Tech Blogs Worth Reading

Hi everyone,

I have looked into a few education/tech blogs, and I chose to reflect on the following three blogs. They are all great - totally worth checking out! 

             1. Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Bryne

At first glance, I thought that there may be too much on this blog. However once exploring further, I realized how GREAT this blog is. It is truly a wealth of knowledge. This is definitely one to add to your ‘favorite’s bar’. Richard Bryne seems very knowledgeable about technology, and I read that he has run many workshops on blogging – so this guy knows what he's doing!

There are many things I like about this blog. Firstly, I like that Richard posts information about new technology (some that I have never heard of prior to his blog), and gives recommendations of how to use it in the classroom.  For each (free) technological resource that he introduces he also provides an “application for education” section.  For example, he provides information about Metta, a digital presentation tool, and Postasch.io, a blog tool that can easily be connected to your Evernote account. He then provides readers with ideas of how these resources could be used in the classroom.

At the end of each post, there are relevant links to the topic he blogged about. He titles these additional links “You might also like”.  I want to add a section similar to this on my blog! I believe this gives readers more sources of information about the topic, adding to their knowledge base, and encourages the reader to think critically about the topic as they become more familiar and aware.  

I also like the tabs at the top of this blog.  The tabs seem relevant and of importance to teachers who are keen on using technology in their classrooms.  For instance, one tab is iPad Apps for School. When you click the tab, it takes you to another blog by Richard that outlines educational Apps.

2.    Langwitches Blog: The Magic of Learning

The Langwitches blog is another valuable source for technology teachers.  It has an abundance of information for teachers on how to incorporate technology in their classrooms.  There are ample posts of specific examples of how technology was used to enhance learning in the classroom (for instance, how a Kindergarten class used iPads, collages, and a book creator app in their Transportation Unit).  It’s very cool – I recommend checking it out (Kindergarten Transportation Unit).  Other posts include hot professional learning topics,  and opinions on certain issues in the technology world that teachers may be dealing with or thinking about (for instance, how to be a connector in schools, and information on global learning).

I like the topics of the sub sections along the middle and the sides, which include subjects such as “global education” and “Blogging with your classroom” “iPads” and “Digital Storytelling”.  I think I would find it easier to navigate if the tabs where at the top. However, the blogger does provide a search where you can choose a category. 

I did find the blog a little overwhelming while navigating, due to the abundance of tabs with blog posts all around. I found myself wanting to check out something new and totally different before finishing the original post I was reading. With that said, it is a great resource for technology teachers as it provides practical application suggestions and professional learning topics all on one site.  I recommend it! 

3. Beth's Thoughts on Technology in the Classroom 

I quite like the layout of Beth’s blog, as I find it concise, and therefore easy to navigate.  I like that her blog has different sites and has a recommended reading list under subheadings to the right of the page. The tabs at the top are very straightforward as there are only four: Home, Archives, About, and Contact. 

      

Beth makes it easy to navigate through the archives as you can search for posts by category, month, or her last 50 posts. I like that she groups her blog posts into categories, so if teachers are looking for information on a particular topic, it can be easily found.

 Beth’s blog mainly focuses on professional learning.  She focuses both on general topics related to teaching, and teaching with technology. For instance, she has one blog post on How to Change Education, where she recommends watching a Ken Robinson video (great video).  And she also has another blog post on Tech Integration and Classroom Instruction. 

I really like Beth’s blog as a professional learning resource. If you are searching for more real-life examples of how technology was used in units and lessons, I would check out one of the other two blogs mentioned above.