Twitter in Education
Spotlight: Mr. Reid in Kamloops
In the early spring of 2011, Mr. Reid started a class project where students began researching the political parties and leaders. He wanted to make it more constructivist, engaging and real-world like. There was a federal election coming up: May 2, 2011.
For his Socials 11 class, he started a twitter account:
http://twitter.com/bluewave94 (now deleted)
They started asking the federal political leaders questions, and then started to ask the local candidates questions via twitter.
At first there were no responses from candidates. The first reaction at all were emails and phone calls from the local radio station, and then the local newspaper. They found out about the class Twitter account on Twitter. Mr. Reid did some interviews and the newspaper visited his class.
Article: http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/news/119215044.html
As they posted a number of questions directed @ specific politicians, they got a phone call to the classroom from the Globe and Mail. Mr. Reid did a short interview.
All of the media outlets continued to follow the class on twitter because the class continued to tweet questions to the candidates throughout the election campaign until May 2nd.
Mr. Reid described the effect of the use of Twitter as follows:
- My students are really getting interested in and engaged about the election campaign
- Students are learning through doing and it doesn’t feel school-like, its authentic
- We have now got answers to our questions on twitter by the local Conservative & Green party candidates.
- Now, we may actually have the local (not sure about party leaders yet) candidates ear and they will be answering our questions.
- I am not sure where this project will go, but we have been talking about inviting some candidates to come visit us in our class. Via twitter of course.
Eric Sheninger - Principal Twitter
- Video: http://ericsheninger.com/esheninger
- Article: http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3756867
- Eric Sheninger on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NMHS_Principal
Example PDSB Classroom Twitter Accounts
Tweet, Tweet, Go the Kindergartners
Article: http://www.schoolbook.org/2012/04/02/tweet-tweet-go-the-kindergartners/
Video below:
Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything - Twitter for Teachers
Twitter in the Science Room
Blog: http://leahlacrosse.blogspot.ca/2012/06/twitter-in-science-room.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lacrossescience