Professional Learning Network

 

#EduTwitter

Overview

There were two apps I promised myself I would never download: Twitter and TikTok. So, I admit I let out a heavy sigh when it was required for the course to create a Twitter account. I created the account @thechroniced and started following various individuals that were recommended to me by the algorithm.

After using Twitter for almost 3 weeks, I have to say: I'm sorry Twitter, I misjudged you!

I truly regret not making an account earlier. Twitter has been a great tool for my professional development as a future educator. At first, I thought I'd follow more social studies teachers because those are the spaces I am comfortable with on Instagram. Turns out, I tended to follow people on Twitter for topics I did not have much experience with. For example, I sought out accounts that shared AAC (Augmentative and Alternate Communication) and literacy resources since I felt weakest in those areas during my undergraduate studies.

Live Twitter #edChat

One of the highlights of my Twitter experience was participating in two "Live #edChats". Live #edChats are scheduled meetings where Twitter users gather to participate in a moderated discussion. While the topic is advertised, most Live #edChats do not release the specific questions until the discussion's start time. This means that you often need to think on your feet and rely on natural reactions instead of scripted submissions. This allows for more genuine conversations since there is not a pressure to craft a perfect response. The discussion only last about 30-45 minutes, so you have to consistently check the thread to engage with the moderator and fellow respondents before the session ends!

#formativechat: Looking Forward and Setting Goals

I stumbled across this discussion by accident. I had missed a previous #edChat by 25 minutes, which had shown me how fast these discussions really go! Thankfully, educator Tim Needles was hosting a forum on goal setting and relationship building. 

Image Source: Tim Needles from Twitter

During this discussion, I was able to interact with other educators, and even get a free resource for fun bellringer slides (which I linked below)! I was very surprised how willing some of the instructors were to share their book recommendations or classroom resources. One interesting thing is how motivating Twitter was for me. For example, posting my goals to Twitter made me hold myself more accountable to follow through with them. In fact, this forum motivated me to reach out to an instructor on campus and work on hosting a workshop centered on reading strategies for students who need 1:1 support and explicit instruction. 

Below are a handful of screenshots of my participation in the #formativechat:

My #formativechat Participation:
Here are my responses to the prompts.
It honestly made me hold myself accountable to my goals!

  My #formativechat Participation:
I was able to talk with two educators about reading resources,
and get an amazing bellringer check-in resource!

#LearnLAP: Engagement Through Compassion and Empathy

The second forum I participated in was hosted by educator Roman Nowak. The #LearnLAP (Like a Pirate) series is organized by Paul Solarz, who I was able to "tweet" with! This specific discussion was about how foster a sense of community through compassion and empathy. 

Image Source: Roman Nowak from Twitter

This discussion was more challenging for me since the questions were more reflective, which required more time to construct an answer. Unfortunately, this made me feel overwhelmed since there were nearly seven prompts to answer and engage with others within a 30 minute period. However, I still was able to have productive conversations, and meet some amazing educators like Paul Solarz. Paul shared a graphic of a "Soldier versus Scout" mindset, which I know would be beneficial for my future students. Him, along with the other participants, were extremely supportive when providing resources during the discussion.

My #LearnLAP Participation:
Here are my responses to the prompts, as well as my interaction with
another participant about how we check-in with our students.

My #LearnLAP Participation:
Here are my responses for the other prompts.

My #LearnLAP Participation
One of my most favorite products of the discussion was the "Soldier versus Scout"
mindset from Paul Solarz. Paul Solarz also has a website called
"Learn Like a Pirate", which is filled with great resources!

Resources

1.) Amazing Lesson Design Outline by Miguel Gohuin

This resource was posted by Marquitta Stottern, but was created by Miguel Guhlin (@mguhlin). I believe it is a beneficial resource because it provides research-based methods for each piece of the lesson such as the opener, activities, and assessments (with links embedded!). It houses most of the practices we learn at Dominican, which I find convenient.

2.) Check-in Slide Ideas by Mel A

These fun check-in slides were shared with me during a #edChat I participated in! It was created by Mel A (@fungooli). I thought this resource was beneficial because it encourages participation and can be used as a fun alternative to taking attendance the traditional way.

3.) Discussion Prompts and Ice Breakers by The Parlay Universe

This resource was provided to me by Paul Solarz (@PaulSolarz), who I had the opportunity to engage with during a #LearnLAP discussion. However, the resource comes from The Parlay Universe. I found this resource to be highly beneficial since it gives teachers an array of discussion topics. It can be used to spark discussion, build debate skills, or increase morale within the classroom.

Final Thoughts

Although I will keep using Twitter for its resources, I am not sure if I would engage in another #edChat. I felt inexperienced compared to the other participants, and tended to make spelling errors because of the time crunch between prompts. I think, for now, I will be an observer. In the future, when I gain more experience in the classroom, I will feel more confident to give my insight. In addition, I wonder if this model can be used for classroom discussions? I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the potential this model has for our classrooms!

References

A, M. (2022, September 17). So, I've tried to put all my #checkin slides in one deck. There's only about 40 for now, I will add to them [Tweet, thumbnail link to Google Drive]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/fungooli

Solarz, P. (2022). Learn like a pirate. https://www.learnlikeapirate.com/

Stottern, M. (2022, September 27). What a great teacher resource! Thank you @mguhlin @TCEA [Tweet, thumbnail link to Google Doc]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/stottern

The Parlay Universe [@parlayideas]. (2022, September 26). A4- The Parlay Universe has a collection of prompts for written and verbal discussions [Tweet; thumbnail link to webpage] Twitter. https://twitter.com/parlayideas