How Twitter can help teachers connect with students -- and each other This post was written by Liz Perman, an editorial project manager for SmartBrief. Hundreds of educators from international schools around the world came to Nice, France, for the European Council of International Schools annual conference from Nov. 17 to 21. Teachers everywhere are grappling with how to integrate social media into their lesson plans, and many seem skeptical of the appeal of Twitter, let alone how it could be used for educational purposes. In her session, “Cure What Ails You: A Dose of Twitter for Every Day of the Year,” Kathy Schrock, director of technology for Nauset Public Schools in Orleans, Mass., walked educators through the basics of Twitter (see her presentation if you could use a tutorial as well) before outlining the specific benefits of Twitter for educators. Schrock recommends that educators think of Twitter as another venue for professional development.
PowerPoint Twitter Tools WARNING: From March 5th, 2013, Twitter will progressively drop support for RSS feeds, breaking the tools below (except the AutoTweet plugin, which I have updated to the new API). I will try to find a solution, but no guarantees, I’m afraid… Ever wanted to make presentations a more interactive, Web 2.0 experience? The PowerPoint Twitter Tools prototypes are now available. Created using SAP BusinessObjects Xcelsius (but requiring only PowerPoint for Windows and Adobe Flash to run), the twitter tools allow presenters to see and react to tweets in real-time, embedded directly within their presentations, either as a ticker or refreshable comment page. There are currently eight tools – you can easily cut and paste them into your own PowerPoint decks: PowerPoint Twitter feedback slides PowerPoint AutoTweet, PowerPoint Twitter voting — bar charts and pie chart PowerPoint Twitter ticker bar PowerPoint Mood meter PowerPoint Crowd meter PowerPoint Zoom text PowerPoint Twitter update bar AutoTweet
Learn Twitter No matter where I am, every time I speak I hear people say, “I wish someone would teach me how to tweet.” Well, I’m hoping this resource will provide some of those folks a place to learn how to leverage this social media tool at their own pace. I must admit, however, I am a complete rookie at delivering online instruction, and am using this course to improve the quality of my instruction. The information below contains everything you need to complete all five modules of this Twitter course designed specifically for teacher and parents new to Twitter. *Total course completion time: 2 hours. Directions: Navigate Part 1-5 below as you work through the course. Resources/sites referred to in this course:
New to Twitter Teacher Cheat Sheet Are you a new to Twitter teacher? Not exactly sure how to get started? This cheat sheet will include easy-to-follow action steps to help you build, organize and manage your PLN (Personal Learning Network). For information about the benefits of being a connected educator or why you might want a PLN, check out the Benefits of Being a Connected Educator. 1. Other teachers and ed-leaders of course! Some of my personal favorites (because they consistently create and share great content): Need more ideas? 2. Part of the fun of Twitter and not completely separate from the unlimited opportunities for learning is this innate social desire to grow your followers and extend your reach. 3. My best advice is to start off slowly. On the other hand, if you're following 314 people and only have 5 followers, potential followers will wonder what that's all about. If someone follows you, take a look at their bio. 4. It's not a sprint! Get Organized With a Social Media Management Tool: 5. 6. 7.
Social media for schools: a guide to Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest | Teacher Network | Guardian Professional • For advice on e-safety in schools, click here The use of social media in education continues to be something of a hot topic with arguments both for and against. So I carried out a small survey of 27 teaching professionals in order to create a baseline of understanding into the use (or not) of social networking in schools, and also any concerns over some of the e-safety risks. There are many uses of social media in education - below are just a few of the ways they can be effectively used. Facebook • Using Facebook as a 'broadcast' account. Inspiration: University of Gloucestershire - This is a Facebook Page from my old university. Cambridge University - Another good example. Twitter • Twitter, like Facebook, is also being used as a broadcast account. Risca Community Comprehensive - A great example of an active school Twitter feed. Clevedon School - Another great example of an active feed. iClevedon - This is an account from the Clevedon again. Pinterest
30 Innovative Ways to Use Twitter In the Classroom Do you use Twitter in your classroom as part of your lesson plans? If not, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Although 80% of K-12 teachers do have social media accounts, such as Twitter for personal or professional use, most of them don’t integrate them into classroom lessons.