Tweet...Tweet...Tweet...

The world of micro-blogging, 140 characters or less… that is smaller than a text.  How can this tool possibly be useful within the classroom? Although I signed up for Twitter over two years ago, I rarely ever used it, simply because I felt like there was no purpose.  However, after reviewing how useful it can be as a resource and also as a classroom tool, I guess you can say I have seen the “twight”?

Micro-blogging allows for constant, quick interaction and feedback, live!  With the instant gratification sensation that students are constantly exposed to, Twitter is a great tool to feed this sensation.  Because Twitter is never closed, constantly being updated, commented on, replied to and refreshed, by millions of people around the world, someone is surely currently “tweeting” something that your students are passionate about. 

Making learning relevant by using a technology tool that they associate with socializing is essential in incorporating a successful learning environment.  In my future classroom I could see using Twitter for a variety of assignments.    Some of the ideas I found in this presentation really interested me. 

§  Anagram games: posting 5- 8 letters and seeing how many different words the students can create

§  An internet scavenger hunt, with findings posted through links on to Twitter.  This could be used for collecting information on a new topic, the findings could be shared and celebrated the next day in class to kick off a new unit. 

§  Tweeting chapter summaries.  Lets be realistic, we text about our lives in 160 characters or less on a daily basis, students will learn how to summarize chapters in 140 characters as well. 

§  Tweeting with the experts.  Being able to propose questions directly to an expert in the field is such a valuable resource and exciting experience for the students.

§  Creating a Twitter account for historical figures.  For example, George Washington could tweet about his wooden teeth and how it feels to be the first President. 

§  Students can create a Tweet Story.  Each student contributes one Tweet, 140 characters, collaborating in building an original class Tweet story.   

§  Finally, Teachers can post Tweets that need to be revised, students can offer what parts need to be revised and explain why. 

Twitter is also a great tool to develop an educator’s professional career as well.  The networks created within the Twitter community are great resources.  As this article explained, Twitter is like a more social RSS feed.  People are constantly posting new information that you can filter and read for knowledge, quickly.  Twitter has many filtering options similar to an RSS feed. 

Twitter has already made strides for educators and in the classroom with students.  I am just excited to implement the Twitterverse into my classroom and professional life for fast paced knowledge at my fingertips. 

And I also LOVE this!