More thoughts on Twitter, Personality Types and Efficiency

Recently received a comment regarding my personal inclination towards Twitter use. Mrs. Smith wrote,

But I am saddened for you to delete your Twitter account. As a technology specialist and teacher this is an awesome tool to ask for help, get others attention to student Web 2.0 creations, share great URL's, blog posts, and more. I think you missed the concept of following LOTS - build your network, build your profile, share and post frequently, but also to update who you are following and remove those you don't like.

I hear what you're saying, but after one year of really giving it a whirl, I just don't think that it added as much to my PLN as some other forms of Web 2.0 interaction do. I guess that's the beauty of a PLN -- we can personalize our learning on an individual level and pursue those tools and interactions that

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best bolster our professional development. Let's just say I never found my "tweet spot" with Twitter. And yes -- I've used Tweets for everything mentioned and got varied results. I'd tweet recent finds, I'd tweet recent posts I'd put up, I'd tweet and ask how others were doing, I'd tweet and make suggestions or comments on ideas posted, I'd tweet and ask for help, etc. And yes, all my tweet buddies were awesome, BUT I'm looking for something more. I want deeper professional communication than an occasional 140 character tweet. In addition to this, some of my PLN has transitioned over to Plurk; I've got an account over there and popped in a few times, but I've got to admit that I'm just not groovin' the cost-benefit anaylsis that I see when I engage in it, either (results for time spent). Perhaps this all has to do with my pers

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onality. Though an extrovertive teacher by day/profession, I'm an introvert by personality type (Myers Briggs INFJ). I prefer deeper communication (even if that means with fewer people) than, say, a large group of friends that I know only on a superficial level. I think that Twitter friendships can be either of these, but that the medium itself makes the first harder. That brings up an interesting idea, however....I wonder if there have been any studies of Twitter's acceptance and compatibility according to personality types. Hum...this would be very intriguing.

But, I don't think

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I missed the point of Twitter at all. It's quite the opposite. I'm constantly trying new Web 2.0 tools. Many do what they are supposed to do -- just like ordinary tools in your toolbox. But time and efficiency matter. Where I'm at right now in my professional life, I need a power washer not a putty knife/paint scraper. Both do what they are intended to do, but one gets results much more efficiently. Blog commenting, Nings, webinar participation, and back channel commenting are, to me, PLN power washers.

By the way Mrs. Smith, thank you for leaving a comment. I feel I know you much better on this issue -- and I hope you can say the same of me -- than had it all occurred via Twitter. :)