Facebook?
How did Mark Zuckerberg
come up with that term? That may have a silly story behind it. But what is not
silly, is the impact Facebook is making in our lives! And Twitter? The idea that posting a message online that could be seen by many around the world seems unimaginable. But it sure is possible. Facebook and Twitter have become very much part of our lives and have made their way in education.
Yes, Facebook helps us stay in touch with our friends and family members that have moved away, and it also allows us to plan our weekends based on the events that appear by clicking on the "events" tab on the left side of the page. But now, it also helps librarians promote their library! Well, we need to be "cool" and show our "swag" somehow to our students and community. Not many schools in my district have Facebook library accounts, so I had to look for other nearby school districts to see how they are using social media to bring more attention to their beautiful libraries. What I noticed was that local campuses and others across the country used Facebook to show the public what amazing things are happening in their libraries. Many used it to promote important events such as book fairs and authors visits. Some librarians also shared pictures of their monthly activities or holiday celebrations. Unfortunately, their pages only had 100 to 500 likes. And, not many people commented on their posts.
Yes, Facebook helps us stay in touch with our friends and family members that have moved away, and it also allows us to plan our weekends based on the events that appear by clicking on the "events" tab on the left side of the page. But now, it also helps librarians promote their library! Well, we need to be "cool" and show our "swag" somehow to our students and community. Not many schools in my district have Facebook library accounts, so I had to look for other nearby school districts to see how they are using social media to bring more attention to their beautiful libraries. What I noticed was that local campuses and others across the country used Facebook to show the public what amazing things are happening in their libraries. Many used it to promote important events such as book fairs and authors visits. Some librarians also shared pictures of their monthly activities or holiday celebrations. Unfortunately, their pages only had 100 to 500 likes. And, not many people commented on their posts.
Facebook is definitely a great tool, but can
also have its disadvantages. One thing that makes me a little nervous is
allowing anybody to post or comment. There is always that unhappy parent that
may post a negative comment and tint the image of the library or librarian. But
of course, that may never happen. So, let's still use Facebook and take that
chance! If you are interested in creating an account and even better, use it to promote your library, go to www.facebook.com.
Tweets
are no longer just for birds! Anybody with a Twiter account can tweet! Our
students are using Twitter and it is a great way to stay connected with the
world. It is also a great way to get professional development using your smart
phone. Technology leaders are very present on Twitter, and we can easily learn
from them by following them. Following others is cool now and is no longer
considered stalking! Times have changed! By following people such as Kathy
Schrock and Jim Lerman, we can learn from them and find about what is new with
technology and education. Schrock 's latest Tweet includes her edtech websites.
These websites are phenomenal and educators can discover great resources for
using Ipads to using Pokemon Go in the classroom! Schrock not only shares with
her followers new gadgets, but she is kind enough to add where you can purchase
it at discounted prices! Jim Lerman is
extremely passionate about technology and helping educators. On his Twitter, he
shares many practical things such as how to retrieve data from a damaged SD
card and the basic things you need to know in order to use Snapchat. But, he
also shares many great tools teachers and librarians can definitely apply in
the classroom or library. One of my favorite Tweets is one he shared a couple
of days ago which lists 15 new ideas teachers should try. The lists includes
ways to support students, motivate them to think outside the box, and use their
creativity to the max! Twitter can facilitate easy access to such knowledgeable
leaders that are considered superstars in the world of technology and
education. If you wish to start being part of the tweeting group, go to www.twitter.com and create a free account.
My
edtech Web sites: http://schrockguide.net , http://ipads4teaching.net , http://kathyschrock.net , and http://blog.kathyschrock.net
Becoming
Innovative: 15 New Ideas Every Teacher Should Try - TeachThought via @joevans http://sco.lt/8RZQbR
