Let's Get Networked on Twitter Too!

[Frank]

OK, I know this is not Classroom20 .. but this is one of those instances where we need to combine resources (plus the key word "education" is too general .. read on)

As teachers, educators, students and administrators in education, we need to use a variety of tools to get the job done. Classroom 2.0 Ning Network is one very important (hugely important) tool. But there are more out there that need to be harnessed and exploited in the interest of pedagogy.

I just did a search at Twitter.com (search is a relatively new and powerful feature on Twitter) and only found 3 teachers when "classroom20" was set as the search key work. THREE!!!

So, please let's fix this. Including me ... networking is one (of many) of the most exhilarating uses of Twitter

With Twitter you can:
1. network with others and get immediate responses with sharing ideas and resources
2. use Twitter in a zillion ways with your students to advance learning, higher order thinking skills, critical thinking skills, communication skills, creativity skills, etc.)
3. Get SMS cell phone notification from only those "followers" that you give permission to (very useful when working on a special project with a small group of colleagues).

So, here is what we all need to do.

1. Open a twitter account (http://twitter.com) if you yet do not have one (and every person wanting to stay informed and share really should)

2. Be sure to (a.) insert the word classroom20 into your profile bio or (b.) use your classroom20 my page URL in your twitter profile website field (or just http://classroom20.ning.com if you prefer)

Give twitter a day or 2 to index you in their search engines and then VOILA! .. You can enter the key term "classroom20" into the onsite search engine .. then just click "follow" for each person that you want to add to your network.

If you add me (my twitter is "metaweb20" please add me) for example .. then I will receive an email notification ... I use those to see who added me .. and then I usually add them too (if they don't look too weird, hehe).

I use twitter with a large group of edtech and edublogs bloggers and I can assure you that it is a fantastic resource. Many of you here already know this. But, we have had to find each other 1 by 1 by reading blogs and such.

Let's do it. I will run a twitter search in a few more days. It will be interesting to see how many will be there beyond those 3 shown above.

Frank
blog: http://franksblog.edublogs.org
twitter: http://twitter.com/metaweb20
article: How to Use Twitter in the Classroom

[Frank]

When you get finished, can each of you PLEASE come back here and post:

I DID IT!!!! Twitter ID: metaweb20

This way everyone will have a chance to be notified until this project dies out. Because if the post gets buried ... then there isn't any point to start with.

Thanks

[Mary Hricko]

Hi Frank,

I just set up my Twitter account so now there's 4. :-)