Archive for August, 2009

Using Twitter in Education: Tweetclubs.net

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

I’ve just finished work on a new Twitter Application called TweetClubs.net.

It searches Twitter for particular words / hashtags being used in Twitter posts.

HOWEVER – Unlike the standard Twitter Search function, it then organises them so you can see at a glance who has been tweeting about a particular topic, how frequently, and view each person’s tweets with the click of a button. You can also choose to follow 50 of those people all at once.

How I plan to use it in the classroom: I am hoping to run a residential field trip to the Somme Battlefields next year. I plan to ask students to tweet comments about particular issues during the trip a specific hashtag (e.g. “#trip2010″) and then use TweetClubs to quickly read up on the thoughts of each individual student.

How I plan to use it for my own professional development:
(a) I have already set up a couple of TweetClubs which I hope will be useful in helping me to make contact with (and be educated by) fellow teachers who use Twitter:
Edchat Tweetclub | TeacherTuesday Tweetclub | Historyteacher Tweetclub | Edtech Tweetclub
(b) I envisage TweetClubs could be really useful for monitoring feedback at conferences such as BETT, SFE and so on.

If you have any ideas about how TweetClubs could be developed further, please let me know!

The Events of the English Civil War

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

An overview of the main events of the English Civil War is provided, and a discussion takes place as to whether the King should be put on trial. The lesson can be accompanied by the first part of a Prezi Presentation.

This resource can be found within this complete Key Stage 3 History Study Unit on the English Civil War.

King Charles I: Venn Diagram

Friday, August 21st, 2009

A thematic analysis of the problems leading up to the outbreak of the English Civil War.

This resource can be found within this complete Key Stage 3 History Study Unit on the English Civil War.

King Charles I: Timeline Analysis

Saturday, August 15th, 2009

A chronological analysis of the problems leading up to the outbreak of the English Civil War.

This resource can be found within this complete Key Stage 3 History Study Unit on the English Civil War.

History Teachers on Twitter

Friday, August 14th, 2009

I’ve just launched a new History Teachers on Twitter community to allow teachers to connect to each other using Twitter.

To join this community, send a tweet including the hashtag #historyteacher – e.g. “History Teachers – join me at the #historyteacher community at http://www.activehistory.co.uk/twitnet”.

If you wish to follow all the members of the community, just fill in a form and click a button!

Medieval Images of Hell – Video

Sunday, August 9th, 2009

A short video I put together for my Year 7 students as a “starter” to their studies of views of Hell in the Middle Ages.