We got so many additions and updates to our 2011 list we thought it was time to bring you the most up-to-date list for 2012. So, without further ado, here’s the 2012 A-Z list of educational Twitter hashtags.

We went through all the comments on the 2011 version, wrote down all the Twitter and Facebook updates, and compiled this list over the course of several months. What follows is our best effort to bring you the biggest and baddest list of hashtags.

I’m sure we still missed some as new hashtags seemingly pop up every day. In any case, let us know what we missed in the comments or on our Facebook page!

First, some background to get you up to speed on what the heck a hashtag is. If you already know, then you can skip down a few paragraphs.

First, What’s A Hashtag?

Whether you’re a new or seasoned Twitter user, you likely come across confusing hashtags that probably look like a bunch of nonsense.

The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keyword or topic in a Tweet. Any Twitter user can categorize or follow topics with hashtags.Those hashtags (usually) mean something and are a great way to get a tweet to appear in search results or discussion monitoring.

For example, the popular #edchat hashtag is used by thousands of users every Tuesday. It makes it easy (sort of) for people to monitor what’s happening in the conversation rather than having to try and guess what topics you should search for. By having a conversation on Twitter using hashtags, you also make it easy for any other Twitter user to join in.

How To Hide Your Hashtag Chat From Followers

When having a Twitter #hashtag chat, if you want to avoid overwhelming your followers, start any tweet you want to “hide” with @HideChat or (one character shorter) @HideTag. (Do NOT follow @HideChat or @HideTag. They exist only to help you hide your Twitter chats.) NOTE: This also works when live-tweeting events or shows.

You don’t need to do this with all your chat tweets (though you could). But it’s a good idea to do it with most of them so as not to overwhelm folks. You could also use this for conversations with someone that you didn’t want others to notice in your timeline, although direct messages would work best for that.

Sources

That’s why it’s probably helpful for you to check out the following list of popular educational hashtags. They have been sourced from the comments in the 2011 post, curated by Cybraryman as well as by the Creative Education blog, tweetsmarter.com our personal usage list and hashtags.org.

The Most Popular Hashtags

• #edchat – Education, worldwide (lots of US teachers). A really useful hashtag if you are interested in tweeting with a wide range of educators worldwide.
• #schools – Massively wide ranging but used far less than #edchat or #ukedchat
• #teaching – This hashtag seems to largely be used for jobseeking, FYI
• #lrnchat – Learning chat
• #TT – Teacher Tuesday where educators suggest others to follow
• #kinderchat – hashtag for discussing kindergarten aged children
• #EdChatIE – The educational hashtag for Ireland for all three levels
• #ukedchat – UK Education
• #ClavEd – The educational hashtag for French Speakers – Wednesdays at 12h(EST) 13h(ATL) 18h(Paris)
• #GlobalEd – Education with a global dimension

Technology

• #edtech – a very wide range of tweets relating to the use of technology in education.
• #elearning – eLearning topics
• #mlearning – the use of mobile technologies in education, also #mobilelearning though this is less used
• #edapp – educational apps
• #gbl - games based learning
• #slide2learn – iDevices and learning
• #vitalcpd – effective use of technology in the classroom

Subject Specific

• #mathchat – mathematics
• #scichat – science
• #engchat – English
• #artsed – the arts in education
• #musedchat – music
• #eltchat – english language teacher
• #STEM – widely used for posts and resources in STEM education
• #SSChat – social studies chat
• #RETeacher – Religious Education
• #HistoryTeacher – History
• #GeographyTeacher – Geography
• #ASEChat – Association of science and education weekly chat Monday 8-9pm GMT
• #PhysicsEd – Physics

Specific Areas / Roles

• #pgce – this is a widely used hashtag and is a great way to share ideas and support
• #gtchat – for tweets related to gifted and talented education
• #esl – English as a second language, this seemed to have more relevant tweets than #EFL
• #Bullying – especially good for finding bullying resources or help and support if bullying is an issue though it is not confined to school bullying
• #cpchat – connected principals discussion
• #ntchat - new teachers, (#nqtchat seems to have lapsed)
• #spedchat – special educational needs. Live chat every Tuesday night at 8:30 EST for special education related topics
• #homeschool – everything related to home schooling, seems to be far more widely used than #hsc
• #playoutdoors – outdoor play and learning ideas
• #TLChat – is the hashtag for Teacher Librarians’ discussions/resources
• #ESDGC – Education for sustainability and global citizenship

The Full List of (Nearly) All Educational Hashtags

1. #1stchat
2. #2E
3. #2ekids
4. #2ndchat
5. #3rdchat
6. #4thchat
7. #5thchat
8. #6thchat
9. #ACT
10. #addcym
11. #addcym
12. #adhd
13. #admin
14. #afterschool
15. #ageduchat
16. #aimlang
17. #AltEd
18. #AltEdchat
19. #apbio
20. #apush
21. #archives
22. #arteacher
23. #arted
24. #artsed
25. #artsed
26. #ascd
27. #asechat
28. #aspergers
29. #assessment
30. #assistivetech
31. #atplc
32. #atrisk
33. #Autism
34. #bcpted (Britich Columbia Pre-service Teacher Education)
35. #beltfree
36. #bettercollege
37. #betterlearning
38. #bhm
39. #bilingual
40. #biology
41. #bizedu
42. #BlackEd
43. #blackhistory
44. #blackhistorymonth
45. #BlendedLearning
46. #blogchat
47. #books
48. #bullying
49. #careered
50. #cells4ed
51. #childcare
52. #children
53. #classroom_displays
54. #classroom_rules
55. #classroom20
56. #classrooms
57. #coachchat
58. #collaboration
59. #collegechat
60. #comments4kids
61. #communication
62. #connectedpd
63. #counselors
64. #cpchat
65. #cpchat (Connected Principals)
66. #cte
67. #CUAD (College Unions & Activities Discussion)
68. #curriculum
69. #cybersafety
70. #dadstalking
71. #dernsw
72. #dicasdeingles
73. #digcit
74. #directinstruction
75. #disted
76. #diversedu
77. #DUedchat
78. #dyslexia
79. #e-safety
80. #e20
81. #eadsunday
82. #earlyed
83. #ece
84. #ecetech
85. #ecosys
86. #ecosys (Change in Public Ed)
87. #ecse
88. #ed20
89. #edACT
90. #edaction
91. #edadmin
92. #edadmin
93. #edapp
94. #edapp
95. #edappadfree
96. #edbnchat
97. #edbuzz
98. #edchat
99. #edchat
100. #edchatIE
101. #edgap
102. #edleaders
103. #EdPolicy
104. #edreform
105. #EdRes
106. #edschools
107. #edsci
108. #edtech
109. #edtech
110. #edtech
111. #edtecharab
112. #edu
113. #edubk
114. #edublog
115. #educachat
116. #educachat
117. #educacion
118. #educared
119. #education
120. #educators
121. #educhat
122. #educon
123. #educon
124. #edugreen
125. #eduit
126. #edupd
127. #edutech
128. #EduThingsILike
129. #EduVC
130. #efl
131. #ela
132. #elearning
133. #elearning
134. #elemchat
135. #elemchat
136. #elementary
137. #ell
138. #ellchat
139. #ellchat
140. #elt
141. #ELTchat
142. #engchat
143. #engedu
144. #english
145. #english-teacher
146. #enrichingkids
147. #enviroed
148. #esl
149. #esol
150. #expandedlearning
151. #fb4ed
152. #FETC
153. #finnedchat
154. #flatclassroom
155. #flipclass
156. #followalibrarian
157. #followfriday
158. #foodtechteachers
159. #forteachers
160. #FYCchat (College Writing Profs)
161. #gbl
162. #gct
163. #geographyteacher
164. #gifted #grandparentlessons
165. #graphic_organizers
166. #great-teaching
167. #grtechedu
168. #gt
169. #gtaa
170. #gtadmin
171. #gtchat
172. #gtchat
173. #gted
174. #gtie
175. #gtie (Gifted & Talented in Ireland)
176. #GTvoice
177. #guidechat
178. #health
179. #healthed
180. #highered
181. #highschool
182. #hiphoped
183. #hiphoped
184. #history
185. #historyteacher
186. #homeschool
187. #homeschoolers
188. #homeschooling
189. #hs
190. #hsc
191. #hsc (Homeschool)
192. #i-can-teach-you
193. #i-teach
194. #infolit
195. #ingles
196. #inglesparavaler
197. #innochat (Innovation)
198. #inspiringed
199. #iowa1to1
200. #iPadChat
201. #ipm
202. #isedchat (Ind. Schools)
203. #iwb
204. #IWBusers
205. #jalt
206. #journalism
207. #journchat (Journalists)
208. #k12
209. #k12Live
210. #k12media
211. #K12Media
212. #k12online
213. #kedu
214. #kedu (Kindergarten)
215. #kids
216. #kindergarten
217. #langchat
218. #languagearts
219. #languages
220. #LD
221. #learn
222. #learning
223. #learningdispositions
224. #lessonplans
225. #librarians
226. #library
227. #linkedin
228. #litchat
229. #literacy
230. #littlekids
231. #liveclass
232. #lrnchat
233. #lrnchat (Learning)
234. #mashable
235. #math
236. #mathchat
237. #mathchat
238. #middleschool
239. #midleved
240. #midleved (Middle School)
241. #mlearning
242. #mobilelearning
243. #moodle
244. #motivationalmonday
245. #mpln
246. #multi-media
247. #musedchat
248. #musedchat
249. #museum
250. #musiced
251. #musicmonday
252. #musictech
253. #mustech
254. #naeyc
255. #NCLB
256. #ncss
257. #ncte
258. #newEdblogs
259. #newmedia
260. #ning
261. #nomoremyths
262. #nptech
263. #nswdec
264. #nswk6
265. #ntcamp
266. #ntchat
267. #ntchat (New Teacher)
268. #ntqchat
269. #nwp
270. #OLTips
271. #onecom (One Comment)
272. #onlinelearning
273. #opened
274. #openhs
275. #oxteach
276. #parentgirls
277. #parenting
278. #parents
279. #passiondriven
280. #PATeach
281. #PATeach (Pennsylvania Teachers)
282. #PCTParents
283. #pde
284. #PE
285. #pedagoo
286. #PedagooFriday
287. #pegeeks
288. #pgce
289. #physed
290. #pin
291. #playoutdoors
292. #PLE
293. #plnfit
294. #prek
295. #preknow
296. #preschool
297. #preservice
298. #primarysources
299. #profdev
300. #ptchat
301. #ptchat (Parent-Teacher)
302. #QRcodes
303. #qrinedu
304. #rbrc
305. #readers
306. #reading
307. #readwriteweb
308. #reteacher
309. #rethinkschool
310. #RttT
311. #ruraled
312. #SAchat
313. #SAChat (Student Affairs)
314. #sagrow
315. #SAT
316. #school
317. #schoolcounseling
318. #schooldistricts
319. #schoolprchat
320. #schools (Massively wide ranging but used far less than #edchat or #ukedchat)
321. #schools2life
322. #sciafterschool
323. #scichat
324. #scichat
325. #science
326. #sciencecenter
327. #secondary
328. #secondlife
329. #sgachat
330. #SIGMS
331. #slideshare
332. #slidetolearn
333. #slms
334. #slpeeps
335. #SLPsnQs
336. #smart
337. #smartboards
338. #smchat
339. #smchat (Social Media)
340. #smedu
341. #smmanners
342. #social-media
343. #socialstudies
344. #socmedfored
345. #spanishchat
346. #speakloudly
347. #specialneeds
348. #sped
349. #spedchat (Special Ed)
350. #speech
351. #sschat
352. #stdntchat
353. #STEM
354. #strugglingreaders
355. #students
356. #studentteacher
357. #studyfun
358. #summerlearning
359. #TCEA
360. #tck
361. #teach
362. #teach-me
363. #TeachChat
364. #teacher-librarian
365. #teacher-librarian
366. #teachers
367. #teachertraining
368. #teachertuesday
369. #teaching
370. #teachpreschool
371. #tech
372. #technology
373. #tefl
374. #temt
375. #tesol
376. #thinkingguides
377. #tichat
378. #titletalk
379. #titletalk (Librarians – Books)
380. #tlchat
381. #tlchat
382. #tools
383. #TSETC
384. #TT
385. #tt4t
386. #tweachers
387. #tweatre
388. #tweatre
389. #twitacad
390. #twitterstorians
391. #twittertips
392. #twituts
393. #twote
394. #ukedchat
395. #ukedchat
396. #urbaned
397. #visualthinking
398. #vitalcpd
399. #web20
400. #web20chat
401. #web20wednesday
402. #wirelessedtech
403. #WLteach
404. #writechat
405. #writegoal
406. #writers
407. #writing
408. #writingmod
409. #yalitchat

Using Twitter in the Classroom

So now you have 300+ hashtags at your disposal…now what? Put them to good use and start using Twitter in the Classroom!

There’s a Google Doc out there right now that’s quickly becoming a tremendous resource. 100 (and counting) people have joined @tombarrett and have been collaborating on it in order to build what is quite possibly one of the best presentations on using Twitter in the classroom I’ve ever seen.

The best part? The presentation lives on Google Docs and is constantly being updated by an array of people. You can edit it too! Just click here to add the presentation to your Google Docs and start adding your $0.02 (or more if you can spare it). I’ve embedded the presentation below so you can see for yourself some of these outstanding tips and tricks.

From geotagging tweets to creating a multimedia class newspaper, it’s all there. enjoy!

Why Hashtags Matter

In the world of education and social media, it doesn’t really matter how many followers you have on Twitter.

Before you jump down my throat, hear me out. There are a couple big reasons this is true:

Hashtags level the playing field. Educators on Twitter, especially #edchatters, don’t pay attention to a particular user’s number of Twitter followers during #edchat (Tuesday afternoon and evenings). For example, if someone says something noteworthy and it has the hashtag #edchat attached to it, it will appear in all the streams of people monitoring the conversation. Click here to learn more about why Twitter follower counts aren’t as important as you may think.

Who Uses Twitter and Why?