#Awesome

An Introduction to Twitter in Education

Jan. 10, 2017

What is Twitter?

Twitter is an exceptionally simple social networking and news service that allows users to post messages called “tweets” online. Tweets are limited to 140 characters which makes them generally clear, concise, and easy to read/scan. All tweets are public to anyone on the internet, however you do need to be a registered user to make tweets. They are also all easily searchable especially if they use hashtags (see below).

In education, Twitter is an excellent tool that can be used to build relationships with students, parents and the community, create wide-ranging personal learning networks, and bring current and worldly events into the classroom. For an excellent example of this, read this great example by Alan November and Brian Mull: How Twitter Can Be Used as a Powerful Educational Tool

This post will focus on introducing you to Twitter and to show you some simple and productive ways you can incorporate the use of Twitter into your teacher and learning.

Hashtags #

What are they?

We can’t continue our discussion about Twitter without first mentioning and defining hashtags.

You’ve all seen them: #mtdoug.
You’ve probably heard your students use the word in a statement: “hashtag no way!”
You may have even (unfortunately) seen them in student written work: #thesquarerootofnineisthree.

The # (hashtag) symbol is used to mark a keyword or topic in a tweet (and on other social media sites). Using a hashtag lets any Twitter user categorize tweets by topic. This allows other users to follow topics using the same hashtag(s). In otherwords, it's like a labeling system.

For example, if you want to see what’s happening our school district search #sd61learn. It is used by teachers, administrators, schools, the board office and others to indicate any tweet involving our school district.

There are many hashtags that you could potentially be interested in. If you’re not sure where to start check out this Hashtag Dictionary by edudemic.com

Twitter in the Classroom

There are unlimited ways to use Twitter in your classroom with your students. To see what I mean, check out this comprehensive list (one on many) 60 Inspiring Examples of Twitter in the Classroom.

Here are a few easy ideas to get you started.

Make Connections with Parents and Students

- Tweet examples of awesome student work and achievement - see a Tweet I made in November on the right.
- Let parents and students know what is happening in the class - Tweet the day’s assignment or events that are coming up
- Create a class hashtag like #McKeanBus10 so that students and parents can easily find information your class tweets.

Help students making meaningful connections to the outside world.

- Students can connect with businesses, people and other students around the world easily using Twitter.
  - For example: Maybe your students have a question about electric cars. Instead of you or Google answering it, have them check out the @TeslaMotors Twitter account first. Students can see articles and information directly from Tesla and can even ask them a specific question - see the Tweet to Tesla button - I actually heard a first hand account of a student doing this and getting a reply.
  - Note: It's important to be sure you are communicating with an official Twitter account. Look for the blue check-mark verifying official users.
  - Twitter is one of the key ways businesses are making connections with customers so they often have very active Twitter accounts full of first hand information.
- Have a classroom debate or discussion going on? Or is there an event the class is interested in? Follow a relevant and related hashtag on Twitter to see what the rest of the world is saying about the same thing.

Twitter as a Professional Connection Tool

Twitter is an amazing resource to help you build your own personal learning network. We all know the best information about teaching comes from other teachers, so why not tap into one of the biggest and most accurate resources out there? Educators on Twitter!

Here are some ways to do this:

Follow Users Meaningful to you

- Start searching for topics, lessons, or other areas of interest to you and you are sure to come across at least one teacher who actively uses Twitter to share their resources and/or the great things they are doing in their classrooms.
- Once you find these people, Follow them (click the blue Follow button), and every time they post something you will see it on your home feed, without having to search for them again.
  - The image to the right is a selection of the variety of the 130 people I currently follow on Twitter.

Tweet a colleague

- Stay connected to colleagues near and far using Twitter.
- Share lesson ideas, ask for advice, and celebrate achievements. Twitter is a great way to congratulate or thank someone publicly.

Ask a Question

- Have a question you can’t find the answer to? Ask it on Twitter, someone should be able to help you. Just don’t forget to use a meaningful hashtag or two.

Join a Discussion

- Education based discussions, referred to as "chats" happen all the time on Twitter.
- These chats are scheduled events where people log in to Twitter and discuss, debate, and chat about a pre-determined topic. To follow a chat or to join in simply use the appropriate hashtag.
  - For an example, search #bcedchat or follow @BCEdChat who host a chat every Sunday at 7pm.
- Last year, I even saw a tweet for a #PubPD chat hosted by @MapleSyrupEDU meeting in Nanaimo. Yes, that would be a Pro-D event, in a pub, where teachers could bring their devices and have an educational discussion with each other and with teachers from all over Canada via Twitter, all while having a pint!

Mount Doug on Twitter

Yes, Mount Doug has it's own Twitter account!

Check out and follow @mtdougrams to see how we are connecting with our school community. You can also view our tweets on the school website!

Do you have something you would like shared?

We would love to share more of the things that make Mt. Doug so great, so if you have something you would like posted via the Mt. Doug Twitter account email the details to one of the account managers: Alexis, Aaron or Derek.

Tweets can be about upcoming events, great things happening in your classroom, student or team achievements etc. If you can, include a photo.

Don't forget about MD EdTech Support!

Follow me: @alexis_mckean for more resources related to #edtech and the weekly Tech Tuesday topics.

Want more Information on Twitter?

General Information

For more information on Twitter, including how to set up an account check out the following Twitter resource links:

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