Twitter Chat as an Informal Learning Tool: A Case Study using #sachat

Kevin R. Guidry (Indiana University, USA) and Laura Pasquini (University of North Texas, USA)
Copyright: © 2013 |Pages: 377
EISBN13: 9781466626447|DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-1930-2.ch019
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Abstract

This case study focuses on Twitter as an informal learning tool. Specifically, the authors examine user-created Twitter chats using one specific chat, #sachat, as a case study. #sachat is a weekly one-hour chat held on Twitter and populated by higher education professionals in the field of student affairs (e.g. college admissions, advising, housing, new student orientation). The authors contrast this chat with other ways in which student affairs and higher education professionals are using Twitter. Using methods of computer-mediated discourse analysis, they then discover and elicit defining characteristics of #sachat. Finally, the authors offer thoughts on why this chat seems to be successful as an informal learning resource, how it compares to other uses of Twitter by professionals, and implications for other communities interested in using Twitter or similar tools to create informal learning.
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