I can’t speak for anyone else but I went from being an occasional twitter user to a frequent user while attending an education conference last fall. I mostly follow fellow educators (& my fave authors) and the continual sharing of ideas, research links, tips & tricks, etc. From a world wide group of professionals is amazing.

I’ve also found I’m more active in my local community & with charitable organizations through exposure via twitter to locally based users. Things I didn’t know existed because they were not included on local news or in the paper until after the event was over.

Twitter has been used to raise funds and awareness for a number of causes. Twestival worldwide supported the charity ‘Water’. In Sept an additional Twestival will be held to support local charities in sponsoring communities. An offer from one user to make a donation to @kidsneedtoread ended in a small challenge that raised 800$ for the cause. #tweetsgiving & #tweetluck raised thousands to build and equip a school in Tanzania.

The real power (or lack) of twitter is in how each individual chooses to use it. Who they choose to follow. What they choose to write. Who they interact with & how often. Aside from the usual rants about spam, there’s no right or wrong way to use twitter. Nor can I say my chosen manner of use is any more valuable than anyone else’s.

I do think it’s a fabulous and powerful tool; one I enjoy using daily.

Do you tweet? Why or why not?

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