#TwitterExploration

I have had some experience with Twitter and I can say that that experience has made me hesitant using the technology. My two experiences were both educational and caused me to either close my account or write a physical statement of what happened.
In the first instance, I tried something that I saw at a conference and tried what was stated in our conversation about Twitter called back-conversation. Let me just start out by saying, when you teach middle school students, their mindset is completely different online. Somehow inappropriate links became attached to the site and I had to shut the site down...I didn't know at the time how to control personal settings and instead of having my job on the line, I just closed the account immediately. I have to say, this also made me see my students in a whole new light as they tagged items from Twitter and Instagram. Basically, their digital footprint made me see them in a new light.
The second instance, was for a student organization that I am a board member for. We had the account hacked and with it being a student organization and advisors, parents and students having access to it, it did not look good. We were not able to shut down the Twitter account   because a previous board member had access to it and we were unable to get ahold of that person. We had to beg and plead and go back and forth with Twitter and finally able take down the site.
So from these two experiences and of course Lifetime movie network, I have been hesitant in tweeting. However, I can say that after going to National competitions with my students I had met many people who gave me their Twitter handle and had access to many different resources. I loved having access to this one teacher out of Ohio who posted different Photoshop techniques weekly. I have found after creating my account, I searched some of the reviewed handles and found some great links that I am now following. This is one of the benefits of Twitter..you are connected to some amazing resources, we just have to be weary of the consequences if not monitored.