Tag: twitter

#crit101 v2 Twitter Discussion – Tonight 7PM – 8PM (GMT)

Twitter BirdThe first Twitter discussion of #crit101 v2 takes place this evening between 7:00PM and 8:00PM (GMT).

As mentioned in the opening lecture, sharing and discussing ideas encountered in the course is an important aspect of learning to become an in(ter)dependent learner. I hope that you will all be able to join in.

In this first discussion we will be turning our attention to the idea of learning to become a more independent learner. What did you make of the learner survey and reading materials from week one? Do you agree with everything you have read? Are there ideas or concepts that you disagree with or are unsure about? Can you become a more in(ter)dependent learner? Tonight’s discussion is a chance to explore, test and debate ideas.

Joining in with a discussion on Twitter for the first time, with multiple participants, can be a bit daunting.

First and foremost, remember to include the hashtag #crit101 in all of your tweets.

Secondly, prepare yourself. It is best participate using a computer or laptop rather than a mobile phone. You want to be able to see the stream of #crit101 tweets and be able to tweet/reply at the same time. There are a couple of ways to do this…

You could use the Twitter web interface. Search the hashtag and away you go. This has limitations, and works best if you have two windows open side by side. The first window includes the stream of #crit101 tweets. The second is your @ replies, so that you can see if anyone has tweeted you directly.

Alternatively, you could use TweetDeck. Available for both MAC OSX and Windows, TweetDeck is a Twitter client that  works perfectly for following and participating in a discussion on Twitter as it allows you to have multiple columns, including your tweets, @ replies, DMs and hashtags you are following.

See you in the Twitterverse, very soon. 🙂

#crit101 v2 begins tomorrow at 8:00PM (GMT)

Version Two of Critical Skills 101 officially begins tomorrow at 8:00PM (GMT) with a live meet and greet on Twitter. Join in, introduce yourself to your fellow participants, and ask me any questions that you have about the course. Don’t forget to include #crit101 in your tweets.

The ‘Week One‘ page has been updated to include the introductory video lecture, reading material, and assignments. Please take the time to watch the video lecture before joining in with the Twitter meet and greet.

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Based on feedback from previous participants, it is recommended that you do the reading at the beginning of the week prior to the weekly Twitter discussion.

This week’s Twitter discussion will take place on Wednesday 13th March between 7:00PM and 8:00PM (GMT).

Assignments are due in by 10:00AM on Sunday, leaving time later in the day for you to read and comment on responses from participants in your comment group. You will recieve an email shortly, letting you know who is in your comment group.

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If you have friends or classmates who might be interested in participating in the course, there is still time for them to sign up. Enrolment will remain open until Saturday 16th March.

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James Michie

#crit101 Course Leader

@jamesmichie

http://jamesmichie.com/criticalskills

#crit101 – Week Six

In the final week of #crit101 the focus is on self reflection. The week six page has been updated with reading material and information about this week’s assignments.

The live video lecture will be at 7:30PM (GMT) on Monday (25.02.13). Check the blog or Twitter around 7:25 for the link. As usual, the slides will be made available prior to the lecture, and a recording will be made available shortly afterwards.

The final Twitter discussion will be on Wednesday (27.02.13) between 7PM and 8PM (GMT).

One of the key features of the final week is the end of course survey. Please take the time to complete it carefully. It is both an important part of your reflective process, and will also provide me with useful feedback about the course.

Additionally, #crit101 is running for a second time, beginning: Monday 11th March. If you know of anyone who you think would enjoy taking the course please encourage them to enrol.

#crit101 – Week Five

In week five #crit101 is turning its attention to synthesis and evaluation. The week five page has been updated with reading material and information about this week’s assignments.

The live video lecture will be at 7:30PM (GMT) on Monday (18.02.13). Check the blog or Twitter around 7:25 for the link. The slides will be made available prior to the lecture, and a recording will be made available shortly afterwards.

The weekly discussion returns to Twitter this week. It will be on Wednesday (20.02.13) between 7PM and 8PM (GMT).

This week’s assignment is collaborative and involves video. It should be both challenging and enjoyable. I’ll be discussing this in detail during the live lecture, but as always should you have questions or need help, please turn to the community and ask.

Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs!

Tonight’s discussion began well with everyone getting used to how Google+ works while sharing their likes and dislikes about the course.  However, it fell apart towards the end. Whether this was due to the platform itself; the attempt to collaborate on a mind map (which did not work); or something else entirely, I am not sure.

Personally, I don’t think Google+ worked that well. I’ve spent quite a lot of time discussing the merits of asynchronous and synchronous collaboration during the course. And while Google+ seems to reside in a liminal space between blog and social network, it did not handle a real time (synchronous) discussion particularly well. I found that it lacked the efficiency/urgency of Twitter. Moreover, it was not always easy to follow the discussion and would certainly benefit from threading. If this frustrated the rest of the participants too, I am not sure, but I will try to find out.

Perhaps Google+ was simply not the right tool for the job. Twitter, on the other hand, is a platform that lends itself more naturally to a real time discussion. Google Docs works well both synchronously and asynchronously. Google+ may still have a place within #crit101 but what that is exactly I am not sure. I’m going to keep the space open; perhaps it is more suited to a less immediate, more thoughtful conversation? But tonight, having sat wondering where everyone went, Google+ left me feeling a little tossed and scrambled.