We all know that people need interaction and I am pretty sure we all have read a little Dewey. Many people have condemned the technology age for pushing people further apart and interfering with this socialization like Putnam did in Bowling Alone. Well if you are of the school that fights fire with fire, I have something right up your alley.
Regardless of your personal teaching philosophy or the subject matter that you teach, you did not learn your trade in a vacuum without the help and guidance of at least a few other teachers. So how can we use technology to help us socialize and network with our peers? (pssst, don’t look but you are doing it now) .
Twitter just might be the tool to help you keep in touch and continue that all important networking. For those of you who have never heard of it. Twitter is an electronic networking system which is web based and free.
Because I was new to blogging, I poked around and found a great blog by guy named Byrne. He wrote a fabulous piece on teachers using Twitter and I encourage you to take a peek. I will warn you, his blog is addicting! http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2009/03/seven-ways-to-find-teachers-on-twitter.html
Let me know what you think,
Mike
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So Michael, what's your twitter ID? ;)
ReplyDeleteMine is jlpaluch
The only problem I continue to have with twitter is I'm not sure how to segregate my personas. I have my friends, professional colleagues, academic colleagues and little desire to blast updates to one group about topics that that group wouldn't care about. I suppose I could just use separate accounts but that becomes a usability problem.
I'm not sure I buy the "Bowling Alone" theory-I just think our bonding methods have changed. My students live for their cell phones and are in constant communication with their groups and families. The use of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter just mean that socializing is taking a different look, not that it is dying. Proximity is being replaced by mutual interests.
ReplyDeleteI like to bowl alone. I prefer to indulge in group mutual interests within a great expanse of personal space.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would like to lurk around Byrne's blog for a while. Also, Twitter seems to be a good idea - at a distance.
Josh,
ReplyDeleteI think that is the key, different groups for different topics. We do that with groups we meet with face to face. Our social outlets are for different things. The garden club may not care too much about whats going on with training your new puppy so they would do better on their own Twitter group. The idea I had was having a teacher being followed by the class. A way to use technology to help interclass communication, do you think that would work?
I set up a Twitter account to try it.(mjnathanson)if anyone wants to test it out.
ReplyDeleteNancy,
ReplyDeleteThats is what the debate is about. Are these new bonding meathods the same as actualy getting together int he same place? Twitter was a way in which classes could stay more in touch. Fully online couses become more networked.
Suzon,
ReplyDeleteAlone is nice. But you have a lot to offer and without opertunities to share perhaps others as missing out. Can somehting like Twitter help you network while still enjoying personal space?
@Michael...
ReplyDeleteTwitter says..
We couldn't find anyone named mjnathanson.
Josh,
ReplyDeleteTry a search under my name, Michael Nathanson I'm not sure a search on the user names will hit on anything.
Mike