1. The Top 5 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom
Photo from What’s New in the World - Twitter as a PLN by @olafelch
Twitter is a micro-blogging, social networking, real-time web 2.0 tool that allows users to
send up to 140 character messages (tweets) to their followers. With an estimated 6
million monthly visitors, Twitter now ranks behind Myspace and Facebook as the third
largest social network in the world (Comment.com). Shockingly, roughtly half of the
unique visitors to twitter per month are working adults that access the site form work,
ranging in age from 35-49 (Neilson Wire). These tweeters, educators included, have
discovered the incredible networking and resource sharing potential of twitter. Today,
educators are raving over the power of twitter as a Professional Learning Network (PLN).
But, how can we make twitter more accessible to students and harness its power as a
learning tool?
Twitter as a Learning Tool
If you are unfamiliar with Twitter, view this short overview of the features of twitter
including a synopsis of twitter language and diagrams of tweets and profiles. Below is a
lengthly, but worthwhile screencast from The Bold Standard including another overview
of twitter and ways to use Twitter as a learning tool.
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1. Real-Time Communication and Engagement
If your students (and parents) sign up for twitter and follow you or any of their other
teachers, you can communicate with them in real-time to maintain clear and consistent
communication. You can tweet updates, class news, tools, tips, homework, resources,
polls, pics, videos or any piece of information out to your students and parents. You can
create lists of your students and tweet directly to your list, tweet to individual students, or
your entire following. And since twitter allows users to sync with mobile devices, you
can communicate with students anytime, anywhere in a very non-intrusive and safe way.

2. Students can receive live updates on class news, tools, tips, and resources. “study session
homework, reminders, updates, polls, Students love this because it is available via
mobile phones, text messages, etc.
2. Collaborating, Networking, and Researching with #Hashtags
Twitter hashtags, a topic with the # symbol such as “#edtech”, are tools for spreading,
organizing, and searching for information on Twitter. Collaborating among and between
students and teachers or networking with students around the world is easy with hashtags.
You can create classroom hashtags to use for discussing specific topics. Students can also
search hashtags for research projects, analyze trends, and much more.
3. The Twitter Backchannel
http://www.maniactive.com/states/2008/10/presenting-to-thetwitter-backchannel.html
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This video illustrates the power of the twitter backchannel to create authentic, dynamic,
and engaging lessons. During presentations, demonstrations, or lectures you can use
hashtags to create a twitter backchannel. Your students can comment, react, question, or
post anything live and it will appear on the presentation screen or smart board in real
time. Other students can respond or react to those comments or to your presentation,
while you can utilize it to guage and interact with your class.
4. Checks for Understanding
During lessons that are not lecture or presentation based, you can also utilize the twitter
backchannel or twitter direct messages, private messages delivered straight to your inbox,
as a tool to check for understanding or a short exit quiz.
5. Paperless Projects
Students can collaborate on paperless projects using apps like Tweetworks that allow
users to create groups to facilitate better communication. Using twitter, you can get
creative and engage students in projects like never before. Check out this remix of
Romeo and Juliet acted out on twitter, Such Sweet Sorrow, to see the storytelling power
of twitter. Check out Mr. Haines Blog featuring videos of twitter classroom projects,
including Project Twanimal Farm and a third grade twitter solar system project. Assign a

3. twittorie, stories composed by students 140 characters at a time. Create a twitter
scavenger hunt. The possibilities are endless. Please share your ideas in the comments
below!
Further Reading
Click here to sign up for a twitter mentor if you are a teacher just getting started with
twitter. Interested in learning more, navigate to a further reading sites below.
Twitter Tips for Teachers and Educators
Top 100 Tools for the Twittering Teacher
9 Great Reasons Teachers Should Use Twitter
VIDEO – Why Teachers Should Use Twitter
50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom