After spending a week on twitter, I think that I am slowly becoming more comfortable with the platform. Twitter is a social media account that I don’t really have much experience with (besides using it to make 10 tweets in my KIN 110 course in 2019). Hashtags are an important part of twitter, and is something that I have never really understood. When I make a tweet I am not always sure which ones I should be using. Another thing that can at times be frustrating, is the 280 character restriction. I find this difficult as I tend to type lots when sharing my thoughts and ideas! Although, having a character limit may be a useful tool as it can help me with communicating my thoughts in a way that is direct and to the point. 

One thing that I find great about twitter is having the ability to connect with others and share resources! Within the last two classes, Dr. Katia Hildebrandt has taught us useful tips and tricks on how to use twitter in an effective way, and because of this, I am starting to feel a little bit more comfortable with using this platform on a daily basis. I believe that the more I use twitter, the more I will begin to enjoy all that it has to offer.

An article from Search Engine Journal titled 20 Amazingly Cool Twitter Tricks & Tips shares interesting tips such as how to pin a tweet, keyboard shortcuts, how to save data when using the app, changing the order of your newsfeed and more! The article is designed for business people so some of the tips may not be as useful as others, but I would suggest checking them out.

My thoughts on the live chat: This past Thursday EDTC300 was introduced to the #SaskEdChat. This was an incredible opportunity that I felt fortunate to be a part of. Through this communication, it allowed myself to see the level of support and guidance the teaching community has to offer. The mediator of the discussion was very kind and welcoming. Through the questions that were asked, I felt free to express my opinion and was able to read highly educated, professional teachers’ thoughts. The chat was very fast paced, which made me feel overwhelmed at times, but I think that after a few minutes, I started to get the hang of it! It was also really exciting that so many educators were on the chat all at the same time! The #SaskEdChat has taught me that there is a network of people and resources around me and by using this platform I am able to further educate myself by learning from others. 

Twitter in the classroom: I think that twitter is an excellent tool for teachers that can be used to find resources for educational purposes. A fellow EDTC classmate brought up that twitter can perhaps be used within older grades. As students begin thinking about their future careers they can use twitter as a platform to begin networking. Besides using this tool for older grades, I cannot see twitter being a useful tool to use in the classroom. Social media is often not seen in the classroom, and if students are looking for information on a certain topic, I think google provides that. This being said, I am hopeful that I learn more about twitter which will possibly change my mind on implementing twitter in the classroom.

What are your thoughts on twitter being used by students in the classroom?