Constant, reliable technology news about what’s important and pertinent to private schools can be difficult to find, much less rely on. (That’s why you subscribed to our e-Letters!) But sometimes you can find resources that, while only tangentially related, still help you keep abreast of conversations and imagine ways to take your school into the 21st Century. Take a look at these four ed-tech blogs and see if you’re not impressed and informed by each.
Lisa Nielsen’s The Innovative Educator
Ms. Nielsen began her career as a librarian back in the ‘90s, but she upgraded her job description and become a prolific education-technology writer for her own blog and publications like The New York Times, Tech and Learning, and The Huffington Post. The Innovative Educator blog covers everything and anything, from how to showcase teacher effectiveness through online portfolios to effective BYOD (“Bring Your Own Device”) policies. Listen to her defend cell phone usage in the classroom as a guest podcaster, and you’ll understand why we think The Innovative Educator should be in your bookmarks.
Audrey Watters’ Hack Education
Witty and insightful, Audrey Watters’ background as a freelance writer makes this education technology blog highly readable. The head writer for Educating Modern Learners and contributing to other outlets like Edutopia and The Atlantic, Watters’ blog Hack Education offers posts on how technology has twisted the educational landscape—read the transcript of her talk “Student Data Is the New Oil” to Columbia University students for some rather scary revelations—and some interesting meditations on politics and education. While as a private-independent school you are (somewhat) free from government machinations, it’s always wise to keep your ear to the ground for changes that may impact your school.
John Robinson’s The 21st Century Principal
John Robinson is a blogger by night for The 21st Century Principal and Principal by day in North Carolina, giving his posts an “in the trenches” vibe that Watters’ and Nielsen’s blogs can sometimes lack. He discusses regional issues, like North Carolina’s Pearson technology implementation meltdown, as well as addressing broader topics like using statistics to evaluate potential teacher performance during the hiring process. Articulate, passionate, and intuitive at selecting and promoting pertinent content, The 21st Century Principal is a great blog for all private school administrators and principals to pin on their home tabs.
Eric Sheninger’s Digital Leadership
This last recommendation shouldn’t be a surprise for any regular e-Letter reader. Eric Sheninger’s blog Digital Leadership shines beyond many others by not only talking about integrating 21st century technology with his school's student-centric teaching model—Sheninger’s blog shows his teachers actually doing it. From online lessons during the barrage of snow days to courses promoting global leadership through electronic volunteer work by students, Digital Leadership reminds all educators that these dreams of incorporating technology in the classroom are far from a fantasy—they can become part of your school every day.
Additional ISM resources:
Private School news Vol. 11 No. 1 From the Private Blogosphere
Private School News Vol. 12 No. 2 Education Blogs You Should Be Reading
Private School News Vol. 12 No. 7 Five More Top Educator Blogs
ISM Monthly Update for Human Resources Vol. 10 No. 3 Performance Perspectives From the Blogosphere
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 28 No. 13 Technology Self-Assessment and Your Strategic Plan
I&P Vol. 35 No. 3 The 21st Century School: Curriculum and Technology
I&P Vol. 36 No. 16 The 21st Century School: Technology and Small Children
