If you're a teacher, you're nuts not to use Google+

In addition to being the hottest iteration of cloud computing to the general public, social media holds much potential for education. Social media allows for effortless individual and collective communication between teacher and student(s). It breaks down the walls of the traditional classroom, allowing for conversation and active learning to exist 24/7, in real time and asynchronously, right in the palm of a student's hand.

Actually killer app for education is Hangouts

One other feature of Google+ that makes it a actually "killer app" for education is Hangouts. With a webcam and mic enabled computer or phone/tablet with a front facing camera, you can have a real time, online meeting with up to 10 simultaneous video streams. Google recently added Google docs integration and screen share, making it furthermore compelling. Now a group of students, or a teacher with some students, can meet, "face to face" and edit one document in real time, with side-chat functionality as then.

Many pundits have crowed about the imminent failure of Google+ as a social network. Reports of the drop in usage, lack of Google CEO participation and inability to beat Facebook abound. I find most to be unfounded smear campaigns asserted by pundits for unknown reasons (see Mike Elgan's refutation of Google+ "desertion" reports here). Google+ is not going the way of Buzz or Wave. Google is in this one for the long haul and has the resources to make it work.

Zero-sum game

It's as well not a zero-sum game, as the pundits would have you think. There's a place for Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Where you fit in to those places depends on who you are. I'm a father, a husband, an education professional, a student and more. I'm as well an avid tech user and a believer that cloud computing iterations like social media offer incredible value to our society. It is because of these various roles that I choose Google+ -- because it allows me to assume all these roles next, securely.

Google recently enabled Google+ for Apps users. In the context of education, that means institutions that use Google Apps will have the ability to turn on a functionality that will give them an instant academic social network. Using their student IDs, students can now interact with one another and their instructors effortlessly. The opportunities for increasing engagement and collaboration are limitless, and the price -- free -- can't be beat.

Free-lance writer

Ryan Tyler is a free-lance writer and educator living in Portland, Or. He has worked in the entertainment industry as so then as K-12 and higher education. His interests include education reform, distance education and using research to make the world a better place. Clearly, he's as well a tech geek.