Exploring Professional Learning Networks

"I have learned more about what people are discovering from Tweets," shares Porter Palmer, an educator in a university Master's course, "than any single blog could bring me. I especially like it when my edublogger friends’ Tweets begin with, 'just blogged this…' I don’t have to guess when they might have updated. I can just click over and read their blog!" Twitter is a powerful Web 2.0 tool to facilitate communication and collaboration--globally. It enables us to get in contact with educators from around the world. Many 21st century teachers are out there. Find them and create a Twitter network that can be a support group, provide inspiring projects, and keep you in touch with like-minded people. All of you participating in a workshop, for example, can be a group.

Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service, that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.

• Source: Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter

You can use Twitter specific tools (e.g. Twitter.com, Hootsuite.com,Tweetdeck.com) to connect with others. One of my favorites is the Twitter search tool, accessible at http://search.twitter.com. It allows you to search the many “tweets” that occur each day (view a search on Education) and follow the results. That way, real-time comments about what is critical to your work come to you. Whenever there is contact with other educators, I find my enthusiasm and energy for education renewed. That’s the power of communications. You select whose tweets you will receive so you can build your own professional learning network.

Learning via Hashtags

You can get started with Twitter by first getting an account, then learning how to follow popular hashtags. These are one-word descriptions or keywords that people on Twitter use to share ideas and information around a common topic. You can find a list of educational hashtags online here.

One example of hashtags in use in the ECISD is Highland Forest's #hfsoars. 

Some other popular hashtags include:

Popular Hashtags (Source)

1. #lrnchat (social media and education)
2. #edchat
3. #blendchat (blended learning)
4. #mlearning
5. #elearning
6. #ipadchat
7. #pbl/#pblchat (project-based learning)
8. #passiondriven
9. #ntchat (for new teachers)
10. #gbl (game-based learning, from serious games and simulations to video games and more)
11. #edtech (education technology)
12. #ukedchat
13. #edtech
14. #elearning
15. #mlearning
16. #web20
17. #flipclass
18. #edchat
19. #BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
20. #iPaded (iPads in education)
21. #EdApps (education and learning apps
22.  #k12
23. #cpchat
24. #highered
25. #21stedchat
26. #reflectiveteacher

Trends

1. #flipclass
2. #digped
3. #byod
4. #1:1
5. #mlearning
6. #blendedlearning
7. #flatclass
8. #ipad

General

1. #earlyed
2. #elemchat
3. #middleschool
4. #highschool
5. #commoncore
6. #cchat
7. #edreformtribe
8. #edreform
9. #parentpower
10. #edpolicy
11. #teacherquality
12. #eddata
13. #schoolchoice
14. #putkidsfirst
15. #parentalchoice
16. #edleadership
17. #eduleaders
18. #achievementgap
19. #edgap
20. #inquiryed
21. #ibpyp
22. #edcamp

Content Areas

1. #engchat
2. #litchat
3. #arted
4. #musedchat
5. #math
6. #mathchat
7. #science
8. #scichat
9. #sschat
10. #histedchat
11. #historyteaching

Digital Citizenship

1. #digitalcitizenship
2. #edtech
3. #edtechchat
4. #privacy
5. #21stedchat
6. #digcit
7. #parenting
8. #ettipad
9. #internetsafety
10. #cyberbullying

Literacy

1. #literacy
2. #multiliteracy
3. #dyslexia
4. #infolit

English-Language Arts & Literature

1. #engchat
2. #books
3. #grammar
4. #litchat
5. #teachingenglish
6. #amwriting
7. #writing
8. #writetip

iPad

1. #tablet
2. #mobile
3. #byod
4. #ios
5. #ios6
6. #ipad
7. #ipadgames
8. #ipaded
9. #ettipad
10. #ipadedu
11. #mlearning
12. #edtech
13. #ipadapps
14. #apple
15. #apps
16. #edapps

Science Specific

1. #scienceed
2. #scichat
3. #science
4. #physics
5. #scienceteacher
6. #technology
7. #sciencenews
8. #geology
9. #anatomy
10. #NASA
11. #ecosystems
12. #sciam
13. #genetics
14. #astronomy
15. #scienceblogging
16. #computerscience
17. #STEM
18. #CERN
19. #climatechange
20. #chemistry

Technology

1. #google
2. #apple
3. #eltchat
4. #elt
5. #ipad
6. #mlearning
7. #1to1
8. #iste

Equity

1. #blackedu
2. #latinoedu
3. #nativeedu
4. #urbaned
5. #nclb
6. #edadmin
7. #schooldistricts
8. #spedchat
9. #dropouts
10. #esea
11. #teachered
12. #schoolreform
13. #occupyeducation
14. #collegeaffordability

Design

1. #archdaily
2. #art
3. #font
4. #originality
5. #ideas
6. #apple
7. #socialmedia
8. #architecture
9. #design
10. #engineer

Homeschooling

1. #homeschooling
2. #hiphomeschool
3. #unschool
4. #hs
5. #teachers
6. #homeschool
7. #unschoolers

Special Needs

1. #ece
2. #specialneeds
3. #dyslexia
4. #tck
5. #toddlers
6. #preschool
7. #cerebralpalsy
8. #spedchat
9. #gifted
10. #bilingual
11. #autism
12. #aspergers
13. #teachpreschool
14. #highered

Distance Education

1. #disted
2. #mlearning
3. #onlinelearning
4. #k12online
5. #elearning

Home & Parenting

1. #kids
2. #cybersafety
3. #SAHM
4. #childcare
5. #SAHD
6. #littlekids
7. #parents
8. #badmommy
9. #clothdiapers
10. #dads4life
11. #parenting

Curriculum

1. #commoncore
2. #cchat
3. #books
4. #literature
5. #Business
6. #writing
7. #economy
8. #geography
9. #arted
10. #biology
11. #artsed
12. #science
13. #math

College

1. #ACT
2. #SAT
3. #scholarship
4. #highered
5. #collegechat
6. #collegebound

Groups & Chats

1. #scichat
2. #tlchat
3. #educhat
4. #lrnchat
5. #gtchat
6. #yalitchat
7. #hsc
8. #engchat
9. #CollegeChat
10. #edchat
11. #musedchat
12. #mathchat

Resources

1. #savelibraries
2. #printables
3. #educationalvideos
4. #edapp
5. #lessonplans
6. #edpolitics

Language

1. #tesol
2. #efl
3. #ell
4. #esl

Human Rights

1. #diversity
2. #heritage
3. #health
4. #race
5. #eco
6. #humantrafficking
7. #slavery
8. #aid
9. #humanrights
10. #education
11. #sustainability

Library

1. #library
2. #digital
3. #research
4. #infolit
5. #tlchat