The first virtual tour of the Science Teacher Journal Club got off to a good start on Twitter to discuss children 's attitudes toward the natural sciences. The second is on Tuesday evening at 19.30 clock

Good teachers are. In a recent survey conducted under the Interest and Recruitment in Science Project, quoted in the first year science students "Effective Teachers 'as ??the biggest influence in their decision to prove scientifically based courses.

Just like you better as a science teacher? Practice helps, as well as feedback from colleagues and students informed. Sadly, opportunities to study part-time commitment are few and far between, and time to meet teachers from other schools is becoming increasingly difficult.

Social media tools could create a way for the thousands of teachers who want to discuss new ideas and old problems, by giving them access to a wider audience than the typical teacher's room available.

To this end, a few weeks ago I attended the first Science Teacher Journal Club, organized by Alom Shaha and Alby Reid, two London-based teachers who have built a virtual network of science teachers and teacher education in the UK and beyond.

Traditional reading clubs include small groups of people come together to read and discuss books and papers, either for pleasure or for other academic reasons. The Science Teacher Journal Club involved nearly 70 people known to each other only through their Twitter name like @ @ AmandaChemist darkskyman and the exchange of tweets for one hour.

A challenge for teachers is how to access the latest research results. The medical profession has a similar problem with the head through the development of "translational research" tackled - to read condensing hard scientific work in digestible articles GPs. Involved I 'm designs with a similar project for teachers in non-formal sector.

Science Teacher for the Journal Club, I opted for a paper I thought would be interesting to science teachers: a study with colleagues, I am King 's College London and Stanford University co-author. Age 10 to 14-run project (Aspire), a five-year longitudinal study by Professor Louise Archer at King 's College: He talks about the scientific aspirations and career choice. The paper focuses on six discussion groups, groups with students, ages 10-11, were undertaken to explore their attitudes towards science and interest in science.

The paper was published last year in a leading scientific journal Science Education lessons, and has been widely quoted. The issue of the Journal Club Twitter was, however, whether it be useful to teachers who were not, in all truth, the primary target group.

How many people would tune into the discussion? If the meeting end-of-term hand wringing and researchers bashing degenerate?

After a first wave of discharges, took off the conversation. @ Teachingofsci the tone, "If i 'd deciphered language, I found it a useful way to look at my students, past and present. Certainly fits what I see." This was a good start and it was better if @ morphosaurus answered with "Hard to say how I teach KS5, but have noted, gender and cultural differences in attitudes" He added: "At the guilty in relation to" brilliant '\ boys and 'hard-working' Girl -. been ashamed to have that pointed out to me "

Another strand of discussion about a key aspect of the paper focuses, with @ DavidWaldock asked "are boys define their identity by not-girls, so if the girls work hard, they don 't?" The prompted @ morphosaurus to think "Could be - try one of my hardest working boys, it look so effortless" adding "probably doesn 't help that Bio-teacher all female, physics teacher of all male and chemistry of each \!" @ A_Weatherall offered a possible explanation. "In terms of identity: the teachers also identify themselves with their specialization (and cause a bias) in science classes"

@ DrRacheal shifted the discussion to the student 'views on teaching, says that they "could be heard complaining Yr8 that they" wasn' \ t talk. "@ DavidWaldock asked", as recently ' entertainment 'a school was expected? "

On the evidence of this discussion, the teachers have a lot of anecdotal evidence that supports our research. Their willingness to discuss difficult issues and challenges shares is encouraging. Their findings are in our future work, the effectiveness of strategies to combat the stereotypes held by many students studied aim to feed.

The 67 participants generated over 400 tweets in an hour. I couldn't keep up and ended up answering questions and clarifying my own previous tweets long after our hour was up.

So it was worth it? Absolutely. The response to the paper was enormously encouraging. Students 'aspirations and their attitudes to science are critical issues in science education. Give teachers half a chance, and they will happily teach their own school experiences and their personal experiences of being itself. There is a danger that the sheer weight of ideas generated will result in a fragmented discussion - a bit like trying to speak for all in a party at the same time - but the opportunity to work with interested teachers and encouraged to run by our research is a rare treat.

It's encouraging to know that our findings, from a limited number of focus groups, mirror the experiences of teachers across the country and overseas, and that we are working in an area that teachers see as important.

It also saw how good professional development. The people responded with ideas, shared thoughts and questions and hear what others had to say. And although it takes an hour of our evening, it was all free - no assistant teacher, short, no travel costs, and how an employee pointed out, "a refreshing, challenging change specifications decryption test".

Justin Dillon is Professor of Science and Environmental Education, King 's College London

The next meeting of Teaching Science Journal Club is at 7:30 on Tuesday and the discussion Beyond 2000 Report by Robin Millar and Jonathan Osborne edit