Mason Co 7th Graders Tweet

Mason County Middle School classroom 

uses social network in classroom

This from the Ledger Independent:

Ella Bowling's seventh grade science class has something to tweet about. It's their use of the popular social networking site, Twitter, in the classroom.

Bowling, who teaches at Mason County Middle School, said she had heard about colleges and even the Kentucky Department of Education using Twitter in order to share information. Most of Bowling's students have cell phones and use Twitter or other sites regularly.

"I know in the past we have been so afraid of using social media and have discouraged it," Bowling said in an email sent to MCMS coworkers. "But, it's like they always say, if you can't beat them, join them! Students are going to use social media so why not find a way to get them to use it for an educational purpose!"

Bowling's first use of Twitter came in the format of a review she had Dec. 14 for a unit test. Approximately 40 students from two "teams" logged on to take part. Bowling put out questions and tweeted pictures of graphs the students might see on the test.

"The kids had to answer the questions," she said. "They loved it. They thought it was the best thing ever for a review."

Students participated by using the hash tag #mcmsscience in their tweets, Bowling said.

Bowling said several students told her they would likely not have studied if it had not been for the Twitter review.

The average grade for the test was 87 percent, Bowling said.

"I was pretty pleased with that," she said...

Mcmsscience MCMS Science

Bring your iPods, iPads, and phones to class on Jan. 4! 

You can tweet live pics and videos of the

awesome demos I'll be doing! 

#mcmsscience

27 Dec 

Holliday to Host Twitter Town Hall

Get your 140 character questions ready

Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday will participate in the first-ever #AskDocH Twitter Town Hall on Thursday, October 6, from 4 to 5 p.m. ET. The town hall also will be presented live on the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) webcast channel.

Beginning today, Twitter users can submit questions to Commissioner Holliday using the hashtag #AskDocH.

“Communications is a priority for this agency,” said Holliday, a longtime user of Twitter (@kycommissioner), Facebook, blogs and other forms of electronic communications. “It’s important that we reach as many audiences as possible, and conducting this Twitter Town Hall provides direct feedback from and conversation with educators, parents, students, elected officials and others.”

KDE uses the KDE Twitter feed to share information and converse with the education community and the residents of Kentucky.

On Oct. 6, the live webcast of Commissioner Holliday’s Twitter Town Hall can be viewed here. To listen and/or watch, you must have Windows Media Player installed on your workstation. Once Windows Media Player is installed, simply click on the appropriate link to hear audio-only or view the video with audio.

SOURCE: KDE Press release

Power Tweeters

  According to KLOUT, this is a list of the top EduTweeters. 

 

: NEA Today The NEAToday The National Education Association's official publication, committed to a great public education for all students. Get free resources, news & more!

 

tvanderarkTom Vander Ark: Interested in innovations that customize & motivate learning and extend access

mikeklonsky: Education prof, writer, blogger, high school basketball coach

DanaGoldstein: I report on schools, health, politics, and women's issues. Contributing writer to @thedailybeast and @thenation, fellow @NewAmerica and @NationInstitute.

alfiekohn: author and lecturer on topics in education, parenting, and human behavior

ASCD: Learn. Teach. Lead.

leoniehaimson: NYC public school parent, Exec. Director, Class Size Matters and founding member, Parents Across America

 

edworkforcedems: Growing and Strengthening America's Middle Class - official Twitter account for the House Education and Labor Committee

EdTrust: Ed Trust works to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement for all students, pre-K through college.

EducationSector: Independent think tank committed to developing innovative solutions to our nation's most pressing education problems. Tweets by Renee Rybak Lang and others...

MichaelPetrilli: Executive VP of the Fordham Institute; executive editor of Education Next; research fellow at the Hoover Institution; proud father of two adorable boys

edReformer: edReformer strives to develop excellence and equity in education through innovation and education reform. Follow edReformer on @Getting_Smart.

Eduflack, Patrick Riccards: Education comm and policy pro; author of Eduflack blog; Father; education agitator

educationweek: Education Week, American education's newspaper and website of record.

FiftyCAN: Education advocacy org. working to close the achievement gap. We believe great schools change everything! Follow our state campaigns @MinnCAN @RhodeIslandCAN.

hechingerreport: Informing the public about education through quality journalism

rweingarten: American Federation of Teachers president, committed to improving schools, hospitals and public institutions for children, families and communities.

HuffPostEdu: An education news source and online hub for passionate voices surrounding the K-12 education system.

 

m_rhee, Michelle Rhee:CEO/Founder of StudentsFirst. Former D.C. Public Schools Chancellor. Working tirelessly to build educational environments that truly foster learning.

StudentsFirstHQ: StudentsFirst A movement to transform public educationhttp://facebook.com/studentsfirsthq

alexanderrusso: I used to be a Hill staffer. Now I write and blog about school reform. My new book describes the effort to save a broken LA high school.

DianeRavitch: I write about education. I blog at Bridging Differences at Education Week.

usedgov: News and information from the U.S Department of Education.

arneduncan: The official Twitter page of the US Secretary of Education

EDPressSec: Official twitter account for Department of Education Press Secretary Justin Hamilton

Bird Calls

Twitter is not really my thing.

The very thought of going through my day tweeting my every inane thought like some ticker tape running across my forehead and hoping someone might care, seems a little creepy to me. I'm not quite sure why, but it does.

Our little experiment, chirping the Petrilli v Silberman trial, was a different kind of use. Real time reporting for folks who have to be elsewhere.

For those of you who played along, let us know what you thought of it all.

Any ideas for the future?

Tweeting the Twial

Wanna follow Petrilli v Silberman in real time?

Follow me on Twitter: reday000

In the Crowd yesterday:

Herald-Leader reporter Jim Warren looking thrilled to be sitting on a hard bench all day.

Here are his stories from yesterday's and today's H-L.

And who's the mystery lady observing yesterday's jury selection?

Why it's none other than Melinda Cobb the former Principal of Leestown Middle School who was dismissed by former Superintendent Peter Flynn, in part for having a gun in the glovebox of her car at Leestown. I told her I wouldn't have given a plug nickle for her chances to win in court. She reminded me of the big honkin' award she got. $3 million plus.

So what does one do professionally after that? She consults for Golden and other attorneys who bring suits against Fayette County, and perhaps other school systems.