Twitter Handbook for Teachers (on Scribd)

The Twitter Handbook for Teachers - just published on Scribd.

This overview of Twitter and ways of using it in education was created for a group of educators attending an inaugural Twizza (Twitter & pizza) gathering in Perth, Western Australia on April 8, 2009.
Created by: Tomaz Lasic (Twitter: @lasic) The handbook is provided under a Creative Commons - Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-Alike 3.0 unported license.

It is a really useful guide for educators looking for helpful tips and resources for using Twitter and why you would want to, especially reasons for using Twitter to extend your professional learning networks (PLN).

An opening quote in the handbook from Sue Waters (@suewaters) .... provides the answer.
“Why would anyone want to tell others what they are doing in 140 characters?”
And yet to dismiss Twitter is a mistake because it’s an incredibly powerful tool for your personal learning and connecting with others.”

Twitter supports connections, reflections, communication and collaboration, the ability to form and foster trusted networks and connect critical friends.

Twitter provides the power of the tweet and re-tweet, the @ and #tag, shortened URL pointers to follow and for followers, the immediacy, opportunities for aggregation - the tools to enhance an essential and widespread PLN for 21st century educators.

Thanks to @moodleman and others from @southoz (me) for extending the global conversations and insights for the recent MoodleMootUK #mmuk09 via Twitter, Twitpic and other social media.

30 funny Twitter comic strips

This selection of cartoons or comic strips on Web Designer Depot, "30 funny Twitter comic strips", will appeal to the rapidly growing band of Twitter fans.
Recognise yourself or @anyone in any of these?

My favourites include the 'crowdsourcing09', 'broken up with Jim', 'Follow me,'' blog man of so few words' and 'tweet relationship - shown here.'

Some extra smiles on April Fools Day!

Twitter

Re-visiting my blog after a very long break. (Need to rebuild parts too)
Continuing my social bookmarking via my Del.icio.us (Vonnie) account and exploring the power of social media via Twitter.

Twitter use has really exploded (Nielsen Statistics) in recent months and it's now an important part of my professional learning through valuable networks. My first impressions when I joined Twitter 18 months ago have changed.

I've joined the Wefollow Twitter directory and found # tags really useful.

Web2.0 screencasts

Liz B. Davis is assembling a number of screencasts on Web2.0 tools on her blog, "The Power of Educational Technology," and taking requests for any additions. Current screencasts include introductions and 'howtos' on using Delicious, Flock, Flickr, Diigo, Twitter and Google Reader.
These should prove useful to busy teachers and others exploring the potential of Web2.0 and teacher mentors, ICT coordinators etc. providing support and expand the range of social networks.
Thanks, Liz.

Experiment in Republishing

David Wiley has republished this free 14 week course "Blogs, Wikis, and New Media"as an experiment in republishing Open Courseware using Wordpress. Explore the course as is or download it and adapt to suit. (Creative Commons license)
More information about the original course, facilitation and assignments can be found at Utah State Open Courseware.

The course covers a comprehensive range of 'Web2.0' technologies including blogs, RSS, wikis, social bookmarking & photo sharing tools, folksonomies & tagging, GIS mapping, audio & video podcasts, screencasts, video sharing and mashups.

This is an amazing resource, especially for educators interested in updating their knowledge and
'maintaining a familiarity with the most recent tools and capabilities.' This resource should complement individual experimentation and personal learning as well as teacher workshops. Spread the word!

E-Learning Handbook

The E-Learning Handbook, developed and regularly updated by the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies, provides a well-organised and comprehensive resource for teachers and others interested in finding out more about e-learning trends, technologies and tools. Content is readily accessible via an index of six topics with a wide range of sub-topics.

Other features of this site include a weekly bulletin, conference calendar, link to Jane Hart's E-Learning Pick of the Day and a list of their Top 100 Tools for Learning (2007) as well as the beginning of a collaborative project inviting global e-Learning professionals to submit their Top 10 Tools for Learning 2008. The E-Learning Handbook should prove useful for teachers, ICT Coordinators, Teacher-Librarians and school Leaders as schools seek to capitalise on the promised Rudd (ALP) "Education Revolution" to transform teaching and learning in Australian schools.

Recent media stories highlighting "Teachers lag in IT skills" (Adelaide Now, Jan 03, 08) bemoan a perceived gap in teacher skills and understandings and call for more investment in teacher professional development to address this critical issue. It was good to see acknowledgement by Principal, ASMS (Jim Davies) that "some of our (South Australian) teachers are leading world's best practice." Edublogger, Graham Wegner, Teaching Generation Z, is just one example of these inspirational, well-respected teachers.

Some teachers do fit the headline. Some may remain to be convinced while others lack the necessary support and struggle with the increasing demands of the profession. From my experience, it's not an age-related thing, it's more of an attitude of mind. I recently revisited Dana Huff's blog post and comments (tied to posts by Terry Freedman and Karl Fisch) on "Technological Illiteracy" (of teachers). Is the tide turning?
Massive investment in an "Education Revolution" must include strategies for teacher professional development and leadership in the Digital Age.

Carrot2 Cluster Search

I've been trying out the Carrot2 cluster search engine. It reminded me of the old Vivisimo, or Clusty as it is now known.
Carrot2 is an Open Source Search Results Clustering Engine (beta) which organizes or clusters search results (via a cluster tree) into thematic groups.
It features a number of movable tabs (select sources) and options, highlighted search terms and more. There is also a standalone GUI clustering tool, search plugin for Firefox 2 and IE7 and search box (added to my sidebar).