I shouldn’t be, but I am: totally amazed by the helpfulness of Twitter.
I started using twitter about 5 years ago when I had a very different career path (this was at least three careers ago…). That handle fell by the wayside and only recently has my interest in twitter been re-ignited.
Perhaps it has more to do with the people and specifically the community I’m now engaged with. Teachers on twitter are like a hive of bees that doesn’t need a queen. Everyone here seems to be working selflessly and diligently towards a common goal, which is very inspiring.
I’ve often thought social media is used just as a platform for shouting ME ME ME! With all the 140 character religio-political rants, and status updates about ‘this’ happening to ‘that’ person – woe betide them – it’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in the ego of a million individuals. But teachers on twitter… teachers on twitter are just there to help each other (and therefore students). Incredible, and incredibly redeeming both for the medium and our species, I think.
Though it shouldn’t surprise me that teachers are the ones to find a good use for this technology.
Anyway, that’s all beside the point. Yesterday I posted a quick comment about needing to know more about how augmented reality is used in the classroom. The reply I got was fantastic.
People who know much more than I, and who are considerably more connected, took a moment out of their day to reply and make further suggestions. That is what it’s all about! I have a very modest following on the ole twitter: 66 and counting (not that it really matters). But the reply I got came from a few individuals whose followers collectively number 40,000. These are the people who if they were celebrities probably wouldn’t bother to reply. But they’re not celebrities, they’re teachers. So they did, and I’m thankful for that.
And big thanks to: William Chamberlain, Erin Klein, Brad Waid, Drew Minock, Lavender Krupp. Keep up the good work everyone.
Learning Is What Tylers Do Best! 