Should schools use Twitter?

Image: abc news My answer is yes. There is still thinking and planning to do , however, before you introduce it because it comes down to branding and reputation in the end. I was fortunate to be part of a team of teachers which visited a Victorian school in very picturesque surroundings not far from Melbourne. It was bushfire territory , though, and there was one road out. The principal told us of how his school used Twitter to keep themselves safe and to get the best, up to date information. He had organised parents and community members in different parts of the area to be connected to their Twitter account so that if a fire broke out he would have eyes and ears who could ascertain the severity of the conditions. Emergency services are on the ground dealing with the situation. Their news doesn’t always come out fast enough for you to be able to evacuate 1000 people. Twitter is current and keeps people informed.

You can share information on Twitter
You can find information on Twitter
You can discuss on Twitter
You can rally on Twitter
You can develop yourself personally and professionally on Twitter
You can connect on Twitter

65 million tweets a day cannot be wrong.

While you are thinking about whether you should or should not use Twitter at school there is a good how to article on Schneider which gives some sound direction and food for discussion. e-safety adviser also has some advice worth considering and some useful pdfs to get you going with regard to policy and planning.

Festive e-cards

If you are looking for some nice e-cards to send for the festive season I can recommend Care2 and the french site Dromadaire.