How & why STEM educators need to be using Twitter

1. How & why STEM educators need to be using Twitter “Teachers are taking over Twitter” - @braveneutrino Jeffrey P. Carpenter Elon University Twitter handle: @doccarpenter This presentation @ http://bit.ly/twitternoyce

2. Learning targets • Participants will know • how to use the micro blogging service Twitter • how Twitter can enhance in-class and out-of-class learning, & communication with students & parents • how Twitter can enhance STEM education professional development via resource sharing, collaboration, individualized learning, & leadership

3. Who am I? How did I end up on Twitter? • flipped learning • personal excitement about Twitter • counter negativity around traditional PD • more student-teacher, student-student interactions • more audience & feedback for students' ideas

4. Less CarlyCrunkBear, More deposing dictators

5. Set Up • Twitter • & one of tweetdeck,hootsuite, etc. – to follow # hashtags, chat • Handle – professional, maybe some personality • Profile – necessary for non-lurkers; no profile, no followers

6. Following – Who you follow > who follows you People • @TomWhitby • @web20classroom • @teachingwthsoul • @shellterrell • @mathhombre • @cybraryman • @nmhs_principal Organizations • @educationweek • @edutopia • @nsta • @eyeoneducation • @edudemic • @isteconnects • @mindshiftkqed

7. How do I figure out who to follow? • Stalk other people’s followers & following • Look @ profiles • Look @ # of followers • Watch who posts using hashtags of interest to you • My resources curation (more later) has more recommendations

8. How do I tweet? • How many characters? • What is this: # • What does it mean to “tweet at”? • RT ? MT ? DM? • Who sees my tweets? General settings: • Followers • Anyone who searches / follows any #s used • Anyone who searches any terms used • Possible to limit to followers only

9. Using hashtagshashtag = community w/ shared interesthashtag = broadens convo • #edchat • #21stedchat • #ntchat • #edtech • State chats (e.g., #nced) • #mathchat • #stemchat • #scichat • #chemchat • #flipclass • #flipsci

10. Twitter for students • Do nows • Backchanneling • Find related resources • Communication & questions – teacher-student, student-student

11. PS - for k-12 world • Communication w/ students – they follow you, not vice-a-versa • Communication w/ parents – what’s going on in class, pics of great student work,etc.

12. Twitter is for teachers too!

13. Why bother? • Asynchronous resource sharing & acquiring • constant source of filtered or vetted ideas & links - “None of us is as smart as all of us” • current: STEMbites– Google Glass videos based outside of the classroom

14. More why bother • Networking & community – connecting w/ those w/ similar interests from around the country & even globe • E.g., Andrew Thomasson & Cheryl Morris are co-creating their English classes – in NC & CA • E.g., Conducting research w/ someone from Wichita State University I met via Twitter • Twitter participation: voluntary- people want to connect! • Backchanneling at conferences

15. Another big reason to tweet • Chats! • "Oddly invigorating" • "Might be addicted to Twitter chats!”

16. What is a chat? • Pre-arranged, typically weekly or monthly conversation on one topic • One-hour of tweeting w/ specific # • Big & small • Poll beforehand, archive afterwards • Follow the chat in hootsuite, tweetdeck, etc.

17. More chatting • Moderators • Introductions & then Q1, A1 format • Lots of tangents, side convos • What might be considered unprofessional/ misbehavior in traditional PD is encouraged in chats • Favorite-ing for later reference

18. Some chats to consider • #edchat– the original, the largest Tuesdays @ noon & 7pm • #ntchat – new teacher chat, Wednesdays 8 pm, also #edteach Tuesdays 8 pm • #21stedchat – Sundays 8 pm • #stemchat – variable times, monthly • #chemchat – Thursdays 9pm (new AP curriculum) • #mathchat – Thursdays 8pm • #flipclass – Mondays 8pm

19. Combatting isolation- location- interest/philosophy

20. Isolation & PD negativity - it doesn’t have to be that way! • Young, novice, and even veteran teachers need to be around positivity & problem solvers • Need to have a place where they can share & acquire ideas w/o judgment

21. Twitter … • Allows for individualization & autonomy in learning • Can provide sense of community & support • Just in time learning • Positive, solutions-oriented environment

22. For young & novice teachers • Enhanced sense of self as professional: • "I had not considered myself a teacher yet, or much less one of that quality or caliber." • “Offers validation as an active member of the teaching community.”

23. For veteran teachers • Another way to contribute to the profession & share your wisdom • A way to break out of potential rut & expand your thinking

24. For Noyce programs? • Keeping in touch w/ & supporting graduates as they begin careers

25. Resources • How to: Info for the Twitter Novice – • short version http://bit.ly/M0TWx0 • long version http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/ • Videos Tutorials: http://bit.ly/YWXk2p • Chat List: Chat topics and times http://cybraryman.com/chats.html • Educators to Follow: A list of influential education tweeters http://bit.ly/TxhouC • All Things Twitter: • Jeff’s curation of web content regarding Twitter for educators http://bit.ly/SjFIMo • wiki page about Twitter in eduhttp://jillthompson.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/Twitter

26. Questions & Discussion Presentation @ http://bit.ly/twitternoyce