Twitter, a popular microblogging service, has received much attention recently. An important characteristic of Twitter is its real-time nature. For example, when an earthquake occurs, people make many Twitter posts (tweets) related to the earthquake, which enables detection of earthquake occurrence promptly, simply by observing the tweets. As described in this paper, we investigate the real-time interaction of events such as earthquakes in Twitter and propose an algorithm to monitor tweets and to detect a target event. To detect a target event, we devise a classifier of tweets based on features such as the keywords in a tweet, the number of words, and their context. Subsequently, we produce a probabilistic spatiotemporal model for the target event that can find the center and the trajectory of the event location. We consider each Twitter user as a sensor and apply Kalman filtering and particle filtering, which are widely used for location estimation in ubiquitous/pervasive computing. The particle filter works better than other comparable methods for estimating the centers of earthquakes and the trajectories of typhoons. As an application, we construct an earthquake reporting system in Japan. Because of the numerous earthquakes and the large number of Twitter users throughout the country, we can detect an earthquake with high probability (96% of earthquakes of Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) seismic intensity scale 3 or more are detected) merely by monitoring tweets. Our system detects earthquakes promptly and sends e-mails to registered users. Notification is delivered much faster than the announcements that are broadcast by the JMA.

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Earthquake shakes Twitter users: real-time event detection by social sensors

In this paper we report research results investigating microblogging as a form of electronic word-of-mouth for sharing consumer opinions concerning brands. We analyzed more than 150,000 microblog postings containing branding comments, sentiments, and opinions. We investigated the overall structure of these microblog postings, the types of expressions, and the movement in positive or negative sentiment. We compared automated methods of classifying sentiment in these microblogs with manual coding. Using a case study approach, we analyzed the range, frequency, timing, and content of tweets in a corporate account. Our research findings show that 19p of microblogs contain mention of a brand. Of the branding microblogs, nearly 20p contained some expression of brand sentiments. Of these, more than 50p were positive and 33p were critical of the company or product. Our comparison of automated and manual coding showed no significant differences between the two approaches. In analyzing microblogs for structure and composition, the linguistic structure of tweets approximate the linguistic patterns of natural language expressions. We find that microblogging is an online tool for customer word of mouth communications and discuss the implications for corporations using microblogging as part of their overall marketing strategy. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Twitter power: Tweets as electronic word of mouth

Microblogging is one of the latest Web 2.0 technologies. The key elements are online communication using 140 characters and the fact that it involves ''following'' anyone. There has been a great deal of excitement about this in recent months. This paper reports on a research study that was carried out on the use of a microblogging platform for process-oriented learning in Higher Education. Students of the University of Applied Sciences of Upper Austria used the tool throughout their course. All postings were carefully tracked, examined and analyzed in order to explore the possibilities offered by microblogging in education. It can be concluded that microblogging should be seen as a completely new form of communication that can support informal learning beyond classrooms.

Microblogs in Higher Education - A chance to facilitate informal and process-oriented learning?

To be truly effective, online learning must facilitate the social process of learning. This involves providing space and opportunities for students and faculty to engage in social activities. Although learning management systems offer several tools that support social learning and student engagement, the scope, structure, and functionality of those tools can inhibit and restrain just-in-time social connections and interactions. In this teaching tip, we describe our use of Twitter to encourage freeflowing just-in-time interactions and how these interactions can enhance social presence in online courses. We then describe instructional benefits of Twitter, and conclude with guidelines for incorporating Twitter in online courses.

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Tweeting the Night Away: Using Twitter to Enhance Social Presence

Arthur Chickering is Distinguished Professor of Higher Education at Memphis State University. On leave from the Directorship of the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Memphis State, he is Visiting Professor at George Mason University. Zelda Gamson is a sociologist who holds appointments at the John W. McCormack Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan.

Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education: Faculty Inventory. Institutional Inventory.

To use or not to use web 2.0 in higher education

Twitter is the most popular microblogging application, with almost one million users called twitterers, who can send and receive messages via the web, SMS, instant messaging clients, and by third party applications. Posts are limited to 140 text characters in length. With a solid experience in using Web2.0 technologies in education, the authors are trying to provide arguments for using Twitter as microblogging platform / social network in education, underlining its advantages, but also possible bad points. The article presents too an application related to the Romanian Twitosphere and a Romanian microblogging platform, already used in education.

https://adlunap.ro/else/papers/015.-697.1.Grosseck%20Gabriela-Can%20we%20use.pdf

Can we use twitter for educational activities

Dear teacher, what should I write on my wall? A case study on academic uses of Facebook

In recent years, the interest in research concerning Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has grown considerably. Therefore, a thorough (re)evaluation of this field and its challenges is highly necessary and can help us better understand the diversity of ESD approaches and the ways in which various scholars, countries, institutions, or universities reacted through research and scientific publications to the study of ESD. Using a bibliometric approach, we analyzed 1813 papers on the subject, indexed by the Web of Science, between 1992 and 2018. The main findings increased our understanding of the ESD domain: we identified vital research, landmark studies in the development of the field, critical past contributions, emerging trends, and potentially transformative ideas. The number of publications, authors, and journals has increased, proving that ESD has gained momentum over the period examined in the study. Similarly, there are more and more works written in collaboration by people (scholars, researchers, etc.) from different parts and cultures of the world, indicating that publishing on ESD is like a legacy to international efforts to bring this area of inquiry into the mainstream. Finally, the study illustrates two main research directions for the entire timespan: integration of education into sustainable development and of sustainable development into education.

Education for Sustainable Development: Evolution and Perspectives: A Bibliometric Review of Research, 1992–2018

Recent studies appreciate that "MOOCs bring an impetus of reform, research and innovation to the Academy" [9]. Even though MOOCs are usually developed and delivered as independent online courses, experiments to wrap formal university courses around existing MOOCs are reported by teachers and researchers in different articles [3], [4], [8], [17]. This paper describes a new approach, in which the participation of students in different MOOCs was integrated in a blended course run on a social mobile LMS. The topics of MOOCs delivered on specific platforms and having particular characteristics were connected with the Fall 2013 undergraduate course of Web Programming, at University Politehnica Timisoara, Romania, facilitated by the first author, the co-authors providing a shadow/peer facilitation, for tailoring the course scenario. The main parts of this study deal with: a) The reasons to integrate MOOCs in the university course. b) How the course was designed, how the students’ activities on different MOOC platforms were assessed and integrated in the course scenario. c) The results of a survey that evaluates students’ experiences related to MOOCs: a number of MOOC features were assessed [14]; answers to a few problems are also analysed: Did the participation in MOOCs support students to clarify and expand the course issues? What are students' suggestions for a more active participation in MOOCs? By comparing the learning scenarios of MOOCs with the Web Programming blended course, how can the course and its virtual space be improved? Do students consider that the MOOCs phenomenon is important for professional and personal development? The conclusions of the paper can be used by other teachers/instructors for integrating MOOCs in the courses they deliver/facilitate.

Gabriela Grosseck

Papers

To use or not to use web 2.0 in higher education

Can we use twitter for educational activities

Dear teacher, what should I write on my wall? A case study on academic uses of Facebook

Education for Sustainable Development: Evolution and Perspectives: A Bibliometric Review of Research, 1992–2018

INTEGRATING MOOCs IN BLENDED COURSES