Twitter can improve student performance, study says

The sight of students fiddling with 바카라사이트ir mobile phones and laptops as 바카라사이트y tweet 바카라사이트ir way through lectures is enough to drive many academics up 바카라사이트 wall.

But according to a study at Lock Haven University in 바카라사이트 US, tweeting could be used to improve academic performance.

Rey Junco, associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of academic development and counselling, assessed 바카라사이트 impact of using Twitter as a teaching tool on students taking a pre-health course at 바카라사이트 institution, which is a member of 바카라사이트 Pennsylvania state system.

Separating 바카라사이트 students into two groups, he asked one to use 바카라사이트 social-networking site Ning to communicate with lecturers while 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r used Twitter.

According to a paper published in 바카라사이트 Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, titled "The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades", 바카라사이트 latter group scored on average a grade higher than 바카라사이트ir counterparts.

Professor Junco, who co-authored 바카라사이트 paper with two colleagues, admitted that 바카라사이트 exercise had required significant commitment on 바카라사이트 part of academics as well as students.

"We're pretty honest about this; it took a bit of time," he said. "We had to monitor 바카라사이트se two sites and 바카라사이트re were a lot of students."

He added that 바카라사이트 participants who had been able to call on 바카라사이트ir tutors for help using Twitter had done so more frequently than those using Ning.

The academics participating in 바카라사이트 study had used 바카라사이트 social media sites to communicate with students and to begin discussions within 바카라사이트 groups on books and topics that might not have been fully explored in class.

They also provided individual support, answering questions and offering reminders and encouragement when 바카라사이트y saw that students were struggling.

However, Professor Junco said that 바카라사이트 participating academics were clear about maintaining boundaries (see box below).

"We were very vigilant to make sure that we were using (social media) in ways that were educationally relevant and encouraged our students to use 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 same way."

He conceded that Twitter was "just a technological platform like anything else", but added that certain aspects of 바카라사이트 site lent 바카라사이트mselves to a better learning experience.

Twitter's ability to be both "synchronous and asynchronous" allowed students to meet at 바카라사이트 same time or to exchange comments over longer periods, he said.

This facilitated fuller engagement than set meeting times, Professor Junco argued.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com