The document outlines the benefits and basics of using Twitter for educators, emphasizing the importance of networking, staying informed, and developing technology skills. It provides steps for starting a Twitter account, tweeting effectively, and utilizing hashtags and chats for professional growth. Additional resources and support channels are also shared for further engagement in the Twitter education community.

1. Twitter for Educators:
Why Start Now?
Education Undergraduate Society
Kurtis Hewson
University of Lethbridge
@hewsonk27
Join the conversation
at #edteach

2. Additional Resources
• http://kurtishewson.wordpress.com
– Related additional resources and further
information
• Twitter for Pre-Service Teachers
– Scoop.It page with resources, videos and other
things related to Twitter
• http://edteachchat.wordpress.com
– Bi-weekly Twitter chat for pre-service teachers –
follow the website or get involved

3. Tweeters in the Room

4. Essential Questions
• Why start now?
• How do I start an account?
• What are some basic terms/features to know
• What are some ways I can get started
Tweeting?
• What are hashtags?
• What are chats?
• What are Twitter Clients?

5. Why Start Now
• Establish a network (PLN) of other
educators and supports prior to entering
your first classroom
• Find information fast and keep current of
trends and resources
• Develop and strengthen technology skills
• Network – open doors to connections and
possible contacts

6. Why Twitter?
Sharing from Tweeters in the room…

7. Starting an Account
• Go to http://twitter.com
• Consider:
• Choose your name wisely – consider your “brand”
for a uniform on-line presence
• Complete your profile, including a blog address
• Include profile details that will be informative to
other professionals and capture you as a
professional
• Begin tweeting and following others

8. Some basics
RT – Retweet (passing along
someone else’s tweet) – shares with
an increasing circle of followers
@ – Reply (references the initial author
or directly sends the tweet to another
user (but seen by all followers)
Shortened URL – used to shorten long
url’s (Twitter Clients do this automatically,
or go to https://bitly.com)
# – Hashtag (posts the
tweet on a list that many
more people may follow) –
distributes the tweet to a
larger, often particular
audience
Direct Message – same as an email
to a Twitter follower – only seen by
the message recipient

9. What Should I Tweet?
• Retweet others (great way to start)
• Links/resources that you find valuable
• Blog posts you’ve created
• Comments on other posts/resources
• Interesting quotes
• During presentations
• Questions you have
• Insights you have
• Thanks to those that follow

10. Hashtags
• Great way to follow a topic or get a
tweet out to a wider audience
• Will begin to observe frequently
used or useful hashtags
– #edteach, #abed, #edchat, #ntchat
• Great for creating a
conversation/backchannel
• Used for chats

11. Chats
• Utilize hashtags
• Formal chats scheduled on pre-determined topics (list on
the blog)
• Can view past chats online
• Can “participate” or just observe
• #edteach – every other Tuesday, 6 pm MST
• #ntchat – Wednesday, 6 pm MST
• Establish your own chats

12. Twitter Clients
• Make it
easy to
utilize
Twitter on
your
desktop
or mobile
device
• View
multiple
social
media
platforms

13. Next Steps
• Moderate a Twitter chat - #edteach
• Utilize Twitter with your hand-held device
• Use a Twitter client to follow hashtags
• Pictures/exemplars
• Begin building lists
• Suggest who to follow - #ff
• Connect your online presence

14. Questions and Further Support
• Questions??
• http://kurtishewson.wordpress.com
• Follow me @hewsonk27
• List of U of L Education students
– @hewsonk27/u-of-l-education-students