Journal #2 - Join the Flock / Enhance Your Twitter Experience (NETS 3 & 5)

1. Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock. Learning and leading with technology, June/July, 13-14. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20100607

Summary:

This article discusses the benefits on getting started with Twitter. She discusses how we as educators can learn from each other through the use of Twitter. She addresses issues in a chronological order which takes us from setting up an account, to learning to listen to others, to even putting our own ideas out there and sharing links with others. She describes what it means to follow and to be followed, as well as how to use hashtags. Overall I think she does a great job at introducing Twitter as a tool to us as teachers. We can learn a lot through its use, and we can really get what we need from it.

Question:

Would Twitter be an effective way to reach other teachers outside of our own personal network?

Answer:

I believe Twitter would be a great way to reach teachers beyond your own school, or even district. It would allow for the larger spread of ideas, and it would allow new ideas to reach areas they may not have before. I feel things could become stagnant being in the same area for too long, and this allows a breath of fresh air when it is needed.



2. McClintock Miller , S. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience. Learning and leading with technology, June/July, 15-17. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20100607

Summary:

This article is all about tools you can use to enhance your Twitter experience and make it easier to use. She recommends the use of TweetDeck, as it allows you to sort different kinds of tweets in columns. She believes that Twitter is effective for teachers and students, and it allows both access tho useful resources that otherwise would not be used. When on Twitter, she recommends that you be strategic with your time. Most of your time should be spent sharing your ideas and tools, while the smaller amount of time should be chatting a responding to other tweets. But in the end it is most important to build your PLN and make connections with others on Twitter.

Question:

How would we find tools like TweetDeck if it weren't for articles like this?

Answer:

We can find cool and helpful tools by reading the Twitter feeds or actively searching on the internet for them. There are many other places that offer helpful tools, you just have to search for them. Once you find a tool you like to use and you think helps make your life easier, share a link of it on Twitter!