Entries from April 2009 ↓

As promised last month, let’s discuss how Twitter is being used by educators.  (Click here for “What is Twitter?”) 

Ideas from a variety of sources (see resources below).

1.  Use to summarize topic/content viewpoint,
2.  Tweet dialogue between characters of a novel or historical figures.
3.  Use twitterpoll to collect viewpoints.
4.  Share announcements to your students and parents.
5.  Communicate/follow experts.
6.  Monitor where students are in their learning by tweeting a question/answer.
7.  Combine with Google Earth to receive updates on various regions.
8.  Share resources – send hyperlinks.
9.  Twitter as storytelling.
10.  Professional Development – add to your network/followers creating a strong professional learning network.

For more information:
Laura Walker’s, Nine Great Reasons Teachers Should Use Twitter
21 Ways Teachers are using Twitter and Twitter Reading List

What would be the best way to start using Twitter? 
Begin by creating an account and follow someone in your content area or an educational organization. 
Examples of professional twitter accounts-
http://twitter.com/Britannica
http://twitter.com/voicethread
http://twitter.com/dwarlick
http://twitter.com/pbslearningnow
http://twitter.com/ASCD

How is the library using twitter?
Currently, the BVW library has a twitter account that connects to our web page.  As we update twitter, our web page will show the new post. It is a neat way to make announcements to classes or provide quick links to students while they are working in the library.

http://splashurl.net/ – Want your students to be able to view the web page address from the projector?  Type in the web page address & it will show up in bigger font.

http://www.tinychat.com/  or http://todaysmeet.com/  Create a chat room for your students to communicate. 

http://www.imagechef.com/ic/word_mosaic/ Word Mosaic

http://www.mediacloud.org/ Analyze and visualize data from a variety of news sources.

Shout’em

Want to quickly set up an online discussion with students?  Try Shout’em. Similar to Twitter or an online chat room, students can create online discussions monitored by you.   Jenny Johnson recently had her students use Shout’em as an online class discussion of thesis statements.  The following links show the discussion between her students in Block 1 and Block 3 classes.

http://bvwjohnson1.shoutem.com/

http://bvwjohnson3.shoutem.com/

For more information about Shout’Em – 15 Minute Guide to Microblogging in Education

Jenny Johnson collaborated with the Library Media Specialists for her HCA II classes to use a microblogging site – Shout’em! 

All students logged into the blog and a few students at a time entered their thesis statement.  Students used valuable communication and critical thinking skills as they collaborated with their peers to provide suggestions and input for how each student thesis could improve. 

Students were able to receive instant feedback from their peers and exchange ideas.  The interactive nature of the activity provided an engaging and relatable process for students to connect with the curriculum.