This document provides guidance on using social media in schools. It defines social media and lists some popular social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn. It advises that schools should not be worried about social media but should adapt to it. It outlines key first steps such as determining goals, policies, oversight, and training for social media use. Finally, it provides examples of how different social networks can be used and common mistakes to avoid.

1. GETTING SAVVY WITH
SOCIAL MEDIA
Matt Britland

2. Matt Britland
Director of ICT at The Lady Eleanor Holles
School
Director of Realise Learning
Twitter
@mattbritland

3. WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?
Social Media
"Websites and other online means of
communication that are used by large
groups of people to share information and to
develop social and professional contacts."
From www.dictionary.com

4. WHAT IS OUT THERE?
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google+
• Pinterest
• Blogging
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

5. SHOULD SCHOOLS BE WORRIED?
No
Adapt, learn, experiment,
engage and enjoy

6. FIRST STEPS - WHY?
• Why do you want to use social media?
1. For marketing?
2. For teaching and learning?
3. For communication?
4. For hosting and sharing video?
5. For blogging?

7. FIRST STEPS - HOW?
• How will you decide which social networks to
use?
• How will you keep track of social media
accounts?
• How will you make sure social media is used
appropriately?
• How will you train members of staff to use social
media?
• How will you moderate accounts?

8. FIRST STEPS - WHO?
• Who will have oversight over social media use in your school?
• Who will use social media?
1. Main school accounts?
2. Departments?
3. Individual teachers?
4. Students?
• Who will manage the main school social media accounts?
Marketing manager? Teacher? Senior leader?

9. SOCIAL NETWORKS AND
HOW THEY CAN BE USED

10. FACEBOOK
• School page for marketing
and communicating school
information, news and
photos / videos
• Student / teacher Facebook
groups for teaching and
learning
• Facebook timeline

11. TWITTER
• Write messages of 140 characters or
less
• Main school account tweeting
news and information for parents
and pupils. Also works to help
marketing the school to prospective
parents
• Department accounts for tweeting
subject information, links, resources
and students work etc
• Teaching, learning, collaboration
and discussion
• Rotating student tweeters

12. YOUTUBE AND GOOGLE+
• School YouTube channel which
could be split into playlists for
main school and departments
• It could be used to host
marketing videos and videos of
school events
• Video tutorials and videos of
lessons that can be used for
teaching and learning
• Stream live content to YouTube
using Google+ Hangouts

13. PINTEREST
• Online pin boards
• Create school boards for
sharing achievements,
news and other
information. Good for
marketing purposes and
collecting online content
• Department boards for
sharing links, resources,
revision material or news

14. BLOGGING
• Blogging is short for
web log
• Head Teacher blog
• Department blogs
• Students blogs
• Technology blog

15. COMMON MISTAKES / PITFALLS
• Having someone in charge who does not fully understand
social media or how to use it
• Tweeting or posting from a work account instead of a
personal account by mistake
• Spelling mistakes
• Sharing links to articles, videos or blog posts that have not
been read first
• Not checking privacy settings
• Sharing images of children whose parents have requested
not to be photographed

16. COMMON MISTAKES / PITFALLS
• Tweeting or sharing something when you are angry or frustrated
• Not keeping opinions neutral
• Not providing training to teachers or staff using social media
• Losing track of how many accounts there are and who runs them
• Communicating with people from an account you only intended as a
broadcast account
• Not having an AUP for staff and students that includes use of social
media