We asked Ian Wilson, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education at York St John University, what the Blue Twitter badge means to him. Here is what he said:

“Do you remember your first day at university, college or even school? That feeling of walking into the classroom for the first time not knowing anyone or anything, searching around for someone who you remember from interview or vaguely recognise? Starting a new job can rekindle those similar feelings and before long many of us will venture onto the vastness of the internet to search for ideas, colleagues and information to support us in our professional development.

The internet is often perceived as a sterile inhuman place, inhabited by binary code, white space and images. But behind each of those pages there exists a person, a real person, entering in data and thoughts which are being shared with the world. Often we are searching for a sign, a lighthouse signal that we recognise or identify with.

The LTHEchat blue bird icon, for me, is this lighthouse signal for people searching the internet, looking for a community to join and become part of. Whether they recognise the terminology on the symbol or even if they are just curious about the icon, they will hopefully click on the bird and be introduced to the LTHEchat community.

I have participated within the LTHEchats for some time now, and know that the community, which is behind the blue bird, is both supportive and welcoming. It is a community where people from a range of jobs and experiences come together to share and discuss ideas, collaborating and communicating with each other. Everyone is welcome. I know this and I want others to be aware of our existence and to join us. Why? Because I value being part of the community and recognise its strengths and so, I advertise the badge on my site. Arthur Ashe, American Tennis Player, once said – “Start where you are, use what you have and do what you can.”

For me, the badge is a starting point and I am doing what I can, with what I have, to share this with the internet and to encourage people to join the LTHEchat community.”

Visit Ian’s site by clicking here and follow him on Twitter at @iwilsonysj