Blog about Twitter

While both Twitter and Blackboard are online communication tools that facilitate discussion and feedback, they are different in their structures and usages.

Twitter is a general purpose social media platform with millions of users. Each message is limited to 140 characters, so choice of words is very important. Otherwise, it could be taken out of context and being misunderstood. Tweets are generally public and viewable by anyone, unless you start a Direct Message to a specific user. Tweets are organized by hashtags, allowing users to search for a particular topic or see what’s trending. The primary purpose of Twitter is to send short, concise messages to others as a form of "microblogging".

Blackboard, on the other hand, is a learning management system. Its usage is limited to classroom settings and discussions are typically facilitated by the professor. The discussion board is a forum, in which someone may post a topic, and others can post a reply to this topic. Blackboard discussions are restricted to students enrolled in the particular course. There is no specific restriction on the character limit in each message. Finally, being that it is a learning management system, Blackboard has other features, such as syllabus, announcements, and assignments, which allow the instructor to post class materials and students to submit their work.

Still, neither Twitter nor Blackboard can replace in-classroom discussions. Face-to-face communication is important, as it brings a level of human interaction that no online activity can replace. In-classroom instructions are always considered the most direct teaching-and-learning method. The instructor can facilitate discussions more lively, and it nurtures students’ engagement and participation as it creates an environment that more conducive to learning.