't necessarily know why. It may simply be because I am more familiar with it after using it for a number of years. I know that I prefer to follow people's conversations on Facebook (it is laid out in a more linear fashion) than the back and forth of Twitter. Also, as much as I like that I can follow people that I am in awe of (i.e. Lee Lefever), I don't actually feel the need to know what his brother's dog is doing at the cottage that weekend and see the corresponding picture from Tweetpics, like I did a few weeks ago! This is definitely adding to my information overload.

I recently asked my husband, who is a total "techie" but not a Web 2.0er, why he was adamant he won't join ANY social networking site. His response was why would he want to connect with people that he couldn't even be bothered to phone. Still trying to enlighten him, I suggested that he could utilize it for information instead of interaction. To which he replied that was what he used newsfeeds like Reddit and Slashdot for and joins discussion forums on websites he frequents. Honestly, as a newbie, I had no more argument. What, if any, is the advantage? I don't actually know -- yet!

What’s Next?

I am having a difficult time jumping on the bandwagon with this one. Sorry! I can reiterate the buzz I have heard and the few reasons for incorporating Twitter into education that I can believe in, but I have yet to believe whole-heartily that it is worth the tweeting time! So, I feel that this is somewhat obvious. I feel that I have yet to truly give Twitter a chance. I need to make a commitment to trying it out more extensively, find more people to follow and “live a little”, or, would that be “tweet a little”?

I would also be interested in exploring other micro-blogging tools like Shoutem or Edmodo.

In 140 characters or less...

I just woke up and am drinking the largest cup of coffee. It is necessary. (74)

Check out http://tiny.cc/YOczR for an entertaining Twitter song! (64)

I ordered Bonk's book from Chapters and added a couple books for my kids so I didn't pay S & H. The kids' books arrived today, but not mine! (140)

Would you like to follow me on my path to Twitter enlightenment, interrupted by the odd musing and trivial information? Follow me @NikiCard. (140)

Ahhh... can't get better than those two twooshes! (perfect 140 character posts)