Teaching and learning 24/7 using Twitter in a university classroom: Experiences from a developing country

It is understood that microblogging (tweeting) which is a form of Web 2.0, has been a centre of attraction in some institutions of higher education. However, despite its hype and pomp as reported by some scholars in developed countries, integration of Twitter in a classroom environment in developing countries is just beginning to flourish. In Malawi for example, it remains unknown how Twitter can be effectively assimilated into a university classroom to enhance teaching and learning. In this study therefore, I report on the findings about the practical use of Twitter in two university courses offered in the Department of Library and Information Science at Mzuzu University in Malawi. Findings of the study show that if properly deployed, Twitter is indeed an impetus of the much hailed learner-centred approach to teaching and learning. With the use of Twitter, I found that students shared and discussed course content with colleagues and me (lecturer) 24/7. Specifically, with the proliferation of Internet enabled phones and other mobile devices in Malawi, the study found that it was possible for students to generate out-of-class discussions and learn from each other without necessarily meeting physically. In addition, students were key contributors to their own learning as it was possible to effectively search, generate and share their own content through creating knowledge collaboratively. However, limited access to the Internet (due to unavailability of Wi-Fi) by students coupled with exorbitant Internet bundles, remain key challenges against the effective appropriation of Twitter in a university classroom.