Blogging, Tweeting and Schools

Richard Byrne brings up an interesting point on his Free Technology for Teachers blog. In a post on Don't Eat Lunch Alone he talks about the lack of a lunch room to eat with his fellow teachers at his school. He also brings up the negativity of these rooms. I have to agree with him. I was often staying clear of faculty rooms in schools either while student teaching or substitute teaching because of the sometimes negative gossip that goes on. I like Byrne's idea of a lunch tweet with fellow educators at a certain time. By having what he calls a PLN (personal learning network) with educators you can talk with numerous other educators as well as removing your self from some of negativity of "faculty" rooms.



I think by partaking in social networks for thirty minutes at lunch time can help teachers and administrators ease themselves into become tweeters (is that the correct word?). In her blog What About That Twitter Thing? Silvia Tolisano mentions how teachers, administrators, and superintendents are overwhelmed by tweeter and do not see it as relevant. I can see how they think that, but by simply using it as a tool amongst teachers in the same building, same state, same country and even the same world can give teachers the space to ask just about anything. I think in a world that is being overtaken by technology twitter can have a valuable role as a place for teachers to share and discuss their ideas with colleagues and teachers abroad.

I like love the idea of using twitter to simply talk to, question and find out what other teachers are doing. Any time you can talk to different teachers is beneficial to you and your students. I think it also gives teachers who may be shy to speak out publicly or share their ideas personally a place to simply share and post their thoughts.

A Learner is Like A ........

I always like the idea of a learner is like a sponge...it can soak up just about anything and thus you can also squeeze anything out of it with a little pressure.


I always liked the analogy of a learner as a sponge because it represents so much of what a learner can do. I see a student as one who can absorb vast amounts of knowledge. And when you pressure (challenge) that student they can release that knowledge. Where I see constructivism fitting with my sponge analogy is that the sponge already contains substance (knowledge) and we are just adding to it and making meaning out of it. Think of the hand holding the sponge, it sees something and wants to wipe (absorb) it up. The hand is our brain and like George Siemens (click here for article) says; "learners are actively attempting to create meaning. Learners often select and pursue their own learning. Constructivist principles acknowledge that real-life learning is messy and complex.'' This quote has a lot to do with what I see education as, a space for students to create meaning. I feel assessments need to provide students with the opportunity to create. The sponge should not just dump the water into the sink but use the water to water the plant.

In the video The Impact of Social Learning (click here for video) the idea of social networking and the use of flicker in the classroom is something that is directly connected with the idea of constructivism in that but post an image and having other people comment on that image you are creating and learning in a way that is not just feeding one facts. Technology and websites like flicker are like providing the sponges with an upgrade, like instead of using a sponge we are using a shamwow (sorry about the overuse of the analogy). By using technology like flicker, like facebook, like myspace as the video states we are taking something that the students are already familiar with and giving them an opportunity to construct meaning. I can just see an assignment where I put up a picture on flicker of Andrew Jackson dressed like a king and let students discuss what they see. The possibilities are endless. Students are connected on so many levels that they need to be connected. "Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual." The closest we can to staying connected is through these social networks and as educators why not take advantage of them? I would rather see my students comment on a picture online and enjoy themselves than sitting there staring at an overhead thinking about the next Twilight movie. Lets let students take control of their environment and their learning.