Twitter

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Twitter as a Teacher's Tool

I know many of you may think that Twitter is just a tool for narcissistic celebrities to share the drama of their sordid lives.

The reality: Twitter can be a very powerful tool for educators who are looking to build their PLN (Professional Learning Network).

How to Get Started
  1. Create a Twitter account here.  Some things to consider...
    • First impressions are important - choose your username carefully!
    • Fill in your bio - if you don't, you might look like a spammer.
    • Upload a picture or avatar - people will be more likely to follow you.
    • Get the app!  Tweeting from your phone is easy and FUN!
  2. Begin following people in your field.  My advice: start with about 10 people and go from there.  Here's how...
    • Google Twitter + your content area (ex: twitter elementary math).  Browse some tweets from the people your search returns and follow the ones you like.
    • Check out blogs you follow and see if the bloggers are on Twitter.
    • Ask your friends and colleagues who they follow (or go to their Twitter page and look around!).
    • Check out this list of 80 Best Twitter Feeds in Instructional Technology.
  3. START TWEETING!  
    • Dip your toe in the water by retweeting people you follow.
    • If you come across something cool, tweet it on your own!  Post a link, a quote, an idea, a thought...  There are people out there who want to hear what YOU have to say!
    • Don't forget to use hashtags so your tweets will be organized and easy to search.
    • DO NOT tweet about your PERSONAL life if this is going to be your TEACHER Twitter account!  Keep it professional!
What do I need to know?
  1. What is a "tweet"?  A short message that can have up to 140 characters.
  2. What's in a tweet?  Three components: short message, link to main content, hashtags.
  3. What's a hashtag?  Hashtags provide a way to find relevant content.  They are searchable tags you attach to your message.  Ex: #elemchat, #mathchat, #edtech ...
  4. What do I do with the @ sign?  You use this symbol when you want to publicly reply to a specific user.
  5. What if I want to send a private message to a Twitter user?  You can send a "direct message" that only that user can see.  Type the letter d in the tweet box and locate the user.
  6. What if someone follow me - should I follow them back?  Beware of spammers!!  Look for a bio, check their followers, read their tweets to check for relevance.  You don't automatically HAVE to follow people who follow you, but if they are in your field, it's a good way to get more info and get your name out there, too!
Let's Get Started!
  1. You should have already created your account.  If you haven't, please do that now!
  2. Before you leave today, you must be following at least 10 people.
  3. Add your username to our BISD Twitterers database!
Resources