Journal 8 "Have You Tweeted Today?"

Fingal, D. (2009, October). "Have you Tweeted Today?". Retrieved December 10, 2009, from ISTE

“Have You Tweeted Today?”

I found this article very interesting because I have only used Twitter as a social interaction website. I have never thought of Twitter as a way of learning from someone else in educational purposes. Links and conversations can be followed from professional experts. One major advantage and drawing point to using Twitter is the quick and instantaneous way of communication that occurs. One could get questions asked and answered instantly on Twitter. What has been learned in conferences or small meetings amongst educators can instantly be shared and accessed by using Twitter. I think that is awesome, and as Twitter becomes more and more popular, I feel Twitter will become more and more used for purposes like this instead of used for just social aspects like I use it.

How did Beth Still feel about using Twitter?

Beth Still is a promoter of Twitter trying to get her colleagues on board, but many colleagues won’t quite open their eyes to using Twitter as an educational tool. One piece of advice Beth gives is to throw all assumptions out the window, and to really give Twitter a fair shot because more than likely one’s assumptions or negative thoughts toward Twitter are incorrect.

What are some reasons for negative thoughts toward Twitter discussed in the article?

Some say there is not enough time in the day to fit in Twitter and spend more of their time answering questions and comments on Twitter. What they don’t know is that Twitter is a fast way of communication that doesn’t take much time out of one’s day. There is no introduction necessary in Twitter, questions, comments and communication can simply be stated as just that since there is a character limit on how much you can type and post on Twitter.


“A Cocktail Party Filled With Educators”:

This article was about a reporter and principal. The principal was exposed to Twitter, and hey, what do you know, he gave it a shot and liked it! He also learned a lot from it and said that it helped improve his school tremendously. He liked the social interaction created on Twitter and the easy access to ideas, responses, and questions, comments and feedback toward educational purposes.