The verdict is still out whether Twitter can be a useful tool in the traditional classroom. I would be interested in receiving some feedback on its application. However, I certainly am having fun with Twitter on a professional and personal level!
Here is how to get started. First, watch this excellent two-minute video from CommonCraft Video- How Twitter Works.While you are at this site, you might watch a few more of their videos about Wikis, Blogs, and Bookmarks. This duo is amazing and for teachers who are intimidated by the Web 2.0 Tidal Wave, they make some of these new "killer apps" understandable.
Here is how I am using Twitter.
Right now, according to Megan Casey on Squidblog Squidblog Article I am a "catcher". You probably are, too. A catcher is someone who consumes or "catches" web content. A "thrower" is one who throws some content out there with the hope that it will stick to or with someone. This is where I have wanted to be but I just couldn’t find the right venue. Twitter enables its members to "throw" 144 character comments out to the world answering the question, "What are you doing?"
How do you find people to follow?
When you first sign up, Twitter can import your Email address books and search to see if any of your friends are on. I bypassed this because, in catcher mode, I wanted to watch first and learn. You can view the public timeline, too. It is interesting to see what people all over the world are doing at any given moment.
I found my first Twitter friends via a blog. I subscribed to Teachers20 Teachers 2.0 Blog and then in the search button for Twitter, I found the Teacher2.0 Twitter. From there, Lindiop was my first friend. I live in Georgia and she is in England but we have a common interest!
Other friends came from my associations and interests. I searched for NBCT and found a friend. Another search of "English Teachers" led me to more interesting people. A third search found a fellow Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Another way of finding friends is by looking at whom your new friends follow. It is a bit like socially appropriate eaves dropping.
Famous People and Professional Sites- I follow the weather in my area, NPR updates, and a couple of the current presidential candidates. One of my favorite Slate Magazine writers (also an NPR correspondent), John Dickerson, is interesting. I regularly listen to the podcast "Slate Political Gabfest" Slate Political Gabfest Link so I know his on air personality. His tweets give me some back-story of what he is thinking and doing as he is filing his stories. It is as if I am privy to his drafting process- an art that is lost in today’s word-processed world.
A couple of people in the tech world with whom teachers might not be familiar are Merlin Mann, Leo Laporte, and Kevin Rose. Merlin Mann spent quite a bit of time in Florida, from where I hail, so when he mentions Tallahassee, New College, and New Port Richey I can relate. He is also an age peer so, as a side note, you might like his website Merlin Mann's 5's Lists as they are pop culturally memorable and hilarious to folks of my generation. Warning- some of his Tweets contain some rated R language but they are rather witty and sometimes profound. Leo Laporte is currently in Australia as I write this post. His tweets show me the world is truly flat! (Leo’s podcast This Week in Tech (TWIT) is great, too. You can subscribe to it in ITunes.) Kevin Rose is the guy behind www.digg.com ’s fame. If you really want to know what your students are doing technology-wise, listen to the Diggnation podcast. (Rated R warning for language and content but Kevin and co-host Alex will give you a window into sites, videos, music, hacks, software, gadgets, etc… oh, and beer.) I also follow the tweets of GetItDoneGuy and GrammarGirl from their podcasts. Grammar Girl reported an earthquake in Reno this evening. As the Olympic Torch protests in San Francisco were happening, several of my Twitter contacts were tweeting about it. (The verb "to tweet" means "to post an update.")
Teaching- The best reason teachers should participate in Twitter is its use as a living resource. Add Vicki Davis "coolcatteacher" to your friends. Here is her blog: Cool Cat Teacher's Blog. Each time I see her tweet with an interesting URL, I know I am going to learn something. Look at the mission statement WOW2 and you will see what I mean WoW2 AngelaMaiers is also very informative. She even reciprocated and added me as a friend!
My media is portable with an IPhone so I can check Twitter throughout the day, follow one of Coolcatteacher’s links, get a laugh from hotdogsladies (Merlin Mann’s Twitter name), or check to see if anyone new added me. I am following 50 right now and have 24 followers. Here is a directory of some of the top teachers being followed on twitter: Twitter Directory
Have fun and follow me on Twitter . My screen name is: Dlaughey
What are you doing right now?
