E-learning conversations on Twitter

Are you sick of hearing about Twitter yet? It seems like everyone's talking about it these days... and now I'm adding to it. Twitter is like a lobby in your favorite conference going on 24/7 all year long - there are constant conversations happening about the things you're most interested in, ready for you to listen to and participate in.

For those who are new to Twitter, it's sometimes called a "micro-blog." Like blogging, you post about whatever you'd like. Could be what you had for breakfast this morning, could be the latest great resource you found for your area of expertise. The trick is that each post must be 140 characters or less, so you must pack maximum information into the shortest sentence you can.

Most people, including me, when first hearing about Twitter, say variations of "Why would I want to do that?" The trick to Twitter is in who you "Follow." Once you have an account on Twitter (it's free), you choose people to "Follow." Those people's posts (called "tweets"), show up in a newest-to-oldest stream on your Twitter page.

Find people in your industry, in your hometown, in your favorite hobbies. Find the people who tweet more about the latest great resources than what they had for breakfast! Once you've found the right people, you'll have access to a constant flow of great tidbits of information.

Looking for people to follow in the e-learning field? Here's a list of great people on Twitter to get you started. Please add comments with your own handle or suggestions for more people to follow!

MindLeaders folks on Twitter:

•   Me (Beth Griese)
•   Mike Larsen
•   Philip Payne
•   ThirdForce

Industry analysts/leaders:

•   ASTD
•   Bersin & Associates
•   Brandon Hall Research
•   Elliott Masie
•   Josh Bersin

E-learning and learning leaders:

•   Cammy Bean
•   Cathy Moore
•   Janet Clarey
•   Tony Karrer
•   Wendy Wickham

 

A disclaimer: no offense meant to anyone I have not mentioned here! I am far from finding everyone in the learning field, and even of the ones I've found, I've only listed a few here in an attempt to make this list a good introduction, not overwhelming. If you're not on this list, please add a comment. I'd love to hear from more folks that I and others can add as we all keep wading deeper into the Twitter pool.

And one final note: We (particularly, I) are also working on a MindLeaders company Twitter account. I'll post an announcement when it's up and running.

Comments

[Cammy Bean]

Thanks for the Tweet Love!

A great way to find other eLearning Tweeters is to look at who other people are following.

Also, Jane Hart has compiled a huge list of EduTweeters: http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/socialmedia/edutwitter.html

[Beth Griese]

Thanks for link to Jane Hart's list, Cammy. That's a great resource for getting more (very!) comprehensive with Twitter follows.

Good tip, too, about looking at who some of your favorite people follow.