Microblogs in Higher Education: Enhancing Collaborative Learning Opportunities

Doug Strahler

Things you should know about Microblogging (Educause)•What is it?

▫Microblogging is the practice of posting small pieces of digital content-which could be text, pictures, links, short videos, or other media-on the Internet

•What are the implications for teaching and learning?▫Communication tool▫Hashtags = categories

•Benefits/Risks

“Collaborative learning produces intellectual synergy of many minds coming to bear on a problem, and the social stimulation of mutual engagement in a common endeavor” (Smith & MacGregor, 1992).

How this will help students learn•Collaborative learning helps students

learn more effectively – Involvement, Cooperation and teamwork, and civic responsibility (Smith & MacGregor, 1992)

•Microblogging creates an environment for students to meet the three areas above

•Learning is active

How this will help teachers teach better•Personal Learning Platform

▫Networking▫Conversation▫Professional development▫News▫Resources

Literature Review

•Microblogs & education•Social media & education•Collaborative learning

Methodology

•To Be Determined…

Recommendations or Questions