Microblogging & education

Since we are going to be using microblogging tools in class this week, I decided to look for more information about how microblogging can be used in the education field. I sensed a lot of skepticism from classmates, and I know that I have struggled with Twitter myself.

"The 15-Minute Guide to Microblogging in Education" is a quick introduction to the ways microblogging can be useful to teachers. Teachers can quickly share materials, and the basics are really fast and easy to learn. It's easy to find a new community to connect with and get feedback from. Plus, you can use privacy settings to keep your posts private or allow them to be shared with the world.

This article on elearnr discusses three particular microblogging tools and how teachers can use them. The three tools discussed are Twitter, Edmodo, and Shout 'Em, two of which we will get to use in class this week. As a new twitter user, I am interested in learning more about how I can better use it as a learning and sharing tool. I had never heard of Shout 'em - from what I've read, it sounds similar to Twitter but with more flexibility to personalize it to your own needs. I'll be interested to see if it takes off like Twitter or not.