Tweet Tweet Tweet all about it....

The beautiful world of blogging has taken a turn towards the state I officially call “Twitter”. In this state, there have been many excited people wanting to try this new fad. This new fad has taken over the minds of many young people. The excitement over micro-blogging has created students that are possessed with writing down what they will be doing once they get home. The excitement has gotten students to create pseudonyms to mask their identity in order to run free around a network full of trending topics. The topics range from national news, presidential debates, the evening’s television programs and which celebrities are divorcing this month. Each topic has its own juice to keep the interest of students for a considerable amount of time. While skipping from one topic to another, students leave a tweet so others will know who left their presence with the topic. Students are very aware of the topics to the point of the slightest inkling sparking a class debate. Being very knowledgeable of the micro-blogging has placed the idea my mind that the things I expect from my students are very doable, despite their “noncompliance” at times. While so many kids are traveling through this state, their interest in it could be the gateway to a whole new world inside of the classroom.

The state “Twitter” can be very useful inside of the classroom because of backchannel discussion it produces. In the effort of adding life to the classroom, students can discuss the ideas behind books without disrupting the flow of the class. With each student under their pseudonym, they can tweet about the book by offering their opinions about the main character and possible solutions. Everyone falling under the same umbrella can create a discussion that lasts for the period. Getting the teacher involved to help mediate and chime in on the discussion is wonderful for the psyche of the teacher and students. The teacher-student relationship can be created with a strong adhesiveness that gives the student satisfaction of the teachers trust in them. Twitter acts as a tool for teachers and students to collaborate outside of school on assignments and questions that students have about various projects. While this is only one useful tip, it helps solidify the reason why the state of “Twitter” can be implemented in the classroom. This state is one on the rise and could make some noise like Florida is doing for the Republican debate.

Blogging (In or Out)

In the everchanging world of technology, new inventions are being discovered and it leaves many minds wondering how to stay afloat. While one new innovation has thousands of users flocking to it and tirelessly becoming professionals of it, other products are quietly being formed waiting for the right moment to let loose. As an educator, it is becoming a challenge to wrap my mind around all of the techological tools and becoming fluent enough to present it to my students. While the end result would be mind boggling for them, the attachment to education and the relevance to a lesson is still undecided.

I would love to incorporate materials like blogging into a classroom stuck on the traditional powerpoint and whiteboard uses. Attempting to use twitter to explain how characters can write to each other in today's time versus the previous generation, or use blogging to sense the opinions of a crowd over whether they like or dislike a leader can be a great way to bring a story to life. I find myself looking into a world of technology contemplating whether I can manage the change from the typical teaching style once viewed as "the way." As much as change really upsets people, in this case, change may not be such a bad thing.

Blogging would be a breakthrough for my students because it would wake up the students who find success in sleeping all period and it will open their eyes to something different. Blogging would be a way for kids to see how interacting with each other over a computer would alter their outlook of each other. They would see their own language, as well as each other's responses. Automatically, their grammar would change and their admiration for the technology would flood their minds to the point where it is more important than other things. It would be a fad that many students would be hooked on. They would be more consistent in doing their assignments via the web and the love for education would grow. It is a world that may draw me in to the point of me looking out saying "What took me so long?"