Identifying learning to arise from use of the Twitter platform, this paper provides detail relating to an examination of the use of that platform by 1000 schools located in New Zealand. Physically located almost 12,000 miles from the researcher's United Kingdom work base, the examination serves to both emphasise the contribution which social media makes to the removal of geographical boundaries and to highlight the associated risks and impact arising.

Two points of learning are outlined; that relating to the generation and maintenance of the school's e-profile and the impact of that institution having a Twitter use strategy. Specifically, the study identifies that despite there being many schools based in New Zealand which have engaged with the Twitter platform, that platform has not been the subject of consistent focus and schools are at risk of a negative online profile being generated. Numerous factors are seen to have influenced the presence of a Twitter platform use strategy and significant amongst these is enforced engagement as a consequence of the efforts the Twitter community has chosen to make with regard to school Twitter platform-related inaction. An overarching factor is the acknowledgement that perceptions of appropriate use and behaviour are heavily influenced by what is deemed acceptable in contemporary operational practice and, with that judgement being time specific, an ongoing challenge is presented which can prove to be a distraction from other elements of the school leadership and management role.