Social Media for Educators: Strategies and Best Practices

Praise for Social Media for Educators "At last, a book that provides a straightforward discussion of the pedagogical reasons to use social media, and how to effectively use the tools to enhance learning experiences. A practical must–have!"—Rita–Marie Conrad, instructional strategist and technologist, Duke University School of Nursing; coauthor, Engaging the Online Learner and The Online Teaching Survival Guide "This insightful and in–depth exploration effectively makes a case for embracing the best characteristics of social media to foster deeper learning experiences, promote collaboration, and provide timely feedback. This book is a can′t–miss for educators."—Amy M. Collier, associate director for technology and teaching, Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University "Thought about using social media in your online courses but don′t know where to begin? Joosten′s comprehensive hands–on book describes step–by–step how social media can add richness to your course content and have a positive impact on student outcomes." —Rosemary Lehman and Simone ConceiÇão, eInterface; coauthors, Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching and Managing Online Instructor Workload "Many faculty are hesitant to incorporate social media into their teaching for fear that it will be a distraction or too time consuming. Tanya Joosten has done a remarkable job outlining the benefits—and considerations—of doing so. Faculty who read this book will be able to make informed, educated decisions about the best approach to take." —John Dolan, director, digital media and pedagogy, College of the Liberal Arts, Penn State University Social Media for Educators This is a down–to–earth resource filled with strategies for designing learning activities that work toward specific outcomes. It illustrates the ways in which social media will improve learning and contains case studies that clearly demonstrate social media′s ability to: Increase communication and interactivity in a course Facilitate engaging learning activities Enhance students′ satisfaction, learning, and performance

List of Tables, Figures, and Exhibits vii Preface xi Acknowledgments xvii About the Author xix PART ONE: Background 1 ONE Why Social Media? 3 TWO Preparing to Use Social Media 15 PART TWO: Social Media: What Do We Do with It? 33 THREE Increasing Communication and Encouraging Contact 35 FOUR Developing a Richer Learning Experience 51 FIVE Building Cooperation and Feedback Through Dialogue 65 PART THREE: Other Considerations in Implementation 77 SIX Guiding Social Media in Our Institutions 79 SEVEN Evaluating Social Media 89 Appendix A Sample Social Bookmarking Activity 97 Appendix B Sample Survey Items 101 References 105 Resources 113 Index 115

Tanya Joosten is the interim director at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Learning Technology Center (LTC) and teaches in the Department of Communication. She also leads several UWM social media initiatives and the EDUCAUSE social media constituent group.