The use of Facebook and Social Media in the middle school classroom The Medium is the Message. The Format you thought you escaped the classroom! IntroWho is that guy and why is he allowed in a classroom? The Chalk and Talk portionas quickly as possible (at first) The dizzying highs of FB and wiki Audience Participation Homework Todays presentation the main idea? *Lets trick the kids into Learning *If you cant beat em, join em *Facebook at least its better than a dating site Kept returning to a singular idea An Inspirational Canadian Although we need to be flexible as modern educators, the medium we choose can really promote our message. Why Social Media? Our world is quickly becoming user- generated: Wikipedia (recently found to be as accurate as Britannica) Facebook CNNs iReport (whats the most famous news footage of the past 20 years?) Blogs Podcasts Twitter Social Mediaseriously? The internet has created a world of 1 st person information gatherers. We have become electronic Hunters and Gatherers. So much so In 2006, Time Magazine announced that YOU were the most influential Person of the Year. Congratulations! So how did I do it? Wikisthe beginning Easy to set up for classroom instructionvirtual blackboard. Can set up discussions Good for student projects Students able to offer input into their learning.input The Amazing wiki Allowed students to recreate the classroom at home (yee-haa). Students could search within the space to access information provided (lessons, ppt, notes, instruction, etc) The Amazing wiki Students could create and re-create their own wikis and bring their own world and voice to their work. their own wikis I could communicate with students even while I was not there (pity the supply teacher). The dawn of Facebook in the classroom Born of a discipline issue the classroom slouch. So a man walks into an inservice and the times, they are a changin Our students are Web Natives. They grew up online. We are the visitors. Our students are Web Natives A quick survey 90+% already had FB accounts All were comfortable w/ the language It was fun the classroom was electric. Enough curriculumhow did it work? If you cant beat em Created the site should be a business site. Had kids become fans (Seriously? Log into Facebook?) Begin with discussion topicsgive it time to grow The first real testThe first real eye-opener. The Student Voice Teen Stress this was the moment.Teen Stress The Facebook classroom The honesty disclosure you may never get. There is an electronic curtain that creates a comfort. This can also be a negative! See 7 th entry.honesty Comfortable contactstudents felt they could ask questions this way. The Facebook Classroom They are ALWAYS there. I could always get info to them. They would be thinking about our classroom before they even got there. Interest level was inspirationalI loved watching where the kids would take our discussions The Benefits (Social Media) Prepping for supply teaching Identical Material transition to home was seemless Education without borders an Aussie experience via wikis and Facebook Education without borders Social Media at work a virtual trip to Australia Oceania triad project all specific lessons were wiki-based. Although the project was very self-directed, this medium was able to offer a focused base with which the kids could work. Oceania triad project Social Media at work a virtual trip to Australia Student output followed suitShow Us projects were produced via wikispaces. Various social media supported opinion. Social Media at work a virtual trip to Australia As project evolved, students decided via FB discussion, that we should interview somebody from Oceania via the internet. Social Media at work a virtual trip to Australia A candidate was located and was able to meet our kids via wikispace and facebook. facebook The highlight a webcast via wiki, Facebook and Skypehighlight Assignment Please become a fan of the Facebook page Talkin in Memphis. You can search for it via your own FB page. This is now our page to work with. On the Discussion tab, you will find a list of topics based on our experiences today. Final thoughts American Clich a social networking podcast. American Clich