- Social Media Tool – Twitter
Earlier this week, Mike Love presented a question to the National Fire and Life Safety Educators yahoo group calling for comments on how social networking tools can be used not only to connect, but also how they can be used to create influence.
Â
As a primer to help get started using the networking aspect of social media, I’d like to present Twitter. Twitter allows people to connect socially through its interface. Twitter asks one question, “What are you doing?” Answers must be under 140 characters in length and can be sent via mobile texting, instant message, or the web.
Â
Twitter allows you to subscribe to other people’s status updates and also allows them to do the same to you. On top of that, you can search status updates or Tweets as they are sometimes called in much the same manner that you would use a search engine.
Â
To get started using Twitter, signup @ https://twitter.com/signup. To follow my status updates, visit http://twitter.com/fireeducator
Â
Twitter Resources
Â
The following resources may help you get started with using Twitter. In the near future, we’ll explore the potential of using Twitter for purposes other than networking. This video by Liz B. Davis shows how to get started using Twitter for educators.
Â
Â
-
How the Net Gen Learns - From Campus Firewatch
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
I’m going to show my age here, but I still don’t understand Twitter. I understand how it works, but I just don’t understand the “why” as in “why is anyone interested in what I’m doing.” Maybe that’s it…no one does care! Obviously, I’m on the outside because it is incredibly popular so there is something there, that is for sure. I’ll figure it out sooner or later.
Another resource I’m using is Digg to learn more about…stuff.
I think that is how I got started with Twitter. I use it more as a research tool and to learn new things. One of the things that I have done is follow some internet / technology people. In doing so, I’ve come across some great ideas on things to do with video and other things. I am hoping that once my class schedule slows down, I will be able to implement some of those ideas.
One of the things that I learned was that many of these people are ready to give you their ideas or help if you get stuck on something, but they are more willing if they see that you participate in the community. I think that is where the advantage of giving some of the status updates comes from.
I agree. Digg definately is interesting, though I haven’t had much time to play with it yet.