Lists – some people love them. Some people hate them. And honestly, some people just don’t care.
Some people live by them. Some people create them and then ignore them.
The one thing you can say about lists is that most everyone has an opinion about them.
Frankly, I am not a huge admirer of “who’s who” LISTS – especially when they are created mostly to draw attention back to the creator rather than to the list. (For example the sites that list 10 best blogposts, Top 25 EdTechLeaders, etc etc……to me, most often they seem to be created to say look at the lister rather than the list)
So when the twitter list option came out, I thought – “oh, an opportunity” and I also thought “oh no”. Tweetdeck has the opportunity to create lists — but as far as I know, I believe your list is for your tweet experience — not one that is shared. Twitters lists will be different because now they can be shared, viewed, and (as in this case) critiqued.
And so it began.
Within 24 hours I found myself on placed 20 lists…….
What is intriguing to me is that within just a small amount of time the lists (well, the lists which I have seen thus far) are becoming the “A-lists” and also “who can make the first list.” And you have to stop and wonder “why”.
Because what I also see is duplication of some things that really do not need to be duplicated.
For example, I have seen 4 different Google Teacher Academy lists. Hmmmm – okay, perhaps they are by GTA sessions?? Ahhh, nope. Hmmmm – perhaps they are by GTA years? Ahhh – nope. Pretty much they are GTA members created by a GTA member. And though it is nice to have a list. Do we really need 4?? or more.
Then checking a bit more – I saw educators that were on 40, 50, 100, 150+ lists — and again, I thought “why”.
Finally, you look at bit more – you might see the lists have titles such as ProTech, RockStars, TechEds2Watch, TopBloggers, etc etc etc. And I cringe. Because lists are now becoming labels. Labels lead to distinctions. And distinctions can then easily become “the elite”.
And perhaps I am making much more out of this than needs to be — but just step back and watch the list phenomenon over the last weekend and then please come back and share your thoughts.
For me, right now, the list that is the MOST important to me, the list I am most proud of being mentioned on is http://twitter.com/beil/friends-1 That Karen labels me as a friend is much more important to me than being labeled all the other labels I have been given by lists this past weekend.
In no way do I wish to standardize lists – or put RULES on how to make lists – but I would like to ask 2 things.
1. When you make a list, who are you calling attention to? Your list or the people on your list? And why the people on your list? What label, distinction, ranking have you now given them — and why not to others?
2. Have you checked to see if your list might have already been created by someone else? And if so, perhaps ask to join that list and promote that list rather than creating a new list?
I don’t expect you to agree with me on my thoughts – and I invite you to share your thoughts.
Are you using Twitter lists?
How are you creating Twitter lists?
And what do you think of Twitter lists?
I would enjoy your thoughts.
Jen
cross posted at: http://www.techlearning.com/section/Blogs
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:12 am
I have not created any twitter lists, not sure I am on a twitter list, and really think it does not matter. I teach in a district of lists – mostly the good old boy list of which I am not part. The only list I care about is the list that past students make about teachers they remember or they learned from.
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Amen!
Are you using Twitter lists? Nope
How are you creating Twitter lists? I’m not
And what do you think of Twitter lists? Hate them
Maybe I don’t understand lists. I know who my friends are, who the math teachers are, who the programming people are, etc. I guess I don’t need further organization. And what if I have friends that teach math AND program? Do I have to decide which category they best fit? Way too much angst for a tool supposedly as simple as Twitter.
I don’t think that the value of having lists will outweigh all the distress that will arise when people learn they are not on certain lists. Honestly, I think the “friends” lists are the most dangerous. An oversight on such a list can cause hurt feelings.
I do see how lists could benefit people who follow thousands of others. But still, I don’t see why the lists have to be public. I know the reasoning behind the decision but I don’t think there is much to be gained.
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
The only ones I’m concerned with area the “all encompassing” ones, such as “Iowa Educators” (because I’m from Iowa). I’ve created two: the first one is my family members on Twitter; the second was DOA. It was going to be a list of Iowa Educators but I noticed there are already a bunch of Iowa Educators lists, so there’s no point in making another one.
Now, I may make some private lists, but that’s just to keep myself organized.
November 27th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
I actually am liking the lists. particularly at conferences. It has helped me to keep track of what everyone is Tweeting. I also have an independent school educator list and an edtechleader list.
My list of followers has grown pretty huge over the years and these lists help me to keep track of different people. I also have a “friends” list but I have kept it private so that I don’t make anyone feel bad. Finally, I find the Twitter list helpful when introducing people to Twitter, it gives them a way to see and follow my PLN and how it works, and also helps them to build their own.
I hear what you are saying, but I think the positive potential out weighs the negative. I haven’t paid attention to who’s lists I’m on. I can see that potentially hurting someone’s feelings, but I guess I just don’t take it personally. I know a lot of these lists duplicate each other, but the problem is you can’t add people to other people’s lists, so sometimes it is easier to just make your own.
November 27th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Hi Liz
Yes, since my original post — the list phenom has settled down and I can see somewhat how they can be useful………
but however, I still remain skeptical. Right now, I am on 47 lists — of varying titles all having to do with EdTech “pros” — (I type that with tongue in cheek) — and I still wonder the necessity of so many groups.
Sometimes, I feel, we spread ourselves too thin and reinvent things that do not have to be reinvented…..
and often I see that we also don’t always know how to overlap and play “nice” with each other and not always have to the “ohhh, I made a list” mentality.
On tweetdeck, I instantly saw the usefulness of making groups. But that was usually for my eyes only. On twitter, I am still seeing it as a “lookee list” since everyone can see the lists people have made and who are on them.
I do agree that you cannot add to other’s lists which should be a given — perhaps add a suggestion icon could be nice — so we could grow each other’s lists — but also a “drop out of list” would be nice as well.
I am NOT 100% opposed to lists — but I still am unsure why we need them.
Thanks for sharing.
J