Top 5 Hashtags for Early Educators Interested in #Tech

Recently, we were talking about the value of online book clubs and online communities of practice as sources of professional development. Another great resource for early childhood educators who are looking for individualized support, that’s available at your convenience, 24/7 is Twitter. This microblogging platform allows educators to connect, share, and discuss ideas, concerns, and questions in short, 140 character messages.

You might have heard that Twitter is only for celebrities or people who are interested in telling the world what they’re doing every moment of the day but we’re here to tell you that Twitter is much more than that! It’s a social network that’s perfect for educators because first, it’s free and second, it provides a virtual space for educators around the world to easily engage in pedagogical discussions that aren’t always possible in the isolation of a school. To help you get started, we wanted to discuss five of our favorite hashtags for early educators interested in educational technologies:

• #ECETech(Chat) – This hashtag (#ecetech) and the related chat (#ecetechchat is every Wednesday at 9pm EDT) is for early childhood educators who are interested in learning more about technology integration and ways to use it in developmentally appropriate ways in the classroom. Join the chat to discuss new topics (e.g., tech tools for math education, the digital divide) each week!

• #EdTech – The #edtech hashtag is very popular and used by professionals across the field of education to share new tech tools, troubleshoot technical issues with implementing technologies in the classroom, and discuss issues relating to using technology in education.

• #iPadEd/#EdApps – These two hashtags are for educators who are interested in learning more about how to use iPads in education and what apps are appropriate to use on them. Follow these hashtags to learn about new approaches to iPad integration, 1:1 tablet programs, and educational apps.

• #mlearning – Similar to #ipaded, this hashtag focuses on tablets and any other devices that allow for mobile learning. It’s a great way to find out how teachers are using different devices in the classroom, what suggestions they have for integrating students own devices (e.g., BYOD: bring your own device), and additional educational app suggestions.

• #Web20 – If you’re looking for new web 2.0 tools or suggestions on how to use them to enhance learning and facilitate collaboration, then this hashtag is for you! Use it when you want to share a new tool or try one in your classroom and get advice from other educators who are using it as well.

You can find a more extensive list of hashtags we often use when tweeting about technology in our Google Spreadsheet. If you have other favorite hashtags or suggestions, let us know in the comments below! If you’re looking for more general hashtags and Twitter chats to follow, check out the library of educational hashtags @cybraryman1 has compiled.