RSS Growth

A few years ago I set up my google reader feature, and made up my mind that I’d follow news related to my new teaching interest, technology.  Well, it didn’t take long for that summer to end and to get bogged down with the stresses of the classroom once again.  Needless to say, the checking of my rss feeds ended.  As CEP 810 began and maintaining and checking RSS feeds became an assignment, I quickly remembered why I intented to keep track of my Google reader a few years back.  I was quickly thrust back into real-time, instant professional development, and in my current role as a teacher leader for technology, was filled with ideas I couldn’t wait to bring up to teachers.  

Checking and maintaining my RSS feeds, gives me hopeful opportunities for what teaching with technology can be.  I am inspired by reading accounts of successful experiences with Project Based Learning (Buck Institute of Education’s Blog),  state-wide roll outs of new 21st century devices (Education Week: Technology), and discussions of what quality, 21st Centiry professional development can look like (Edutopia).  When I found other resources for my RSS feed, I tried to seek out sources that were not only tied to specific ed. tech ideas, but good teaching practice as well.    

In terms of changes or trends to the story topics on each of the feeds, I’m not noticing specific trends or patterns in postings aside from the fact that they all focus on innovations in the classroom and in education as a whole.  There are obviously themes that the feeds incorporate.  Some common topics I’ve come across as I’ve read the feeds over the last few days are:  teacher-training, discourse on legislative actions/decisions related to education, the application of 21st century learning on the adoption of the Common Core standards, and device adoption (i.e. ipads).  

As I think about honing my craft of providing 21st century resources to my staff and students, I am happy to have re-discovered the value of keeping up with the educational technology community.  I am in a very interesting job situation, and feel strange about my role, as my district is pouring money into equipment and even positions like mine, but yet, are not willing to create a workable plan or goals for the future of 21st century learning in my district.  Just in the short time I’ve been following the news feeds, I’ve already gotten some great ideas for how to develop a district-wide technology plan that relates to teaching and learning rather than just the adoption of more devices and network capabilities.  

Below is a picture of my current RSS feed: