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The Twittersphere

How do I get involved?

Presented by Alex Le Long

@ariaporo22

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English Teacher at Western Heights High School

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What is Twitter?

  • Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service where users create short 140-character text messages, called “tweets”.

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  • Tweets are used to share advice, links, thoughts and opinions

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  • 500 million Tweets are sent per day

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  • Twitter is no longer “just” for following celebrities or posting what you had for breakfast…

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Why use Twitter?

  • It is a personalised newsfeed
  • It comes to you!
  • It’s bite-sized
  • It is a quick way to get a sense of what current issues and ideas are out there…

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http://www.slideshare.net/ClaireAmos/living-and-learning-online-ulearn-12

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Why use Twitter as an Educator?

  • Many view Twitter as a great form of Professional Development
  • Collaborations from experts around the world
  • View teachers’ blogs on what makes their classrooms tick
  • Share resources easily and quickly
  • It is a virtual staff room
  • Connect with like-minded people
  • Create a professional learning network community
  • It can be what you want, when you want it
  • Use hashtags to follow and contribute to discussions
  • Get the latest news and what’s new in education

http://www.edudemic.com/teachers-are-using-twitter/

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How is Twitter effective?

- Helps to develop your PLN

- Gives you personal relative professional development

- Helps you to connect with like-minded educators

- Keep up to date with educational trends, research and information

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The Basics

How does

Twitter Work?

  • 140 characters
  • Follow
  • Hashtags
  • Short Url’s
  • Retweet
  • Favourites
  • Direct Messages

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It started with a Tweet...

Profile Picture

Mention

Handle

Follow Button

Short URL

Favourite Button

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Retweet Button

Reply Button

Shows how many times this tweet has been favourited

Shows how many times this tweet has been retweeted

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Quick Tips for Twitter:

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  • Create, Don't just Consume
  • Connect and Network
  • Share your Resources
  • Keep At It

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https://www.smore.com/wb5b-twitter-basics

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The Secret to Using Twitter

#hashtags

Seriously.

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It’s the way in which tweets are searched for. You can tag your own tweets and then others can view your tweet as well when they are following the same #.

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Hashtags...

Literacy Chat and Literature Chat

Education Chat NZ - Happens every 2nd Thursday night - 8.30pm

English Chat

The Hashtag that the company has suggested we use to enter the competition!

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Popular NZ Hashtags for Education

#edchatnz

#engchat

#kidsedchatnz

#21stedchat

#litchat

#ProjectBasedLearning

(aka #PBL)

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#NZATE #PPTA

#Pond #edtech

#VLN #PLN

#PB4L #huarahi14

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#AkoE (Learning with Te Reo Maori)

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How to get the most out of Twitter...

  • Follow like-minded teachers
  • Connect with people who share your passions
  • Develop your PLN (professional learning network)
  • Discuss teaching and ask for help - you will be surprised how quickly it is offered!
  • Get involved in a few live chats

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You get out as much as you put in.. just have a go!

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Professional Learning Network

We all have one already - Colleagues, friends from other schools, members that you talk with via forums etc

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Twitter can be a great way to improve your PLN to reflect your personal learning interests and gain new and well-connected peers.

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Developing your Support Network

PLN - Professional Learning Network

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Often specific staff members in your school and maybe some in other schools you’ve met through conferences

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VLN - Virtual Learning Network

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Often colleagues you’ve met via the TKI English forum or through the VLN site or maybe through a Facebook group … maybe even Twitter!

HOD

Mentor

PRT’s and Establishing Teachers

Buddy Teachers

Friends - Teachers

Outside Support Network

Family

Friends - Non-Teachers

School PLN

VLN/PLN

Twitter

TKI Forums

Conference Friends

The

VLN

Pond

N4L - Network for Learning

Facebook

Email Colleagues

PPTA

Clubs and Sports

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https://www.smore.com/wb5b-twitter-basics

@ariaporo22

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Who uses Twitter?

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The Second Secret to Twitter

Follow the people you want to follow!

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Unlike Facebook, don’t feel pressured to follow that friend from high school or the long lost family member who you don’t really want to talk to….

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Twitter is intuitive and locates similar people for you as suggestions to follow next from the ones you have already chosen before.

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Search Like-Minded People….

Follow those who have similar interests as you - or those who you think you might learn something from.

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International and Prolific Twit’s

@TomWhitby @coolcatteacher @web20Classroom @edutopia @edudemic @HuffpostEdu @MrsOrman @biepbl @EddieKayshun @urban_teacher @emitoms @teachmama @tomwhitby @coolcattteacher

@JulieBTW @cazzwebbo @jillberry102

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My favourite NZ Twit’s

@mrkempnz @ClaireAmosNZ @GeoMouldey

@MissDtheTeacher @mrs_hyde @blissinateacup @TimGanderNZ @JulieBTW

@isaacctenglish @arti_choke @mattynicoll @AKeenReader @vanschaijik @NZWaikato @anthonyfaitaua @SamHocking1 @chasingalyx @1MvdS @Juliet_Revell

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@ariaporo22

I tweet about:

  • being a new teacher
  • intelligent failures
  • C21st technologies
  • teaching C21st learners
  • te reo Maori and things to do with te ao Maori
  • new blog posts
  • upcoming conferences
  • questions or help or advice I need
  • meeting new Twitter teachers f2f

I re-tweet:

  • inspirational comments by other teachers
  • tweets that give me courage
  • tweets that I agree with
  • tweets I don’t agree with
  • new tech I can use in class
  • comments by other teachers that relate to my experience

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Live Chats in NZ and the World

Loads of different scheduled chats out there…

Some examples:

#edchatnz (Education Chat NZ) - Every second Thursday at 8.30pm.

#kidsedchatnz (Kids Education Chat NZ) - Thursday’s 2-3pm

#engchatnz - (English) - Alternative Tuesday to #edchatnz at 8.30pm

#scichatnz - (Science) - Alternative Thursday to #edchatnz at 8.30pm

#mathschatnz - (Maths) - Alternative Thursday to #edchatnz at 8.30pm

#socscichatnz - (Social Sciences)

#aussieED (Education Chat Australia) - Every second Sunday night

#dojochatANZ - Class Dojo Chat - Every Fortnight on Wednesday at 9pm NZT

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Guinea Pig… Bird?

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So I have a Fledgling VLN…

Twitter can seem full on. It takes up a lot of time.

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But - it’s a good thing. PLD. Resources. Collaboration. New Colleagues who share similar interests.

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How do I keep track of it all?

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Tweetdeck

  • Used to organise Tweet topics, hashtag chats and any users (including yourself) - in one place

Easily the best app to keep up with the sheer amount of Tweets that fly during a Live Chat such as #edchatnz

Other Platforms:

  • Hootsuite, TweetCaster

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Storify

  • Used to create a story or log of all the amazing professional learning discussions you will have!

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One of the best ways to keep a record of the tweets you and others have sent about a particular topic through Live Chats using #’s.

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#edchatnz Conference 2014

  • Cheapest conference you’ll ever go to...$20!!!
  • Great speakers talking about:
    • N4L and Pond, SOLO Taxonomy, e-Learning, Digital Citizenship, Online Safety, GAFE and more!!
  • Unconference style
  • Meet your Twitter mates and idols f2f (face to face)
  • Experience a Modern Learning Environment in action

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Come along and check it out! Be a part of #edchatnz history!

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Connected Educator’s Month

Inaugural Connected Educator’s Month - October, 2014

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This will be launched at ULearn14.

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Check out these Links...

  • My blog: Find relevant further info and guides to Twitter www.evolutionandimagination.blogspot.co.nz/

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www.twitter.com/ariaporo22

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References:

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