Using Twitter better

One of the goals with this blog is to help people become more tech savvy so that we can use all of this material we have at our fingertips in the most beneficial manner possible.  Over the last several months I have wanted to become more adept at taming the wild bird know as Twitter (don't let that simple, friendly looking symbol they use fool you).  So I started reading some articles on how to use Twitter better and here is the first one I would like to share with you.  It is titled How to Compete with the Tweet Elite and is filled with ideas about how to use Twitter better.  Subjects covered include retweeting so that the originator of a tweet can see that you retweeted their post, modifying a tweet so that you can add your own small comment at the end of a post, and pinning your favorite tweet to your profile page so that visitors to your profile page can see what you are thinking about right now.  I know this is a small step in the right direction, but everything we can learn about the technology that has been created for us to use to socialize and learn from each other is beneficial.

What are some Twitter use ideas that you could share to help us all use Twitter better?

Discovering Opportunity Through Building Partnerships

     In Chapter 11 of Eric Sheninger's book Digital Leadership - Changing Paradigms for Changing Times he talks about 5 different ways to create partnerships with organizations outside of the school walls so that authentic, ongoing, awesome learning experiences for students could continuously take place. The five partnerships he suggests that we take advantage of include:

• University partnerships
• Have university classes taught in the schools.  This will help plant dreams of moving on to higher education.
• Experiential learning partnerships
• Work on fostering relationships with organizations like Audobon Centers, Botanical Gardens, and The YMCA.  Look for experts in different fields that help maximize student learning.
• Intra-school partnerships
• Look for ways that schools can share resources through cooperation and communication.  Look for ways that this can be done in your own district and world wide.
• Corporate/Community partnerships
• Look for perrenial partnerships that will last.  The idea is to find partnerships where the roots between the school and organization can run deep.  Develop only those partnerships that will last.
• Mental Health Partnerships
• Find mental health organizations that come alongside the school and offer programs that will help meet the needs of students who are struggling with mental health issues and, for the older students, drug abuse.  We need to be willing to share space and instructional time so that these struggling students can be given foundational help that will allow them to perform better academically.

     The other idea that Sheninger presents in this chapter is that of learning to leverage social media.  Share what is being done at the school and in the district through Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets.  This could help lead to strategic relationships, authentic learning experiences, professional development opportunities, school recognition, professional recognition, and an influx of  opportunities for superior educational technology to be brought to our school and district.

     Our school and district need to decide exactly what it is we want to become known for in this diverse and ever expanding world of education.  What is going to be our brand, or what do we want to be known for?  What partnerships with organizations outside the school walls do we need to find so that this brand can be developed so we can give the students outstanding learning experiences?  These are all questions worthy of being asked and answered.

RealTime Board

Over the last couple of hours I have playing around with a new application, to me, called RealTimeBoard.  This is a program that could be useful in a number of ways.  One way I can see teachers using it is through collaboration with lesson planning.  Administrators or teachers could use it to collaborate and work on specific projects that need to accomplished.  It can also be used to help create and carry out presentations.  It is basically an electronic whiteboard that can be expanded as much as you need it to expand.  There are specific templates you can choose from that will help you get started.  Just be ready for a lot of experimenting and watching of short videos to help you learn how to effectively use this product.  I encourage you to take a look and share any ways that you feel RealTimeBoard could be used on your campus, with your team, or in your classroom. Let's learn from each other.  CE, be ready to see this being used in a faculty meeting soon.  TJJ