Twitter

[Kevin D. Jones]

Is anyone using Twitter? I am using it on a personal level: @KevinDJones. I have seen some good uses for spontaneous and collaborative learning. Has anyone seen any others?

[Kevin D. Jones]

The same here. It was tough to understand it until I used Twirl. It is so simple now. I also use Twitterific on the iPhone.

[Sean Harry]

I'm using Twitterfox on my browser. I run a Mac, and Twitterfox works great!

[JHarlan]

Tweetdeck is another application like Twirl you can use for Twitter. It is in Beta http://www.tweetdeck.com/beta/. A primary difference here is you can categorize your notifications. So if you have say 200 people following you, but you want to really track every comment from say 10 0f those people, you can create a group for them. Multiple groups can be created. I am getting ready to download it, but my husband has been using it for a while now and really likes it.

[Sean Harry]

Kelly, Twitter is like texting, but has a few interesting differences. Think "micro-blogs" that are pushed to your phone via text messages or laptop via some other software.

Barack Obama tweeted me the other night that Joe Biden was his running mate. It was an interesting use of the medium. I've been using it to follow what's going on with friends and colleagues across the country. I have learned many things about them and about things that are important to my friends. I've learned a lot about a variety of topics that I didn't know anything about, and that has helped my business in some intangible ways -- soon to be tangible I hope.

My twitter name is @sharrypdx See you al in the Twittersphere!

[Kevin D. Jones]

Everyone on this thread: if you haven't already, please share your Twitter name. For example: @KevinDJones

[Lori Silverman]

well now, that is an excellent question - I think it is @lorisilverman

[JHarlan]

Me Twitter name is @AgaveBee.

[Sheri Kendall]

I admit I have not tried Twitter; had not even heard of it until a few weeks ago during a webinar. After reading this discussion I am more than curious and will be visiting this site today. I work in a culture that does not understand the value of technology. It is very frustrating because I understand the value and this discussion has solidified my beliefs. Our productivity would increase significantly if we were allowed to check email, twitter, or even text during meetings or workshops. I have begun working on changing the culture in my organization and now I find myself with even more motivation to do so.

[John W. Shaffer]

Hey Kevin.

I am a follower from the Austin chapter. I know Christine and started following what your chapter is doing after ALC last year. You guys are doing wonderful things. I love it.

I only very recently started using Twitter. I also see some very good uses for learning. Another application I just found out about yesterday is Utterli. It appears to offer features above and beyond Twitter. One very nice feature is that Utterli provides cross-posting so that you can post to Utterli and have it automatically post to Twitter, Facebook, Pownce and others. I still have lots to learn about both of them, but thought I would pass the info on to you.

Regards. - JWS

[Jenny]

Some people have asked about 'why' someone would use Twitter, and when I first started using it I wondered the same thing (and I admit I don't really use it but I do follow a few friends on it). But there's a really good article in the New York Times which talks about the 'why' - and the idea of ambient awareness and feeling connected with friends. For me, these services are a bit like house sharing vs family. Once you're living in a shared house you know more about the daily lives and concerns of the house mates than you do about family because you are with them (physically) more. Twitter-type services shift that intimacy back to the people you care about, or are interested in.

See http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07awareness-t.html?_r=2&...

But one of my friends says that unless you are participating in it, you can't really understand what it's like.

Regards, Jen