Using+Social+Media+in+the+Classroom

Session Description:
Social media provides a way to connect people from around the world and offers a platform for friends and family to keep up with each other. But social media isn't just for computer geeks. Increasingly, social media is becoming a part of the classroom. It is becoming increasingly important to use social media to engage students and enhance the learning environment. The MacArthur Foundation study, [|Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project], concluded that "spending time online is essential for young people to pick up the social and technical skills they need to be competent citizens in the digital age.”

Social networking (Club Penguin, Facebook), micro-blogging (Twitter, Wave), video and photo sharing (YouTube, Flickr) and host of other social media resources can move from the bedroom to the classroom to foster communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Learn how to introduce and leverage these tools with your students and enjoy the benefits of learning in a social, hyper-connected world.

You will learn: 1. Why it is so important for educators to understand and embrace social media 2. Which tools can best support your learning environment 3. How to encourage safe and responsible use of social media in and out of the classroom

Presenter Bio: Patrick Woessner, St. Louis, MO
Patrick Woessner is a middle school educator with nearly 20 years of experience in public and independent schools. A Minnesota native (and U of MN graduate), he began his teaching career in New Zealand, migrated to Texas, and then moved to St. Louis in 1994 to teach at [|MICDS]. After serving as the Science Department Chair for eight years, he assumed his current position as the Middle School Coordinator of Instructional Technology in 2002 after completing his MAT in Educational Technology at Webster University.

Patrick has presented at numerous conferences, including the National Science Teacher’s Association, Midwest Educational Technology Conference, and Lausanne Laptop Institute, been featured in publications including ASCD Express and the MacArthur Foundation’s Spotlight on Digital Media and Learning, and currently serves as a online book reviewer for Stenhouse Publishing and public relations chair for the K12 Online Conference. He shares his insight on all things education-related at his blog, **Technology in the Middle.**