Twitter - Blended Learning Workshop - #BlendedBagwell

                            

140 Characters - can change the world!

Twitter is a great tool for educators to use in developing their professional learning network (PLN).  Follow experts in the field, organizations, a 24 hour a day stream of ideas, collaborations, experiences, and sharing of resources.  Twitter promotes global thinking!

Consider setting up separate Twitter handles - Professional, Classroom, Personal accounts

To get Started:  

• Go to www.twitter.com
• Select Sign-up or Sign-in
• Follow onscreen directions to setup your Twitter ID (Handle)
  ex:  My twitter handle is @ittechcafe
• Setup your profile, add a professional picture, and explore

#1:  Follow Others:
Select people to follow - look at who they follow - read their bios and follow other educators.
Find teachers you know - and see who they follow
Follow famous people in your field:

• @KathyShrock
• @TonyVincent
• @Coolcatteacher - Vicki Davis
• @KSUITEC - KSU Instructional Technology Department
• Must follow Twitter Accounts for ELA Teachers20 Top Tweeters for Math Teachers
  Top Twitter Accounts for Social Studies Teachers
  50 Essential Twitter Feeds for STEM Educators
  10 top Twitter Accounts for Education Technology 

#2: Use Hashtags

• Look at Hashtags in tweets, from those you follow on their profile
• Search for Education - look for # in tweets:  #BlendedBagwell, #highered, #edresearch, #blendedlearning, #edtech
• Check out the Official Education Chat List, The Complete Guide for Twitter Hashtags for Education, 100 Education Hashtags for Teachers and ED Leaders, and search Google for Education Hashtags
• Pre-service Teachers - #pstpln
• Twitter Chats - search for chats - join in on the conversation!  Chat Meetings: check list for day and time!
  Ex:  #EdTechChat - Mondays at 8PM EST - Host leads by asking questions.  You look for Questions (Ex: Q1.) and can tweet an answer starting with:  A1.
  Q/A - Questions and Answers
  Q1. - Question 1 in a chat
  A1. - Answer 1 in a chat

#3:  Get Engaged and Tweet - Include twitter handles and/or hashtags for others to find you.

    
Example Tweet:

      I am looking for other educators to share ideas on integrating technology into the classroom.  #edchat #edtech @KSUITEC #BlendedBagwell

Abbreviations to note:
Ts - Teachers
Ss - Students
Ps - Parents
Goo.gl - link shortener (save those charachters!)

#4:  Twitter supports your research agenda!

AERA - American Education Research Association

AACE - Association for the Advancement in Computing Education
AECT - Association for Educational Communications and Technology

SITE - Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Conference
NCTE - National Council of Teachers of English

NCTM - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Articles
"A number of journals are active on Twitter; Methods in Ecology and Evolution actually requires authors to provide a “tweetable” abstract of 120 characters." - Twitter As a Tool for Sharing Your Research (AJE)