Sharing of Innovations Lunch, March 2013 Sharing of Innovations Lunch, March 2013 Using Twitter to Using Twitter to connect courses connect courses t with news with news t t e s e s Michael Raith Michael Raith Simon School Simon School 1 1
About me About me About me About me Associate Prof of Economics and Associate Prof of Economics and Management at Simon School of Management at Simon School of Management at Simon School of Management at Simon School of Business Business Research and (MBA Research and (MBA- -level) teaching on level) teaching on organizations and strategy organizations and strategy organizations and strategy organizations and strategy –Mostly case Mostly case- -based teaching based teaching 2 2
Goal: help students connect Goal: help students connect p theory and applications theory and applications ?? 3 3
Approach Approach Approach Approach 1. 1. Point students to Point students to current current news articles, news articles, help them help them see and make help them help them see and make see and make connections to see and make connections to connections to connections to course content. course content. 2. Give opportunities to 2. Give opportunities to practice making practice making the the connections. connections. connections. connections. I’ll focus on #1; that’s where Twitter comes in. I’ll f I’ll focus on #1; that’s where Twitter comes in. I’ll f #1 th t’ #1 th t’ h h T itt T itt i i
Payoff (hopefully) Payoff (hopefully) Payoff (hopefully) Payoff (hopefully) 1. 1. Framing/abstraction skills Framing/abstraction skills – – Understand news stories in terms of Understand news stories in terms of Understand news stories in terms of Understand news stories in terms of theories, frameworks etc. theories, frameworks etc. – Learn to ask the right q estions Learn to ask the right q estions Learn to ask the right questions Learn to ask the right questions 2. 2. Heightened relevance of course material Heightened relevance of course material More engaged students More engaged students 5 5
From my syllabus From my syllabus “…. I will post articles relevant to STR403 “…. I will post articles relevant to STR403 … on … on Twitter@MRaith on on Twitter@MRaith Twitter@MRaith. You can either Twitter@MRaith You can either . You can either You can either follow me … or visit follow me … or visit http://twitter.com/#!/MRaith http://twitter.com/#!/MRaith every now and every now and then. …. the articles I post are then then then. …. the articles I post are optional the articles I post are the articles I post are optional optional optional (bed (bed- -time) reading time) reading—all all required required material is material is in the case packet or on Blackboard.” in the case packet or on Blackboard.” 6 6
T T Tweeting news is incredibly easy! Tweeting news is incredibly easy! ti ti i i i i dibl dibl ! ! 7 7
Open tweet Open tweet box and edit tweet, click box and edit tweet, click 8 8
9 9 Done! Done!
Several instructors at Simon Several instructors at Simon use Twitter in this way now use Twitter in this way now 10 10
Advantages (1): Easy! Advantages (1): Easy! g g ( ) ( ) y y Almost every web site has a Tweet button Almost every web site has a Tweet button 11 11
Advantages (2): Advantages (2): g g ( ) ( ) Only 140 characters is a good thing! Only 140 characters is a good thing! On Blackboard, temptation to write whole On Blackboard, temptation to write whole p paragraph of explanation p paragraph of explanation g g p p p p – 140 character limit saves me time 140 character limit saves me time Students still to have to read the article and think Students still to have to read the article and think – No “Cliffs Notes” = passive consumption No “Cliffs Notes” = passive consumption Tip: Use fewer than 140 if you want to be Tip: Use fewer than 140 if you want to be p p y y retweeted retweeted Easy to organize with Easy to organize with hashtags y y g g hashtags g 12 12
Advantages (3): Student interaction Advantages (3): Student interaction Advantages (3): Student interaction Advantages (3): Student interaction during and after course during and after course In this version, In this version, engagement is engagement is voluntary. voluntary. – On – On Blackboard, might be seen as mandatory; Blackboard, might be seen as mandatory; , , g g y; y; students might resent extra work students might resent extra work Extends beyond course Extends beyond course y – – Students keep following after course => stay Students keep following after course => stay connected to course content connected to course content – – Past students have joined as new followers Past students have joined as new followers – – However However, , I can’t tell how many followers I can’t tell how many followers ac actually pay tually pay attention attention 13 13
Advantages (4): Repository Advantages (4): Repository g g ( ) ( ) p p y y of articles relevant to my course of articles relevant to my course 1. 1. This semester’s tweets This semester’s tweets provide provide examples to integrate more fully into examples to integrate more fully into l l t t i t i t t t f ll i t f ll i t next version of course next version of course e e e s o e s o o cou se o cou se 2. 2. Good source for devising exam Good source for devising exam questions… questions… 14 14
Advantages (5): Advantages (5): g g ( ) ( ) Convenient way to keep up with news Convenient way to keep up with news 15 15
Next step: Next step: p Reinforce through assignments Reinforce through assignments Require Require students to find new stories students to find new stories related to course; for instance: related related to course; for instance: related to course; for instance: to course; for instance: – Ask students to post articles, with short Ask students to post articles, with short explanation explanation – Accumulate points for either posting, or Accumulate points for either posting, or commenting on others’ posts commenting on others’ posts – Move back Move back to Blackboard for this.... to Blackboard for this.... 16 16
Student Student posted articles on Bb Student Student-posted articles on Bb posted articles on Bb posted articles on Bb 17 17
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 18 18
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