Teaching Tip: Developing an Intercollegiate Twitter Forum to Improve Student Exam Study and Digital Professionalism

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Social Media in Academia
• Online Learning

Background:

• Previous studies indicate social media benefits undergraduate education.
• The veterinary community faces challenges with professional conduct and social media use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of #VetFinals, an online Twitter teaching event.
• To assess the potential of social media for intercollegiate veterinary teaching and exam preparation.
• To explore the impact on student online professionalism.

Main Methods:

• #VetFinals utilizes Twitter for online exam study sessions, fostering intercollegiate collaboration.
• The project involves faculty input and peer networking across institutions and year groups.
• A collaborative effort between the Royal Veterinary College and Nottingham Veterinary School over four years.

Main Results:

• #VetFinals has become a successful, long-term, self-sustaining educational enterprise.
• The initiative provides semi-structured exam preparation with real-time faculty interaction.
• It facilitates horizontal and vertical peer networking among veterinary students.

Conclusions:

• #VetFinals demonstrates the effectiveness of social media for veterinary student exam preparation.
• The project contributes to developing online professionalism among future veterinarians.
• This model offers a scalable approach to enhance veterinary education through digital platforms.