Uses of Social Networking for Educational Experiences

I would say that anything that allows people to socially interact with others through the media such as cell phones and computers is considered social media.  I think there are several ways to effectively use social media in the classroom and more importantly I think they should be used in the classroom.  We are such a technological society and in the case, why not use technology sources in the classroom. I really like Pinterest as being used in the classroom, maybe more so for teachers, however.  I have already found several ideas on Pinterest specifically used for speech path.  It's a great way to find ideas and then have them for later use.  I do agree that at times social networking can be a distraction for students.  At my high school we had a one-to-one laptop program where every student 7-12 grade was issued a Macbook.  They school eventually had to block Facebook because students were on that instead of taking notes and paying attention in class.  The one thing I didn't agree with was the school blocking Facebook at home because I used it to chat with friends about homework assignments.  I think at some times a line needs to be drawn, but it's important that it is not taken overboard.
Overall, I think social networking sites can be very beneficial when used in the right way.

Social Network	Used to enhance instruction and learning
Pinterest	Great way to find ideas specific to your area of study.  Can use ideas to organize your classroom, there are also several classroom activities
Youtube	Great way to show videos about the topics being discussed in class.  Reinforces the info for all students and can really benefit visual and spatial learners
Blogger	Good way for students to learn from the other students in class; Allows them to get a broader perspective on the topic being discussed; Allows them to see things outside the box
Diigo	Great for doing research; Love that students can bookmark sites for future use; also love the highlighting and sticky noting so it makes specific phrases easy to find
LiveMocha	Great way to help students learn a second language which can be very beneficial in multicultural classes, can be very beneficial in the long run