Student Twitter Conversations with Authors
In the Freshman Program unit "Defining our Reader Identities," students, with the help of our librarians, choose a Self-Selected Text that they read independently prior to writing a summative Book Review.
Throughout the unit, students are challenged to go beyond the book and discover more about their authors. Part of the Book Review assignment focuses on author credibility and an author's use of rhetoric to impact narrative of the text. Using social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, students were able to do more than passively research their authors; they actively connected with the authors and asked questions or gave feedback. Students can follow authors on Twitter, like them on Facebook or comment on their blogs and websites; many are also on YouTube. Interviews and other insights into the author's intent can be used to form student opinions and enhance their research. |