Monday, March 12, 2012

Top 10 Technology Blogs for Education

Editor's note:  This is a cross post from College Online  where "The Innovative Educator" is named in the top ten ed tech blogs list. I'm thrilled to be mentioned with all these other wonderful bloggers. I know and follow most of them and look forward to getting to know better those I don't.

Education, as with all aspects of culture, is greatly impacted by the forward progress of technology. Several blogs are maintained by well-known individuals in the field of education. These top 10 technology blogs address technological developments as these innovations relate to education. Many of the top 10 blogs are maintained by those who specialize in integrating technology with education. Most bloggers on the list are renown in the educational field and all offer great ideas and insights for teachers and others interested in using technology to enhance traditional educational methods.

Check out our picks here:
1. The Innovative Educator
The Innovative Educator is a blog created and maintained by author Lisa Neilsen. Lisa promotes ideas on her blog concerning passion-based learning and embracing technology in curricula of the 21st century. Lisa is a proponent of integrating technologies, such as cell phones, into the education process, rather than “blaming and banning” these devices. A recent post on Ms. Nielsen’s blog is entitled “Twitter for Administrators, Teachers and Students.”
2. Free Technology 4Teachers
Free Technology 4 Teachers is a blog that introduces teachers to free web-based applications, such as YouTube. The site provides a wealth of information about how to best utilize free web apps to enhance the educational process. One method mentioned in a post by Richard Byrne on his highly recognized and award-winning blog is how to use YouTube to enable students to produce video montage book reports as an alternative the the traditional written summary.
3. The Pursuit of Technology Integration Happiness
Michael Zimmer, a specialist in the field of technology integration in secondary education, produces this blog. If you like “Top 10“ lists, Zimmer posts several on this blog. Zimmer examines the use of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in the high school classroom.
4. Bit by Bit
Bit by Bit is a blog created and maintained by Elementary School Technology Integrator, Bob Sprankle. Sprankle discusses the use of LiveScribe and other new technology recording devices in the classroom, as well as posts about the iPhone’s usefulness with regards to parent-teacher communication. Sprankle also discusses how to use Google to teach critical thinking and perform accurate and compelling research.
5. Around the Corner
For those teachers who utilize Moodle for creating interactive tests and material for the classroom, Around the Corner is a useful blog resource. Miguel Guhlin, veteran educator and currently in a director’s position, discusses issues such as those surrounding students’ digital privacy and teaching students social networking etiquette.
6. Learning with “e’s”
Noted e-learning expert, Steve Wheeler, maintains the Learning with “e’s” blog. Dr. Wheeler is an associate professor, past e-Learning conference chair and educational board member who advocates the use of blogging to produce students into writers, as well as the use of blogging as a means for teachers to communicate with students and parents.
7. 2 Cents Worth
Former educator and author David Warlick blogs on his site about the use of new technology in education. Taking more of a generalist’s approach to topics of technology in education, this blog provides many of Warlick’s insights from his 35 years as a teacher.
8.  Teach the Cloud
Teach the Cloud is a blog that examines the use of cloud computing in teaching, with screencast and podcast tutorials about how to utilize Google Apps for classroom application. Created and maintained by Instructional Tech Support Specialist, Derrick Waddell explains how cloud computing may be used to enhance the student experience in the classroom.
9. The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom
The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom is a blog that provides a wealth of external resources for utilizing Web 2.0 technologies and blogging to enhance the teaching experience. Steven Anderson, noted educator and technology specialist educates the reader regarding Web 2.0 connectivity. Interestingly, Anderson is a proponent of the “digital fast,” unplugging from technology for a week-long period to reconnect with life minus the technology on which we have become so reliant.
10. Doug-Off The Record
In his blog, Doug Peterson, renown technology integration specialist and veteran teacher, discusses concerns about students’ privacy on Facebook. utilizing e-books and other relevant topics.

10 comments:

  1. Hello,
    I came to your blog and have been reading along your posts. I decided I will leave my first comment. I have enjoyed reading your blog. Nice blog.

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  2. Thank you for sharing your educational blogs, it is nice and very much useful..

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  3. Your blog for education is wonderful, i like your blogs.. Thank You for sharing this information.

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  4. Dear Lisa,

    You article is very informative and gives a point of view that I share with you. Technology is a daily part not only of teachers but also part of student’s life. I know there are many teachers that tend to stay away from technology, but your article gives us a variety of options in which we can use tools. It’s not only about gadgets but the value that technology has in a students learning. This would challenge us as teachers to keep up with the pace of new technology. And this is a good thing, as students learn technology easier than most teachers. So we as educators need to keep abreast to make learning more integrated to a students learning.

    Keep up the good work..

    Juan

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  5. I suggest Edudemic .... gr8 site

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  6. Thanks for the awesome list! You can also check out www.backpack.tv for an independent library of education videos.

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  7. From a personal perspective, teachers tend to stay away from innovative technology mainly due to time constraints. They are being asked to do more and more with less and less time and more and more students. Fully four weeks of school is now taken up with mandated district, state, and national testing. It takes time to learn new technology and then implement it. BUT for those of us who are willing to devote the efforts, it can be energizing! Thank you for all your blog posts and I will continue to read thme and be inspired.

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  8. I recommand also in this list MY RESEARCH AND TOP 10 WEB 2.0 TOOLS IN XXI CENTURY EDUCATION Blog http://teacherluciandumaweb20.blogspot.com/

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  9. Great blog, I would also recommend http://truthofteaching.wordpress.com/ its a day-to-day blog from a new teacher. Not bad

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  10. GettingSmart.com is an excellent blog focused around blended learning and transforming the classroom, I highly recommend it!

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