If you find Twitter a bit overwhelming, then Twitter chats can seem downright scary. These tips will help you tame the big blue tweety monster in no time and have you joining the chatter.
A Twitter chat is basically a discussion. The moderator asks a question and you respond. The difference is that on a discussion board things are grouped by the question or assignment. In Twitter chats, it’s by who responds to which question when.
It begins with a group selecting a hashtag such as one of my favorites, #tlap. The moderator sets a specific day and time for the group to meet and creates questions.
Chat participants “meet” on Twitter when the time arrives. The moderator generally begins the chat by asking participants to introduce themselves. Participants respond and make sure they include the hashtag for the group in their answer. This way other group members can see their responses even if they don’t follow them.
Next, the questions are asked. Questions begin with a “Q” and the question number: Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. Participants respond in kind by starting their post with A1, A2, A3, etc., and again being sure to include the hashtag. This format repeats until all questions have been asked and/ or the time is up.
Participants read through the answers as they are posted and like, retweet or respond to any they choose. It’s also a great time to expand your PLN by following group members that resonate with you.
That’s all there is to it. A great way to get started is by using the Participate site. Here you can find the schedule for many education related chats. Start as an observer. Get on Twitter at the time of the chat, search the hashtag and read through the answers as they are posted. Once you get the hang of it, you can join in the fun.
Get the Taming Twitter Chats Quick Start Guide here.