6 ways to find educators on Twitter and expand your network!

I have to agree with Richard Byrne, not a day goes by when I don’t learn something new on Twitter. It is a great way to connect to teachers all over the world and there is so much to learn. Knowledge itself is moving from the individual to the individual and his contacts. (Jay Cross, Informal Learning). I have listed up the places suggested at the website “Free technology for teachers” and I highly recommend everyone to look for tips there!

1. Twitter 4 Teachers wiki. The Twitter 4 Teachers PB Wiki was started by ed tech specialist Gina Hartman. This wiki is organized content teaching area so that visitors can connect with Twitter users who teach the same subject(s).

2. Educators on Twitter is a Google Docs Spreadsheet started by Liz B. Davis. The list is constantly growing as new additions are added almost daily.

3. Twitter for Teachers is a wiki started by Rodd Lucier with the purpose of educating teachers about the use of Twitter as an educational tool and as a professional development tool. You may want to check out who the contributors to the wiki are and follow them. Rodd has also produced a great video demonstrating how to use Twitter, Delicious, and Google Reader to find more Twitter users of interest to you.

4. Jane Hart, founder of the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies, has compiled a list of nearly 800 educators on Twitter. Each entry is accompanied by a short summary about the Twitter user.

5. When attending a conference look for the hashtag! Like this year’s Microsoft Innovative teacher event in South Africa. #msief. Read the tweets and start following those who participate in the discussions!

6. Find people you really think have something to contribute in the discussions, and follow them; you might also follow people they follow! Try: @willrich45 and @snbeach

And now you are on your way to having your own personal learning network!