Tweeting with Students: Uncharted Territory

I didn't read that post, but now after I read this, you made me so curious. I think I'll certainly read it very soon. Asigurare locuinte

Twitter is still an evolving medium. To say with absolute accuracy that "the ramifications are worth it" is impossible at the moment....I think :>)

I've observed tremendous change and growth in the kinds of content shared on Twitter in the past 12 months. Social media and web 2.0 tools provide some of the most significant opportunities for powerful learning and 21st century skill work. These tools are also the most misunderstood (and often feared) by decision makers and parents alike.

I teach an online course called Emerging Technologies to teachers. Over the last couple of years there is always the challenge of the "banned" technology du jour. iPods, cell phones, Twitter etc. When the teachers talk about why things are banned, most of the concerns are usually rooted in what the school or teacher can and cannot control, which is related to what the school and/or teacher is held accountable for.

In the case of Twitter, I require students to use it throughout the course so they can experience all it has to offer (good/bad) and develop their own understanding of its potential. We all tweet to our course hashtag, but I do not follow students, and I don't require people to follow each other. The purpose is to have a way to share resources, ask quick questions, and demonstrate a mobile mechanism for course communication for those who install for the smartphone/cell phone. We observe the same "netiquette" guidelines we use for our online discussions and communication. This is where I find I have leg up on modeling good "twitizenship" since I have established standards. Most folks haven't really worked or participated in a form of online community yet and miss that you can set up such guidelines, policies etc.

Usually a positive, meaningful, and useful experience is the first step on the long path to being open to adoption of any new thing. Twitter can feel like a wild place for the newbie, or a lonely place. For schools and/or district success you need a champion (or two or three)Like budtheteacher from the blog post. What we need is continued sharing and wider publication of Twitter success stories to get more folks open to the idea. I would also add these stories should really be less centrally focused on the medium (Twitter) and more about the fabulous learning that just happened and the innovative teacher. :>) Sometimes the great learning experience gets lost in a story and the hype surrounds the latest buzzword or tech tool. Just my 2 cents.

-Rebecca

I use Twitter with my students to remind them of coming up projects, deadlines, etc. One thing I do promise is that I will NOT follow them on Twitter. I also make sure to send the messages before 8 PM (somehow that seems acceptable). If they need to respond or ask any questions, they can always go to the class webpage and contact me or find their answers there.

Always keep it professional, no personal comments and no following students.

As the Principal of a high school, I am encouraging staff to utilize twitter as a tool to engage students. In addition, it is a resource that will allow both staff members and students to create their own Personal Learning Networks (PLN's).

I think that the benefits (student voice, expanding digital footprint, engagement...) far outweigh the negatives. If we wait until we have a policy in place that will describe every possible misuse of a resource like this and the corresponding ramification then we will never get started with it.

If there are mis-steps involved then these will be valuable learning opportunities as well.

My school and the district do not as of yet have a policy. There are only a few of us using Twitter to post class updates and other tidbits of information. For my class account, I follow sites of educational interest: news updates, quotes, word games, White House Updates, etc. I am sure that next year it might be banned, Facebook and MySpace are currently banned. I hope to help the district see the implications of Twitter and other forms of social media as a educational tool.