This guest post from Craig Kemp (@mrkempnz) was originally posted on Craig Kemp’s Professional Reflection Blog.

As an educator who is addicted to Twitter I have always read about students getting introduced to Twitter and wondered how it would work. After reading and reading I have finally decided to give it a go. Here is my introduction to Twitter in my classroom.

Last Tuesday, the day started like any other. Roll call, discussion, introduction to an activity and a bit of a laugh with my Year 7 and 8 Technology class. We had been discussing the importance of being an active online user and being a positive digital citizen (the students are preparing some presentations for Year 2-3 children later in the term). The conversation moved into learning environments and we discussed the small and “un-student friendly” (their words) environment that they were currently sitting in.

“Take the teachable moment and run with it” my inner, energetic teacher yelled from my shoulder. So there we were talking about the “Ultimate Learning Environment“, when one of my students asked me “Why is social media so big?”. Good question I thought, why is it ‘so big’. So we unpacked that question and broke it down. We talked about Social Media and what it was and how it worked, they gave me excellent examples and we tied it back into our discussion about digital citizenship.

From this point, as a class, we decided we would use social media to help us with our learning. The students had no idea how it could work. I suggested Twitter and how I use it. We pulled up my profile and saw how it worked (discussion only). The decision was then made –> Let’s ask the Twitterverse to help us!!

As a class, we decided we would use social media to help us with our learning.


On rolled Monday 5th May and in our first class (I see this group twice a week) we decided that tomorrow would be the day, we would ask Twitter for their advice on “What makes a GREAT learning environment?”. The students already had some fantastic ideas and a plan of where they want to see their environment heading but they needed some depth to their plan and some other opinions outside of their little bubble.

9.30am Tuesday 6th May – The students run in with excitement written all over their faces. Up on the interactive whiteboard is my Twitter profile with the hashtag #AGSLE up on the stream. Last night I had asked some of my amazing PLN to share their thoughts, ready to inspire the students in live time. The session began and the students led the hour. They decided they would post questions and respond to answers in their own words, using their initials. The discussion continued for an exciting hour and the students were engaged and focused. They saw a new post appear and the next student hopped up to respond. While this was going on the rest of the class were using their 1:1 device to continue researching learning environments. They are now putting together a plan of what it might look like (first draft to present to Head of School) and using links and ideas to engage their imaginations as they were shared by my amazing PLN. They were sent links, images of classroom spaces and ideas that made my mind spin – what an opportunity!

Using Twitter in the Classroom
When a new post appeared the next student hopped up to respond.

Here is an update about our “UltimateLearning Experience“. You can also check out our Twitter feed from this morning and see what ideas were discussed: https://storify.com/mrkempnz/ags-learning-environment.

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