The Teacher's Guide to Social Media

Education is a two-way street — oftentimes, those who teach could stand to learn a few things as well.

Social media, for one, is largely dominated by Generation Y. We invented it, we grew up with it and we know it like the back of our keyboard-ready hands.

In some schools, tablets and social networks are becoming primary classroom tools. Even digitally versed teachers need to evolve with the language of their increasingly connected students.

Don't sweat it. Below, we've thrown together some basic guidelines teachers should follow when embracing technology in the classroom.

Are you an educator? Any dos or don'ts we missed? Teach us how you use social media in the comments section below.

1. Don't Post Inappropriate Activities

We've published plenty of horror stories about teachers who've posted NSFW content on their social profiles and have been summarily punished (see: the Aurora, Colo. teacher who tweeted half-naked photos of herself and joked about using drugs on school property).

Whatever (legal things) you choose to do outside school is your business — just be sure to not give your colleagues (and students) a front-row seat.

2. Don't Diss Your Students

Tommy Mayhem may have sprayed you with spitballs the first day of class, but that doesn't mean you should vent about it online. It looks unprofessional to colleagues, and more importantly, it could get back to the student.

This applies to other professions, too. In February we told you about a St. Louis, Mo. doctor who became the subject of a social media ethics debate after slamming one of her patients on Facebook.

As tempting as it may be, keep the venting for your significant other or barber. Tommy's time will come soon enough.

3. Keep Confidential Information Confidential

Again, pretty obvious. Confidential data, like a student's grades, full name or contact information, should stay within school records.

4. Utilize Privacy Settings

If you have a social media presence, on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, your students are going to look you up; if you're not on social, they'll probably search for you anyway.

"Here's the thing about students nowadays: They're really good at Facebook," says Carolyn McChesney, who recently finished her second year teaching middle school with Teach for America at Main Street Academy in College Park, Ga. "They want to know everything about you, and if they can — and they usually can — they're going to find it and bring it to the classroom."

That being known, make your accounts as secure as possible, whether by locking your Twitter account or privatizing your Facebook profile — whatever you feel most comfortable with. It's not to say you need to hide anything, but rather, "it's just something to be cautious about," McChesney says.

Don't view privacy settings as impenetrable walls, though. Most major social networks update you with privacy improvements or changes in conditions, but they're often sporadic and difficult to keep track of. Similar to the first rule, always assume what you post will be seen by colleagues, students or anyone else in your networks. Think of the extra privacy settings as a deadbolt on an already locked door.

5. Communicate to Students on Their Level

Best way to learn to swim is to jump in the deep end, right?

Edmodo, a social network designed to connect students and teachers online, brings both worlds together on an easy-to-use platform. It's free to register and offers an interface similar to Facebook, where anyone can post articles, videos or questions to groups.

Adora Svitak, a 15-year-old author who spoke to 3,000 teachers at a conference in Austin, Texas in October about Twitter and Facebook, says Edmodo is an ideal way for teachers to communicate with students on "their" level.

"No one checks their email as often as they probably should, at least not if there are too many barriers in places," she tells Mashable. "My AP Art History teacher launched [Edmodo] and communicated with us that way, posting due dates, reminders and quirkly links ... For districts with restrictive social networking policies, sites like Edmodo can be incredibly useful."

McChesney used the network during her second year teaching at Main Street Academy. She offered her students extra credit if they signed up, then gave additional points to anyone who posted or answered a question relating to class.

"Students can sign up with their parents, too," she adds, "so if I post something like 'Just a reminder: Assignment X is due on Thursday,' the parents get the notification in their email as well."

6. 'Find and Flip'

Teachers can embrace social media through TED Ed, which offers a "flipping the classroom" feature to customize and share video lessons. "Flipping" lets you turn any video, from Khan Academy, YouTube or TED, into a customized lesson. You can share it with students and add context, questions or follow-up suggestions — again, a way to hit the topic head-on and keep your lessons relevant (and interesting) to your students.

Watch the video above to see how it works.

"I really love what [they've] done with social media and educational video content," Svitak says. "Now, a teacher's 'flip' can be viewable to the world through sharing on Facebook and Twitter, making them more easily accessible to students looking for them before their next class."

7. Avoid Chat Roulette at All Costs

Even if you're not a teacher. Just don't do it.

By Mashable

6 Tips For How Businesses Can Make Themselves More Generous

As the lines between corporations and nonprofits blur, the work environment is becoming more collaborative, transparent, interactive and entrepreneurial. Corporations and consumers alike are more often motivated by passion and a desire to make an impact. Our most generous marketing geniuses are at the forefront of spreading the word about the movement, creating platforms to highlight good works and opportunities to effect positive change in local communities and beyond.

“Ideas more than ever can make the biggest difference in the world,” says Droga5 CEO and founder David Droga. “We’re communicators, we’re problem solvers and we’re lateral thinkers and there’s nothing that can’t be improved with that.”

These problem solvers are using their creativity to break down barriers to ensure their work makes a difference beyond selling products. “That’s the best that we can do,” says David Sable, global CEO of Y&R. “Not just take a brief and do a nice thing for charity and have people sit around and cry and feel bad. But how can we help the organization in its change as it looks to go to the next level, as it faces the next challenge.”

1: BEING GENEROUS IS NO LONGER A CHOICE BUT A RESPONSIBILITY.

Their focus is on purposeful creativity that helps align a company’s behavior with what consumers are demanding. “We have an amazing power to use that creativity and almost I’d argue, an obligation,” says global CEO of Havas and Havas Worldwide David Jones, “to use creativity to change people’s behavior around some of the big issues facing the world.”

2: GENEROSITY AND SOCIAL GOOD SHOULD BE WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF THE COMPANY. 

Founder of Woodwork Lane Wood has helped corporations like Warby Parker do just that. “It was a good moment for social enterprise to see that you could be unapologetically focused on products and build a really great company and build your customer base,” says Wood. “And all the while have the charitable component as part of the DNA, the by-the-way moment that there’s much more here than meets the eye."

“If you’re going to be powerful, think of yourself as a citizen and consumer.”

3: WITHOUT A COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL GOOD, COMPANIES WILL FIND IT MORE DIFFICULT TO SURVIVE IN THE FUTURE.

Co-founder of Motive and Whole World Water, Jenifer Willig helps companies find sustainable, responsible social solutions aligned with their missions. “You have to be willing to be the big thinker but you actually have to be willing to do the hard work, too,” Willig says. “You don’t have time to just talk. You’ve got to make it happen.”

4: CONSUMERS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND A MOTIVATOR OF CHANGE.

“If you’re going to be powerful, think of yourself as a citizen and consumer,” says Alex Bogusky, former head of Crispin Porter + Bogusky. “Vote with your dollars and vote with your vote. If you try to do either one exclusively you are not going to be effective.”

5: BEING GENEROUS CAN ALSO MEAN JOINING INDIVIDUAL FORCES TO ADVANCE THE GREATER GOOD.

By bringing together unique talents or simply mobilizing sheer numbers, many of these experts are making an even greater impact. David Jones is inspiring the next generation through One Young World. Stephen Friedman, president of MTV, is harnessing the power of entertainment to educate and mobilize youth. “We are doing a disservice if we don’t at least ask the question,” Friedman says. “Is there a pro social angle that can enrich the connection we have with our audience? Our audience expects it. Activism is woven through their life.”

Dan Wieden, co-founder and chairman of Wieden+Kennedy, has created communities where his employees and inner city youth can grow both as individuals and as part of a larger team towards a greater collective goal. “How do you create a culture where people are encouraged to be fully and absolutely themselves to explore all the attics and corners in their minds and hearts,” Wieden says. “And at the same time work alongside a lot of other very strong personalities to solve problems.”

6: A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY AND CREATING A BETTER PLACE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN HAPPEN FROM ANY PLACE, AT ANY TIME.

Cathy Rigg Monetti, founder and partner of Riggs Partners, started a now-nationwide 24-hour pro bono creative blitz, CreateAthon, from South Carolina. “Great ideas can happen anywhere,” she says. “You have to let it grow and you have to nurture it. And you have to be willing to share your great idea.”

Susan Smith Ellis leveraged her talents, her network, and the power of marketing for social initiatives. “Go to places where you can effect change from the inside. There’s not one job description for that,” Ellis advises the next generation. “You have the ability to drive the change because you won’t work any other way. Use your voice.”

Asif Zardari got married to Tanveer Zamani in Dubai

Asif Zardari got married to Tanveer Zamani according to Muslim Shiyat Bylaws in Dubai last week. The ceremony has not been held. However the marriage religious vows, paper work and prenuptials have been confirmed. Nine black goats, 6 cows and 1 camel was sacrificed at this sacred occasion. This happened 3 years after the assassination of Slain Bhutto. She is a Mediterranean descent American resident, and she lives in Gramercy Park, Manhattan, New York. Zamani is a practicing physician and known to be a Bhutto party loyalist. She earned PhD degree in International Politics from UK. She owns estates in London, Dubai, Islamabad and Manhattan. Zamani is a known Democrat and supported  Obama’s 2008 election campaign. She actively participated in Obama’s Health Care reform bill to make it a law. Recently, she has been prohibited to attend the public political meetings due to her security issues. Pres. Zardari in a meeting with Obama on 1/14/11 in DC, requested his help in acquiring security for Zamani.

Zardari is the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who twice served as Prime Minister of Pakistan. When his wife was assassinated in December 2007, he became the Chairman of the PPP. It has been claimed that Zardari is among the four richest men in Pakistan.  In the 1988 elections, Bhutto became Prime Minister, and Zardari became a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. Zardari’s opponents began using the nickname, “Mr 10%”, in reference to the charges of corruption against him. This nickname referred to kickbacks he was alleged to have received during his wife’s premiership. He served in Jail from 1990 -1993 and 1997-2004.

It has been noticed that with the advent of Zamani in his life for the last 8 months, he has been changed a lot. A lot has been blogged about them on the web. He seemed to find refuge in trusting her loyalty to him more than the party. The couple might have faced many domestic, social and political issues before they decided to turn this long distance, under cover- relationship  into a life time partnership. It is welcomed as a wise decision since it is according to their religious perquisites and he needs a loyal partner in his life who could support him spiritually, physically and financially at his worse times. To choose a life partner might be a difficult decision for him before meeting Zamani, but she made it an easy shot to play since she seems not someone who would marry him for his assets and power. Pres. Zardari made a good deal to marry an American citizen, since next time he would not go to a prison , he will be pulled out by her to Manhattan. It is presumed that the couple will be officially announced at the end of his political Presidency term. Obviously, not until after the next elections.

Will the party or Zardari loose a lot of popularity he cashed after the death of his ex- wife? Or Zamani will give him a new fame, name, and a life with the happiness that he never found in the last one. His children Bakhtawar , Bilawal and Aseefa  must understand the needs of their father who after taking care of their mother’s party has already proven his Loyalty to Bhuttos. Now, its their turn to let him move on with Zamani and spend in Manhattan a life he deserves.

Many media analyst are still trying to find an evidence before they jump into this leak. They wonder what is behind this marriage;  Love, political move or Wealth. The event was supposed to be an undisclosed sentinel secret, but it is released through a fashion designer company by a UAE news agency

The fact is none of the parties have denied this leaked news yet.

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