How We Used Twitter In The Library While Teaching Research Skills

In the most recent blog entry, I discussed some of the ways we support teachers in the library by helping them present research tools. Recently, I've been trying to work in social media whenever possible. Students are presently using social media to post selfies and brag about themselves. In recent months, I have discovered that these great social tools can be used for so much more. We should strive to model better ways to use social media in the classroom!

Two weeks ago, I was showing an 8th grade English class how to do basic research using Britannica School. I also taught a brief introduction to EasyBib. After I had taught a few sessions, I thought about bringing Twitter into the lesson. I decided to take one of the photos we had captured (we always take lots of photos of events in the library for evidence!) and send out a Tweet to share what we were doing. I sent the first Tweet about Britannica School and EasyBib after I got home from school that evening. I decided to mention them both in the Tweet just to see what might happen. I figured they were bound to have PR people monitoring Twitter. Here is the Tweet and photo that I sent.

The next morning, Britannica responded with this Tweet:

They later sent two more Tweets.

Then had inquired about what we were teaching!

EasyBib Tweeted us too!

I was able to share a response to Britannica about the specific things we had taught the students. I also shared this with all of the classes! I thought it was significant that while teaching new research skills, we were able to bring in a social media connection with two of the tools we were using. I later Tweeted out to Prezi (Since they were part of the same two day project for this 8th grade class). They responded by favoriting my Tweet.

I'm going to continue looking for new ways to add social media into our daily practices in the school library media center. This is a great way to get students thinking beyond selfies! I'll keep you all posted on what we do next.

Part 1 of this article is here (if you didn't click on the link at the top of the page).

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