Twitter can be used in many ways, and lately, educators have been using Twitter to enhance their professional development (PD) by sharing experiences and work in education-related chat groups. Various chat groups exist for the interests of different teachers, whether discipline based, like English or mathematics, or groups representing professional organizations at various levels.
But does Twitter offer effective PD for teachers? Teachers say yes because of the types of professional discussion and feedback the Twitter platform offers. How can Twitter, with its rapid-fire style of information shared, add to working teachers’ PD? By focusing on smaller issues, Twitter can lead to incremental but meaningful changes for teachers. Twitter chats can open teachers’ eyes to unconsidered possibilities, such as using excerpted text in a high school AP class rather than a whole novel.
Teachers can develop ongoing relationships with teachers outside their school, chat with young adult authors, or interact with teachers who have a particular focus, such as those who chat at #educolor. Still, Twitter is not for everyone because some teachers are not comfortable on social media, and it will probably not replace traditional group-based presentations. But for others it can represent a valuable resource for ongoing PD.
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Teachers Turn to Twitter for Solutions, Connection
