Communications

Getting Started with Twitter Chats

People use Twitter for many reasons: following interests, sharing ideas, inspiration, backchanneling, communicating with a larger audience, etc. Today’s post focuses on what is a Twitter Chat and tips on how to participate.

What is a Twitter Chat?

Using Twitter is a public conversation around one unique hashtag. This hashtag allows you to follow the discussion and participate in it. These chats commonly reoccur on a specific day/time and are moderated by a guest who shares out questions.

How To Start?

  • Get onto Twitter just prior to the time the chat begins
  • Search the hashtag Example:  
  • Select either view Top or Latest and you will see the most recent tweets within the topic
  • Generally the moderator will mention a few times when the chat start

How Do I Participate?

  • Questions are posted via the moderator in a format such as

Q1: It’s time to give a Shout-Out to our District. What makes your School or District One of a Kind? Terrific?
An Amazing Place to Work?  

  • Answers are posted often by all whom are participating in a format  such as

A1: Everyone district-wide are fantastic to work and collaborate with and for. Support, understanding, and overall teamwork is ever present with our teachers, administrators, and parent organizations such as our PTO  

Tips:

  • the questions come quick and generally get buried under those who are answering
  • no answer is correct or incorrect
  • make sure you add the chat hashtag somewhere in your answer (generally at the end)
  • even-though this is Q and A, what is really important is we read others answers/points of views
  • reply to other’s answers to learn more, comment, or compliment
  • liking ♥  questions or answers always is encouraged to document items you may want to revisit and recognize

Resources:

  • Twitter: social media resource commonly used by professional networking and collaboration.
  • No Account Twitter: how to search with Twitter without a Twitter account.
  • TweetDeck: offers a more convenient Twitter experience by letting you view multiple timelines in one easy interface.
  • Simple Guide on Twitter: presentation on how to get started with Twitter as a PLN.
  • Educational Hashtags: list of hashtags commonly used with educators.
  • Education Chat Calendar: schedule of when #chats happen (date/time).

 

Published by

Eric Hansen