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Social networking is hardly a new phenomenon, but teachers have come a long way in their use of sites like Facebook and Twitter. These forms of communication and collaboration have become so common, it’s easy to forget that even a social networking heavyweight like Twitter only gained popularity in the last three or four years.

Results of a survey conducted by MMS Education show that between 2009 — when the survey was last conducted — and 2012, teachers have significantly increased their use of social networking for both personal and professional use. According to a Survey of K-12 Educators on Social Networking, Online Communities, and Web 2.0 Tools 2012,  the percentage of educators who replied that they were part of at least one social networking site went up from 61 percent in 2009 to 82 percent in 2012 — a significant 34 percent gain.

It’s not too surprising that Facebook is still the most popular site, with 85 percent of respondents saying they are members, but educators also favor Google+, Twitter and Pinterest, a surprise write-in. Even more impressively, participation on education-focused sites, some of which didn’t exist during the 2009 survey, has increased dramatically. The most popular is Edmodo with 27 percent, but more established sites like edWeb saw significant increases in participation as well.

While teachers understand how important social networking sites are to students’ lives, most indicated that they haven’t been able to capitalize on that energy for the purposes of learning. Access to sites is still a huge problem; 47 percent of educators said they felt the rules were too restrictive for their students and even for themselves when at school.

“When educators do find value in an education-based site, they visit frequently,” said Susan Meell, CEO of MMS Education in a webinar explaining the survey results. Many educators reported getting a lot of use out of their interactions on social media sites, especially from free professional development and sharing ideas.

“Teachers often tell us that they feel isolated in the classroom because they find it difficult during a busy day to connect with colleagues and get feedback,” explained Meell. Social networking is an easy and quick way to do both. It’s also a great way for teachers to broaden their ideas about teaching and to share new digital tools.

“It is so very important that we as teachers begin to use technology, as students are already ‘equipped’ with the mindset for technology,” wrote one teacher on the survey. Others noted that teachers need to be teaching digital citizenship and using web 2.0 tools to transform teaching and learning. And in a striking parallel to how online learning can bring out shy learners, many teachers noted how much they gain from interacting with other educators through participation on social networking sites.

General social networking sites, as well as education-focused sites, have emerged as powerful tools for teachers in the last several years. They combat the isolation of the classroom and can provide forward-thinking teachers with a community that shares their views. But challenges still remain with access to useful sites and in the lack of security teachers feel around trying out new strategies.

Flickr: P i c t u r e Y o u t h

By Sara Bernard

Technically, Facebook doesn’t allow kids under the age of 13 to register for the site. That hasn’t stopped pre-teens from simply lying about their birthdates.

But kids under 13 don’t have to be left out of the social media world. A growing number of highly protected, kid-only sites offer viable alternatives to the unfiltered Internet world out there that allow children to exercise their social media muscles (something they’re going to do anyway) without running into online predators or inappropriate content.

Of course, it’s still just as important to educate kids about Internet safety and appropriate online behavior as it is to create technological barriers between them and unsafe situations.

“As a teacher I see it as my responsibility to teach students how to engage with their peers online in a healthy and productive way,” writes teacher Catlin Tucker in response to an article about how social media is changing education. “Online communication is rapidly becoming an essential life skill. Shouldn’t we as teachers support students in learning and mastering this skill?”

To that end, here are eight kid-friendly social media options:

Dizeo: A fully-monitored site that calls itself “social networking training wheels,” complete with video and music sharing, homework help from subject-specialist tutors, and educational videos on Internet safety.

YourSphere: This one offers games, prizes, avatars, and “spheres,” or interest groups centered on sports, television, art, music, humanitarian causes, and more. Tough filters verify identities, require parental consent, perform a “predator check,” and include real, live human oversight of site activity.

ScuttlePad: Designed exclusively for kids age six through eleven, ScuttlePad goes so far as to allow “guided communication” using predefined word lists. A Facebook for the younger set, ScuttlePad lets kids connect with kids around the world, upload photos, chat, and send messages.

What’s What: Each member logs in with a webcam and facial recognition technology verifies that it really is only kids who use the site. Users are separated by grade to encourage “age-appropriate friending” and next to every message is a “Report It” button so that kids can easily get help if they feel they’re being cyberbullied.

giantHello: Kids can connect with one another, create and join fan pages, share favorite sites and ideas, and play a ton of online games. Kids user-tested the site extensively before it was launched.

My Secret Circle: This one is girls-only as well as kids-only. Girls ages eight through twelve make friends using secure “Friend Codes,” play games, voice chat, and even keep secret (but shareable) diaries.

Skid-e Kids: Expected to launch on January 7, 2011, this one claims it is “the total experience of Facebook without being on Facebook.” Features include toy and game swaps, educational questions and answers, and “movie night.”

Togetherville: A safe online experience for the whole family. Parents create “online neighborhoods” for children under ten to interact with friends and neighbors they already know and trust. Kids can create artwork, send and receive gifts, upload photos and profile information, watch videos, and more.