I led a “lunch and learn” today at Columbia Seminary on Twitter.  I find web 2.0 stuff really fun to think about, and enjoy teaching, so it was a good time for me — and nobody walked out, so I think others enjoyed it a bit too.  Here’s the outline I used, borrowed hugely from Jeffrey Levy’s wiki here (which I found via twitter, of course).  It was a small enough group that I could take plenty of questions throughout, but here’s the general flow…

Twitter Presentation to CTS Staff/Faculty

prolegomena

• I’ve only been Twittering for six weeks.
• I enjoy it, I’ve experienced it, I’ve read up on it a bit, but….I wouldn’t want to take a Carlos exam on it.
• Sort of like Montreat: really difficult to explain; you just have to experience it for yourself
• credit and thanks to: http://microblog4gov.pbwiki.com/Webinar Jeffrey Levy, Director of Web Communications, EPA (and example of use of Twitter)

here we go:

Imagine if you could….

• get quick answers to simple questions (like, what new book do you recommend?)
• throw out new ideas to get responses from people whose opinions you trust
• be supported by colleagues and friends around the world (say more….)
• keep up with the buzz
• establish a network of people involved in issues similar to yours, with the ability to check them out beyond a handshake

2. Basics
* (show simple tweet) Online, 140 characters
* (show public stream) Visible to all, in theory, but…
* Mostly, other people aren’t listening
* Create a professional account
*Differences between microblog, FB status, IM other? (this is key. show the difference.)

2b Images
*front porch
*stream/river
*cocktail party
*lifestreaming
*waterhole
*microblogging

3. Focus, or — so, how do you network now?
* (show @xxx tweet) With people you know
* So what?
o Like quick conversation in hall, on elevator
o Tweet as “look at this” / “here’s more” / “whaddya think?”

4. Professional ways to use Twitter (why use it?)
* Networking
o Meeting people in your field
o Who does @aaa follow? I’ll check out @bbb, then.
o Two-way communications
+ issue discussions
* Listening
o Early detection system
o Opinions, feedback from experts
* Broadcasting
o Sharing resources
+ Website, doc, event
+ RSS feed
o Live tweeting (at conferences)
o Public outreach/explanations

5. Following (as in, so how do I do that)
* (show a tweet from @yyy) Who’s this?
* (show @yyy profile) Aha
* (show @yyy stream) Okay, this person’s got stuff to say
(show follow) Now I can see what they say

6. Joining the conversation (Using Twitter)
* Posting
* Retweeting
Direct messages

Getting Started….if time

Additional Info:
–note mobile device/cpu divine
–twitter clients (Tweetdeck, Tweetie, Twitterific, DetroyTwitter)
–Search twitter: search.twitter.com

End with:
Doc Searls, “Screw Popularity. Just Make Yourself Useful”
“”Friends” and “followers” aren’t what matter. If you want substance, you need useful inputs. Not volume. Not style. Not popularity. Those have their places, just not in your face when you’re looking for useful and interesting stuff.”
….about being useful; Twitter as a tool for service