Friday, January 24, 2014
Week 3 - Twitter
I have to say that I was a little apprehensive about the idea of Twitter in the classroom. After reading the 9 reasons to Twitter from our textbook I can see it's educational value. I first acquired a Twitter account about 2 years ago and never really understood the point behind it other than it seemed like a list of look-a-like status updates from Facebook. When I first made my personal Twitter account I only followed a few close friends and highly famous people. After digging around I see that there are numerous educators and educational sites that are a part of the Twitter community. I finally created a teacher account on Twitter that allows me to communicate with fellow educators, but also educational sites that post numerous articles and links on a number of different educational topics. I find the biggest benefit of this tool is the ability to network with other educators. I came across an article on TeachHub that gives 50 ideas as to how to use Twitter in the classroom. My hope is to find a way to integrate Twitter in some way or another in the near future. Getting all of familiar with technology and access to technology is my first step.
Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0: How-to for educators. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
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I was also surprised by how many educational professionals use Twitter. It has already become an important tool in my PLN. I'm still finding ways that I could use Twitter with my 6th grade students. I like the idea of possibly using it to gain research or data. I currently use Edmodo with my students and have had amazing success with it. I ran across an article about Edmodo's advantages over Twitter. Like the author's school, my school blocks Twitter unless you request approval. However, most schools are receptive to Edmodo because of its security features. I hope to explore more about Twitter to see if perhaps it offers advantages that I haven't discovered yet.
ReplyDeletehttp://slowreads.com/2011/04/18/edmodo-twitter-for-english-teachers-2/
Lindsey,
ReplyDeleteI hadn't really utilized my Twitter account in awhile myself. Trying to keep up to date on the newest releases can sometimes be a struggle as a media specialist. I like being connected with book publishers and authors to monitor current trends. Your example of educational articles is a great point. What a great way to get new ideas. I like the Tweetdeck feature too I log on and see at a glance any thing new. Which is a lot more effective than scrolling days worth of tweets.
I like the idea of creating just an educational Twitter account. It seems like that would be a great way to keep everything separate. I feel like I have a lot to learn about Twitter and what I can do with it in and out of my classroom. I am hoping in the weeks to come I continue to learn about how I can use it and what it can do for me. I really am glad that I was forced into using it because I am realizing how beneficial it can be for me.
ReplyDeleteI was the same way Lindsey, I started an account this past December at the behest of JP Prezzavento (@JPPrezz) since I am on the BYOD team. I just wasn't understanding how to use the tool. This class forced my hand and I went to a friend of mine in the building and received a tutorial on how to search and find useful groups. I think as a matter of time I will eventually build the PLN. Check out Brian's post this week. Talk later.
ReplyDeleteLindsey - What's your Twitter username?
ReplyDeleteOops! @lp370714
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