Twitter, also known as Microblogging allows for short messages (maximum 140 characters) to be sent over the Web or from cell phones. It is a synchronous communication tool in that communication happens faster than over regular email. Twitter basically answers the question "What are you doing?"

Ruth Reynard, an educator writing in Campus Technology says that microblogging "increases the sense of accountability" because the message needs to be short and precise: exactly what the corresponder means. With the 140 characters available this boils the message down to what is relevant and Ruth Reynard reflects that "comprehensible input" is a notion in the theory by Krashen (1985 - The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Implications. London: Longman). If students receive meaningful information from the instructor they perceive him or her as relevant in their lives. Relevancy improves student-faculty contact, active learning, and retention. Read the entire article following the link below under suggested reading.

Twitter allows people to stay connected. The delivery and receiving of text messages can be restricted to specified users or be fully public. Updates can be received through several channels such as RSS, SMS, email, Facebook, or twitterific (a twitter reader software.)

YouTube Video: Twitter in Plain English