RSS: FEED ME!!!!

First off, I would like to say that "The New Killer App for educators" is an understatement! This is like a lifeline for educators and really anyone who is up to speed with technology. I set up my bloglines account and although, it took some time, I realize now that it is done the time I will save. I am so thankful for that. As an educator/grad student on the go, all I have to do is "click" and I am instantly taken to my main sources of information on the web, fully updated, ready and waiting! While searching I found many great feeds, but the one that I really thought appropriate, especially for this class was Classroom 2.0 Blog . There I read about different teachers, technology, views on technology, and how to incorporate technology in the classroom. A specific blog I read, was that of a woman named Jacquie. Her blog is called "Jacquie's Great Digital Adventure," http://jacquiesgreatdigitaladventure.blogspot.com/2008/11/web-2.html. Here she talked about how educators cannot ignore social networking and technology in general. She gave an explanation of social networking and discussed her views as well. I cannot agree more with her!

It made me think of a quote I had found once. “Although the definition of literacy remains a hotly contested topic among educators and researchers, it is hard to deny that technology is driving the debate. While reading and writing will most likely remain at the heart of standard literacy education, educators should reconsider what it means to be literate in the technological age. The New London Group, a cohort of educators and researchers interested in examining the teaching of new literacies, explains literacy this way: "one could say that its’ fundamental purpose is to ensure that all students benefit from learning in ways that allow them to participate fully in public, community, and economic life." (1996)

In another class I read an article called "Zero-Thumb Game: How to Tame Texting." It was about teachers who were up in arms against it, because they were starting to see the "text-lingo" in some of their students academic work. They wanted to go to extremes and one teacher, Cindi Rigsbee, decided to take the path not followed, and embraced the idea that as educators we should address the situation and use it as a teachable moment. So knowing what we know about the waves of change we need to embrace the inevitable and be the life-long learners we want to be!!!