You've more than likely run across someone or some company asking you to "follow" them on Twitter and just as likely, you've wondered what all the hub-bub was about.  This installment of What's the New What? takes us into the abstract world of Twitter.

What is it?

Twitter is "a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send and read other users updates (a.k.a. tweets), which are text based posts of up to 140 characters in length."
Twitter. (2009, March 25). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:29, March 25, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Twitter&oldid=279547742

How It Works

Twitter, a free web service, is powered by it's users, often referred to as Tweeps, Twitterers, Twits, and more.  I'll just keep it simple here and refer to users as, well, Twitter users.  Users post updates via their Twitter homepage or through a plethora of 3rd party apps available for browsers and mobile devices.  If you use Facebook, think Status Updates for these posts.  Often, as in my case, users will use one or the other to update both Facebook and Twitter (or other networking sites). 

Other users, called "Followers" can read and reply to an update .   By posting short, ~140 character "tweets" onto my Twitter homepage (a.k.a - Twitter stream) I can communicate with a broad network of colleagues, friends .  These people, referred to as Followers, are other Twitter users that choose to subscribe to my Twitter stream because they find (at some level) what I am posting interesting or helpful.  Once read a post can be replied to by prefixing the username with the "@" symbol.  For instance, if someone intended to reply to me in a Twitter post (a.k.a - tweet), they would simple begin the tweet with @briancsmith (see @chrislehmann's reply below):

Twitter Challenge

Ryan Bretag (@ryanbretag) has a challenge for those interested in what Twitter offers: 

Thus, my challenge to those of you exploring the potential of Twitter, those of you promoting Twitter (share this approach), or those of you that have dismissed it in the past is to do the following things for 30 days and then (re)evaluate the value of Twitter:

 

1. Follow 100 people from the following lists of educators: Twitter4Teachers, Director of Learning Professionals,  Top 100 Edu Tweeters
   Yes, 100 people sounds like a lot but you need to immerse yourself in a loud enough crowd. Be sure to be diverse in your selection including a global focus.
2. Download and run TweetDeck on your computer as a means of having Twitter always on.
   This is the critical step. It allows you to engage synchronously and asynchronously
   
3. Understand and engage with the following Twitter Basics:
   @ - when placed in front of a twitter name, it allows the person to see a reply to them under Replies
   RT: - you this to retweat a tweet that is worthy of sending again
   # - hash tags to track specific conversations (try #ascd in Twitter Search to see what I mean)
   DM - Direct Message users for private messages
4. Post at least 5 Tweets a day: something great (or a struggle) from your teaching/leading/learning that day, a question for the day, something that displays your personality and interests, and two replies to Tweets from others
   
5. Optional: Utilize some of the great Twitter Apps that make the experience that much richer: Top 10 Twitter Apps for iPhone, Mr. Tweet, TwitterEarth, Twist, or some of these other great tools.

In the next 30 days, embrace Twitter as something more than just a random spot to visit on the web. Turn on the network and see what it can do for you by embracing this 30 Day Challenge! You’ll be happy you did.

Talk to you on Twitter,
@ryanbretag