The following tips and instructions will prepare you to introduce Twitter activities:
- Identify a specialized hashtag accompanied next to a keyword for each section or course that you are teaching. For example, I use #eatmontreal for a food writing course that I offer (see Figure 2 below).
- Next, create a twitter feed widget or online display for your hashtag and post it on a prominent page of your online course management system or website (see Figure 2 below). Directions for making a twitter feed widget will follow.
The following steps will help you sign up for twitter and create a twitter feed widget for your online course management system. If you don’t have an online course management system, you can sign up for free server space on the Internet with a number of blogging sites, such as Blogger, Weebly, WordPress or Tumblr, to name only a few. To create your twitter feed widget, you will need a personal computer and Internet service.
Tip: In order to complete this task, you should have an online course management system such as Moodle or Blackboard or a course website and a basic understanding or knowledge of how to embed HTML code or hypertext markup language on a web page. If you don’t have this understanding or capability, consider omitting the Twitter feed widget.
1. Open Twitter in your browser window: www.twitter.com
2. Sign up for an account or log into your current Twitter account.
Tip: Avoid using dates and underscores when choosing a Twitter name. If possible, use your full name to establish the authenticity of your account.
3. Once you are logged into your account, select the Settings button located on the upper right side of the page as shown in Figure 3.
4. Once you have opened Settings, select Widgets as shown in Figure 4.
5. Select Create New.
