I enjoyed reconnecting with the Twitter platform today. I had briefly used it in a previous course where I was required to set up an account. I have been meaning to spend a bit of time figuring it out a bit better. My previous use with it was limited because I didn’t understand the idea of a hash tag and I found it hard to follow on my iphone. Having logged in on my computer today I think it will be my preferred device for my twittering activities as I can see the bigger picture a bit better and see and archive linked information better.
My concern about platforms like twitter and my google reader is that of organization and information overload. If I am going to spend the time perusing these communities I also need a way of organizing and storing the information that I find so that it is accessible to be in useful ways. I suspect that a program like pearltree might be a possible solution to this dilemma. I need to do some further research in this area and will be listening to the 10 minutes of fame presentations for any further suggestions.
In using twitter today and listening to Jenny’s suggestion of student use of twitter during lessons to post thoughts and questions made me wonder how else twitter can be used in the educational sphere. I have found a few website with Twitter in the classroom suggestions:
http://fluency21.com/blog/2013/02/19/60-inspiring-examples-of-twitter-in-the-classroom/
One of the points in this list suggested that tweeting in the classroom helps students to build a positive “brand” of their own on the internet. This is something that Darren Laur, an internet safety expert, speaks about with students. Students can have a hard time getting jobs and entering into post-secondary schools if their online profiles have questionable content or behaviour. Tweeting in a positive, educational way can help build their online profiles.
In this list I like the ideas of: -tweeting parents updates -twitter pop quiz -silencing blurters (similar to Jenny’s suggestion) -twitter recap after a lesson –projecting live tweets to spark and encourage discussion -a record of important information and ideas brought forward during a discussion (assign a group of students to be the twitter recorders -following important figures that are related to a school project (ie Chris Hadfield for International Space Station unit) -word games -short grammar exercises -vocabulary exercises (using a specific word within a sentences -twitter poetry -twitter book club -quote of the day
http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom
This list has lots of repeats from the previous but also some new and interesting ones.
-asking students to summarize a lesson or discussion (they only have 140 characters) – analyzing tweet stats -curate an online art gallery -math and science puzzles -create progressive stories -create a class poll -live tracking of field trips
https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/06/20/twitter-in-the-classroom/
This article suggests ways to incorporate tweeting into your teaching practice. I especially like the suggestion of choosing one day a week for tweeting. It can be hard to eek out the time needed to follow lines of information like twitter, choosing one day a week seems like a reasonably doable task that will still serve to keep new ideas flowing and the skill of tweeting building.
http://plpnetwork.com/2012/04/27/twitter-in-the-classroom/
Another article about tweeting for teachers and how to incorporate it into the classroom. I like the suggestion here of doing announcements on twitter. Ah can you imagine how much time and sanity we could regain to not have to listen to announcements every morning! 🙂
Thanks for looking more deeply into Twitter and using it in education. When you think about how Twitter is being used to topple governments and influence public policy, it seems very important that educators become fluent with using it to communicate with each other. You do pose a good question, about how to organize the information we find. I have that problem too. Also, thanks for bringing together these links for using Twitter in the classroom. I was one of those kids who would have their hand hanging in the air, wanting to ask a question or comment. Twitter really helps satisfy that urge. I’m sure many of my teachers would have appreciated me having that outlet. Twitter announcements would seem to me to be a very positive use of student’s personal devices and ensuring information is available to them without having to take notes.
You can get apps for your Mac such as Tweetbot that allow you to organize Twitter, make lists, etc. there are many programs, take a lot, check the reviews.
Cherise, I logged on to do a peer review of your blog post and instead have spent a (somewhat happy – it’s gorgeous out?!) hour perusing your helpful links and ideas for twitter! Thank you!
Like you, I previously signed up for twitter, about 3 years ago. Then I became overwhelmed and left it alone for about 2 years. Last year I became active once again and for the most part have enjoyed being connected to a PLN of educators worldwide via twitter. However, I am careful to only follow people I find really interesting, useful and ones who don’t over-tweet! I frequently unfollow people!
Have you ever heard of Data Smog? I found this on the ALA website and I love the term. “It refers to the idea that too much information can create a barrier in our lives. This data smog is produced by the amount of information, the speed at which it comes to us from all directions, the need to make fast decisions, and the feeling of anxiety that we are making decisions without having ALL the information that is available or that we need.” That’s how I feel sometimes about twitter… and facebook and RSS feeds and blogs and and and. It’s too much. When I’m spending more time keeping up with all the information about information technology instead of enjoying being outside with my dog, or reading a good book… I have DATA SMOG.
The ALA says the ‘cure’ for data smog is managing the information via information literacy: “It allows us to cope by giving us the skills to know when we need information and where to locate it effectively and efficiently. It includes the technological skills needed to use the modern library as a gateway to information. It enables us to analyze and evaluate the information we find, thus giving us confidence in using that information to make a decision or create a product.”
What do you think? I’m not convinced it’s the solution – there is just SO much information ALL THE TIME. I guess information literacy would be learning to ‘cull’ — and dump. Quickly figuring out what’s important to read and process and then culling what isn’t.
Hi Cherise!
Good thinking about uses of Twitter in the classroom and thank you for the links you posted on its uses.
I agree that Twitter can be too much…it can be an “information overload” as you say. I think your process of considering the possible challenges and solutions before introducing Twitter to your students is smart. For yourself, making something that seems overwhelming into something manageable and useful (learning how to organize and store tweets in archives). Professionally, considering the applications for your practice (determining the frequency of use, using for announcements, etc.)
You made a comment about Pearltrees and how it may offer a better platform for what you would like to do. I think the lay-out makes it easier to retrieve and connect posted information. I wonder what you would say about MindMeister now that you have seen that too?
Reading your post made me think: what if students were tweeting their thoughts/questions during class (as Jenny suggests) and then used those collective tweets in a Pearltree or concept maps on MindMeister. Using Twitter as a database for the concepts/big ideas covered in class and then developing mind maps/webs using those ideas. Might be handy for synthesizing information, criteria development…?
(Side note: I wonder if you are a high school teacher as I find it hard to see Twitters applications for my Grade 2/3 class.)