USING TWITTER IN THE

CLASSROOM
Lets start speaking our students language.

The Purpose of Twitter

Twitter is a relatively new Web 2.0 tool which is taking the

nation by storm.
The general purpose of twitter is to connect people
through the World Wide Web.
Currently 21% of Millenials get their news through Twitter.

Some account has over 40 million followers.

This is becoming a way to accumulate real time news in a digital

world.

Cobbs Vision for Technology

According to Cobb Countys Instructional Technology Plan

for 2012 to 2015, Twitter can help with the following areas.
Students and teachers will be technologically literate and will model

responsible digital citizenship.

Students will use technology to correct and collaborate with
students, educators, and experts around the world.
Technology will improve communication through stakeholders.
Students will use next generation technology tools to access,
analyze, and apply increasingly complex information.

Twitter and Cobbs Vision

Students and teachers will be technologically literate and

will model responsible digital citizenship

Teachers will have access to all students tweets inside and outside

of the classroom. Teachers can model behavior with appropriate

tweets will also monitoring their class.

Twitter and Cobbs Vision

Students will use technology to correct and collaborate

with students, educators, and experts around the world

The most exciting part of twitter in the classroom would be the

limitless collaboration. Students and teachers can correct and

collaborate with any twitter user. In my government class, students
have tweeted at Senators and Representatives. Students have
received responses from their representative and discussed key
issues like the government shutdown via Twitter.

Twitter and Cobbs Vision

Technology will improve communication through

stakeholders
Schools can use twitter to advertise any school function. From

Open House, to sporting events, to PTSA meetings, twitter provides

unparalleled access to all stakeholders. Our high school athletics
twitter account has over 800 followers.

Objectives
The main objective is to use Twitter to create meaningful

discussions with students, teachers, and experts in an

online environment
Twitter can provide conversations with professionals to supplement

any classroom discussion, presentation, or lecture.

Another objective would be to increase community

involvement in all schools in the district.

Twitter can be used to inform parents or students of tests,

homework, sporting events, fine arts performances, extracurricular

clubs, or PTSA meetings

Implementing the Use of Twitter

As an introductory step, I would ask all teachers to create

a twitter account they could link to their blogs

At the very least, students and parents can follow along with the

course via twitter

I would then ask for several teachers from each school to

attend a training on how to use twitter to achieve best

practices.
We would begin to instruct teachers on how to use twitter to

increase their classroom engagement.

I would also ask for all schools to create an official twitter

account to their school.

This would serve as a direct link between the school and the

community. It would allow unrivaled access for our community.

Key Benefits
Students will be able to access experts on specific subject

matter
During my unit on interest groups, I asked students to follow at

least 5 interest groups online. Students were able to see real

examples of how interest groups lobby by following them on twitter.

It provides more student engagement.

Some students dont feel comfortable sharing thoughts or ideas in
front of their peers. However, students are more willing to
contribute to the conversation in a more familiar environmentthe
internet
Students can live tweet during lectures, guest speakers, or

presentations as a mean to assessment.

Key Benefits
Practicality
All stake holders can
now be informed in real
time about any changes
or updates at their
school.
Scaffolding

Target Population
According to the Cobb County School District Website,

We have 108,262 kids and 44% of students are on free

and reduced lunch.
Based on this stat, I would encourage students to use twitter in the

classroom as much as possible. We cant assume all students will

have equal access to twitter at home.

Target Age
We live in a world which is becoming dominated by more

and more technology. Students are learning to use Web

2.0 programs at a very young age.
I would suggest elementary schools begin to model proper

behavior when using Twitter.

I would propose teacher really focus on using twitter to enhance
their students education in Middle and High School.

Target Population
Since Cobb has already initiated the BYOD into their

schools, any student with a smartphone could access

twitter in the classroom.
Students without a smartphone could utilize classroom
laptops or laptops on loan from the Media Center.
All teachers in the Cobb County are issued a laptop which
they could use to monitor and respond to tweets.
Based on the current resources cobb county schools and
cobb county students have access too, I believe we could
provide equal access to all students in the classroom.

Funding
Twitter is a free account.
Any student with 5 free minutes of time could create their own
Twitter account
Based on my experience in the classroom, most students

already have a smartphone they could use to access

twitter
For those that do not, there are plenty of laptops teachers could

access for their students.

USING TWITTER INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE

CLASSROOM WOULD ENHANCE EDUCATION FOR

FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Potential Funding Sources

Since Twitter is a free Web 2.0 tool, we would not need to

find outside sources for funding.

Technical Support
Cobb County provides excellent technical support within

clusters of schools throughout the district.

Twitter also has a technical support team which is
available 24 hours and 365 days a year.
Between Twitter and Cobb County, it is safe to say our
students and teachers will have more than enough
technical support.

Limitations
In order to maximize the potential of Twitter on the

educational process, it needs to be utilized outside of the

classroom.
Many of our students could not access this technology outside of

the school doors. This could hurt their learning experience as they
could not maintain constant collaboration with the class.

If teachers could not provide a laptop or tablet to students

in need, it could not be used in the classroom.

Based on the amount of computer labs, media centers, and laptop

carts, this should not present a large problem.

How can Teachers Use This Technology

Twitter is an extremely versatile technology. I will breifly

describe ten ways teachers could use Twitter in the

Classroom.
Teachers could tweet about due dates or upcoming assignments
Use this as a tool to give your students and parents extra reminders

through Twitter.
Connect with Community
Partner with local buisnesses, organizations, or politicians and use

twitter as a broad audience to discuss current events.

How Teachers Could Use Twitter

Write a Story or a Poem with your Class
Students could write their own personal poem within 140
characters. Or you could ask your entire class to collaborate and
right a cumulative story. Each student would contribute up to 140
characters of the story.
Ask Questions
Teachers can use twitter as way for students to keep a running
stream of questions throughout a lecture.

How Teachers Can Use Twitter

Sync with a Blog
Most blogging websites will sync with twitter. So every time you
have an in-depth blog post, your students or parents will be notified
with a link.
Collaborate with Experts.
Students could make contact with experts on their particular subject
matter. This will give students real world expertise and application.
Collaborate Globally
Twitter can be used to create instant pen pals across the globe.
Partner schools can not collaborate in seconds using Twitter.

How Teachers Can Use Twitter

Live Tweet Movies or Books
Rather than a book report, you can ask students to give you 5
tweets from each chapter. Or if you are watching a movie in class,
ask students to live tweet 10 interesting facts.
Take a Poll
Students can poll other students. Teachers can poll students.
Teachers can poll parents. Twitter partners with Survey Monkey to
create a seamless way to poll others on twitter.

How Teacher Use Twitter

Create a Twitter account for a fictional character from a

book or a Historical Figure

Literature or History teachers can ask their students to create a

fake twitter account to share the thoughts of their figure. This

would really engage students in higher order thinking.

Differentiation
Learning can be differentiated with Twitter by assigning

different tasks to different students.

Students could simply follow a historical account for the first level of

Blooms
Students could then summarize tweets from a specific account
Students could illustrate a tweet from an account
Students could Compare and Contrast tweets between different
tweets.
Students could ultimately create their own fake twitter accounts and
tweet like a historical or literary figure.

Communication/Collaboration
Twitter was created for enhanced communication and

collaboration.
Teachers can use this to communicate and collaborate with

students outside of school

Students can use it to communicate and collaborate with peers,
teachers, or expertsANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
Districts can use it to communicate with all stakeholders

Research and Evaluation

There are innumerable amounts of websites,

professionals and blogs which have given their opinions

on how to use twitter in the classroom
The most prominent evaluator of twitter and its uses would be

educational technology consultant Dr. Howard DiBlasi. Dr. DiBlasi

is a well respected source on implementing twitter in the classroom.
You can find his reasearch and evaluations at her personal
website, http://www.drhowie.com/

Research and Evaluation

Other sites which offer ways to use twitter in the

classroom:
Teaching Channel
Teach Hub
According to the National Education Association, Twitter wont

change your life, but it might make your job a little more fun and
easier
Eduedemic offers 22 Effective Ways to Use Twitter

Professional Learning
In order to maximize Twitters influence in the classroom,

teachers would need to be trained

Thankfully, training will not be a large expense for the county.
Essentially, each school can send a teacher or two to a one day

conference.
At this conference they can become experts on the many ways to
use twitter in the classroom.
Teachers can then go back to their schools and share key ways for
teachers to implement Twitter in the classroom.

Professional Learning
Due to the enormous amount of information available on

the internet, teachers could also do their own research.

All a teacher would need to do would be Google Using Twitter in

the Classroom and they have all the information that was needed
to create an online community with their class.

Reflection
After doing all of my reasearch, I believe Twitter is a no

brainer in the classroom. Students are already using

twitter at an alarming rate.(possibly in your classroom).
So instead of banning it, we should embrace the
advantages Twitter offers us in the classroom.
Teachers can also use twitter to collaborate with teachers
from around the globe. We could use this to better
ourselves from a professional standpoint.

Reflection
Twitter offers our teachers, students, and stakeholders an

brand way to interact and engage in education. I am

extremely excited about introducing Twitter to common
practice in the classroom.

Works Cited Page

http://www.edudemic.com/22-effective-ways-to-use

twitter-in-the-classroom-2/
http://www.nea.org/home/32641.htm
https://www.examtime.com/blog/using-twitter-in-theclassroom/
https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/06/20/twitterin-the-classroom/
http://www.drhowie.com/