 Group connects members to a
worldwide network of professionals who share
the same interests.
7. BECOME A CRITIC WITH DESTINY.
This library management system allows
students to rate books, post reviews, share
resource lists, and upload videos. Our students
write, produce, and upload book trailers that all
visitors can see.
8. COLLABORATE TO PUBLISH ORIGINAL FICTION ON WIKIA NOVELAS.
Our Diaries of the Latin American
Revolutions, a role-playing simulation wiki,
was begun by students in the class of 2012.
This wiki was further revised and edited by
unique visitors and students in the class of
2013. The Revision History feature allows
teachers to see how each student contributed
to the wiki.
9. PUBLISH AND CRITIQUE ORIGINAL VIDEOS SAFELY ON YOUTUBE.
In a Google Apps domain, teachers and
students can create their own personal YouTube
channels. To maintain your privacy, you can
make them “unlisted.” When our music students,
poets, videographers, and debaters choose to
publish their work for the world, we can help
them decide what is appropriate. Students can
engage in peer critique using the comments
section below each video.
10. ENGAGE IN CLASS DISCUSSIONS WITH FACEBOOK GROUPS.
This familiar environment encourages long,
reflective writing. Working in Facebook with your
students helps them understand appropriate
social interactions. Student-posted surveys gather
hundreds of responses in a week. Facebook photo
albums let kids share photos from field trips and
post photos from school events. With younger
students, you can try Fakebook to help them learn
how to socialize in a virtual environment. (www.classtools.net/fb/home/page).
11. LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE ON LIVEMOCHA.
This worldwide community of language
learners lets students connect with people around the world. Students get feedback from native speakers
as they practice reading and writing skills and give
feedback to users who are learning English.
12. CREATE A FLEET OF IN-HOUSE REPORTERS WITH TWITTER, FACEBOOK, AND FLICKR.
Why have kids sit back and observe when they
can wear a Press Pass and document every minute
of the action by taking photos and video with their
phones or tablets? Tweet to the school hashtags,
upload to Facebook with a caption, or post to the
school Flickr account.
Students will network with or without us. Isn’t
it our responsibility as 21st-century educators to
ensure that kids know how to navigate this tricky
Cathy Swan, a regular presenter at T&L’s Tech
Forums, is the Technology Integration teacher for the
humanities and social sciences at New Canaan High
School in New Canaan, CT, and a Google-certified
teacher. She is a regular presenter at Tech Forum New
York. Swan also sits on the Board of the Connecticut
Educators Computer Association and on the Connecticut
State Commission on Educational Technology.