Twitter chat Reflection 1

This was my first experience with a twitter chat. I don't use twitter usually, other than to see Neil Gaiman's or Amanda Palmer's infrequent tweets, sometimes DeGrasse too. It was an interesting experience for someone that does not text very fast. I was not able to tweet via computer so I had to use my phone. After the first question, I began to experience anxiety. How do I tweet my answers quickly? How do I think that fast? (The questions were far more thought provoking than I anticipated.) How do I synthesize other people's answers and comment on that? It took several minutes for me to reconcile these feelings before I could begin to catch up and actually participate.

The tweet chat I joined was for edtechbridge and on April 12th they were discussing Digital Divide and Edequity. I didn't really have much to say on Question 1 as I was just joining and was trying to figure how to tweet from my phone (I'm only a Luddite when it comes to twitter, really...) , Q1: What are the big questions in equity in edtech right now?
I started to think about it and then answers started to scroll madly along my screen. I saw people designated their answers by A1, so, I chimed in with: A1. How do we sustain or support access to tech outside school hours? I eventually got a reply: Great question. Once kids go home teachers aren't in charge.
Then question 2 fired off:
Q2. Why can't tech alone create the essential forms of change needed to prepare kids for the rapidly changing future?

I answered with: A2. Tech does not replace relationships or address the lack of tech savvy for teachers.
Other answers:
A2: Although tech is incredibly valuable, we must never downplay the importance of 1:1 real-time, face-to-face communication

A2: Teachers are critical to the process.

EdTechBridge added,

Replying to @EdTechBridge

A2: There's no use to #edtech without a T. The point is to teach Ss how to utilize it to succeed. #EdtechBridge

It became almost like a dialogue...in a crowded bar...with twenty people all talking at once...but all were able to mostly hear you. It was a very strange experience...


Q3. What professional development and tech do teachers need to level the playing field for their students?

This prompted a short firing of answers ranging from Game based learning, hands on PD, exploratory PD... with the words "meaningful, equity in access, engaging, fun" mentioned by several participants.

Then a question from earlier crept up again by question 5, asking how school boards could ensure that every student has equitable access to the highest quality tech experiences. I had asked earlier  A1. How do we sustain or support access to tech outside school hours? Someone retweeted my question, then I answered "Wouldn't it be helpful if tech co's could workout ways for Ss w/o tech access to be able to access tech out of school?" Then I answered both with "Tech centers like neighborhood rec centers?" To which the EdTechBridge responded: This is an excellent idea! Hacking the lack of tech access.


We got through question 8 with no answers for question 8. Afterwards, I was pumped and exhausted. My phone died five minutes later. What a ride.