Twitter… 2 Years Later

     Shortly after I began this blog in 2012 I decided to join Twitter as well. Prior to this, my only social media tool was Facebook, which I only utilized with my close friends and family. I can’t remember what exactly prompted me to try Twitter but, two years later, I am still very happy that I made the plunge!

     Compared to what I had been used to with Facebook, Twitter seemed chaotic and unorganized; I felt completely lost. After some exploring and trial-and-error, however, I quickly got used to the format and became a big fan of Twitter lists. If you are interested in how Twitter lists can help keep your Twitter feed organized and specific, check out my post, Twitter… 1 Year Later from February 2013.

      I am now following 833 accounts that vary from other education students, educators, educational resources, education companies, and anything related to material I am using in the classroom. While I share quite regularly through Twitter, the majority of my interactions with other educators comes through Twitter Chats. A Twitter Chat is when a group of people meet online at a pre-arranged time to discuss specific questions/topics/issues. They are usually moderated by an individual or group who keep the conversation on track. To learn more about chats in general, check out this video:

     Whether I am actively participating in a Twitter Chat (responding to questions, commenting on responses) or simply viewing the chat, I find that Twitter Chats are a great way to connect with other educators and learn more about the field of education. I find that Twitter Chats are a great PD opportunity for me as I always find new mentors, learn more about different ideas, and compile new resources. There are many different types of Twitter Chats related to education but my favourites are:

1 ) #MBedchat       
– Manitoba Educators Chat
– Chat Wednesdays at 9pm
– Learn more here

2 ) #edchat
– Education Chat
– Chat Tuesdays at 7pm
– Learn more here

3 ) #ntchat
– New Teacher Chat
– Chat Wednesday at 6pm
– Learn more here

     If you are interested in learning more about Twitter and it’s benefits for educators I definitely recommend checking out Twitter for Educators: A Beginners Guide which covers everything you need to know in plain English. It includes the benefits for educators, how to get set up, following people, getting people to follow you, Twitter “lingo” and various other applications that can help you get set up. Even after using Twitter for a year I’ve found this guide useful, especially the section on Guidelines & Best Practices.

Image Credit: Twitter for Educators: A Beginner’s Guide Cover, http://images.pcmac.org/Uploads/MCPSS/MobileCounty/Departments/Forms/Twitter%20for%20Educators.pdf