Contributor: Carol Rolheiser, Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation, University of Toronto
Ingredients (any equipment or supplies needed for the activity): None
Method:
At the end of a learning activity (e.g., a workshop, facilitation, class, institute) participants are asked to individually share a “Take-Away Tweet”, which is their 140 characters (or less) of wisdom. The Tweet reflects a take-away from the activity that has implications for their subsequent work, an action they want to take, or something that resonated for them. Each person takes a couple of minutes to jot their Tweet down, and then participants are invited to verbally share their Tweet, either in a community circle format (with the right to pass) or by popcorn-style throughout the room. The facilitator ends the session by encouraging any participants to subsequently share their actual Tweet on relevant Twitter accounts, if they would like to do so.
Sample slides for the activity
Special Notes: A quick strategy for facilitators and participants to summarize key insights that the learners are taking away from the activity.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Twitter.com!
I first used this idea of a tweet as a “Starter” for a meeting I was chairing for our President’s Teaching Academy (recipients of the President’s Teaching Award, the University of Toronto’s highest teaching honour), with our President and Provost. Academy members were asked to share one aspect of teaching and learning at the University of Toronto that they were currently rethinking – in the form of a metaphorical “Tweet.” With approximately 140 characters to capture their big ideas this was a useful way to quickly get some ideas on the table about the future of teaching at U of T and to fuel our subsequent discussion.
References:
We have a short article that illustrates this on one of our Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation’s websites, where we share stories of teaching and learning across the University of Toronto. See http://rethink.utoronto.ca/pta/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
