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Students of all ages are using social media at home. Many teachers do as well. Yet students and teachers don’t often use these tools in the classroom. This Wiki-Guide will help educators learn more about using Facebook and other similar sites in their classroom.=====

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So why should educators use social media in their teaching? The [|Pew Research Center] found that 73 percent of teens use social networking and that many young people increasingly communicate using social media. An interesting off-shoot of this communication was the transference of their online writing into their school writing. Teens are social creatures, so tapping into this desire to socialize can draw out reticent teens or pre-teens who would prefer not to raise their hand to speak in class. As educators, we prepare our charges for the future which includes social media. Their future careers may involve social media awareness in which you have educated them. Connecting to the outside world of experts and authors makes learning authentic and engaging. And the best part? Most of the tools are free! So begin your journey today!=====

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So if you are ready, then how do you go about starting? And what are the safety issues you and your district should consider? As you may have guessed, those questions aren’t answered easily. Beginning on the journey to using social media in your classroom starts with taking small steps. While there are many, many sites you can choose from, we’ve focused on Facebook and other lesser known educationally-focused alternatives. We’ve also included a section on designing an AUP that protects students and teachers when using Web 2.0. Additionally, here are a few simple rules of social media use for educators to consider:=====


 * Secure sites (with passwords or student accounts) might be preferable to you or your district
 * Create moderated student email accounts on a site such as [|ePals]
 * Create rules and expectations for (or with) your students initially and reinforcing throughout
 * Review Internet safety rules and add additional rules for engaging in social media
 * Discuss the issue of [|cyber-bullying] and [|digital etiquette]

Above all else, have fun! Using social media in your classroom will make your teaching come alive and you'll be the teacher of the most popular class in school!


 * [[image:FaceBook-Logo.png width="41" height="38" align="center"]] || Facebook - Protecting Your Digital Footprint ||
 * [[image:AUP.jpg width="49" height="42" align="center"]] || Acceptable User Policy 2.0 ||
 * [[image:comments.png align="center"]] || Educational Social Networking Alternatives ||
 * [[image:Ref.jpg width="45" height="45" align="center"]] || References ||

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