Scoop.it

If you are looking for a great website to find content on specific topic, or share content with other on a topic, check out Scoop.it.  I came across this about 6 months ago, and it recently went to live mode from beta testing.  It's a great resource, and very easy to create your own topic.  I have created one called Tech Tools for Teachers.  With new sites coming out so fast, scoop.it is a great way to share with others.  I am able to curate my topic from a simple bookmark tool directly from my browser.  They have also just launched a free iPhone app, and I believe android is not far behind.  Enjoy!

Teaching Technology in the 21st Century

I have been a teacher for over 15 years, and I have taught computers/technology for all of my career.  Over the past couple years, I have really come to find that my job as a technology teacher is changing dramatically.  I used to stand in front of my class and introduce technology by basically showing students step by step how to do things with various software and hardware.  The students would then explore!  I now introduce technology by having students explore first, and then we discuss.  Students help other students, students teach me, and I teach them as well.  Its a collaborative environment, and it works!  Students learn and retain so much better this way.  My role as a teacher has changed, but it has changed for the better.  I truly feel my students leave my class with more knowledge that when they entered, and I have more knowledge too.  This shift in teaching for me has been a great motivator to help other teachers as well.  I look forward to pushing ideas through this blog and my twitter feed, and I look forward to learning from all of you as well!