One of the most interesting things going on during the BibleTech09 conference was the undercurrent of conversation going via twitter during the sessions. It was at that time that I thought Twitter could be an incredible tool for encouraging conversation during a learning event like a class or seminar. I’m already hoping to encourage people with ABCNJ to use hashtags to tweet at our annual gathering – becuase it’s instant, and usually relevant feedback to the event.
Well, it looks like I’m not the only one who’s figured out that Twitter can be useful in a learning environment. Cole W. Camplese, who is the director of education-technology services at Pennsylvania State University at University Park actually teaches using two screens. The first shows his content, the second follows the twitter stream for his class. Basically, he’s telling his students to pass notes. Think it was a mess waiting to happen? Think again, read this paragraph from the article,
Once students warmed to the idea that their professors actually wanted them to chat during class, students begin floating ideas or posting links to related materials, the professor says. In some cases, a shy student would type an observation or question on Twitter, and others in the class would respond with notes encouraging the student to raise the topic out loud. Other times, one of the professors would see a link posted by a student and stop class to discuss it.
That is exactly my experience with Twitter in a learning environment. Almost contrary to logic (that distractions are bad), an active twitter stream actually encourages reflection during a lecture, lesson, or seminar. It creates a virtual space where people can interact with material on a different level – particularly people who aren’t typically agressive engough to raise their observations when using other group learning tools like small groups. Try it, you’ll like it – oh, and feel free to tweet during my sermons, I’ll even give you a hashtag to follow – #WezloSermons.
There, have fun – start tweeting.
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Yeah, so this post actually convinced me to signup on Twitter.
Welcome to the wonderful world of microblogging…
I’m still on the fence about openly using twitter during things like lectures or sermons. On the one hand I have used it as a virtual note passing device (esp during campaign speeches) but can’t help but feel it’s rude not to give ones undivided attention during a lecture. Of course one can argue how much undivided attention anyone gives during lectures anyway. Perhaps it’s more that I’ve always been taught to pay quiet attention during lectures. Or maybe I just can’t multi task that well.
Yah Mel, the rudeness factor is part of what I give explicit permission to do it.
First because I don’t think there is such as thing as “undivided attention” and I know that people are doing it anyway.
Second, because I know that people are dividing their attention I might as well direct them on to tasks that will be productive to the learning experience. It’s not just multitasking, it’s multitasking that’s actually on point.
I absolutely disagree. There have been multiple studies that show multitasking is bogus. The human brain can only focus on one thing at a time. The best we can do is jump from task to task, which usually ends up wasting time as you have to refocus each time you jump tasks. I personally have enough of a time taking notes during a lecture or sermon, to stop and twitter would make me loose the point. But, this is me….
Yup, not for everyone…. but for folks who want to – I like it.
Actually, when I live blog or tweet something that frequently functions as my notes…
Thank you for taking a chance here. Not a lot of folks in your position will take that step past talking about it towards actually doing it.