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TWITTER IN EDUCATION
A new form of
tweeter, emphasised the importance of technology in
social interaction
Do you
the classroom.
he said: “Today’s students have grown up with
technology, especially the internet, in a way that
makes it almost as natural as breathing. We know
on the web
this affects how they learn and it means that the
curriculum will need to be centred more on actively
has made huge
waves since its creation
tweet?
engaging students. This will be a challenge for some
teachers, but it is the world in which these students
live and work.”
Other educational organisations on Twitter include
the Teacher Support Network (TSN). Spokesman Joe
three years ago. Charles
Williams said it has proven to be an “invaluable way to
communicate with teachers”.
Gubert asks why Twitter
he explained: “We can spread the word about our
services and other projects, as well as making sure
has got teachers tweeting
that the wellbeing of teachers is more prominently
discussed online.
“Communication is not just one way: we can
occasionally respond to a question from a teacher with
WiTTEr iS a micro-blogging site links to factsheets or other information. it’s unlikely that
T
where users regularly inform their we’ll ever use Twitter to help someone resolve a crisis
followers of what they are up to or obtain in-depth information, but we’re pleased to be
throughout the day, and it has taken able to use another form of communication.”
the world by storm – not least the Even Ed Balls, the minister for children, schools
education world. and families, is a user. Mr Balls’ 2,705 followers are
Twitter, once the domain of iranian constantly updated about the minister’s whereabouts
student protesters and Stephen Fry, is now finding a and his policies, although his Twitter feed does also
new lease of life among teachers and educationalists. promote his party’s line as well.
it has enabled teachers to communicate more easily All in all, for teaching professionals, Twitter is
with one another – sharing links, ideas and innovative proving to be an invaluable commodity for research and
teaching methods over the web with just the click of a efficient. if i need help finding a resource or an internet Twitter’s effectiveness in providing information an excellent forum for debate.
mouse. application, i request what i need on Twitter and i get recently prompted children’s minister, dawn Primarolo, Teachers can post questions and receive rapid
To give just one example – one link on a teacher’s quite a few replies. it is an efficient way of getting help. to urge local councils to use the service to notify young replies; they can be inundated with fresh ideas from
Twitter page directed me to a blog, which asked “Social networking is the future for education. We people about the events and activities being offered in fellow professionals – some from other sides of the
geography teachers to recommend topical films to use computers more. Letters were replaced with email their areas. world – and they can obtain up-to-date advice on how
show their students. and now, email is being replaced by social networking Another keen tweeter, Suzi Bewell, a Specialist best to improve their teaching.
With climate change dominating the headlines at sites. Schools and Academies Trust lead practitioner for Twitter can allow teachers to set online exercises
the moment, it should hardly come as a surprise that “Twitter is a tool for discovery. i don’t set out to languages at All Saints’ Language College in york, for pupils – this can improve communication between
the eco-thriller blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow learn things. i just find them out. Someone showed told SecEd that she interacts with her students through teachers and their pupils, particularly when the latter
topped the poll. One teacher also suggested The Fully me ways to produce exercises on the internet for my Twitter. may be struggling with their work.
Monty, due to its portrayal of industrial decline in students. Teachers on Twitter think on the same level She said: “i have a pupil account for year 8 students. So it seems that the opportunity for innovation for
Britain. and have similar interests. They tweet about relevant it can be used to talk about homework. They tweet teachers could be at the end of a Tweet. SecEd
Even SecEd is among those sharing information now, issues.” to me regularly. i also send them a weekly tweet in
after the newspaper set up its own Titter site. Teachers Liz Lister, a STEM (science, technology, engineering French, and i get them to communicate back to me.”
Further information
following us can get all our features and articles for free and maths) clubs co-ordinator at the British Science She added that her Twitter exercises had been • SecEd on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SecEd_
and can recommend issues for us to cover. Association, echoed these thoughts. welcomed by students, particularly computer-savvy Education
One Tweeting teacher with over 1,300 followers, Ms Lister finds tweeting incredibly useful as a boys. • José Picardo: http://twitter.com/josepicardo
José Picardo, head of modern foreign languages at communication tool through her Twitter page, STEM Twitter has also helped Ms Bewell to reduce her • Suzie Bewell: http://twitter.com/suzibewell
Nottingham high School, explained Twitter’s virtues clubs. She explained: “There is lots of information workload, due to the number of people online willing to • STEM Clubs: http://twitter.com/STEMclubs
to me. about initiatives and competitions that i wouldn’t have provide assistance and answer her enquiries. • dr John dunford: http://twitter.com/johndunford
“if a person has good things to say about education, found out about normally. if teachers use Twitter more,
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dr John dunford, general secretary of the Association • Ed Balls: http://twitter.com/edballsmp
they can send it to everyone on Twitter so it is very it will have a major future with STEM.” of School and College Leaders, and another regular • TSN: http://twitter.com/teachersupport
Independent thinking
Cutting through the red tape
“WHAT WE SHARE”
Why did i become a head? it was probably because much more to worry about than just paperwork and
Teaching's new code
i loved the buzz and excitement of teaching and the head has to ensure that the leadership team is
learning, thoroughly enjoyed working with staff and being properly supported as well.
pupils, and hoped that i could use the few skills and But the activities listed above are only the “tip of
talents that i have to make a difference and to help the iceberg” at the moment. Major changes are afoot Now we have a code that makes a powerful positive
create a great school and a strong community. in safeguarding with the advent of the independent
We are only a few weeks into the new school year, Safeguarding Authority and we are busy reviewing statement about contemporary teaching.
but the sheer volume of bureaucracy, paper-chasing just who will need to be checked.
and regulation (yes, even in the independent sector) The ContactPoint database is also
is already weighing heavily upon me. is it coming into being. The sheer volume of
It shows how you encourage learning and how you
all an evil plot by some greater powers information about individuals which
to exhaust school leaders and browbeat is being collected on computerised
work with colleagues, other professionals and parents.
them into submission or turn them into systems concerns me and many
automata? do they hope that we will all others. having much more detailed
Instead of describing the unacceptable, it sets out a
become so emerged in the drudgery and computerised information on more
minutiae of paperwork that we are too and more people often makes it shared picture of teacher professionalism.
weary to inspire the younger generation harder to identify things which
to sparkle and innovate and outshine need urgent attention – they get lost
those who run the country? in the sheer plethora of data.
What have i been doing that has caused Moreover, the more people who
WWW.GTCE.ORG.UK
this outburst? i have been reviewing all our contribute to the collection of data,
school policies and how they are publicised the more scope there is for unreliability.
to current and prospective parents to ensure Once something is recorded, it never
compliance with the latest incarnation of the goes away.
regulatory requirements for independent This year, too, we have had
schools. the “luxury” of complex analyses
i have been drafting our annual report available from the examination boards
for the charity commission, preparing of our candidates’ performance in their
our annual report which is published public examinations. downloading
for parents, putting together a review of and assessing the significance of all
the last academic year and the school’s these data is a very time-consuming task
performance for our governors, writing for staff, but the very existence of such
a report on the new term for governors, details has prompted the more focused
starting the major review of our whole- among our parents and pupils to ask all sorts
school development plan (which ran from of questions. The demand for examination re-
1999 to 2009), reviewing our staff training marks has grown enormously nationwide this
plan, and constructing presentations and year and all of this uses up valuable staff time.
briefing papers for a governors’ away-day. The best things about a new school year are
Not to mention disability discrimination seeing the new pupils smiling and chatting happily at
awareness, environmental policies, travel plans, and break times as they make friends and find their way
healthy school initiatives. Every aspect of all that around their senior school, and watching new staff
we do in schools has, quite rightly, to be planned, relax and settle into the school community.
monitored and reviewed. it is not the head alone who i am sure all heads would like much more time to
does this, but inevitably everything arrives at the enjoy these moments and much less pressure caused
head’s desk at some point. by ever-increasing bureaucracy.
Also at this time of the year, senior leaders are
very busy supporting new pupils, new staff and • Marion Gibbs is headmistress of the independent
increasingly demanding new parents. They have James Allen’s Girls’ School in London.
SecEd • September 24 2009 
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