Microblogs in the classroom

The idea of using Twitter in the classroom is daunting to many educators. Many teachers may have heard about Twitter from their students or other teachers perhaps but many are unsure about implementing it into their classrooms. Two articles that I have recently read however may help to ease the fear when it comes to fusing microblogging and education. EduDemic offers information for educators information on how to connect higher education and social media. This article is an invaluable resource for teachers who are unfamiliar with Twitter and how it works. There are links such as "Twitter guide for beginners", and "Want to learn Twitter?". When a teacher becomes familiar with Twitter, this article also provides ideas and tips for teachers to incorporate Twitter into the classroom. There are links such as "Twitter for teachers", and "50 ideas for using Twitter for education". I think that resources like this are important for teachers to share with each other. It is convenient as well to have a large amount of information in one place. One important aspect of using technology such as microblogging in the classroom is sharing and updating the information provided.
I came across another article which gave me many ideas on how to incorporate Twitter into my classroom. One idea was having students gather real world data and using it to observe trends, opinions, data, etc. This idea could be used for any content area which is important. Another way in which an English educator could use Twitter in the classroom is to have students create a Twitter for a character in the book that is being read. Many students use Twitter on their own time and being able to use it in the classroom would be exciting for them. Students who know how to use Twitter could also serve as the more knowledgeable other in the classroom to help students who are new to it.
I believe that it is crucial to incorporate parents into the classroom. One way in which parents can be updated and follow what is happening in the classroom is through following the class Twitter. Teachers can update what is happening in the classroom, due dates, reminders, etc. Parents will appreciate being incorporated into the classroom and involved every step of the way.
When students are having difficulty being specific in their writing, Twitter can help. The teacher can have students create a story with the Twitter 140 characters rule. This will force them to create a story, beginning, middle, and end, using only 140 characters. This will in turn, help them be more specific when it comes to their writing because it will force them to make the choice in what to include and what to leave out.
Twitter can be a vital resource in the classroom and its advantages are worth the time and energy. Students and teachers alike will benefit from its use.
EDUDEMIC
30 TIPS ON HOW TO USE TWITTER IN THE CLASSROOM

Blog surfing

I recently found an interesting post on "Nik's Daily English Activities" blog. This post describes an interesting activity that can be used in the classroom when it comes to writing. While student teaching, I noticed that some students have trouble being specific in their writing. This exercise would help just that. The post is titled: "Read and Write Very Short Stories". Five card stories is when you form a very short story out of five photographs. I thought this would be great in the classroom, especially in a writing unit. Students could be given the opportunity to take their own pictures, or use pictures they can find on the Internet to create a story. By having students create a short story on only five pictures, students would further develop their ability to be specific and to the point. I thought that this was a great activity and I would definitely try and use it in my classroom.
DAILY ENGLISH ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE USED IN THE CLASSROOM