Using Social Media in the Classroom

How cool is this using Social Media in your own classroom! Well if used correctly and professionally with understanding by students and their parents it can extremely useful. I would like to use some forms of social media in the classroom because it is an easy way of relaying information to teacher to student or parent and vice versa.

There must be an understanding that the classroom social media will be used in a positive manner. Students could take advantage of this is a negative sense if boundaries aren't set via cyber bullying, etc.  The sites I would find useful for a middle to senior years class are: a classroom website, Google community, twitter and blog. These all are good for relaying information, notes and assignments that may be missed, homework, sites that may be useful for that specific course and a project or assignment along with test preparation.  Twitter could be used for a twitter chat as students may ask questions for a test as an example and the teacher can set up a time where they can answer and reply rapidly.  The Google community is a great way to present all sorts of information while keeping it just in your classroom.   YouTube could also be useful as a social medium if they are always posting along with watching. Presentations and projects could be filmed and put on YouTube if the students all agree upon this. Social media in your classroom could get your class the credit they may deserve from the educational world!