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The social media tools that I will start using first are Symbaloo, Twitter and Voicethread. Then I plan on using Wikis and facebook soon after. We already use blogs but I may bring back the blog as a group dynamic tool to help my ninth graders learn how to work together not only in the classroom but out of the room as well.

[] This site helps to keep apps in categories on one page. I can add and delete sites as they are needed and develop lessons they can see and work with all on one page. We can add any social networking site or resouces and the students can just go to this page and work on the assignment at school or home. The down side it is easier for the students to add no essential sites at will. They can add a site and be on their own social networking site instead of using the lessons. I still will rate this 5 stars out of 5. This is efficient, convienient and easy to use = = [] Twitter, I plan on using twitter after the students have been exposed to other media like blogs and wikis. I am going to have a cross curricular lesson with the English staff, when they do "To kill a mockingbird" and we will be doing civil rights. This will give me time to get more efficient and get connections to other people and possibly the author to help the ninth graders to see the overall picture of the civil rights stuggel. I will also be using twitter with the teachers so they to will be more effecient and comforable with the communications. Obviously the problem with twitter is abuses of just have conversations that disrupt their on task behavior, but we will be able to try and control the off task tweeting. Right now I will rate this a 3 out of 5. I don't know how effective we can be using this.
 * Symbaloo** is the first site
 * Twitter** the second site

http://usingsocialmediasafely.wikispaces.com/ I have used the wikis without a lot of success. This is mainly because I have not used the format enough to use it effeciently. Now I have seen the seniors use it very effectively, but ninth graders need to be brought on slowly to help guide them away from using it innapropriaely. I want them to us this as a bases for information similar to google docs but the fact it is an easier web based concept will aloow them to use the wiki for more than just communication and put voicethread and other visual ideas like Prezi for a more challenging and creative learning experience. What down side I have seen is my own inability to use it effectively and the students giving up too quickly when they are just in the introductory phase. I will give it a 3 out of 5 as well. When I learn how to be more effective I am sure the students will be as well.
 * Wikis** are the third tool

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