Remember the early days of Twitter? Back when it was less about viral trends and more about connecting with like-minded individuals? When you could actually build a thriving Professional Learning Network (PLN) and engage in meaningful conversations with fellow educators? Bluesky Social brings that feeling back. At its core, Bluesky encourages sharing ideas and resources in bite-sized posts, perfect for busy teachers. Enhance your posts with the ability to create threads within a post, unlocking a whole new level of collaborative potential.
Creating a Post on BlueSky
Bluesky, where brevity reigns supreme. Each post has a 300 character limit, encouraging you to share your thoughts and ideas in a clear, concise manner. Want to share a link to an interesting article, a reflection on your classroom practice, or a quick shout-out to a fellow educator? Simply compose your message and hit “post”!
Tip: Press N to start a new post.
Use the #EduSky Hashtag
To maximize your reach and connect with other educators, don’t forget to use the #EduSky hashtag. Hashtags are a topic. They allow people who may not follow you to engage around the topic of education.
Click on a hashtag in a post to see the top comments on the post, or click over to view the most recents posts on the topic.
Have More to Say?
Like Twitter, Bluesky is a microblogging site and your posts are restricted to 300 characters. This is a blessing and a curse. Reading through the #EduSky feed you quickly pick up tips and encouraging messages. However, sometimes you want to know more about the topic.
Create a Thread on Bluesky
When you bump up to the 300 character limit but you have more things to say, create a thread! Click the plus icon in the post to continue to share information in your post.
Do not feel limited to 300 characters. Threads allow you unlimited characters in Bluesky.
Check out my pinned post on Bluesky. It is a thread of different Bluesky tips to help you get started quickly in Bluesky. The thread allowed me to provide a lot of tips, with images, that I could not have fit into a single post. It also allows me to share one post, but provide more value than the one post link. The thread keeps the conversation together. Instead of posting tips into separate posts, a thread keeps them all together.
Avoid Spamming Your Feed and the Hashtag
Quickly posting a lot of posts on the same topic can crowd out the conversation for others using the hashtag. Consider it being like if you were in a group together and you just rapid fire kept saying things and not allowing someone else to get in a word edgewise. Create a single thread with multiple takes on the topic, you only have to include the hashtag once in the thread, and allow people who want to discuss your information more to reply to your thread. This also keeps the conversation with others together.
Crafting a Thread on Bluesky
Press “N” to Start a Post
Ready to share your latest classroom victory, a thought-provoking article, or a burning question for your PLN? Simply press “N” on your Bluesky interface to open a new post window.
Craft a Captivating Headline
Your first post is your headline. It’s what will hook your audience and entice them to delve deeper into your thread. Keep it concise, intriguing, and relevant to the topic you’re exploring.
Harness the Power of #EduSky
Connect with the vibrant community of educators on Bluesky by including the #EduSky hashtag in your initial post. This allows your thread to be discovered by other teachers passionate about professional growth and collaboration.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
Enhance your thread’s visual appeal by adding an eye-catching image or GIF.
Tip: You can DRAG images onto your post to add them.
Remember to include descriptive alt text for accessibility, ensuring that everyone can engage with your content. Notice the alt label on the image you uploaded allows you to easily add a description.
Open the Door to Interaction
There are many good reasons to restrict your posts to people you follow or who are on lists you’ve curated. Click the “Anybody can interact” label in the post to adjust who can reply.
Use the Thread 🧵 Icon
Let people know you’re making a thread. Use the thread icon 🧵 to let people know you’re adding more to the post.
Continue the Comment Thread
Ready to expand on your initial thought? Click the plus icon to add another post to your thread. Each subsequent post should build upon the previous one, creating a cohesive and engaging narrative. Share supporting details, pose questions, or offer contrasting perspectives to stimulate discussion. You only need to include the hashtag on one of the post threads.
Add More to the Thread
You are not limited to one additional post in the thread. Share a thought, hit the plus sign, share another thought on the topic and hit the plus sign as many times as you need.
Share Your Post
Once you’re satisfied with your thread, hit “post” and watch the conversation unfold. Readers Engage with replies, answer questions, and foster a sense of community within your PLN.
Expand the Post
After you have posted the full thread can be viewed by clicking on the initial post to expand out all the connected posts.
More Options for the Post
After you have posted the thread you can adjust the options for the post. Click on the 3 dots in the published post for more options. This allows you to “Edit interaction settings” and “Copy link to post.”
Why Bluesky Threads Support Teachers
Threads offer a unique opportunity to elevate your professional learning experience on Bluesky. Here’s why:
- Deeper Dives: Go beyond surface-level sharing and delve into nuanced topics with your network. Explore different perspectives, dissect research findings, and collaboratively problem-solve with colleagues.
- Resource Richness: Share a collection of curated resources in a structured, easy-to-navigate format. Think thematic unit plans, recommended reading lists, or a series of helpful websites, all neatly organized within a single thread.
- Spark Collaboration: Use threads to brainstorm ideas, co-create lesson plans, or provide feedback on each other’s work. This collaborative approach fosters a sense of shared learning and collective growth within your PLN.
- Showcase Student Work: Celebrate student successes by sharing examples of their work in a thread. Include student reflections, teacher commentary, and invite your PLN to offer feedback and encouragement.
- Reflect on Your Practice: Use threads to document your teaching journey, share classroom experiences, and reflect on your professional growth. Invite your PLN to offer support, encouragement, and alternative perspectives.
