My Experiences with Twitter

(image from twitter.com)

I started using twitter after Alec Couros introduced it as a professional development tool during his visit to one of my classes.  He showed us how he could pose a question and receive many replies in a matter of minutes.  Needless to say, I was impressed, so I decided to create my own twitter account.  

I have been slowly working at following anyone connected to education and I have been gradually accumulating followers.  However, now that I know how twitter works I will need to continue to work at gaining followers if I want to be able to pose a question and receive unlimited replies.  Right now I only have about 170 followers.  This doesn't begin to compare to Alec's over 7,000 followers (I am sure that he has been on twitter longer than I have).  

So although I may not be able to tweet a question and receive unlimited replies, I still have found twitter to be quite beneficial.  I follow many educators since the reason I started twittering was for its potential as a professional development tool.  Many of these educators post excellent websites, articles, and other resources related to the field of education.  One of the articles tweeted by a teacher, I later used in my education math class.  Several resources posted were valuable during my pre-internship.  Many other resources shared have potential in my upcoming internship.   

Another benefit to twitter is receiving feedback.  I posted my teaching portfolio on twitter and received encouragement from others and I also received tips related to a collection of technology resources I started compiling in the form of a blog.  

In addition to connecting to educators on twitter who I only know through twitter, I can also connect with my peers from the University.  During our pre-internship twitter was a place where we could ask each other questions and share valuable resources.  

I would recommend using twitter to anyone involved in education.  It's a professional learning community on steroids.  Once you start following the right people you will find all sorts of interesting tweets on issues in education, valuable resources, quotes, anything really, and you will be connected with people who you can ask questions and learn from.   (And of course you can use twitter for personal interests following celebrities, companies, or sports networks.) 

twitter by Seung WoonLee CC

Questions about Facebook...

Image from facebook.com

Gill recently wrote an interesting post titled "What have I done..." about her decision to commit facebook suicide after considering some of the disconcerting privacy issues.  Her posting definitely got me thinking.  I am an avid facebook user myself and find it a great way to stay connected with people. However, sometimes I find myself wondering what facebook does with my pictures, who can view my photos, and whether I waste to much time on facebook.  

Several friends have told me before that once you upload pictures, facebook owns all the rights to those photos.  What does facebook do with the pictures?  Do I really want to give away my pictures for free to some large company?  Or does it really matter?  

I also wonder who can access my photos.  I have a setting that only allows friends to view my pictures.  However, I was speaking to a distant acquaintance who commented on how lovely my wedding pictures were.  They were not on my friend list on facebook so how did they view my pictures?  Also, when other people upload pictures of me, who can access to those photos?  Should I really care who views my pictures?  

In addition to these issues how much time do I waste on facebook... I too am guilty of browsing through endless pictures.  Its interesting to see what people are up to, but is it really time well spent?  

Also, facebook makes it super easy to connect with people.  Is it too easy?  I have a friend who decided that if someone actually cared about their birthday or getting together they would call or email them. They felt that facebook makes it so easy to communicate that it is less meaningful.   

Despite all my questions, I am not quite ready to give up facebook.  I really appreciate being connected to friends and family, sharing pictures at ease, and staying updated on who is doing what.  

well, I better go check my facebook now...  ;) 

Facebook by Mike Stimpson CC

Why Technology is Important in Todays Classroom...

Monday's lecture had some great points on why technology is important in education.  I have come up with a list of reasons why I think technology is important: 


- It is a great way to engage learners
- It is something students are growing up with (cellphones, video games, computers, television etc.)
- It can help address multiple intelligences (computers provide, visuals, spoken, and written forms of information, Smartboards are great for kinaesthetic learners).  
- Computer programs can allow students to work at their own pace and level
- Computer skills are becoming extremely necessary in today's world.
- Using computer programs to create graphs, lesson plans etc. can save teachers and students time
- The Internet provides access to information at a global level.
- With a computer you can learn just about anything you are interested in (eHow, YouTube etc.)  
- Blogs, Glogs, or websites can be excellent communication tools for sharing students work and activities with  family, peers, and other classes around the world  
- Assistive technology can help students with special needs 
- Online spaces can help to create a community of learners allowing students to share, comment, and edit each others' work.  
- Online software such as Google Docs, Springnote, or Wallwisher make collaboration that much easier.  


... Anything else?

image from www.1clipart.com