The ticker http://upei.ca/ticker is a new form of communication that we’ve set up here on UPEI campus. We’ve installed a nifty piece of software that allows us all to communicate with each other in 140 character increments regardless of who you are. If you have a UPEI network ID you are able to join the discussion. If you think that sounds alot like twitter… that’s because it is. Except only people with a UPEI network username can see it.
A view of dave's ticker page
What does it look like?
Well, the main ticker webpage is a stream of different UPEI people talking. You can post a picture of yourself, describe who you are and what you do. In other communities of this sort, people work together to solve their problems and share relevant professional information. That’s what I’m hoping happens here.
Our current test project?
If you go in right now, you’ll see mostly international students talking. They are part of the EAP (English for Academic Preparation) and some of the teachers in that program are experimenting with using it to help their students practice conversational English. Feel free to interact with them (helps them practice) or start your own unrelated conversation.
Uh… why would i do this?
It is a really good way of using a network to support your work. You can rely on the rest of the UPEI community to answer tricky little questions (“how do I get excel to…” or “where on campus do i…”) without bothering one specific person. If you call someone to ask a question, you’ve got the potential of distracting that particular person. If you post it to the ticker, you are more likely to encounter support staff who are committed to answer your questions or someone who happens to be there at that time for another reason who happens to have the answer to your question. They may not answer it right away, but you’ll get an email if they respond to you later with the answer.
And… it builds community.
Wont all this crammed writing wreck proper writing?
Well… research says it doesn’t. http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/09/23/tech-internet-chat-speak-teens.html?ref=rss This article from the CBC last week suggests that people who use short forms well are just as likely to use more traditional forms effectively. Knowing how and when to write a certain way has always been necessary, now, maybe, more than ever.
Ok. So how do i do it?
Go to http://upei.ca/ticker. Sign in with your UPEI username and password. Write something in the big white box on the top of the page and hit send. That’s the way to start. After that… you can check out the the http://ic.upei.ca/ticker/doc/faq and click on things. If people want, I can create a more complete tutorial down the road. Just let me know.
What are the rules?
These are simple. Nor personal attacks (or they will be deleted and dealt with depending on severity). Respect people and treat each other professionally.
