A report of further uptake and growth in the use of Twitter as an educational tool at an anesthetic conference.
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Abstract
Background - Most consider Twitter as a tool purely for social networking, with limited use to anesthesia. However, it has been used extensively as a tool for online discussion at non-medical and medical conferences, and academic benefits of this tool have been reported. Most anesthetists still have to adopt this new educational tool. There are only two previously published reports of the use of Twitter by anesthetists at an anesthetic conference [1, 2]. This paper extends that work.
Objective - We report further on our work on the use of Twitter, a micro-blogging tool, at an anesthetic conference and the use of Twitter as an educational tool by anesthetists.
Methods - A unique Twitter hashtag (#ACongress2012) was created and promoted by the organizers of the Annual Conference held by The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) in Bournemouth in September 2012. Twitter activity was compared with Twitter activity previously reported for the AAGBI Winter Scientific Meeting (January 2012 in London) and the AAGBI Annual Conference (September 2011 in Edinburgh). All tweets posted were categorized according to the person making the tweet and the purpose for which they were being used.
Results – A total of 477 tweets were posted under the #ACongress2012 hashtag representing increases of 110% and 1225% over similar conferences held six and twelve months previously. Sixty three people joined the Twitter stream by using this hashtag representing increases of 294% and 1475% over the two previous conferences respectively. Delegates primarily tweeted to create and disseminate notes and learning points (42%), undertake discussions and debates (26%), describe which session was attended, encourage speakers and for social reasons. Twitter was used more at this conference for discussions and debates than at either of the previous conferences. In addition the conference organisers, trade exhibitors, speakers, and anaesthetists who did not attend the conference all contributed to the Twitter stream. The combined total number of followers reached was 17868 people. This growth in the amplification potential (42% over the conference held six months previously) reached a much wider international audience than had previously been achieved and involved other medical specialties.
Conclusions - This report demonstrates a further increase in uptake and growth in the use of Twitter at an anesthetic conference thereby supporting our earlier conclusion in JMIR [2] and continues to illustrate the opportunities and benefits for anesthesia education in the future.
References
1. McKendrick D. Smartphones, Twitter and new learning opportunities at anaesthetic conferences. Anaesthesia 2012; 67: 438–439.
2. McKendrick DR, Cumming GP, Lee AJ. Increased Use of Twitter at a Medical Conference: A Report and a Review of the Educational Opportunities. J Med Internet Res 2012;14(6):e176. URL: http://www.jmir.org/2012/6/e176/. doi:10.2196/jmir.2144
Objective - We report further on our work on the use of Twitter, a micro-blogging tool, at an anesthetic conference and the use of Twitter as an educational tool by anesthetists.
Methods - A unique Twitter hashtag (#ACongress2012) was created and promoted by the organizers of the Annual Conference held by The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) in Bournemouth in September 2012. Twitter activity was compared with Twitter activity previously reported for the AAGBI Winter Scientific Meeting (January 2012 in London) and the AAGBI Annual Conference (September 2011 in Edinburgh). All tweets posted were categorized according to the person making the tweet and the purpose for which they were being used.
Results – A total of 477 tweets were posted under the #ACongress2012 hashtag representing increases of 110% and 1225% over similar conferences held six and twelve months previously. Sixty three people joined the Twitter stream by using this hashtag representing increases of 294% and 1475% over the two previous conferences respectively. Delegates primarily tweeted to create and disseminate notes and learning points (42%), undertake discussions and debates (26%), describe which session was attended, encourage speakers and for social reasons. Twitter was used more at this conference for discussions and debates than at either of the previous conferences. In addition the conference organisers, trade exhibitors, speakers, and anaesthetists who did not attend the conference all contributed to the Twitter stream. The combined total number of followers reached was 17868 people. This growth in the amplification potential (42% over the conference held six months previously) reached a much wider international audience than had previously been achieved and involved other medical specialties.
Conclusions - This report demonstrates a further increase in uptake and growth in the use of Twitter at an anesthetic conference thereby supporting our earlier conclusion in JMIR [2] and continues to illustrate the opportunities and benefits for anesthesia education in the future.
References
1. McKendrick D. Smartphones, Twitter and new learning opportunities at anaesthetic conferences. Anaesthesia 2012; 67: 438–439.
2. McKendrick DR, Cumming GP, Lee AJ. Increased Use of Twitter at a Medical Conference: A Report and a Review of the Educational Opportunities. J Med Internet Res 2012;14(6):e176. URL: http://www.jmir.org/2012/6/e176/. doi:10.2196/jmir.2144
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