Journal 2

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock. Learning and leading with technology, 37(8), 12-15. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx.

Miller, S. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience. Learning and leading with technology, 37(8), 15-17. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx.

This article discusses Twitter and the ways it can help a professional, if used correctly. Ferguson argues that creating a Twitter account and being active and participatory on the site regularly can connect educators together across the globe. She argues this to be effective because posts, called "tweets," are limited to 160 characters. Tweets get the information across in a clear and concise manner. Information Ferguson asserts it is important to build up this professional learning network so that teachers and educators could build a community online, sharing relevant information with one another. Ferguson stresses the importance of being active on twitter- even if it begins as once a week. Time on twitter can be spent reading articles, posting tweets and links, or searching for people to follow.

Question 1: Is it possible to use Twitter in the classroom for the student's benefit?
Many local schools I work at use the site Moodle to upload important class information on the internet, as to allow parents to access important documents and information at any time during the day. In a few cases, I have known teachers to post homework assignments on Moodle too. I am curious, and will have to see once I enter into the classroom, if perhaps "tweeting" the homework to students in class would be an effective way to let them know what is due. I know there are strict policie with teacher and student interactions online, and perhaps this idea is not realistic, but seeing that educators could be connected across the globe, this might be a springboard for some educators to see what other teachers are teaching and requiring of their students, and give them ideas in the classroom as well.

Question 2: Why is it important to know the twitter jargon, including hashtaging, listing, lurking?
Students do not learn best in an environment where they do not feel the teacher understands them or where they feel the teacher cannot and does not relate to them. Knowing how to use twitter, and what these terms mean, allow me to be educated not only in technological terms but also in relating to my students. Being able to tweet a post, and using a particular hashtag helps me to model for my students organize tweets and to tweet meaningful tweets. In terms of professionally, it is important to be literate with multiple engines, including facebook, blogspot, and twitter, just to name a few.