I gave a CPD session on using Web 2.0 to the staff at my school last night - my first one ever! It was great to be able to pass on information about the many inspirational and useful web apps that are out there for teachers to use, but I was struck by the fact that almost no-one attending the session had ever heard of any of the "funky" tools we looked at.
Perhaps inevitably, I was asked, "how do you know all this?" The answer, of course, is that someone told me! The might of Twitter in this regard really cannot be underestimated. Everything I know (and I am WAY behind some people!) I have picked up from my colleagues on Twitter - The MFL Twitterati as they are otherwise known. I am convinced that the positive, open attitude of the teachers I have met online can be a huge force in changing teaching for the better. Who wants to be the pinch-faced teacher who never lets anyone copy his worksheets? Twitter to me is the antithesis of this.
I started my session yesterday by showing them the marvellous Wallwisher that online colleagues created for our CPD session. Requests for this kind of thing come in all the time on Twitter, so I thought it might be old hat and get ignored. Not a bit of it. 20 replies in 2 days including videos, pics and some inspirational words from as far away as New York.
I was feeling tired after two school trips over Easter, but that response has re-energised me and reminded me why I love the web! So thanks to all for your contributions, and keep on fighting the good fight!
Absolutely! When I start evangelising about Twitter and my PLN, the uninitiated tend to glaze over, but you're exactly right !
I enjoyed reading this post.
Clare
Posted by: Valleseco | 04/23/2010 at 01:49 PM