I sent the following to my cohort of 30 at the University of Victoria. It was sent via a link on Facebook that directs them to a Google Form that I created as a means to getting all of them online with the Educational Network or PLN that is out there on TWITTER.
It’s not what you’ve heard, it’s what you make it! Twitter that is!
I’ve been thinking. I have found so many resources online and made many connections all over the world with Principals, Vice-principals, Superintendents, Teachers, Leaders, Educators and Authors, to name a few. What baffles me is how so few of you, my classmates – I actually like to think of you all as colleagues – participate in all this good stuff. There is very little “pre-service” presence on the Educational PLN. I think it would be awesome to be a group of pre-service teachers utilizing Twitter and other social media collectively, both for learning and fun! So, with that being said, consider joining us on Twitter. I’m kinda bent on getting everyone in our cohort to get with the program. Now. I know there are some of you saying to yourself “I don’t know a single thing about Twitter, I have no time, I don’t want to hear about the Kardashians’ breakfast…or do I?” Some of you may have already been interested as a result of our EDCI 336 class, but felt kind of lost. I ask you to consider joining with us. There are many quick tutorials on Youtube for starting up with Twitter. See link below for one I recommend first. As there are varied experiences with Twitter in our cohort already, I think it will be easy to get everyone up to date on the Twitter language and logistics. We seem to have a solid grasp of Facebook, let’s now explore Twitter. I think we have 30 people in our cohort, right? My goal then is to get all 30 of you on Twitter. Time for feedback. If you read this and think to yourself “yeah right! or no flippin way man! or he’s making a fool of himself” (thank-you Phil, for the mantra:”embarrassment is temporary”), please tell me by indicating below. If you’re even the slightest bit interested and want to hear more then please let me know. I Recommend this link to start with:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDUF-qFsEno&feature=player_embedded#!
*Note: Although I do like to use Twitter, I am in no way a pro. I am still learning myself, and always will be. I might also note that Valerie Irvine and Jillianne Code have made Twitter use a MANDATORY part of EDCI 336 this term and from now on. Now let’s keep up!
Thanks for reading! Deryck
Hi Deryck,
Well done getting started with blogging and twitter before even entering the teaching profession. I am intruiged your Twitter experiment. You see I have a suspicion that it is very difficult to get people interested in Twitter until they see some value in it. I know that you have found value and have told your cohort, but in my experience everyone just ends up thinking ‘well that’s fine for Phil, he’s a bit geeky anyway. but it’s not for me.’
I think the key is to first show people how useful Twitter is , then have the conversation about how it’s not all about what everyone had for breakfast, and then if you can get them to sign up mentor them a lot and make sure good people follow them.
Maybe you could curate a Twitter list for them to follow? Or point them towards subject specific hash tags?
Let me know if you get any of your cohort on Twitter and I will follow them and try to support them.
Phil
@pmacoun
Phil,
Thank you very much for your comments. I really appreciate it. There’s nothing like seeing that first email notification in the inbox that someone has read your blog and commented on it.
You are correct, it is difficult to bring or guide others to use Twitter as we all have to create our own value in it. However, I don’t find it very difficult stirring up interest (at least for the 30 I’m attempting to get online). Realizing that this “experiment” may be rather difficult and may take some time (which I’m prepared to invest) and may go in many different unplanned directions, I chose these 30 as I have more than one “in” with them. Since I posted my original Google Form I’ve seen 10 emerge from the 30. Now, having the advantage of being in-class with these same 30 classmates and being able to talk with them I have found out that far more than 10 are interested. I was curious about the conversation that would happen after I posted. In-class today I was approached by numerous classmates expressing their interest in what was going on. I sensed real sincerity in their interest. I had made the decision before class to not mention it at all until someone brought it up. I was pleasantly surprised by how many approached me.
One of my Profs. commented on the strong attraction to Facebook that our cohorts at Uvic seem to have. Everyone seems to be pretty cozy in their “groups”. Personally I don’t like to use Facebook for “networking”, but I have been using it to share my interest in Twitter with my cohort. My prof. mentioned that Facebook really should have a platform of sort, to allow for more open sharing. This got me thinking. What do people post on Facebook that my PLN would want to see? Honestly, nothing. What happens on Facebook seems to be pretty much goofy stuff, and the odd question about a project. I’ll continue to use Facebook until I have all 30 onboard (again, these may be high hopes, but I’m going to work at it). In the mean time I will use Facebook and gradually ease away. I will use Facebook in a “lead by model sharing” way, as my Prof. describes it.
I’m currently working with QR codes. I plan to use them soon by simply bringing them to class with me and integrating them into my own projects and presentations. I also plan to use them in my “call out” effort as a way of sharing something I’ve learned from my use of Twitter. I know many don’t even know what they are, but that’s ok. Twitter and Facebook will help me with that. Many will even question their use in Education, again I don’t imagine that to be a problem as there are many ideas out there on our PLN’s.
I read an article posted on Twitter by a classmate today (@natashakardos). It was about BYOT (Bring you own technology: http://the21stcenturyprincipal.blogspot.com/2012/01/lessons-from-our-one-year-experiment.html?spref=tw ). Whenever I read an article or a blog about this sort of idea I immediately think about school policies around cellphone use. There are many things that have to already be in place for this to work efficiently I would think. So why not bring this concept to our preservice classes at University. This fit perfectly with the use of QR codes I am imagining.
Phil, I really like your idea about creating a Twitter list for them to follow. I didn’t think of it that way. I have a list with THEM listed, but nothing specifically other than lots of ones I follow. Which reminds me. You mentioned you could follow and possibly support us. Check out my list @deryckball/bed-cohort-3. This list is only for the 30 in my cohort. I appreciate your interest Phil.
I must also mention before I finish here, as I neglected to earlier, that it was our EDCI336 class that really instilled the interest that IS out there amongst my cohort; something I’m glad is already present.
Thanks for reading.
Deryck
@deryckball