Twitchat

I will admit, when I first heard of the use of Twitter as a professional development tool for an educator, I was not convinced. How much can one person say in 140 characters? After attending my very first Twitchat, I was proven wrong.

Twitchat is a feature on Twitter which allows users to have a discussion through the use of a hashtag. Users can share resources, ask questions, and reply to fellow users. This week, I attended the #edtech Twitchat. The #edtech (short for educational technology) Twitchat takes place every Monday at 8:00 pm. In #edtech educators from around the world "gathered" to discuss what is new in educational technology, ask discussion questions, and seek advise. On Monday, there were many discussions about what is new in educational technology. However, the discussion seemed to focus specifically on Open Educational Resources, or OERs. Being that I had a vague idea of was an OER was, I was able to answer some questions and partake in the discussion.

Personally, I can find myself using Twitter and Twitchat for personal professional development. It is a fast and easy way to connect with educators all over the world. I love how just in the first 10 minutes, I found great resources to use within my classroom. It also provides new teachers, like myself, a comfortable and safe way to ask questions about topics we may not be too sure about. I can see myself using Twitchat in the future. I can't wait to see what other hashtags have to offer!