Step 4: Twitter Chats(II)

 As we just saw, hashtags make it easier to search and follow the Twitter conversations on specific topics at any time. Sometimes people gather around to discuss a specific topic at a specific time. This is a Twitter Chat and a hashtag is the glue that brings the Twitter Chat together. What are Twitter chats? Twitter chats are one of the best ways for educators to connect with other people(educators), exchange and debate ideas, ask for help and provide assistance, find new resources and take action. Twitter chats are where educators meet a set “meeting time” to engage in conversations by sending out tweets on a topic using a designated hashtag during a specific time on a certain day. Most Twitter chats last for an hour. During the Twitter chat, you will see educators tweet their responses in real time. The best way to participate in a Twitter chat is to set up a search for the hashtag in the Twitter app on your mobile device.
Participating in a Twitter chat normally have a moderator (or several) who guide the conversation during the chat using a Question and Answer format. Prior to the Twitter chat, the moderator decide on the topic of the chat and organize a series of 5-10 questions to ask during the chat. The chat normally starts by introducing the topic and asking participants to introduce themselves. Twitter chats are a conversation — you can add your extra thoughts and ideas to anyone’s answer by replying to their tweet and including the hashtag. Provide the hashtag is included, everyone in the Twitter chat will see your reply.Twitter chats
 Keeping up with A Twitter Chat, Tweets can fly fast in a Twitter chat. Don’t worry if you cannot keep up! Here are some tips to help you: Archives, moderators often curate or archive the information and resources shared during the chat session. Be prepared and selectived, you don’t need response every question. You can resume the conversation with people at any time, follow up if you were interested in what someone had to say. Lurk, it’s fine to just watch a few chats before you decide to contribute and if you like a Tweet by pressing on the heart, you can go back and look at these later.
A relatively new feature of Twitter for mobile is Bookmarks.You can bookmark Tweets you’d like to refer to later.