7 ways innovative educators use Twitter during a disaster #Sandy

Innovative educators who experienced Hurricane Sandy this past week turned to Twitter to communicate, connect, and share information.  

Here are some ways Twitter was used as a resource.

1. Teacher Account - A teacher can have an account to stay in touch with students. If the teacher has a webpage or blog she can embed her Tweets there.
• “‏@franasaur: Power is back on at the iSchool! Planning to meet staff + students there on Monday morning. The alternate location was Laguardia HS.”
2. Principal Account - School leaders can keep staff, students, and parents informed via their Twitter account. These Tweets can be embedded on the school website.
• Example: “@PrincipalBrown: School will reopen for students and staff tomorrow, Monday, November 5th, 2012. Can't wait to see everyone!”
3. School Twitter Account - Use your school Twitter account to share information for your school community.  Embed these Tweets on your website.  
• Example: “@HudsonHSLT: School will be session Monday, November 5, 2012 @ 8:15 am. See you soon!”
4. Create an Account - Create an account that is dedicated to information related to the disaster.  
• Example: "@prepare4monday: Good! Developing plan for where to send kids who need supplies, clothing, or support. This is productive as long as it actually happens."
5. District Account - Ensure your school community is aware of the district Twitter account that can provide instant updates.

• Example: “@NYCSchools: We just launched a search tool on our website to help you find out the status of a specific school for next week: http://on.nyc.gov/QZNRGy”

6. Education News account - Know who covers the local education news and see what they’re Tweeting.
• Example: "@gothamschools: For teachers who are parents: "Individual principals have discretion over whether to allow their staff to bring children to work" on Friday"
7. Know the hashtag for your area - Not only is it important to know the hashtag being used during a disaster, but it is also important to find out if there is a tag particular to where you are. For example during Hurricane Sandy this was the hashtag used for NYC residents: #SandyNYC .
• Example: @MikeBloomberg: 80% of the subway system is back online. @MTAInsider expects that to be 90% tomorrow #SandyNYC

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Parents consider the value of Twitter during the presidential #debates

Editor's note: Social media has changed how many innovative educators have watched important current events such as the presidential debates. What about their parents?


Guest post by Jennifer Bond @teambond

As I watched the Presidential Debate at my parent’s house with my iPad as a companion I opened up TweetCaster and started reading the tweets from my personal learning network (PLN) as well as from those tweeting with the hashtag #debate.  

As the debate began I shared some Tweets with my parents who acknowledged them but didn’t really say much.  As the debate progressed I shared some more tweets. My mom seemed intrigued and took my iPad.  She read through the feed and was excited to find a commonality with my Tweeps sharing, “I said that same thing a couple minutes ago!”  “Yes mom,” I replied. “Twitter allows you to validate your thoughts.”


Her interest piqued, she started asking me questions.  I gave her the general tour and started with something close to home, my younger sister’s tweets.  

As we continued watching there were many tweets we found interesting as well as those not appropriate that were trending on #debate. We discussed the value of the ability of people to freely share their thoughts on social media as well as how that should be balanced with a level of civility and respect.  That led us to discuss the importance of digital identity.  

As the final debate came upon us, I asked my mom what she thought about following Tweets during the debate.  She responded, “I think you should pay attention to the debate and not twitter.”  “But,” I reminded her, “we are paying attention to both.”  She said, “That’s how you do kids do it now, but it is not for me.  I am old-fashioned that way.”  

So, as much as my mom was curious and was able to experience a different twist to watching the debates, as of now she says the twitter interaction is not her thing.  Perhaps I need to bring my iPad more often and expose her to the interactions that take place, whether it be for a debate, a sport’s game, or even a favorite sitcom.  

I did see a speck of curiosity, which is where it all begins.  Who knows…maybe I can make a Tweeter out of her someday!

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Jennifer Bond is a 3rd grade teacher, innovative teaching and learning cheerleader, and advocate for teaching to and from the heart! She regularly presents at tech conferences around Michigan, and will be one of the teachers in the upcoming educational documentary, Look I'm Learning, which will focus on technology in elementary classrooms. http://edtechcheerleader.com

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9 Ideas for Using Twitter & Storify to analyze the presidential #debates in your classroom

If you’re an innovative educator who cares about addressing issues that are relevant in the world, you're talking to your students about the debate. Analyzing the #debates tweets is one great way to take a look at the presidential candidates and utilizing the free Storify tool is a great way to tell the story they want to share.

Storify lets you turn what people post on social media into compelling stories. With Storify, you collect the best photos, video, Tweets and more to publish them as simple, beautiful stories that can be shared anywhere. Storify is a great way to make meaning of and remember important events.  

Here are ideas for doing that.

1. If you or your students have Tweeted during the debate, create a Storify of student, teacher or class Tweets.
2. Storify #debates Tweets of someone (or more) they know and tell the story of this person’s political views.
3. Storify the #debates Tweets of a celebrity they admire and discuss that person’s political views.
4. Storify each candidate and discuss what each stands for.
5. Storify #debates along with an area of interest i.e. #edreform, #prolife, #immigration, #gayrights and see what the candidates are saying about that topic.
6. Storify accounts like @factcheckdotorg and @politifact to see whose facts are right and wrong. 
7. Storify student education reform author @Nikhil Goyal and #debates to get a young person's take on the best candidate for our students.
8. Storify reporter @Joy_Resmovits and #debates to get an education reporter's take on our candidates.
9. Storify your favorite quotes from a debate like Valerie Strauss did about education for the Washington Post

A lesson such as this is not only a terrific way to analyze current events, it is also a real and relevant way to empower your students to understand how the power of social media in conveying a message, creating a brand, and winning or losing an election.

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Students you should be following on Twitter to stay in the know this school year

Editor's note: Social media is a tremendous way for students to engage in meaningful work and causes. This is why it is so important for educators to be in the know when it comes to guiding and supporting all students in making a difference using this powerful resource.  In the post below Stephanie Rivera shares some students worth following. 

Guest post by stephrrivera | http://teacherunderconstruction.com 

Students are waking up and using social media to make their voices heard for their rights, especially when it comes to education. Two students, Zak Malamed and Allison Wu took initiative and partnered up with Dell Education to revolutionize the way students use the social media site, Twitter. Every Monday night at 8:30 EST, students, and those who support them, from all across the globe join in to discuss issues in education with the hashtag #stuvoice (previously #studentvoice). To learn more about what a TwitterChat is, check this out.

With that being said, one #stuvoice supporter, Lisa Nielsen, suggested we compile a list of the Twitter handles of those who represent\support student voices. Zak Malamed went ahead and made a list on Twitter, and the below list will also bring attention to some youth who deserve to be heard.

Just click the student below and it will direct you to their Twitter page.

Nikhil Goyal @nikhilgoya_l 17 Year Old | Author: One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student's Assessment of School | Columnist @good | NYTimes | WSJ | MSNBC | FOX | NPR | ngoyal2013@gmail.com

Student Groups:

If any students\student voice supporters would like to be added to this list, send me a Tweet!

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Influential educators, bloggers and twitterati recognized at the Bammy Awards

What would happen if instead of being bashed, blamed, and scrutinized, educators were lauded, celebrated, and recognized. That is among the goals of what might become the annual Bammy awards.  The Awards aim to foster recognition of excellence in education, encourage collaboration and respect, elevate education and education successes in the public eye, and raise the profile and voices of the many undervalued and unrecognized people who are making a difference in the field.

In what is usually reserved for the actors and athletes of our society, instead, it was us on the red carpet in our flowy gowns and tuxedos who were being treated like movie stars as we were chauffeured in limos where we were photographed by paparazzi, taped, and interviewed as we made our way into the Arena Stage at Kreeger Theater in Washington, DC.

Posing for a picture on the red carpet.
Photo credit: Kevin Jarrett

The Bammys, presented by the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences International recognized the importance of those of us who blog and tweet because of our ability to help citizens sort out what deserves attention and provide insightful context. I had the pleasure of being selected as a top 100 education blogger at the first annual event and was honored to be among the top 20 who were called up on stage to be recognized for our role as influential thought leaders. 

Influential educational blogger honorees
Photo credit: Kevin Jarrett

One of the foremost educational leaders in using social media, Eric Sheninger known as Princial Twitter did a terrific job of coordinating the bloggers, micro bloggers and connected educators.  He and Joe Mazza served as presenters who recognized the following educators on stage: Adam Bellow, Angela Maiers, Chris Lehmann, Deven Black, Erin Klein, George Couros, Joe Mazza, Joyce Valenza, Kelly Tenkley, Joan Young, Kyle Pace, Lisa Nielsen, Mary Beth Hertz, Nicholas Provenzano, Patrick Larkin, Shannon Miller, Shelly Blake-Plock, Shelly Terrell, Steven Anderson, and Tom Whitby. You can see all 100 here. You can see us being honored at the event below.

The event gave us an opportunity to rub shoulders, take photos, and most importantly chat with some of the more renowned movers and shakers in education such as John Merrow, Randi Weingarten, Linda Darling-Hammond, and Diane Ravitch who said, "The depth of discouragement among educators in the trenches is at an all-time high and cannot be overstated." The Bammy Awards works to combat such discouragement by recognizing those who vigorously and thoughtfully blog and tweet about education as a very important part of the education community ecosystem. 

Lisa Nielsen, John Merrow, Patrick Larkin

As librarian Deven Black shared on his blog, "It is so outlandish for educators to get red carpet treatment, hear kind words and receive weighty trophies. We have become far more used to being blamed, attacked, criticized, sniped-at and otherwise vilified." Hopefully the Bammys are the first in a movement to bring our nation closer to those like Finland where teachers are trusted, honored, and respected. After all, as Linda Darling-Hammond pointed out, "There is another story we rarely hear: Our children who attend schools in low-poverty contexts are doing quite well. In fact, U.S. students in schools in which less than 10 percent of children live in poverty score first in the world in reading, out-performing even the famously excellent Finns."

Let's not blame educators for a societal issue and instead focus on rewarding one of our nation's most important professions. Educators are being intensely scrutinized, but not as intensely recognized for the great work being done. The Bammy Awards are one such effort to  change this. 

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5 steps to building social media presence from scratch

Gone are the days when imparting knowledge was the primary work of a teacher. Today’s teachers need to be able to support their students in knowing how to effectively connect, communicate, collaborate, cooperate, and create. This means that to prepare today’s youth for success in the world, educators must become savvy users of social media. Opting out of online worlds which students can use to change the world, is no longer an acceptable option for teachers.  

But getting started can be scary.

The video below features my interview with Author Learning Center where I share ideas for how authors, and really anyone, can begin to build their social media presence.  Below the video are the ideas spelled out with a focus on education for innovative educators who are interested in developing a robust online presence and start connecting with others who share their ideas.
  
5 steps to building social media presence from scratch

1. Don’t be afraid of zero - We have to start somewhere and when it comes to social media, that means starting at zero. That’s okay. Take that first step and join the biggies like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. Start a blog and don’t worry about not having any followers. You’ll start at zero, but it won’t be long before your connections reach the double and triple digits.
2. Find your people - Who cares about what you care about? Each social media service has a way to connect with those who share your interests.  Do a search for groups or tags that relate to your areas of interest.
3. Look around - Once you find people who care about what you care about, look around. See what the norms are. This is called lurking. Read. Learn. Think. Reflect.
4. Join the conversation - Reply to tweets.  Respond to posts. Share ideas. Let people know what you are thinking. Build your network.
5. Collaborate and create - Invite your network to join you in the creation of great things using online collaboration resources. For example, find others who are interested in doing what you are doing and write an article together using Google Docs, make a presentation together using Prezi, create a book using Flickr, work on your school curriculum map with Google spreadsheets.

Following these five steps will not only help you find those who share your passions and interests, but it will also lead to you (or your students) establish yourself as a leader in the field.  The resume is a 20th century relic. Sure, you can have that one dimensional representation of who you are, but what will set you apart from the rest is the online persona you actively create and the connections you make in your network.

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Meeting the faces behind the minds I love on Twitter at ISTE

At the recent International Society for Technology Educator’s (ISTE) Tweetup I had the opportunity to meet with the faces behind the minds I interact with throughout the year. With smiles and hugs abound, those in attendance didn’t miss a beat in picking up conversations face-to-face that had begun online.

Those that use social media for learning understand the power of connections and attachments made possible by the platform. Unfortunately many of us work in schools and districts that have administrators and policy makers ignorant about use these platforms, making rules, policies, and guidelines that keep students stuck in the past.

Their conversations are familiar...
Our kids need to learn to speak eye to eye, not thumb to thumb.
Our kids don’t know how to talk to each other anymore.


They shake their heads and nod with understanding  lamenting that allowing these tools will result in the inability of today’s youth to engage appropriately in face-to-face interactions. Of course, when you scratch just below the surface the flawed logic is crystal clear. Did phone calls or letter writing weaken our ability to communicate face-to-face? No! Are folks making deeply meaningful connections using social media? Yes. Is social media necessary for success if you want to run a business, run for office, or change how things are run? Yes.  

So, if adults are powerfully engaging in these worlds, but young people are banned from doing the same, whose to blame when students are not communicating at the level expected by adults? 

Communication in any form enables us to grow and deepen our relationships with other. Our job as educators is to support students in moving with fluidity across multiple communication options i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Google Hangout, Skype, IM, text, etc. etc.

Tom Whitby, one of the founders of #EdChat (an ongoing synchronous & asynchronous education chat on Twitter) explained it this way.  I’ve worked at schools and institutions for years with people who worked behind closed doors and barely talked to each other.  Social media opens doors allowing you to connect and develop relationships with those who are enthusiastic about engaging with others to get smarter about the work we do. Online we often make deep connections with others around the world who would be happy to invite you into their home with just a phone call.

The use of social media and digital technologies, does not keep us further apart. These are the tools that can enable us to make important global connections that bring us all closer together.  When we converse online from around the world, it is wonderful and powerful and when we have the chance to meet face-to-face it’s like a great party bringing together good friends.

Instead of blocking and banning our policy makers and administrators must allow us to support students in doing the same and the Tweeps I had the chance to meet up with in San Diego can tell you why we can no longer rob students of this crucial 21st century skill.  

Our job as educators should be to support students in making these global connections and provide opportunities for the face-to-face to occur.  Here are the faces behind the minds I love that gatherings like the ISTE Tweetup makes possible.


If you're wondering what meeting those minds looks like, check out this awesome stop motion video by Ken Shelton.

You have read this article #ISTE12 / iste12 / social media / social media ban / Twitter in Education with the title Twitter in Education. You can bookmark this page URL http://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/06/meeting-faces-behind-minds-i-love-on.html. Thanks!

Unfollowing everyone but my very favorites on Twitter

Have you ever just wanted to reset your entire Twitter account to "following no one" and rebuild who you follow so you can have the best incoming feed ever? 

I did. 


I recently unfollowed EVERYONE on Twitter. I wanted to be discerning about who ends up in my Twitter stream so that I would have more focused and meaningful interactions. As a result, I now have a low quantity, but high quality feed. I know there are numerous ways to filter, sort and follow other Tweeters i.e. HootSuit, TweetDeck, but when it comes to Twitter, I like to keep it simple.  

This means I only user Twitter to follow Twitter and I look at three things: 

1) @Connect: To see what conversations I've been tagged in.

2) Home: To see what my selected Tweeps are up to.

3) #Discover: To feed or hashtags of interest on Twitter.  

That's it.

When you unfollow thousands of people, how do you go about figuring out who to follow? Well, I instantly thought of the top 25 people who influence and interact with me which makes up those in the list below, then I added from there where I've settled comfortably at about 170 people that I follow. My goal is to stay under 200. 

Here is the criteria I used to follow people. Tweeps only have to meet one item in the criteria listed below for me to consider following them, but two (usually three) to be in the top 25.

1) We've engaged in a meaningful conversation on Twitter.
2) We've engaged in a meaningful conversation outside Twitter.
3) You write or speak publicly about a topic I'm interested in.
4) You Tweet about a topic I'm interested in.

5) You follow me.

6) You noticed I unfollowed you and wrote to me asking me to re-follow.

In no particular order, here are the top 25 people followed by me to keep me connected to the latest in innovative teaching and learning.  Among those here you'll find a mix of innovative teachers, students, and administrators...

Lisa Nielsen

@InnovativeEdu

Speaker. Writer. Educational innovator & agitator. Blogger who writes about learning innovatively & alternative ed. Author www.TeachingGenerationText.com

New York City · http://TheInnovativeEducator.blogspot.com 

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Tom Whitby

@tomwhitbyFOLLOWS YOU

Prof of Education. Founder: #Edchat, The EDU PLN Ning, Linkedin group Technology-Using Professors et al. BLOG: My Island Viewhttp://tomwhitby.wordpress.com

Long Island, New York · http://tomwhitby.wordpress.com/

Deven Black

@devenkblackFOLLOWS YOU

Middle school teacher-librarian/media specialist in NYC. If you expect simple answers to complicated questions you are in the wrong place.

Nyack & the Bronx, NY · http://educationontheplate.wordpress.com/

Lyn Hilt

@L_HiltFOLLOWS YOU

Elementary Principal, K-6 Tech Integrator/Coach, Reader, Writer, Connected learner!

PA · http://lynhilt.com/

Scott McLeod

@mcleodFOLLOWS YOU

Associate Professor. CASTLE Director. Blogger. Idea generator. Solution builder. Agitator. Catalyst. “If the leaders don’t get it, it’s not going to happen.”

Ames, Iowa · http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org

George Couros

@gcourosFOLLOWS YOU

Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning for PSD70. Passionate about learning, ed. tech, and helping others find their passion! I like dogs :)

Edmonton · http://georgecouros.ca

Ira Socol

@irasocolFOLLOWS YOU

Re-imagining education based on history, postcolonial theories, liberation theology, and observation. Dedicated to open, democratic learning for all. Writer.

Michigan · http://speedchange.blogspot.com/

Tim Clark

@BYOTNetworkFOLLOWS YOU

Coordinator of Inst Tech for Forsyth County, GA - Empowering students and teachers with their personal technology devices to improve opportunities for learning.

Atlanta, GA · http://www.byotnetwork.com

Mary Beth Hertz

@mbteachFOLLOWS YOU

K-7 Technology Teacher and Technology Integration Specialist in Philadelphia. Edcamp Foundation Board member & organizer.

· http://mbteach.com

John T. Spencer

@johntspencerFOLLOWS YOU

Husband. Dad. Teacher. Writer. Perpetual Bender of Paperclips.

Phoenix, AZ · http://educationrethink.com

Kevin Jarrett

@kjarrettFOLLOWS YOU

Father, husband, Google Certified K-4 technology teacher leveraging social media in education. Blogger, workshop leader, lifelong learner, relentless optimist!

Northfield, NJ USA · http://about.me/kjarrett

Gary Stager, Ph.D.

@garystagerFOLLOWS YOU

Progressive educator, journalist, speaker, university professor –http://stager.tv/blog -Expertise = edtech, 1:1 computing, online teaching, school reform, jazz

iPhone: 33.836876,-118.351767 · http://www.stager.org/bio

Eric Sheninger

@NMHS_PrincipalFOLLOWS YOU

Principal of New Milford HS (NJ): NASSP National Digital Principal Award Winner (2012), Google Certified Teacher, ASCD Conference Scholar, Author, Speaker

New Milford, NJ · http://ericsheninger.com

Chris Lehmann

@chrislehmannFOLLOWS YOU

Principal of the Science Leadership Academy Co-Chair - EduCon

Philadelphia, PA · http://www.practicaltheory.org/serendipity

Will Richardson

@willrich45FOLLOWS YOU

Parent, author, speaker, instigator, blogger about social Web tools and their effects on schools, education and learning.

Flemington, New Jersey · http://willrichardson.com

Michelle Luhtala

@mluhtalaFOLLOWS YOU

New Canaan High School Library Department Chair. PLN facilitator at edWeb.net/emergingtech. Presenter. Blogger. Fierce advocate for free-range media and BYOD.

New Canaan, CT · http://bibliotech.me

Tom Vander Ark

@tvanderarkFOLLOWS YOU

Interested in innovations that customize & motivate learning and extend access

Seattle WA · http://www.GettingSmart.com

Nikhil Goyal

@TalkPoliticalFOLLOWS YOU

16 • Author: All Hands on Deck: Why America Needs a Learning Revolution (Sept 2012) • Feat. in @NYTimes + @NBC + Seth Godin Blog +@Edutopia ngoyal2013@gmail.com

New York · http://nikhilgoyal.me/

Scott Newcomb

@SNewcoFOLLOWS YOU

Educator, Mobilist, Presenter, Blogger, 1:1 Mobile Learning Devices, ISTE & eLearning Guild member, SIGMLhttp://www.themobilenative.blogspot.com

Ohio · http://www.smriders.net/Mobile_Learning

lisa cooley

@coollitFOLLOWS YOU

Parent, school board member, school change agitator from central Maine. Glass beadmaker; violin teacher. Glass beads and jewelry:http://moltenmama.etsy.com

Maine · http://mindsofkids.blogspot.com

Allison Wu

@allisonswuFOLLOWS YOU

Advocate for #studentvoice in #edreform / youth engagement in policy | @HuffingtonPost blogger | @MingaGroup & @NYAAmerica too

Boston, MA · http://about.me/allisonw

Dean Shareski

@shareskiFOLLOWS YOU

Teacher, learner, husband, father, golfer. I try not to take this place too seriously but occasionally I do.

Moose Jaw, SK · http://shareski.ca

Patrick Larkin

@bhsprincipalFOLLOWS YOU

Principal of Burlington HS (MA): NASSP National Digital Principal Award Winner (2012), 1:1 iPad High School, Evangelist for Web 2.0 and Digital Tools.

Burlington, MA · http://patrickmlarkin.com

pammoran

@pammoranFOLLOWS YOU

as an educator I'm for 21st c community learning spaces for all kinds of learners, both adults and young people; comments reflect my personal point of view.

Virginia · http://spacesforlearning.wordpress.com/

Angela Maiers

@AngelaMaiersFOLLOWS YOU

I believe these 2words can change the world - #YouMatter - I'm an Educator, Author, Speaker passionate about literacy, learning, and power of social media

Iowa · http://www.AngelaMaiers.com 

Joe Bower

@joe_bowerFOLLOWS YOU

I believe students should experience their success and failure not as reward and punishment but as information. Author of for the love of learning.

Alberta, Canada · http://www.joebower.org

You have read this article twitter / Twitter in Education with the title Twitter in Education. You can bookmark this page URL http://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/06/unfollowing-everyone-but-my-very.html. Thanks!