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I’ve been thinking about edutwitter as I walked my dog. I’ve concluded that how we view it as a tool in relation to our own evolving edu-egos (not a bad thing) is probably the determinant of what we choose to share & how we choose to respond to others. More reflections later.
I see several evolving edu-ego types on twitter. Those who see themselves as learners & want to engage to learn. Those who see themselves or their organisations as brands & want to promote their commodity. Those who see themselves in relation to others’ vulnerability....
... Those who seek to gain authority through their position & views. Those who connect education to wider societal & political phenomena. Those who are evangelical in their education beliefs. Those who sense they are imposters. There are more & they’re not mutually exclusive.
And as I’m off to Pilates it will give me more time to think. I’m going to focus on those who see themselves as learners & seek to use edutwitter as a tool for that.
I’m continuing a thread of thoughts from earlier today. I’m thinking about twitter as a medium for teachers who see themselves as professional learners. I’m drawing on research from my PhD on teacher learning. Here goes ...
In terms of professional learning twitter can serve as a tool. Firstly it might help to SCAFFOLD thinking. In other words it can offer help to learners, eg. new ideas, feedback from others, opportunities go beyond the tweet info blogs, research papers, examples of practice etc...
Twitter can act as a tool which FRAMES learning. It creates a shared space & provides new structures for interactions between educators & thus makes new forms of transaction possible. It has huge potential for knowledge exchange.
As a tool for professional learning twitter can also act as a LENS. It allows us to gain and generate new perspectives. We can focus in on details. We can also take the boarder view....
As a tool twitter can also give us a way to MEASURE & assess ourselves. We can seek out feedback. We can review progress towards goals through reflecting over time. We can also count likes & retweets. This is not objective, but can support our understanding of the value of ideas
I could add more about twitter’s use as a tool because just because a tool is to hand doesn’t mean it’s always the right tool for the job. A hammer cannot remove a splinter. Some tools have more power. A strimmer is more efficient than scissors for the edge of the lawn.
So if twitter can act as a tool for professional learning it does so because other ATTRIBUTES which enable learning exist. It cannot act alone. These attributes can exist at both individual & organisational levels (eg a school community, a twitter chat, the education sector).
My research into teacher learning (not twitter per se) suggests three key attributes enabling professional learning & the development of practice. The next three tweets outline these with suggested references to edutwitter. ...
One attribute supporting teacher learning is CREATIVITY. Twitter can offer teachers new ways to problem-solve, opportunities to innovate & access to alternative practices & perspectives. They can become more open to others’ ideas & gain capacity & confidence in original thinking
Another attribute enabling PL is SOLIDARITY which is based on wanting to understand others’ needs, taking responsibility for others, being part of a democracy of accountability by engaging with peers, students & community. They can collaborate & create shared online spaces.
The 3rd attribute is AUTHENTICITY. For me this means appreciating characteristics of the educational landscape & how it actually impacts on people. It means recognising, not denying, the tensions & priorities in our settings. It means thinking ethically & drawing on our values.
So my thesis suggests that professional learning is more likely to be enabled if tweeters bring those attributes to the medium & if edutwitter as a community heightens those attributes as as possible platform for learning. But what changes when this occurs? What is learned? ...
My research suggests that teacher learning & an education sector open to learning can be a reality and I suggest we can see that happening on twitter. However educative opportunities are often missed & can sometimes be actively suppressed online. ...
Twitter allows teachers whose evolving edu-ego is as learners to ARTICULATE their learning. They do this by explaining their practices & thinking to others to make their learning public. They contribute to an accessible knowledge base, develop a shared language, gain a voice....
As teachers learn they become more comfortable with critique. Engaging critically is not the same as being the bearer or recipient of criticism. It means analysing evidence, reflecting on practice, research & theory. Twitter can create a safe space for this. It too often doesn’t.
Finally teacher learning should result in them expanding their practice, the opportunities they offer others, & enriching learning outcomes. Edutwitter can support this expansion by helping teachers to develop dialogic thinking & self-regulation and to develop personal theories.
On reflection, if you are on edutwitter to support your own or others’ professional learning it’s worth noting that some edu-tweeters are not. They’re here to brag, to divide & to stir. Interactions with them might be through your learning lens but responded to through their ego.
When that happens it can feel bewildering or worse. You have a decision to make & if you recognise edu-egos for what they are & how they compare with yours it’s easier to react (or not) in a way which leaves your own sense of self intact. Twitter is a rich landscape to enjoy.
