Hashtag Blog Post

As a blog post, include a summary of what hashtags you follow; three new things, resources, ideas you learned by following them; and your thoughts about about using Twitter as a form of just-in-time professional development.

This week we were asked to find five Twitter hashtags to add to our tweetdeck. Here are the five hashtags I chose to follow:

1. #engchat- This hashtag has a plethora of English resources for all grade levels. Some tweets with the hashtag contain practical resources such as links to vocabulary instruction, supplemental articles for core literature, or Common Core lessons. It also contains images publicizing events related to literature, inspirational quotes from literature, and posters with tips for implementing teaching strategies. There is a lot of diverse English content, but what I like most is that it exposes the follower to material they might not otherwise be acquainted with. 

2. #digitalliteracy- This hashtag mixes several Communities of Practice making it extremely powerful. There are technology companies such as Microsoft who promote their products and curriculum for building learner knowledge, while some educators post articles or scholarly work related to the topic. I like that this hashtag contains diverse groups of professionals offering both practical strategies for building digital literacy along with software and resources that can support the strategies. 

3. #highered- This hashtag features mostly organizations, businesses, or schools posting content related to education at the collegiate level. It seems as though the trend is to post articles related to preparing students for college, including information on scholarships, factors in high student achievement, and the most recent news related to what is influencing higher education today. 

4. #google- I may be slightly addicted to hitting the refresh button with this hashtag. Much like the digital literacy hashtag, the Google hashtag has a wide range of followers and users. Businesses use the hashtag to advertise their products, educational web sties post tips on using Google tools, and individuals are constantly commenting on the impact of Google use in their personal and professional life. This is especially valuable when one of our school wide goals this upcoming school year is to become proficient with using Google Drive and other Google products.  

5. #edapps- This hashtag is extremely beneficial since it is often linked to educational apps (both new and old) along with examples of how apps can be used in a particular setting. I love this hashtag because it introduced me to new resources that I wouldn’t normally search for and also reveals apps that can be used in a variety of content areas. 

As for things I have taken away from this assignment I need to start by acknowledging my initial blog post for this course where I stated that I am rather naive when it comes to using social media for professional purposes. However, I was surprised to find that the five hashtags I selected came with an abundance of resources and information that can be applied to my teaching practice. Three major takeaways from this assignment include the following:

The limitless potential for networking- I have heard people say that social networking is an excellent platform for networking and collaboration, but this is the first time I experienced and saw this in action for the first time. The potential of networking with other like-minded professionals via the social media platform is absolutely incredible. I am seeing the connectivism theory alive and active through this process. With any given hashtag I am able to follow the evolvement of information and make connections between different networks, or hubs of information. Linking big ideas leads to critical thinking and being challenged by the ideas of other professionals is a healthy means of pursuing professional growth and development. 

Looking outside what’s “familiar”- I tend to stick with what I know is good and need the push to get outside my comfort zone. In Renee Phoenix’s last blog she points out Siemens acknowledgement that those weaker connections we hold at the “fringe of our networks” often lead to “revolutionary ideas” (2004). I believe following hashtags on Twitter could contribute to those fringes being explored with more tenacity and hopefully leading to more meaningful learning for students and educators alike. 

App Evaluation Rubric- In scrolling through and looking at several tweets posted with #edapps, I was excited to find a tweet where an individual posted a rubric for evaluation educational apps. I found it exciting to find that I can use social media as a vessel to find resources for my own classroom. Often times I stay tied down to educational websites for finding new and fresh ideas. Yet, this tweet, that led to a quality rubric, proved that social media is a great place to find such a thing.  

I’ve learned a lot in a short period of time following these hashtags. While I see the value of using Twitter as a form of just-in-time professional development, I do feel I am stalled in my enthusiasm because I look at those I currently work with and don’t believe we are ready as a staff to adopt something like this. Our staff is just beginning to use Google Drive in professional development settings, so the thought of embracing social media seems far fetched. That said, I am excited about taking baby steps in using Twitter within our school. Just because something seems unrealistic doesn’t mean we don’t shoot for the stars anyways. Our stars just become more manageable stars to reach. I believe Twitter can serve as a positive tool,but for our staff it will begin with taking small steps towards progress in usage. 

Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved June 29, 2015 from www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm