Monday, August 23, 2010
Normally, I try not to get too personal here at the Digital Classroom Strategies blog. As a new school year begins, though, I am making impassioned, albeit ignored, pleas to my school district administrators to have Twitter unblocked from our network firewalls.
Whether you are a regular reader here or a first-timer, it should be clear that I am a Web 2.0 and social media enthusiast. Learn it in 5 is designed to teach educators how to integrate Web 2.0 into the K-12 classroom.
Knowing this, can you believe that I can't use Twitter in my own class? For many years, I've been using a classroom web site, and each year I incorporate some new Web 2.0 wrinkle that will enhance teaching and learning. Two years ago it was blogs; last year, Delicious bookmarks.
A glimmer of hope
In 2009, my district began an initiative called, ironically, the Digital Academy -- aimed at getting teachers to use more web-based instruction tools in the classroom. I was ecstatic (even though I wasn't allowed to attend, because I already know too much). This, I thought, was my chance to open the floodgates. They actually want us to use Web 2.0 and social media, I surmised. So, I went for all of it -- Glogster, Diigo, Drop.io, Todays Meet, Wallwisher and, of course, Twitter.
I envision classroom discussions with students tweeting from laptops or even their Smart Phones; who knows, we might even carry on the discussion outside of school. Before you know it, students might be conversing about one of our in-class activities on our Twitter stream on their own time. Can you imagine it?
It's a beautiful vision that right now is nothing more than a fantasy. My pleas were met with disdain. The old district filibuster (they simply ignored my requests). I'm at the end of my rope. Not to whine about it, but I want Twitter!
Any ideas on how I can win this war and get Twitter unblocked in my school district?
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