The Effects of Twitter in an Online Learning Environment by Logan Rath

This article aims to explore the use of Twitter in an online learning environment. With almost 200 million user accounts, the microblogging service is being used by consumer brand companies, news media, and more importantly educators.

Photo: eLearn Magazine

But how can Twitter be leveraged in a learning environment? Can it replace email, message boards, and chat rooms as the preferred method of communicating with classmates?
Research was conducted at SUNY Institute of Technology to examine the use of Twitter in an online graduate-level technology course to answer the following questions: Does Twitter have a significant impact on the sense of community in a course; and does using Twitter have any bearing on whether students choose a specific course?

The study was conducted involving graduate students enrolled in the master's degree program in Information Design and Technology at the State University of New York (SUNY) Institute of Technology. To determine students' participation levels, the sense of community of the course, and perceived benefits of the course members when using Twitter.
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About Logan Rath

Logan Rath, MLS is the Digital Services Librarian at the College at Brockport, State University of New York. He conducted this research as part of the graduate program in Information Design and Technology at SUNY Institute of Technology.
You can follow Logan on Twitter.

Source: eLearn Magazine