Micro-blogging, a relatively new and precise form of blogging, has become increasingly popular in recent years. Professionals in diverse areas such as small/large scale businesses, career services, banking, entertainment, media, libraries, and researchers, in general, are beginning to use micro-blogging as informal learning tool to enhance their skills and knowledge. Some well-known micro-blogging platforms include: Twitter, Plurk, Jaiku etc.
Numerous studies indicate that teachers too, across the globe, are frequently utilizing micro-blogging technology to facilitate the instant exchange of information and communication. Teachers, when surveyed (Costa et al., 2008), stated that micro-blogging is a ‘ready to go’ learning approach for students as most of them already are the regular practitioners of micro-communication (~ 140 characters) via text-messaging. Students, in general, find the concept of using cell-phones in classrooms as academic tools overly amusing. And one can see, why? First, it allows students to stay anonymous while posting any comment or question (‘handle’ identity can be shared selectively with the teacher while protecting it from the fellow students).
This is ground breaking, in particular, for the students who feel apprehended in sharing their opinion in larger groups. Second, it provides students with an opportunity to focus more towards the quality of an idea to be shared without worrying about the accuracy of language (Grammar). It happens quite often that students who lack language skills, struggle to put forth their thoughts, even the good ones. Thanks to Micro-blogging, such students can now register their contributions with all fairness. Last but not the least, it allows every student in class to floor his/her view about the topic under discussion within no time. For example, utilizing micro-blogging technology, a teacher can collect 50+ responses to any given statement/question and then flash them on a large screen (SMART boards) in less than a minute.
Despite of some noteworthy benefits, the practice of incorporating micro-blogging in classrooms for teaching and learning purposes is not without criticism. Critics believe that micro-blogging maybe a fine tool to explore for students outside the classroom premises but in classroom it is more of a distraction. Classrooms are meant to serve as learning communities, where teachers primary role as leaders is to help students overcome their fears, how colossal they maybe. Micro-blogging may provide students the temporary shadow to hide the fears but it surely cannot eliminate them. For absolute success, teachers should conduct regular and frequent face-to-face teaching sessions.
Bearing in mind the above two perspectives, please address the following questions: Can micro-blogging help to improve interactions among students? Should teachers make a switch to digital discussions from face-to-face discussions? Should students, being the primary stakeholders, have a say in this decision?
Reference:
Costa, C. & Beham, G. & Reinhardt, W & Sillaots, M. (2008). Microblogging In Technology Enhanced Learning: A Use-Case Inspection of PPE Summer School 2008. In Proceedings of the Workshop on Social Information Retrieval in Technology Enhanced Learning (SIRTEL’08). Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Think, Analyze & Share 
I’d like to answer the posed questions in a reverse order. As for students as “stakeholders” – i quite disagree with the word utilized for pupils. Students are to be the “focus” in a classroom and hence their say should be sought, however we cannot go around doing everything they want in a classroom – and trust me students would unanimously agree to anything that lets them get away with speaking in class [in this case micro-blogging technology].
Even though digital discussions may grant a “voice to the shy bunch of kids – it should not be employed in classrooms as it’s quite distracting and futile in totality – what’s the purpose of coming to a class if there would be no face-to-face interactions? The very purpose of schools would be masked if such technology is used as an education trend.
Respective author of the post wrote in the title that “…Now I can escape the Grammar Police”. Micro-blogging or no micro-blogging, why students should be under estimated in terms of learning a new language which by they way helps to learn new subjects. Globally, education ministry is going to use the correct grammar that’s how it should be. What I take out from this post is that by using not-so-stylish language you can enhance the learning of a child then I think we should start communicating in a sign-language if the sole purpose of language is only to communicate.
One more thing ‘skill’ is meant to be some sort of practice like driving a car, my question? How can micro-blogging make you drive a car when all you can do it read and watch but not drive?
Mirco-blogging can help to enhance the student-student interaction. But, teachers shouldn’t entirely make a switch to digital discussions. You cannot ask a student how to teach him and what to teach him. It’s a teacher’s job and he should be the one who decides about it.
the length of this post completely made me lost and the comments were more confusing. There is no coherence in the post. So i will just answer the three questions the writer asked at the end in the light of the articles i have read.
1)Can micro-blogging help to improve interactions among students?
Yes , because in this way they can say anything without hesitation and they can stand up for they think which they might be unable to do in classroom in front of everyone.
2)Should teachers make a switch to digital discussions from face-to-face discussions?
No, because nothing can replace face to face interaction which is the real purpose of schools and educational institutions.
3)Should students, being the primary stakeholders, have a say in this decision?
Students should have a say in this but the final decision should be of the teacher.
Micro blogging is benefiting in so many ways, no doubt. Micro blogging is definitely improving interaction among student as some students are shy to speak in front of class even when they have so many creative ideas to share so in micro blogging students feel free to share their ideas and thoughts and participate in their best way.
i think teachers should never switch to digital discussion from face-to-face interaction because what they can teach through face-to-face they cannot do this digitally. also students learn more when they are face-to-face discussing or learning anything.
students for sure should have a say but teachers should take final decision because teacher know things better than students and they should not switch entirely to digital discussions.
I just think micro-blogging is and will be helpful regardless of the issue of the use of language or grammar which the people use and as far as the concern goes that students may remain shy by using micro blogging then so be it, they have classes like M.Comm 100 for that matter which are more than enough to boost someone’s confidence if they really want to NOT be shy. All in all micro blogging is an efficient source to transfer or get through bits and pieces of information of educaational purpose to students from their teachers, it saves alot of time.
I believe that education is an act of communication. If communication does not occur effectively, the purpose of education is difficult to achieve. My opinion lies somewhere in the middle. I am neither totally in favor of micro blogging neither am I totally against it. There are many aspects that we need to keep in mind and then put things in perspective in order to maximize the quality of education rather than totally disregarding the innovation or completely ignoring the classical schools of thoughts.
As far as the first question is concerned, my answer is a no. Since we have shifted to social media we have witnessed a communication catastrophe. The potential of misinterpretation in such forms of communication is very high. So not allowing the students to communicate in the real world and giving them micro blogging platforms as an alternative may achieve a short term purpose, but it will have a terrible impact on the students in their practical life. Confidence is the key to effective communication in the real world. And this is very true that in modern forms of communication alternatives like micro-blogging, students may not develop skills for communication in the real world
So there has to be a balance established between both forms of communications. Teacher should not entirely shift to these modern forms of communication but rather these new forms should be additional sources to the already existing forms of communication platforms.
I believe, we must teach our students with the needs of modern world, we could micro blogging in our teaching, but we there is also a need of face to face communication between students and teacher. more over, yes students are the main stakeholder the teaching learning process, they must have say. we should select those things which are related to our culture, then we can progress in the field of education.