Handheld Learning

Hi,

We just started twittering using @sumsonline as a way to keep in touch with the network of Learning Platform Showcase schools we are building up across the country. The idea is to help the teachers network good ideas on lessons built around SUMS Maths, by using Twitter and its related tools. We even set up a weekly prize of an LP licence for followers, starting yesterday with a lucky Primary school in Blackpool using Fronter as the winner. We also gave away 2 Sony PSP memory sticks with SUMS Maths on.

Meanwhile the media goes barmy about a teacher using it in class.  Obviously her timing was wrong, but how daft is it to ban one of the professional networking tools of the future.

What do you think in your schools?

David
http://www.sums.co.uk

I think teachers and learners should definitely use Twitter.

When Tony suggested that we first use it for the HHL 2007 conference many people thought we were barmy and we only had around 40 people out of 800 using - which given that the conference was about mobile computing was a somewhat dismal uptake. However at the last HHL and GBL events the majority of delegates were either using it our reviewing the conference feeds - not to mention those who couldn't be there.

Now of course, Twitter like many social media is simply part of the digital landscape that should be embraced.

What is disappointing is how how many schools and authorities are banning access to Twitter via their networks in a typical campaign of myopia, fear and 20th century thinking.

This is one of the topics being debated at our Digital Safety Conference on June 19th

Agree with the comments that Twitter does indeed appear to be here to stay for the foreseeable future and I find it ridiculous (although sadly not all that surprising) that some bodies have taken to banning something that they do not fully comprehend.

Let's be straight about Twitter - it is a tool, not a solution.  There is much on there that has little value, but there is also a great wealth of knowledge, experience and skills that people are offering to share.

To discount and refuse this based on misconceptions / preconceptions / or fractional knowledge is extremely misguided.

The point was made above about email - apparently 90% of all email sent daily is spam, yet people still consider email to be a central facet of their professional lives.

So I am all for teachers embracing Twitter and identifying how this tool can be leveraged for the ultimate benefit of those they teach.