This document describes an online community called iPrac that was used by pre-service teachers to share experiences, resources, and support during their practicum placements. The community was founded 5 years ago by Dr. Jason Zagami of Griffith University and included features for activity sharing, achievement sharing, attitude sharing, resource sharing, and event sharing. Members of the community used these features to post updates about their daily teaching experiences, seek advice, share lesson plans and websites, and communicate about strikes and weekends. The goal of the community was to help pre-service teachers survive the stress of their practicums by allowing them to virtually connect and support each other through Twitter.

1. iPrac

2. iPrac
Twittering to survive Practicum

3. Dr Jason Zagami
Griffith University

5. 5 years

6. 3 years

16. Activity sharing
Achievement sharing
Attitude sharing
Resource sharing
Event sharing

17. Activity sharing
Achievement sharing
Attitude sharing
Resource sharing
Event sharing

18. Activity sharing

19. "First full day oh the joys"
"Day of marking and writing reflections"
Activity sharing
"My students are chanting duck, duck,
goose.....its causing a riot and I am laughing
too hard to stop it!!!"

20. Activity sharing

21. "Now for a half day/stand up comedy. Should
be a good afternoon"
"Teaching all day. A bunch of projects to mark
should be a fun and exciting night of marking"
Activity sharing
"Just finished teaching decimals to grade 7's.
The class turned into long division. Now to
teach technology"

22. Activity sharing

23. "Making poo today! (helps the students
understand the digestive system)....haha"
"The nervous system is a hard concept...... Let's
try teaching it to 10 year olds!!!!"
Activity sharing
"About to teach my first math class on percents
and fractions going to be 150% awesome"

24. Activity sharing

25. "Getting observed by the liaison today,wish me
luck"
"Lesson planning and rubric making all day.""
Activity sharing
"Taught measurement today. Teaching Ned
Kelly tomorrow...or at least Sydney Nolan's
interpretation. Should be covered in paint by
day end!"

26. Activity sharing
Achievement sharing
Attitude sharing
Resource sharing
Event sharing

27. Achievement sharing

28. "Full day going well"
"Full day of teaching went well. Loved the fact
that it was photo day and I am in the class
photo and grad photo."
Achievement sharing
"Another successful lesson"

29. Achievement sharing

30. "Testing my behavioural management...
witnessed a complete melt down.. throwing
chairs, hitting, biting, spitting, yelling...wow
what a day!"
Achievement sharing
"A teacher of many years thought my artwork
was fabulous, ya I'm that good"

31. Achievement sharing

32. "Math lesson was awful but grammar made up
for it"
"complex sentences you will be the death of
me"
Achievement sharing
" I got in trouble for using I'd too much :P"
"Worst day"

33. Activity sharing
Achievement sharing
Attitude sharing
Resource sharing
Event sharing

34. Attitude sharing

35. "Liking sports day today! Sitting under the
teachers lounge all day. Gotta love the
teaching lifestyle!!!!"
Attitude sharing
"well getting there, preps can be little rat bags
but ya gotta luv em!! tomorrow will be a fun
day!! getting hooked on teaching,yay!!"

36. Attitude sharing

37. "A kid just said her grandpa is dying this
Christmas so she could get coloured paper to
draw on. wow! :P"
Attitude sharing
"'Miss XXXXX, you look beautiful today, you
look like a princess' awww i love prep"

38. Attitude sharing

39. "Hey guys, what a blast. 32 little faces staring
up at me as I indoctrinate them with utter
crap!"
Attitude sharing
"One week down, 5 to go. I *heart* prac =)"

40. Attitude sharing

41. "WE had no closure today, a full days teaching
and my bed sounds like a holiday destination I
am not going to enjoy for a while!"
Attitude sharing
"week two done! preparing for my full day on
monday... what a weekend"

42. Attitude sharing

43. "I am going to cry tomorrow, Miss XXXXX.
Don't leave me!!"
"Friday is my favourite day of the week!"
Attitude sharing
"Looking forward to a big taste of home this
weekend...."
"Now...drinking and recovering."

44. Activity sharing
Achievement sharing
Attitude sharing
Resource sharing
Event sharing

45. Resource sharing

46. "Any of your schools still doing outcomes
based learning? Help required, back in the
dark ages here."
Resource sharing
"Have you guys found any really useful
interactive websites for maths?"

47. Resource sharing

48. "Thank you for the websites. Anyone know a
good site to find outcomes like the KLAs"
"interactive maths websites: http://
resources.oswego.org/ not a bad one!"
Resource sharing
"http://bit.ly/IgOJ1 not bad for area/perimeter"
"XXXXXX try enchantedlearning.com.au"

49. Activity sharing
Achievement sharing
Attitude sharing
Resource sharing
Event sharing

50. Event sharing

51. "The weekend went by way to fast. Still have so
much work this week. The strike will come in
handy to get things done"
Event sharing
"needs more sleep.. thank goodness for the
strike!!"
"Enjoying the strike!"

52. Event sharing

53. "good day off... now mentally preparing for my
half day of teaching, and its raining! Not sure
how this rain will affect the kids attention
spans"
Event sharing
"No power? No problem... Nap time!!!! Stay
dry Gold Coast! =)"

55. Practicum Stress
5 point scale

58. I will Google before asking dumb questions. I will Google before asking
dumb questions. I will Google before asking dumb questions. I will Google
before asking dumb questions. I will Google before asking dumb questions.
I will Google before asking dumb questions. I will Google before asking
dumb questions. I will Google before asking dumb questions. I will Google
before asking dumb questions. I will Google before asking dumb questions.
I will Google before asking dumb questions. I will Google before asking
dumb questions. I will Google before asking dumb questions. I will Google
before asking dumb questions. I will Google before asking dumb questions.
I will Google before asking dumb questions. I will Google before asking
dumb questions. I will Google before asking dumb questions. I will Google
before asking dumb questions. I will Google before asking dumb questions.
Questions?

59. I will twitter before asking dumb questions. I will twitter before asking
dumb questions. I will twitter before asking dumb questions. I will
twitter before asking dumb questions. I will twitter before asking dumb
questions. I will twitter before asking dumb questions. I will twitter
before asking dumb questions. I will twitter before asking dumb questions.
I will twitter before asking dumb questions. I will twitter before asking
dumb questions. I will twitter before asking dumb questions. I will
twitter before asking dumb questions. I will twitter before asking dumb
questions. I will twitter before asking dumb questions. I will twitter
before asking dumb questions. I will twitter before asking dumb questions.
I will twitter before asking dumb questions. I will twitter before asking
dumb questions. I will twitter before asking dumb questions.
Questions?