Using microblogging to deliver online courses. Case-study: Cirip.ro

Microblogging is the Web2.0 technology with the most important impact in the recent months, with applications in many domains, including education.On a microblogging platform, users can send and receive messages via the web, SMS, instant messaging clients, and by third party applications; the most known platform is Twitter.With a solid experience in using Web2.0 technologies, the authors are trying to provide arguments for using microblogging platforms in education, underlining the advantages, but also possible drawbacks.The article presents a microblogging platform specially designed for education, called Cirip, which offers facilities such as live video / audio messages, multimedia objects embedding, private and public groups, feeds monitoring.Some concrete examples are presented, in which the platform is used for course enhancement, for communities of practice, but also for delivering complete online courses. We also underline how to facilitate such projects, how to integrate other Web2.0 technologies, and how to evaluate students’ portfolios and participation.