Twitter is a social media that is world wide phenomenon that interlinks people from every back ground imaginable. The trick is to "follow" people. This means that you are interested in a what a certain person might be saying or posting on twitter. For a novice like myself, I am very happy that we were able to go through the process of following people through the suggestions of our instructor, Garth Holman. This saved a lot of time! What was even better is that Mr. Holman gave us a tool that has us connected with people around the world that are educators. There are teachers, administrators, and professors alike that are now in my twitter feed. I would have never imagined to use this to network myself in such a ways because, frankly, I didn't even think this type of thing existed! The bottom line is that twitter can be a very valuable tool for any educator out there looking to network and share each other's ideas and thoughts on what works or doesn't work in a classroom. It is important to have a Personal Learning Network (PLN) as a new educator. There are those who I can learn from and begin to develop my style of teaching by learning what has worked for others. It cannot be under estimated that this tool can bring a wealth of knowledge. What an excellent resource to have!
Thanks for the follow. If you've got 90 seconds, this explains a lot. http://bit.ly/sjlUCA
Over 100 Ways to use Twitter in the Classroom!
http://www.emergingedtech.com/2010/02/100-ways-to-teach-with-twitter/
Follow me!!!
@oconnorms
Video Conferencing
The same ideas can be used in today's classrooms. Over the years, I have heard -and been a part of using video conferencing to teach a class or an individual student. I think it is a viable option for those who cannot attend school because of multiple reasons. No longer does the pupil have to be physically in the building! I have attended classes at the University of Akron that allows high school students from several districts to use video conferencing, also known as distance learning, to take courses without ever leaving their school building. They are able to take college accredited courses (that works towards their college degrees) in advance that are free. This is a way to also for the University to utilize their faculty efficiently and introduce the students to their school.
Another idea is networking classrooms. This technology can be used to link classrooms locally or extra locally. A lesson from Chinese classroom can be taught to students in the United States. This will enable students to connect -- even on a global level!
http://www.teachersfortomorrow.net/1/post/2012/09/opening-a-window-to-the-world-experts-beyond-your-room.html?