This guest post from Craig Kemp (@mrkempnz) was originally posted on Craig Kemp’s Professional Reflection Blog.
Educational Twitter Chats are happening all the time on Twitter and as a globally connected educator – I LOVE IT!
Every opportunity I can get I involve myself in the 1 hour Twitter chats that surface themselves in my Twitter feed. It gives me the opportunity to connect and collaborate with like minded educators, network with the best in the business and pick up new and interesting things to use to make me a better educator. PD in the palm of my hands (literally).
For those that don’t know what I am talking about…
Let me give you the low-down
Twitter chats take place on Twitter at a certain time every week (click here for a complete list of education related Twitter chats and their times). All chats use a certain hashtag to discuss a variety of topics with a education related theme. They provide a unique and eye opening opportunity for educators to connect, share and collaborate with others from all over the world. The best part about this virtual staffroom ….. it is FREE!
To get involved in a Twitter chat – you need to follow the hashtag (#). My suggestion is to use a free program such as Tweetdeck or Hootsuite. Always introduce yourself into a Twitter chat and remember to always use the hashtag. It is also okay to lurk (hang around and just read), contribute where you can but don’t feel like you have to. Some chats move fast and it is hard to keep up. Most chats have archives of what was said so you can catch up later – don’t panic – it is perfectly normal. I have built an amazing PLN (Personal Learning Network) through Twitter chats and I highly recommend it for everyone in education.
Twitter Chats: A unique and eye opening opportunity for educators to connect, share and collaborate.
Here is a list of my 8 favourite education related chats, the hashtags, a short description and when they are on:
1. #whatisschool
An edchat space where people can express an unbiased response to questions about schooling, where educators have a voice in shaping the future through their experiences, recommendations and interests. This chat is co-moderated by myself (@mrkempnz) and Laura Hill (@candylandcaper) and has become a huge hit. You can join #whatisschool every Thursday at 7pm EDT, 6pm CDT (Fri 9am AEST, Fri 11am NZT) and all questions and archives of past chats are recorded here.
2. #edchat
The original chat and by far the fastest paced and hardest to keep up with. It features the best of the best and is one of the most popular chats. It is held on Tuesdays from 12-1pm and 7-8pm EDT. It attracts educators from all over the world. You can find out more by clicking here.
3. #satchat
One of my old haunts. Fascinating discussions about education and leadership every Saturday. The chat is always fast paced and is full of the best educators you can find on Twitter. You can join #satchat every Saturday 7.30-8.30am EDT. If mornings are not your thing, there is always #satchatwc (West Coast) at 10.30am EDT and #satchatoc Friday night at 8pm EDT – #satchatoc is popular with international educators. Click here for more information about #satchat.
4. #sunchat
Another one of my top 5. Fascinating discussions – similar to #satchat, you can find a plethora of spectacular educators sharing their knowledge and ideas as well as newbies to Twitter chats. So many of my favourite ideas that I use in my classroom have come from this chat. You can find it 9-10am every Sunday morning EDT.
5. #flipclass
A new one for me but very exciting with the current push for flipped classrooms. You can find out anything and everything you need to know about flipping your classroom. You can join the #flipclass chat every Monday night 8-9pm EDT. For more information and archives click here.
6. #ptchat
The aim of this chat is to encourage collaborative and transparent dialogue between educators and parents. This chat can be found every Wednesday night from 9-10pm EDT. Click here for more information.
7. #digcit
One of my passions is digital citizenship and I love this chat about Dig Cit and Literacy. It is held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 7-8pm EDT. You can find out more about this chat by clicking here.
8. #nt2t
A fantastic chat that I am addicted too. It is an open chat for teachers who are new to Twitter and a must stop to learn more about how to use Twitter and chats more effectively. Full of veteran Twitter users to support you and newbies just like you, it is a chat you just can’t miss. Learn to tweet, who to follow and access the very best resources to support teaching and learning. Join the #nt2t chat crew every Saturday 9-10am EDT. For more information, click here.
Now that you are up to speed with Twitter chats, I look forward to welcoming you to some of my favourites very soon. Please feel free to contact me, as always I am happy to help in any way.
What are your favourite chats? Please do share!
Feature image adapted from image courtesy of Flickr, JD Hancock.
Augh!! How do you not have #tlap onn here?? :-) SO fantastic!!
Let’s call #tlap number 9 :) Thanks for the tip!
Absolutely – don’t get me wrong – I love #TLap – also #AussieEd is a new favourite – so many new and exciting chats popping up that my list is constantly being added to! Thanks for connecting :)