Article Entries # 2

Ferguson, Hadley. (2011). Join the flock!. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from www.iste.org. 

(NETS-T 5)

Join the Flock!

     This article written by Hadley Ferguson is an easy to read upbeat endorsement of Twitter. The author identifies very quickly key information for the reader about the benefits of using Twitter as a professional network rather than merely a social network. She also appeals to educators who have for years worked so hard to create all of their own teaching tools and resources. She identifies that now, with Twitter, she can find resources without the time commitment. While she lets the readers know that Twitter is a tool that can be useful and save time, it does also take time to use it effectively. Additionally, she breaks down the process of becoming a tweeter. She breaks down the process into simple steps such as, set up the account, learn to follow tweets, find lists, watch and listen, and retweeting. Posting your own thoughts and becoming an active member only happens once the individual has decided to participate. Handley very effectively invites a potential Twitter user to start their personal Twitter adventure. Finally, while she stresses you can always be an onlooker in Twitter, merely using it as a resource of information, the true power and advantages of Twitter only take hold once the participant actively engages in communication with their own posts.

Question 1: What type of controls are in place to ensure the quality of the professional posts within Twitter?

Answer: As with any written work it is the task of the reader to find the validity of the source as well as the usefulness. As educators have done for years, determining which information is truly useful is a process of trial by fire and after activity assessment. With this information the educator can then either adapt the activity to be more useful, use it as is, or abandon the idea.

Question 2: How does a PLN (Professional Learning Network) benefit an educator or educational professional?

Answer: For any student of education in the past can attest, the process of compiling information for your portfolio and future classroom was many times the most time consuming process involved in teaching. As a teacher who received my original teaching certificate over ten years ago, I had to create a hand held copy of all my work to present and then keep a huge file of any good ideas I created, executed or planned for my future classes. With all the time that goes into creating lessons and units in this fashion, many teachers stick with what has worked in the past. That’s an unfortunate truth about human nature. Thanks to new technological advances, and PLC’s teachers can work together with a world-wide network of educators to create up to date, relevant and fun classroom activities that serve each individual class rather than serve several classes over a long period of time. With this new advantage students are learning information that will help them be better students, more engaged social participants and more knowledgeable members of society. 

McClintock Miller, Shannon. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from www.iste.org

    Enhance Your Twitter Experience

     I found this article extremely refreshing as well as a bit overwhelming at times. I love how Ms. Miller starts out with tangible examples of the use of Twitter in the class, and how using technology can and is fun for her as well as her students. Once I found the value of using Twitter only for myself but as a tool for my students, I was interested. Then Ms. Miller begins with how to manage your Twitter information. Which honestly on one hand, I am greatly relieved there is an easy way or tool because as a new user I am a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information that can come in and the speed it moves at. But, I also found that while she states the tools she knows of and prefers, Hootsuite.com and Tweetdeck.com, all the information became more advanced than my current skill level. The one thing I love that Ms. Miller did was that she provides a list of terms for Twitter. THANK YOU!! I know that many times I don’t say anything in person or online because I don’t want to use the wrong terms and be embarrassed. So, to sum it all up, I love the enthusiasm, the possibilities, the management help tools, the terms and the whole idea Ms. Miller presents, I just think that I need to spend some quality time now figuring out how it can work for me.

Question 1: Did Ms Miller’s article inspire you to investigate Twitter more? And, if so what aspect of the Twitter possibilities appeals to you?

Answer: I think my favorite part about in the article is when Ms Miller lets the future user know there are easier ways to share information with people, and not just random tweeple, but people I think will want to know what I am saying. I like the idea that I can bookmark information I find important and send it out to my friends regardless of what forum I know them through and easily let them know my new information. This beats using email or moving from site to site and reposting. This is a great, time saving, information spreading tool.  

Question 2: What do you think the proper Twitter formula is, or does the one provided work for you?

I actually really like the formula presented at 70%, 20%, 10%. When I reflect on real life, I think this formula actually mirrors our typical career interactions. As educators we spend a large amount of time observing and processing, planning and passing on ideas. We also spend a decent amount of time in professional discussions, working to help others or gain more knowledge in certain areas. I think that using ten percent of our time for personal interaction is about right on target for how much time successful people spend on personal talk at work. Overall, I think what like most about this model is that  it presents Twitter as a professional tool rather than a social gossip site, which is really refreshing.