Since there are hundreds of educational uses for blogs, let’s focus on how blogs are used in technology education. The Learning Master Blog (2010) released its Top 50 Educational Technology Blogs on March 5. This list contains blogs with numerous topics such as new philosophies, new tools, new methods, and teaching experiences and all bloggers are teachers (The Learning Master Blog, 2010). What better to spread educational information than by teachers and trainers.
Since technology is changing so rapidly and new tools are being developed almost daily, it’s extremely difficult to keep up with these changes without tapping into other people’s research. Kim Cofino (2010), author of “always learning”, gives a breakdown of a new system K12.com may be implementing for online learning in grades k-12. It is an intriguing idea that all learning could be done online in the future, and a great idea at that. Schools interested in this method could go to K12.com and learn how to proceed in that venture. Ewan McIntosh’s edu.blogs.com has been focusing recently on learning and gaming. McIntosh (2010) states “Gaming, and specifically play, make up a large part of our understanding of media literacy, and engaging the senses on more fronts would make for some fascinating transmedia learning experiences” (para. 8). McIntosh includes examples of game ideas, as well as a concept model to follow when creating educational games. Anyone looking to create a game could go here to learn the basics of how to do so. The Whiteboard Blog created by Danny Nicholson goes into great detail on the different ways to use a whiteboard in the classroom. Nicholson’s (2010) self-proclaimed specialty is whiteboards, but there are other technologies for people to learn how to use at this blog.
These are just a few examples of how blogs are used in educational technology. Imagine how many blogs are out there for anything you may want to learn. The resources seem endless from people with first hand knowledge and experience.
I’ve enjoyed researching into this, I honestly did not know there were this many blogs out there.
References
Cofino, K. (2010). International Schools and the Rise of Online Learning. Retrieved from http://kimcofino.com/blog/
McIntosh, E. (2010). Game-Based Living: The Core of New Media Literacies [Part 1]. Retrieved from http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/2010/03/gamebased-living-the-core-of-new-media-literacies.html
Nicholson, D. (2010). The Whiteboard Blog: Interactive Technology in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/about/
The Learning Master. (2010). Top 50 Education Technology Blogs. Retrieved from http://bestonlinemastersdegrees.com/2010/top-50-education-technology-blogs/
Excellent post, Jeff. I love this last statement, "I’ve enjoyed researching into this, I honestly did not know there were this many blogs out there." I feel so lucky to be reading your thoughts and insights and sharing in your discoveries.
ReplyDeleteOh, and gorgeous picture - so apropos.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Jeff! I am implementing blogs as a journaling tool with my elementary students. It is fun to think about the other ways they can be used. Like you said-- hundreds of uses. I'm sure we will branch out and try many more!
ReplyDelete