A brief introduction on the merits of using twitter for researchers and academics.

1. Who gives a tweet?
The benefits of using social media such as
twitter and blogs to enhance
your research and professional learning
networks.
Dr Karen Strickland

2. Reproduced with permission from Sarah Stewart: http://www.slideshare.net/sarahs/how-to-use-twitter-for-learning-and-teaching

3. Alec Couros

4. Using social media

5. Researcher networks

6. What is twitter?
• Social network
• Micro blogging platform – 140 characters
• Allows a wide range of people connect and network in real time
• Works on a follower principle

7. Reproduced with permission from Sarah Stewart: http://www.slideshare.net/sarahs/how-to-use-twitter-for-learning-and-teaching

8. Why should you tweet?
• Networking with colleagues,
• Sharing your research, successes,
• Crowdsourcing ideas, information etc
• Continuing professional development
• Impact & reputation

9. Why should researchers give a tweet about twitter?
• Tweeting links to your
blog or research papers
increases the rate of
download
• More readers = greater
potential for
impact/citations
• Increase your visibility
through networking
London School of Economics and Politics (2012)
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2012/04/19/blog-tweeting-
papers-worth-it/

10. Networking:
Conference participation (backchannel)
• Follow conference
hashtag e.g.
#ISSOTL2012
• Access to conference
dialogue even when
you can’t attend
• Connect & network
in a different way

11. Twitter for CPD
• Get to know your relevant hastags!
• Join in tweetchats, visitor or resident?
• Maybe even become a host
Some relevant hastags:
• Higher education: #LoveHE #HigherEd,
• Research: #PhDChat, #EcrChat
• Healthcare: #WeNurses, #WePharm

12. Blogging
• Wider dissemination of your research/work,
• Offering advice, different angle to papers,
• Three strikes and a blog
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/
2013/09/30/three-strikes-and-a-blog-hartley/

13. Developing your professional learning network
• Think about your
digital identity
• Decide how you
want to use twitter
& communicate that
in your profile
• Link to your own
webpage or blog
• http://strictlykaren.wordpress.com
• http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/karen-strickland/
41/52b/3bb
• https://twitter.com/strictlykaren

14. Developing your professional learning network
• Find people to follow: do a search of
names you think may be on twitter
• Have a look at who like minded
people follow and follow them
• Tweet regularly – keep your
followers interested
• Use hashtags to connect with others
Some suggestions:
@RobertGordonUni
@RGULibrary
@strictlykaren
@wenurses

15. When twitter can go wrong

16. Further resources
• Using twitter guide
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2011/09/29/twitter-guide/
• 100 serious tips on using twitter
http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/blog/2012/04/23/100-serious-twitter-tips-for-
academics-2/#.T5gmUr_j6Fs.delicious
• JISC legal guide http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/august/twitter-and-the-
law-10-legal-risks-in-tweeting-from-or-to-the-uk/
• JISC e safety http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/Themes/eSafety.aspx
• RGU Social Media Toolkit http://www.rgu.ac.uk/staff/social-media-toolkit