I signed up for Twitter for a few reasons but mainly to try it out and see what all the buzz was about. I thought it would be a great way to follow some of my favorite people like certain tech journalists and celebrities. Twitter also became a part of my online computer information systems class where an exploration and discussion with my classmates on Twitter was required.
Twitter is great for following your favorite people. However, when it comes to having a discussion on twitter there are some advantages and disadvantages. There are also some differences between the discussion on Twitter and the Blackboard Discussion board that many CUNY students use.
One of the main things that someone will notice when having a discussion on Twitter is the rapid replies that come in your group of followers. This is not the case with Blackboard. Unlike Blackboard, users of Twitter are not confined to their computers, but have access to the service from many mobile phones. A twitter feed is easier to make into a habit of constantly refreshing and replying to messages. This is not the case in blackboard.
Many users of Twitter often complain about the 140-character limit on posts. On Blackboard, there is not a limit that I know of. This allows for more detailed answers and responses. Twitter does have some third party services like Twitlonger which allows for longer posts, but it is not in the culture of twitter to send very long messages. One great tool that can be used in Twitter for discussions in the ability to provide links to web pages that pertain to the topic at hand and that might be of interest to your followers.
Twitter is a great tool and if used properly can host a discussion, but I feel that many students will miss the more cultured Blackboard Discussion board.
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