Introduction



A number of OERu courses use microblogging to support learning and help learners connect with each other. We anticipate that a large number of OERu learners will not be active microbloggers. This support tutorial has been prepared for students who have been asked to create a microblog account to support their learning, but don't know where to start.

Microblogs originated in 2005 when they were first known as tumblelogs[1]. By 2006 and 2007, the term microblog came into greater usage referring to services offered by Tumblr and Twitter.

Think of a microblog as a stream of digital consciousness comprising short and concise posts in answer to the question: What are you doing or thinking now?



Outcomes

In this tutorial, you will:
  • Create a free microblog account on Twitter;
  • Establish an account on WikiEducator to use WENotes - a microblog-like feature used on OERu courses;
  • Decipher the anatomy of a micropost;
  • Cover a few basic tips and microblogging conventions;
  • Prepare a test microblog post on Twitter and WENotes.


President Barack Obama tweets a question during the Twitter Town Hall on 6 July 2011.
Let us know if you are a regular microblog reader or poster and whether this is your first attempt to create a microblog account by logging into WikiEducator (you can create a free account) and responding to the following poll:

  1. How would you rate your knowledge of using microblog software?
    • Beginner
    • Intermediate
    • Advanced
  2. How frequently do you read microblog posts?
    • Never
    • Sometimes
    • Frequently
  3. Before today, did you have a registered microblog account?
    • Yes
    • No
    • Not sure
  4. How frequently do you post microblog entries?
    • Never
    • Sometimes
    • Frequently

Notes

  1. See Microblogging article on Wikipedia