11.5 Thing # 5

There are so many applications for Twitter as far as classroom use goes. Just recently I was speaking to our English Chair and suggested that her AP students could set up accounts and she could have them Tweet their responses to certain questions, essays, literary analysis etc. How precise do you have to be with the amount of characters provided? Talk about checking for understanding. This is just one way that I have been thinking of presenting Twitter to our faculty. I have been considering forming a Twitter account for our school library. I can tweet about library happenings, new book arrivals and other library news. Am thinking of calling our Twitter account PorterReaders.
I formed my own facebook page about a month ago. It did take me a while to take the plunge but I'm finally in. Will be honest and say that it doesn't really rock my boat. Am I too old? I do keep up with friends, but sometimes I still think we put so much of ourselves out there for other people to see/know. Have been considering setting up a facebook account for my library but facebook is blocked from school so I am still at the consideration stage.
About 15 years ago I set up a Biology class with our old satellite dish to watch a live program , the students had the chance to call in (yes with an actual land line phone) and ask questions. Back-channeling is the Web 2.0 version of this. Participants have a chance to tweet questions or comments to the presenter or to other participants thus giving the presenter a chance to keep his/her lecture or presentation relevant to the audience. This is perfect for some of our Dual-enrollment students who listen to the professor lecture through the web and can now have a way to really feel like they are part of the class.