The document discusses how social networking tools like Facebook and Moodle can be used by educators for professional development and collaboration in the 21st century. It explains that Web 2.0 focuses on practices like sharing information and harnessing collective intelligence. Social networks promote communication among educators with similar goals. The Facebook group "e-Learning in Developing and Developed Countries" offers webinars and online courses on integrating technology for active learning. Classroom 2.0 is a Ning network that allows educators to connect, share content and resources, and participate in discussions and events online.

1. Social Networking for Educators Teachers Learning in the 21 st Century

2. From The Next Wave Now: Web 2.0, Mills states that, With Web 2.0, the focus is not on software, but on practices such as sharing thoughts and information through self-publishing and harnessing the collective intelligence of all users to generate information and solve problems. These technologies are creating huge changes in how educators and students receive and respond to information. (2007)

3. Preparing Our Students We live in a world in which communication and collaboration are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. (Solomon & Schrum, 2007) In order to prepare our students for the competitive global market of the 21st century, we must embrace Web 2.0 tools in our professional lives.

4. Social Networks Social networks are a way teachers can respond to innovation They promote collaboration and communication amongst a group of people with similar beliefs and goals.

5. Facebook Facebook is a popular social network that gives people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. (Zuckerberg M., Hughes C, Moskovitz D. & Saverin E., 2004) Facebook allows its users to: keep up with friends and colleagues upload an unlimited number of photos share links and videos learn more about the people they meet

6. e-Learning in Developing and Developed Countries is a Facebook group created for educators to collaborate and bridge the digital gap so that all learners can benefit from e-learning. P osts by members include many opportunities for online, on-going professional development necessary to meet the needs of Texas students and prepare them for the 21st Century ( Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 , 2006). e-Learning in Developing and Developed Countries

7. Professional Development Opportunities e-Learning in Developing and Developed Countries offers webinars, online courses, and workshops on how to integrate technology for active learning through its Moodle at http://www.integrating-technology.com/

8. Moodle Moodle is a Virtual Learning Environment. It is a free web application that teachers can use to create effective online learning sites. Moodles: can be used for universities, high-schools, primary schools, and education hobbyists can be used for online courses, or to augment face-to-face courses has forums, databases and wikis to build collaborative communities of learning can be used to deliver content to students and assess learning using assignments or quizzes

9. Classroom 2.0 Classroom 2.0 is a Ning Ning is a social platform used to: explore and express interests discover new passions meet new people around shared pursuits. http://www.ning.com/ Nings allow the user to tap into member data. Members' profile information can be exported from the Manage Members page. A comma-separated text file is generated that can be opened using Excel. It'll contain information such as members’ names, a link to their profile page, their email address, the date they joined, their birthday, and their answers to all of the profile questions on the social network.

10. Classroom 2.0 a free, community-supported network for those interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in education extra support available for “beginners” members must be approved includes a list of events, links, videos, interviews, a discussion forum, webinars, and a chat room all members are invited to add content

11. Classroom 2.0 Once a member, teachers can: create their own profiles invite other educators and share access the latest activity access RSS Feeds and RSS Out share photos and videos chat join groups join the discussion forum create a blog attend events Classroom 2.0 is moderated and values its members’ privacy.

12. References Long-range plan for technology, 2006-2020 . (2006, November). Retrieved from http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/technology/lrpt/LRPTCompleteDec06.pdf Mills, L. B. (2007). The next wave now: Web 2.0. The Education Digest , 73 (4), 4-5. Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, New schools . Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, 8.-21 Zuckerberg M., Hughes C, Moskovitz D. & Saverin E. (2004, February 4). Facebook . Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com/facebook?ref=pf#/facebook?v=wall&ref=pf