Web 2.0....oh where do we go?

The emering technologies available to use are astounding, in fact, overwhelming at times. One of the front runners in the Web 2.0 world is Will Richardson. Incorporating the use of blogs, wikis, and podcasts within our curriculum cannot happen over night. There needs to be a strong administrative support system and support for teachers that are willing to integrate these new tools.

Perhaps, though, the best way to have teachers begin to understand these new tools is to have teachers use the tools themselves! Over the next few weeks, I will be posting explanations of various tools that are available to all of us....for free!! But, for those that would like to dive in and look for yourselves, here is one of my favorites resources to start blogging yourself:

Blogger: A wonderful way to get your feet wet! All you need to start your blogger account is a Google account and you are in...it literally takes 5 minutes and you are ready to go! When using with students, there are privacy settings that allow you to set your blog to be private or public or somewhere in between, as well as monitoring options for the teacher depending on your needs and comfort level. (Before incorporating a blog into your own classroom or curriculum, it is always best to meet with your principal to ensure that everyone is on the same page)

One flaw of Blogger, however, is the navigation bar that appears at the top of your blog page.
The bar has options for your account and to search the blogger site, but it also has a "Next Blog" link. That will take you to another public blog on the Blogger site, whether it is appropriate or not! If you are using this with students, you will want to remove the navigation bar at the top.

Enjoy getting started...it's a wonderful Web 2.0 we live in :)

We need to know...

A line in the move Cars from the lovable and goofy character Tow Mater provides some food for thought: "Don't need to watch where I'm going, just need to know where I've been!" A similar saying comes from a Whitesnake song, Here I Go Again: "I don't know where I'm goin, but I sure know where I've been." Looking back and learning from mistakes we have made is surely a valuable part of education and life. On the flip side, there needs to be a vision for what lies ahead (see the educational blog 2020 Vision).

So...is your district dwelling on the past or preparing for the future? How can we promote positive change in our districts? How can we as educators push the technology envelope?

Welcome!

Hello there and welcome to my blog. The intention of this forum is to share knowledge, resources, and experiences as we continue to "push the technology envelope" in our schools.