Take a candid look into the day-to-day life of pioneers who play a vital role in outfitting students with 21st-century skills by integrating new technologies in the nation’s schools. Blogs provide a platform for these trailblazing educators to share ideas and serve as a window into a profession that is truly transformative.
iLearn Technology
Check out the featured posts on iLearn Technology, where teacher-turned-tech integration specialist Kelly Tenkely offers nifty tech tips and tools like Math Pickle and Off-Road Algebra that make story problems relatable, along with entries in a series on professional development.
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
Med Kharbach is the teacher, graduate student, and professional blogger behind Educational Technology and Mobile Learning. On his site, the Halifax, Canada resident aims to help educators better incorporate technology into the educational setting by sharing tutorials, reviews of free tools and free educational mobile apps and book recommendations. The site’s Guides tab features pointers on everything from using blogs in the classroom, to maximizing the use of social networking and personal learning networks.
Virtual School Meanderings
On Virtual School Meanderings, Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology and Education Evaluation & Research Michael Barbour shares distance education resources and ponders ideas on the effective online delivery of material to K-12 students in virtual and cyber classrooms.
E-Learning Queen
Susan Smith Nash has been involved with e-learning for more than two decades. On the E-Learning Queen, Susan, who has a PhD in English, produces a variety of posts – from those that explore the history of mobile learning (m-learning) to an Innovators of Education series, in which she interviews leaders in the fields of e-learning and m-learning. When she’s not blogging, Susan (who insists her readers are the Queen; she is merely the assistant) develops and administers e-learning, m-learning, face-to-face, and hybrid education, training, and professional development programs.
Teaching…My Calling
National Board Certified fourth-grade literacy teacher Cara Whitehead wears multiple hats at her school; she is also the Technology Coordinator, Webmaster and Social Media Promoter. On Teaching…My Calling, she explains how she uses sites like Voki for her students’ biographical research projects (the site allows users to create talking avatars) and how the website Vocabulary Spelling City comes in handy as she introduces holiday-themed vocabulary.
Cool Cat Teacher
Students christened Vicki Davis ‘Cool Cat Teacher,’ the name of this blog that aims to “inspire, encourage, and inform” and ends each post with a reminder of the nobility of the calling to teach; coverage of education & tech news and spotlighting Flat Classroom strategies for using technology to bridge cultures are examples of this blog’s content.
Emerging Ed Tech
Emerging Ed Tech includes weekly articles and accompanying video posts by 20-year veteran of the IT industry and Director of Institutional Information & Technology, Kelly Walsh, taking on timely topics like the success of iPads in schools, sharing nifty tech tools like “classroom management” app NetSupport School, and offering 100 ideas for turning Twitter into a teacher’s helper.
The Innovative Educator
The Innovative Educator by the author of Teaching Generation Text, Lisa Nielsen, offers ideas on unschooling and passion-based learning, along with a vision for tuning in today’s plugged-in students instead of blaming and banning technology, including embracing cell phones in school.
The Official Slack Blog
The Official Slack Blog gives professor and Technology Director Kristen Swanson a platform for sharing the Slack experience, offering education, certification, and stories about Slack, and how it relates to professional learning.
Free Technology for Teachers
Free Technology for Teachers is Richard Byrne’s award-winning edublog dedicated to sharing resources and practical ideas for their application, including an arsenal of tools for creating video montage “Book Trailers” that add a new dimension to the classic book report and a wealth of alternatives to YouTube for classrooms that lack access to the catch-all video site.
Creating Lifelong Learners
Creating Lifelong Learners is the award-winning blog by K-5 teacher Matthew Needleman, who shares tips on creating an iPhone app based on his own experience developing Reading Remedies and offers ideas for presenting videos in class that draw on his passion for incorporating digital movie-making in the classroom.
Educational Technology Guy
Educational Technology Guy by Education Technology Specialist and former Aerospace Engineer Dave Andrade is packed with classroom resources, including top picks from Discovery Education Network and ideas for utilizing cloud storage, launching Project Based Learning and finding funding.
Ask a Tech Teacher
The thrill of introducing early learners to technology motivates Jacqui Murray, whose blog Ask a Tech Teacher is a treasure of resources for subjects ranging from “Math Automaticity” to Animals Units to Human Anatomy, along with inspiring tech-integrated lesson plans categorized by subject and grade.
21 Apples
The evolution of education is a key theme for “constructivist” educator and girls school Dean of Faculty, Arvind S. Grover, who takes an iconic symbol into the 21st century on his blog 21Apples, reflecting on cyberbullying, research into brain differences by gender, and the reasons social media is an essential educator tool.
assorted stuff
On his blog assortedstuff, Instructional Technology Specialist Tim Stahmer examines the state of American public schools, sounds the death knell for traditional computer labs and cautions not to make the vendor/expo area your main take-away from professional development conferences.
Learning with ‘e’s
Learning with ‘e’s is the award-nominated edublog by associate professor, keynote speaker, editorial board member and e-Learning conference chair Steve Wheeler, who proposes new attitudes and approaches to teach a generation of digital natives, wonders if blogging can convert reluctant student writers, and explores why teachers resist blogging and the reasons they shouldn’t.
2 Cents Worth
Author David Warlick offers observations and ideas on education, thoughts on education technology, and things learned during his 35 years as an educator.
always learning
Kim Cofino teaches technology around the world and writes in-depth articles about teaching technology, using blogs for student portfolios, and her experiences teaching in different countries.
Teacher Reboot Camp
Shelly Terrell authors this resource-rich site which features video interviews with teachers, shares lists of helpful teaching resources, and aims to create a collaborative environment for helping teachers engage students.
Teach42
Steve Dembo, a former school Director of Technology and current Director of Social Media Strategy and Online Community at Discovery Education shares tips for getting the most out of education conferences, recommends useful education websites and apps, and potential of iPads in education.
Hack Education
Education technology writer Audrey Watters provides teachers with food for thought on how technology is impacting education, ed tech news, and recommendations of apps and ebooks that can help teachers.
edtech Vision
Portland new media teacher Colette Cassinelli shares her experience launching an edcamp, teaching students about Creative Commons, using QR codes in the classroom, and shares her top technology tools to promote reading.
High Techpectations
Lucy Gray finds the best educational technology resources and useful articles on education tools and discusses how schools can evolve in the 21st century.
The Nerdy Teacher
Nicholas Provenzano is an edcamp speaker and runs the education e-zine ProjectPLN. At Nerdy Teacher, he shares helpful websites and education apps, and why teachers should vent on Twitter and start a blog.
Drape’s Takes
Darren Draper is the Director of Technology Services of a school district in Colorado and shares his passion for technology in education at Drape’s Takes including thoughts on the devolution of blogging, helping schools to adapt to the changes in society, and whether online education is a good idea for rural schools.
On an E-Journey with Generation Y
Australian information technology teacher Anne Mirtschin shares her passion for the immersion of technology into learning, tutorials for using online tools like wikis, and writes about taking rural students into the city to experience working in the city.
Yes Tech!
Instructional technology coordinator Pam Shoemaker authors Yes Tech! which shares ideas on technology integration, commentary on school technology policies, and her experiences attending and organizing education conferences.
For the Love of Teaching
Diane Dahl shares fascinating brain research that can be applied to helping students learn and technology tools for the classroom at her blog For the Love of Teaching. Diane writes about a wide range of helpful topics for teachers from the plasticity of the brain to how to turn a classroom projector into a multi-touch whiteboard.
Tech Transformation
On Tech Transformation, Maggie Hos-McGrane reflects on defining her own criteria for choosing a school, maximizing the 7 million seconds that span a student’s career and teaching citizenship from the unique perspective of an international teacher.
Angela Maiers
Frequent features of Tech Education Consultant Angela Maiers’ eponymous blog include “Chalk Talk” on the blog beat, positive “Habitudes” that foster success, and the passionate pursuit of “The Passion-Driven Classroom,” just one book title by this prolific author.
Blogging About the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom
Along with a treasure-trove of posted resources, Blogging About the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom gives educator and District Instructional Technologist Steven Anderson a place to ponder unplugging for a week-long digital fast and pursuing professional development in pajamas.
Doug – Off the Record
Doug – Off the Record is the blog platform for veteran instructor and tech education integrator Doug Peterson, who shares a quest to capture sunsets at CATCCamp, concerns about Facebook security, and excitement over the potential of interactive e-books to add a new dimension to literary classics and student essays.
Edu-(Tech)niques
Edu-(Tech)niques is the blog by Hong Kong-based K-5 Instructional Technology Coordinator Colin Gallagher, who describes introducing kindergartners to iPods using colorful cartoon icons, conducting his own Twitter survey of teachers and tech integration, and facing challenges that come with being a school’s tech position pioneer.
Bud the Teacher
Bud the Teacher is the blog by Instructional Technologist and National Writing Project affiliate Bud Hunt, who posts about the importance of teachers taking charge of their learning and students discovering their own voices, and issues an open letter asking caregivers and teachers to stop bribing kids for every accomplishment and good deed.
The Power of Educational Technology
On The Power of Educational Technology, Director of Academic Technology Liz B. Davis offers hysteria-free advice to parents on the topic of social media, a lesson learned from an application rejection and a wealth of advice for maximizing the experience of Educon, Ignite and Edcamp attendees.
Hey Jude
Hey Jude helps educators navigate the rapidly changing landscape in search and social networking and provides insights into preparing students for a digital world.
EdTech Sandy K
Sandy Kendell provides thoughtful articles on the need for technology trainers, education budget issues, ideas for using online tools in the classroom, and reflections on getting an online master’s degree.
Ed Tech Ideas
Technology Integration Specialist Keith Ferrell provides great information on school technology integration including recommendations of useful websites, free online tech tools, and thoughts on overcoming parent fears about using tools like Skype in the classroom.
21st Century Educational Technology and Learning
Michael Gorman provides helpful articles with tips for teaching 21st-century learners, reviews of educational game sites, and discussion about moving toward a digital curriculum.
Whooo’s Reading: The Blog
With a focus on technology integration, Learn2Earn includes a wealth of tips and ideas for using technology in the classroom, reflections on how teachers can maximize technology’s value in the classroom, and analysis on current issues in Ed-Tech.
More Great School Tech Blogs to Check Out
The Fischbowl
The Fischbowl gives 23-year classroom veteran and current Director of Technology Karl Fisch a platform to muse on reshaping the education system at this pivotal moment instead of waiting for the tipping point, while his “Did You Know/Shift Happens” series invites teachers to start a dialogue on preparing kids with 21st-century skills.
Technology Tidbits
At Technology Tidbits David Kapuler reviews and recommends tons of online tools and sites for education, shares tips for the iPad, and provides a list of the top social networks for education.
Kassblog
Director of Information Technology Richard Kassissieh discusses open source tools for education, using the iPad in the classroom, how schools can integrate experiential learning, and takes readers through the experience of troubleshooting IT issues.
