Twitter for Aussie Educators: 15 reasons why educators love Twitter.

 

G'day! 

Twitter has certainly given me an avenue to grow as an educator. There is no hiding I love it! What do I love about Twitter?

1. Twitter is there, in the palm of my hand, on my phone, tablet and laptop. Accessible.
2. Twitter IS accessible, 24/7. Yet, I can control when, how and for how long I access it.
3. Tweeple (especially Twitter educators) are passionate, energetic, willing and helpful! You can call on your #pln (more on how to build your #pln and the advantages of a #pln here) for advice, queries, hints, tips and ideas.
4. This extension of the "school staffroom" allows for greater voice and wisdom.
5. Twitter provides "just in time help". 
6. Twitter is inclusive.  It doesn't matter what sector you are from, what stage of your career, what level of responsibility (or not), retired, CEO, expert, specialist etc #weareallinthistogether
7. Twitter allows you contact with the above!
8. Twitter has allowed me some amazing opportunities! 
9. Twitter has allowed me to connect with some of my best buddies. It has provided the conduit for networking and professional connections that have enriched my career. 
10. Twitter allows you point of contact to collaborate with other educators, students and stakeholders.
11. Twitter for me is a source of reflection and inspiration.
12. Twitter can easily and rapidly share news, links, ideas and resources.
13. Twitter puts me in contact with PD opportunities via links and hashtags (for example, following the backchannel of a conference I cannot attend)
14. Twitter introduced to my other love: Teachmeets!
15. Twitter = continuous learning and feeding the yearn to know more. What's not to love?

Last year, I gave a guest lecture on "Integrating technology into any classroom" at the Australian Catholic University, Strathfield campus. This included a section on the importance of Twitter for educators.  This is the Storify of the twitter chat that ensued: Twitter4me storify (twitter chat on the importance of Twitter)

Here are some resources you may find handy and/or like to share with those new to Twitter.

• Aussie Twitter chats via @7mrsjames (moi)
• Weekly Twitter chats by @thomascmurray @cevans5095 @cybraryman1
• Catholic educators on Twitter via @denise_lomardo
• Aussie teachers on Twitter via KLA started by @danhaesler
• Maralyn Parker "Why teachers love Twitter" via The Telegraph (includes link to my Aussie twitter chats for educators list- Thanks Maralyn!)
• What Twitter offers Teachers by Kathyrn Holmes (AARE: Australian Association of Research in Education)

Keeping the conversation flowing,

@7mrsjames

Jeannette James

Digital technology use in any classroom

Digital technology use in any classroom

Not too long ago, educators where required to "book in" the computer room/lab so as students had access to digital technology. Traditional computing teachers held their classes in these labs, so one was lucky to be afforded the time to use them! Nowadays, we see a vastly different educational landscape. Digital technology use is integrated into all areas of education. From learning within KLA/subject areas, communication with students and parents to managing grounds and maintenance. 

The video below is from ISTE. It encapsulates Computational thinking: a digital age skill for everyone.

Today, I am presenting to students at the Australian Catholic University, Strathfield. Whilst I will add to this post later, here are the some resources I used for the presentation on "Digital technology use in any classroom".  (Will add more tonight) <--- see below.

Curriculum support Technology literacy

Acara: Draft shape of the Australian Curriculum Technologies paper March 2012

AITSL: Australian Institute for Teaching and school leadership 

Edudemic: new study finds real ways technology is affecting education right now 

Scoop.it web-2.0 tools resources

Wordfoto app (iphone)

Picsay app (android) 

Todaysmeet 

Suggested follows: 

@malynmawby, @edusum, @mesterman, @cpaterso, @henriettami,  @jcsymington,

@gregwhitby, @Stephen_H, @planejourney, 

TAS tweachers: 

@7mrsjames,  @1moniqued,  @jgeorgeJulie, My foodies list on Twitter, @Foodwatch (Catherine Saxelby), @EmmaStirling

Extra resources added below:

Evolution of the WWW by University of Alaska

Comicbook app (ios)

Food technology learning journey (my class blog)

Building a PLN (professional learning network) Currents of my river: with my PLN; I am

Pearltrees: Currents of my river: International teachmeet March 2012

Tweegram

Google docs: Aussie Tweacher (good place to start with follows-listed by KLA)



Teacher Moloney King's Blog

#TMsydney wikispaces.com If you haven't yet been to a teachmeet-GO! Connect!

Storify: #twitter4me 
(archive of responses from around the world FOR YOU GUYS!)

Thanks to #acu_edst... It is wonderful to see some of you utilizing Twitter to benefit your learning. I was surprised at how many were opposed to the idea of Twitter and hence failed to see it's value. I hope I was able to shed some light on the importance of twitter to world of education.  If you do manage to become more active on Twitter, please drop me a line or leave a comment below.  Thanks to the students that have provided feedback #grateful

Sharing ways to utilize Twitter at events (on a bigscreen!)

Displaying a Twitter Wall




A great support to any presentation, unconference or workshop is the use of a screen to share the backchannel.  A backchannel is real time (often online) conversations, that work alongside the presenters spoken word. It is a very useful tool in many ways.

Importance of a backchannel:

• allows the audience to interact with the presenter
• allows the audience to interact with each other! Therefore enhancing the whole experience.
• gives the more reserved audience participant "a voice"
• can be documented with various tools such as Tweetdoc and saved as PDF file (see my previous posts for examples of #ravoties tweetdoc Click here for Tweetdoc 1 (2 is on blogpost Food for educational geeks) first ever Hills #tmsydney Click here to read Tweetdoc and the more recent Live International #teachmeet. Click here.
• allows others to join the conversation if not physically present and share ideas/thoughts/resources
• a way to keep up to date/in contact with your profession
• a learning tool
• Feedback is useful to presenters evaluation and reflection
• encourages those not on twitter to view how exciting it is to be engaged with information and others in the audience ...and beyond!

My favourite backchanneling tools are the use of a Twitter hastag (as can be seen on the above tweetdocs) and  Today's meet.   More on Today's meet another time.   A backchannel presented as a  Twitter wall also gains interests, gives a bit of "wow" factor and allows those not on Twitter to read what others are Tweeting out.

Here are some wonderful tools to display a twitter backchannel on IWB/SMART screen or similiar:  (also called a Twitter Wall)

1. Twitterfountain               First, as I find it most user friendly with many variations in settings.                      Free. Can add your images as background. Fancy. Impact.
2. Wallofsilver                    Next in line as favourite.  Free.
3. Visibletweets     
4. Walloftweets                   Haven't used this one.
5. Twitterfall    
6. Anothertweetonthewall   Unsure if you can customize this one but quick, easy and free.
7. Tweetfeed                       Need to create account. Simple display allows you to focus on text.

Like most tools, take a look and experiment with each,  to see what one works for you and your given situation.  Some of the animations, colours or themes of the tweet displays can either be distracting or not functional eg swirls, flashing, dropping letter by letter.  See what works for you.

Any other hints/suggestions/tips? Please share :)

Have fun!

Jeannette James

@wjputt :  Web20forschoolleaders thoughts on a Twitter client

Please join in via a comment interaction. Let everyone know what works for you. Any other ideas or thoughts?

2nd post: Twitter time flies when you are having fun.

Time flies photo by @7mrsjames

21st August 2011

Cliched but true. I am having a ball experimenting with the new tools that are overflowing on the net!

Here lies the trouble...there is just so much to absorb, process and trial. Luckily, I am part time this year as I still have a little tacker (Number 3, Mr 4) at home.  Therefore, I am able to explore a little more than if I was at work full time. Needless to say, much of my time online happens to be late at night, as my tweets show :) I enjoy it and for me, it is a form of leisure as well as business.  I wonder if those that are new to 21C elearning find "information overload" a reason for not pursuing their learning any further?

I cannot believe it has been almost 3 weeks since my last post. In that time, I remain active on Twitter.

For educators new to Twitter and not yet convinced of it's use or potential, hear are my views:

1. Great source of information. Other educators willingly share what has worked for them and provide links to resources.
   
2. Keeps you up to date with latest thoughts in Education (or whatever your passions are. I also gain great insight to the world of food and photography).
3. Continual collaboration. Not just a Hub meeting or teach cluster meet once a term, but every day!
4. Source of affirmation.
5. Ability to bounce ideas of one another. What works? Is this a good app or tool?
6. Providing learning experience for others.  Just this week @pvlies (whom I follow on twitter) asked if anyone had any contacts for a Skype opportunity with her SOR (Yr 11 Studies of Religion) class. A friend I know is able to skype @pvlies class about her Muslim faith in the next week or so. A rich and contemporary learning opportunity. 
7. Quick human responses to a question "Do you prefer Macs, notebooks or other?"  or "What is the best Ipad app for art students"
8. Twitter doesn't sleep!  When all us Aussies are heading for Slumber town, our colleagues oversees are reading our night time tweets :) 
   

If the prospect of joining Twitter doesn't sit comfortably with you as yet:

1. Give it a whirl.  Try before you buy mentality. Just do it. Give it a try and be patient. Just click on this link to get started.  Click here to join Twitter.   OR....
   
2. Ensure you join (or initiate) a proactive team at your school, in order to engage in continual dialogue and move forward. 21st century skills, is the current way of Education. We do need to keep up. Try Twitter again later. But do try!

I am not suggesting EVERYTHING needs to be focused on 21C elearning. Like most things, education requires a balance.  Technology does not equal good teaching. Technology is ONE method that educators can use to engage their students in effective learning.  Use of technology in 2011 does not mean using the laptop to record notes. 

When joining Twitter. Here a couple of musts in order for Twitter to work for you.  

• After joining, ensure you fill in a brief background under your profile so people can decide whether they should follow you.  Usually people chose to follow another as their interests and values are similar. Here is mine. I did this on the day I joined and am yet to change it. It was my initial thought, in way of describing myself.

           @7Mrsjames 

           Down under (location)

           Mother of 3 gorgeous kids, Love life, photography, food, eating, learning,discovering & people. 

           Facilitator of Food Technology, Religion and Drama studies.

           http://currentsofmyriver.blogspot.com/p/blog-posts.html

• Follow people! Just click on the FOLLOW button near their Twitter name.  Either search for people you know or use the suggestions Twitter provides (this is based on your profile background which is another reason to spend a few moments filling this in.)  See who others are following. Ask those you trust who might suit your interests. Once you follow people, their Tweets will appear under the Home (tweet feed) on the LHS screen for you to read. 

• Lastly, Tweet!  Interact with people. Comment. Retweet. Provide opinions. Here is an excellent post about what to tweet by Michael Martine. It is well worth reading. What to tweet about?   

Follow Michael on Twitter @remarkablogger.

Have an awesome week.  

Jeannette James

Please join in via a comment interaction. 

Let everyone know what works for you. Any other ideas or thoughts?