Twitter in the Classroom
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008;
-- Janet Meiners |
Ever since teaching 6th graders about blogging, I’ve paid more attention to how social media sites can enhance learning. Blogging certainly can improve writing skills and at the same time introduce children to ideas that will make them more marketable when they hit the job force (assuming they do).
I haven’t heard of elementary school teachers using Twitter, but David Parry, an assistant professor of Emerging Media and Communications at the University of Texas at Dallas says Twitter really enhances learning in his classes.
He calls Twitter a “classroom-communication tool.” His class titled, “Introduction to Computer-Mediated Communication” was the trial run. Students were required to sign up for Twitter and to send a few messages with the service each week. They had to subscribe to his Twitter feed. He updated students a few times a day on useful web sites, or the rhythm of his day.
The class made the news, but it also built community into the classroom which spilled into better class discussions. This post on using Twitter in the classroom goes more in-depth. Here are some thoughts:
- Twitter is a way to record thoughts and ideas that you search - it’s a history
- Twitter connects you to a larger world outside of the classroom and even the country
- Students can follow people who do what they want to do or who they admire and get a sense for their job and life
- Twitter can improve writing and punctuation
- Students love contests. If they hurry they can still enter Marketing Pilgrim’s Twitter contest and possibly win the free Nokia Internet Tablet (which can greatly enhance learning while waiting in line and letting you do homework, like Twittering, on the run).
So much of learning is going on inside a student’s head and you don’t know what they’re getting and how they apply what they’re learning. Twitter can give insights about the process and that can help educators make teaching more relevant.
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January 30th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Ok call me an out of touch, cranky, old man but…
Haven’t we got more pressing issues in the classroom that might be a tad more important than teaching “Twitter 101″….to 6th graders????? Whatever happened to the good ol’ three R’s? The U.S. education typically ranks below other nation in most areas (http://www.cesame-nm.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15) and we’re teaching 6th graders the benefits of Twitter????? 6th graders???????
“Blogging certainly can improve writing skills and at the same time introduce children to ideas that will make them more marketable when they hit the job force (assuming they do).”
Ya know that reminds me I gotta get my 6th grader to update his resume and include that he knows all about blogging and Twitter. That will give him a definite edge in the babysitting market. A 6th grader being more marketable in the job force???? What is he getting a job at a Nike shoe factory in Tailand???? For Crissakes he’s a 6th grader!! Can we at least let him take a shot a the Science Fair before he hits the job market?????
To play the devil’s advocate on your points…
1. Twitter is a way to record thoughts and ideas that you search - it’s a history
“in cafeteria…meatloaf today…yuck!” So how is this historical record helping exactly??
2. Twitter connects you to a larger world outside of the classroom and even the country
So what is a 6th grader going to learn about the ‘larger world outside’ (let’s say the election process), using Twitter that they can’t learn from the teacher talking about the election process? You know perhaps after the students read a chapter about the election process in a Social Studies book….you know, books…they’re things that can really connect / teach you about the larger world?
3. Students can follow people who do what they want to do or who they admire and get a sense for their job and life.
“Hey! Kevin Rose’s plane just got delayed in Chicago, he’s getting another latte!” Enough said.
4. Twitter can improve writing and punctuation.
I couldn’t agree more. “MMA gym l8tr G2G ur my BFF BFN :)” Ya Twitter is definitely a haven for good writing and punctuation. All the best Shakespeare plays were limited to 160 characters..2B or not 2B….
5. Students love contests. If they hurry they can still enter Marketing Pilgrim’s Twitter contest and possibly win the free Nokia Internet Tablet (which can greatly enhance learning while waiting in line and letting you do homework, like Twittering, on the run).
Homework on the Nokia??? A 6th grader is going to do homework on his Nokia Internet Tablet….using Twitter????? Are you insane??? Assuming they don’t leave the thing on the bus, they are more likely going to use it to go to Club Penguin or worse.
I guess my point is (IMHO) if I found out that my 6th grader’s school time was being used to learn about Twitter, MySpace, or any other social tool, that school would be getting a rather terse phone call from me. Teach my kid math, english, history, etc. I’ll teach him about twitter etc….when I think he’s ready and so that I can set boundaries.
Also note that the article you referenced is from a university…where kids are preparing for the real world and taking classes where this might be part of the curriculum and therefore relevant. I might also add that they probably know more about Twitter than the Prof, after all they learned about it in 6th grade.
Ok my rant in done
Sincerely,
A guy who walked 8 miles to school in the snow with no shoes.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Dean,
Thanks for your passionate rant. I introduced the subject talking about my experience teaching social media to 6th graders. However, the rest of the article and points are about a university class on media.
The 6th graders got an hour lesson on Internet marketing and blogging once a week for a few months. They loved it. (see http://mymarketer.net/a-return-to-ms-drapers-class/)
I’d like to go back and teach Twitter, but there would certainly be different boundaries than for college students.
Keep your feet warm
Janet
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:08 am
Unless 6th graders are older these days, they are not supposed to use Twitter as they are COPPA compliant and restrict the services to 13 years and older. Wait until high school . . .
Had to LOL about Twitter improving writing and punctuation . . .
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:38 am
I think Twitter can be used by 6th graders for sure, but more importantly, college students need to learn how this can be useful! I read the examples about ways it can help and think “damn, why doesn’t any one use it that way in class?”
I hope this catches on in 2008
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:51 am
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