Module 1 Web Tool Review: Twitter

1. Name of tool: Twitter

2. URL of tool: twitter.com

3. Primary category of tool: Communication

4. Description of tool:
Twitter™ is a very popular tool with a growing number of subscribers. It has been estimated that there are over 100 million users of Twitter™ worldwide.

Twitter™ is a blogging tool used to communicate and follow groups of interest to you. More specifically, Twitter™ would be best subclassified as a microblogging tool. This microblog limits the size of all messages to a maximum of 140 text-based characters per message. Weblinks can be incorporated into the messages. Each message can be referred to as a “tweet”. The act of sending messages on Twitter™ can be referred to as “tweeting”. After a simple and free registration process, users can begin sending and receiving messages on their computers and smartphones. The user can search for potential “people” to “follow”. Groups to follow may actually refer to an individual person, business, or organization. For example, I may select to follow the University of Houston (see below); I would then be considered to be a “follower”.




I would then receive regular updates of “tweets” from the University of Houston. I can then choose to reply to any or all of the “tweets”. I would then insert my comment (limited to 140 characters) into the “What’s happening?” box. My comment will then be sent back to the group I was following and all the people who have elected to follow the group.

Twitter™ has many potential uses. Twitter™ has been reported to also be used for educational purposes, political campaigning, public surveys, and direct consumer sales.

5. Prerequisite Skills: Minimal. Basic computer knowledge is required including fundamental use of the internet.

6. Prerequisite Resources: Internet access is required; this tool can also be accessed by most smartphones. A verifiable email account is also required.

7. Use of tool:
• Create Twitter™ account (see above)
• Login to Twitter™ using email and password

• The Home page will be displayed. Tweets from all the groups that you follow will be displayed. You can choose to select any of the tweets to read and to also add your comments. You would then insert your comments within the box and click on the “Tweet” button (see below for University of Houston example).

• By selecting the “Find People” tab at the top of the page, you can search for people, businesses, and organizations to then select to be a follower.
• Selecting the “Follow” box located at the upper left portion of the page will make you a follower of this group. You will then see an updated listing of their postings on your “Home” page.

8. Example: This is an example from one group that I follow: The American Society of Anesthesiologists.



• Here is a sample of a posting from them on my Home page:









• If I click the web link, this will take me to their website for additional information.
• If I select the “Reply” option, the following box will appear in which I can add my comments. Clicking on the “Tweet” button will then send my comments back to the ASALifeline and to all of their followers.

• Here is my response (Tweet):





9. Scenario:

I would like to describe several ways for utilizing Twitter™ as an educational tool with the incoming class of Fellows in Pediatric Anesthesiology. I am envisioning that Twitter™ could be utilized for sending messages, asking for opinions, discussing clinical scenarios, surveying the group, and perhaps inserting links to additional sites of relevance. The initial requirements would be for all the Fellows to create a Twitter™ account, for myself to create a group, and for the Fellows to select to “follow” my group. Twitter™ could also be utilized by the Fellows from their smartphones.


I would like to first develop an example for an appropriate educational scenario such as the issues associated with children that are having a surgical procedure and also have had a recent upper respiratory infection. As background information, children are at increased risk for respiratory complications if a recent upper respiratory infection is present. It can commonly become a difficult controversial decision regarding to proceed or cancel an elective surgical procedure for a child with a recent upper respiratory infection. This issue would make a great topic for discussion in addition to the fact that this is one of the most common reasons for surgical case cancellation in children.

Sending messages on Twitter™ for this educational scenario may include items such as announcing the details of a small group lecture on this topic. The limit of 140 characters would be sufficient to list the lecture topic, date, time, and room location. Other messages could be sent such as announcing reading assignments on this topic and the upcoming case conference session. Messages regarding other related educational opportunities on this topic could also be shared with the Fellows.

Opinions could be obtained with the assistance from Twitter™. For example, all the Fellows could be asked what they think are the highest risk factors for children with upper respiratory infections that are also having surgical procedures. In addition, the Fellows could also be encouraged to briefly discuss the comments made by other Fellows. If I had poor initial response, I could facilitate the discussion by adding my own opinion to the group. For example, I may state that I think that having asthma is the most important risk factor. What do others think?

Surveying the group could also be utilized with Twitter for this clinical scenario. For example, I could develop a brief clinical scenario and ask the group to comment if they would proceed with the surgical procedure, cancel the surgical procedure, or require additional information. I could further expand this discussion by surveying the group regarding clinical management choices. For example, I may ask the group to select which anesthesia medication they would administer. These results could then be collected and shared with the entire group. These results may then trigger additional comments and controversies.

10. Advantages of tool:

Free

Very popular (likely to have many groups that interest you)

Mobile applications available e.g. smartphones

Many uses including marketing, social, and business

Simple to use and navigate

Can follow anonymously

Automatically receive updated postings

11. Disadvantages of tool:

• Limited content of less than 140 text based characters
• Anyone can select to follow you if default settings selected
• Unclear identity of followers since they select the screenname
• Potential for overwhelming amount of messages