Hi everyone,
One of these days I’m actually going to write that ‘How I Do It” page to describe the many digital channels I surf in search of material for this blog. Today, I’d like to talk about a very important one: Twitter.
Twitter is a free service that connects you to your friends and family. It runs on a variety of technologies including mobile devices. To use Twitter, you sign up, create a profile, and then “follow” people. It’s easier (and better) however to watch this brief but excellent Common Craft video, it explains Twitter very well:
Ok, but you’re thinking, don’t we all have BETTER things to do? Like, actually teach? :-) Do I need to know in the middle of my busy day that someone is having coffee or cutting their lawn? Uh, no. The power of Twitter is that YOU control how it’s used.
I’m one of a growing number of worldwide educators – the Twitterati – who are now connected and share every day about things we’re doing in our classrooms, cool tools we’ve discovered, current events, rants and raves, anything. Sounds trivial, but I assure you, it’s not. It helps me be a better teacher. Every day.I didn’t get it at first. Signed up months ago, tried it for a while, didn’t see the point. My 18 hour days usually doesn’t leave a lot of time for extra stuff. So, I quit for a while. Came back a few months later to try again, and now, I have a large and growing network and get cool tips and news EVERY DAY.
The trick to using Twitter effectively is following the right people. Who you choose to follow is up to you; simply find the people using search (or ask them for their Twitter ID). Using their profiles, you can then find other interesting people to follow. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can make connections and find out really useful, interesting things from these like-minded educators from around the world.
I’ve heard about projects I would have otherwise missed, cool tools that are often featured here, and have built a network of people who do what I do all over the country. I also follow many “Rock Stars” of our world, accomplished professionals who earn their living advising school districts and other organizations about technology in education. These connections have been incredibly valuable to me. In return, I try to repay the favor by Twittering things of value to others, as I did most of Tuesday, March 11th at the NJ Connected Broadband Summit (NJCBS). It’s funny, but, reading ‘tweets’ from live events really does give you a sense of being there. It’s live reporting, basically, and you are there!
People say Twitter is addictive, and it can be, I guess. I don’t consider myself addicted but do feel pangs of ‘disconnect’ when I’ve gone hours or days without participating. Like yesterday. After Twittering all day at the NJCBS, I didn’t update at all yesterday. Just had too much going on! Now, I am wondering what I missed. I can go back and read ‘past’ tweets but it’s arduous and I often don’t even try. I just scan the current page and see what’s interesting, and reply when I can. I also have my blog set to automatically tweet when I post something. That has helped my blog grow enormously in popluarity; I now see about 10 times the visitors I used to (something like 500 a day, currently).
The nice thing about Twitter is the connection it helps you make with the people you want. I don’t use it for recreation or social purposes (Recreation? I remember that…) I do use it every day to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the lives of the 350+ people I follow. I learn something new every day from these people, whether they are “rock stars” presenting keynotes or people like me, ordinary educators doing extraordinary things in their classrooms!
-kj-
p.s. I almost forgot – my Twitter name is kjarrett!
I like how you mentioned the trick to using twitter is following the right people. I agree (that is why I follow you! :)) I also use it to keep my finger on what is happening because I feel this is better than watching a news station devoted entirely to education. What is shared is usually current and what is going on the classrooms right now. Great post!
As one of your TweetPeeps, I have to agree with all of what you say. It’s a hard sell to many of my professional friends who feel they are too busy to learn another thing and seem to think Twitter is just another social networking (read: myspace) fun time-waster. I’ve found more resources and professional enlightenment in the few months that I’ve been on twitter, than on any newsgroup or listserve (gosh who remembers those?). Now, you mention Twitter Rockstars of Education… surely TeachKidd is one of those, right? ;)
Hi Kevin. I love the Cutline theme. I also feed my blog to twitter and see great benefit in doing so. If not for these tweet nudges from some of the blogs that I read, I may forget to read them. Coupled with Google Reader, twitter keeps me abreast of things.
The one feature of twitter that seems to get most overlooked and my guess underused it its ability to push tweets to the cell phone. I believe this is huge powerful tool that isn’t yet being used to it’s potential, both in PLN and in the classroom.
Thanks, Frank
I am also one of your twitter peeps, love that!
I agree, at first, I thought titter was a huge waste of time. Now I see twitter as one of my valuable tools to stay current in educational technology. There is a social piece like any network we are in at school, church the community and so on, but that is not the focus for me.
I look at twitter as “MY TEAM” this group is filtering information for me and pointing me to the key things I need to know, NOW!
Staying current with technology is challenging, now that I have my twitter network, they point me to the things I need to have on my radar screen. One key to Twitter is you need to participate.
Kevin is a perfect example. Working from home this week I “participating” with Kevin’s amazing experience at the NJ conference. Post by post he shared the key things from the conference. Here in Chicago I would not have had that experience without Kevin sharing the play by play. Like Kevin I try and read what I can, try and keep up, but I am so over “twitter guilt”. I partcipate when I can, sharing tidbits and help another member out on the network with a resource, link or suggestion.
Even writing this post is a perfect example. I am sure before Twitter Kevin’s blog was great, now that he is an active and respected twitter, people want to read more and join in the discussion.
The last point is I agree, I learn somthing everyday! WOW, I am not sure as a classroom teacher I could say that. When I was teaching 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th grades, I would have loved to have a “twitter team” to share with. How cool would that be?
Time for action! My twitter name is megormi join the network!
First of all, I’m enjoying your blog so much – recommended by @langwitches ( power of the network) Second of all, I totally agree with you about twitter. It has changed my practice, pushed my thinking and powered my enthusiasm in all I do. When I try to explain to people about the rock star thing – they laugh at me – but then when I tell them something new I love to say, “Guess what I learned on twitter!?”
:) @Holtsman on twitter
OK,
I’ve been reading Kevin’s blog since the fall when a friend of mine recommended it. (She took a class at Walden from him while I did my Master’s Online through University of Missouri.) At any rate, I was one of the Twitter seems to be another fun social site like MySpace. After reading the blog today, I’m going to give it a try. We’ll see how it works for me.
I will say I have started a Ning to use at my school after reading Kevin’s blog entry and it’s a hit!
Lori
Kevin,
Agree with everyone else and what you say. It has transformed professional development for me – taught me about so many tools that I would not know about today. In fact, I first learned about ustream from Twitter, and I’m watching a live ustream right now while I’m catching up on my blog reader.
To me, you are one of the “rock stars!”
Hi guys! Never suspected this post would get so many comments! Whoah!
@Pat,
Thank you! Twitter does = timeliness but I really struggle with the guilt thing when I’ve been out of the mix for a day or so. It’s like, what gems have I missed? Arrrrrgh! Wish there was a neural feed option.
@Lee,
Thanks for your comment. Newsgroups? Heck yea I remember them! Anyone remember DejaNews?
@Frank,
Thanks. Tweets to my cell phone would essentially drive my productivity to near zero, and likely cause RSI in the thumb area. :) I’ve never enabled that capability because I fear it! :)
@Meg,
Thanks for the kind words. I had a blast playing “Andy Carvin” for the day. Just wish my Eee PC fit better on my lap. It’s a knee-top, not a laptop, it keeps falling off!
@Melanie,
Thanks. So happy you’re enjoying my blog! Someday I actually will make it into a true blog. Right now, it’s really more of a resource sharing site with some interactivity. :)
@Lori,
Thanks for the comment! Sylvia Tolisano rocks! Who was the Walden student who pointed you to me? Just wunnerin’! Good luck with the Ning!
@Karen,
Transformed PD is exactly right. I just recently realized this. I AM MY OWN PD DEPARTMENT! Twitter-powered, too! As for my status as a rock star, all I have to say is my daughter put it best (she actually said this): “You’re famous and nobody knows it!” I lol’d.
-kj-