Twitter+Basics+and+Tips

Twitter Tasks, Tutorials, and Tips

Tasks:
Part One: Sign up for a Twitter Account Put your username @__ on the classroom board Search for the usernames of your class colleagues and "follow" them

Part Two: Customize your Twitter Page under settings Take a look at #PLENK2010 or #edtechbc

Part Three: We will participate in a whole class back channel discussion while watching a presentation by Dr. Michael Wesch.

Part Four: Once you have had a chance to set up a Twitter account and communicate with your colleagues, what are your first impressions? Based on what you have read and observed can you predict whether this would be a valuable tool in the classroom or integrated with your subject area?

Post your ideas and reflections on your blog. Comment on three blog posts from your colleagues in the EDCI course.

Registering For An Account
How to set up a Twitter Account Total Twitter Tutorial (setting up an account, following and followers) media type="youtube" key="91zurrk69_w?fs=1" height="324" width="410" align="center"

(from How to Decipher Twitter) Creating Lists (Categories) Twitter hashtags Organizing the conversation

Educational Uses
25 Dead People On Twitter Instructional Uses "Twistory" In The Classroom- The Twitter Experiment Twitter - A Teaching and Learning Tool Ten Top Teachers To Follow On Twitter Physics Tweet

The Twitter Language

 * **Tweet:** A message sent via Twitter
 * **@username**: Usernames are communicated with the “@” symbol located directly in front of the name. When tweeted, the service will automatically create a link to the user’s Twitter profile. For example, “I’m going to meet @andreaaker for lunch.”
 * Follower/Following: Twitter is used to build relationships. Users follow other users they find interesting. If User A is following a User B, then User B’s tweets will show up User A’s incoming timeline, or Twitter homepage, and vice versa.
 * **Tweeps:** Slang for friends on Twitter
 * **Tweeter:** Someone who uses Twitter
 * **Hashtag:** Twitter users have created hashtags as a way to categorize tweets. Before sending out a tweet, they have the option to add “#” to the term describing the topic. When users search for the hashtag, they’ll see all related tweets. For instance, sports fans posting tweets about the Chicago Cubs will want to add #cubs to the end of the tweet if they want to communicate with fellow fans.
 * **DM:** This acronym stands for direct message. Twitter has a private channel that tweeters can use to communicate messages that don’t appear in the public timeline. Users can only send DMs to people who follow them.
 * **RT or Retweet:** “Retweets” are reposts of another user’s tweets. The format is: “RT @username: original message.” This is how tweeter cite each other.
 * **Tweetup:** A face-to-face meeting with people who have connected on Twitter and tweet together at the meeting. Organizations hold tweetups to increase awareness about a cause or brand, or to reward Twitter followers.
 * **Twitterati:** Celebrities and A-list tweeters who have huge followings. For instance, basketball great Shaquille O’Neil (@THE_REAL_SHAQ) is a “member” of the Twitterati. He has more than 2.8 million followers.
 * **FF or FollowFriday:** This is a popular hashtag, either #FollowFriday or #FF. It is used to tell followers about other tweeters they should consider following. It’s typically used on Fridays.

Read more at Suite101: [|How to Decipher Twitter Lingo: Communication Tips in the Twitterverse] []