Twitter: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

TWITTER: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

The year is 2019, just 10 years ago the majority of social media platforms that we currently have did not exist or just became into existence. It’s crazy to think that it was not that long ago. Now in the palm of our hand we can access Facebook, Instagram, Myspace and especially Twitter. To start of our talk about Twitter we must first understand what it is. Below is a video from 2008 that explains what Twitter is, and gives a cool prospective since it was near the time of it’s birth. check it out…

Now that we know what Twitter is, lets go over some questions that I will answer, which provides my point of view of becoming a new Twitter user.

1. What are your thoughts?

Twitter opens up a whole new landscape for your career field, where you will meet people from all over the world. These people you can meet are in your career field, and they can provide you with new ideas that you never knew could have existed. For example a teacher from Texas proposed an idea of having meetings during a teachers lunch period while they eat, especially when you have a teachers workshop. This is such a simple solution but you would be surprised how many people do not think of it. Twitter expands your PLN (Personal Learning Network), it is different than Facebook or Instagram because you can interact with people from all over much easier and faster than other social media platforms. A simple # search can lead to so many doors opening, with meeting and sharing information with others. It’s also great for teachers or professors for classmates to interact with each other in a very simple platform.

2) How have those social media space conversations affected the way you think about learning?

These conversations have changed the way that I think about learning. It really opened my eyes that you can communicate with others from all over the world in a matter of seconds. For example if I were to have a question about how to use a specific classroom technology platform, I can ask it on Twitter using a # and within moments I would have an answer. Its a powerful tool to share and spread ideas or methods of teaching that can be seen by anyone to learn.

3) Have you learned anything significant?

The first significant thing that Twitter has taught me, which I have already mentioned is the ability to connect with so many from around the world. I had never heard of a PLN and even how to create one. I didn’t realize how easy it is to create this network, which in some cases can lead to employment for certain individuals. Below is a video on how you can start a PLN with your Twitter account.

Twitter is also very valuable displaying information over a wide range of audience. You can create a group and share information just inside of only your group to see. This was something that I thought only was possible on Facebook with creating a group. The video attached below shows exactly how to add members to a “List”, and how useful this feature his.

4. Reflect on your own Twitter chats

I’m going to be honest, at first before I began my first Twitter chat I thought it was going to be dumb and confusing. It does become nerve wracking trying to find an active chat, but once you enter the chat, it actually is a pretty cool experience. Before I describe the experience, let me start by saying that I didn’t even know Twitter chats existed. When I first heard of a Twitter chat, I thought I was going to be entering a messenger room just chatting with one person. I soon then realized that you communicate with others in a chat by responding to questions Tweeted by an admin. These chats have expanded my PLN and have provided me with information from people in my future career that I never knew existed. Below is a great video that explains the Twitter chat experience.

I have enjoyed Twitter, I was never really a fan of it until now and plan to continue using it in the future.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @CoachKTech1

Technology Issues-Closing the Gap

Welcome Back Everyone!

One of the largest problems we see today especially when it comes to global learning is the technology issues that come inside the classroom. This is not only a problem that is happening in classrooms around the world, but also right here in our own country. Below is a link to an article by Janelle Cox to give a quick background of the technology issues faced here in the United States and also around the world.

Read the Cox article here: http://www.teachhub.com/overcoming-barriers-technology-classroom

BUDGET PROBLEMS

Cox describes in her article that technology is rapidly growing to where most schools can’t keep up with it. This is mainly due to budget restraints, which is the largest reason to why 3rd world countries can’t have technology in their classrooms. If these schools no matter where they are located, do not have the budget to have technology in the classroom they will remain behind as being a global educator. Time does not stop, neither does the world especially with the progress of man in technology. Schools are always in a race to keep on pace with each other, especially when it comes to technology. The schools that have the budget to spend on technology, they will continue to progress and become greater global educators. Technology is one of the main power sources behind global learning, without it especially in today’s world it becomes very difficult to connect with the rest of the world. Technology is what keeps the world and man moving forward in a positive direction.

Closing The Gap

Although a school’s budget might be seen as the biggest culprit to why a teacher can’t have the proper technology needed in a classroom, there is actually other reasons to this problem. In Julie Lindsay’s book The Global Educator, she quotes a speaker named Julio Rojas that states, “In our country Venezuela, we face great difficulties, one of which is precisely the technology gap. My society still sees with the skepticism the use of technology. My challenge is to demonstrate that technology can open up large and very important experiences” (Lindsay, 2016). Rojas is speaking on not budget issues to the downfall of technology in classrooms, but the simple fact that some communities do not believe in the use of technology in education. This is why global learning is so important because we can learn from each other around the world, to see what works in education and what does not work.

Making Everyone A Technology Believer

Examining the research and evidence that has been provided about technology in classrooms around the world we mark several notes.

We need to understand technology first.
We need to educate the teachers on how to use it properly
How technology can advance our students and the future that lies ahead
How technology can make our students be the best they can be

Below is a Ted-Talk Video presented by Jesse Woolley-Wilson who is an eLearning Leader who discusses the importance of education in the classroom. We need to spread this information to many schools, so they can understand the importance of technology in the classroom. Educate the schools first before we can educate the students.

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @CoachKTech1

Education Tools

Linkedin App: The power to share to many at one time

Linkedin App

Category: Community & social media

Uses: Sharing blog posts, discussions and multimedia

One of the most important skills that a student must acquire is the ability to communicate with others. A student especially after high school or college must be able to connect with those in the work force that can hire them for a potential job. Fifteen plus years ago before the use of technology, this would had to be done by the old fashion method of going from business to business building a connection for potential employment. Now in 2019 you have the ability to connect with potential employers from all over the country with the use of technology. One of the greatest hiring apps is called Linkedin, which connects an individual with employers seeking out the correct person to fill an employment position.

Linkedin allows you to create a profile to be displayed online, that can be viewed by employers that shows an individuals skills to past employments. It also allows you to display your education and location. One of the best features of Linkedin is the ability to connect with others through people that you have already connected with on Linkedin. For example I am connected with a man named Frank Smith who is a teacher at an elementary school and he is connected with a principle from a different high school which I am not. I could then be connected through Linkedin to that principle because I was connected with Frank Smith, which could ultimately lead to that principle seeing my profile resulting in a connection.

Check out this video below, on how simple and great Linkedin can be with finding a teaching position…

IN THE CLASSROOM

Linkedin can be difficult to base lesson plans around in the classroom as it requires the students to use it heavily outside of the classroom. This being said it can still be taught in the classroom, but you will see this more in high schools or colleges then at the elementary school level.

Here is a sample lesson plan that can be used in a education setting with helping students connect with professionals in their desired field. Check out the link here: http://www.irsc.edu/uploadedFiles/IAE/LinkedIn-Lesson-Plan-Handout.pdf

Thanks for reading! Be sure to follow my Twitter account @CoachKTech1

Technology Fire Sale: A Teacher’s Worst Nightmare

It appears that there is a weekly firing of a teacher somewhere in the United States for violating a law or rule in relation to technology. Almost always these same cases also result with criminal punishment. How can parents feel their children are safe where almost every person in the classroom has some form of social media technology? Even at the elementary school level you can find students who have some form of social media or technology. Teachers can’t avoid technology it is virtually impossible, but in this blog we will explore ways on how teachers can avoid the negative sides of it’s usage.

So here is our first thought…..

Why can’t technology (Such as Social media) be used as a learning platform?

Here is a video of a case from New Hampshire where a teacher was terminated for not willing to unfriend students from her Facebook account. Take a look.

Long-time teacher Carol TheBarge added many of her former and then current students as friends on the popular social media website Facebook. The administration told her to either comply by unfriending the students or should would be terminated. TheBarge did not comply so she was ultimately terminated from her job. She believes that social media websites such as Facebook can be used a way to connect with students positively and as a learning platform. The superintendent said she was terminated because the school has a policy in place where teachers can not interact with students over any social media platform.

Should TheBarge been fired? Should she have known better being a long time teacher? At her age shouldn’t she just comply?

Lets look at one more case of just how dangerous social media can be. Here is an article and video that shows a case of a teacher being terminated for using the social media platform Twitter in a way that you would never imagine.

See the article here: https://nowthisnews.com/videos/news/teacher-is-fired-for-white-nationalist-twitter-and-podcast

25 year old teacher Dayanna Volitish created a separate Twitter account under another name where she tweeted racist and extreme views. Although she did not use her own personal account and made a different account under another name she was still terminated. This case does even involve the classroom, but shows how teachers can still be affected by social media when outside of school.

Should teachers not be watched more closely by administration after seeing this case? I would say that schools should really put a close look into who they hire. It is almost impossible to watch every teacher’s movements on social media, with the number of platforms there are today. Especially when it comes down to making fake accounts to hide different sides of the teacher.

How To Avoid The Teacher Technology Firing Epidemic

Here is a great article on how teachers can be fired.

Read the Article here: http://www.nea.org/home/38324.htm

My way of summing up this entire article is: USING COMMON SENSE. If teachers would just use common sense (Granted not everyone has it), they would avoid the majority of these problems. Here are my Tips to Follow by, with doing the opposite of these will most likely get you terminated as a teacher….

Tip #1: Do not use social media to interact with students

-If you absolutely have to wait until later in life. You do not need to be friends with your students on Facebook or any other social media website while they are still in school.

Tip #2: Do not use social media to express thoughts or emotions about your school environment/Watch what you post

-There is always a parent or student who will take the lead in searching a teacher on social media websites. The article shows that teachers who post pictures of drinking alcohol or at a party can result in negative reactions from students and parents. Even if you set your account to private there is still ways for these posts or pictures to be reached.

Tip #3: Know and obey your administration’s rules & policies with social media/technology

Tip #4: Know FERPA

-FERPA is the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. FERPA does not allow third parties to access important or private information belonging to a student. The student must give consent for any information to be released. Teachers can avoid this by making sure there is no possibilities of private student information to be accessed by teachers or other students in the classroom.

Tip #5: Cooperate

-If a teacher or anyone in society cooperates, then the chances of being successful in life is that much greater.

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @CoachKTech1