Now that ’15 Things’ has come to an end (for some), there is time to review (see the ‘List of Tools’ page), apply what you have learnt and then check back regularly to see what else is new.
As Web 2.0 tools are increasing in number and variety, use this blog to learn about some which have been used in educational settings, recommended by educators. Choose what you want to use and trial as many as you like. Hopefully, there will be some tools and links to also help you keep track!
Ask a question, share an idea, celebrate a discovery or just say ‘Hello”across the twitterverse! Just exactly what is Twitter all about??
The best way to know is to try it out.
Begin at the login page – www.twitter.com.
From here you can easily join – nominating a username and password, and a notification email address. Once logged in, you can begin to add as much (or little) detail as you like to your personal profile. A little will be necessary for others to get to know you (and your interests or areas of expertise), so include the detail you want others to know and share about you.
Then begin to develop your network by searching for people you know and opting to ‘follow’ them.
Then send your ‘Tweet’ in less than 140 characters, and wait for a response.
Once you have found people you know, you can have a look at their networks (the people they follow) and begin to follow others. The video, from Lee Lefever and the Common Craft show, below explains some of the concepts on which Twitter operates.
Perhaps you could look for, or develop a network within the school, or collecting colleagues with similar interests across schools? restricting your contacts might be useful if their level of knowledge sharing is wide enough. Or there may be times when you need expertise from further afield – strangers or distant contacts. Then share usernames, and let the twittering begin!
For some, Twitter may seem a bit superficial or whimsical, but it has possibilities if you develop a strong network of people with similar interests. See the comments /articles below for various views on Twitter. And consider the quote from one of these articles:
‘I think Twitter is an exciting move towards a universal publishing platform. There’s no learning curve or intimidation. We don’t need to be twittering away, updating the web with our most mundane of activities, “I am writing on Twitter about writing on Twitter…”
Use it productively!’
Carp, S. Why I stopped using Twitter, http://publishing2.com/2007/12/11/why-i-stopped-using-twitter/
Childs, C. Twitter: Use it productively, http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/twitter-use-it-productively.html
Waters, S. Are You Twittering? http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/2008/04/02/are-you-twittering-heres-how-i-use-twitter/
Read the online articles.
Try it out.
Comment on your blog about the usefulness of Twitter or a similar concept withhin the field of education. And other places it might be of value.
For now, take a breather.
This task is all about sharing and discovery. Based on the activities you have been through already, post a comment here (and on your own blog if you have one) about any blog which you have found useful in education. This can be from the point of view of getting ideas from other professionals, or those blogs you have seen in action linked to a classroom or students.
Post a comment below on those you have found, and indicate why they are inspiring. Or, comment on what your discoveries have lead you to think about doing with your blog, your class or your Web 2.0 learning journey. Feel free to make as many separate comments as you like.
## Haven’t discovered any blogs yet? Then try looking at suggestions from teachers participating in a discussion on EdNa’s Blogging Corner, giving their favourite blogs. Or go back to the page about example blogs to see what you have discovered there.
In the past, only those who studied IT were able, using their skills with Web Design programs, to place information and ideas on the world wide web. Now, by using Web 2.0 tools, we have a read/write/share style of world wide web.
This means that with a little practice and access to the internet, all sorts of people can create and use all sorts of places on the web. In other words, Web 2.0 tools allow you to:
Our students use these things intuitively – things like Facebook, MySpace, Flickr and YouTube. And many will spend lots of time interfacing with these applications because they enjoy this technology. The diagram above (from http://www.rossdawsonblog.com/weblog/archives/2007/05/) shows some of the many applications which now exist, some of which can be used to take advantage of this interest, and apply in educational settings.
With blogs, wikis, RSS feeds and the many tools listed to the right, teachers can adopt and adapt technology to use the technological skills of their students, to motivate their participation and to model best practice when using these tools. Many of these tools also make life a little easier, once the basics of setting up or learning how to use them is complete.
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