RSS Choices

What RSS reader did I chose and why?
After playing around with the various choices, I went with Google Reader. Flakepage was appealing; however, it seemed to be overkill for my purpose. Also, if I understand it correctly, it becomes my homepage. [This summer I am using a school laptop to set up what will feed my document camera/data projector next year.] On my campus, the homepage by default is our campus homepage. Without a blessing from my local ITS, I’m not willing to change that. J

What “non-classmate” blogs did I subscribe to?
Oh, how do I love this? Let me count the blogs…. As someone commented earlier about being let loose in a candy shop…. So true, so true. But here are my current faves:

http://www.thethinkingstick.com/feed
Jeff Utecht has a thoughtful, attractive blog. It is obvious, through his blogs, that he is deeply connected to many of the “forces” I have become “acquainted” with over these past several weeks. In fact, he is a force himself, not only attending and reporting extensively on, but also presenting at, conferences, such as NECC (National Educational Computing Conference) and EdubloggerCon. Ignorant about these as I have been, Utecht has made me feel comfortable about hanging around and asking questions. As a result, I have a much better idea of what technology is in use in education and what direction I might take.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/edweek/digitaled
The spot that has most appealed to me here is “Tech Topics and Trends in K-12” with Katie Ash and Kathleen Kennedy Manzo. Ash “is a writer and Web producer for Digital Directions and a co-author of Education Week’s "Motivation Matters" blog,” while Manzo “has been covering curriculum and standards for Education Week since 1996, including federal, state, and local policies, instructional materials, and teaching practices.” The blog reflects the authors’ backgrounds along with a considered approach to a variety of topics.

http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?feed=rss2
If this were my blog … this would be my voice…. Warlick reports that “I advocate and promote new teaching and learning techniques in three ways. First of all, I am a teacher. I have more than 30 years of experience at working with children and adults and can think of no better 'high' than helping to enrich some one’s life by growing their knowledge, understanding, and skill."
Warlick continues, "I also write. My books include:
Raw Materials for the Mind: 4th Edition (ISBN 1-4116-2795-4) — focuses on integrating technology into the curriculum,
Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century (ISBN 1 58683 130 5) — a succinct model for literacy skills in a world of networked digital information,
Classroom Blogging: 2nd Edition (ISBN: 1-4116-2903-5) — One of the first books for teachers about blogging and other Web 2.0 applications.
I also contribute to a number of magazines and online journals, and publish a blog, 2¢ Worth, and a podcast, Connect Learning.”
BTW, his “third way” is through computer programming.

When I ran across the following blog, ...
as I logged out of Amazon.com the other day, I was reminded of an old song that begins, “Come down, come down from your ivory tower….” http://www.amazon.com/tag/education/forum/. After seeing one thread had 1315 posts in two hours I wondered what I was doing rattling around these other blogs and forums. I do believe the sites, such as I have been reading and recommending, are a crucial place for us to try out and hone our voices; however, the Amazon site made me realize how important it is to be heard out and about in the market place.

As I wrote, in part, in a blog, (http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=1783) “…The [Amazon] topic related to the big news of the day, “Obama says longer school days and years will bring the US up to par.” … many [posts], especially the early ones, were fairly reactive. As time passed, more were reflective, including teachers/parents/observers with anecdotal evidence to support their opinions. I found myself wishing for voices that could offer not only anecdotal evidence, but also quantitative, data/research driven background information to help develop understanding and shape the discussion.

“Coincidentally, since I have been following EdBlogCon and NECC, I couldn’t help but wish to hear some of those voices speak in a more public venue; after reading the Amazon forum, I wish it all the more! To do so, I see, would mean a willingness to be knocked around by a certain number of posters. And yet, there were others in the thread who were listening and dialoging. They would have been so open to what those of you [David Warlick and other leaders] with your finely honed knowledge base have to offer.”

Food for thought….

What made me choose those blogs?
I find it very exciting to explore what others are thinking, to be challenged, to learn about new & useful teacher strategies/resources, and to learn more directly about technology; therefore choosing these blogs was a natural decision.