When it comes to
Twitter, I was wrong. I had all the usual skepticism, even cynicism; I even
blogged about it. Once I signed on, I tip-toed into the water. I remained
doubtful when another head of school told me he found Twitter to be a real
time-saver.
But I can admit
it: I was wrong. Now I love Twitter for all the reasons you’ve probably experienced
and heard, especially if you learned of this post via a Tweet. The professional
connections, the flood of useful resources, the serendipity, the pithiness of strong
Tweets. I’ve been able to interact with big names whose work has really
influenced my own thinking, such as Tom Peters (in one link above, I lamented not hearing back from him; I did a different, later time), Dan Pink, and Steven Johnson. I
can see the amazing work some former students are doing. At random times I’ve
had brief but enlightening conversations with people on different coasts when
three of us happened to be on at the same time.
I’m not a
power-user of Twitter. I don’t follow hundreds of people or have hundreds of
followers (though I wouldn't mind more...). I know I could use the tool in ways other than I do, and I also see
loads of great ways that a teacher could use Twitter in class. But that’s not
the point of the post, and you can find tons of Twitter related stuff here. It has more to do with the questions I often hear from
people who have discovered Twitter’s magic: Why aren’t more educators using
Twitter? Shouldn’t they all? I've even seen queries wondering if it should be mandatory per a policy. I’ll address that at the end.
My goal in this
post is to provide some hints that may help get some people onto Twitter who
otherwise may not have started using it. They come from some workshops I did
for folks here at St. John’s Episcopal School and really helped some people
give it a shot. A few have really embraced it.
Before I go into
my six specific tips, I offer two cautionary notes. First, don’t get caught up
in numbers; think quality over quantity. Second, lurking is just fine; it’s an
easy way to begin.
Many of you likely
already know what I’m about to say. But maybe you know someone that would
benefit from having this in one place like this, and you can share it. Maybe
you’ll also like the musing at the end about Twitter use as a symbol. Anyway, without
further ado:
·
Judicious Following
I
consider this the most important point, but I acknowledge it can feel selfish.
I don’t believe in automatic reciprocation when it comes to following. Before I
follow someone, I consider several factors. Do I already have a personal
relationship with the person? I check the profile. What’s the connection to my
network? How often does the person Tweet? Are the Tweets going to be of value
to me? I also “test follow” people to see how it goes. You also can’t be afraid
to un-follow. For example, I’ve stopped following some people whose Tweets didn’t
add value for me. They weren’t bad at all; they were simply using the tool to
disseminate information that I didn’t want, such as a steady stream of their
school’s athletic results. I’m sure it was awesome for their school community.
Similarly, I’ve kept on people who don’t Tweet very often, but each one is
always something good.
·
Hashtags and Fixed Columns
I
find it incredibly helpful to have fixed columns set up in the app I use for Twitter
(HootSuite is my choice), each one set up to search for a certain hashtag. I’
no talking about the generic ones people will stick in Tweets. I mean ones that
highlight a specific topic. For example, because I’m in the independent school
world, I have a column devoted to #isedchat and another to #indyschools. During
the upcoming NAIS conference, I’ll have one for #naisac14. This enables one to regularly
update and then easily skim in that area of interest. It’s also a great way to identify
people it would be worth your following. You can find a complete list ofeducational hashtags at the site of @cybraryman1.
·
Chats
A Twitter chat is a
wonderful chance to interact in a focused way on a particular topic. At first
they can feel very chaotic until you get hang of it (one teacher here described
it as cyber-NASCAR). Until you do, almost all post archives; you can follow the
moderator to get them. I often will access the archives because it’s hard to do
all the one I would like to live, and it also takes less time. Some also have
so many participants they simply feel too frenetic for me. My favorite one is
the #isedchat on Thursday evenings at 9:00 Eastern time. It’s contained,
controlled, relevant, and full of smart folks. @cybrayman1 also has a list ofall the chats.
·
Favorites
Some
people mark many Tweets as favorites, but I don’t. It’s sort of like
bookmarking websites for later reference. Because so much can flow through your
feed, you need some way to mark the ones that really stand out to you. I’ve
developed a bit of sense for what to mark. Several times I’ve ended up coming
back to something for a presentation or piece of writing.
·
Speed Reading
When
I review my feeds, I simply skim along the surface, so fast that I can get
through over a hundred tweets in a few minutes, unless something really grabs
me. In that case I’ll explore it then if, for example, it contains an
interesting link; or I’ll mark it for a later time. It requires a very
different ways of accessing and assessing information.
I’d hope that
these suggestions prompt more educators to try Twitter, give it some time, and
fall in love with it as I have. However, I don’t believe every educator needs
to be on Twitter. Simply put, it’s not for everyone. With all the tools
available, people need to find what works for them.
At the same time,
Twitter and the way it works symbolizes the professional outlook we should
expect from quality educators. Done well, Twitter use captures that growth
mindset, mainly in the constant give-and-take between people committed to their
craft and constantly looking for ways to do it better. It’s about both teaching
and learning.
1 comment:
Great post Mark. I still remember the days when I was helping you get started on this adventure in blogging and Twitter. I will be sending others to this post for some great advise and a new perspective. I hope to see you in Orlando in a couple of weeks.
Chris
Post a Comment