Blog Post #12

To Tweet or Not to Tweet???

1. Read the article "Teachers Embracing Social Media In the Classroom" by Ned Smith.  Post your thoughts on how the use of social media in schools can be a valuable learning tool
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2. Read this post: http://edupln.com/profiles/blogs/how-one-tweet-changed-a by Irene Tortolini.  Discuss your view on Twitter before being introduced to the PLN verses how you view Twitter now.

3. Watch the following video: "Twitter in the Classroom".  Post your thoughts on using Twitter to connect classrooms.
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1.  In the first article, "Teachers Embracing Social Media in the Classroom", Ned Smith addresses the question the is becoming more and more relevant to our schools- should kids have to "power down" while at school or can the use of the internet via mobile device be accepted and structured for use in the classroom?  Social media sites such as facebook and twitter, along with other sites like YouTube consume an ever growing portion of our children's time.  In addition, it is becoming a useful tool for educators in developing professional learning networks to connect people and ideas globally.  If we expect our educators to use these tools, shouldn't we engage our kids in them as well and take the opportunity presented to teach them how to use them responsibly and effectively?  Facebook in the classroom may seem far fetched for some, but social media can have its place in classes.  In addition to being a tool that students are excited about and enjoy using, it can open up world's of opportunity for both the teacher and the student that just wouldn't be possible otherwise.

2. I can identify with Irene's pre-Twitter attitude.  I don't have time, don't care what others are saying, and just don't want to be involved.  I also did not know what a PLN was or how useful it would be to me as an educator.  Facebook was easy to get going with.  Twitter on the other hand requires a little more understanding to make the most of it.  From reading this post, along with many others, I have begun to educate myself on the usefulness of Twitter, just as Ms. Tortolini did(yes, it is Tortolini!) .  I have to say that I haven't found that life changing tweet just yet, but I sure am looking for it!  I have begun to develop my own PLN and as Ms. Tortolini explained, the latest and greatest minds are all at work updating this huge database of knowledge right at our fingertips.  All you have to do is find the right people, watch what they are saying, throw in some comments of your own, and before you know it, you are in the middle of a huge thinktank!  I see Twitter now more as a professional tool rather than social.  It does that too, but for me I will be reading those tweets and retweets much more often.

3. I thought this video did an excellent job illustrating exactly how Twitter can be applied to the classroom.  These students are able to Tweet while in class, at school, and maintain a learning network with classmates to share information.  I think enabling students to communicate in this fashion prepares them more for what they can expect outside of school, teaches collaboration, and also social responsibility.  I saw a short but powerful video that showed a father giving his 6 or 8 year old son the keys to his car to go driving.  Would anyone do that?  Of course not.  Why then do we allow kids to project themselves on social networks and other media without any guidance or instruction?  By integrating these popular tools into our schools, we then provide ourselves with the opportunity to teach the students how to use them responsibly.  I don't know if Twitter is right for all schools or all classes, but I do think we will see a place for this and other social networking modes in our schools sooner rather than later.