Teaching by twitter ... a view on mLearning
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Andrew Smith, a lecturer affiliated with the Open University, discusses his experience using social media to enhance the teaching of Cisco networking courses. He highlights various platforms used for engagement, including Twitter and Facebook, and emphasizes the importance of creating content that resonates with both current students and a wider audience. Smith suggests utilizing automated updates and diverse content types, including humor and videos, to foster interaction and build community among learners.
Teaching by twitter ... a view on mLearning
- 1. Teaching by Twitter A view on mLearning Andrew Smith
- 2. Who am I โ Lecturer in Networking o Also Author, Examiner, Qualification Developer o Primary research in network simulation o Secondary research in teaching by social media โ I am affiliated with the Open University in the United Kingdom โ I specialise in teaching Cisco CCNA and CCNP networking to undergraduate as well as postgraduate students
- 3. Context โ the Open University has c600-800 students every year studying CCNA or CCNP based modules โ we have reached 5000+ students since 2005 โ social media activity since September 2013
- 4. The Idea ... Why canโt many of the subjects we teach โleak outโ onto the internet? What would the benefits be, if we used social media to reinforce our teaching? Could we use this to raise our academic and organisational profiles?
- 5. Free is a price I am willing to pay โ we cannot predict what platform our students/customers prefer to use โ it could be a smart phone โ or a web browser โ or a specific application โ nor should we care โ developers everywhere have created the software for us โ so, lets use them all
- 6. And then comes the idea ... Lets use social media to enhance the teaching of one of our Cisco modules. Ensuring that it leaks out onto the Internet as well as supports the learning of our current students. A form of knowledge nugget or intellectual reinforcement technique.
- 7. So what platforms do we use (1) โ Creation of an โOpen University Ciscoโ group โ Currently 280 members โ Tends to attract a variety of professionals (which is obvious) โ Cisco CCNA/CCNP engineers โ Open University Cisco Alumni
- 8. So what platforms do we use (2) โ Created a fan page (120+) โ Also specialist Packet Tracer >> Mac group (800) โ Linked to my simulation work โ Very eclectic mix of members โ occasional questions come in via this route
- 9. So what platforms do we use (3) โ 140 followers โ many seem to be from within the course itself โ some we pick up from retweets and exchanges with @CiscoNetAcad โ we do get twitter exchanges with a small section (15-20) members of this community
- 10. So what platforms do we use (4) โ 70 followers โ the quietest of all โ but โฆ I use the Google to RSS site โฆ โ http://gplus-to-rss.appspot.com/ โ this connects my external social output to our internal moodle content โ it therefore actually reached 400 students in 2013/14
- 11. So what platforms do we use (5) โ Allows depth to some of the content โ has been useful in sharing some internal ideas, externally โ looking to evolve as a source of additional content
- 12. So what platforms do we use (6) โ we have some deliberate short URLs โ used when we link to internal content โ also used for occasional course promotion
- 13. Stringing it together $9.99 per month
- 14. Engagement Methods (1) โ Sequential CSVโs of Cisco related content โ We know our study calendar (you may know this as a scheme of work) โ We know more-or-less when students will be covering content โ Use a separate CSV with weekly reminders โ what should you be studying โ what assignments are due โ day schools (classes) or other module events โ As we are externally facing, occasional information on the course opportunities we offer โ Covert rather than overt
- 15. Engagement Methods (2) โ Why CSV โฆ โ they work with the Hootsuite publisher tools โ but no repetition โ there has to be less than 140 characters, as Twitter is the lowest denominator โ We generated around 900 automated updates, which can be reused, amended, added to etc
- 16. Engagement Methods (3) โ Do not fear memes โ Use plenty of images โ Humour is needed to break up the technical/academic content โ You have to decide on what the right mix is โ this is a module, where written word is priority, but images help
- 17. Engagement Methods (4) โ YouTube and other video sources โ These consume time โฆ therefore for this run I focussed on humour โ I used โฆ โ the day the routers died โ Mr Bean taking an exam โ the medieval help desk โ elders of the internet โ I am looking to expand these with some teccie vidโs, I have already produced two with our Knowledge Media Institute to share in the next course
- 18. Engagement Methods (5) โ If it comes to mind or is current โฆ DO IT! โ News stories or popular themes, add them in. โ Articles published or other activities consider them I write for โThe Conversationโ, it is their logo to the left โฆ adding in these articles helped readership and developing the wider community following the different social media platforms
- 19. Engagement Methods (6) โ Talk to them โฆ they do not bite!!! โ Questions do come in via the different social media outlets โ Engage, but also allow others to engage as well โ Encourage those who are also engaging, they are your greatest allies
- 20. Engagement Methods (7) โ Open questions work โฆ followers like to answer these โ Enquiring about the opinion of the audience also gets a response. โ Take note of which posts get a reaction, it will surprise you โฆ some of the tougher subjects are more likely to get a response โ Be prepared to ditch posts or reuse posts
- 21. Finding your allies โ There is nothing wrong with a getting a few โfriendsโ or โcolleaguesโ involved โ Very useful for โฆ โ RTโs in Twitter โ Shares in Facebook
- 22. What next at the OU? โ reiterate, build a new set of CSVโs, curate the content โ find some more allies and engage the community โ we now have existing members and potential new members
- 23. Any Questions?