How much fun is it to say that?
If you’re here because of today’s series of stories in the Washington Post on educators blogging, let me take this opportunity to welcome you to the “edublogosphere” and to a really great conversation about how blogs and wikis and podcasts and other Web publishing tools are changing what we do in our classrooms and impacting student (and teacher) learning. (If you’re not here because of the Post articles, go read them!) Personally, I think it’s great that this conversation has finally gotten some coverage from the maninstream media. I’m really hoping it encourages more educators to dip their toes in the water, so to speak, and start considering the power and potential of the “Read/Write Web,” the one where it’s just as easy to create content and share it with wide audiences as it is to consume what’s already there.
Although the article states that “blogs can be personal journals for everyone to see,” please know that even more, they can be spaces to share ideas, to push each other’s thinking, to reflect on the practice and profession, and to make strong and powerful connections with people and ideas. I’m a blog snob in that I believe there is an intellectual component to this that can make it a pretty amazing learning tool, not just a place to capture the day’s events (though there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.)
So, if you are new to all of this, here are some more links to start you on your journey. First, here is a wide ranging list of ed bloggers to add to those already linked in the article. (Just click on the + sign next to the “Weblogs in Ed” link in the left hand pane.) If you want to click through some links to classroom uses of blogs, try this list. If you want to learn more about how to get started with all of these tools (like you want to know what it means when The Post says you can “tag” the stories,) this might help. (I have no shame.) Or, if you just want to ask some questions, feel free to e-mail me.
Finally, let me just say that I’ve learned more, found more interesting teachers, and been much more intellectually engaged in my five years of blogging than at any other time in my life. This is an amazing community of educators, and I feel very fortunate to have become a part of it. May it be as transformative for you as it has for me…
Just a quick note to let you know Amazon is sold out of your book. The shameless plug must have worked. I ordered it from them last week with a promised shipping date of 4/3. I got an email this morning that it would be another 10-20 days. It must be as good as advertised!
I also wanted to thank you for your work. I have listened to your comments in many podcasts as well as followed your work through references by Tim Wilson, Wes Fryer, and others. It is good to hear from real educators that are still working with kids in the classroom. The “experts” that are not in the trenches just do not understand. When a new idea comes up in a podcast (such as the Coast to Coast series you are a part of) I start thinking about the roadblocks I will face. You tend to mention them in the podcasts within seconds and sometimes ways around them. It is great reassurance for me to know I am on the right track with my thoughts. I have ordered some things to start doing podcasts. My kids are excited. I know your book will only serve to make the experience better for all of us. Thanks again.
Thanks Will. This post is a keeper just in terms of all the great links and resources. I teach 8th grade American History and my class has been working on a book blog with students from other parts of the country: The Year of the Hangman Book Blog This was the first one we have done and we are planning on doing a second book blog before the school years ends. I also started a blog and podcast last summer named Speaking of History and I cannot begin to tell you about all the great collaboration and sharing that has taken place since I started to blog.
Keep spreading the news that web 2.0 can be an effective tool in the classroom.
Thanks.
Eric Langhorst
Will — you and many others are my mentors in the rapidly evolving environment of education. The “new story” is so important and relevant to what we are trying to do.
It is positively refreshing to see mainstream media report the impact of Web 2.0 concepts for the 21st Century “classroom of the future”. This seems to be just the type of “marketing” that we need to move forward.
This past week I learned about the recent report of the “Partnership of 21st Century Skills”. It connects many concepts of influential educational bloggers: http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/P21_report.pdf
Thank you for all your fine contributions. Perhaps I’m also helping in some small way to promote these important new concepts.
This is interesting. I’ll book mark this blog thanks alot and well done!
rgds
Rob