Journal # 2

Hadley Ferguson. (2010). Join the flock.Learning and Leading with Technology,37(8), 13-17. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-september-october-2011.aspx

Hadley Ferguson. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), 13-17. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-september-october-2011.aspx

Hadley Ferguson delves into the arena of the social network called Twitter. Being in the professional realm of education and teaching, Ferguson highlights the most important aspects of Twitter and the fact that it does not have to be utilized primarily for fun and games. With the description of a PLN, also known as a community of individuals gathering together to share new information, it can be acknowledged that Twitter is more than just a social networking site. It is a place where professionals can join together and provide new insight and tools to utilize in their field of work. 

Ferguson thoroughly describes the ways in which to obtain a Twitter account and the tricks to getting started. The great thing about Twitter, she describes, is the fact that you can follow anyone without them even knowing it. It is nice to know that the level of participation is up to the individual themselves. Once one decides to start exposing themselves, it is time to being tweeting new information. Ferguson describes that using a hash-tag (#) is a great way to spread one's new information to the public sphere, while also allowing oneself to divulge into topic specific information from other people.

Question #1:

How can I incorporate this in my classroom?

These next generations of students are extremely more technologically savvy than older generations. With this onset of a more technical age, students have explored many areas of the internet and beyond. I believe that using instruments such as Twitter can allow my students to learn in different ways. It will open up their horizons of thought and use creative skills that they might not even know they have. One way I think this would be useful in a classroom would be if the students were to obtain a "student" Twitter account to help aid in classroom discussions or debates. Students would be able to continue the classroom conversation at home. It would also be beneficial to obtain new teaching strategies from other professionals in the field.

Question #2:

How much is too much?

First of all, the students that would be involved in Tweeting would have to be of mature age. I can not picture a classroom of 4th or 5th graders maturely utilizing Twitter for educational purposes. Also, the boundary lines between the relationship of teacher and student could be crossed very easily. Students may also utilized this system to bully and not take this opportunity seriously...