1. Kayla Napier
CI 350
Harold Blanco
December 1, 2013
Twitter Assignment
Throughout this experience, I have been able to follow some very influential individuals who
have tremendous insight into technology-based education. Such educators would include: Harold
Blanco, George Couros, Aviva Dunsiger, Gwyneth Jones, and Stephanie Madlinger.By following these
educators on Twitter, I have been able to learn of several effective strategies that can be utilized in the
21st Century classroom.
@CI350class:
The first individual that I chose to follow on Twitter is Harold @CI350class. During the
Thanksgiving break he posted several interesting links focused on one main theme--- to introduce a
variety of digital tools and teaching strategies that can be utilized within today’s technology-based
learning environment. Such tools/strategies would include: social networking sites, storytelling
applications, and Web 3.0 tools(such as the use of Second Life in education). Harold also posted links
that identify the need for project-based learning strategies as well as the incorporation of foreign
languages into the 21st Century curriculum.Overall, there were two specific posts that I found to be very
interesting. One such tweet addresses the need to flip the traditional classroom to one that is more
student-centered and technology-based. Within a flipped classroom, the teachers can upload
instructional video clips that are to be watched prior to class. This essentially provides more time to
complete group projects and larger assignments within the actual classroom. Overall, I believe that this
setup could potentially promote student autonomy and academic achievement,while providing more
time for hands-on activities.In addition, Harold posted a link introducing a couple ofdigital storytelling
applications that students can use in the classroom. My favorite storytelling tool is Google Earth Tour
Builder, which allows students to create narratives using Google maps, video clips, images, and text.
After selecting a location, tour builder zooms in to that area on the map, and this image can then be

2. used within the digital story. By enhancing student technology skills, our learners will become much
more prepared to thrive within today’s globalized economy.As can be seen, I believe that Harold’s
tweets were packed with interesting and relevant information that address various teaching strategies
and technology-based tools that I hope to incorporate into my own classroom.
George Couros:
Another individual that I have been following on Twitter is George Couros, the Division Principal
of Innovative Teaching and Learningfor Parkland School Division. Although Couros occasionally tweeted
about his favorite sports team or television episodes, the main theme of this tweets focused on the
educator’s role within today’s technology-based world. For example, many of his posts address the
importance of strong leadership in schools, implementation of technology into education, connectivity
between teachers, and collaboration between students by utilizing social media and
technology.Ultimately, Couros believes that it is important to “make learning viral,” asserting that
educators, students, and individuals within the community should have an “empowering voice” in 21st

3. Centuryeducation. Thus, George Couros challenges schools around the world to share their knowledge
and strategies with others by interconnecting through social media and other Web 2.0 tools
(emphasizing the role of Twitter in education).As can be seen, George Couros emphasizes the need for
educators to “stay connected.”Thus, he encourages teachers to ask each other questions or share
material through Facebook, Twitter, Google Drive, and email. Such digital media makes it possible for
educators to find solutions to various issues or to simply share innovative ideas. In my opinion, such
connectivity between schools and individuals of various backgrounds and communities will function to
encourage collaboration and the expansion of knowledge for both teachers and learners. By following
George Couros on Twitter, I have learned of the importance of global connectivity within the classroom.
His tweets have provided numerous technology-based strategies thatpromote collaboration among
teachersas well as students (such as Twitter and Facebook). Such strategies can be utilized in the
classroom to encourage cooperative learning with other individuals. Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed
following George Couros and reading his tweets which contain helpful hints and words of advice in
regard to 21st Century education.
Aviva Dunsiger:
I have also been following Aviva Dunsiger, a fifth grade elementary school teacher. Mrs.
Dunsiger’s tweets emphasize the need to incorporate multiple teaching strategies thataddress the many
different learning styles of students. Her posts provide information regarding inquiry education,
feedback, hands-on teaching strategies, art integration, and the role of technology in the

4. classroom.Overall, Mrs.Dunsiger’s primary goal is to keep her students actively involved in the learning
process. Thus she uses an instructional method based on student inquiry and exploration. This strategy
encourages students to ask questions that they themselves must answer after conducting various
experiments, observations, and research; thus placing students more in control of their own learning.
Such a student-centered environment encourages hands-on participation and learning within
cooperative groups. Furthermore, Mrs. Dunsiger encourages the use of technology within the
classroom. For instance, she incorporates student blogs and digital storytelling to promote selfexpression throughout the learning process. She also utilizes a website known as Radio for Learning (105
the Hive) which enables students to audio-record projects and speeches. Such technology motivates
students and allows them to become more comfortable in expressing their ideas or opinions. I believe
that these experiences help to make education more relevant to students by incorporating a variety of
digital tools into the 21st Century curriculum.By following Mrs. Dunsiger on Twitter, I have learned
several great teaching strategies that I hope to incorporate into my own curriculum, such as inquirybased education that encourages student exploration and involvement.

5. The Daring Librarian (Gwyneth Jones):
I have also been following Gwyneth Jones (the Daring Librarian), who is one of the ISTE Board of
Directors and an international speaker/blogger from Washington, D.C. By far, she has been the most
unconventional educator that I have followed on Twitter, tweeting about such topics as:her favorite
television episodes, types of makeup, various snap-chat apps, photo and animation tools, music clips,
and a variety of educational articles regarding the implementation of technology into the classroom,
which seemed to be her predominant theme. One digital tool that she suggests is a website called
Flocabulary. Flocabulary produces educational rap/hip-hop music for practically any subject and can
therefore be used as an instructional resource. This website allows students to listen to educational
lyrics that can be used as study material. I believe that this is a great strategy that I can incorporate into
my future classroom to provide differentiated instruction for my audio learners. Another useful
educational tool that the Daring Librarian tweets about is the At-a-Glance Tech Tutorial. These creative
comics give teachers needed technological advice, while encouraging the implementation of digital tools
into the classroom. For example, one of her tech tutorials describes how to create animations and

6. characters for a particular lesson. A few of the tools she suggests for such a project would include:
Glogster, Comic Creator, and GoAnimate. These websites allow students to create graphics, videos, and
animated stories; thereby encouraging students to use their creativity and imagination to enhance their
educational experience.Although I did not appreciate the numerous tweets of trivial information that
the Daring Librarian constantly posted, I have found many of the technological applications that she has
suggested to be very useful within the classroom. Thus I plan to use many of these ideas for future
projects in my own curriculum. Such assignments could include: utilizing lyrics from Flocabulary or
creating educational comics/animations to encourage student involvement throughout the learning
process.
(The following image is an example of her At a Glance Tech Tutorial.)

7. Stephany Madlinger:
The last educator that I had the opportunity to follow on Twitter is Stephany Madlinger. She is a
mother of four, a former elementary school teacher, and currently the Director of Teaching and
Learning in St. Louis, Missouri. Mrs. Madlinger posts many meaningful quotes as well as interesting
articles regarding character education, leadership, technology implementation, and various teacher
resources. Overall, her primary goal is to promote the utilization of digital media throughout the 21st
Century classroom in an attempt to make learning more relevant to students. Thus she believes that
individuals should be taught media literacy, which comprises essential skills for learning and
collaborating as “citizens of a digital world.” According to Mrs. Madlinger, media literacy involves
engaging the students with a variety of media tools and technologies, so that they will be able to
communicate and succeed within today’s digital community. Due to our ever-increasing digital
culture/environment, I agree with Mrs. Madlinger; in that, children should be taught the essentials of
media literacy within the classroom so that they will be “educated for success” and be able to
participate and collaborate with others in today’s globalized world. Not only does Mrs. Madlinger
encourage students to utilize technology in the classroom, but she also encourages educators to do so
as well. One of her suggested toolsis an application known as “Doctopus,” a Google spreadsheet that
can help teachers stay organized by allowing educators to manage and share their materials on Google
Drive. This digital tool allows teachers to share the class roster or other documents with students to
provide them with immediate feedback. Overall, I have found such advice to be very useful and

8. applicable to my future teaching career, and I hope to implement many of these digital tools in my own
curriculum.
Although I have gathered a lot of useful information throughout this assignment, I found this
project to be very time-consuming. In fact, it was at first difficult to collect all of this information,
because a few of the educators were not as faithful to their Twitter accounts as others. Despite these
initial difficulties, I was able to learn of several digital tools that I can incorporate within my future
classroom. Such technologies and strategies would include: the use of Flocabulary, social media, digital
comics, animations, as well as the use of inquiry-based educational methods. This would ultimately help
to create a learning environment that encourages student participation and involvement through the
implementation of technology.