When I started my masters back in September 2007, I knew that when it came time to research and write my dissertation I wanted to focus on an emerging online communication tool. I found myself feeling energized again after seeing new challenges and possibilities opening up in communication industries through the growth of social media sites like Facebook and MySpace. I have always had an affinity toward events, as this has been the thread that weaves its way through all facets of my eclectic career. So when I discovered Twitter back in January, I immediately felt that this new and instant way of communicating through bite-sized commentary with communities could be something significant. I have tried to embed myself into this community built through early adopters to find out what the fuss was all about – and whether or not it was something I wanted to devote 3-6 months of my life researching. There are a few things I learned early on about Twitter (or any micro-blogging tool); but the first thing anyone should know is that you won’t ‘get it’ until you start to follow people and participate. I feel very privileged to have tapped into a very interesting community of people who are finding creative ways to use this new technology in order to work, share, learn, laugh, and express what is on their mind at any given moment (so long as it is under 140 characters).
I will be blogging regularly through July and August 2008 (if Twitter stays alive) while I research. I encourage you to follow and participate in my journey as I interview some interesting people in the ‘twittersphere’ of media, communications, business and public service, in order to gain a deeper understanding of how this seemingly simple tool could have a greater impact on our ‘public sphere’.
@amandita
