To be truly effective, online learning must facilitate the social process of learning. This involves providing space and opportunities for students and faculty to engage in social activities. Although learning management systems offer several tools that support social learning and student engagement, the scope, structure, and functionality of those tools can inhibit and restrain just-in-time social connections and interactions. In this paper, we describe the results of our use of Twitter to encourage free-flowing just-in-time interactions and how these interactions enhanced social presence in our online courses.

1. InvestigatingTwitter’sability to enhance social presence Patrick Lowenthal | patrick.lowenthal@ucdenver.edu | Twitter: @plowenthal Joni Dunlap | joni.dunlap@ucdenver.edu | Twitter: @jonidunlap

2. Research questions What are student's perceptions of using Twitter in an online course? [Quantitative + Qualitative] What are the different perceptions of social presence between students who use Twitter and those who don't? [Quantitative + Qualitative]

4. Phase 1 results

5. Phase 1 results “Twitter has been a great way for me to check in with everyone who is using it. I found out how other’s were feeling about school, how life was treating them, how their jobs and families were doing. This is something much more intimate than mandatory weekly discussions...”

6. Phase 2 results

7. Phase 2 results

8. Connected to instructor Top 5 Activities

9. Connected to instructor Bottom 5 Activities

10. Connected to peers Top 5 Activities

11. Connected to peers Bottom 5 Activities

13. Twitter since I had never used Twitter and I believe it is limiting to the number of characters

15. Twitter since I had never used Twitter and I believe it is limiting to the number of characters

17. Twitter since I had never used Twitter and I believe it is limiting to the number of characters

19. Connected to peers What was the least effective at helping you feel connected to your peers? • Twitter, don't get it or understand why to keep people up to date when I am working… • The Twitter …I think it is good to know who your classmates are but to know what they are doing every minute is not interesting to me. • I don't use or get twitter at all. I think its lame.

20. Connected to peers What was the least effective at helping you feel connected to your peers? • Twitter, don't get it or understand why to keep people up to date when I am working… • The Twitter …I think it is good to know who your classmates are but to know what they are doing every minute is not interesting to me. • I don't use or get twitter at all. I think its lame.

21. Phase 3 plan Complete interviews in May & June 2010 Four students with high SP scores, four students with low SP scores Sample questions: 3. In an online course, how important do you think feeling connected to your instructor is as well as getting a sense that your instructor is "there" and "real"? Why? What types of technologies and learning activities help? 4. In an online course, how important do you think feeling connected to your peers is as well as getting a sense that they are "there" and "real"? Why? What types of technologies and learning activities help?

22. Discussion Preliminary results are different for Phase Two than Phase One Need to spend more time helping students “Get it” Must recognize it might not be a good “fit” for all People form strong feelings about Twitter before ever using it Low tech solutions might be a better alternative

23. Conclusion More data needed Where to invest time and energy Variety is the spice of life

24. Follow us on Twitter Joni Dunlap | Twitter: @jonidunlap Patrick Lowenthal | Twitter: @plowenthal Paper & Presentation available |www.slideshare.net/plowenthal/documents