What is it? See this video for a brief introduction.
My love to hate, relationship with Twitter.
So the first thing that you should know about me is that I am a very old millennial. I was born in 81 putting me right on the edge between the Gen X and millennial. Which means that by all rights I should love Twitter. But I don't. I'm not going to lie, I hate Twitter. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I hate the limited characters, I hate the interface and I hate the way the people use it. 140 characters, really? Who can say anything in that amount of time worth saying. I'm not saying that everything you have to say should be a dissertation but really 140 characters? I know, I know we are all supposed to write like this "Thx ur my BBF. Luv u!" but I just can't bring myself to do it. And it is not just the character limitation that annoys me, it is the way people use Twitter. I recently tried, once again, to follow an event on Twitter, and once again became more confused and frustrated then if I hadn't tried at all. Can we just established a few rules of etiquette for using Twitter, at least amongst educators and professionals during a Twitter conversation.
My top ten list of how to use Twitter in a PLN
1. Don't be Vague.
Saying things like "Crazy day today" and "time to get wild" or "lets do this" out of context and without any background tells me nothing. Either add context or don't say anything at all.
2. Add links or pictures (you get an extra thousand words that way) to explain
You can add both pictures and video in your post and you should do both. This usually helps get a lot of context and explanation to your post.
No, really. Nobody like inane chatter, in real life or online.
4. Good for you, nobody cares.
Don't post pictures of your dinner, ever. If you aren't going to write an artist statement don't post your art. And if you aren't going to link your art project then don't post the cool new project you just invented.
5. Save the drama for your mamma.
I'm sorry your principal is an a**hat, or your husband didn't buy organic eggs but really does it serve the world for us all to know that?
6. Your hashtag and links leads me no where - you lose
If you spent all your precious characters on linking to different hashtags, then at least have them go somewhere to better explain your original post
7. And your point is?
If you can't make your point in this pointless character restriction then link me to somewhere else
8. Online means Public++++,
If your worst enemy shouldn't know it then don't post it. Also if you wouldn't say it to someone's face then again don't post it.
9. This is supposed to be a conversation.
Contributing doesn't mean just talking about yourself, it means sharing valuable or uniqe information and insight, not playing tag-I-went-here-and-took-selfie-to-prove-it. If you are sharing a travel exprence then post picture of what you see, not of yourself
10. Tell me something I didn't know.
We all know that the kindergartners are crazy the hour after their Valentine's Day party. So give me an effective trick or technique that you used to calm them down, don't just state the obvious.
So why should we all get on the Twitter Bandwagon. Well here are what others are say about the great benefits of Twitter.
And finally I'll leave you with this parting thought.
If great minds of the past tried to use Twitter...
cut off at 140 characters
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by t"
or in text speak
"I've a dream dat my 4 ltl chldrn wiL 1 dA live n a n8tN whr dey wiL not b judged by d colR of thR skin, bt by d content of thR character."
How about this one
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposi"
or in text speak
"4 scor & 7 years ago our fathers brawt forth on DIS continent, a nu nation, conceived n Liberty, & dedicated 2 d propositN dat aL men R creatD =."
Doesn't quiet have the same effect, does it?
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