Dive Brief:

• Growing numbers of teachers are turning to Twitter as a way to build connections with other education professionals and exchange ideas for classroom management and instruction.
• Some teachers say the tools offered by the social platform are better than the professional development offered through their schools, because it allows them to seek constant feedback and discover diverse approaches.
• But some experts and observers say it remains difficult to pinpoint Twitter's impact and usefulness in classrooms.

Dive Insight:

Part of the reason may be that Twitter can behave a bit like a waterhose of information, especially for the uninitiated. The original hashtag #edchat is so ubiquitous, it’s difficult to distinguish the tools and content that are actually most useful for teachers. But hashtags like #educolor, #APlitchat, and more offer subgroups for teachers to find the specific tips and tools they are looking for — as well as communities to discuss issues like race that are rarely addressed in schools otherwise.

"Teaching isn't that collaborative," Adam Welcome, the principal of Montair Elementary School, in Danville, CA, told Education Week. "Twitter opens up your classroom all the time, every day, all day."