Do I really need to be a part of the Twitter Ocean??

Up to this point I have used Twitter (for my PLN) like I visit the ocean: I don’t frequent it often and when I do I just walk in ankle deep. I only throw a few rocks in to get a little reaction, but the cold water splashes back at me (I don’t feel connected on Twitter) and I jump back out. I am hoping that as I walk deeper into the ocean of Twitter this semester that it won’t feel so big and cold. 


After reading an article from Education Week (2011), that quoted teachers expressing why they like Twitter - self-directed PD, quick responses from around the world, connect to specialists, staying connected to other educators after conferences - I am ready to dive right in.

What I have appreciated about Twitter is that it forces me to be clear and concise in my writing as Kist (2010, p 42) mentions. 
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@oinortonOrtensia Norton

Wish I had clipboard in my pointer finger. On iPad: touch, hold, select, copy, go to iPhone, touch, hold, paste, wrong paste?? duh!!

12 Oct via Twitter for iPadFavorite Reply Delete

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I feel that being clear and concise is a skill that needs to be developed. It does not come naturally, or at least not to me. I find that as I skim tweets, I pick out the tweets that are clear in their message and don’t leave me guessing.

I like keeping Twitter professional and Facebook personal. As for using it in school, I feel that Richardson (2010) put it best when he referred it to being “too Wild West for most school situations” (p. 88).  

 © Copyright Colin Smith and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Richardson (2010) and Kielty (2010) suggest using Edmodo as an alternative because the conversations occurring between teachers and students can be kept private.

One of my professional goals is to discover how Twitter can be used safely and productively in the classroom. As I researched Twitter I did not expect to find so many resources. Berger & Trexler (2010) mention how the Massachusetts Historical Society uses Twitter to publish John Quincy Adam’s diary (p.172). 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3404681611/

At the beginning of the day a teacher could share with her students the twitter entry, leaving the students anxious – hopefully - to get updates every day from the mouth of Adams. What an amazing opportunity.


 I look forward to finding the many other ways that Twitter and Edmodo can be used in the classroom.  


References:

Berger, P., & Trexler, S. (2010). Choosing web 2.0 tools for learning and teaching in a digital world. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.