Robert W. McIntyre is an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the American University in Cairo. Prior to his appointment at AUC, McIntyre taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he earned his PhD. His research focuses on the scientific, metaphysical, and epistemological theories of 17th and 18th century Europe. His current research explores the interconnections between mind, language, and knowledge in the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes. He also holds interests in ancient Greek philosophy and the reception of Hellenistic philosophy in the early modern period.
Robert McIntyre
Twitter as a Pedagogical Tool: The Good, the Bad, and the Ineffective
Very cool idea for developing/supporting student discourse in Twitter. @cltauc
Because contemporary undergraduate students are highly fluent in the use of technologies (for example, social media platforms), it is reasonable to consider instructional modalities that incorporate both hybrid and online platforms. This seminar looks at the use of Twitter and other social media platforms as instructional devices to promote critical thinking and self-directed inquiry. Social media platforms, when used responsibly, can support a culture of critical engagement between students and their peers. We will discuss best practices and the positive aspects of social media, as well as potential pitfalls for instructors.
We will discuss best practices and the positive aspects of social media, as well as potential pitfalls for instructors. As McIntyre will argue, the extreme character limit and the inherently public nature of the medium, make Twitter a useful tool for practicing dialectical argument. For example, Twitter users can be held instantly accountable for the opinions they express and, when used in a conscientious way, the nature of the medium forces a user to think very carefully about the way she expresses herself.
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