While ethos can be defined quite simply as “the character of the speaker,” rhetoricians have long disagreed over the details. Some argue that character is invented in the text of the speech or artifact, while others hold that character is situated in the past deeds of the rhetor, while others prefer some combination of the two (Baumlin). Kenneth Burke complicated the issue when he combined the concept of ethos with his concept of identification: “you persuade a man only insofar as you can talk his language . . . identifying your ways with his (Burke 55). We gain credibility, in Burke’s understanding, by identifying ourselves with our audience. Twitter provides teachers (and students, for that matter) the opportunity to create their own Twitter ethos, or Tweet “cred,” through mass announcements, discussion questions, and direct messages to students, among others.
Sample Twitter applications
Below are listed a number of possible Twitter-based activities and assignments that can help students and teachers connect in new ways (or old ways using new media).
For an opinion piece:
The teacher tweets a question, something like: “What do you enjoy reading?” This kind of discussion helps students see that their teacher cares about their opinions (making them more willing to share those opinions in a graded setting) while allowing the teacher and the student to interact in an ungraded experience outside class.
For an analysis piece:
The teacher posts her favorite line of the piece on Twitter, inviting the other students to do the same. Students will come to respect the instructor’s expertise as it is made available.
For a researched position:
Tweet three different sides to your argument. This will give the teacher the opportunity to respond in a non-threatening and very informative way to one of the most important concepts in a research assignment. The students will get these small comments and know that the teacher has put forth effort reading their work and formulating a response to it.
For a multimodal composition:
Tweet a link to your favorite webpage. Comment on the way the page is organized. The instructor, again, gains credibility through reading and commenting on students’ personal opinions.
In summary, instructors will be able to connect with their students as they comment regularly on students’ small and low-key opinions and assignments. Teachers will create an ambient scholarly buzz that will help the students feel connected to the class discussions and readings.
See also how Twitter can be used to create connections with peers in the class and with experts in their field.
