Some educators are beginning to use Twitter.com to take classroom discussions into the everyday world. Twitter allows users to post short snippets of information, which are then distributed to specified user via cell phone or website.

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently published an article describing how Twitter is used by Connecticut State University instructor Jason B. Jones:

"Last semester he required the 20 students in his "Introduction to Computer-Mediated Communication" course to sign up for Twitter and to send a few messages each week as part of a writing assignment. He also invited his students to follow his own Twitter feed, in which he sometimes writes several short thoughts - not necessarily profound ones - each day. One morning, for instance, he sent out a message that read: "Reading, prepping for grad class, putting off running until it warms up a bit." The week before, one of his messages included a link to a Web site he wanted his students to check out.

The posts from students also mixed the mundane with the useful. One student Twittered that she just bought a pet rabbit. Another noted that a topic from the class was being discussed on a TV-news report."

Some students find believe that Twitter is a useful way to stay in touch with their learning communities. Others resent the constant intrusion and the additional cell phone charges.