#5 - Microblogging

Microblogging? Typing in a tiny font size? No, a code name for things like Facebook, Twitter, and back-channeling.

The latest Facebook statistic says that the average Facebook user is between 37-53. Interesting, since this was originally created for college students. One grown child is urging me to get a Facebook account. The other (college-aged) called me several weeks ago to make sure I was still Facebookless. So what's a mother to do? Probably forge ahead and just refrain from trying to “friend” my college-aged son. Since I can link a Twitter account to a Facebook account, it would be easy to monitor both.

I am now an official Tweetee on Twitter... following a few news sources and some librarian educators. Thought I could just be a lurker at this juncture. I wondered what the point of posting was when no one was "following" it anyway. About 6 hours after creating my account, some strange person was "following" me. I was virtually freaked out for a moment. I found an article about SchoolTube and twittered it to my page. Neat. The "short, succinct messages" that I might tweet are my challenge; however, once again, even if I do post them, who is reading them at this point besides that strange person who is following me (and 600+ others) and is being paid to Twitter 24/7?!

Had an enlightening conversation with my late-twenties nephew and one of his friends over the 4th of July weekend that helped me understand the Twitter phenomenon a little better. They both said that they use Twitter as a news source. It's immediate with links to the latest news. One works in the marketing dept. for Fossil and the other works in the online advertising dept. for Southwest Airlines. Both said that their companies employ professionals whose 2.0 career is to monitor/respond/post on Twitter 24/7 for their respective companies. It’s part of their companies’ social media program that gives a “human nature” to their brand name. The immediate feedback on Twitter to a tweet by a customer creates a loyalty between the customer and the business. Additionally, businesses can “IM” the world globally by using Twitter to broadcast information about new products, info about the company, and any other important announcements.

So, in this same vein, can library media specialists and directors and educators represent their libraries and districts and classrooms on Twitter by posting pertinent articles for professional development, respond to or comment on individual queries or comments by readers or students, and keep followers informed of library or classroom news creating a 24/7 connection. Without mobile phone Internet access or the desire to be connected 24/7, keeping that connection current might be a problem for some. Also, I can't see elementary students on Twitter. It would be nice if there were a "little chicks" account for them that would enable them to use it without access to some of the grownup stuff.

I like the idea of black-channeling in a classroom setting, especially for those students who are reluctant to ask questions in a large group setting. Using an anonymous screen name might evoke responses from even the most withdrawn or shy learner. Students with learning differences might benefit from asking and/or reading questions and answers in a written form. The only drawback to back-channeling might be keeping students on task and not on the Internet doing something unrelated!