CODIFYING TWITTER: Here's a lovely synopsis from Cynthia Alaniz, a 4th grade teacher from Texas, on the many ways educators can interact within their personal learning networks on Twitter. The different "modes" she describes -- Idea Sharing, Thought Establishing, Notes Comparing, Conversation, Q&A, and Inspiration Giving -- arise from her own experiences learning and connecting with 140 characters. We especially like the notion of "thought-establishing" -- a nice way to describe the oodles and oodles of tacit information that educators absorb through Twitter. Alaniz admits that there are probably "much more scientific terms for these things" but who says simpler isn't better? In the spirit of collaboration, here we've attempted to codfiy Alaniz's "twitter modes" in a handy TWEETS acronym:
- TOSS AROUND new projects, ideas, lesson plans, and approaches (Idea Sharing)
- WEIGH opinions and points of view around critical topics (Thought-establishing)
- EVALUATE work approaches to instruction and administration (Notes-comparing)
- EXCHANGE personal experiences to build rapport (Conversation)
- TRIGGER bold actions and professional improvement (Inspiration-giving)
- SEEK professional advice around teaching and learning (Q&A)
Have other "modes" that you've discovered? Be sure to find Alaniz on Twitter.
