Are you using Twitter?

I've just re-discovered Twitter, a social network that asks "What are you doing?" The cool thing is, in the Ed Tech world you can create a network of people who are there to help you, and give you support and suggestions at a moments notice.

Looking for a resource? Just send out a tweet and someone will know the answer. Dealing with technology resistance? My twitter network reminds me that there are people in the world who are as passionate about this stuff as I am. I write a blog post every Tuesday called "Two for Tuesday" where I share two interesting technology links - this week my links are all thanks to my Twitter network. (Thanks Twitter network).

Recently, I increased the number of people I'm following from 70 to 170. I've discovered that more is actually better in Twitter, it increases the odds of someone being there for you. I also downloaded Snitter an application that pops up to let me know about new tweets. You can follow me on twitter - look for lizbdavis, then check out the people I'm following and follow them too.

Kevin Honeycutt is creating a Vodcast that answers the question "What is Twitter good for?" You can follow him on Twitter too.

Are you using Twitter? What do you like about it? Still confused? Ask your questions here.

Tags: social-networking, twitter

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Permalink Reply by Ellen on December 28, 2007 at 3:22pm

Okay, I've been trying to understand the value of Twitter...will stay with it, follow more folks and continue giving it 'the ol college try.' Thanks for sharing and encouraging me to stick it out a bit longer.

http://twitter.com/epaxton

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Permalink Reply by Lucy Gray on December 30, 2007 at 6:34am

Is there a new link to Kevin's vodcast? It doesn't seem to be working for me. I'm elemenous in Twitter and I also am using mwedubloggers for demonstrating microblogging at two Macworld Educator Academy workshop later in January.

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Permalink Reply by Frank, Divergent Learner on December 30, 2007 at 8:29am

I have had a couple of really nice articles in my ePortfolio at META Web 2.0 about educational applications of Twitter. Also, there is now a nifty social bookmarking-like button (Twit This) that you can install on your pages so that people can tweet the page to their followers and the general twitter community. You can see this button in action (and try it out) on META Web 2.0.

For example, when I tweet a new article of high-interest to my followers (I have about 500) ... I get many many hits to my website .. so it really does work. How do I know that my hits are from Twitter tweets? Well, I also have http://feedjit.com/ widget on my page (take a peek at it --- pretty cool tool) that tell me where all my visitors are coming from ang going to.

Frank
Mexico English Teachers' Alliance :: META Web 2.0

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Permalink Reply by kolson on January 1, 2008 at 2:35pm

Frank, who are you on twitter?

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Permalink Reply by Frank, Divergent Learner on January 1, 2008 at 5:04pm

Hi ..... http://twitter.com/metaweb (personal account)
and http://twitter.com/metaweb20 (META Web 2.0 Site twitter account)

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Permalink Reply by kolson on January 1, 2008 at 7:42pm

Am now following your META Web 2.0 Site account (not fluent enough in spanish for your personal account!)

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Permalink Reply by Sylvia Martinez on January 1, 2008 at 2:47pm

I did a blog post yesterday about how Twitter helped me out with something I was doing with my XO laptop. It was totally unplanned and unexpected, and the help came from people I didn't really "know", except that at some point in the past, I had added them to my network.

XO Laptop and Extended Networks

I just passed 300 followers last night - and like Frank, I see a lot of value in Twitter. But it takes time to build up your network, so it's not immediately obvious what you get out of it. Twitter conversations also tend to have a "flow" to them that you have to pay some attention to. So you can't just ignore your network and then jump in suddenly expecting everyone to answer your questions.

I also don't think you can overplan your Twitter network. Sometimes people are there, sometimes not. I don't add people thinking, "oh, this person is an expert in XYZ, so now I'll have help there when I need it.

Oh, and happy new year!

PS I'm smartinez on Twitter - follow me.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Mirtschin on January 1, 2008 at 4:59pm

I have followed this discussion with interest and realise that I need to add more twitter friends as someone suggested earlier to make the most of it. Also, I am in the early stages of setting up my igoogle page and am hoping someone would have 2 mins to tell me how to add twitter to that. If not I will go with the skype suggestion. Thanks everybody for sharing all these discussion pointers. I am murcha on twitter.

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Permalink Reply by Frank, Divergent Learner on January 1, 2008 at 5:05pm

I bet if you search the igoogle gadgets directory (oe widgets whatever they call them) for "twitter" you will be able to click and add a twitter gadget.