Journal 2: Join the Flock

Journal 2: "Join the Flock" NETS-5

Ferguson, H. (June/July 2010). Join the flock. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2010.aspx

           

            Ferguson states that the reason for becoming a part of the Twitter network is to develop a PLN which is a professional learning network. This then transforms Twitter commonly know as a place for social networking into a community of learning. An educator may build communication and collaboration dedicated to making learning fun.  To build this community, it only takes a small commitment of creating an account, but the amount of time put into it depends on the person. The tools to help one build his or her own community of learning are creating an account, learning to follow people who share same interests, tap into other network lists of people, learn and read from people you follow, give by retweeting which means repost something interesting another person said, then later expose oneself by participating in conversations, and finally tag a tweet by using hashtag. Hashtag allows one to post a tag to the streams of the educators who follow that hashtag.  The best part of building this community is that one is learning from people who share the same interests as oneself but can also learn from those who have more information on topics that one wants to build on.  Having a network means that the availability of information is constantly streaming meaning that it is always there and one can also go back to certain posts or conversations.  Ferguson also comments on how twittering helps one succeed because of the network one creates.  The PLN or professional learning network is at one’s hands available when one needs help on strategies for class. If one posts a question, the whole network of followers are there to reply with any information they have.

Question 1: How can twitter be implemented in a classroom where resources such as computers may be limited?

            Twitter can be implemented into the curriculum by creatively finding solutions to limited resources in a school.  Some students may not have access to their own cell phones or internet at school but the school can provide a learning environment where online networks can be accessed.  For example, a teacher may ask for permission to have class at the school’s computer lab once a week and if that is too much he or she can request twice a month.  The request is subject to negotiation.  While at the computer lab, the teacher can show students how to set up and use twitter accounts and then create their PLN based on what she is teaching from the curriculum.  If he or she is teaching the class how to analyze and interpret stories then the twitter account can be set up on discussion of a specific story.

Question 2: How can students succeed through the network they create?

            Through the network they create on twitter, students can discuss a specific story by posting their own thoughts on the story and creating a discussion forum.  They can also choose to follow others who are educators and have uploaded information about different opinions on a specific story that is being discussed.  Students then can retweet what their classmates post thus creating an environment on learning.  One strategy of teaching is socratic seminar where discussion is opened by one person and all classmates participate.  Twittering is a form of socratic seminar teaching except that it is online.  Students become learners and educators in an online world where the teacher can remain the overseer and give students the power to control their own learning.