Twitter and Pearltrees
For my blog post I wanted to reflect on the two social networking programs, Twitter and Pearltrees, which were introduced in class today. It was my first experience with both programs. I knew of Twitter but never used it, while I had never heard of Pearltrees before. Besides giving my initials thought on the programs I would like to consider their possible uses in education and learning.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
In Twitter, the user is able to send a mass text message (can also include images), called a tweet, to all members of his/her social group, called followers. By following a person you are a member of his/her social network. The use of hashtags, #, give topic or subject to the tweet, like a simple 1 word or phrase description. Tweets can be compiled together by their specific hashtags. In a nut shell, Twitter is a platform for simultaneously sharing information to a large group.
Pearltrees: http://www.pearltrees.com/
In Pearltrees, the user is able to collect information into a web organizer. Each packet of information is called a pearl and as the pearl branches off into sub categories, it becomes a pearltree. The pearls can include text, images, or links. The user is able to invite other members into their pearl/pearltree to team up. By teaming up, other members can contribute to a user’s pearl/pearltree. Pearltrees is a program where people can collaboratively organize information into categories in a web format.
Although both programs are useful tools, they provide specific services. Twitter would be great for getting small tidbit of information to a group. I could see it helpful when reminding students about approach assignment deadlines or returning forms/notices, but that can be easily posted on a school website. Therefore, I don’t think it would be appropriate for classroom use. Furthermore, I think students would be tempted at looking at other tweets and could become easily distracted. Where I can see Twitter useful is in the sharing information with colleagues and other professional educators. A single idea can potentially spread quite quickly through Twitter. Ground breaking research or plans for reform can be shared instantaneously. Twitter could be the method to refresh the teaching profession and bring new ideas into the foreground. With Pearltrees, I see the program more applicable in the classroom, particularly in helping students organize their information. I think it’s a great tool for teaching information literacy. After gathering and collecting information, students would be able to use Pearltrees to organize their ideas, which (hopefully) leads to a deeper understanding of the information. Students also are able to utilize the teaming up function to contribute to each other’s ideas, giving a collaborative element to the assignment. I think Pearltree has the potential as a great teaching tool.
It was fun and interesting trying programs I wouldn’t normally try or didn’t know about. I will definitely be putting them into my idea box for future use.
I am interested that “don’t feel [Twitter] would be appropriate for classroom use”. I have not yet used Twitter in the classroom. I am also unsure whether I want to at the middle school level either, but I can imagine some uses for Twitter in high school classroom. I can see value in using Twitter for back channel discussions, as well as for pushing notices and information to students outside of class time. I do perhaps agree with you that if there are alternatives to using Twitter that have more sound pedagogical reasons behind them maybe they should be used rather than using Twitter just for the sake of having a flashy technological solution. Looking around I do see that there are some sound arguments for using applications such as Twitter.
One blog that I was looking at came up with at least 50 different ways to use Twitter in the classroom. See link here:
http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom . There are a plethora of similar sites with lists of many different interesting activities.
Live tweeting during a field trip for absent students or parents to see what their children are learning sounds like a neat one. I am particularly interested in the possibilities of backchannel for inclusion and increasing student participation. I think that having the Twitter feed projected onto the wall as you’re having a class discussion might allow the shyest students who are less willing to speak up during class to tweet questions or comments which can be incorporated into the classroom discussion. Students who take a longer time to formulate there thoughts can take the time they need without feeling left behind, those students who don’t like having to wait their turn to speak or not those who would not normally participate at all, could also use this to contribute to discussion. These kind of backchannel discussions can be enriching, though if not Twitter then there are other resourses for this, see http://c4lpt.co.uk/directory-of-learning-performance-tools/audience-voting-tools/.
One particular alternative to using Twitter that is used by a teacher at my school for backchannel is called TodaysMeet (http://todaysmeet.com/) This website that allows the presenter to create a ‘room’ in which the audience can join the discussion without having to create a username and password; they can just give themselves a screen name and then join the discussion. It also allows you to determine how long the room will remain open and how long information will be kept.
I also wanted to respond to your remark about putting notices and information on the class website. I agree that having the website is great for putting homework or notices about upcoming field trips and the like and it’s a great way to give parents somewhere to look, but you can’t ensure that students will go to your website. I imagine if you’re using Twitter to push information to pop up on students’ Smartphone screens then you don’t have to rely on them taking the step of going to the class website to look for notices which I often find that my students don’t do.
Don’t forget, although a Tweet is 140 characters, it can provide a link to a more substantive informational object. Also, if students were involved in an evolving learning process, tweets could be an effective way for them to document small changes. Over time, a class of tweets documenting small changes could be turned into a Storify document, that would provide a composite view of the evolving phenomena. Just a thought : ) What has surprised me about Pearltrees is seeing the different ways members of our learning group are pursuing information and collecting their findings. As we learn to embed the Pearltrees into blog posts, the composite unity of the Pearltrees becomes a fascinating collection of possibilities. I appreciate your openness to try new things, and consider their usefulness in actual school settings.
Hi Sandy,
I am on the same page as you. I knew about Twitter but never used it because of lack of time. When Jenny gave us the example of using Twitter during a conference and how useful the hashtag was, I stated thinking “Twitter could work in the classroom.” Yes, students could easily get distracted with Twitter, but then again they can with using laptops, I-pads etc. I think if rules and expectations are in place students may stay engaged and focused.
Like you, I have never used Pearltrees before. Pearltrees is a great start for students to ‘map out’ their ideas. Pearltrees reminds me of a sort of graphic organizer, students would be able present their ideas in an organized fashion.
I teach lower primary (K-2) and had the opportunity to use I-pads in the classroom, I was surprised to notice the amount of students that were able to turn on and venture thought the applications. Of course Pearltrees and Twitter is very advanced for the younger grades, but it would be a great way to organize lesson plans and units!
Hi Sandy
I enjoyed reading your post. Your summary of the 2 websites was great because it laid out what the websites do in such a clear, concise way. I also found your ideas of how to use the websites in the classroom useful for my own classroom. I agree that if the students use twitter in class, they may be tempted to read other tweets not related to the class which can take them way off topic. I wish there was a website like twitter but limited for classroom use so only the students in the class can see the tweets and send tweets out. I really like the idea of students commenting on presentations by tweeting during / after the presentations. I think this is a very interactive way of learning and encourages students who may not usually participate in giving comments to write them down rather than say them in front of the class. It also provides a written record of questions and ideas that come up that can be addressed later. Who knows.. maybe there is a website like this out there. I will have to look into it.