Can Twitter be used for Training & Development?

0 Comments/ in Trends in Corporate Learning / by Chris Wofford

May 7, 2012

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Found this older post on Twitter-as-training-tool and thought I’d reshare it.

By now, most of us a thing or two about Twitter. It is a free social networking tool where users submit updates, called “tweets,” about what they are doing at the moment. These text-based tweets cannot exceed 140 characters. If you do a quick search on Twitter, many brand name companies use it as another way to connect and communicate with customers, partners, analysts and employees.

Updates are displayed on the user’s profile page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them. Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of “friends and followers.” Users can receive updates via the Twitter website, SMS text, RSS, or through any ever-growing number of applications such as Twirl and Facebook for mobile devices.

Can Twitter be used for training & development? A few ways to consider:

Provide real-time nuggets of learning
Even faster and more digestible than rapid e-learning, Twitter tweets could be used to distribute real-time/just-in-time nuggets of information as needed. Consider a Twitter network of geographically dispersed sales people who can instantly and constantly share competitive information and insights AS THEY OCCUR IN THE FIELD. Articles, news items, YouTube videos…almost anything can be shared instantly (and easily using the “shorten URL” feature).

Follow-up/archive method
Twitter is a great tool for communicating and asking questions on conference calls and webcasts. Another benefit: using Twitter enables you to keep a record of the questions and comments in a format not unlike a chat or blog post.

Reinforcement & reminders related to processes, policies and procedures
Twitter can be used to reinforce new content because it allows you to send and see quick snippets of information… ideal for sending out reminders, how-to’s, examples and clarifications… all important when it comes to maintaining consistency related to new processes, policies and procedures.

BTW, follow eCornell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ecornell_online.