![\"\"](\"http:\/\/illinoiseducationassociation.org\/media\/Twitter-Bird-Button1-300x200.png\" "\\"Twitter-Bird-Button\\"")
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Still looking for proof that the social networking site \u201ctwitter\u201d can benefit your classroom?<\/p>\n
Last week we told you how you could follow astronaut T.J. Creamer as he tweeted from space and even answered questions.<\/p>\n
This week, there’s more:<\/p>\n
How about an easy 7-step start-up guide for educators <\/a>on twitter?<\/p>\n Or, battling student apathy<\/a>?<\/p>\n Or, the 100 best blogs for tech-savvy teachers<\/a>?<\/p>\n These are just some\u00a0of many ways joining twitter can benefit you. Links to all of these stories popped up on IEA’s twitter feed just today. In addition to following an astronaut\u2019s journeys through space or professional tips, you can link with educators across the world who are teaching the same subjects as you, or your own coworkers, students, friends and family.<\/p>\n And, you can keep up with the latest news from the Illinois Education Association. You can find us at @ieanea.<\/p>\n Twitter is a FREE social networking site where you update what you\u2019re doing, post links to interesting articles, share pictures of a project or just keep in touch \u2013 all in 140 characters or less.<\/p>\n Just go to the top, right-hand social networking toolbar on the IEA website<\/a> and click on the \u201ct\u201d in the blue-green square. To sign up, you just put in your name, a screen name, a password and your e-mail address and you\u2019re ready to start. (Be sure to make ieanea the first thing you follow!)<\/p>\n You can also get twitter on your phone. Just go to the twitter website<\/a> or to your phone carrier\u2019s application store and search for \u201ctwitter\u201d to find the app that works best for you. Then you can get all your news on the go. Or, you can twitter through texting<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here are just a few ways you can use it:<\/p>\n –Get updates from IEA about important news and events (and with the legislative session that\u2019s ahead of us, this will be imperative).<\/p>\n –Follow other instructors who teach the same subjects as you and share ideas, experiences.<\/p>\n –Encourage students to communicate with each other, essentially creating virtual study groups.<\/p>\n –Remind students of their homework assignments.<\/p>\n –Tell your fellow bus drivers that school has been cancelled due to weather problems, or about an upcoming meeting.<\/p>\n –Follow your favorite news outlets and get breaking news updates from them.<\/p>\n –Do a search and you can follow your favorite movie stars and athletes, or even your favorite athletic teams or bands.<\/p>\n There are countless online tutorials for twitter.<\/p>\n –This video by Common Craft explains twitter in plain English<\/a>.<\/p>\n –This resource helps you find new and innovative ways to use twitter in education<\/a>.<\/p>\n