1. Because facebook is a time-sucking frenemy. I deactivated my facebook account about three weeks ago (for about the thirty-seventh time). I’m mega pleased with how much time I have back.
2. Twitter is an efficient way to build your professional learning network (PLN). In a matter of seconds, you can connect with other educators all over the world. It’s easy to hop off and on Twitter in a matter of seconds, pose a quick question, then check back in a few minutes to see who’s Join Twitter.answered. Twitter moves fast!
I met social studies Teacher Evin Shinn, aka @baritoneblogger, first via Twitter, and then in person at an #Edtech. When I met him live, it was like I already knew him. It’s also fun to go to education events and then connect with others there, especially if they are live tweeting right along with you.
3. Tech-savviness is a must in twenty-first century learning. How can a teacher educate students these days without a functional level technological literacy? When I hear curmudgeo teachers spout,”I don’t do technology,” I want to say, “Do you use a flush toilet?”
That super galactic high technology was invented ALMOST FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO by Sir John Harrington, Queen Elizabeth I’s godson. Would you rather use the outhouse instead, if you don’t do technology?
Sir John Harrington invented the flush toilet in 1596.
Pencils were high-tech at one point, too. Technology is just a tool, like a hammer, a flint, or a toaster. Likewise, Twitter a way of lightspeed global networking without buying a plane ticket. Join the fun (and it’s free).
Feel free to ask me any Twitter-related questions. Follow me @nancycarroll.
Welcome in advance to Twitterlandia!
P.S. Think of something you’d like to persuade your most reluctant student to do, like pick up a book, write a short paragraph. You can do this! Jet over to Twitter now.