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A practical approach to incorporating Twitter in a college course

2018; American Physical Society; Volume: 42; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1152/advan.00166.2017

1522-1229

Yuri Feito, Chris Brown,

Social Media and Politics

IlluminationsA practical approach to incorporating Twitter in a college courseYuri Feito and Chris BrownYuri FeitoDepartment of Exercise Science and Sport Management, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia and Chris BrownDepartment of Exercise Science and Sport Management, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GeorgiaPublished Online:15 Feb 2018https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00166.2017MoreSectionsSupplemental MaterialPDF (177 KB)Download PDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInWeChat INTRODUCTIONIn 1984, Alexander Astin (2) developed the "theory of student involvement," where the primary focus was on student engagement. This theory explained that a positive academic experience in college campuses was based on the students' interaction with faculty, involvement in co-curricular activities, and interaction with peers (2). With the development of the internet, mobile technologies, and social media, student engagement may be more possible today than ever before. Chen and Chen (5) suggested that students who use learning technologies report higher levels of student engagement within the university.Over the last decade, the use of social media has increased tremendously, with sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest leading the way (12). The millennial cohort has technology firmly integrated into their lifestyles, making them widely known as the most connected of social media consumers (10). Today, over 90% of young adults are "online," and it is estimated that 83% of 25- to 34-yr-olds and 71% of 50- to 60-yr-olds browse the world wide web regularly (22). Additionally, a combined 73% of online users report using social networking sites, and 90% of those aged 18–29 yr boast active social media use (10). This trend may not change any time soon, as one in every four teens connects to the internet, mostly using their cell phone (23). Within the educational setting, university faculties have similarly demonstrated a keen interest in the social media phenomenon (21). One study suggests >90% of professors use some form of social media in their courses or professional careers (27).According to Lebel et al. (21), social media has the potential to enhance learning and meet diverse pedagogical needs as a result of the accessibility and functionality it affords (see p. 41). Among social media's greatest assets is the fact that it is inherently social (21), and it can facilitate the creation and sharing of information with the potential to enhance dialogue and collaboration (17). With the increased use of social media, the manner in which individuals (e.g., young adults) communicate with each other has changed as well. For example, digital writing has become a significant medium for students to communicate, socialize, and share information anytime and anywhere (16). Social platforms provide an opportunity to make learning fun and contemporary, while providing a modern and familiar outlet for students to share their thoughts and ideas (21).Even though social media is a common part of our daily lives, its use as a form of technology in the classroom is gaining popularity, even though it is a relative "young" concept. Nonetheless, several publications exist demonstrating how several social media platforms can be used as effective pedagogical tools (9, 11, 13, 18, 31, 32). We encourage the reader to review those publications and learn more about how other authors have used different platforms other than what we present here. For simplicity, we have focus on research and application to the use of Twitter.Literature ReviewTwitter in the classroom.Early research has suggested that social media has the potential to bring students together and foster a sense of community (28). Many argue that social media enhances student engagement and peaks their interest in new ideas, while allowing them to take greater control of their education (3). Today's students are proficient users of multiple technologies, and the use of these technologies requires them to be problem solvers and strategic thinkers (1). According to LaChance and Murphy (20), higher education needs to keep pace with industry developments. One way to stay distinct concerning pedagogy is, of course, being cognizant of industry shifts, but another is to be aware of popular culture trends (31). To that point, many institutions in higher education are making a push to implement technology as part of the classroom culture via "flipped classrooms," or hybrid courses (26).Whereas platforms such as Facebook (4) and Pinterest (6) have generated interest among college-aged students, and have utility within the classroom, the focus of this paper is Twitter, as it tends to be a more public platform, with only ~10–15% of users maintaining private profiles (25). Dunlap and Lowenthal (11) examined the use of Twitter as a way to engage students in developing a professional presence within their field of study. Students felt this platform provided greater ability to engage not only with other students and the instructor in the course, but also with other professionals in the field. In addition, students reported Twitter felt more natural for socializing and learning than a formal learning management system. As such, Twitter provides a mechanism for students to share their views, rather than merely being lectured to by the instructor, and this space may be more conducive to students who feel reticent to share thoughts in the traditional classroom setting (31).Ebner et al. (13) examined if microblogging sites, such as Twitter, would enhance communication among students and found that this type of platform enhanced student learning and significantly improved student communication throughout the semester. More recently, Junco and colleagues (18) used the National Survey of Student Engagement to determine student engagement in a Health course and determined that using Twitter in this type of course fostered "rich discussions" throughout the course, through peer-to-peer questioning and reflection. Using Kolb's (19) experimental learning model, Rinaldo and colleagues (30) suggested that Twitter was an appropriate tool to foster interactions with peers and professionals in the field, as well as to enhance course discussions on various course-related topics. More importantly, however, was the student's feedback, which supported the author's conclusions.Twitter (34) is an example of a social communication tool, characterized as "a service for friends, family, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages." People write short updates, often called "Tweets," of 140 characters or less. These messages are posted to your profile blog, sent to your followers, and are searchable on Twitter search. All you need to use Twitter is an internet connection or a mobile phone (34).Even though Twitter has been introduced as a useful classroom communication tool in higher education (37), its popularity is still growing as online discussions on effective use of Twitter have soared (16). However, in our search, we have yet to identify a publication that provides an actual example of how to implement Twitter into a course curriculum. As such, we believe this paper provides a wealth of opportunities for learning, engagement, discovery, and creativity for faculty and students.Twitter use can enhance the process of learning for students if planned and used effectively (26). Evans (14) studied the effects of Twitter use on 252 undergraduate Business and Management students for communication purposes during a 12-wk course. A positive correlation was found between Twitter usage and student engagement, and Twitter was not found to have a negative impact on classroom relationships or attendance. Junco et al. (18) examined the effect of using Twitter on student engagement and grades in a first-year seminar course. Hong et al. (16) explored how college freshman enrolled in a first-year Seminar and Basic Reading course used Twitter to support and promote the writing process. Their findings indicate that Twitter as a technological tool helps students generate ideas that turned into a formal written text by going through a series of stages in the writing process. Sanderson and Browning (31) provided a "how to" discussion on Twitter and how it can be used as a pedagogical tool for Sport Communication and Sport Management courses. The article provided useful information on how Twitter can be used for formal assignments and discusses challenges to using Twitter in the classroom and strategies for overcoming those challenges.Lebel et al. (21) studied the use of social media within Sport Management programs, specifically investigating how sport management academicians use social media as a teaching and learning tool. Results suggested that sport management faculty have limited awareness of social media applications, and that there is a potential disconnect between the digital pedagogies currently employed by sport management faculty, the expectations of students, and, most importantly, the demands of the sport industry.Social media has even been reinforced as a way to rekindle the art of creativity within education. To this point, "authentic learning" is being called for in higher education pedagogy to lessen the gap for students moving from university to workforce (15). According to Lebel et al. (21), the latest EDUCAUSE report highlighted a disconnect between the technology students have and use, and the practical application of these technologies in the classroom. In light of these findings, the report encouraged faculty to do more to facilitate the use of technology in creative and meaningful ways that encourage and support student growth (8).Social media provides a unique arena in which we can engage students through content creation and curation while simultaneously building their critical thinking skills and fostering peer-learning opportunities (21). In addition, social media outlets have the potential to create active learning environments, which researchers suggest can enhance learning outcomes, most notably knowledge retention, motivation, and student satisfaction (17).Given the importance that higher education is putting on integrating social media platforms into the classroom as a way to engage students, and considering the lack of practical approaches for faculty to implement the use of social media platforms in many disciplines, including physiology education, we provide a practical example for faculty members to incorporate it in any classroom. This article focuses on the use of one particular social medial platform, Twitter, to bolster engagement and community in any courses. Thus the purpose of this article is to present the reader with a specific example of how the authors have used Twitter as a formal assignment in an introductory lecture-based course. It is our hope that this assignment will lead to additional studies examining the role of this technology and provide insight as to how learning and student engagement are affected, while providing readers with examples of how to carry out these high-impact educational practices. To our knowledge, this is the first paper that provides a practical example of an assignment that can be implemented in any course.The AssignmentThe assignment presented here has been used over several semesters in a lecture-based course specifically geared toward students entering the Exercise Science program at a large comprehensive institution. Although the composition of the student population is beyond the scope of this paper, most students enrolled in the course are sophomores or juniors.As part of any course, and more specifically an assignment, it is important to have specific goals and objectives to help students understand why it is being assigned. Considering the "nonprofessional" nature of student's interaction with social media today, we have found it is most useful to provide a specific purpose and objectives for this assignment. Thus we provide the following purpose statement and objectives:Purpose of the assignment.Note: This statement is written for a specific course in Physical Activity and Health. The readers are encouraged to adapt the content herein to their respective topics.Why this Twitter assignment?Twitter is a "microblogging" platform that allows you to connect to people around the world to share knowledge and ideas. Twitter is considered a "microblog" because you can only write 140 characters or less with each "Tweet." For this assignment, you will be sending Tweets (140 character or less) with a more refined audience and purpose than say, "updating your Facebook status." Although countless people use the platform in different ways, from ground-breaking research, to giving you an update on their lunch choice (choose who you follow carefully!), for this class I'm asking for you to do several things.Read more news (from reputable resources) than you otherwise might.Considering the advancements in technology, we should use these technologies to our advantage. This assignment should help you learn how to use Twitter to follow the news and each other. Every day there is something being published related to physical activity and health; we can no longer wait for a printed journal to reach our mailbox! Of course, you also need to be selective on the news outlet; thus interacting with others may help you determine the veracity of their information.Improve your analysis and summarization skills.Since Tweets are limited to 140 characters, you'll need to really think about how to compose every Tweet to be effective when communicating. For class, your Tweets MUST include the course hashtag (#XXX), a link to a relevant article, a statement explaining how it relates to the class, or why others might want to read it.Provide a platform for collaboration and enhanced sense of "community."One of the most unique components of Twitter is its public nature. Every time you Tweet, people see it and can comment, or "Retweet" your comment to an even larger audience. Since we will all be following each other, you will see my Tweets, your Tweets, and everyone else's Tweets on a regular basis, so post with that in mind. You are welcome to use Twitter outside of the scope of the class to communicate with classmates, with me, or others around the world.In addition, because Twitter is so public, you may get Retweeted or receive comments from people with whom you disagree and you may not know. We may disagree, BUT we must ALWAYS remain respectful and cordial during our interactions throughout the semester. You may introduce each other to people you know and want to follow, and you should seek out professionals in the field that will enrich your interactions outside the classroom.For faculty.Before the students begin this assignment, it is imperative for the faculty member to sign up and familiarize himself or herself with the Twitter Platform. Understanding the terminology, and its usage, will alleviate any potential problem that may arise throughout the term. For this, we recommend for faculty to explore Twitter's Glossary (35).For simplicity, however, we have summarized a few of the most common terms in Table 1.Table 1. Commonly used terminology in TwitterTermDefinition1Twitter handleThis is your name on Twitter: @username.2@usernameCreates a direct Tweet to the person you are addressing and is visible by all of your followers.3TweetRefers to each actual message a user posts to his/her account. This message can be viewed by all of your followers.4RetweetRefers to a Tweet that is shared by someone and is "reshared" by you, so all of your followers can see it as well.5FeedRefers to the most current list of Tweets (or posts) from you and those you follow (home page), from you (your account page), or from the search that you perform on different topics using the hashtag, i.e., #BeActive.6TrendingRefers to a popular topic on Twitter at a particular point in time. The Twitter home page automatically will rank list of terms that are "trending" in a specified location (this location can be changed).7Hashtags (#)When used with a Tweet, it provides a simple way of creating a searchable term for people to search. For example, if a Tweet is sent with #BeActive, anyone who types that same term in Twitter's search bar will see all Tweets that include that same term. (Note: hashtags are very useful for this type of assignment.)For students.To promote separation between professional and personal social media profiles, it is important for students to create "new" accounts, from which they will manage this portion of the assignment. Considering that most university's typically eliminate e-mail addresses of graduated students from their system shortly after graduation, it is important that students create a different e-mail address that would be used for "professional" pursuits. Given its popularity throughout college campus, a Google Gmail account seems most appropriate for this portion of the assignment.Part I.1) create a gmail account ([due date]).Using a Gmail account will make the entire assignment easier to manage for them, as it is a common e-mail service. We typically encourage students to create a Gmail account that includes their first and last name, or some variation thereof. Unfortunately, some students have very common names and may need to modify this; however, Gmail will provide suggestions for them. The idea here is to emphasize that, as they enter the "real world," employers will look at their e-mail addresses in their future internship/employment applications. For those who may already have a personal Gmail account with an appropriate name, they are welcome to use it.Once the Gmail account has been created, students should be instructed to create a Twitter account using their first and last name and the Gmail address they created in the previous step.Instructions for this section may include the statement in step 2 below.2) create an account on twitter ([due date]).Go to Twitter.com and create an account using your first and last name, the Google Gmail account created above, and a professional Twitter handle. If you already have a personal account, you are encouraged to create a professional Twitter handle (name) in which you only share professional content. Note: Do not use your university-issued e-mail address.Once students have created a Twitter account, they should find the faculty member and follow them. It is important that the student does not send any Tweets at this point just yet. In addition, it would be advantageous for the faculty member to follow the student back, so they are able to see their Tweets throughout the semester and interact with students accordingly.A statement such as the following could be use here:Find me [enter your Twitter name (@username)], and follow me. Note: Do not send any Tweets yet. (You will want to follow all students in this class too.)Even though every program is different, we have taught courses with over 100 students in them. Thus, depending on the program and the number of students in the class, faculty may consider using the "if this then that" (IFTTT) service, which provides an easy and reliable way of quantifying students' Tweets without having to literally count each one. If the faculty decides to use the IFTTT service to quantify each student's Tweets, the statement in step 3 can be used.3) create an ifttt twitter rule ([due date]).To accurately keep track of all of your Tweets, you will need to use your newly created Google account (and use Google Drive) and the "if this, then that" (IFTTT) service (complete instructions for this part of the assignment are provided as Supplemental Data S1; supplemental data are available online at the Advances web site). This service allows you to create "rules," which will make your browsing experience more enjoyable for any online network and help me keep track of all of your Tweets. Note: This is how you will be graded. Tweets not recorded on here will not be counted toward your final grade.Note: It usually takes several minutes for the Tweets to be recorded.Once the students have completed the steps above, they should be instructed to send their first Tweet with the class hashtag. The class hashtag should be something simple and short, typically the course number and the university initials would be appropriate (e.g., #KSU_ES2100). Also, students should be asked to tag the faculty member (@username). Word of caution here, if the faculty member decides to be tagged by each student, this could be overwhelming throughout the semester. Nonetheless, knowing what and when students are Tweeting provides additional opportunities for engagement and discussion. However, the faculty member can choose not to be tagged on the Tweets, unless the student wants his or her opinion or wants to ask the faculty member a direct question ([due date]).To encourage professional engagement throughout the semester with professionals in their field of study, students are encouraged to reach out and interact with other Twitter users. With over 313 million monthly active users, and with close to 80% of users from outside of the US and over 40 supported languages (36), each student is bound to find one professional in his or her field of interest.To make sure students reach out to other professionals, this is a requirement for the assignment. Thus a statement such as the one below in step 4 is typically used.4) follow influential people/organizations ([due date]).Find and follow at least 25 people or organizations (not in our class) that regularly Tweet about physical activity, health, and chronic diseases. You can search Twitter and find Tweets related to topics discussed in class, or you can look at trending topics when events are in the news. You can also search hashtags to find streams that will be of interest to you. You could also look at who other people are following and decide to follow them too.Lists are "groups" of Twitter accounts that can be used for different purposes. As part of the assignment, students are asked to create two lists to include "classmates" and "professional connections" in the field of interest.At the discretion of the faculty member, the following can be included.5) create twitter lists ([due date]).Create two public Twitter lists (see https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/twitter-lists). One list should include all of your classmates. The other list should include at least 10 sources/users related to [a topic of interest] who are not part of this class.The number of people to follow will be at the discretion of the faculty member, depending on how much emphasis is put on this as part of the course.It is important that the faculty member provide due dates for each of the components described above. These components can be graded separately and will provide incentives for students to keep up with the assignment from the beginning of the semester and not procrastinate. It is recommended that these four or five steps, depending on the faculty's discretion, be set within the first few days of the semester and be completed within the first week. A grading rubric is included in Supplemental Data S2 online.Part II.We would consider this the "meat and potatoes" of the assignment. This is where the faculty member sets the tone about the assignment and the role it will play in the class. After several semesters experimenting with different requirements (e.g., 50, 75, and 100 Tweets), we have found that 100 Tweets in a semester is certainly doable and provides the greatest interactions among the students. Based on a 16-wk semester, this will equate to six Tweets/week, or about one Tweet/day, definitely doable!One of the things that needs to be considered by the faculty member is what kind of Tweets would be counted toward the final total. Would Retweets be counted, or only original Tweets? We can see the argument for both, as Retweets would promote students having to respond to each other; however, what typically happens is that they simply Reweet without thinking about the content of the article. In our experience, only counting "original" Tweets seems to provide greater variety of information, which could be discussed in the classroom during class.For this part of the assignment, the instructions can be written as follows:Post a minimum of [give a number] Tweets per week ([due date]). The goal is for you to read daily and Tweet consistently about what you are reading to help you "make sense" of it and ask questions outside of class. I realize some days may be more engaging than others; therefore, you MUST have a minimum of 100 Tweets at the end of the term (although you're welcome and encouraged to send more). However, to receive full credit, a minimum of 30 Tweets MUST be completed prior to [due date], and at least 70 Tweets MUST be completed prior to [due date]. Only students meeting all of the assignment deadlines will be able to obtain full credit for the assignment. Failure to meet a deadline will result in reduced number of points.After several semesters, we have found that providing smaller deadlines throughout the term creates the greatest interaction: without those intertwined deadlines, students will wait until the end of the semester to complete most of the assignment, and then the interactions are less meaningful. We suggest having one-third of the Tweets (~30) due within 1 mo of the start of the term, and two-thirds of the assigned Tweets within 1 mo of the final exam. Again, these dates could be modified at the discretion of the faculty member and the number of Tweets required.Aside for providing instructions on the assignment, we have found it helpful to provide guidance of what a "well-created Tweet" would require. In our courses, we require students to use both the course hashtag, as well as to tag the faculty member throughout the semester (Fig. 1). A statement such as this could be included in this regard:Fig. 1.Properly created Tweet.Download figureDownload PowerPointTo be counted, Tweets must tag me (@DrFeito), include the course hashtag (#KSU_ES2100), and a link to a relevant article or picture, with a statement explaining how it relates to a topic discussed in class, and why others might want to read it for this class. Once you get going, you may find yourself Tweeting more easily and often than you expect.Part III.The last portion of the exam provides the student an opportunity to give feedback on the assignment and their opinions. We have found this part of the assignment most helpful throughout the years to make changes and improvements based on student feedback. Typically, we provide three basic questions on which we would like the student to elaborate: 1) Did this assignment help you learn topics from this class?; 2) Were you able to meet people through Tweeting?; and 3) Did you learn anything from this medium itself? Of course, faculty should consider providing more or less instructions/questions, depending on their specific aims. A statement such as this could be included regarding this part of the assignment:Reflection ([due date]): Students will write and submit on the online learning management system (LMS) a short one-page reflection essay discussing what they learned from this assignment. Some questions that can be addressed include the following. Did this assignment help you learn topics from this class? Where you able to meet people through Tweeting? Did you learn anything from this medium itself? This essay, like your Tweets, will be evaluated based on your effort: if you do your best to write a thoughtful, sophisticated reflection, you will earn full credit.Grading.We typically grade this assignment in a percentage and points scale. We provide points for each of the portion of Part I and calculate a percentage based on what students complete (see Supplemental Data S2). Considering the different components of this portion, and how important some of the steps are to helping the faculty member grade the assignment, we put significant emphasis on this part. Typically, this portion of the assignment is worth ~30%. Part II, which includes the daily interaction with the other students and the faculty members, is where most of the grade comes from and provides 50% of the total score. Lastly, Part III provides the final 20% of the assignment grade. This portion is typically graded as a completion grade as long as the student, at a minimum, completes the three questions provided; otherwise partial credit is given. Of course, the faculty member, before giving the assignment, should predetermine this.DISCUSSIONConsidering the popularity of sites such as Facebook and Twitter in college campuses today, there may be an opportunity for faculty to consider using these sites as part of a course's "online" component. Although there may be a period of adjustment for both the faculty member and the student, the use of social media may help faculty actively engage students who would not otherwise be involved, hence proving an enriching experience for all. Research shows that >70% of college students use social media to communicate with classmates (29), and ~50% discuss academic work, asking each other questions about class assignments/projects and/or exams (24, 33). Yet, when students were asked about the academic value of sites such as Facebook, >50% reported it had limited or no value at all (7). Yet we should use caution when generalizing this, as these students were not undergoing any "formal" instruction.Moran et al. (27) noted that faculty believe that social media use can be an effective teaching tool and can be valuable for collaborative learning. The authors believe that incorporating Twitter in the pedagogy of a course, regardless of the content of the classr