For Lyle Wetsch, associate professor, marketing, Faculty of Business Administration, using social media in the classroom is an absolute necessity and just part of the norm.

Being recognized for doing so? Even better.

Prof. Wetsch’s use of Twitter as a learning tool for students led to him being ranking No. 91 (No. 6 in Canada) on the top 100 marketing professors on Twitter around the world.

The list was published by Social Media Marketing magazine, a publication of expertise from the business, publishing and academic communities on using social media for effective marketing.

Prof. Wetsch said making the list was a nice compliment to the work he does everyday. 

“I have always felt that it is important to embrace emerging technologies that can enhance my students' experience and help prepare them for their life post graduation. To have that effort recognized felt great and was an honour.”

Making the short list was based on three key criteria. Firstly, the professors had to be providing useful content and consistently engaging with their followers. Secondly, they had to "get it" when it came to the best ways to use Twitter and finally, they had to have been active on Twitter as of April 11.

It’s important to Prof. Wetsch that his students experience Twitter as a tool of knowledge.

“In my internet marketing courses for undergraduate and MBA students marketing courses, there is a major component of the course that goes through personal branding with social media for the students,” he said. “It teaches them to develop their online brand, and they have to utilize Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube to create, build and deploy their online presence. 

"This is a component that is becoming increasingly important not just for business students, but for any graduates looking for employment today.”

In addition to undergraduate and MBA teaching, Prof. Wetsch also offers a social media and e-marketing certificate at the Faculty of Business Administration’s Gardiner Centre. The certificate introduces course attendees to the world of e-marketing and social media and illustrates how social media can be integrated into an organization’s marketing strategy.

See what all the hype is about and maybe learn a thing or two about social media: Follow Prof. Wetsch on Twitter at LyleWetsch.