Amanda Calame Hood
“Learning with Blogs and Wikis”
By Bill Ferriter
Position Statement: Using technology can greatly benefit educators by providing a virtual medium for professional development discussions and the sharing of ideas and strategies.
As professionals, very seldom are educators provided relevant professional development that directly impacts instruction or learning. We are simply bogged down with generic in-services that teach us about cleanliness, confidentiality, record keeping, parent conferences, and Lee v. Macon. The reality of learning is that to be a great teacher, one must be a continual learner. Educators should be placed in a situation that encourages free thinking, content knowledge growth, and collegial support for new ideas and strategies.
The reality of a day in education is that there is seldom time for collaboration. There are very few other professions that require constant supervision and instruction of individuals who have and extremely short attention span. We must also consider the planning that is involved in having relevant, engaging activities that align with the curriculum to meet the needs of all learners. When are we supposed to learn from each other, or plan engaging development? The answer is- we have to embrace technology!
Blogs and wikis have been emerging as a common simplistic way to communicate with others that live within and outside the realm of your regular day. By creating an educationally based blog, the number of educators that you are connected with grows at exponential rates. Instead of relying on the limited number of individuals that teach down the hall from you, you will create a network of professionals from a variety of backgrounds that have similar interests in improving instruction and increasing learning. This networking gives an educator a personal library of experiences that can be shared with all readers.
When first using technology, it can be cumbersome and time consuming. With dedication and perseverance, the learning that occurs can lead to time saving and innovation. Blog Readers serve as a great source for scanning a large number of websites and other blogs for updated comments, topics, and discussions. These types of programs save all bloggers and readers time from scanning and navigating a large number of website. It will be as simple as checking one website.
Technology (blogs and wikis) can serve as a great resource for educators who feel isolated, frustrated, and trapped in their own professional world. It is a hope that all educators have the desire to learn and grow, even if it is through nontraditional sources!!
Works Cited
Ferriter, Bill. “Learning from Blogs and Wikis”, Educational Leadership, February 2009, vol. 66, article 5. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/feb09/vol66/num05/Learning_with_Blogs_and_Wikis.aspx. 04/16/10.
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