Social Network-Powered Education Opportunities [1 ed.] 9781477716861, 9781477716823

Citation preview

ISBN 978-1-4777-1682-3

Published in 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010 Copyright © 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. First Edition All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mozer, Mindy. Social network–powered education opportunities/by Mindy Mozer—1st ed. p. cm.—(A teen’s guide to the power of social networking) Includes index and bibliography. ISBN 978-1-4777-1682-3 (library binding)— ISBN 978-1-4777-1690-8 (pbk.)— ISBN 978-1-4777-1912-1 (6-pack) 1. Educational technology—Juvenile literature. 2. Computer-assisted instruction—Juvenile literature. 3. Social media— Juvenile literature. 4. Teenagers—Education—United States—Juvenile literature. I. Mozer, Mindy. II. Title. LB1028.3 M69 2014 371.33—dc23 Manufactured in Malaysia CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #W14YA: For further information, contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York, at 1-800-237-9932.

Introduction 4 Chapter 1

Social Networking Made Simple 8 Chapter 2

Social Networking in the Classroom 20 Chapter 3

Social Networking Outside Classroom 30

of the

Chapter 4

After-School Social Networking 38 Chapter 5

Sign In and Sign Up!: Social Networking and Activism 50 Chapter 6

When Social Networking Becomes Antisocial 60 Glossary 71 For More Information 72 For Further Reading 74 Bibliography 76 Index 78

T

he science teacher wanted to know how her students were doing with their biology projects, so she asked the students to post photos of their works in progress on the classroom Facebook page. A week before the science project was due, a reminder from the teacher showed up in the students’ Facebook feed. After the students turned in their projects and shared them in class, the teacher took short videos and posted those as well. Two students who were sick that day watched the videos to catch up with what they had missed. In social studies, students chatted with local candidates for mayor on Twitter, tweeting questions about the political process and where the candidates stood on the issues. In art, students searched Pinterest for inspiration, while in Spanish class they Skyped with a classroom in Mexico. Social networking sites, once thought to be off-limits for educational purposes, are showing up in and out of the classroom. Why? Sites like Facebook and Twitter are fun and free. 4

And more and more social networking sites are being developed that incorporate photo and video sharing. This gives students a new way to connect with their peers in other states and other countries. Teachers are using social networking to teach concise writing, communicate with experts, talk with students in classrooms around the world, follow current events, and interact with teachers in other school districts. There are also social networking sites designed specifically for teachers where they can share lesson plans with each other. Students are turning to social networking for help with homework, online polling, and planning careers and college majors. They are also using the technology to obtain information about volunteer opportunities in their communities. Shy students are finding that social networking allows them to contribute to a topic without having to say something out loud in front of the entire class. Members of after-school 5

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

clubs can communicate with community members who share their interests and promote their activities. School districts are sharing lunch menus, meeting notices, and breaking news, such as school closings because of weather, all in an effort to get parents more involved in and informed about their children’s education and school day. They are also talking with alumni through social networking sites, publicizing reunions, and taking advantage of fund-raising opportunities. Social networking goes beyond schoolwork. Young people have found that these sites help them spread the word about

Teachers use social networking to connect students with experts all over the world. 6

Introduction

social issues and connect with other teenagers who care passionately about those issues. Students have used social networking to promote online petitions. Social networking has even helped students raise money for local, national, and international charities. Not all social networking is positive or productive, however. As technology has advanced, bullying has moved from the playground and hallways to the Internet. The sharing of information online has created opportunities for criminals to target people who share too much. Oversharing information is also a problem for teenagers, who may post too many details about their personal lives online or inappropriate information that makes them vulnerable to both bullies and criminals. They may even inadvertently turn off colleges and future employers. When used for the right reasons and in the right ways, however, social networking can help students and teachers become inspired, energized, engaged, and fully alive to the almost infinite educational opportunities that await on the other side of the screen.

Caption tk

7

Social Networking Made Simple

S

ocial networking has become an important part of computing. A social networking site allows users to create public profiles within the Web site and interact with others. Social networking sites can consist of community-based Web sites, online discussion forums, apps, and chat rooms. Below are some of the social networking vehicles teachers and students are now using to expand and enrich their educational opportunities.

F acebook Facebook is a social networking Web site founded in 2004 by Harvard University student Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook users make a profile and then decide who can view that profile by asking people to be their friends or confirming friend requests from others. People search for friends by e-mail address, name, school, or location. People can share videos, photos, news stories, and status updates with their friends. Users typically add biographical information to their profile page, which includes schools attended, relationship status, contact information, and even favorite books, movies, and music. 8

Social Networking Made Simple

Users can also create groups. Groups can be public, which are open to everyone, or private. Only people who are invited to join can view discussions in private groups. Facebook includes an events feature where people can organize activities. Teachers are using Facebook in the classroom in many ways. Facebook calendars remind students about important classroom events. Facebook provides a simple way for students to share their work with their teachers and with classmates. They can even interact with experts in the community while working on research projects.

Aubrey Ludwig, a teacher of language and composition, uses social networking sites like Twitter in her class assignments. For example, her students must read her tweets and then post responses to her tweeted questions. 9

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

T wit ter Twitter is a social networking site similar to Facebook, where a person can update his or her status for an audience of friends or followers. With Twitter, however, there’s a limit of 140 characters per tweet, or status update. Tweeting is like sending an instant message to a large group of people. Tweets can also include links to photos and videos. A Twitter user chooses other users to follow so he or she can view their tweets in his or her Twitter feed. Likewise,

Jordan Shapiro encourages his students to tweet their observations during his philosophy class. A projection board behind him shows the class’s Twitter feed. 10

Social Networking Made Simple

the Twitter user may attract numerous followers of his or her own. Twitter is not only about friends sending short instant messages back and forth. In fact, Twitter has become an important resource for news agencies to report the latest events by sending links to online articles and issuing brief news flashes about breaking stories. Twitter was launched in 2006 and has quickly grown. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, 15 percent of people online used Twitter in 2012, up from 8 percent in 2010. One in five smartphone owners used Twitter. Teachers can use Twitter as a group messaging tool. They can, for example, remind people via Twitter that there is a test coming up or a paper due. They can provide links to news articles about topics they are covering in class. Some teachers are using Twitter to teach younger children how to read and write and to connect with students in other classrooms far away.

G oogle + Google+ (pronounced Google Plus) is an information network where people share and follow their interests. Google+ was launched in 2011 and is owned and operated by Google. Users create Google Circles, which are groups of friends organized by topic (like football fans) or relationship (such as family and friends). This makes it easier to share specialized content with a specific group of people who would appreciate that content. 11

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

Google+ includes a feature called Sparks, which delivers content to users based on their interests. So if a user is interested in technology, the Sparks page will present him or her with a list of stories about technology. Those stories can then be shared with people in the user’s technology-based circle of friends (rather than his or her “foody” circle or fantasy baseball circle). There are also Hangouts in Google+ where users can video chat and group message with people in their circles. People use Google+ to chat, share ideas, post photos and videos, play games, and plan events. Teens might use Google+ to help each other with homework, recommend books, and ask teachers questions. Parents can use Google Hangouts to attend school events from their homes or offices.

F oursquare Foursquare is a free social networking service, launched in 2007, that allows people to share with their followers the places they have visited. Foursquare can also recommend to people places to go based on where they have visited in the past. The app uses the built-in GPS of smartphones to display attractions in a city. When a person visits those places, he or she checks in on the Foursquare app, which then tells that person’s friends he or she is there. After a person checks in, he or she can write reviews of the attraction. Users earn points for checking in, and, after they earn enough points, they earn badges. The person who checks into a location more than anyone else during a certain period of time becomes the “mayor” of that location. 12

Social Networking Made Simple

Teachers can use Foursquare as a point system to encourage students to visit historical places, museums, libraries, or places related to a topic being studied in class. Educators can use the list feature to create a list of places to visit and include information about each place. They can also use it to encourage students to attend seminars or athletic events.

R eddit Reddit is an Internet bulletin board. People submit entries to it, which are organized into areas of interest, called subreddits. There are subreddits for science and music, for example. People subscribe to the subject areas they are interested in and then receive news feeds related to those subjects. As people post items, which are generally links and stories about topics, others can vote for or against them. Those that receive a lot of “for” votes are rated highly on the site. People can also comment on posts. People on Reddit can friend one another. Teachers and students can use Reddit to find Web sites and information about topics they are studying in class.

Y ou T ube YouTube is a free video-sharing Web site created in 2005. Registered users can upload videos for others to see. Users can also watch and comment upon videos posted to the site— from their favorite singers to how-to videos. There are learning videos, entertainment videos, marketing videos, and comedy videos, to name just a few. 13

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

A high school math teacher, Rob Tarrou, tapes a math video segment and then posts the video on YouTube so his students can watch it if they need extra help at home.

Teachers can use videos on YouTube to introduce a concept or theme. They have to use YouTube wisely, however, because any video can be posted and some of the content may be inaccurate or inappropriate. Some class projects, presentations, and performances, as well as extracurricular school activities, can be filmed and posted to YouTube, where friends, family, students, and faculty can view them. 14

Social Networking Made Simple

P interest Pinterest is a Web site where users share photos, images, and visual objects relating to their interests. People create themebased collections centered on events, interests, and hobbies. They do this by uploading images, known as pins, and other visual content, such as videos. They save these pins to boards, using the “pin it” button to create pinboards. Users can then look at other pinboards for inspiration and re-pin images to their own pinboards or indicate that they like another user’s photos. Users can only share images and visual objects on Pinterest, not usergenerated text, messages, or links. The site was launched in 2010. Pinterest allows teachers to save and post photos on a topic in one place. Pinterest can help teachers create bulletin boards in the classroom, get fun ideas for new projects, swap lesson plans, find books on relevant topics, and discover ways to organize a classroom. Students can use Pinterest to learn more about a subject they are studying in class, collaborate with other students, and stay on top of trends.

I nstagram Instagram is an online photo-sharing service that lets people take photos with their mobile phones, apply a digital filter to the photos, and share them. Instragram was launched in 2010. Users can follow other people’s photo streams as they post photos and can, in turn, be followed by other users. The photos appear in a user’s feed. Like other social networks, people create a profile so friends can find them. 15

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

Students can use Instagram to keep track of projects they have created or books they have read during the school year. They can take a picture of each book, for example, and, at the end of the year, they have a complete visual record of the books they have studied. Students can take photos on field trips and then post and share them. Classrooms in different states or even countries can become visual pen pals by sharing photos with each other on Instagram.

T umblr Tumblr is a blogging site. Users post video, audio, photos, social bookmarks, quotes, links to other content, and music to a short blog and then share it. Users follow other users’ blogs. The service was launched in 2007. Teachers can use Tumblr to upload images, videos, and links to articles that relate to the subject they are teaching. They can use Tumblr to share a list of classroom supplies each student needs or a wish list of classroom donations from parents. Students can use Tumblr to ask questions about topics being studied in class or homework assignments. Then the teacher and other students in the class can answer those questions within the Tumblr stream.

S kype Skype is a service that allows users to talk to people around the world over the Internet. Webcams are used so users can 16

Social Networking Made Simple

Skype is the next best thing to having an expert or foreign speaker visit a classroom in person. Here, Adventure Ecology founder and leading environmentalist David de Rothschild speaks to students assembled in the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

see the people to whom they are talking. Video calls between Skype users are free. Skype allows teachers to open up their classrooms and talk to experts around the world. Teaches can help students understand geography, for example, by Skyping with people who live in the areas they are studying. Students can learn a foreign language by talking directly to people who speak that language. 17

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

What Is LinkedIn? LinkedIn is a career-oriented social networking site used mainly for professional networking. It helps adults find people they went to school with or worked with in the past. These connections might help them when they are looking for a job. People can also connect with industry experts, search for jobs, and get information about companies on LinkedIn. Companies use the site for recruiting of employees. When users join LinkedIn they create a profile, which is like an online résumé. Then they use that profile to connect with other users in the network. Teachers and students can use LinkedIn to connect with experts in the field they are studying and to find professionals who are willing to speak to the class about their work and their industry.

B logs A blog is many things to many people. It can be like a diary. It can be collection of opinions or daily thoughts. A blog can also be a place to communicate political ideas. It can be a collection of links to subjects of interest. People can comment on blogs or link to blogs on other sharing Web sites. Similarly, blogs can be used in many ways in the classroom. Teachers can use blogs to let parents know about upcoming or just completed field trips and other classroom activities. They can post daily lessons for students who miss school. Teachers can use blogs to provide additional information on a topic 18

Social Networking Made Simple

covered in class or links to related videos and Web sites. Students can use blogs to publish their writing, talk about lessons, and write book reviews.

M essage B oards A message board is a discussion site where people can have online conversations. Message boards were one of the earliest forms of online social networking. Messages are generally archived and sometimes a moderator has to approve the message before it is made public. People leave messages and respond to other people’s messages. Discussion boards are often used in classrooms. They give students and teachers a way to continue discussing a topic outside of the class and to ask and answer questions about a topic. Some students may be more comfortable communicating with classmates in writing through a message board than they are speaking in class.

19

Social Networking in the Classroom

I

n Portland, Oregon, teachers needed a way to get students excited about learning. They started a pilot social networking program in which the students wrote blogs, made videos, and built Web sites. A year later, 20 percent of students voluntarily completed extra assignments for no credit and grades had gone up more than 50 percent. Students also missed less school. Social networking was once thought of as a distraction in schools. But in recent years, teachers have seen the benefits of using social media and networking in the classroom. Here is how they are doing it.

S haring N ews Mainstream and independent news organizations post links to national, international, and local news stories on Twitter and Facebook. In addition, it is now part of many reporters’ jobs to tweet breaking news updates from crime scenes, school board hearings, city council meetings, sporting events, and press conferences. Teachers can set up a classroom 20

Social Networking in the Classroom

Twitter account in order to follow different media outlets and compare how they cover and interpret news events. Along with monitoring media outlets, classes can follow special interest groups and see how they interpret the news. For example, the president of the United States may have a press conference on gun control. On social networking sites, groups that support gun control may report different information gleaned from the speech—or report the same information with a different slant—than will groups opposed to gun control. The differences can make for a lively discussion in class.

Hillary Clinton answered questions from students around the world before she ended her tenure as U.S. secretary of state. She took questions through Twitter, Facebook, and Skype. 21

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

Twitter users type a # symbol, which is called a hashtag, to mark keywords or topics in a tweet. This is a way to organize and direct messages into certain specific categories. When users click on that hashtag in a message, they see a feed with other tweets marked with that same keyword. A class studying a certain topic, like global warming, can see what people are saying about that topic in real time. They can study how trends spread and how people use social media to communicate ideas relating to certain events or issues. Special interest groups also use Facebook, blogs, and YouTube to post updates and publish information on their causes. Teachers and students can monitor these when tracking the course of public debate on certain issues.

S haring R esources Before social networking, it was often difficult for students and teachers to talk directly to people involved in the projects the class was studying. For example, students learning about the powers of government in the past had to rely on textbooks, news articles, and other published material. But today students can follow, and even contact, their local, state, and national representatives, other government officials, and state and federal agencies using social networking sites. Many local, state, and national government organizations and officials have Twitter feeds or Facebook pages. This makes it easy for people to follow the comings and goings of mayors, governors, congressional representatives, and even the president. Students can ask officials direct questions through 22

Social Networking in the Classroom

social networking sites and share those answers in the classroom. They can watch press conferences live on streaming Web sites and comment in real time on Twitter, on Facebook, and in blogs. And they can Skype with government officials thousands of miles away. Teachers are using social networking to connect classrooms from around the world and to collaborate on projects. A class studying China can connect with a class in that country to learn firsthand about the culture. Students and teachers can also communicate with experts—from scientists and business

U.S. president Barack Obama speaks during an online Twitter town hall meeting from the East Room of the White House.

23

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

leaders to musicians, artists, and authors—through social networking. One middle school band in New York worked with a composer in Utah to create a new piece of music for the band to perform. They communicated through Skype.

P hoto

and

V ideo S haring

A class performs a skit. The teacher makes a video of the skit and then posts it on YouTube or the classroom Facebook page. A class goes on a field trip, and students take photos to document and share what they learned. Teachers can use photoand video-sharing Web sites to engage students. A geography lesson can include an assignment in which students take a photo of themselves in different parts of their city. Those photos can then be shared on Instagram. In addition, teachers can find interesting images on Pinterest to use in their classroom. And students and teachers can share images with other classrooms around the world as part of a pen-pal program. YouTube provides links to educational content on YouTube.com/education. A subcategory called Primary and Secondary Education includes videos on science, mathematics, languages, and history and social studies. Videos explore topics as far ranging and diverse as light, grammar, and pi.

G roup P rojects Students and teachers are using social networking to facilitate group projects. One advantage of using social networking is that it allows students who don’t typically speak in 24

Social Networking in the Classroom

class to contribute to group discussions. They may be more comfortable commenting on Twitter or Facebook. Teachers use Twitter as a way for students to ask a running stream of questions during lectures. Students can also tweet their own notes during lessons to share with classmates. At the end of class, students can tweet what they learned or tweet a question to be addressed in the next class. Study or project groups can also post links to content on a classroom wall on Facebook so others in the group can read the information.

Some schools allow students to tweet questions and observations using smartphones during class. Teachers can then answer the questions and prompt a lively group discussion. 25

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

Social Networking vs. Social Media Social media is a way to share information with a lot of people through the use of virtual networks. Examples of social media include blogs and vlogs (video blogs), wikis, podcasts, social bookmarking, crowdsourcing, instant messaging, e-mail, and photo, music, and video sharing. With social media, there may not always be two-way conversation. Often people post things for an audience to more or less passively consume and perhaps comment on. There isn’t always a lot of interaction and give-and-take discussion. The whole point of social networking, on the other hand, is engagement and two-way conversation. In social networking, people with common interests communicate and build relationships.

R eminders Teachers use social networking to remind students about important deadlines. Reminders on Facebook show up in students’ news feeds. Teachers can share calendars on Facebook and Twitter. Teachers can also use these sites to post class announcements.

T eacher S ites Teachers have a host of social networking sites they can use to get ideas for lessons and to communicate with other professionals. These include: 26

Social Networking in the Classroom

• Learnist: This educational site is like Pinterest because it is a way to group information about a topic on a digital bulletin board. Teachers have created collections on subjects such as grammar and writing, Web tools for the classroom, and math games. • Edmodo: Teachers use Edmodo to continue classroom discussions online, give polls to check for student understanding, and award badges to students for their performance on a secure social network. Teachers also use Edmodo as an online book club, to communicate classroom assignments, and to help tutors connect with teachers. • Lore: This is a social network that enables instructors to manage their courses and hold class discussions. Students on Lore can connect with other students in a class or with students who have similar interests. Students post links or comments about their courses. • eduClipper: A Pinterest for educators, teachers clip videos and photos from Web sites and bookmark them. Then eduClipper attaches the SourceLink, so those viewing it can see where it originated. • TeachAde: This Web site, where educators can share, search, and create resources to use in the classroom, includes a database of reviewed resources and curriculum. 27

Students and teachers can connect with their peers in other countries using social media sites. Here, Jacqueline Quinn and two of her students Skype with fellow students in South Korea.

28

Social Networking in the Classroom

• Edutopia: This Web site, published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, encourages innovation in schools. • Diipo: A social networking platform that allows teachers to communicate with students, Diipo includes online project notebooks for students, an educator community, blogs, and profiles. • Twiducate: This Web site allows teachers to create their own social network where they can provide feedback, connect with students outside of the classroom, and post discussions, deadlines, and homework. • Classroom 2.0: Classroom 2.0 is a social networking site for teachers. Teachers discuss books, Web sites, and educational techniques such as reading strategies and how to motivate students. • Educator’s PLN: A personal learning network for educators, this site includes links to educational materials, video tutorials, discussion groups, and blogs. • Sophia Learning: This Web site provides resources for teachers, including tutorials. • BetterLesson: This is a place for teachers to find lesson plans, classroom materials, and instructional resources. 29

Social Networking Outside of the Classroom

S

ocial networking is just as helpful to students outside of the classroom as it is inside of it. Students use social networking to communicate with study groups, reach out to experts in the field, and conduct online polling. Social networking also helps students prepare for college or the workforce after graduation.

S tudy G roups Students can use Twitter and Facebook to coordinate assignments after school. Twitter and Facebook provide a record of ideas, proposals, and changes to content. It’s easier to track the history of a group project and communications related to it on Twitter or Facebook than it is with archived e-mails. Class resources are available anywhere there’s an Internet connection. Students can read notes and updates through social networking sites instead of waiting until they are in the classroom to discuss the project with their teacher and team members. 30

Social Networking Outside of the Classroom

High school English teacher Sarah Lorntson tweets students from her iPad after school, reminding them of assignment due dates and tests and upcoming class activities. She began doing this once she realized that most of her students were constantly plugged in to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

O nline P olling Social networking sites give students a way to survey their peers on issues being discussed in class and poll the general population. This is called social polling, which means getting quick feedback from followers on Facebook, Twitter, or blogs. Perhaps a student is writing a research paper about teens and television. The student can survey his Facebook friends and 31

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

Twitter followers to see how many hours a day students watch television and include those findings in his research paper.

I nterview S ources R esearch P apers

for

Social networking is an easy way for students to research topics. They can interview family members about genealogy via Skype. They can find experts in the field and ask them direct questions through Facebook. They can watch YouTube videos of experts explaining and demonstrating complicated topics.

P icking a C ollege or C areer Students can talk with industry professionals through social networking to explore career options or get advice on where to apply for part-time or full-time jobs. They can follow organizations and businesses operating in areas they are interested in studying in order to keep up to date with the latest industry trends. Students planning to go to college after high school can, with the help of social networks, follow colleges and universities that they are interested in attending. They can follow college preparation organizations such as the College Board, which works to connect students with colleges. The board also administers the SAT, which is designed to measure and demonstrate a student’s college readiness. The College Board has a Facebook page, Twitter accounts (@CollegeBoard, 32

Social Networking Outside of the Classroom

@APForStudents, among others), YouTube channels, a Tumblr account (where pictures of college scenes are posted), and a LinkedIn account, which lists job postings for education professionals. Universities have embraced social networking by creating accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. Some are organizing private Facebook groups for prospective students to talk about the application process. Admissions officers are allowing students to supplement their applications with YouTube videos.

High school students can join Facebook groups for prospective students of universities they are interesting in attending. Colleges and universities are using social media sites to recruit students. Shakz Mahendram (above) has joined the Facebook site for prospective students of the University of Toronto. 33

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

According to a study by the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth, 92 percent of admissions officers say social media is worth the investment. One in three admissions officers say that social media platforms are more efficient than traditional media channels at reaching students. A 2012 Kaplan Test Prep survey of 350 admissions officers shows that 87 percent of admissions officers use Facebook to recruit new students. Seventy-six percent use Twitter, while 73 percent of admissions officers use YouTube, and 9 percent use Google+.

H omework H elp Salman Khan made YouTube videos to help his younger cousin with mathematics in 2004. By 2009, he had quit his job and started the Khan Academy, a nonprofit organization that produces free educational videos. The videos are about ten minutes long. They don’t show a teacher. Instead, they feature a blank digital blackboard that is used to explain the concept being discussed. Khan is the narrator. The videos cover a variety of subjects, from math, biology, and chemistry to physics, finance, and history. In 2013, a statewide pilot project was launched in Idaho involving the Khan Academy. More than ten thousand students will watch Khan Academy videos at home and then use class time for one-on-one instruction. This method is referred to as “flipped learning” because students first learn the concept at home and then practice it in class. Flipped learning is being used in other ways in schools. Teachers are making videos of their lessons and uploading 34

Social Networking Outside of the Classroom

What Is Snapchat? Snapchat is a photo-messaging app for smartphones that allows users to send a text, photo, or video to friends. Users set a time limit for how long recipients can view their photos, with a maximum of a ten-second viewing period. The photos are then deleted. They are not necessarily erased permanently, however, because recipients can take a screenshot of the photo and save the image to their phones. Snapchat was released in September 2011. Snapchat hasn’t made an impact on the classroom yet. Although many teens use the app to send silly pictures to friends, experts are concerned that teens are using Snapchat to send inappropriate pictures because they erroneously think the pictures can’t be saved. The bottom line, as with all social networking, is that people must think twice before they hit send. those videos to a Web site or YouTube. Students then watch the videos on their computers or smartphones at home, as homework. When the students return to class, they work on exercises to increase their understanding of the topic. With this method, teachers are able to devote more of their class time to offering one-on-one help to students who are struggling. Other social networks have followed the model of the Khan Academy. These include: • Hallway: This social learning network started by high school students connects students to their classmates 35

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

and other students around the world. They can ask questions, share notes, and collaborate on assignments. Hallway also helps students stay organized through personal calendars and class calendars. • Dweeber.com: This is another place where students can solve problems together, participate in virtual study sessions, and talk with friends about schoolwork.

Middle school students use an online math site, developed by Khan Academy, to solve multiplication problems.

36

Social Networking Outside of the Classroom

Students can use a collaborative whiteboard to solve math and science problems. • KidZui: This is a Web browser designed for children. Students can play games, watch kid-friendly YouTube videos, and search the Internet for other kidfriendly sites. Beyond these Web sites, social networking allows students to get in touch with teachers after school. Teachers can host extended virtual office hours to answer questions about homework.

37

After-School Social Networking

T

he University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s B. I. Moody III College of Business Administration, the Louisiana Lieutenant Governor’s Office, and the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission asked high school students in 2012 to help promote Louisiana’s tourism industry using social networking. Sixty-four teams made up of 240 students from across the state designed promotional plans for a Louisiana tourist attraction using only nontraditional forms of advertising. Students Matt Duhe and Joe Solito worked on a plan for the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals, which in the past used no social media. The students proposed using Twitter, Foursquare, and Instagram to share photos from festivals. They also set up a QR code that festivalgoers could scan to be directed to various festivals’ Twitter feeds and a mobile app that would allow users to input a city or ZIP code in order to find a festival near them. The Louisiana Business Challenge gave out more than $40,000 in scholarships to the students who developed the most innovative plans to boost Louisiana tourism using social media. A team of Future Business Leaders of America from 38

After-School Social Networking

Alaska high school teacher Mark Woodward looks at the blog being written by his student Westley Smith. Woodward teaches his students how to create and maintain a blog and has received thousands of dollars in grants devoted to the bolstering of technology studies in schools.

Beau Chêne High School won, designing an educational program to help local business owners promote their businesses.

A f ter -S chool C lubs and E xtracurricul ar A ctivities From competing in contests to connecting with the community, social networking has also found a place in school clubs 39

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

and other after-school and extracurricular activities. These are just a few of the activities that have been enhanced by social networking technology: • Reading clubs: Members of creative writing clubs can make up a story character on Twitter. Club members can contribute to the character’s personality or they can write entire episodic or serial stories using Twitter. They can also compose tweets in character or tweet dialogue between two or more characters. Then they can turn those tweets into their own short stories or plays. Participants can also live tweet their reactions to books that the group is reading, recording their initial reactions to characters and plot twists. Then they can go back and see how their perceptions of characters changed at the end of the book. Students also can use blogs to write book reviews. • Business clubs: Business and finance clubs can use Twitter to follow businesses and their operations and initiatives, stock market activity, and economic analysis. They can use the advice and information they find online to engage in mock investment games, challenges, or contests. • Service clubs: Service clubs can keep track of community organizations and their wish lists. They can use social media to encourage others to volunteer and collect items to support these organizations. 40

After-School Social Networking

• Foreign language clubs: Foreign language clubs can interact with people who speak the languages they are studying. They can also tweet in foreign languages and live chat or instant message with their peers in those languages. They can also keep track of current events in other countries. • Art clubs: Members of art clubs can post photos and pictures of their artwork. They can organize their work on Pinterest and Tumblr. • Journalism clubs: Future journalists can follow newspaper and television reporters on social media sites. They can tweet news from their own school and post updates to the classroom Facebook page. They can poll their classmates and live tweet sporting events or school board meetings. • Political clubs: Members of political clubs can follow politicians and their campaigns on social media. They can watch press conferences with live streaming. They can tweet questions to politicians and candidates for office and, hopefully, receive responses. • Debate clubs: Debates can continue after the club meeting on Facebook, on Reddit, or in blogs. These formats can also provide valuable debating practice, in the form of research for specific issues, mock debates, or more casual back-and-forth discussions. 41

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

• Science and technology clubs: Science clubs can connect with experts in the field—such as employees of NASA or GE—for advice and expertise. • Athletics: High school booster clubs have created Facebook fan pages for sports teams, which include links to news stories about the teams, photos, and comments from parents, players, and coaches. Athletes can also connect with players at other schools in their city and across the country, and they can connect with college recruiters. In addition, alumni who have moved away can keep up to date on the latest school sports news and even watch live feeds or podcasts of games. • Promoting school spirit: Schools can use social networking to promote school spirit. Students can communicate information about spirit days. Messages of support can be left for sports teams and clubs before big games or tournaments. Spirit wear can be advertised on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and other social networking sites. • Fund-raising: High school clubs often raise funds in order to be able to attend conferences and events, and social networking is one way to do that. They can publicize their fund-raising efforts, such as car washes and bake sales, on Facebook and Twitter. • Prospective students: Schools can use social media sites to provide a virtual orientation session to middle school 42

After-School Social Networking

A Texas middle school’s football coaches and a player talk to the media using Skype after a trick play video from one of their football games went viral on YouTube.

students about to transition into high school. High school students can answer middle schoolers’ questions on school Facebook pages or Twitter accounts. • Alumni networking: Colleges and universities use social networking to engage students after they graduate. High schools now are also starting to pay attention to ways they can stay in touch with their alumni. Some 43

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

high schools have dedicated Web pages where alumni can post photos, videos, and updates about their lives. In some cases, alumni can create their own profiles within these pages, which they can use to feature their families. Alumni can keep in touch with classmates and get information about reunions. The Web sites are often password protected and organized by graduation year. • Communicating with parents: School districts are also using social media to communicate with parents. They can share lunch menus, event reminders, and school spirit announcements through social networking sites.

P arents G et on the A ct

in

Parents also can follow along with classroom activities without actually being there. Here is how: • Facebook: Schools can use Facebook to share calendar information with parents, update parents on field trips and school performances, and post photos from school events. • Edmodo: This free tool lets parents communicate by posting messages, alerts, and reminders. • Twitter: Teachers and other school officials can tweet about the exciting activities happening in their classrooms and during field trips. 44

After-School Social Networking

• Blogs: Teachers can blog about school assignments. Room coordinators can blog about classroom events and parent volunteer activities. • Tumblr: School artwork, videos of class presentations, and stories can be posted here so parents can see what their kids are up to during the school day. • Chatzy: This is a tool that allows multiple people to chat. A participant sets up a chat room and then shares the link with others. Parents can chat in password protected rooms about classroom activities or use Chatzy to plan a school-related event. • YouTube: Teachers or parents can create a YouTube channel for the classroom or school. Parents can watch student council meetings, plays, lessons, concerts, and athletic events. • Live stream: Some schools connect with parents by using live streaming. With live streaming, parents can watch PTSA meetings, plays, lessons, and student presentations. Live streaming can even be used for parents who can’t attend parent-teacher nights. • Google+ Hangouts: This is a free video chat service from Google that allows one-on-one chats and group chats with up to ten people at a time. It is similar to Skype and FaceTime on iPhones, but it is more focused 45

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

Ways to Manage Your Image on Social Media Although social networking can be a good way to stay on top of schoolwork both in and out of the classroom, posting inappropriate information online can hurt your chances of getting into college or getting a job. One thing to remember about using social networking is that just as users can get information about businesses and colleges, businesses and colleges can get information about potential employees and students. According to a 2012 Kaplan Test Prep survey of 350 admissions officers from colleges and universities, 26 percent said they visited applicants’ social networking pages to learn more about prospective students. Thirty-five percent of admissions officers who Googled or visited an applicant’s Facebook page discovered something about applicants that negatively impacted their application. Here are some things to think about when posting comments: 1. K  eep your posts clean and appropriate. Put your name into a search engine and see what you find. If you find anything negative, clean up your digital footprint by removing objectionable or embarrassing posts, Tweets, blog entries, photos, and videos. 2. U  se privacy settings. In Facebook, for example, you can change privacy settings to limit what part of your profile is searchable.

46

After-School Social Networking

Jennifer Ray, a graduate of a Washington State high school, used Facebook to track down fellow former members of the school choir and organized a reunion concert.

3. U  se an appropriate profile photo. Even if you change your privacy settings so only your friends can see your posts, your name and profile photo are still visible to everyone. 4. C  ontrol who can contact you on Facebook. Change Facebook settings so only friends can contact you. 5. C  ontrol tagging on Facebook. Change Facebook settings so only friends can see photos in which you are tagged. Review all tags before they are posted so friends can’t link embarrassing photos to you without your permission.

47

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

6. M  ake your Twitter account permission only. By default, anyone can view tweets and follow you unless you change your account settings to “protect my tweets.” 7. Th  ink before you post. Don’t post anything that is inappropriate or offensive. Make sure everything you post is appropriate enough for your parents or grandparents to read. on group chats instead of one-on-one chats. Parents can watch classroom events from their desks at work.

E mergency C ommunication When an elementary school in Atlanta had a problem with high levels of carbon monoxide in the school, the district used Twitter, among other resources, to post updates to parents, including an alert that students were being relocated to another school. The Boulder Valley School District used Twitter to keep parents informed about school closings and changes to bus routes and schedules during an outbreak of wildfires. In Joplin, Missouri, after a tornado hit, the school district’s Facebook page became the primary means of communication between school officials and parents and children because the school’s Web site and e-mail were down for a week. Social networking is another tool schools are using to help reach out quickly to parents during an emergency or weather-related event. Another advantage to communicating this way during weather emergencies is that people who lose 48

After-School Social Networking

Alana Maddock, school nurse and cheerleading coach in Joplin, Missouri, used Facebook to locate students after a tornado destroyed several schools and much of the town and surrounding area.

power can still use their smartphones to check Facebook and Twitter to receive important updates. Schools can also monitor social media sites to see what parents and the public are saying about emergency situations. They can correct misinformation, answer questions, and direct people to accurate news articles or live feeds about the situation. Schools can thank volunteers for their help by posting photos and videos documenting an event and provide links to sites where people can donate. 49

Sign In and Sign Up!: Social Networking and Activism

I

n March 2006, Los Angeles–area high school students used text messaging and MySpace to organize a classroom walkout. They were protesting proposed changes to U.S. immigration laws. News reports estimate that about forty thousand students statewide participated in the peaceful demonstrations. Four years later, thousands of New Jersey high school students participated in a walkout after a call to action was posted on Facebook in protest of education cuts. The event was organized by eighteen-year-old Michelle Ryan Lauto, a Pace University student who had attended high school in New Jersey. She responded to New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s announcement that he would cut $820 million in educational funding. Nearly sixteen thousand students RSVP’d “yes” on Facebook. Along with Facebook, the walkout was organized through texts and MySpace. As social networking continues to grow in popularity among young people, so does social network–driven activism. 50

Sign In and Sign Up!: Social Networking and Activism

Newark, New Jersey, high school students respond to the call put out on social networks and gather to protest announced education cuts to the state budget.

According to a 2012 study by Harris Interactive on behalf of World Vision 30 Hour Famine, more than half of teens (55 percent) say social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have made them more aware of the needs of others. This is an increase from 2011, when 44 percent said their use of social media made them more aware. More than nine out of ten (91 percent) of those polled agreed that it’s important to volunteer locally. World Vision 30 Hour Famine is a 51

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

project in which teenagers give up food for more than a day to raise awareness about global hunger.

O nline P etitions Fourteen-year-old Julia Bluhm from Maine wanted Seventeen magazine to feature photographs of real girls and show truthful images of young women. She started a protest on Change.org with the online petition “Seventeen Magazine: Give Girls Images of Real Girls!” Teenagers all over the country became aware of the petition though sharing on social media networks. In May 2012, Bluhm and other teenagers delivered the petition with eighty-four thousand signatures to the Seventeen headquarters in New York City. The girls also protested outside the offices. Editor in chief Ann Shoket subsequently announced in the August 2012 issue that the magazine planned to show girls as they really are and celebrate every kind of beauty. She noted that, from that moment on, the magazine would never change girls’ body or face shapes and would include only images of real girls and models who are healthy. The magazine also promised to provide more transparency about its photo shoots by posting images of the shoots on the magazine’s Tumblr blog so readers could see the progression of the pictures. Change.org is one of several online petition sites where young people are raising awareness about issues they care about. Change.org is a for-profit Web site, which means that it makes money by charging organizations to sponsor their 52

Sign In and Sign Up!: Social Networking and Activism

Emma Stydahar (left), Julia Bluhm (center), and Natasha Williams protest at Seventeen magazine. Bluhm spearheaded the petition drive that urged the magazine to use model photos that have not been altered and feature women of all body types. .

petitions. The Web site says fifteen thousand petitions are created monthly by ordinary individuals, who don’t have to pay. These individuals then encourage people to sign their petitions through social networking. Teens are using other Web sites to accomplish similar goals, spreading the word quickly about issues they care about. These include: 53

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

• DoSomething.org: This nonprofit Web site focuses on young people and social change. DoSomething .org spearheads national campaigns so people ages thirteen to thirty-five can make an impact. Campaigns focus on everything from cleaning up litter to raising awareness about endangered animals. • Thegluenetwork.com: This Web site works to inspire people to change the world. It started out by finding ways to connect nonprofits and people through art, music, media, and culture. People can find projects they are interested in learning more about and then help raise money to fund them by sharing information with their friends. • Care2 (www.care2.com): Care2 is an online social action network with more than twenty-one million members around the world. Hundreds of nonprofit organizations connect with Care2 members and recruit new donors, members, and advocates. • TakePart (www.takepart.com): This site works to inspire and push social change by connecting content to socially engaged users who then commit themselves to social action. The Web site publishes stories, profiles, photo galleries, and other news content that people can comment on and share on social networking sites to raise awareness.

54

Sign In and Sign Up!: Social Networking and Activism

R aising M oney After an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Haiti in 2010, killing 316,000 people and making 1.5 million people homeless, people around the world wanted to help. They tweeted and posted to Facebook about the need for donations to help with relief efforts. Victims and rescue workers in Haiti used mobile phones to communicate and save lives. Many people used social networking to create CrisisCamps and organize widespread relief efforts. For example,

Stephen Baker Liles (left) and Eric Gunderson, of country music duo Love and Theft, work in support of DoSomething.org and Aeropostale’s annual Teens for Jeans campaign, which benefits homeless youth. 55

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

What Facebook Likes Say about You Researchers can predict the personal traits of people on Facebook by analyzing their patterns of “likes,” according to a March 2013 report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study by Cambridge University researchers was of fifty-eight thousand Facebook users in the United States. Researchers used demographic profiles, data gathered from behavioral questionnaires, and the results of psychological tests taken by the users and then compared that with “likes” the volunteers had posted on Facebook. The researchers set up a program to see whether these patterns could predict personal information about a group of people in the database, based solely on the patterns of their Facebook “likes.” Researchers said the record of Facebook “likes” was in many ways as accurate as a personality test. The study, experts say, means that people should be aware that what they like on Facebook reveals more about them than they may realize.

Singer Miranda Lambert (right) kicked off the national search for the next set of communities to benefit from the Pedigree Feeding Project. This is an initiative designed to help homeless dogs and the animal shelters that rescue, nurture, and find families for them.

56

Sign In and Sign Up!: Social Networking and Activism

57

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

BlogWorld’s Social Media director Jim Turner launched a twenty-four-hour fund-raising telethon. What was the result of all this social network–driven activity? People witnessed the relief efforts firsthand through posts on social media, and they felt compelled to help. Eight days after the earthquake, the organization Oxfam International had raised $110,000 through Facebook. Oxfam also used Twitter to spread awareness and raise money. The American Red Cross raised more than $200 million to benefit Haiti, raising $800,000 the first day of the campaign by asking the public to donate through text messages.

C loser

to

H ome

Teenagers are raising money closer to home to help their own communities. Two teenagers in Ocean County, New Jersey, used social networking to plan, coordinate, and promote a hurricane relief concert in December 2012, in the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy the previous October. The initiative, called Pier Pressure, raised more than $10,000 for the New Jersey Amusement Association First Responders Relief Fund and the Toms River Regional Schools Hurricane Relief Fund. The two teens became friends on Tumblr and had never met before organizing the relief concert. But after they began reading about the impact of Hurricane Sandy on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, they started talking online about ways they could help. They used social media to book local bands for the benefit concert, spread the word, and sell tickets. 58

Sign In and Sign Up!: Social Networking and Activism

L earning H ow to O rganize Organizations and community groups are now working with students to teach them how to use social networking to get more involved with their communities. In Chicago, about 150 students attended a civil rights summit sponsored by the National Council of La Raza, a Latino national advocacy group. The goal was teaching young people how to organize their peers using social media. The students learned how African American civil rights leaders used traditional media and grassroots efforts to promote their cause. Then the students were encouraged to attract attention to their own causes through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. These social networking sites provide a great way to convince friends to register to vote or to support a community organization. At Pensacola Catholic High School in Florida, teachers pair older students with younger ones to emphasize digital citizenship. High school students produce podcasts about issues, such as the struggles of women in Africa and South America. They then share these podcasts with elementary school students in an effort to broaden the students’ perspective of the world.

59

When Social Networking Becomes Antisocial

P

hoebe Prince was fifteen years old when she became a victim of cyberbullying in 2010. The newcomer to the South Hadley, Massachusetts, high school was an Irish immigrant. Some of her classmates called her hateful and derogatory names on Twitter, Craigslist, and Facebook because she was attending the winter cotillion with an upperclassman, a twelfth grade football player. Prince hanged herself two days before the dance. As a result, five teenagers were charged with crimes, including violation of civil rights with bodily injury, criminal harassment, and stalking. Kenneth Weishuhn Jr. was fourteen when he was teased and bullied by classmates at his Iowa high school after he came out as a gay teen. Friends and family said that classmates sent him death threats on his cell phone and made him the subject of a Facebook antigay hate group. Weishuhn killed himself in April 2012. Bullying is not a new problem for teenagers. But as technology has advanced, bullying has moved from the playground and hallways to the Internet, vastly expanding the audience for and participants in the harassment. 60

People take part in a candlelight vigil in memory of Kenneth Weishuhn Jr., who killed himself after he was subjected to antigay bullying, hate speech, and death threats online.

61

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

C yberbullying Cyberbullying is when people use technology to harass, threaten, humiliate, embarrass, or target another person. There are two kinds of cyberbullying. Direct attacks are threatening or abusive messages sent to students directly. Cyberbullying by proxy is when people use others to help bully the victim. Here are examples of direct attacks: 1. Text messaging: A person sends hateful or threatening messages to other students. 2. Similar accounts: A person creates an account that is similar to another student’s name and then uses the account to say inappropriate things. 3. Text wars: People send thousands of text messages to the victim’s cell phone. 4. Stealing passwords: A person steals another person’s password and then chats with other people from the victim’s account and in his or her name. The chat may include offensive comments. Or a person uses the password to change a person’s profile to include inappropriate comments. 5. Blogs: People can use blogs to damage students’ reputations or to post false information about others. 6. False Web sites: People create Web sites designed to insult others. 7. Photos: A person texts or e-mails inappropriate photos of victims to others or posts those photos on social networking sites. 62

When Social Networking Becomes Antisocial

8. Internet polling: People create polls about their classmates, asking peers to vote on such questions as “who’s hot” and “who’s not.” 9. Interactive gaming: Students verbally abuse others on gaming devices such as XBox live and Sony Play Station 2 Network. Here are examples of cyberbullying by proxy: 1. Controlling the victim’s account: The most typical way a cyberbullying by proxy attack occurs is when a person controls another person’s account and sends out hateful messages pretending to be the victim. 2. Posing as the victim: People pose as the victim on discussion boards.

F l aming Flaming is a type of online fighting that involves posting or sending offensive messages over the Internet. These messages, called flames, are posted in discussion forums or newsgroups or sent by e-mail or instant messaging. The most common area where flaming takes place is within online discussion forums, which are also called bulletin boards. Flaming occurs when a discussion on a topic intensifies and devolves into the hurling of insulting and abusive words. For example, there may be an online discussion about fast food restaurants. One person may post a message about why he thinks McDonald’s has the best French fries. This prompts 63

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

a response from someone else saying why Wendy’s is the better choice. The McDonald’s fan posts again saying that people who eat at McDonald’s are smarter. The Wendy’s fan follows with a post that personally attacks the McDonald’s fan and results in a flame war. Flame wars are also called pie fights and can involve many people being inconsiderate of others and their viewpoints. Some flaming is intentional, but flame wars can also be the result of a misunderstanding. A person may misinterpret a sarcastic comment, for example, and overreact with abusive, derogatory, and even threatening language.

Privacy analyst Sarah Downey works with president and CEO Bill Kerrigan to help their customers track down and remove unwanted personal data from the Web. They work for a company called Abine, Inc., which specializes in controlling the sale and redistribution of private data on the Internet by marketers and data brokers. 64

When Social Networking Becomes Antisocial

W arning S igns The emotional effects of cyberbullying are similar to the emotional effects of traditional bullying. The signs that someone is being cyberbullied include the following: • • • • •

A person appears sad, moody or anxious. He or she avoids school. The person avoids social activities. His or her grades drop. He or she appears upset after going online or viewing a text message.

S tanding U p People who witness cyberbullying play a role in the bullying. They can either do nothing and silently allow it, or they can do something to stop it. It is important for them to stand up when they see someone being victimized. Here are some things people can do to stop cyberbullying in its tracks: • Don’t answer cyberbullying messages. • Block the bully on social media and eliminate or block the bully’s e-mail address. • Document, save, and archive all evidence of cyberbullying, including text messages and harassing e-mails. • Report cyberbullying. States have laws and policies against bullying. Cyberbullying is a crime when the messages contain threats of violence, child pornography, or photos with sexually explicit messages. 65

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

Cyberbullying can also include stalking a victim or engaging in activities that are a hate crime. • Parents and teachers can report bullies to the social media sites. Bullying behavior violates the sites’ policies and terms and conditions.

C ybercrimes The increased use of social media has created more opportunities for criminals. Criminals can use your status updates posted on Twitter and Facebook against you. For example, a person who posts that the family is away on vacation lets criminals know the house is empty and can be burglarized. Photo- and video-sharing sites give users a lot of information about a person’s hobbies, family, and interests, which criminals can use to target people. Another thing people active with social networking need to be aware of is identity theft. Identity theft is when someone steals a person’s personal information and uses it without his or her permission. The following information commonly listed on profiles can be used to steal a person’s identity: • • • • • • •

Full name, including middle name Date of birth Hometown Relationship status School locations and graduation dates Pet names Other affiliations, interests, and hobbies 66

When Social Networking Becomes Antisocial

Bullies may create a fake Facebook account to harass someone. Chris Boston looks at a fake Facebook account set up in his daughter’s name and featuring her image. The malicious cyberbullies used the account to make it seem as if Boston’s daughter was a racist, promiscuous drug user. The Boston family is suing the perpetrators of the hoax.

Some of these items can be used in phishing scams. Phishing is the attempt by fraudulent Internet sites to obtain personal information about individuals by sending e-mails to them. The e-mails appear to be from real companies, so individuals respond and offer sensitive and identifying personal information, like credit card and Social Security numbers. Some of the information above can be used in phishing attempts to make the e-mails more convincing. A fraudulent 67

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

e-mail may look exactly like one you routinely receive from your credit card company, logo and all. It may use your name and address and reference something about recent purchases or your consumer preferences. It will be so convincing that you will be likely to accept it at face value and provide them with the information they are asking for, like credit card, Social Security, or bank account numbers.

H ow to P revent P roblems There are ways to stay active with social networking and to avoid problems. Here are some tips: • Never give out your Social Security or driver’s license numbers, not even when asked to in an e-mail from what appears to be your bank or credit card company. • Use unique user names and passwords for each profile. • Vary passwords and change them regularly. • Don’t give out your username and password to other people. • Minimize the use of personal information on your profiles. • Avoid listing your date of birth, hometown, home address, year of high school graduation, and primary e-mail address. • Only invite people to your network whom you know or have met and trust. • Watch where you post and what you say. 68

When Social Networking Becomes Antisocial

• Google yourself to see if any inappropriate, identifying, or sensitive personal information is available.

O versharing It’s not just crimes people have to worry about when using social media. A Euro RSCG Worldwide study called “This Digital Life” surveyed consumers in nineteen countries, including the United States. It found that nearly 40 percent of Internet users between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five have regretted posting personal information about themselves. Thirty-five percent have regretted posting personal information about a friend or family member. Additionally, just over half of respondents worry that friends or family will post something personal about them that they don’t want shared. Here are some things to think about to avoid oversharing: 1. Don’t say something online that you wouldn’t say offline. When you want to share something personal, do it in person with your actual friends. 2. Turn off location services on apps on your smartphone. Acquaintances shouldn’t know where you are at all times. 3. Turn off instant sharing from apps that track your activity, such as YouTube. People don’t need to know when you are watching a video or what video you are watching. 69

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

Oversharing Can Hurt Relationships Spilling your guts to the entire world on Facebook may be a good way to ruin a romantic relationship, according to research by psychologists at the University of Kansas. In three separate studies, the researchers found that people in romantic relationships don’t like their partners to broadcast their innermost feelings and personal experiences to the online social network. The researchers made fake Facebook walls as part of the studies and asked participants how they would feel about the postings if the person were a romantic partner. “You have the expectation of your partner only telling you some of this important information, but then you see that they’re telling the whole world,” said Juwon Lee, a doctoral student in psychology at Kansas who conducted the investigation. “So you feel less special and unique.” 4. Set a reminder to check your profile settings on social networks for any changes at least once every three months. When using social media for either school or pleasure, always stay smart and stay safe. If you take some basic precautions and observe the proper online etiquette, you will not only have a great time, you will also learn an enormous amount and make a lot of friends while doing so.

70

Glossary blog Web log similar to an online diary that is updated on a regular basis. Facebook A social networking service first launched in February 2004. Users create personal profiles, add other users as friends, and exchange messages. flipped learning An educational process in which students learn a concept at home and then practice that concept in class. Foursquare A location-based social networking Web site for mobile devices. Google+ Pronounced Google Plus, this social network site was first launched in 2011. It is an information network where people share and follow common interests. LinkedIn A business social networking site used mainly for professional networking. Pinterest A bulletin board– style photo-sharing Web site that allows users to create and manage themebased image collections

that feature events, interests, and hobbies. Reddit A social news and entertainment Web site where registered users submit content in the form of either a link, text, or post. Skype A software application that allows users to make voice and video calls over the Internet. social networking The use of a Web site to communicate with other members of the site, by posting messages, photographs, and videos. Tumblr A microblogging platform and social networking Web site where users post multimedia and other content to a shortform blog. Twitter An online social networking and microblogging service created in 2006 that allows users to send and read messages of up to 140 characters, known as “tweets.” YouTube A video-sharing Web site created in 2005. 71

For More information representation and support for individuals and groups that have been victims of online privacy invasion and monitoring by the U.S. government and large corporations.

Canadian Education Association (CEA) 119 Spadina Avenue, Suite 705 Toronto, ON M5V 2L1 Canada (866) 803-9549 Web site: http://www.cea-ace.ca The Canadian Education Association is a network of passionate educators advancing ideas for greater student and teacher engagement in public education. CEA does this by conducting research and spreading useful ideas through its publications, Web site, workshops, symposia, and social media channels.

MediaSmarts 950 Gladstone Avenue, Suite 120 Ottawa, ON K1Y 3E6 Canada (613) 224–7721 Web site: http://www .mediasmarts.ca This organization strives to increase the digital and media literacy skills among Canadians through educational resources and programs that promote critical thinking and use of online resources, including social networks and news obtained from the Web. The organization’s mission is to develop engaged, informed, and active citizens.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) 454 Shotwell Street San Francisco, CA 94110–1914 (415) 436–9333 Web site: http://www.eff.org The EFF provides legal expertise and advocacy for consumers and the general public in an effort to curb violations of freedom of speech, the right to information, and privacy on the Internet. The nonprofit organization provides legal

PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center 8161 Normandale Boulevard Bloomington, MN 55437 (800) 537-2237 72

For More Information Social Media in Organizations 1530 South State Street, #925 Chicago, IL 60605 (312) 225.3365 Web site: http://www.sminorgs.net Social Media in Organizations is a professional community whose mission is to provide information and guidance about the organizational implications of social media. It focuses on how social media will impact employees and organizational functioning, as well as general social and economic trends.

Web site: http://www.pacer.org PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center unites, engages, and educates communities nationwide to address bullying through creative, relevant, and interactive resources. Social Media Listening Center at Clemson University Clemson University Cyberinstitute Clemson, SC 29634 (864) 656-3311 Web site: http://cyberinstitute .clemson.edu/projects/42 The Social Media Listening Center at Clemson University is an interdisciplinary research lab and teaching facility that opened in early 2012. The Listening Center brings together faculty, staff, students, and external partners to support undergraduate creative inquiry, faculty research, pedagogy, and outreach through social media listening.

Web Sites Due to the changing nature of Internet links, Rosen Publishing has developed an online list of Web sites related to the subject of this book. This site is updated regularly. Please use this link to access the list: http://www.rosenlinks.com /TGPSN/Educ

73

For Further Reading Andrews, Lori. I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy. New York, NY: Free Press, 2012. Baule, Steven M., and Julie E. Lewis. Social Networking for Schools. Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth, 2012. Butler, Allison. Majoring in Change: Young People Use Social Networking to Reflect on High School, College, and Work (Minding the Media: Critical Issues for Learning and Teaching). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing, 2012. Christakis, Nicholas A., and James H. Fowler. Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives—How Your Friends’ Friends’ Friends Affect Everything You Feel, Think, and Do. New York, NY: Back Bay Books, 2011. Cimino, Michelle. NETiquette (On-Line Etiquette): Tips for Adults & Teens: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter! Terminology….and More. 74

Frederick, MD: PublishAmerica, 2009. Deal, Terrence E., Ted Purinton, and Daria Cook Waetjen. Making Sense of Social Networks in Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2012. Dixon, Brian. Social Media for School Leaders: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting the Most Out of Facebook, Twitter, and Other Essential Web Tools. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Hinduja, Sameer, and Justin W. Patchin. School Climate 2.0: Preventing Cyberbullying and Sexting One Classroom at a Time. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2012. Ivester, Matt. lol...OMG!: What Every Student Needs to Know About Online Reputation Management, Digital Citizenship, and Cyberbullying. Reno, NV: Serra Knight Publishing, 2011. Jacobs, Thomas A. Teen Cyberbullying Investigated: Where Do Your Rights End and Consequences

For Further Reading the Risks Associated with Begin? Minneapolis, Modern Media and Social MN: Free Spirit PublishNetworking and How It ing, 2010. Can Impact Your Character Kowalski, Robin M., Susan P. and Relationships. Ventura, Limber, and Patricia W. CA: Regal, 2011. Agatston. Cyberbullying: White, Aaron M., and Scott Bullying in the Digital Swartzwelder. What Age. Malden, MA: WileyAre They Thinking?!: The Blackwell, 2012. Straight Facts About the Obee, Jennifer. Social NetworkRisk-Taking, Socialing: The Ultimate Teen Networking, Still-DevelopGuide (It Happened to ing Teen Brain. New York, Me). Lanham, MD: NY: W.W. Norton & Scarecrow Press Inc., 2012. Company, 2013. Rainie, Lee, and Barry Wellman. Networked: The New Wilkinson, Colin. Mobile Platforms: Getting Information Social Operating System. on the Go (Digital and InCambridge, MA: MIT formation Literacy). New Press, 2012. York, NY: Rosen PublishRyckert Cook, Colleen. Freing, 2011. quently Asked Questions Wilkinson, Colin. Twitter and About Social Networking Microblogging: Instant (FAQ: Teen Life). New Communication with 140 York, NY: Rosen PublishCharacters or Less (Digital ing, 2011. and Information Literacy). Stenzel, Pam, and Melissa NesNew York, NY: Rosen dahl. Who’s In Your Social Publishing, 2011. Network?: Understanding

75

Bibliography Hotz, Robert Lee. “When ‘Likes’ Can Shed Light.” Wall Street Journal, March 11, 2013. Retrieved March 2013 (http:// online.wsj.com/article/SB 100014241278873240964 04578354533010958940 .html?mod=e2tw). Huffington Post. “Kenneth Weishuhn, Gay Iowa Teen, Commits Suicide After Allegedly Receiving Death Threats.” April 17, 2012. Retrieved March 2013 (http://www .huffingtonpost.com /2012/04/17/kenneth -weishuhn-gay-iowa -teen-suicide_n_1431442 .html). Kanalley, Craig. “Facebook Valentines: Study Finds Oversharing on Personal Life Hurts Romantic Relationships.” Huffington Post, February 12, 2013. Retrieved March 2013 (http://www .huffingtonpost.com /craig-kanalley/facebook -valentines-study_ b_2670613.html). Kaplan Test Prep. “Highlights from Kaplan Test Prep’s

2012 College Admissions Officers Survey.” Retrieved March 2013 (http://www .kaptest.com/assets/pdfs/ Highlights-from-Kaplan -Test-Preps-2012 -College-Admissions -Officers-Survey.pdf ). Kaplan Test Prep. “10 Ways to Manage Your Social Media Footprint.” Retrieved March 2013 (http://www .kaptest.com/College /Getting-into-College /Getting-into-College /10-ways-to-manage -your-social-media -footprint.html). Lepi, Katie. “50 Powerful Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom.” Edudemic.com, November 15, 2012. Retrieved March 2013 (http://edudemic. com/2012/11/online -colleges-50-creative -ways-to-use-skype-in -the-classroom). Luckerson, Victor. “When Colleges Woo Students Through Social Media: Less Viewbooks, More Facebook.” Time, November 16, 2012. Retrieved 76

Bibliography Sutton, Lane. “5 Ways to Avoid Oversharing on Social Media.” Mashable.com, August 25, 2012. Retrieved March 2013 (http:// mashable.com/2012/08 /25/oversharing-social -media-teens-tip/). Teachthought.com. “37 Ways Teachers Can Use Pinterest in the Classroom.” November 15, 2012. Retrieved March 2013 (http://www.teachthought .com/social-media/37 -ways-teachers-can-use -pinterest-in-the -classroom). Teachthought.com. “20 Ways High Schools Are Using Twitter in the Classroom.” November 13, 2012. Retrieved March 2013 (http://www.teachthought .com/social-media/20 -ways-high-schools-are -using-twitter-in-the -classroom). Van Dijck, Jose. The Culture of Connectivity: A Critical History of Social Media. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2013.

March 2013 (http://nation .time.com/2012/11/16 /when-colleges-woo -students-through-social -media-less-viewbooks -more-facebook). Miller, Samantha. “50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom.” TeachHub.com. Retrieved March 2013 (http://www.teachhub .com/50-ways-use -twitter-classroom). Pew Internet & American Life Project. “Twitter Use 2012.” May 31, 2012. Retrieved March 2013 (http://www.pewinternet .org/Reports/2012/Twitter -Use-2012/Findings.aspx). Riddle, Christa, “Ocean County Teens Use ‘Pier Pressure’ to Raise Money for First Responders.” Ocean Signal, February 23, 2013. Retrieved March 2013 (http://www .oceancountysignal.com /2013/02/23/ocean -county-teens-use-pier -pressure-to-raise-money -for-first-responders /11905). 77

Index B

G

BetterLesson, 29 blogs, explanation of, 18–19

Google+, overview of, 11–12 Google+ Hangouts, 12, 45–48 group projects, social networking and, 24–25

C Care2, 54 Change.org, 52–53 Chatzy, 45 Classroom 2.0, 29 colleges, social networking and, 5, 7, 32–34 cyberbullying, 7, 60–63, 65–66 cybercrimes, 66–68

H Hallway, 35–36 homework help, social networking and, 5, 34–37

I information sharing sharing news, 20–22 sharing photos and videos, 24 sharing resources, 22–24 Instagram, overview of, 15–16 interview sources, social networking and, 32

D Diipo, 29 DoSomething.org, 54 Dweeber.com, 36–37

E Edmodo, 27, 44 Educator’s PLN, 29 eduClipper, 27 Edutopia, 29 emergency communication, social networking and, 48–49 extracurricular activities and afterschool clubs, social networking and, 5–6, 39–44

K Khan Academy, 34–35 KidZui, 37

L Learnist, 27 LinkedIn, overview of, 18 live streaming, 45 Lore, 27

F

M

Facebook, overview of, 8–9 flaming, 63–64 Foursquare, overview of, 12–13

message boards, explanation of, 19

78

Index

O

S

oversharing, 7, 69–70

Skype, overview of, 16–17 Snapchat, 35 Sophia Learning, 29 study groups, social networking and, 30

P petitions, online, social networking and, 7, 52–53 Pinterest, overview of, 15 polling, online, social networking and, 5, 31–32

T TakePart, 54 TeachAde, 27 teacher sites, 5, 26–29 Thegluenetwork.com, 54 Tumblr, overview of, 16 Twiducate, 29 Twitter, overview of, 10–11

R raising money, social networking and, 7, 55–58 Reddit, overview of, 13 reminders from teachers, social networking and, 26

Y YouTube, overview of, 13–14

79

Social Network–Powered Education Opportunities

A bout

the

A uthor

Mindy Mozer is a writer and editor living in Rochester, New York, with her husband and two children. She has written numerous books about educational and professional opportunities, including Getting a Job in Automotive Care and Service and Careers as a Commissioned Sales Representative.

Photo Credits Cover (left), p. 4 © iStockphoto.com/Jaroslaw Wojcik; cover (right) © iStockphoto.com/Momcilog; cover, p. 1 (tablet screen) © iStockphoto.com/andrearoad; cover, pp. 1, 8, 24, 36, 49, 61 (background icons) © iStockphoto.com/ Matt Chalwell; p. 1 (hands and tablet) © iStockphoto.com/ frankreporter; p. 4 (background) © iStockphoto.com/Danil Melekhin; p. 5 © iStockphoto.com/ contrastaddict; p. 6 Comstock/Thinkstock; p. 9 © Canadian Press/AP Images; pp. 11, 28 Bloomberg/Getty Images; p. 13 Dominic Lipinski/ Press Association/AP Images; p. 15 Stephen Lam/Getty Images; p. 22 Jochen Tack/imagebroker.net/SuperStock; p. 25 Yuri Arcurs/Shutterstock.com; pp. 30–31 Camera Press/ James Veysey/Redux; p. 34 Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images; pp. 38–39, 62–63 iStockphoto/Thinkstock; pp. 42–43 Zoran Mircetic/E+/Getty Images; p. 46 Nadine Rupp/Getty Images; p. 52 Blend Images/ Shutterstock; p. 54 Gergely Zsolnai/ Shutterstock.com; pp. 56–57, 65 © AP Images; pp. 58–59 Araya Diaz/Getty Images; p. 68-69 Thoels Graugaard/the Agency Collection/Getty Images; additional design elements © iStockphoto.com/P2007 (social networking icons), © iStockphoto.com/imagotres (network illustration.). Designer: Nelson Sa; Photo Researcher: Amy Feinberg 80