Blog about Twitter

Even though Twitter and Blackboard are internet based platforms, I find Twitter to be more similar to in-classroom discussions. In in-classroom discussions, thoughts are usually fresh and based directly on comments made by the previous classmates. On Twitter, because of the 140 character limit and the standard of tweeting a few times a minute, the thoughts are fresh. Twitter is based on user interaction so it acts as an open chat group or forum that due to the global reach of Twitter, never closes because someone is always awake somewhere. On Blackboard, posts do not appear immediately on posting. The page has to be refreshed and the user would have to redirect themselves back to the main discussion board. In that way, the layout of Blackboard is not at all conducive to a open, ongoing discussion. Again, in this way, the in-classroom discussion is more similar to Twitter because the responses and immediately available. Of the three, I prefer in-classroom discussion because one can observe and absorb certain tones, speech patterns, and facial movements that enhance the quality and potency of certain arguments. And those are qualities that I prefer when engaging in discussions. However, in an online class, Twitter is certainly more likely to facilitate a fruitful discussion.