Choose 2 blogs and explain why

Much of what Bill Ferriter said in his article "Taking the Digital Plunge" resonated with me so I added his blog "The Tempered Radical" to my list. I was stunned to see that Bill actually read and posted to my blog! The world just got smaller!

My background and training is engineering and I work with students in science so I checked out the science blogs. Dale Basler's blog "dalebasler education.collaboration.design.technology" includes concise posts with practical tools and suggestions. Love it!

Each year I attend the ACTEM conference to expand my horizons. The keynotes speakers help me do that so I added:

• "2 Cents Worth" by David Warlick
• "21st Century Learning" by Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach
• "Weblogg-ed Learning with the Read Write Web by Will Richardson
• "Flick School - Learn Everything Mulitmedia" by Marco Torres

Our principal is focusing on Professional Learning Communities so I also added:

• "AllThingsPLC" ... a blog for educators involved in Professional Learning Communities

Even though I love technology, I also believe we can be overwhelmed by it. How to do you combine technology and simplicity? I enjoy reading:

• "Zen Habits" by Leo Babauta
• "mnmlist.com" by Leo Babauta

My thoughts on . . .

"Taking the Digital Plunge ." Educational Leadership Sept, 2009: 85-86. Web. 30 Sept 2009 by Bill Ferriter.

The title caught my attention because I feel like our district already has many of the digital tools available and yet we seem to be unable to “take the plunge.” Reading the article was enough to peak my interest in Bill’s perspective so I added his blog “The Tempered Radical” to my blog list for regular reading. The focus of his blog (sharing how-tos, working around problems and showcasing examples of innovative ways to use technology) is exactly what I am interested in.

Key Points from the article:
Bill describes himself as someone who is utilizing the Internet to find and build a network of like-minded collaborators. That is something I hope to do. As an educator he sees his role as preparing students for the 21st century where digital tools are not just a resource to help learners find information (“knowing about”) but allowing them to connect with people they may not know personally so they can learn together (“learning with”). To me, that is a major difference. Bill uses statistics to support his conclusion that students know how to use digital tools and are very connected but he also concludes (and I agree) “there is not a lot of meaningful discourse going on among teenagers.” He also believes that “no one has taught them about the power of these connections” and “few are using those networks to pursue meaningful personal growth.” That is consistent with what I have experienced at Cape Elizabeth High School and I hope it is something I can begin to address with students I come in contact with. Bill concludes the article with some suggestions to help educators take the digital plunge. I already have a Twitter account and am following educators who I feel will help me grow as an educator. I am also going to start following: http://supportblogging.com and check out Bill’s resources http://www.pageflakes.com/wferriter/16618841.

My thoughts on . . .

"Orchestrating the Media Collage." Educational Leadership March, 2009: 8 - 13. Web. 30 Sept 2009 by Jason Ohler

Jason Ohler's focus is the importance of digital literacy. Literacy has always been important in society. Those with the ability to read, write and understand words have always had an advantage over those who did not. But, in a technological society, it is no longer adequate to just be literate, one must be digitally literate.
Ohler defines digital literacy as the "skills, expectations and perspectives involved in a technological society." It means not only being able to use the various media forms, sound, graphics and moving images and but also being able to integrate these media into a single narrative or media collage. He also points out that the pace for the introduction and integration of these new technologies is accelerating.
In terms of practice, Ohler includes 8 guidelines for teachers to promote essential skills associated with digital literacy. He also highlights what he sees as the critical role of the teacher: as a guide responsible for helping students develop these skills. Teachers don't have to be the technical experts; students can and will figure it (technology) out on their own. What students desperately need is guidance. His final piece of advice to educators? Focus on expression first and technology second and everything else will fall into place.


1. In my work with students, I am always looking for ways to incorporate experiential, hands-on learning. It occurs to me that the media we use regularly: essays, posters and even PowerPoint do not embrace the richness of the media forms now available. Check out this example of student work ("The Power of One") shared by Marco Torres at the ACTEM 2009 conference:




How much more powerful is this video than if the same information was included in an essay or poster?

2. I appreciate art especially the visual arts. As I think about the types of media our students will have to be able to use proficiently, I have to agreed with Jason Ohler's observation that art is an important part of a student's education. Students without that background are at a disadvantage. It make's you rethink any decision to eliminate art from the curriculum.

USM Class EPC512 October 3, 2009

This is my first post on my personal learning blog at my USM technology class. I am excited about the possibilities!

Here is a link to Alice's wikipage