Twitter Chats - July 2012

It is quite amazing to see how social networking is changing things for many people. More and more people are using Twitter to communicate. An aspect that has interested me is noticing the increasing popularity of Twitter chats. Twitter chats have become an important networking tool. The idea behind a Twitter chat is that a group of like-minded people gather at a designated time each week to share ideas and discuss topics of importance. They use a specified hashtag for their chat so that everyone can follow along.

It’s not surprising to see that teachers who have signed up for Twitter are finding Twitter chats a great professional developmental tool. I have noticed that there is one taking place right here in South Africa for teachers on a Monday night from 8:30 – 9:30 using the #edchatsa hashtag.

There are several great benefits of twitter chats for teachers:

• Chats are a great place for teachers discuss relevant topics in education, and try to think of solutions for some of the really problematic situations that happen around education.
• Chats are really good for exchanging ideas with other teachers and being introduced to new viewpoints.
• Chats enable teachers to meet new teachers around the country and make new contacts.
• When teachers participate in chats they leave refreshed and inspired by others outside their own circle.

When I look at the #edchatsa website where teachers go to vote for the following week’s chat, namely http://edchatsa.co.za and look through the summaries from previous chats, I can see that our teachers are really benefitting from this form of professional development. So, I would like to encourage you to consider joining a Twitter chat in your area, and if you are in South Africa, why not join the weekly #edchatsa. If you would like to view a couple of the summaries, here are two links:

What can be done in South Africa to enhance the status of the teaching profession?

What criteria should form the basis for assessing a school’s effectiveness?

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”

William Arthur Ward

Chat soon

Natalie