Blogospheres & Tweetonomics - CAMSTAR NQT Conference

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Blogospheres & Tweetonomics@[email protected]/JamesSaunders4www.tendringtechnologycollege.org

James Saunders

Assistant Principal: Tendring Technology CollegeDirector of Leadership and, Research & Development: Tendring Teaching School Alliance

View this presentation at:http://tinyurl.com/tweetonomics

+ Social Networks

+ Quick Introduction:Aims of Session Outline the process involved in conducting a research project

Share the findings of my research questions Demonstrate how Digital Tools and Networks can enhance professional development

Provide some tips to enhance your development through Digital tools

Demonstrate how you can use Digital Tools to help your research and develop your practice

+ Question

Can Twitter make you a better teacher? –

Discuss – 90 seconds

+ Research Project OutlineBlogospheres and Tweetonomics How do teachers use digital social media tools (DSMT), including Twitter?

What impact do DSMT have on teacher professional practice and student achievement?

Is there a correlation between online PLNs and effective PLCs?

+ The Research ProcessHow to do research Project Outline/Proposal – Research/Enquiry Question

Read around/Review the subject – What do others know?

Specify/Design data capture Methodology Capture and Analyse data – Present Findings Evaluate - What have you learnt? Share – Knowledge Transfer

+ Blogospheres & TweetonomicsWhat does the Literature say?What are Professional Learning Communities – PLCs?

A network of professionals that promotes sustained learning for the core purpose of improving pupil learning and outcomes.

Why are they important?

Two major shifts occurring in the world are having a significant effect on how we work together, influence change and lead our organisations. The first shift is from a world of fragmentation to one of connectivity and integrated networks. The second shift is from an industrial to a knowledge era.......All of us need to explore new ways of working that keep pace with this networked knowledge era.

Allen & Cherrey (2000) in Jackson & Temperley (2006)

+ Professional Learning CommunitiesEffective PLCs contain the following key elements:

shared values and vision; collective responsibility for pupils’ learning; collaboration focused on learning; individual and collective professional learning; reflective professional enquiry; openness, networks and partnerships; inclusive membership; mutual trust, respect and support.

Bolam, et al. (2005)

+ Blogospheres & TweetonomicsWhat does the Literature say?Professional Learning Communities

What educators are looking for today in school reform initiatives are those that result in not only improved teaching, but also in overall school improvement and student learning...student learning improved when teachers worked in PLCs.

(Ruebel, 2012)

+ PLNs

Personal Learning Network

a PLN is a group of people with whom one connects, communicates and collaborates in the sharing and exchanging of information and ideas, and through whom one increases one's knowledge and understanding of topics of interest.

(Novak, 2012)

+ Personal Learning Networks

How are teachers using DSMT to support their own professional development? Elias’ (2012) identifies five themes:

practice; resources; question; social; unknown.

research articles and lighter reading; reports and data: headlines and ‘best bits’; conference tweets; blogs; discussions, and resources

+ MethodologyWhat I needed to find out Are teachers aware of PLNs and PLCs? Do teachers use digital social media tools? Which digital social media tools are most popular?

How are teachers using digital social media tools?

How do teachers connect to each other? What impact has the use of digital social media had on teacher professional development and student achievement?

+ Google FormsData Capture

+ Practical FindingsQuantitative Data

Primary Use40% Share & Collaborate27% Research13% Resources

Most Teachers are interested in Resources

Reasons to connect53% Shared Vision & Values60% Quality of posts53% Similar Field

Impact80% Impact on PD73% Impact on Pupil Achievement

+ Qualitative DataThe unscientific Wordle.net

+ Findings

Teachers identified DSMT to impact:

strategy; leadership; classroom/teaching; collaboration, and physical networks.

DSMT have the most impact on the individual practice of the teacher.

It has given me information earlier than my school..and loads of online support.’ ‘I have read far more online blogs, research papers and also books.’ ‘I have also had support from people on Twitter when I was working in a SM school.’

+ Findings

I have met some fantastic and inspiring educators. I have found out about research, ideas etc. I have implemented activities in my classroom that have been shared via twitter and/or at teach meets/conferences. I have begun to work collaboratively with people. I have organised a teach meet at my school for local educators.

‘[I] changed the type of information I share with my teams, increased my personal wider perspective of education and tried to use this wider vision to shape strategic planning.’

Lots of different ideas, teaching tweaks. Attended Teachmeets, and notably the first ResearchEd conference. I have read and discussed books with EduBookChatUK. Learned more about pedagogy and cognitive psychology, which I try to implement.

+ Further Resources – Next Steps www.edudemic.com/guides/guide-to-twitter/

http://teachertoolkit.me/2014/08/01/10-tips-for-tweeting-teachers-by-teachertoolkit/

#ukedchat #edchat #edtech #sltchat #cpchat + many others

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Blogospheres & Tweetonomics@[email protected]/JamesSaunders4www.tendringtechnologycollege.org

Any Questions?

Would you like to know more?

View this presentation at:http://tinyurl.com/tweetonomics