draft3 twitter power 4 literacy educators & activists
DESCRIPTION
Twitter Power For Literacy Educators & Activists: This online-small-screen presentation supplemented “Legislative Call to Action: Access to Literacy for All,” a panel presentation at the 2011 International Dyslexia Association. Target Audience: Educators/IDA members working to change the teaching-learning landscape for children at-risk for reading failure—struggling readers, English language learners, economically disadvantaged youth, students with dyslexia and specific learning difficulties. For those who want to understand Twitter’s power, this small-screen/online covers the basics. A companion document provides how-to information – see slides for info.TRANSCRIPT
LEGISLATIVE CALL TO ACTION: Access to Literacy for All
IDA 2011 Chicago Conference
Twitter Power!
DYSLEXIA DIABLOGUE ~ COMMUNICATION BY DESIGN
Twitter Power For Literacy Educators & Activists
• You CARE about dyslexia, struggling readers, and reading literacy
IF …
• You WORK to improve the teaching-‐learning landscape …
READING
SOCIAL MEDIA
…consider exploring
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook SOCIAL MEDIA
Slideshare
Podcasts
Facebook SOCIAL MEDIA
If YOU aren’t a digital native …
1. Technology does not come EASILY.
2. You’re not a social-‐media EARLY adopter.
3. Technology & digital media are part of your life, but you PREFER print & paper for many things.
... these 3 statements probably apply to YOU:
And, when you first heard about Twitter, you thought it was crazy. True?
What the heck can you do with 140 characters?
I am NOT a digital native. Transistor radios were high tech in my day.
I’m more comfortable with stone-‐age technology than digital technology.
But I have one BIG advantage.
Married to a former journalist who became a new-‐media expert.
He encouraged me to leverage new-‐ media tools/strategies to advance my
mission & he “scaffolded” my learning.
MISSION
PAY IT FORWARD!
Now it’s my turn to …
GOAL Inspire & empower YOU to leverage social media to advance your cause & enhance your work.
If YOU already use these tools & strategies, I hope to
Support & encourage further exploration
Encourage you to inspire & support colleagues.
??
This presentation targets social media’s …
WHY more t
han
HOW
Twitter Tutorial with HOW-‐TO links is @:
http://www.slideshare.net/carolyndcowen
HOW
So, WHY???
SOCIAL MEDIA
Besides entertaining & socializing, WHY?
SOCIAL MEDIA
These reasons might interest YOU …
1. Enhance search engine optimization (SEO)
Web Strategy
1. Enhance search engine optimization (SEO)
2. Listen & broadcast
Monitoring & Messaging
2. Listen & broadcast
3. Build PLNs Ignite social action
PLN = Personal Learning Networks
PLN = Personal Learning Networks
Collaboration
3. Build PLNs Ignite social action
4. Enrich/engage learning & differentiate teaching
Pedagogy
4. Enrich/engage learning & differentiate teaching
4 PRETTY GOOD REASONS
Influence
That can be leveraged for
So…
• You CARE about dyslexia, struggling readers, and reading literacy
IF …
• You WORK to improve the teaching-‐learning landscape …
READING
… consider adding social media to your
toolbag …
… as a tool to leverage for achieving YOUR mission.
READING!
But let’s get specific.
How can help you spark…
legislative change in your state?
SOCIAL MEDIA
Consider
… and these 4 topics:
How does Twitter advance web strategy?
Twitter, Linked-‐In, Facebook: Outposts
for your website or blog.
TWITTER: Billboard on steroids…
Want to prevent reading disabilities?
See my blog post @ …
Learn about
dyslexia. Visit
www…
… drives traffic to your website or blog.
But how do YOU stand out in all the noise?
Hashtags! #
# #edchat #cpchat #edtech
Like zip codes: People in particular hashtag
locations see your tweets.
Target your audience with hashtags.
#spedchat #edreform
#edschools
Use #s strategically for optimal viewing.
#literacy #teachertraining
#NCLB
#grandparentlessons
An obscure # might not be strategic …
#grandparentlessons
… unless you want to reach this guy.
FLIP SIDE: Tweets in high-‐traffic hashtags can get lost.
Your message audience goals
inform hashtag use.
FOR EXAMPLE
Your audience includes your Twitter followers.
FOR EXAMPLE in September, I had 842 followers.
Finally, social media aids being found on Google.
“Twitter allows instantaneous sharing of your blog or website content ... the opportunity to publish your opinions & ideas to readership of millions.”
~ Erik Deckers & Kyle Lacy Branding Yourself
Image retrieved from Amazon 10/11/11
“millions” via:
Hashtags#
Followers
Google(SEO)
Powerful
web strategy
TWITTER:
How does Twitter promote monitoring & messaging?
FOR EXAMPLE Say, you’re interested in testing policy …
FOR EXAMPLE Say, you’re interested in testing policy …
as you follow “tweople”
with similar interests …
… they provide links to breaking
news on that topic.
FOR EXAMPLE a Huffington Post article,
…a New York Daily News
article,
…a New York Times article.
3 articles w/ different info & perspectives: Important for someone following testing issues.
But that’s only half of it!
Twitter also is a broadcasting tool.
Broadcasting is one thing …
… attracting listeners (“followers”) is another.
How do you get Twitter followers?
MANY STRATEGIES: But learning the art of a GOOD
is MOST important!
What makes a good tweet?
Effective Tweets: • Post informative links • Engage/interact/build relationships • Promote your cause
All in 140 characters or less!
FOR EXAMPLE
• Engage/interact/build relationships
• Promote your cause
• Post informative links
“The more content-‐rich your tweets, the more
people will read. Content comes from linking to your blog, website & other news sources & by engaging
in conversation.” ~ Erik Deckers & Kyle Lacy
Branding Yourself Image retrieved from Amazon 10/11/11
DON’T: • Promote yourself too much • Overdo quotes • Lose track of time (15 min per day?) • Forget tweets are public; last forever!
DO: • Be goal oriented & relevant • Be active (5-‐20 tweets per day?) • Embrace “givers gain” (1 self-‐ serving tweet for every 9 about others or content in the field?)
~ Erik Deckers & Kyle Lacy Branding Yourself
“When it comes to Twitter, you’re expected to share others’ content MORE than your own. When you share their content, they’re more
likely to share yours in return.”
Image retrieved from Amazon 10/11/11
FOR EXAMPLE
Twitter etiquette
My tweet re-‐tweeted
Returned by me
Which brings us to this important point …
“Tens of millions of links are shared daily on Twitter …
with 100M active users sending 230M tweets per day, Twitter is
driving a good amount of sharing activity.”
~ L. Rao, Techcrunch, 09/13/11
In other words…
…Twitter’s linking & sharing culture is a powerful asset for igniting change.
“MESSENGERS MATTER”
Twitter culture is populated by: •mavens
(databanks) •connectors (social glue)
•salesmen (skilled persuaders)
… on steroids! Image retrieved from Amazon 10/11/11
Final point re: Twitter’s broadcasting power.
You have more power over your messaging & press.
to tell your story.
You don’t need to rely so much on these guys …
You can tell it yourself with accuracy & passion!
Why
LEARN Act?
How can Twitter help build PLNs & ignite community action?
How does Twitter promote collaboration?
First, what is a …?
PLN
~ Wikipedia 9/13/11
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORKS
“Have become prevalent in education … rapidly being adopted as centers for dissemination of field related information.”
~ Wikipedia 9/13/11
“Learners create connections & develop networks that contribute to their professional development.”
KEY CONCEPT LEARNER CENTERED
PLNS: Probably will play important role in 21st Century
professional learning.
Most of us probably agree: PLNs can be powerful …
even “necessary, but NOT sufficient.”
BUT IMAGINE THE
• LEARN Act • Knowledge & Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading
PAIRING PLNS WITH:
PLNs always existed formally/informally.
Twitter expands PLN power & reach.
Twitter also has the power to ignite social
action for good …
…and for bad! (UK RIOTS)
of Twitter’s power to ignite closer to home:
EXAMPLE
SOS
Teacher backlash! “ Teacher spring ”
Fueled by social media -‐-‐ especially Twitter!
SOS
March in DC July 2o11
Whether you agree/disagree with SOS movement,
it demonstrates Twitter’s potential for propelling
social action & change.
Powerful collaboration/social-‐action tool
How can Twitter help enrich/engage learning
& differentiate teaching?
to purpose of panel, but can’t resist
touching on topic for audience of
knowledgeable educators.
Tangential
Twitter: A pedagogical frontier.
There will be risk-‐taking & missteps.
Efficacy research will take years to intersect with social-‐media technology. If ever?
But the social-‐media train in
education left the station long ago!
We are on uncharted
waters. Educators
knowledgeable about evidence-‐based-‐teaching
tenets need to get out
there!
WRAPPING UP:
WE LOOKED AT
SOCIAL MEDIA’S
WHY
ESPECIALLY… Twitter
SOCIAL MEDIA WILL NOT
… OR EVEN EDUCATION
AND, THERE ARE DOWNSIDES!
“Twitter is the most powerful enchantment
tool I’ve used in my career.”
~ Guy Kawasaki Former chief evangelist of Apple
Author, Enchantment
That said …
Image retrieved from Amazon 10/11/11
ENCHANTMENT Art of changing Hearts, Minds &
Actions ~ Guy Kawasaki
Maybe we need a little more enchantment.
“Want to change the world? Change caterpillars into butterflies? …
~ Guy Kawasaki
… You need to convince people
to dream the same dream that you do.”
A powerful enchantment
tool …
…especially if your goal
is to help students at risk for
literacy failure.
To Recap:
Twitter is a tool …
… for sparking
change …
(transforming hearts, minds, & action)
and …
… for enchanting
GRASSROOTS SUPPORT
for building …
Twitter requires
learning a few tricks,
but it is NOT
rocket science.
Twitter is low-‐hanging fruit.
There’s one more
reason to get on Twitter:
#dyslexia Crick
ets
Crickets
Mostly, the experts are absent …
Crickets Mostly, the experts are absent …
#dyslexia
Crickets
Crickets
Crickets
…leaving the stage to these
guys! Got
dyslexia? Hey,
I’ve got a cure!
DYSLEXIA CURE
GOAL Inspire & empower YOU to leverage social media to advance your cause & enhance your work.
Power Twitter
We focused on:
Now it’s YOUR turn to ACT!
If you haven’t already done so, start an account.
twitter.com
It’s Free!
If you’re on Twitter but not active,
try exploring a bit more &
check out Mashable’s
Twitter Guidebook.
Follow 15 new people
Try a tweet a day
mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/
HOW
REMEMBER: Twitter HOW-‐TO Tutorial @ http://www.slideshare.net/
carolyndcowen
Finally
If I inspired & empowered YOU I hope you will remember to do me a FAVOR …
… as you become more comfortable with Twitter,
remember …
(even if YOU are not a digital native)
PAY IT FORWARD!
to encourage & support colleagues learning social-‐media skills.
Come find me on Twitter: cdcowen
SPECIAL THANKS
CREDIT/DISCLAIMER Images licensed from iStockphoto.com
(unless otherwise stated). Content is used for illustrative purposes only; any person depicted in this content is a model. Power
to Act cover art from Cinthia Haan. DYSLEXIA DIABLOGUE
COMMUNICATION BY DESIGN
Cinthia Haan, Gordon Sherman, Steve Wilkins, and John Wilpers
OTHER SMALL-‐SCREEN/ONLINE PRESENTATIONS
For other dyslexia-‐related presentations: www.slideshare.net/carolyndcowen
Stimulating dialogue and forward thinking where dyslexia and new media intersect. (Follow on Twitter for launch— see below.)
COMMUNICATION BY DESIGN Power the Mission with the Message
[email protected] http://twitter.com/#!/cdcowen