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"When it comes to Facebook marketing, we all know the difference between snagging "likes" with simple freebies and discounts, and earning them through engaging, meaningful social content. Doing the former does get "likes" to pour into your company's page for a time - until the discount ends, leaving you with bigger numbers but not greater fan loyalty. Doing the latter gets you something far more valuable: "likes" from fans who actively endorse your brand, and who continue endorsing it, because they want to. That second type of "like" - the "like" that keeps on giving - is the one we want our social initiatives to bring in, and it takes more creativity to get."

"The use of social media in education continues to be something of a hot topic with arguments both for and against. So I carried out a small survey of 27 teaching professionals in order to create a baseline of understanding into the use (or not) of social networking in schools, and also any concerns over some of the e-safety risks. The full survey results can be found here. There are many uses of social media in education - below are just a few of the ways they can be effectively used."

"NBA superstar Kobe Bryant suffered a devastating injury recently, but he's been putting on a social-media clinic since. Byrant ruptured his left achilles during a game Friday night, ending his season and throwing a serious wrench into the Lakers' playoff plans. But his injury is significant in the bigger picture, too. At 34 and with some serious mileage on his body, it could end Bryant's time with Lakers - and, though unlikely, his career. While he's been sidelined on the court, however, Bryant's been more active than ever online. Whether tweeting encouragement to teammates, joining unexpected platforms or sharing surprisingly candid thoughts, the NBA legend has proved he's now a social media all-star, as well. SEE ALSO: Kevin Ware Tweets the Most Inspiring Pic You'll See Today But Bryant's social media surge isn't just a blueprint for sports stars and celebrities; it also contains examples that regular folks would be wise to pick up on. Below are five lessons we can all learn from Bryant's digital tour de force."

"Social networking is up significantly, according to the survey, with 74 percent of respondents reporting that their district maintains a presence on at least one social network, an increase of 44 percent over two years. Use of micro-blogging platforms such as Twitter increased 38 percent over the same period, according to the report, with 69 percent of those surveyed stating their district uses one."

"This web page is a toolkit of resources-video, documents, and links to other sites-for principals who want to use social media to connect with their school communities. At some CPS schools, staff members and parents are working together with their principal on using social media; these resources are for you, too! As part of this toolkit, we've highlighted creative and effective social media use by CPS schools in a "Social Media Trailblazer" video series. We hope these will inspire you and give you ideas for your own school. For questions or to share your ideas, contact Alex Soble (arsoble@cps.edu, @alexsoble, 3-1675) in the Office of Communications."

"Looks like more and more cities are following the lead of NYC and embracing the use of social media in schools. Most recently the Chicago Public Schools has put together toolkit of resources-video, documents, and links to other sites-for principals and staff who want to use social media to connect with their school communities. "

"The biggest reason that the #EduBros event was a big deal is that it is the best example of educational professionals leveraging Social Media to connect with the world around them. Our only goal was to put together a party for friends. It turned into a trending event around the world where people took pictures of their finger in front of their face in the hopes of attending. I was able to connect to people I never thought possible because a friend and I decided to be a little silly. Social Media is a tool that can be used in so many different ways that it is just wrong for any educator to say there is not value in using it. Like all tools, educators need to search for the value and utilize it. While this specific event does not make me a better teacher, it has connected me with more educators which can make me a better educator. That is the big take away from this whole event. It's what I hope everyone who reads this walks away with as well. "

"Sample Social Media Guidelines Below are sample Social Media Guidelines I helped to develop for our district. Use them as an example of a way to create an environment where social media use is promoted by your school or district but there is not a policy in place that makes that an impossibility."

"With all of the new technologies that are surrounding us, and to the many school administrators that are not feeling comfortable with Twitter, Facebook, etc., I would like to suggest three ways (as opposed to the typical round number of 10) that you can focus on your own professional development over the summer. Less is oftentimes more in the digital world as we move from simply being "literate" to "fluent" in this language. So for the administrator new to the world of social media and all of the possibilities that it holds for developing instructional leadership, here are three ways that I would suggest starting to learn this summer"

In her new book It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens (February 25, Yale University Press), Microsoft principal researcher danah boyd addresses the fears and misconceptions that adults have about teens' use of social media, revealing that online networks can be a lifeline and a safety valve for a generation under extreme pressure.


danah boyd
Based on 10 years of research, including conversations with teens across the country, boyd explores the motivations and even sophisticated etiquette that governs teens' online behavior, and explains how adults--including businesses looking to attract a teen audience--can ditch the fear and condescension, and embrace teens' complicated but important relationship with technology.