Twitter in the Classroom

For years now, I have been talking to my colleagues about one day creating a paperless classroom--a classroom that incorporates the technology that students are already using, and therefore vastly reduces (or eliminates) the need for the thousands of copies that teachers make each year.  This year, I am taking one big step closer to the paperless classroom by introducing Twitter into our everyday lessons.

PROCEDURE
Here are the steps that I am following as I implement Twitter in the Classroom:

Step 1 - Get administrative approval.  I just finished this stage.  I had to demonstrate to my administrators that (1) this program has educational value, (2) I am going to handle technology in the classroom responsibly, and (3) my students are going to handle the technology responsibly.  I'm basically setting up a classroom where kids are allowed to have their cell phones out in class.  I will have a classroom where I need to keep track of who has permission to "tweet" and who doesn't.  There are lots of variables, some of which perhaps I have not yet thought of.  I can't possibly anticipate everything that could happen as a result of this shift, but I've been teaching teens since 1996, so I know how to anticipate typical teenage behavior.  "Are you seriously letting kids text in class?"  Yes, I am.  And see Step 6 below to see how I hold them accountable.

Step 2 - Educate students and parents about Twitter.  I need to demonstrate to students and parents both the educational value of using Twitter in the classroom, and (especially for students) the exciting aspect of using this technology.  I need to get buy-in in the beginning to get students to actually sign up for a Twitter account.  I will also communicate to both students and parents that using Twitter in the classroom is completely optional, and that you will have full access to the curriculum whether you choose to use technology or paper or a combination of the two.  There's no wrong way to do this, as long as you're following my classroom rules.

Step 3 - Get parent/guardian permission.  Here is the "PLD Policy" permission slip I am working on, and right now it's a work-in-progress.  https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1Eh00in4GeiMRqyshvP0u69P96ZJegdtcED-mJguddG0
PLD stands for Personal Learning Device.  That's what many of my colleagues in education are calling cell phones, smartphones, iPads and other tablets, and I liked it so I borrowed the term.

Step 4 - Get students signed up with Twitter.  I will give a tutorial in class during one of the first days of the school year on how to actually sign up for a Twitter account, and how to make it secure so that only those whom they allow to follow them can.  I also need to prepare for the possibility that some students may already have a Twitter account, and teach students how to sign up for an additional account (or convert their existing account) because I want this Twitter account to be used solely for the purpose of this class.

Step 5 - Take it out for a spin and show the class what this can do.  I'll start with a short journal prompt.  Then we'll practice our Twitter communication in class.  Participating students will tweet their journal response.  I will have the Twitter feed posting in real time on the projector screen, so we can all read each other's responses.

The reason we're using Twitter is because you can link your Twitter account to your cell phone text messaging plan.  This is key.  By using a technology that is accessible to ANYONE with texting, we break down the technology barrier.  Not every kid has an iPhone, or Android, or iPad (heck, I don't even have an iPad yet), but virtually every student has access to text messaging.  With the state of public education funding right now, there is no way my school district is buying iPads or netbooks for every kid, but that's not even necessary.  Text messaging makes Twitter simple.

Not every kid will have signed up for a Twitter account yet, so this will be an important demonstration for them to watch.  Part of the sales pitch for some kids will be for "early adopters" (the students in my class who will have signed up right away) to show them how easy it is to engage.  Those who may be hesitant can still fully participate the traditional way--writing their journal responses, notes, and reflections on paper and then sharing them as we always used to.

Step 6 - Accountability.  "You're seriously allowing kids to text in class?"  Yup, and here's how I keep kids accountable:  the Twitter stream.  Each tweet is time/date stamped.  Students will be required to use their real name in their Twitter account.  In real time, I can then see students participating.  If I see a student texting, but I don't see their feedback on the screen, then they're off task.  After class is complete, I will evaluate the content that a student has generated during the class period.  If their thumbs were flying all period long, but their Twitter notes don't reflect that same intensity, then chances are they aren't participating as fully as their texting would indicate.  If they are abusing the privilege, they lose the privilege.

What will the outcome be?  Check back in a couple weeks and I'll provide some feedback on the experience.