Posted on Aug 27, 2009 | Tagged in: Houston I.S.D. , education
Not one to miss out on the Twitter craze, Houston Independant School District (HISD) educators are using Twitter for updates. Back to school Twitter updates began with Houston ISD members such as Jared Berry, theater director at Pin Oak Middle School, with “It's 4:44 a.m. on 8/24/09 — 1st day of school for 2009-10 term. Can't wait to start the day.”
Many schools are utilizing Twitter's update abilities for a range of things from school news updates to parents, students, and staff members. While it doesn't replace more conventional means such as HISD's mass-calling system, the plus side to using Twitter is that it is a fast, instantaneous way to provide updates to those involved in the Houston education community.
The Twitter updates can be a great way for parents to keep tabs on what is going on in their children's schools. Most school children are very familiar with other social media sites such as Myspace and Facebook, but very few know about Twitter. HISD school teachers hope to educate them about Twitter and use it for scholastic means, so parents and teachers can monitor their progress. The best part is that Twitter is much safer than Myspace and Facebook whereas less personal information is presented, and most interactions on the site come in the form of "tweets", or short update blurbs.
Particularly excited about the momentum in which social media is taking root in Houston schools is Stephanie Sandifer, curriculum specialist for adolescent literacy in HISD. According to her, "There are definitely more educators who are beginning to understand the potential of these tools for communication, as well as for learning." Schools everywhere in Houston are taking advantage of Twitter, are you tweeting as well?
Image courtesy ofchron.com
