7 Twitter Users to Follow If You Are Interested in Education Technology

A great mix of individual experts and enthusiasts and education technology professionals to follow and stay informed with.

Guest post by Maria Rainier.

Though Twitter's contribution to the world of social media and progressive society was at one time a strongly argued point, there is no doubt today that the popular social media platform has become a valuable tool for various aspects of education. Sure, Twitter can be the perfect place to waste hours on mundane details about people's lives or worthless celebrity gossip. But, the microblogging platform also enables us to create and participate in meaningful conversations concerning education, technology, and society.

Twitter has played a growing role in technology within the classroom and in promoting education technology to the world. These Twitter users are worth following for anyone wishing to keep abreast of, or learn more about, the ever-evolving world of education technology.

Teach Paperless
Focused specifically on teaching, Teach Paperless delivers an open conversation about how the digital revolution can and has influenced the way in which we teach and learn. While this feed is largely focused on primary education, the technology discussed throughout each and every day on this Twitter affects all forms of learning at every level. Teach Paperless provides numerous useful tips for classroom teaching and works to involve its followers in the conversation as much as possible.

Inside Higher Ed
This Twitter page (though fairly impersonal) provides a wonderful snapshot of the latest trends and news concerning technology in higher education. Maintained by Steve Kolowich, the Inside Higher Ed Tech Twitter discusses things like MIT open courseware, Khan Academy, the Kindle Fire, and how these and many other technological innovations impact the world of education and academia. This feed supplies its readers with high quality content on important aspects of higher education and technology.

Audrey Watters
Writing about education technology, open education, and academia in modern society, Audrey Watters offers intelligent insights with a fresh and fun voice. Linking her tweets with her Hack Education blog, Watters uses this space to muse her thoughts on technology education and the direction of education in our increasingly more technological world. (As with most individuals’ Twitter activity, it is only natural that Ms. Watters also interacts on a more personal level here from time to time).

Wired Campus
As the Twitter feed for The Chronicle of Higher Education's technology blog, Wired Campus examines how technology influences the world of higher education. As one of the most active ed tech blogs/Twitters in the Twittersphere, this feed is a great one to follow to stay current with new technology waves being made in academia. While Wired Campus has a focus on higher ed, much of what they cover offers insights and technological information relevant to K-12.

Scott McLeod
Filled with regular inspiring “mind dumps”, links to new and interesting digital libraries, and a slew of useful online “bookmarks” to useful tools and discussions, Scott McLeod's Twitter provides a wonderful platform to enter the tech ed conversation. Scott McLeod runs the blog Dangerously Irrelevant, dedicated to discussing “technology, leadership, and the future of schools.” McLeod has a strong voice with tons of intelligent and thought provoking things to say about education, technology, and modern society.

eCampus News
Discussing college education and technology, the eCampus News Twitter provides information on how universities are incorporating technology into their programs to improve education. With links to articles about new gadgets and gizmos in the education world, discussions of all the latest news in higher ed, and serious explorations of important issues in academia, eCampus News is a goldmine for education technology enthusiasts.

Howard Rheingold
Howard Rheingold runs the online learning community site for Rheingold University, providing the public with live sessions and various forums on material covered within a traditional college classroom throughout a five week period. With experience as an online and classroom professor at the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University, Rheingold offers invaluable insight into technology education. This Twitter feed provides interesting quips into the world of higher education and revolutionary technologies.

Do you have any (other) Twitter users or Twitter tags that you like to follow to learn about and participate in the online dialogue about education and instructional technologies? Please comment and tell us about them.

Author Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

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