Digital Dates: Making the most of Twitter

1. Digital Dates: Making the most of Twitter Michelle Schneider, Academic Skills Development Officer, Skills@Library.

2. Today’s session

3. Twitter is a Web 2.0 social networking tool that allows users to send and receive short messages known as tweets. Each Tweet is140 characters & can include videos, photos and links Twitter is a conversation! What is it?

4. Some interesting stats… Over 140 million active Twitter accounts Over 175 million Tweets a day About 1 million accounts added daily! Statistics from 2012, All Twitter: http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/twitter-stats-2012_b30967

5. What’s the point?

6. By following other people and sources you are able to build up an instant, personalized Twitter feed that meets your full range of interests, both academic and personal. (LSE Public Policy Group 2011) “ ” “ It's also a way to engage, connect, collaborate and network with others that share your personal, professional and academic interests (Me 2013) ”

7. Twitter & YouBe a savvy Tweeter from the start!

8. What does it say about you? Why should someone follow you? Add a bio…but not just any bio!

9. Follow and get followed by the right people!

10. 3.Be interesting and be yourself…to a point “ Consider balancing the types of Tweets with a ratio of posts addressing: (1) What you do; (2) What you love; and (3) Who you are. (Smith, E. 2013). ” SMITH, E. 2013. Be good at social media without trying: A guide for people who don’t have all day to post stuff. [online]. [Accessed 14 March 2013]. Available from: http://edudemic.com/2013/02/the-busy-persons-guide-to-social-media/

11. 4. Use the power of the hashtag # • A great way to start or engage in conversation- you don’t have to follow or be followed by people in the conversation • Opens you up to a much wider audience

12. Summarise discussions into a report if you want a permanent record… Summarised into a report: http://www.tweetcategory.com/

13. Track a hashtag….

14. 5. Think about how you are presenting yourself • Know your audience • Who are you aiming your Tweets at? • Think about tone as well as content • Personal and Professional • Consider whether you want two separate accounts • Do you want to make your personal account private? • Online persona and reputation • Think about how you could be perceived by employers, they check social media accounts! • Don’t criticise/abuse lecturers, students, employers, the University • Privacy settings • Your Tweets could potentially be seen by millions of people if you use hashtags/are Retweeted • Consider the implications of a private account

15. Making the most of Twitter in learning & teaching

16. Tweet links to you’re content-articles etc/ Tweet links to other people’s content. Staff Both Set up a module account e.g. SOEE2212 Tweet links to your content-articles etc/ Tweet links to other peoples’ content. Set up a module e.g. BMSC1210 Follow a module e.g. BMSC1210 1h Set weekly discussion topics #usehashtags Learning and teaching Develop quick evaluation and selection skills Share thoughts/ideas/ask questions 2h Ask students to sum up a short article or chapter Ask questions and share ideas with other students Use in student projects e.g. set up a project hashtag #labproject Track or Tweet from conferences (using hashtags) Set weekly discussion topics #usehashtags 2h Use backchannel communication in lectures Follow your Uni/School/ Service e.g. skills_library Follow relevant organisations and keep up-to-date in your field 3h Student Ask for ideas for innovative teaching methods/activties Follow academic journals for new articles Follow your modules 4h Follow relevant organisations and keep up-to-date in your field Develop succinct writing skills Follow your Uni/School/ Service e.g. @UniversityLeeds Ask questions and share ideas with other students 4h Use in student projects and set up a project hashtag Develop skills: quick evaluation and selection skills; succinct writing skills 5h

17. Ideas and inspiration Academic Excellence in 140 Characters: http://bit.ly/aF4VLq Using Twitter in university research, teaching and impact activities (LSE): http://bit.ly/n07Wvb (also covers setting up an account & terminology) Spotlight on Social Media (SDDU): http://bit.ly/Yyclfs 7 things you should know about backchannel communication: http://bit.ly/ceGz1z Study skills connected (book for students about using technology to support Your studies, includes a section on Twitter): EBL Level 8, Skills B-5 COT

18. Making the most of Twitter for employability

19. Some advice from Jess Henderson, University of Leeds Careers Adviser...

20. Careers workshops for students: http://careerweb.leeds.ac.uk/

21. Policies and guidance University policies Help and guidance • Communications: http://comms.leeds.ac.uk/ • Social media code of practice and guides coming soon! • Including: • General social media guidance • Context guides: student education, research • Platform guides (including Twitter) • Twitter help centre:https://support.twitter.com/ • Skills@Library: http://library.leeds.ac.uk/skills-learning-in-a-digital-age • Careers centre:http://careerweb.leeds.ac.uk/ • SDDU: http://www.sddu.leeds.ac.uk/

22. There’s an app for that! Photo by DavidMartynHunt: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidchief/7081464339/