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Photograph By: Deborah Sanders

Hello World!  I anticipate watching the leaves flourish throughout this flight and I’m excited that you’ve decided to join in.  To make this possible, my goal is to partner with you through this digital space voyage, while we share transforming educational information.

The current state of education in today’s society has placed upon teachers a demanding responsibility.  An even greater emphasis is now focused on the implementation of new methods to teach our children utilizing the best tools and methodology available.  Overall, teachers are so busy with the day-to-day challenges; we typically perform our teaching roles in the same manner in which we were taught.  The purpose of this blog is to address some of the many different levels of technological material, which can be used to facilitate teaching and learning.  Web 2.0 Tools of the Trade for teachers will be my focus for my 2010-2011 Action Research.  These tools for educators fulfill teacher training (PD) and student learning requirements.  The blogs I chose to follow will benefit and assist educators to fulfill their fundamental job of integrating technology into their teaching.

Education Week: Technology 

http://www.edweek.org/ew/index.html

This online magazine blog is packed with an arsenal of technological tools for neophytes and/or seasoned educators who are interested in accumulating a vast resource of cutting edge technology information. 

Dangerously Irrelevant

http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/

This blog houses a plethora of many smaller blogs that touch on topics such as:  data driven accountability, administrators, assessments, video education, and the list goes on.  For the visual eye, there are interesting, eye-catching quotes regarding the future of teaching and education.   In addition, there are short videos that spark the educational thought process.  I like this blog especially because it contains skills, problems, solutions, activities, and plain, old-fashioned “good reading” regarding today’s educational landscape.

iLearn Technology

http://ilearntechnology.com/

Do you want to talk about integrating technology into the classroom?   In that case, you should go to the iLearn Technology Blog.  The attraction for me was the lesson plan and templates for a “Lesson on Empathy.”  There is a template that can be purchased for $ .99 cents – it is well worth the investment.

CLASSROOM 2.0

http://www.classroom20.com/

While following one of my Full Sail University classmates I stumbled upon this site.   Because of the increased activity of spammers, a person has to be approved for membership.  I was approved as a member as of September 30^th, 2010.  To me CLASSROOM 2.0 is more like a support group for fellow teachers or anyone interested in acquiring knowledge about Web 2.0 technology.  What I found most interesting about this blog is that it connects you to Interview Recordings, and free live workshops.  There are special interest groups as well as funny and interesting cartoons.  Stop being a follower, become a member today. 

AASL American Association of School Librarians

http://www.aasl.ala.org/aaslblog/

The AASL has taken accountability to a higher level.  This blog introduces educators to a wide variety of teaching and learning resources.  This is virtually a “one-stop” shop for education.  This blog provides assistance in locating strategies, grants, and grassroots groups in the fields of digital storytelling, managing and organizing, curriculum sharing and social networking, to name a few.  I would highly recommend utilization of this blog for all educators to assist in their professional learning development.