Social Media for Educators: Strategies and Best Practices [Paperback]

Tanya Joosten (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2012 | ISBN-10: 1118118286 | ISBN-13: 978-1118118283 | Edition: 1

Tap into the power of social media and increase course effectiveness! Faculty will learn to choose the appropriate social media tool for the intended learning outcome, design engaging and innovative activities, and better meet pedagogical needs. In addition, the author offers strategies for assessing and documenting the effectiveness of using these tools in your course. Administrators and student affairs professionals will also find a wealth of information useful for planning faculty development programs and communicating with students.

Although the book focuses on higher education, tools and techniques presented here can be easily generalized for K–12 classrooms or organizational learn­ing. The best practices and faculty development tips can be informative for individuals involved in any kind of professional development or network-building.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"At last, a book that provides a straightforward discussion of the pedagogical reasons to use social media, and how to effectively use the tools to enhance learning experiences. A practical must-have!" —Rita-Marie Conrad, instructional strategist and technologist, Duke University School of Nursing; coauthor, Engaging the Online Learner and The Online Teaching Survival Guide

"This insightful and in-depth exploration effectively makes a case for embracing the best characteristics of social media to foster deeper learning experiences, promote collaboration, and provide timely feedback. This book is a can't-miss for educators." —Amy M. Collier, associate director for technology and teaching, Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University

"Thought about using social media in your online courses but don't know where to begin? Joosten's comprehensive hands-on book describes step-by-step how social media can add richness to your course content and have a positive impact on student outcomes." —Rosemary Lehman and Simone ConceiÇão, eInterface; coauthors, Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching and Managing Online Instructor Workload

"Many faculty are hesitant to incorporate social media into their teaching for fear that it will be a distraction or too time consuming. Tanya Joosten has done a remarkable job outlining the benefits—and considerations—of doing so. Faculty who read this book will be able to make informed, educated decisions about the best approach to take." —John Dolan, director, digital media and pedagogy, College of the Liberal Arts, Penn State University

From the Back Cover

Praise for Social Media for Educators

"At last, a book that provides a straightforward discussion of the pedagogical reasons to use social media, and how to effectively use the tools to enhance learning experiences. A practical must-have!"—Rita-Marie Conrad, instructional strategist and technologist, Duke University School of Nursing; coauthor, Engaging the Online Learner and The Online Teaching Survival Guide

"This insightful and in-depth exploration effectively makes a case for embracing the best characteristics of social media to foster deeper learning experiences, promote collaboration, and provide timely feedback. This book is a can't-miss for educators."—Amy M. Collier, associate director for technology and teaching, Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University

"Thought about using social media in your online courses but don't know where to begin? Joosten's comprehensive hands-on book describes step-by-step how social media can add richness to your course content and have a positive impact on student outcomes." —Rosemary Lehman and Simone ConceiÇão, eInterface; coauthors, Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching and Managing Online Instructor Workload

"Many faculty are hesitant to incorporate social media into their teaching for fear that it will be a distraction or too time consuming. Tanya Joosten has done a remarkable job outlining the benefits—and considerations—of doing so. Faculty who read this book will be able to make informed, educated decisions about the best approach to take." —John Dolan, director, digital media and pedagogy, College of the Liberal Arts, Penn State University

Social Media for Educators

This is a down-to-earth resource filled with strategies for designing learning activities that work toward specific outcomes. It illustrates the ways in which social media will improve learning and contains case studies that clearly demonstrate social media's ability to:

• Increase communication and interactivity in a course

• Facilitate engaging learning activities

• Enhance students' satisfaction, learning, and performance

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (April 24, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1118118286
• ISBN-13: 978-1118118283
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.4 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > Computers & Technology > Home Computing & How-to > Social Media How-to

More About the Author

Tanya Joosten is the Director (Interim) at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Learning Technology Center (LTC) and teaches in the Department of Communication.

Tanya is the author of Social Media for Educators published by Jossey Bass. Her work and expertise on social media has been highlighted by The Chronicle of Higher Education, Ed Tech Magazine, eCampus News, and EDUCAUSE Quarterly. Tanya's social media efforts were supported by several UW System grant funded projects from 2008 - 2011.

Tanya leads up the EDUCAUSE social media constituent group with Shannon Ritter (Penn State), and together, they started started the #edusocmedia hashtag in 2010. Please join at: http://www.educause.edu/groups/SOCMEDIA.

She is helping develop plans for the future of education as she is a member of the UWM digital future steering committee, State of Wisconsin Superintendent's digital learning advisory council member, EDUCAUSE Evolving Technologies Steering Committee, and Sage Publications digital media advisory board member.

Tanya is active in blended and online learning. She has taught online and blended classes for over 10 years. At UWM, she co-chairs the online program council and is the campus liaison for online and blended programming. In leading the UWM LTC, she oversees the recognized faculty development team for online and blended teaching, the UWM Certificate in Blended and Online Teaching, the online and blended teachers users group, and the Sloan-C blended faculty development program.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Very Basic February 22, 2013

By Melissa Kaulbach

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Helpful for the novice level and provides basic information that is helpful to understand Web 2.0, Cloud-based technology, and social media tools.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars the go to guide for educators November 25, 2012

By Dr. Greg Smith (aka sowhatfaith)

Format:Paperback

After attending Joosten's informative, interactive, and inspirational session ("Social Media to Enhance Online Learning") at the 18th Annual Sloan Consortium International Conference on Online Learning, I wasted no time in acquiring a copy of her latest book. Social Media for Educators is a must read for anyone who cares about the educational enterprise. Divided into three sections ("Background," "Social Media: What Do We Do with it?," and "Other Considerations in Implementation"), the book is appropriate for those with little or no experience leveraging social media tools to support learning objectives, yet substantive enough to warrant reading by seasoned educators and administrators.

Since social media are "virtual places where people share; everybody and anybody can share anything anywhere anytime," the possibilities are endless (p.14). This text serves well as your personal guide while you navigate the possibilities, determine the value, and begin using (or alter your usage of) social media in your teaching. Once you begin the journey, the same tools you use to teach become ways of learning and sharing your learning with your colleagues throughout the world.