An interesting reality of social media is that users end up locked into systems with obvious limitations. Users feel they must accept these limitations because that is where other users are. This is such a strange position to be in for those who see technology as a remedy for outdated systems.
I have written on multiple occasions about the limitations of Twitter as a tool for educator chats. I have even attempted to come up with suggestions for how chat groups might improve the benefits of engaging in chats on Twitter.
One important limitation of Twitter discussions I so no way to modify is the very limited comments users can generate. Imagine a face to face discussion in which individuals were forced to state their positions and offer explanations in 140 characters or less. [The first two sentences of this paragraph contain 261 characters] Why not look for a tool more appropriate to a more meaningful discussion?
Here is a recommendation. Most edchats involve a small number of participants. I would suggest for a given session the group try a different “microblog” and see if they think the interaction is more useful. My recommendation would be Mastodon. The open source Mastodon project makes use of a tool that looks very much like Tweetdeck.
The 500 character limit offers far greater flexibility of expression. Educators – be risk takers when the risk offers advantages over what you are doing now.
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