Technology Blog Review

After first browsing David Warlick’s site http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/, I clearly realized he is an experienced educator who has great insight. The topics he chooses to discuss are thought provoking. I came across his blog from December 5, 2011 titled, “What if curriculum was an adventure?” This initially caught my eye because with having three boys, they love anything that has to do with adventure, and I have always wondered how I could get them to love learning as much as they their video games. In this blog, Warlick discusses among other things, “can a learning game be made fun like regular games?” If Warlick could facilitate this technology, I would love to shake his hand. The closest I have come to using my sons video games to educate them is through metaphor. His collaboration with others, his experience, wealth of ideas, and insight are a great resource for a student like me.

            On Vicky Davis’ blog http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/, she reviews technology, gives insight into how technology is being used, and how that affects the student and teacher. She is also a coauthor of Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds: Move to Global Collaboration One Step at a Time. This topic links back to some of the websites we looked up for the group project like, Global SchoolNet. I once heard someone say that, “it is a lot harder to hate someone up close”; this is what I feel this worldwide education collaboration could accomplish. It is truly a larger-than-life venture, and I have been asleep to the whole thing until now, but no more.

In Jeff Utecht’s The Thinking Stick http://www.thethinkingstick.com/, I especially found his post on the “5 Gmail Tips for Teachers” useful http://www.thethinkingstick.com/5-gmail-tips-for-teachers/. I particularly liked the feedback other educators were giving him. Carey Pohanka wrote about sending incoming emails straight to a label and bypassing the inbox. I can see that being very useful to our professor. There were so many other great tips educators gave that I will utilize as we navigate the world of Google in this course, and I am sure I will use this site in the future to better give my students a technological edge in their education.