Thinking about Twitter
For those who know me, they know I’m a regular Twitter user. It’s my way to connect and collaborate with others around the world. I’m a list maker – for conferences, it’s a way to gather people together under a common roof, even if it only lasts for a few days. I tend to return to those lists to find people when I want to connect further. I have several direct message groups running at any time – again, my way to stay connected and hear what others are doing, thinking, experiencing. So when this tweet came across my stream this morning, I knew I just had to post something about how to use Twitter as an academic. Not only did @BonnieStewart make this the focus of her research, those I follow tend to be mostly in educational spaces.
The responses are worth a look since there are great tips that I have practiced and use consistently as an academic twitterer.
The other upcoming challenge is how Twitter may change with the transfer of ownership to an uncertain entity who may influence different directions for this digital resource.
There are already algorithmic changes that have altered my twitter experience, particularly in the ‘notification’ space which used to respond to my connections better than it does now. Notifications continue to baffle me in the inanity that is offered up for my ‘reading pleasure’! Here’s an example – popular images? hockey? no thanks!
Maybe if I used the ‘see less often’ option? But I shouldn’t have to make the ‘see less often’ option for every notification ad infinitum?!
The more I think about it, the more I ponder and wonder what I would do or where I could go to continue making the connections I enjoy making with academics around the world. What would be the tipping point for an exit from Twitter? Where would I go to maintain the connections I’ve gained from Twitter?
