This post is provided by guest blogger, Dianna Doyle, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Training and Development program.

This article summarizes research finding that Twitter aids students in higher education courses. A significant finding was that Twitter use by students better connected them to the content of their courses which, in turn, resulted in students spending a higher amount of time on their coursework. Student engagement and grades increased when students were required to use Twitter for a course in which the instructor regularly participated with them on the platform. The use of Twitter developed a sense of community within classes.

For online educators wishing to develop and increase a sense of community within their distant-learning medium, the best practices on using Twitter in higher education are invaluable. The author provides a list of recommendations on how to meaningfully incorporate this social media tool into courses. References within the article provide additional resources for educators to research.

References

Chapman, Amy L. (2015). Tweeting in higher education: Best practices. EDUCAUSE Review. Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/9/tweeting-in-higher-education-best-practices