Last year I posted my top ten tweets for 2021 and I did the same in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016. It was interesting to see which tweets of mine were popular.
So looking back first… Continue reading “My top ten tweets of 2022”
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Last year I posted my top ten tweets for 2020 and I did the same in 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016. It was interesting to see which tweets of mine were popular.
So looking back first…
The top tweet back in 2016 was this one for #WednesdayWisdom
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. #WednesdayWisdom
— James Clay (@jamesclay) May 18, 2016
Whilst top tweet for 2017 was this one from the 2017 ALT Conference and it was my sketchnote of Bonnie Stewart’s keynote on openness.
My sketch note of the @bonstewart keynote here at #altc pic.twitter.com/1ZvARS9R7t
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 5, 2017
The top tweet back in 2018 was this one about the newly revamped WHSmith at Bristol Temple Meads complete with storage cage!
Ooh nicely spruced up new WHSmith at Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station. Compete with new flooring (no carpet), new signs, new shelving. Original storage cage in shop floor though. cc @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/fJg0EgO6f8
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 21, 2018
The most popular tweet of 2019 was this one about keeping the old Twitter.
…and we're back!
So you want to go back to old Twitter?
Click More
Click Settings and Privacy
Click About Twitter
Click Directory
Click Home pic.twitter.com/PGMF4WeTFB
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 25, 2019
Alas the hack didn’t last too long so we have to use the new Twitter.
In 2020, the most popular tweet was this one, with me reminiscing when WHSmith in Bristol went all Dexter.
Remembering that time when WHSmith in the centre of Bristol went all Dexter… @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/V1haxBhJVW
— James Clay (@jamesclay) August 27, 2020
Okay back to the last twelve months, here are my top ten ten tweets of 2021.
In tenth place was a tweet from my #JuneEdTechChallenge which asked us to tweet about the VLE in my life, I referred back to the VLE is Dead debate which had happened back in 2009.
#JuneEdTechChallenge
Day 1: The VLE in my life…Well it's dead isn't it…https://t.co/3AfZcMUKYW
Back in 2009 I thought the VLE would evolve into something at the heart of a student online experience.
Reality was everyone thought I said the VLE was dead…
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 17, 2021
At number nine was a mention about rebooting a podcast I do on my elearning stuff blog.
Planning to reboot the elearning stuff podcast in 2022. This will be a weekly podcast on learning, learning technologies, digital leadership, and probably some other stuff I am interested in like the intelligent campus. Will be looking for panellists and experts.
— James Clay (@jamesclay) December 7, 2021
At eight was a post to a link about low-bandwith online teaching.
Videoconferencing Alternatives: How Low-Bandwidth Teaching Will Save Us Allhttps://t.co/Bg32jKPax9 pic.twitter.com/RviAPvmiG7
— James Clay (@jamesclay) January 19, 2021
The seventh most popular tweet of mine was a repost of a tweet from a few years ago about the the internet of things and how coffee machines connected to the internet would…. well see below.
The internet of things pic.twitter.com/ramURQV0jg
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 29, 2021
In at number six was a post of mine about some blog posts I had written about online teaching and learning. It was pinned to my profile for most of the year which probably helped with its popularity.
I have been working on a series of blog posts about translating existing teaching practices into online models of delivery. I have been reflecting on how teaching staff can translate their existing practice into new models of delivery. pic.twitter.com/9cMKpNVyUy
— James Clay (@jamesclay) January 26, 2021
Fifth place was this tweet from me about how ill I had been in October with Covid-19.
Just in case you missed me…
The last two weeks have been awful. Despite being double vaccinated I caught COVID and have been very unwell as a result. It has included visits to hospital and an ambulance trip. Still a long way to recovery.
— James Clay (@jamesclay) October 18, 2021
I didn’t use the Twitter when I was ill, didn’t do very much at all.
The tweet at number four was a shoutout to Lawrie who is a star.
Shoutout to that @Lawrie who is a real star. Just needed to say that.
— James Clay (@jamesclay) October 23, 2021
The third most popular tweet of mine was reminding people that they could wear masks and didn’t need to be told to wear masks.
Remember. Please wear a mask. We don’t need to wait until Plan B we can do it right now.
— James Clay (@jamesclay) October 20, 2021
The tweet that came second was this one about the original Jisc Digital Leaders Programme.
Was this really four years ago today… I guess it was. #JiscDigLead cc @Lawrie @DonnaLanclos
Make sure you like this post… 😉 pic.twitter.com/ysR6Yyc113— James Clay (@jamesclay) May 9, 2021
My most popular tweet of 2021 was this replying to another post about empty shelves. It happens so often in my Sainsbury’s that they have had special shelf fillers printed so the shelves don’t look empty.
It happens so often in my Sainsbury’s that they have had special shelf fillers printed so the shelves don’t look empty. pic.twitter.com/Ji9vP8kSoI
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 17, 2021
This on the Twitter made me smile today.
The first Polish language dictionary (published 1746) included definitions such as:
"Horse: Everyone knows what a horse is."
— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) July 5, 2021
Last year I posted my top ten tweets for 2019 and I did the same in 2018, 2017 and 2016 which was interesting to see which tweets of mine were popular.
So the most popular tweet of 2019 was this one about keeping the old Twitter.
…and we're back!
So you want to go back to old Twitter?
Click More
Click Settings and Privacy
Click About Twitter
Click Directory
Click Home pic.twitter.com/PGMF4WeTFB
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 25, 2019
Alas the hack didn’t last too long so we have to use the new Twitter.
So in 2020, my tenth most popular tweet was this one, a response to one about signage in the libraries.
Don't know, not sure about signs not working.
We put this sign up in the library and we never had a problem with swimming in the library. pic.twitter.com/sIco12N3VT
— James Clay (@jamesclay) August 11, 2020
The photo was from an April Fool we did at the library in Gloucestershire College. What was interesting was that it didn’t work, no one noticed the new signs or paid them any attention,.
Though it should be said we never had a problem with swimming in the library again.
The ninth most popular tweet of mine was from an event I attended in February on trans national education and I posted a sketchnote.
My sketch note from this mornings talk. #tne2020 pic.twitter.com/fFynQSxbI3
— James Clay (@jamesclay) February 27, 2020
The tweet at number eight was about the lack of a door in Matt Hancock’s home office.
Since Matt Hancock was interviewed from his office, this has been bugging me. What I can never understand about his cupboard/office, where is the door? Does he climb into the office? A trapdoor underneath his chair? If the door is in front of him does he climb over his desk? How? pic.twitter.com/i7lZXgYdPE
— James Clay (@jamesclay) April 16, 2020
The seventh most popular tweet was a picture of Buckingham Palace!
Buckingham Palace looking good in the winter sun. pic.twitter.com/4rlzBvcBOY
— James Clay (@jamesclay) November 27, 2020
It was a response to an original New York Post tweet that has now been deleted. It talked about the UK Christmas covid-19 planning with a picture of Paris.
Number six, was a link to a story about how students realised they could game an assessment as it was been graded by an AI and not a person.
These students figured out their tests were graded by AI — and the easy way to cheat – The Verge https://t.co/caeLgVPQK0
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 3, 2020
Wasn’t cheating, it was just doing what was required to get top marks.
Fifth most popular tweet was about shopping centre clocks.
This is the clock in Lion Yard in Cambridge…. Who knows what the time is, look at the size of that bug! pic.twitter.com/QDHQ6B6gNH
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 22, 2020
Fourth most popular tweet was another tweet in response to that original New York Post tweet that has now been deleted. It talked about the UK Christmas covid-19 planning with a picture of Paris.
Nelson's Column and Marble Arch looking very festive. https://t.co/IbQBJZD68a
— James Clay (@jamesclay) November 27, 2020
Luckily someone managed to get a screengrab.
The third most popular tweet was about The Sovereign Centre shopping centre, which appears to be chasing the title of the UK’s Worst Shopping Centre…
Not sure if it is the worst…. it is bad! The Sovereign Centre in Weston-super-Mare. It has a food court with NO food outlets to buy food from! Loads of empty shops and plans to turn it into a health centre. pic.twitter.com/us5RAJwCIS
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 15, 2020
Back in January I misread a tweet from Stephen Fry and that was the most popular tweet at number two.
I need to get my eyes tested, I read that as cat’s milk…
— James Clay (@jamesclay) January 28, 2020
So my top tweet of 2020 was me reminiscing when WHSmith in Bristol went all Dexter.
Remembering that time when WHSmith in the centre of Bristol went all Dexter… @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/V1haxBhJVW
— James Clay (@jamesclay) August 27, 2020
Last year I posted my top ten tweets for 2018 and I did the same in 2017 and 2016 which was interesting to see which tweets of mine were popular.
The top tweet back in 2016 was this one for #WednesdayWisdom
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. #WednesdayWisdom
— James Clay (@jamesclay) May 18, 2016
Whilst top tweet for 2017 was this one from the 2017 ALT Conference and it was my sketchnote of Bonnie Stewart’s keynote on openness.
My sketch note of the @bonstewart keynote here at #altc pic.twitter.com/1ZvARS9R7t
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 5, 2017
The top tweet back in 2018 was this one about the newly revamped WHSmith at Bristol Temple Meads complete with storage cage!
Ooh nicely spruced up new WHSmith at Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station. Compete with new flooring (no carpet), new signs, new shelving. Original storage cage in shop floor though. cc @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/fJg0EgO6f8
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 21, 2018
So in 2019, my tenth most popular tweet was this one about my son appearing on BBC Points West whilst working at Bristol Temple Meads as a GWR Apprentice.
Always nice to see one of those outstanding @GWRHelp @GWRApprentices on the telly. #BBCPointsWest #prouddad @bbcpointswest pic.twitter.com/zUGlzdcvjI
— James Clay (@jamesclay) February 8, 2019
In ninth place was a nostalgic tweet about a steam train visiting Weston-super-Mare ten years ago in July.
On this day ten years ago that @60163_Tornado was in town (as in Weston-super-Mare) pulling the Torbay Express. pic.twitter.com/ZtWXhbOSlA
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 5, 2019
I did tweet a lot about the past this year, and will do less of it next year.
At number eight was a tweet about the phrase “digital detox” which gets bandied about a lot when people feel they need to take a break from services such as Twitter. If you feel you need to take a break, you probably do, but is it necessary to tell everyone about it?
I hate the phrase “digital detox” as it implies that digital is toxic by default. #DigiFest19 pic.twitter.com/XMamfblYLL
— James Clay (@jamesclay) March 13, 2019
Seventh was about about an incident at Oxford Circus. The tweet was picked up by some news outlets and my photo appeared on a news website.
Emergency Services at Oxford Circus Underground Station, including British Transport Police, London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. I counted at least 12 vehicles. #oxfordcircus pic.twitter.com/VpNbGXSQ35
— James Clay (@jamesclay) November 13, 2019
The sixth tweet was about WHSmith in Bristol being covered in plastic last February.
Sealing off parts of WHSmith in Bristol today. This isn't an image for @WHS_Carpet as this is refurbishment not normal day to day operations. Can you tell the difference? pic.twitter.com/elCjCEGXif
— James Clay (@jamesclay) February 23, 2019
I did find this reply amusing….
Is Dexter there?
— simon harper#FBPE (@sixteenhp) February 24, 2019
The reason was less worrying, it was because they were putting the Post Office into WHSmith.
The tweet at number five was one about great women in edtech from March for International Women’s Day.
Here are some great women in edtech that I look up to and follow on the Twitter.
@MarenDeepwell @sheilmcn @DonnaLanclos @LornaMCampbell @sarahjenndavies @bonstewart @audreywatters @KerryPinny @ambrouk @VivienRolfe @chrissinerantzi @suethomas @suebecks #InternationalWomensDay
— James Clay (@jamesclay) March 8, 2019
Fourth was another nostalgic tweet about the #140conf Twitter Conference I attended in 2009 and was on a panel session with some great people.
On this day ten years ago I was at the O2 in Greenwich for the #140conf organised by @jeffpulver I was on a panel session with @shirleyearley @daveowhite @digitalmaverick and @Dr_Black where we talked about education and the Twitter. pic.twitter.com/AkQyyvfgAs
— James Clay (@jamesclay) November 17, 2019
And now the top three, with the third tweet was an early morning tweet celebrating that GWR were now using old HSTs as commuter trains, so we had more seats and faster trains.
With the introduction of the new @GWRHelp IET trains we now have these wonderful HST 125 trains as our local commuter services around Bristol and North Somerset. Ace. pic.twitter.com/R2fjBrVavo
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 15, 2019
At number two was a tweet about the revamped WHSmith in Weston-super-Mare.
Ooh the outside of the WHSmith in Weston-super-Mare looking very nice. Re-opens on Monday, looking inside though, not much has changed they still have the same @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/Gy1UMc2WMx
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 9, 2019
So the most popular tweet of 2019 was this one about keeping the old Twitter.
…and we're back!
So you want to go back to old Twitter?
Click More
Click Settings and Privacy
Click About Twitter
Click Directory
Click Home pic.twitter.com/PGMF4WeTFB
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 25, 2019
So what does this tell us? Very little.
Last year I posted my top ten tweets for 2017 and I did the same in 2016 which were interesting to see which tweets of mine were popular.
The top tweet back in 2016 was this one for #WednesdayWisdom
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. #WednesdayWisdom
— James Clay (@jamesclay) May 18, 2016
Whilst top tweet for 2017 was this one from the 2017 ALT Conference and it was my sketchnote of Bonnie Stewart’s keynote on openness.
My sketch note of the @bonstewart keynote here at #altc pic.twitter.com/1ZvARS9R7t
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 5, 2017
My tenth most popular blog was a response to another tweet of mine which was responding to the question:
Men of Twitter, is there a woman that you look up to in your own field or in another one? Who is she and why does she inspire you?
Also @dresdeb @nicwhitton @liz_isabella @RosieJHJones @EdTechYogi @TrabiMechanic @angefitzpatrick @senorcthulhu I learn so much from these people and they inspire you to think differently about stuff. Just one, no there are many.
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 26, 2018
The ninth most popular tweet was a response to a Jeremy Vine about tweeting and cyclists. My point was that signs don’t work!
This should read
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 2, 2018
If every sign saying CYCLISTS DISMOUNT was replaced by one saying EAT DOUGHNUTS we would solve the obesity crisis https://t.co/gcMzVpJueM
The tweet at number eight was responding to the question:
Men of Twitter, is there a woman that you look up to in your own field or in another one? Who is she and why does she inspire you?
There are many great women in edtech that I look up to. follow @MarenDeepwell @sheilmcn @DonnaLanclos @LornaMCampbell @sarahjenndavies @bonstewart @audreywatters @KerryPinny @ambrouk @VivienRolfe @chrissinerantzi @suethomas @suebecks @Dr_Black @actualham @WarwickLanguage @jsecker
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 26, 2018
The seventh most popular tweet was my sketch note of Maren Deepwell’s keynote at the 2018 ALT Conference.
#altc my sketch note of the @MarenDeepwell keynote hare at the ALT Conference pic.twitter.com/Jahr4BWJuk
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 13, 2018
The tweet at number six was about Bristolian emoji.
https://twitter.com/jamesclay/status/1019686814536421377Fifth tweet was a reply to Andy Ihnatko with a composed image of Andy with Beyonce on the International Space Station.
Okay… Will this help? pic.twitter.com/rFaP0WropO
— James Clay (@jamesclay) January 30, 2018
No real idea why the tweet at number 4 was so popular, it was just a complaint about some issues I was having with Twitter back in April.
Still having @Twitter issues. Unable to access many pages on the web app, and tweets not loading on the iOS App. Tweetdeck working as is https://t.co/jnkaZ1wG4O which is why I can post this. Bizarre.
— James Clay (@jamesclay) April 17, 2018
The third tweet which saw The Range competing with WHSmith on shop floor tidiness.
Ah The Range trying to outdo WHSmith. cc @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/YaUjyEmIpn
— James Clay (@jamesclay) February 8, 2018
Second most popular tweet was about a carpet, a carper in a WHSmith in the Bristol area.
Some great looking @WHS_Carpet here from the [REDACTED] WHS store. All the carpet was like this. It really needed replacing. I felt dirty just walking on it. pic.twitter.com/wTZUY6kLIE
— James Clay (@jamesclay) August 21, 2018
My most popular tweet in 2017 was about the newly revamped WHSmith at Bristol Temple Meads complete with storage cage!
Ooh nicely spruced up new WHSmith at Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station. Compete with new flooring (no carpet), new signs, new shelving. Original storage cage in shop floor though. cc @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/fJg0EgO6f8
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 21, 2018
Last year I posted my top ten tweets for 2016 which was interesting to see which tweets of mine were popular. The top tweet back then was this one for #WednesdayWisdom
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. #WednesdayWisdom
— James Clay (@jamesclay) May 18, 2016
So here are my top ten tweets of 2017, ranked by the number of times it was seen on Twitter.
My tenth most popular tweet was about the difference between teaching and learning.
Teaching is not the same as learning. Everything can be taught online, not everything can be learnt online. Experience is part of learning.
— James Clay (@jamesclay) October 11, 2017
Though we knew this all along… the ninth most popular tweet was a link to the Nature article on the myth of the digital native.
The digital native is a myth. We all use technology in the same way regardless of age. Finally! HT @m1ke_ellis https://t.co/tdMqZ3RsX7
— James Clay (@jamesclay) July 31, 2017
In eighth was a tweet about my favourite child book, The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton.
#MyFavourite book as a child was The Enchanted Wood https://t.co/XblkMC4wkz anyone for pop biscuits or a google bun? #WorldBookDay @tes pic.twitter.com/2m2bnyzBK9
— James Clay (@jamesclay) March 2, 2017
The seventh most popular tweet was the photographs I took when the first passenger service GWR Inter-City Express Train arrived at Weston-super-Mare.
Arrival of the first GWR Inter City Express train at Weston super Mare. I am such an anorak. cc @GWRHelp pic.twitter.com/r272HXfAAd
— James Clay (@jamesclay) November 13, 2017
I attended ALT’s annual conference and made some sketch notes, the sixth most popular tweet was my sketch of the keynote by Peter Goodyear.
Here is my sketch note from the #altc keynote by @petergoodyear on Shaping Spaces pic.twitter.com/F2NEnO1LR6
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 7, 2017
Another tweet from that conference was the fifth most popular of the year and was a photograph of Josie Fraser receiving her Honorary Life Membership of ALT.
Huge congratulations to @josiefraser for being awarded Honorary Life Membership of ALT. #altc pic.twitter.com/3wZr47hiFf
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 6, 2017
Fourth position was one towards the end of the year and the only @ reply in the top ten. Amy Pearlman had asked for some best follows for women in IT, HE and Tech. Looking at her profile and seeing she was from Philadelphia in the US, and knowing lots of fantastic women in this space from the UK I added some in a reply.
I would follow @MarenDeepwell @sheilmcn @DonnaLanclos @LornaMCampbell @sarahjenndavies @bonstewart @audreywatters @KerryPinny @ambrouk @VivienRolfe @chrissinerantzi @suethomas @suebecks @Dr_Black @actualham @WarwickLanguage @jsecker @suewatling @dresdeb @nicwhitton @liz_isabella
— James Clay (@jamesclay) December 13, 2017
This response then went somewhat viral and lots of other people added their top follows, it got retweeted and liked a lot, so of course more people saw it and added more people to the list. It’s a fantastic list of some great women to follow on Twitter.
Third place goes to a temperate graph of the tube lines in London.
TfL has revealed the hottest Tube line in London during summer | London Evening Standard https://t.co/kYpV9EAb7c pic.twitter.com/yeXrG3AEhs
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 21, 2017
Last year a fair few photographs of WHSmith made the top ten, this year my second most popular tweet was about a cat in Boots
That WHSmith may have their carpets @WHS_Carpet but our local branch of Boots have a cat guarding their entrance. pic.twitter.com/RgWKO3R3Zs
— James Clay (@jamesclay) May 20, 2017
I did like this response to it.
— David Bonney (@isetta_windsor) May 20, 2017
So what was my top tweet for 2017, well it was another one from the ALT Conference and it was my sketchnote of Bonnie Stewart’s keynote on openness.
My sketch note of the @bonstewart keynote here at #altc pic.twitter.com/1ZvARS9R7t
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 5, 2017
My longer thought piece on this keynote can be found on my e-learning blog.
Overall an interesting and delightful year on the Twitter for me.
So here are my top ten tweets of 2016, ranked by the number of times it was seen on Twitter.
In 10th, 9th, 8th and 7th position are some random tweets of photographs taken in various branches of WHSmith.
Nothing I need more to break up a journey than a large furry hedgehog from WHSmith at the services. cc @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/dI1CQgmEmm
— James Clay (@jamesclay) August 1, 2016
Nice and tidy at WHSmith cc @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/1Clmz8aV4v
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 27, 2016
Packed shelves at WHSmith for a Saturday in WSM. cc @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/uRJv8IqnOb
— James Clay (@jamesclay) September 11, 2016
So much choice at WHSmith at Strensham services. Not a magazine in sight! cc @WHS_Carpet pic.twitter.com/99xtA5zpL9
— James Clay (@jamesclay) June 13, 2016
These tweets were re-tweeted by the amusing @WHS_Carpet Twitter account. If like me you grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, WHSMith was a real high street institution, which though surviving today still seems to have lost its way somewhat.
My 6th most popular tweet was an image comic strip of a Dara O’Briain routine on video games.
Video games do one thing that no other art form does…. #lilac16 pic.twitter.com/xLjDrsJvzg
— James Clay (@jamesclay) March 21, 2016
I was surprised by how popular the 5th tweet was, which was about some great images from JD Hancock on the Flickr.
I really like the JD Hancock images https://t.co/TqXVSfTOYV that @cbthomson has used. #JiscDigLead pic.twitter.com/vRaTpa97zw
— James Clay (@jamesclay) October 5, 2016
A reply to Google was number four.
Resistance is futile.
— James Clay (@jamesclay) December 14, 2016
I was disappointed that NERC did not name their boat BoatyMcBoatface, but I did like how they embraced the whole thing, as I said in my third most popular tweet.
I like how @NERCscience are embracing #BoatyMcBoatface still a great name and hope it wins. https://t.co/avWQUQl05T pic.twitter.com/r6ycDsS2jx
— James Clay (@jamesclay) March 20, 2016
A work tweet was number two…
Find out more on #digitalcapability site on the Jisc website https://t.co/VepW5uixbG #digifest16 pic.twitter.com/bPSYMafozz
— James Clay (@jamesclay) March 2, 2016
And my most popular tweet of 2016 was a silly comment for #WednesdayWisdom
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. #WednesdayWisdom
— James Clay (@jamesclay) May 18, 2016
Just a friendly reminder….
Happy New Year.
Via Veronica Belmont on the Twitter.
Get Back to the Future at iTunes, and get Back to the Future II (the one set in 2015) also from iTunes. Don’t forget the third film… Read my review.