Twitter is a valuable tool for staying informed about global events. While there are numerous social media platforms that offer similar information, I personally believe that Twitter is a platform one starts using not simply as a trend, but when they become mature enough to be interested in current events or require updated knowledge on specific subjects. In my case, I created a Twitter account during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was little to do and a desire to gather information about the ongoing situation. Initially, I primarily used Twitter for news, but after following the platform’s suggestions to connect with people from my own country and international figures such as celebrities, politicians, and government accounts, my interest grew. Twitter’s trending hashtags and the ease of exploring topics of interest by finding related tweets intrigued me, prompting me to switch from Instagram to Twitter for news and current events. The home page recommendations and the ability to find tweets aligned with my interests made it similar to other social media platforms.
As I mentioned in my previous blog post about social media, although I am an active user of various social media platforms, I don’t usually post anything to my profiles. This is mainly due to past experiences that have made me uncomfortable with active participation. However, upon Katia’s suggestion to explore Twitter, I started following some classmates and searched for the #eci831 to learn more about class activities and the platform itself.
In conclusion, Twitter can be an effective tool in the classroom, as we are currently experiencing. As a teacher, I can create a hashtag and share relevant content with students. Personally, I have discovered educational resources, news, government announcements, and entertainment news on Twitter, making it a versatile platform where individuals can find content aligned with their interests. One aspect I particularly appreciate about Twitter is the ability to stay connected with the lives of the people I follow through their tweets. Students can also utilize Twitter to explore various topics beyond their academic subjects and stay up to date. However, I am still contemplating how Twitter can be used effectively for younger students who may need to reach a certain level of maturity before engaging with such social media tools. I welcome any suggestions on this matter.
Lastly, I want to emphasize that I am still in the process of exploring Twitter and, although I am not an active user, Katia has done an excellent job providing us with the opportunity to discover new things on social media platforms.
Your experience with twitter is much more advanced with mine. As I was using Twitter as my new SM tool, I have discovered that I tend to use all SM platforms in a similar way.
What was it about those past interactions that gave you hesitation?
Hello Brian, I utilize Twitter for specific purposes that differ from my usage of other platforms. Although I don’t use it frequently, there are certain aspects that make me rely on it. As for the other matter you mentioned, it relates to my past relationship, and due to certain experiences, I feel uncomfortable sharing certain things. Consequently, I am not very active on social media platforms.
I appreciate you sharing all the hashtags within education on Twitter! This will allow us all to connect and share so much easier! Have you had the opportunity to use these yet? If so, what have these interaction been like? Further, I do agree that Twitter is an effective tool in the classroom. I am still learning how to incorporate it with my students, rather than just me using it to share and connect. What do you think this would look like? I appreciate your thoughts!
Hello Raegyn, I’m currently looking into those hashtags. Although I haven’t used any of them yet, I’m open to exploring them to keep myself updated. Additionally, I’m still researching how we, as teachers can utilize Twitter specifically in early or primary years.
First, I love the hashtags! I sometimes find it hard to find information about what I want but these hashtags will be SO helpful.
I have always been resistant to using Twitter in the classroom. I’m not sure why, but I think hearing your perspective makes me think that it could be useful to share resources with students that connect to certain topics. I think this could be an interesting way to share resources more interactively.
Thank you for responding, Mariah. I believe that many of us are unfamiliar with Twitter or how to use it effectively in the classroom. We are all in the process of discovering ways to incorporate it into our teaching practices.
Thanks for sharing Jashandeep. Even though, I am new to tweeter and want to explore more in it. I really appreciate the positive perspectives of the tweeter that you have shared. On the other hand, I appreciate that it acts as a useful resource for sharing news, resources, etc. I really like it.
Hi Shelly, I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. Twitter is a valuable tool for sharing news and resources. However, I am still contemplating how to effectively utilize Twitter with younger children or in the early years of education.