What’s All the Chatter About Twitter? Going Beyond the Front Porch Mark J. Kittleson, PhD Southern Illinois University Twitter.com/kittleson
What is Twitter? 1. Considered a Social Network 2. Micro-blogging 3. Ways to communicate with friends (‘followers’) 4. Way to keep up to date with others (friends and organizations) 5. Limited to just 160 characters a) Same as SMS limits on cell phones b) Messages are referred to as ‘Tweets’ Think of it as a cyber bulletin board
Why Tweet? Conversations Expertise News Staying Connected Share Interests
Organizations Tweet because… Public relations Letting people know what your group is doing Talk and listen to your followers Give your organization a human touch
Getting started 1. Get registered with Twitter
Accessing Twitter Go on-line to twitter.com Not very friendly Web Browser Add-on Task Manager Add-on Cell Phone Smart Phone
Adding Twitter to your browser Firefox
Twitter to your taskbar
Twitter to your Cell Phone Receive AND Send
First, login to your Twitter account on the web Then go to Settings
Click Mobile
Follow the directions…you’ll need to send a series of text messages from your phone to Twitter at 40404
40404 START
Once your phone has been ‘verified’ you’ll get this configuration. Fill in your cell number and indicate when you want tweets. Note that since I have a life, I don’t receive tweets between midnight and 6 am
After your phone has been verified, go back to your Home Page and click those who you are following
Among those who you follow, you can configure whether you want tweets sent to your cell phone by configuring the phone…
By clicking, you ‘undo’ the mobile connection
40404 Hey folks, look, I’m tweeting from my phone
Twitter on Smart Phone Number of applications, depending on phone Droid: Twidroid Iphone: Tweetstack Hootsuite: both Droid and Iphone Runs multiple Twitter Accounts Once installed, you login and will receive updates
Health Education Applications
Teaching Require Students to Register with Twitter.com Direct them to follow you Use it to: Send out assignments Create a discussion Bring books to class Bring permission slips for field trip
Teaching (con’t) Opportunities to ask questions for help Students in group projects can follow each other
Public Health Create a local twitter for your county Release updates health information, clinic hours Ways to communicate with employees Ideal for emergency preparedness/emergencies
Group communication Employees Parents Medical Personnel