Prior to coming into this class, I did have a personal Twitter account set up. I scrolled through the feed to have a look at how I use it. I had to ask myself, Did I “tweet”? Did I reply or like other posts? Did I use hashtags? Were hashtags even a thing when I first set up my account in 2012? I realized, that my personal Twitter feed primarily shows tweets from News Agencies like CBC or CTV, and sports teams or sport networks like TSN. It is the social media account that I look at the most often, but I have limited interaction with others on it. I will like posts and occasionally retweet a post, but usually I just scroll through the feed, reading what others have to say.
Based on this, I knew that setting up a Twitter account that is dedicated to my teacher persona was going to be more difficult for me. I would have to change how I use it and figure out the best ways to interact on it. Looking at my tweets, I would give myself mixed reviews. Similar to my personal account, I do scroll through the feed frequently and like some of the tweets I see but don’t create many tweets of my own. So, I wouldn’t classify myself as a reluctant user, more as a selective user. (I can twist the words to make it sound good!)
Looking ahead, I’m not convinced that Twitter will have an active role in my classroom. Part of that is because I’m interested in teaching Grades 3 or 4 so my students won’t have Twitter accounts. Added to that, is the fact that the “in” social media changes so quickly, that Twitter will probably be as forgotten as Facebook is. It will be used by the “old” people. I do see value in it as a tool for professional interaction especially if you follow professional organizations like STF or fellow new teachers. You can at least get news about how education is going in Saskatchewan, get ideas for your classroom, or feel a sense of comradery with others who are experiencing the same things as you.