Education Blog Following

From the blog entitled 2 cents worth: teaching and learning in the new information landscape, I was brought to the question of what do you call a textbook that is not a book? Bloggers wrote about how future textbooks will not be books. In specific one teacher uses Moodle for the basis of her classroom instruction as her “digital curriculum.” However, the author, David Warlick wrote that the problem with digital books or the sort is that for first year teachers, a textbook is a more uniformly tool. Whereas, a digital curriculum that has been created by the previous teacher may not be as useful to someone that is used to a hardback textbook set of instruction. Many other teachers and people in the education world had comments about the use of digital books, ebooks, kindles, and others and how these tools impact curriculum and classroom environments. I personally find reading articles or chapters off of blackboard to be hard on my eyes, but I would love to have a kindle with all my textbooks downloaded on it to make my pack lighter while on campus.

http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/

Another blog that I checked out was a college blog written by a college student that has completed their first year. Although this is different from the other education blogs that I have been reading I found this to be interesting in that it gives the reader an insight of how education progresses as the years continue on. For instance while reading this blog I just thought about how I have changed since my freshman year in college and how important education is for so many different reasons. I have come to find that when I return how each summer I am so happy that I have been at college because I get intellectual stimulation that I would not get if I were not attending college. When I learn information I feel better about myself because I become more competent in the skills I need to succeed in life. This blog was refreshing because I was reminded of how lucky I am to have completed three years of my college education and to be on track for graduation.

http://blogs.makingitcount.com/yearone/

Education 421a author Staphanie Sandifer brought up good information on technology, coaching, and community. She was reading up on the newly released NETS for Technology Coaches and is so happy with what is included. She states that the NETS-C provides a good framework for the development of educational technology support positions into more effective coaching positions. Apparently the NETS-C includes cognitive coaching, peer coaching, and instructional coaching models, which are highly effective. The author stated that in specific what is needed to be a good technology coach is to know what to ask and how to ask the questions. She emphasis the use of questioning techniques that engage the teacher (being coached) in an environment that does not have judgment, criticism, or evaluation. I find this information to be quit interesting because throughout this class I have found that technology in the classroom is extremely important. However, many teachers are not up to date on the newest and latest technology so they are not sure how to apply the technology to their classroom structure. In order for the students to learn about new technology and be introduced to the technology that they will be using in and outside the classroom for the rest of their lives, the teacher needs to be taught by someone else. I think that technology coaches are a wonderful addition to the education community and I hope that this idea will carry through many districts.

http://ed421.com/