The Artichoke blog is an online scratch pad for my “ignorance” in all matters educational. It is a place to explore differences in opinion and alternative viewpoints to educational policy and practice in New Zealand and elsewhere.The challenge and collaboration in comments from other edubloggers are the best part of “Artichoke”. Their contributions help explore the mismatch in education between; what we think we know, what we do, and what students’ experience. The Edublogger Award nomination belongs to them.
I am a teacher. My day job sees me working with schools and teachers in New Zealand to integrate thinking and information communication technologies into student learning.
Beth’s Thoughts started as way for me to learn the mechanics of blogging. If you are going to teach people how to blog you better know how. Now I am hooked. Blogging as helped me clarify my thinking as I moved out of the science classroom (after 19 years) and into the role of technology integration specialist. I have learned more from my new teammates and the last year of blogging then from most of my formal education. The blog is my own, I try to focus on teaching, learning and technology but occasionally wonder based on what I am reading and experiencing. I work for Barnstable Public School, Hyannis, MA, US as the sole district wide K12 integration specialist. I support teachers and students K-12. I love what I do. I am really honored to be nominated and make the short list, I am shocked actually. Thanks, Beth.
My name is Pete Reilly and I write the Ed Tech Journeys blog. In my view, most of the challenges we face in educational technology are not technology issues; but human ones. Technology is relatively new in the context of education and there are few roadmaps to guide us. It is my hope that Ed Tech Journeys can be a place where a light is shone on the path, so that all of us can find our way.
I am a Director of a technology consortium of 62 public school districts just north of New York City and President of the New York State Association of Computers and Technology in Education (NYSCATE).
The two entries I believe capture the spirit of Ed Tech Journeys are “When You Believe It, You Will See It” and “Toe the Line or Ride the Line?“.
My name is Terri Van Zetten, I teach in Broome, WA. Western Australia is over 2000km from a major city in north west of Australia. Research shows that the kids of today don’t want to view the Net, they want to be part of it, to publish. I did not want my students to miss out, just because of how remote we are! Podcasting is a fantastic way to promote our school, faith, Aboriginal culture and wonderful community to the world. Many of our kids also have family around Australia and overseas, so it is a great way for them to share their successes. I have an after school club on a Friday (yes, Friday arvo when everyone is having ‘choir practice’) with a chore group of students. You will also find videos from an Australian 3in6 competition on the site.
Many of my students do not have computers, but do have DVD players and mp3 players, so it is also a way of sharing with their families. This time last year, I did not know what blogs, wikis and podcasts were about and now I teach kids as young has 5 who can tell you all about them, it is so exciting!
This nomination has been a big surprise. My name is Paz Peña and I’m from Chile. I’ve been working for three years as an instructional designer and “tilt!” is my personal blog. It was born with the idea to put in order my thoughts relate with the technologies of free knowledge and social software. Months after its creation, I have realized that all the reflections in “tilt!” are around a general question: how communities are affected by knowledge creation which is located in the subject and not in the institution. This idea has been the perfect excuse to explore a wide range of subjects, using technology as a common denominator to speak about philosophy, policy, communication, education, and many others.
One response to “Best Newcomer 2006 Finalists”
tilt! (http://tumbo.wordpress.com/) has my vote.