There is a lot of debate, and not nearly as much evidence, about using social media such as Twitter, blogs, etc., in the classroom. We need to know whether we can we use social media in the classroom in ways that actually benefit students. This session demonstrates how one instructor weaved Twitter, social networking, and the blogosphere into several college courses, and presents assessment data about the impact of these teaching strategies on student learning, motivation, and career success.

Specifically, the session addresses the use of Web 2.0 in a series of undergraduate public relations courses taught at Clemson University. Web 2.0 tools were deeply integrated into the courses. We explain how each tool was introduced to students and used, the rationale for using it, and present data about the impact each tool had on student learning, motivation, and career success. Each tool (Twitter, social networking, blogging, video guest lecturing) is associated with one or more teaching goals.

Dr. Mihaela Vorvoreanu is an Assistant Professor in Computer Graphics Technology and Organizational Leadership & Supervision at Purdue University. She studies the socio-cultural impact of new communication technologies. Before joining Purdue, she was an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Clemson University, SC, and the Department of Communication at the University of Dayton, Ohio. While at Clemson and UD respectively, Dr. Vorvoreanu taught various public relations and communication courses, and did academic research in the area of public relations and new Web technologies. She has published research articles in the Journal of New Communications Research, Public Relations Review and the Journal of Website Promotion and a book about online public relations: Web Site Public Relations: How Corporations Build and Maintain Relationships Online. Dr. Vorvoreanu holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Purdue University.

Dr. David Sears is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at Purdue University. His research focuses on learning and transfer in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Dr. Sears has significant experience in developing assessments of learning and transfer in a variety of STEM-related areas, including statistics, medicine, biology, and engineering.  Much of this work has revealed that different instructional programs would look identical if assessments of transfer were not included.  Dr. Sears is a recipient of the Kinley Trust Award and a reviewer for top journals in his field, including Cognition and Instruction and The Journal of the Learning Sciences.