How Twitter and Skype can be used for CPD, in teachers' own words.

1. Continuing professional development How can using tools like Twitter and Skype help you improve as a teacher? By Terry Freedman

4. opened up my world-my students have access to my network as well-not just for my PD.They benefit by links to global projects jennyluca

5. Twitter in particular is an incredibly effective networking tool if you handle it correctly digitalmaverick

6. Well it helps to keep me informed! There is a lot of chat - fine - some laughs - fine, but lots of useful leads as well. carolrainbow

7. Good morning Terry. I reckon Twitter helps you bounce quick ideas off colleagues in a way that would have previously annoyed andyfield

8. Good morning friends!Teaching is all about communication.All these web2.0 tools can help commun better,thus improve teaching joaoa

9. was never before possible; potentially improves their instructional methods & helps them see the need to remain a learner KarenJan

10. enhanced communication is the key... you can quote me too ;) josepicardo

11. In 140 characters or less? For the first time, teachers now have instant access to collective wisdom & PD beyond their CR KarenJan

12. students are unlikely to come prepd for a class esp if they are from high school/ ug, a topic tweet from the teachr can help. lan24hd

13. for classrooms skype gives kids the connection they need. 140 character conversations less meaningful jennyluca

14. it knocks down the walls of your classroom and it exposes your pupils' work to a global audience. josepicardo

15. Twitter provides global perspective on life and daily contact with people around the world: can lead by example and encourage markpentleton (cont) young people to think more widely than their own classroom / town / area... and it's so easy to demonstrate to kids!

16. Twitter=serendipitous CPD with leading-edge practitioners.Showcasing; Networking; Learning; Sharing; all easily, in 140 chars spookingdorf

17. re: better teacher: can build community of practice= shared ideas, tools, new tech, links (urls) what works, what doesn't ppalmer21

18. these help teachers connect with the ideas & practices of others in a quicker way than the past. rrmurry

19. Broadens my network of subject specialists. Directs me towards interesting and relevant blogs/sites. Provides support. daibarnes

20. Keeps me connected to live research through those I'm following. Instant sharing of new services & developments. daibarnes

21. twitter is a 24 hour staffroom skinnyboyevans twitter is a 24 hour staffroom twitter is a 24 hour staffroom twitter is a 24 hour staffroom twitter is a 24 hour staffroom

22. timely connections tombarrett

23. it makes you look beyond the four walls of your classroom to see there are others - an attitude we need to give our children skinnyboyevans

24. twitter can provide bitesized serendipitous custom-filtered inspiration and CPD that you can feel free to ignore johnjohnston

25. an easily accessible and knowleable support network to share, and gain ideas from. Not tied to one education system dannynic

26. opens the doors and windows of your classroom - to those who you want to look or speak in iusher

27. Twitter can help you find good resources and teaching suggestions that you can use later ... Inspiration. skambalu

28. Skype connects me easily, Twitter helps form network jennyluca

29. Contributors (1) http://www.boxoftricks.net José Picardo josepicardo http:// www.johnjohnston.name John Johnston johnjohnston http:// joaocarlosalves.eu Joao Alves joaoa http:// jennylu.wordpress.com / Jenny Luca jennyluca http://moodlea.blogspot.com Ian Usher iusher http:// digitalmavericks.blogspot.com / Drew Buddy digitalmaverick http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk Danny Nicholson dannynic Dai Barnes daibarnes Carol Rainbow carolrainbow http:// www.effectiveict.co.uk / Andy Field andyfield Blog Name Twitter name

30. Contributors (2) http://www.ictineducation.org Terry Freedman terryfreedman http://tbarrett.edublogs.org Tom Barrett tombarrett http://dale.ethink.org.uk Dale Jones spookingdorf http:// redbridgeprimaryit.blogspot.com / Anthony Evans skinnyboyevans http:// www.skambalu.edublogs.org Susan Kambalu skambalu http://professor- marvel.com /blog Rick Murry rrmurry http://www.myspace.com/ppalmer21 Porter Palmer ppalmer21 http://www.markpentleton.com Mark Pentelton markpentleton lan24hd http://www.teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com Karen Janowski KarenJan Blog Name Twitter name

31. The end! The article was published on 17 October 2008. There’s a random generator version of these comments here: http://www.classtools.net/my/fruit_machine44631.htm