My intention was to attach the file of the presentation I did in class, but I can't figure out how to do that without paying for an online service like SlideBoom or VoiceThread. So, below you will find an outline of the presentation, with each roman numeral being one slide. Thanks!
TWEETING IN THE SECONDARY CLASSROOM
I. What is Twitter?
A. Social networking and micro-blogging site
B. Created in 2006
C. Answers the question, “What are you doing?” in 140 characters or less
D. Users can pay as much or as little attention as they want to – no expectations
II. Who is using Twitter?
A. Median age of Twitter users is 31
1. 27 for MySpace
2. 26 for Facebook
B. Users are more likely to be from urban areas (39%) than rural areas (9%)
C. Users tend to be more racially and ethnically diverse than the population as a whole
1. Younger generation is more diverse than older generation
**Information collected in 12/2008 Pew Internet & American Life Project study
III. How are educators using Twitter?
A. To improve student writing
B. To enhance efforts to develop a more collaborative and communicative classroom
environment
C. To create more interest in and a personal connection between students and the rest of
the world
D. To better support the research process
IV. How does Twitter improve writing?
A. Fast (“twitterfall”)
B. Warm-up
C. Reflection
D. Discussion
E. Focused
F. 140 character limit
G. Inclusive
H. Typed, short
I. Collaborative & Experiential
J. Students edit/reflect upon other students’ writing
V. Writing activities with Twitter
A. Tweet about one thing
1. Vocabulary
a. Definitions
b. Sentences using new vocabulary
c. Synonyms
2. Grammar
B. Write a collaborative story
1. One person starts story, class completes story
C. Interpret an image (What do you see?)
VI. How can Twitter be used to create a more collaborative and communicative classroom?
A. Designed to get people talking to each other
1. First step in creating community
B. Reduces barriers to wide participation
1. Fun
2. Gives all students a voice
C. Expands students’ role in learning while diminishing teacher’s role
VII. Community-building activities with Twitter
A. Collaborative story-telling (“tweetstory”)
B. Peer editing
1. Fast, whole class
C. Discussions
1. Everyone has a voice
2. Simultaneous
VIII. How does Twitter create more interest in the global community?
A. Twitter is a global phenomenon
1. Multiple languages
2. Real time accounts of events
B. Messages are sent from various points on the globe instants before users see them
IX. Global-awareness activities with Twitter
A. GeoSearch à Where in the world are you?
1. Ask question of Twitter network
2. Students then use Google Earth to find and see that location
3. Present information (description of building, nearby landmarks or geographical
features, etc.) that would show that person that you have found him or her
B. Survey where people are writing from using Public Timeline
1. Can also survey languages people are using
X. How can Twitter support and enhance the research process?
A. Format supports various stages of the process
1. Brainstorming (“twitterfall”)
2. Note-taking
3. Planning final product
B. Experts and institutions are Twitter-friendly
1. NASA Fellows
2. Twitter streams
C. Simplifies collaborative research projects
XI. Research process activities with Twitter
A. Record thoughts, information, etc.
B. Collaboration
1. Twitterfall together
2. Share sites, ideas
3. Edit
C. Consult experts
XII. Conclusion
A. Many clear applications
B. Not convinced that it is the best tool
1. Use the structure that makes Twitter effective (simultaneous 140 characters)
C. Alternatives to Twitter:
1. Wikis
2. Skype