Speaking of Teacher Collaboration

I came across this on Twitter (http://twitter.com/home) today and thought that it deserved special mention:

http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome

An interesting teaching collaborative site with some really good lesson plans. Of course posted by Joyce Valenza, one of my librarian heroines.

I'm not sure if Twitter is one of the "23 things" but I have found it a wonderful source for discovering fantastic resources. I follow some avid Twitter users who post really interesting stuff mostly related to education and/or technology. You can check out me and the folks that I am following here if you are interested: http://twitter.com/julielibrarian

Although I have to confess I have been a Twitter slacker lately. Some people seem to post hourly, I usually only "Tweet" when I find something really interesting that I think would be helpful to other teacher/librarians too.

Some people use it to post updates on their day, sort of like the Facebook status updates, which I suppose could be interesting if you used Twitter to connect with friends and family....maybe.

Thing 3

Using a blog could help me reflect upon and keep track of interesting resources, I could use it to advertise library programs and talk about interesting books I've read, keep track of good video clips, publicize local events and connect with other teachers and librarians.

Most students would most likely really enjoy a blog assignment. If I were to create one I would have students use pseudonyms (that they told me) so that they could remain anonymous but still accountable.

Educational blogging can be a little scary because just like email, the written word can be easily misconstrued or misinterpreted. There is also the possibility of students revealing too much information that predators could take advantage of. However, I feel that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Thing 1 and Thing 2

Reflections on Thing 1 and Thing 2 from the "23 Things" workshop:

I am participating in 23 Things to continue to enhance my web 2.0 knowledge. I find web 2.0 tools fascinating and full of creative potential. I also really love the grass roots and generally free (both monetarily and regulatory) spirit of web 2.0.

I hope to learn about some new things. I also would like to learn some creative uses for these "things" from the other workshop participants.

In Thing 1 I was reminded of the power of podcasting. I really like the idea of teachers blogging and using the blogs to collaborate. I've always wanted to use delicious to create bookmarks with good resources tagged by subject/class. This could be so helpful to teachers, students and parents. I think the idea of using cell phones in classrooms is a bit ridiculous though. One of the dangers of using technology is simply using it for its own sake. The thoughtful and logical use of these tools can be transformative. Just using it because it is technology and kids use it can be harmful and detract from the information being conveyed.

Writing on the Internet certainly feels much more public. The authentic audience makes it more interesting and exciting but also a bit more nerve-racking.