Check the zeitgeist with hashtags

Check the zeitgeist with hashtags
by Harold Jarche | Thu, 12/18/2008 - 21:16

Twitter is a microblogging platform that has really caught fire this year. It lets you send out a stream of short bursts like quick links to topics of interest only to people who have chosen to follow you. By adding the pound sign (#) to a word you can can create hashtags. Examples of hashtags of interest to readers here might be:

university

edubooks

college

You can even subscribe to the RSS feed for a term to follow it for a period of time (follow links above).

I think that this is one more tool that can be used to stay up to date on a subject or topic. Combining hastags with social bookmarks can let you cast an even wider net, as this search for items tagged university on Delicious shows. If you're looking for bloggers who discuss university-related issues, use Technorati and you can get a list ranked by popularity.

With informal online learning (not courses) the bits of information only make sense as part of a larger stream but it takes time to see patterns emerge. Blogging becomes more powerful over time as you develop your voice, social bookmarks increase in value as they get connected and Twitter's "tweets" take time to follow the various conversations. Starting to follow several people on Twitter is like arriving late at a cocktail party.

If you're new to social media, the best approach is to choose one tool at a time, jump in and use it and let the conversation flow by you for a while. Dipping in and out doesn't let you experience the feel of the ocean of digital sharing that social media enable; you have to jump in and follow a current.

 

 

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