Blog about Twitter

I think first and foremost, a Twitter discussion is a lot more convenient to be a part of than a Blackboard discussion and especially an in-class discussion. To be frank, in our fast-paced world, there is little time or effort people are willing to make for discussions, especially those that are mandatory, rather than voluntary.

All three platforms are similar in which they enable conversation and discussion. One person speaks while a bunch of other people raise their hands or take turns to reply to the matter at hand. However, I believe there is an order in hierarchy of which platform is more inconvenient and a pain to attend or partake in, for all kinds of people.

In-class discussions require multiple people to be present a set time on a set date. People may have work at certains days and hours or appointments they must attend to, and taking time out of their day for a discussion may be quite a pain for them. In addition, not everyone is at outspoken as the most actively participating student. Much more reserved, quiet students may prefer an online discussion rather than one where they must speak and talk over others. Also, mind you, not all in-class discussions are so conservative that people will take turns by raising their hands; sometimes, talking-over others and a free discussion with minimum restrictions is permitted. So those who are quite active and assertive are prone to overtaking the entire discussion or debate.

Blackboard Discussion, on the other hand, provides a safe and easy to read platform for people to discuss their thoughts and reply to posts other people's replies for positive or even negative feedback. As the platform is Blackboard, a certain level of professionalism is expected so students are less prone to acting out or talking over others (as there is no 'others' to talk over).

However, Twitter, I believe, is the best alternative. Blackboard Discussion often allows people to talk in a long, long tangent, and in addition, GETTING to the Blackboard Discussion is more of a hassle than going on Twitter, typing or clicking on a hashtag and looking at all the posts discussing the similar topic or people who are in the same class. The short character limit also forces people to be more concise with their stances or summaries, which might make it more easy for people on-the-go to reply to or digest. Even if someone wants to elaborate further, they can simple add another tweet under their original, to continue their point further (like a thread)!

That being said, although Twitter can get a bit congested sometimes (because I heard their reply outline is awful), the user interface for Blackboard on mobile is not all that great either. In fact, I think most school websites who try to integrate into mobile or iPad are completely garbage considering our time of communication and information technologies. I know Blackboard Discussions are typically done through computers or laptops, but I think during this age, where people use their phones religiously for easy access and communication, it's time to get a whole rework on these app integrations.