As you may be able to guess, my Doctoral work takes up a lot of my time. Even if I do not have a specific assignment that I am working on, I am constantly reading up on developments in the world of education. I do this because, like most teachers, I am passionate in my role as a life-long learner. In this pursuit, I have developed a daily professional development routine based around Twitter, Edmodo, Zite and Flipboard. My mornings, afternoons and evenings are filled with great articles on the goings-on in the world of education. Reading about educational endeavors in other areas allows me to better reflect upon my own actions and more often than not provides me with a wonderful source of inspiration. The one problem is that sometimes it can be overwhelming; this is especially true when it comes to education technology.

There are a seemingly infinite number of technological resources created for educators on a daily basis. Not a day goes by that I do not see a half a dozen lists of “online resources every educator must have” or “the apps no educator should be without”. If I, an admitted education technology enthusiast, have a hard time wading through this endless sea of “must have” tools, then what must it be like for the average teacher?

The advice I would give to a teacher who is looking to integrate some new technology tools into their classroom is to start with a plan. Reflect on your teaching style and identify areas that you would like to enhance with technological resources. It is widely agreed that one of the greatest strengths of technology in the classroom is in its ability to increase student engagement. For example, I have found that students are more than willing to participate in a classroom discussion if they are posting their thoughts into a thread on Edmodo rather than being asked to speak in class. This particular example actually has additional benefits as an “attention grabbing activity” in that strong discussion threads can be used as a jumping-off point for exciting in-class discussion! Admittedly, this may not be what you are looking for but I can almost guarantee that there is a tool out there to help with whatever that may be. This is where social networking tools such as Twitter and Edmodo come in handy: there are plenty of teachers out there that can make great suggestions based on their own experiences. You can tweet using the #edtech hashtag on Twitter or send a message to a teacher group on Edmodo. I, for one have found the computer technology teacher group extremely helpful.

Now what are you waiting for? Identify your goals, make a plan and get started!

At the 2010 Florida Education Technology Conference (FETC), I attended a few different workshops on Twitter. I was impressed with the passion its users had but I still saw little need to dust off my old account. It was not until FETC 2012 that I became inspired. I had just started working towards my Doctorate and I was surrounded with innovative educators who all seemed to be using Twitter. I created a new account and started following people who were using the #FETC hash tag during the opening key note presentation. Immediately my timeline was filled with incredible resources from all over the world. It did not take long before I started participating in #edchat and it has afforded me some of the best professional development of my entire life. I am converted.

As a communication tool, Twitter is unparalleled in the way it allows its users to openly discuss relevant topics in real time. It is incredibly easy and rewarding to ask for advice on a lesson idea and immediately get feedback from professionals at the top of their field. Following education chats with websites such as tweetchat.com is exciting and enlightening. It has actually increased my passion for my field and I feel that I have already become a better educator in the short time I have been using it. For me, discussion is one of the most helpful learning tools. If you have not yet tried Twitter or, like me, failed to understand its power I encourage you to give it another try. Check out #edchat Tuesday nights at 7pm Eastern Standard Time. You will not regret it.

Additional Resources:
Here is a list of 20 Education Hashtags on Twitter