Twitter in the Classroom

Through researching for another project I have gained an interest in the topic of using Twitter within the classroom.  Personally, I am not a big Twitter user and I am not yet at that point where I even understand why people use it.  According to the reading I have done on the topic I would definitely be considered simply a "follower" and not a "participant." I can go on Twitter to follow what famous people are doing or to get up to date news on topics that interest me, but I cannot imagine documenting my own day on there through tweets.  I am not at the point yet where that is something that I wish to be doing and I do think that is mainly because I do not think anyone would be interested in what I was doing.  

I saw the following video and it really began to spark my interest as to how Twitter can be used within the classroom.

This teacher has really found a way to show that Twitter can be used as more of a positive addition to the classroom as opposed to a distraction.  In my opinion Twitter would have NEVER found its place into an educational setting for students younger than college level.  Through this video I have began to understand how Twitter can encourage students who would not normally share to voice their thoughts and opinions.  

As an elementary teacher the part that hit me the most was the student who shared his own struggle with being shy.  He voiced his previous experiences in school as being ignored and was not able to show that he had any voice of his own.  He found enough strength to share with the interviewer that he is finally able to speak up in class.  His description of the students finally acknowledging him was awesome and it really makes you think.  Could Twitter or a concept of sharing like it really engage students enough to make a true difference?  

I believe that this concept is an important one to remember and find out more about.  Having students be required  to have assignments, as college programs require, such as writing 3 tweets or respond to 3 blogs would be something positive to include in courses.  Students would be required to participate and respond to writing and readings be writing summaries as they do now.  The only difference is that it looks differently.  

I think that this teacher has got it right.  How each of us incorporate this concept into their own classroom will be the unique and interesting part.

Resources:

LearningCoach. (Sept 2011).  Retrieved from http://www.schooltube.com/video/1aa687d903d4caf2e335/CNN-Twitter on November 22, 2011.