The Wiktionary defines Chicken-hearted as not brave; lacking courage; cowardly.
This is the way many educators feel when asked to use new social media tools in the classroom.
Actually, a better word is technophobia, the fear or dislike of advanced technology.
How Do We Overcome the Fear of Learning to Use New Technology?
Many college instructors fear that using technology in the classroom will distract students from learning the material. According to a recent article by USA Today, a certain amount of research seems to back up their concerns. A couple of studies have shown that students who have access to Facebook and Twitter in the classroom perform lower on quizzes than they do when they are not distracted by social media.
But faculty who develop lessons plans around social media tools may help students learn better according to a 2010 study referenced in USA Today.
Faculty must embrace new ways to use powerful social media tools to extend the classroom beyond the traditional time and space constraints. Becoming familiar with popular social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, youTube, and Google+ is the first step in overcoming anxiety about using social media in the classroom.
Have you tried social media in the classroom? What were the results? I appreciate your comments.
You may be interested in reading:
The Blog (Lisa Nielsen)
Teachers embrace social media in class (Mary Beth Marklein)
Leading, Teaching, & Learning 
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