Utilising Twitter for Promoting Active Learning in Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Twitter is one of the free micro bloggings available today. Created in 2006, Twitter has about 500 million registered users worldwide. Many scholars have been debating over the use of Twitter in teaching and learning. This paper discusses how active learning can be promoted using Twitter at the National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM). The concept of back channelling through Twitter is illustrated by looking at the screenshots of tweets and retweets during classroom learning of a course at the NDUM. Observations are the main method adopted in this paper. As a preliminary paper, casual conversations with the students on their opinions about Twitter and back channelling are also discussed. Initial findings suggest two things including the need for proper guides when using Twitter for promoting active learning, and the fact that not all students are able to have access to Twitter may have lessened the impact that it can have onto students.