Challenge #8 (Finally): Join Twitter!

Yes. It has been way too long since I have posted an edtech challenge for you. So to get back into the swing of things, I will make this an easy one to complete.

Edtech Challenge #8 is to join Twitter! I have been active in the Twitter community for a few years now. At first, I was not convinced that Twitter would have any profound effect on my teaching practice. But I made a pact with my edtech team that we would learn this Twitter thing and see if it was worth sharing with our colleagues  As you may have guessed, it turns out that we think Twitter is a powerful tool for educators.

Here are my top 3 reasons why educators should join Twitter:

1. Twitter is on-demand professional development. By utilizing educational hash tags and following other educators around the world, you can learn something new and meaningful every time you log in.

2. Twitter gets you out of your classroom (virtually). Teaching can be a very isolated profession. It is easy to shut your door and forget that collaboration is key to improving your teaching practice. I have connections with hundreds of other educators through Twitter. Although I have not met many of my Twitter friends face-to-face, I truly feel that we are a community of learners.

3. Twitter is a time saver. Creating lists and search columns in twitter allows you to customize your twitter feed and make it easier to filter through to the posts that are most meaningful to you. You can use a program such as Tweetdeck, Hootsuite or Flipboard (my personal favorite) to mangage your twitter account and display your feed in visually appealing formats.

Are you already on Twitter? If so, what are your top reasons for using Twitter?

Here are some things to consider as you attempt this Edtech Challenge:

• Choose a short Twitter handle. Mine is @akennedytwitt. When other users respond to my tweets, my long twitter name takes up valuable character space. (Posts are limmited to 140 characters.)

• Keep your account open to the public. The purpose of joining twitter is to connect with others. You want people to be able to follow you, read your profile, and view your tweets.

•  Try following a Twitter PD chat. Check out Jerry Blumengarten's (@cybraryman1) educational chats page to learn more about how to participate in one. Maybe I will see you on Tuesday nights during #edchat?

Have fun with this challenge. Please post your thoughts, comments and experiences by leaving a comment!