As I searched through the myriad sites available I reflected on what my needs were as they pertained to my job as a professional educator and my Action Research project. What I discovered was that my educator needs and my project needs were similar in scope: education technology and gaming. My thoughts on education and what happens in the classroom follows that of Gary Stager and I will borrow his mantra for a second as I quote him, “Less us, more them”. This theory is simple, but many educators miss it because they believe students need to be taught, but if we give them a computer and some instructions, they can discover.
The five I selected to follow are as follows:
ICT in Education - http://www.ictineducation.org
Edgalaxy – Educational Gaming - http://www.edgalaxy.com/educational-gaming/
Education Technology - http://terry-freedman.org.uk/artman/publish/index.php
Living in an Augmented Reality - http://www.augmentedenvironments.org/blair/
Stager-to-go - http://stager.tv/blog/
The reasoning for selecting these sites is primarily for bringing new ideas and possible research sources to my attention. ICT, EdGalaxy, Education Technology, and Living in Augmented Reality offer content that is related to the use of technology in the classroom environment, which is of interest to me. There is also content that relates to educational gaming, which is the purpose of my Action Research project. These four sites will enable me to gain ideas about new technologies that can be used in my class.
The Stager-to-go website offers a different perspective on education. I had the privilege of seeing him speak at a conference this summer and it was moving. His teaching philosophy is simple and plain, you teach the kids you have, using whatever tools you have. Instead of worrying about whether or not a child can pass a test, he focuses on creating a learning environment in which the students want to and can learn rather than a place where students prepare for a test. This perspective is different then the prevailing voice in education that places standardized test scores over the quality of learning experience for the student.
I look forward to following these blogs as I delve deeper into education.
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