From Twitter to blogging to Skype, a growing number of innovative teachers find that social media can be a powerful way to instruct and motivate K-12 students.

“Students are engaged daily in social media, so it presents a great way to connect with them,” says Kathy Cook, director of Educational Technology for the University of Phoenix – College of Education. “Social media can also help tie classroom learning to real-world scenarios and enhance student learning.” Furthermore, parents and teachers can guide children, starting as early as kindergarten, to use the power of social networking in a positive, proactive way to build excitement around learning.

“It is important that our students know that social media is a place where they can learn, and that information can be put out there in a good way,” says Sue Gorman, an Innovation Learning Consultant K-12 and adjunct professor for the Institute of Professional Educator Development for the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Twitter

Gorman says that she sees schools incorporating programs like “Twitter Tuesdays” as early as kindergarten. The teacher asks the students about what they are learning to find out what each of them would like to share with the world. She composes and tweets the message from her classroom account and, to the thrill of the youngsters, people all over the world respond to the message. “If we start teaching students, from a young age, how to tweet or even blog, they will learn how to make appropriate comments that encourage other students. I think that’s vastly important,” Gorman says.

High school teacher Chris Fisher teaches aquatic science and coaches football and soccer. He uses Twitter accounts to connect with his students, athletes, and parents. “It is a great way for me to get information to them and also be available when they have questions outside of the school day,” Fisher says. “I teach seniors and this is how they communicate with each other, so my philosophy is to not make them use something they would only use for my class, but take advantage of the sites they are on every day.”

Fisher says that, while he encourages students and parents to follow him on Twitter, he does not follow current students. “Classroom information is my primary focus on Twitter.” On Twitter, teachers and students can also research trends, provide feedback to each other through hashtags, and connect with experts. “If you are looking at Twitter to see what experts are saying in the field, you are getting real-world experiences and instant feedback,” Cook says.

Blogging

Some teachers have introduced classroom blogs, where students can post their writing, learn to create hyperlinks, and embed images. “Students can receive authentic feedback about what they are doing,” Cook says. “That is meaningful for them and their growth.”

Pernille Ripp, a 5th grade teacher, introduced blogging to her students four years ago (when she taught 4th grade). She says the response has been overwhelmingly positive. “Parents love that blogging provides them with a look into what is happening with their child in school and what their child is thinking. It also allows extended family to be part of the conversation,” she says. “My students love it because of the conversation it starts with others which can lead to new ideas.”

Kidblog, a free app designed for classroom use, enables teachers to create a secure environment for kids to learn about blogging. Teachers monitor all posts and comments before they go “live.” The blog audience can be confined just to their classroom or shared with another classroom.

“I’ve seen the rates of student writing really increase,” Gorman says. “You aren’t just turning this [writing assignment] to your teacher ─ you are turning this in as a global writer, a global thinker.” Parents interested in introducing their younger kids to blogging can download the Kidblog app on iTunes for home use or check out sites like Yoursphere.com and Kidzworld.com.

Skype

While teaching her students about strings and woodwind instruments, music teacher Katie Akright used Skype to connect her 3rd graders in Kansas with two of her former classmates at the College of New Jersey’s music department. Her students brainstormed questions ahead of time, and three of them had the opportunity to interview the experts.

Gorman says “Mystery Skype” is one of the hottest trends in the classroom. The teacher gives students clues about where the classroom is located that they will be Skyping with. After Skyping, some classes go a step further, collaborating with another classroom by blogging together or reading the same book and having a discussion. Students can use Google Earth to learn more about the location of the class they are interacting with.

“The coolest thing about social media in the classroom is that the world is truly a classroom,” Gorman says.