CEL Portrait Of A Micro Blogger

Portrait of a Twitterer as a Connected Professional: Ha ve Yo u Tw itte re d To day? Dr. Laura Nicosia Assistant Professor of English Director of English Education nicosiala@mail.montclair.edu

Regardless of whether we accept the terms “Digital Natives” or “Digital Immigrants”...

We are 21st Century Learners

Some may consider me a digital immigrant, but I use: Twitter Slideshare Plurk Blackboard Diigo Flickr Facebook del.icio.us Ning Google Groups Second Life Furl and more...

Today, I’d like to talk about microblogging as PLNs

Plurk What is Microblogging?

Social networking in 140 characters or less

Twitter... Is the most popular micro-blogging system Is robust, elegant and simple Has more than 1 million users Permits numerous mash-ups

This is my Twitter Home Page

Twitter pages are vertically oriented, linear and very “clean”

I post Tweets because I: Meet colleagues from around the world Make friends Collaborate with my peers Share information and resources Receive links, insights and advice Share my scholarship with peers

I protect my updates to limit access to my friends only.

While my friend list would be larger if it were Open Access, I Lock & Protect my updates

My Tweeple are a powerful support system—with experience and wisdom.

With real-time updates in a linear, vertical timeline.

Plurk is also a Micro- blogging Site It is s e t u p w it h a h o r izo n t a l t ime li ne rat h e r t h a n a ve rt ic a l, s e q ue n t ia l p age .

This is my Plurk homepage

You can update both Twitter & Plurk via your cell phone or your computer

Your messages are received & read instantly (IMing) or asynchronously—whenever your friends access their Twitter or Plurk pages

Asynchronous Chat You can have conversations privately, with one friend directly (DMing), with the world (using the Public, Open Timeline) or with groups.

Linking people & URLs

With all these connections, the possibilities for collaboration increase exponentially. I’ve already published several pieces and a book chapter through my social networking connections.

Teaching can be isolating... unless we connect & network

With Twitter or Plurk, you’re really never alone.

Social Networking Sites

You make a request in a Tweet or a Plurk...

Within minutes, your request receives answers!

Here’s a graphic list of my friends in Twitter You can invite friends, if you want to link your email address book to the Twitter database. You can search for names of your friends by using the Search function.

and here’s the start to my Plurk list:

Your Tweets and Plurks are judged by their intrinsic worth & value

So, provide useful* information: Share valuable Offer advice & websites suggestions to colleagues Link to thought- provoking videos on Make someone YouTube laugh Participate in Sympathize professional conversations Drive traffic to your blog (occasionally) Comment on news * NOT entirely self-promoting or spamming

Sometimes, we need someone to understand what we do.

On a more pragmatic note, however...

You “star” the Tweets you want to keep & to find easily.

So—what’s the big deal? Your Writing Becomes: Brief Clear Condensed

Anecdotal “evidence” shows that Plurk functions on a more personal level than Twitter

News Agencies Use Twitter: You can receive up-to-the-minute news and e v e n te ch n o lo g y in f o r m at io n !

Sometimes, our Tweets & Plurks are more real- time than the media’s

Other times, the media collaborates with Twitter to create things we cannot easily do or find.

Twitter & Google created a mash-up to cover the Presidential debates & election

BUT...

and PLU RK

Yes. We can...

Collaborating in Writing Courses

You can use Twitter to teach creative writing in round-robin storytelling fashion

You can offer short quizzes, extra credit questions or even assign Thesis Statement tasks.

There are even versions for use with minors

Libraries & library services use Twitter, too!

Even The Chronicle of Higher Education Has Covered Twitter: Here’s a video clip from The Chronicle: Here’s another from Common Craft:

Questions? I’m open to questions, comments, concerns.

Thank you! Dr. Laura Nicosia English Department Montclair State University nicosiala@mail.montclair.edu