*The Edvocate is pleased to produce its “Best of the Best” resource lists. These lists provide our readers with rankings for education-related blogs, twitter accounts, influencers, products, etc. These lists are meant to be fluid, and for that reason, they are regularly updated to provide up to the moment information.*
Twitter is often waved off by academics as a way to pass the time when you have nothing better to do. However, there are some who understand just how useful Twitter can be a tool for reaching the younger generations. If you want to spread the word about higher education policies, critiques, or ideas, Twitter is a brilliant way to share ideas. And sometimes some individuals are so entrenched in higher education that they understand what people really need is a good laugh about the whole thing.
The following 20 accounts provide insight not only into the world of academia but into the right way to manage a Twitter account. Some of the accounts are run by individuals who have a lot to say about higher education, the cost, the lifestyle, and the pains, while other focus on making people laugh. All of them can help you keep things in perspective while teaching you a thing or two about how to wield Twitter in a way that is beneficial, entertaining, or both.
Our list has been compiled with the following four key qualities in mind:
- Activity. The account sends out tweets regularly to disseminate the very latest news and trends in higher education.
- Originality. The tweets add value with content that’s different from all the other higher education focused Twitter accounts out there.
- Helpfulness. A good higher education Twitter account should teach you something new, direct you to a useful resource, or at least get you to think in a new way about something.
- Authority. The author/authors have the authority and credentials to tweet about the topic of higher education.
This blog can help you keep things in perspective when you are frustrated or tired after a long day in the higher education realm. Constantly poking fun at some of the absurdities and taking a new perspective on the things that get under your skin, this feed can make you laugh despite everything else happening. It reminds you to take things less seriously because sometimes the things that seem normal in the academic world are shown to be just as silly or complicated as you thought they were.
Managed by Dr. Mewburn of the Australian national University, this Twitter feed takes a look at many different aspects of dealing with that final thesis. It covers the basics, such as font and spacing, and more complicated and difficult questions, such as getting the right flow. No field is off limits either, making it a great feed if you are writing or deal with a thesis on a regular basis. There is nothing quite like feeling like someone understands your pain.
Written and managed by Angus Johnston, this blog will keep you updated on the latest news and events in the student activism realm. There are few places where activism has so much passion and dedication. This feed can help you understand the latest movements and events that matter to students.
This is not a feed for just English and Literature. Every field has their own literary needs and rules. The Lit Crit guy helps professors get a grasp on all of the complaints and problems with dealing with student work. It also manages to sympathize with students when it comes to meeting hard deadlines and keeping an open mind when it comes to criticism.
One of the biggest criticisms (and complaints) about higher education in the US is the cost and access for the vast majority of students. Due Dynarski covers many of the commercial areas of the industry, although her feed is not limited to it. There is a good bit of politics and academic stories mixed into the feed as both can affect numerous aspects of higher education.
Managed by Joseph a Howley, this feed is full of humor and academic/nerdy references that can help you laugh on the roughest of days. Naturally, there is no particular field or area of focus. It is free.
If you are in chemistry (or any science field), this particular Twitter feed can be incredibly helpful in keeping current with changes and news. Naturally, there is a bit of humor cooked into the feed as well.
While not technically a blog just for higher education, it is certainly a Twitter feed that everyone in academia should be following. The Oxford English Dictionary feed provides a daily look at the language one word at a time. They also celebrate certain events, such as the birthdate of a famous person who helped change the field (J.R.R. Tolkien was honored on January 3 with the word he created, Orchish), as well as taking a look at the world through the words chosen.
You can get a look at some of the most obscure and bizarre things in the academic world by following this Twitter feed. For example, if you can check out the most often googled ideas by entering “Why are professors” or “Why are academics” into Goggle. It can help you see just what people think of the profession. Many of the posts are funny, largely because of how much you will identify with them.
This feed is for those who are in the academic world for the long haul. It details what it is like living the life of an academic, especially the amount of writing required to stay in the field. It covers a wide range of topics, from school and government politics to policy to the daily grind.
If you prefer a visual, every post on this feed contains a GIF. That makes it easy to process each point without having to engage your brain too much. A quick look at the page will help you destress and laugh when things just aren’t going the way you planned. The posts are usually generic, so you are almost guaranteed to find something familiar from a new (and more interesting) light.
Jesse Stommel manages this feed, and it is the ultimate place for pedagogy on a different level. The feeds often remind you that no matter how far you make it, there is always some way to improve. It is a great reminder that everyone can do better, so never sit back and be complacent.
This particular Twitter feed focuses on higher education in Toronto, but many of the points are absolutely universal. Through the healthy dose of policies and politics, you can find things that are similar to what you have to deal with regularly.
Managed by Bonnie Stewart, this feed looks at many of the different issues with being an educator in higher education. She offers advice and anecdotes on class methodology and dealing with online classes.
The only feed to make the list run by a higher education president, this feed goes beyond the usual college feed. Santa J. Ono offers students information about the school, as well as providing information on a wide range of areas, such as dealing with Twitter and the problems that are universal on any campus.
This is another Twitter feed that provides details on being an activist in academia. It is not limited to being just a student activists either so that anyone who wants to start making a difference can find ways to join or assist in the areas that matter to them.
Chronicle is based in Washington, DC and it focuses on many of the different aspects of higher education. It publishes news stories from around the US about policies, reports, and findings related to higher education. It also posts information that will help students with college life and the transition into a career.
The Higher Education Twitter account was created to give everyone within the higher education arena a place to find news, post ideas and opinions, and to hold professional debates. It is a part of The Guardian, a UK news agency, but many of the posts are relevant regardless of where you live.
Whenever a big story breaks about higher education, you are likely to find information on it here. Managed by Robert Kelchen, this feed posts congratulations, information, news, and trends happening in the US.
Malinda Smith works at the University of Alberta as a professor in political science. Her Twitter feed is full of information and news about equality, civil rights, diversity, and bias within higher education. Nor are her posts restricted to the news in Canada, as there are about as many posts on US higher education as on Canadian news.
Conclusion
It is easy to think of Twitter as a shallow method of communicating when used right; Twitter can actually be a highly effective way of reaching thousands or millions of people. For those in higher education, it is a boon to ensure that you are keeping current with all of the latest changes, trends, and information. It also provides the perfect outlet to step back and laugh.
