The Winter of Our Disconnect: How Three Totally Wired Teenagers (and a Mother Who Slept with Her iPhone)Pulled the Plug on Their Technology and Lived to Tell the Tale Review

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(More customer reviews)For those of us glued to our smart-phones 24/7, this is a must read. I laughed so hard while reading it that I actually forgot to check my text messages for a few hours. Maushart's 6 month device-free experiment proves that, while technology is necessary for some tasks, our obsession with it is distracting us from more rewarding aspects of life. Her wise words will stick with me, and remind me to unplug - at least once in a while.

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2030: A Day in the Life of Tomorrow's Kids Review

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(More customer reviews)Technological advances are made every day, it seems. How will they change our lives over the course of the next 20 years? More specifically: What will it be like to be a kid in the year 2030?
"2030" follows a young boy as he wakes up, goes to school, plays with a friend, and eventually returns to bed. Something new (to us) and innovative shows up at every turn. From owning a dog with a computerized collar that can translate barking into English, to living in an eco-village cluster development and attending virtual batting practice, the text explores a variety of technological advancements that would affect a child. Some inventions or predictions seem far-fetched; others could be very close to implementation. (A GPS in every vehicle is an example of the latter.) Adults who turn these pages may be reminded of gadgets they saw in episodes of the Jetsons, Star Trek, Star Wars, or even the Back to the Future movies. "Clean-a-rella" could be Rosie the Robot's twin sister, quite frankly. After reading this book, young people could be prompted to think and to participate in discussions about what the future might hold for them.
The book may have trouble finding its real audience, though. The text is far too complex for the listed pre-pub target readership, "Ages 6-8." In fact, many members of that group would have trouble sitting still long enough for an adult to read the whole book to them. More likely readers would be the middle graders, represented by the "Ages 9-12" notice that the publisher now lists for the entry. But since the information is presented in picture book format, those kids may assume that the content is for "babies" and pass it by without opening the covers. Some might even think the pictures are too "cartoony." What a dilemma! It will take some effort by a parent, a teacher, or a librarian to offer this book to a youngster who is ready for it.
John Manders' illustrations are bright, colorful, and detailed. Authors Amy Zuckerman and James Daly are obviously familiar with their subject matter. The information presented here is interesting. But the book could have been made more interactive and more kid-friendly. Add a glossary to explain new or complex terms. Post simple discussion questions at the end, or scatter them throughout the volume. Have an accompanying web site that does more than merely advertise the book; one where young people can explore or experiment with even more innovations. As it stands now, there's no follow-up or any kind of prompt for a child to respond to, once the book is finished.
Very few children's books address the topics of technology or future studies. That could be because elementary school students live very much in the present. The future to them may mean summer vacation or Christmas or an upcoming birthday. Wondering what everyday life will be like 20 years from now can be a tremendous intellectual leap for a young person. And once they are able to grasp that concept, they may be disappointed to realize that they will be ADULTS in the year 2030, and therefore probably won't live the young and carefree life of the boy in the book anyway. Yes, unfortunately, this one's a real puzzler.

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Angels Don't Play This Haarp: Advances in Tesla Technology Review

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(More customer reviews)From a rural location in Alaska, controlled by "Big Oil", the US government is blasting billions of watts of high frequency microwave energy at our protective ionospheric shell which surrounds the earth. Their offical reason is "to see what it does". Several acres of Alaskan land have been dedicated to the construction of the HAARP array (you can actually find a picture of it online...)but it's real purpose runs from the practical (earth tomography (X-ray the earth to look for enemy submarines and secret underground bases)) through the hard to believe (transmission of electrical power without wires (Tesla's idea) through the insane (the complete disruption of global communications and mucking with weather patterns by shifting the jet stream).
This book is so well documented, often citing documents published by the US government itself, that it is absolutely convincing and frightening.

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The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time Review

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(More customer reviews)For readers who care about where we're all going in this mad-media world of Internet highways and smart technology, this book is a necessary pit stop for refueling and refreshment.
Only 151 pages long, this totally chapterless work can be read in a sitting of three hours (as if it were one single, long paragraph), and it will not disappoint. The book is subtitled: Why Books Matter In a Distracted Time. One of the main and positive features of this work for me was the fact that the author, already a well-known critic for the "Los Angeles Times," confesses to a feeling lately (say, over the last two years) of being unable to concentrate and wonders, if it's not Alzheimer's or incipient old age, just what is happening to his brain. I completely identified with that situation and concern even though I, unlike the author, do not own a Blackberry or a Kindle. I am, just as the author describes himself-- as well as of nearly everyone today -- averse to tuning out the "buzz" that's on the Internet and in the media and am on the computer at work as well as at home.
David Ulin doesn't like to categorize books by way of fiction or non-fiction, personal or objective. He simply aims for and enjoys what is simply called "good writing." In this manner, the tale he unfolds here is both factual, literary, historical as well as personal, some vignettes touchingly involving his son, Noah. Suffice it to say Mr. Ulin has some trenchant observations to make not only about "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald but about Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" as well -- not to overlook the many writers he pulls up from the stream of words he so deftly pursues such that any reader will feel tempted to follow-up on those authors and works that are completely new to her or him.
Having covered a lot of ground that feels like "everything" that can be said about technology versus the book -- but actually isn't -- the author asserts that what reading good writing does for the reader -- unlike any other kind of technology -- is disconnect the reader from the harried noisy world of present storms and present crises and trivia and immerse her or him in a world transcending present time with others from previous ages, a world that facilitates empathy, blurring the boundaries between yourself and another, while allowing one's thoughts to gather some gravitas in the silence that follows from long bouts of concentration on the written word. He insists we need silence more than ever now. It's a kind of Wordsworthian plaint -- the world is too much with us. But he reminds us there's a solution: read good writing in the silence whenever you can.
One of the roads not undertaken in this multi-streamed river of a book full of consideration about the pros and cons of the traditional book versus electronic technology was audio book technology or the Read-to-Me feature available in many e-books -- and the cultural impact of a renewed orality about the printed word. Mr. Ulin evokes ideas about a "conversation that began in Mesopotamia ten thousand years ago," but seems to have forgotten Homer's oral impact in the process, concentrating on print and writing instead. While he tries to pluck the harp optimistically for the positive contributions of electronic media, Mr. Ulin, understandably in my opinion, argues finally to keep the art of reading books alive. I still want to know would his argument finally remain with books if he had considered the electronic orality of texts -- or paid any attention to them.
All in all, this was definitely a good read and a good piece of writing. It contains, as I've said, mentionings of writers and books I'm going to enjoy exploring further. I was so glad to find Mr. Ulin mention the writer Vardis Fisher, even if it was through a quotation by Frank Connor. As Mr. Ulin knows, good books have good writing and artfully put the reader in a "flow state" or trance from which she or he makes a self, and Vardis Fisher was just one of those writers for me. Mr. Ullin has, among others, Alexander Trocchi. Who? Read "The Lost Art of Reading" or read Trocchi's "Cain's Book." The point is -- read, in silence, good writing.

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The Lights in the Tunnel: Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future Review

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(More customer reviews)Other reviewers have summarized the book in detail, so I won't. I'll just emphasize the bottom line:
Machines are fast approaching humans in terms of *mental* labor capacity, not just *physical* labor capacity. In the past as machines took over much of our physical labor, we were then free to turn to more valuable mental labor. But once machines take over much of our mental labor, then what do we turn to for employment?
The author makes a very compelling case that this situation will arise, and likely within the next few decades. And he also lays out some rather bold suggestions to delay the shock of the resulting high unemployment and allow us to transition to an inevitably new type of economy as smoothly as possible. Though, even with these suggestions, I expect this transition is not likely to be smooth.
This book is a very important, frank discussion of a pending time-bomb for our precious mass market economy. Read it and recommend it to others. And think about how you and your family and friends will manage the forthcoming transition.

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What will the economy of the future look like? Where will advancing technology, job automation, outsourcing and globalization lead? This groundbreaking book by a Silicon Valley computer engineer explores these questions and shows how accelerating technology is likely to have a highly disruptive influence on our economy in the near future--and may well already be a significant factor in the current global crisis. THE LIGHTS IN THE TUNNEL employs a powerful thought experiment to explore the economy of the future.An imaginary "tunnel of lights" is used to visualize the economic implications of the new technologies that are likely to appear in the coming years and decades. The book directly challenges conventional views of the future and illuminates the danger that lies ahead if we do not plan for the impact of rapidly advancing technology. It also shows how the economic realities of the future might offer solutions to issues such as poverty and climate change.

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Classrooms Without Borders: Using Internet Projects to Teach Communication and Collaboration Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're looking for a book that will give you many ideas for "Internet Projects to Teach Communication and Collaboration" this is NOT the book for you. If you're looking for a book that will convince you that such projects are a good idea, this may be the book for you.
The book has a few chapters at the beginning about various web 2.0 tools that you can use in the classroom, but little depth about projects using such tools. Much of the book focuses on meta-cognition, thinking skills, and how collaborative projects are an effective way to teach kids. The last few chapters lay out 2 projects that involve collaborative work and the Internet, but the projects are extremely involved and would not be helpful to the teacher who is just getting started with such teaching strategies.
There were several times that I felt the book went off on an agenda or tangent; particularly the page and a half about child/youth violence. It was related to a project the authors were describing but went too far in my mind. I do not disagree with their point of view, but it just seemed odd in such a book. The organization (or lack thereof) of the book seemed disjointed at times.
I'd love to see the authors reduce the fluff/filler (tangents and agendas) and present 15-20 really good projects that use the Internet to teach communication and collaboration. Ideally these projects would cover the K-12 range and vary in the depth/involvement the project requires so that teachers of all comfort levels would find a project they could use/adapt.

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''In this remarkable book, the authors illustrate how the combination of collaboration and the Internet may change the way classes are delivered, how instruction takes place, and the nature of classroom and school life...It can truly be said that every teacher should read this book and make use of its contents.'' --From the Foreword by David W. Johnson and Roger T. Johnson, University of Minnesota This practical resource shows educators how to use the Internet to help students communicate electronically, reaching beyond the borders of traditional classroom walls. The authors--a lifelong professional developer and a dedicated facilitator of improved K-12 education through her work with graduate students in school leadership--provide the how-to for teaching essential foundation elements, including teamwork, Internet research, evaluation of information sources, cross-cultural communication, and thinking skills. Emphasizing practical tools and techniques, their model integrates the internet, common school software, and free online technology tools to create engaging projects that advance 21st-century skills.

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Teens, Technology, and Literacy; Or, Why Bad Grammar Isn't Always Bad Review

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(More customer reviews)As a high school teacher I hear a lot of groaning from colleagues about how horrible texting and other new applications are for the purity of the English language. Sorry, guys, that's "old school." I think Braun is right. She has a new and much more positive "take" on all this new technology which is--let's face it--our children's and students' native language! No, English is not going down in flames; it's evolving. That's how languages stay alive. Anyone who has contact with kids (and even those who don't, but who are interested in the future of the nation) should read and think about this book!

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Bricklin on Technology Review

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(More customer reviews)I read a few books this weekend - the most enjoyable was Bricklin on Technology . I've somehow managed to end up with three of them - I know that Dan Bricklin sent me one and Amazon sent me one, but I don't know where the third came from. Dan told me about this book a few months ago when I saw him in Boston at the TechStars for a Day event. He's done an outstanding job of combining his essays on computing with updated thinking along with a bunch of great history. There are a dozen chapters - each are a "mini-book" within the book. My favorite was Chapter 12: VisiCalc (which is - not surprisingly - the history of VisiCalc) but the other chapters are all great and include things like:
* What Will People Pay For?
* The Recording Industry and Copying
* Leveraging the Crowd
* Blogging and Podcasting: Observations through Their Development
* Tools: My Philosophy about What We Should Be Developing
I first heard of Dan Bricklin in 1979. I had bought an Apple II with my bar mitzvah money (and some help from my dad). When VisiCalc came out, we bought one of the first copies; we still have the original 5.25" disk in the brown vinyl VisiCalc binder (our copy was the one featured in the Triumph of the Nerds video series - that's another long story.) Not surprisingly, Dan and his partner Bob Frankston were early heroes of mine. I even bought a copy of TK Solver when it came out.
I finally met Dan in 1995 when he was starting to think about the company that became Trellix. I think we were introduced by Aaron Kleiner, but I can't remember. Yes - I was really excited the first time we met! I ended up helping out in the very early days of Trellix through the point that Dan raised a $200k seed financing from CRV.
I've always loved the way Dan's brain works and Bricklin on Technology is a bunch of it in one portable package.

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In a world that divides us, technology creates connection. Cell phones, e-mail, digital cameras, personal Web sites—they all join us, however tenuously, to what we value. Is connectivity what we're willing to pay for? Should technology be our servant or a tool that helps us do other things? What can we really learn from Napster? What would intelligent standards for touch-screen user interface look like? How does technology evolve, and what drives that evolution?
For Dan Bricklin, technology cannot exist independently of the lives and needs of those who use it. For more than a decade he has shared his thoughts on this essential interdependence in blogs, podcasts, and essays. This volume compiles those observations, putting together case histories and new reflections for a fascinating study of how people and technology affect one another. Whether you're a software developer or a student of human nature, you'll find yourself drawn into this most intriguing discourse—because you are its subject.

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Global Education: Using Technology to Bring the World to Your Students Review

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(More customer reviews)I had to order this book for a summer course I needed to take July 2010. The book was shipped super fast and is a super quick read for our class which is great too!

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Eleventh grade students in Bangladesh exchange video interviews with 10th-grade students in Georgia. High schoolers in Illinois learn Japanese, Hebrew, Latin, Spanish, French, and German using online discussions with counterparts from many different countries. Students from around the world research endangered animal species from their areas and publish their findings to a shared website. Connecting globally through advances in Internet technology, including Web 2.0 tools, can now be a reality for any student in any classroom. As our local communities reflect more of the world's diversity, students need to be prepared to communicate with and relate to individuals from different countries and cultures. Integrating global education into standards-based lessons allows students to connect personally with their peers across geographical boundaries, expand their knowledge and awareness of the world, and increase their interest and curiosity in what they are learning. Global Education is a guide to get you started. It provides an introduction to global networks such as iEarn, Global Schoolhouse, and ePals; an overview of Web 2.0 tools that support global learning, such as wikis, blogs, and podcasts; and hundreds of Web resources. No matter the grade level or subject area, Global Education's numerous examples, case studies, and lesson plans will provide you with ideas and inspiration for bringing your students the world. Features:* A sampling of global education projects from around the world * A glossary and lists of hundreds of global education resources * Historical perspectives on global education The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy and leadership for innovation. ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and ISTE's annual conference (formerly known as the National Educational Computing Conference, or NECC), ISTE represents more than 100,000 professionals worldwide. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of transforming education.Some of the areas in which we publish are: -Web. 2.0 in the classroom-RSS, podcasts, and more -National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) -Professional development for educators and administrators -Integrating technology into the classroom and curriculum -Safe practices for the Internet and technology -Educational technology for parents

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The Socially Networked Classroom: Teaching in the New Media Age Review

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(More customer reviews)This text is an outstanding resource for educators from K-12, whether they are beginners or entrenched in using Web 2.0 resources and tools in their classroom teaching. With appropriate and particularly useful games, activities, and lesson ideas, Kist has captured my interest, and the interest of my school colleagues, motivating us to think more about the 'new media age' and the need to harness the social networking tools that students are unanimously engaging with in today's world. The Socially Networked Classroom: Teaching in the New Media Age
jjfreo, Australia

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This book demonstrates how pioneering teachers have successfully integrated screen-based literacies into instruction and how you can harness students' social networking skills for learning.

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The Technology Toolbelt for Teaching (Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education) Review

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(More customer reviews)Very practical. Starts with objectives (what are you trying to accomplish) rather than "here's a cool tool." Already found ideas to implement and have a good idea how to implement. Has something for novices and advanced users.

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Instructors are pressured to integrate technology into their traditional or online instruction. This book offers a hands-on resource that shows how to integrate technology into lessons and offers information about common technologies, categorizing by groups, and explains the purposes they serve pedagogically as well as how they can be most effectively used in online or face-to-face classrooms. In addition to examples, each chapter will feature a decision making matrix to help instructors decide on whether or not a tool is really needed based on curriculum objectives or a specific organizational or curricular problem.

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Differentiating Instruction with Technology in Middle School Classrooms Review

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(More customer reviews)Technology has a bigger impact on children's lives than ever before. "Differentiating Instruction with Technology in Middle School Classrooms" is a guide to teachers who want to embrace the information age and weave technology into their curriculum as a partner in teaching. Discussing how to do integrate this well into the school and treat technology as a partner in education rather than just a tool, it emphasizes internet use. Subject by subject, "Differentiating Instructions with Technology in Middle School Classrooms" is a must for any community or college library collection focusing on education.

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Middle school is a time of growth and change for students, with each student changing and growing in different ways and at different rates. These students, like the rest of us, have different interests, different backgrounds, and different goals for their lives. Educators have a responsibility to treat and teach them as individuals. Differentiated Instruction (DI) makes this possible, and technology makes DI easy, effective, and engaging.
Recognizing a need for change in middle school instruction, the authors wrote Differentiating Instruction with Technology in Middle School Classrooms to show educators the benefits of combining DI with technology, encouraging educators to re-engage students by bringing lessons out of the past and into the student-centered reality of digital-age learning. This book offers an overview of research on the uniqueness of middle school students and illustrates the importance of using technology to create differentiated lessons, especially with this age group. It lists the fundamental components of DI, student traits that guide DI, and Web 2.0 resources that can help make DI a reality in the middle school classroom. It also includes sample activities for incorporating DI in multiple subjects: math, science, social studies, and language arts. The strategies and lessons in this book will ensure that students receive a tailored education that also prepares them with the technology skills they need for a successful future.
Features:
* Lists of resources for Web 2.0 tools that support differentiated instruction * A chapter on using DI for student assessment * A survey of research on middle school students
Topics include:
-differentiating instruction-Web 2.0-technology integration-math-science-social studies-langauge arts-assessment
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy and leadership for innovation. ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and ISTE's annual conference (formerly known as the National Educational Computing Conference, or NECC), ISTE represents more than 100,000 professionals worldwide. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of transforming education.
Some of the areas in which we publish are: -Web. 2.0 in the classroom-RSS, podcasts, and more-National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) -Professional development for educators and administrators-Integrating technology into the classroom and curriculum-Safe practices for the Internet and technology-Educational technology for parents

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The 21st Century Elementary Library Media Program Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is full of wonderful suggestions on diverse components of the school library program. I learned so much! It was great to have samples of so many items such as newsletters, procedural documents and collaboration logs. The inclusion of lists of additional resources for things such as podcasting, wikis, and blogs was extremely helpful.

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High-Tech Teaching Success A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Innovative Technology in Your Classroom Review

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(More customer reviews)High-Tech Teaching Success tells teachers how to bring technology into the classroom, offering keys to using Google Earth, blogs, digital diaries, Facebook and other popular online sites in the teaching process. From classroom web sites to digital teaching, this is an excellent review of how technological opportunities can integrate into any classroom teacher's objectives.


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An easy-to-use guide to implementing the most exciting technologies to energize any classroom, High-Tech Teaching Success!: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Innovative Technology in Your Classroom gives classroom teachers exactly what they're looking for: advice from technology education experts on how the latest tools and software can be implemented into lesson plans to create differentiated, exciting curriculum for all learners.

Focused on implementing technology in the four core areas of learning—math, science, language arts, and social studies—this book covers topics like podcasting, blogging and digital diaries, building Web sites and Wikis, creating Web Quests, using Google Earth, using online programs like YouTube and social networking sites to connect to other classrooms, creating videos, and more.

Geared for teachers in grades 4–8, this essential book offers practical tools, tips for implementation, step-by-step instructions, and handy screen shots to give educators everything they need to create interesting, technology-based learning experiences in their classrooms.

Features lessons developed by top educators covering Google Earth, YouTube, wikis, WebQuests, and much more
Includes screen shots and easy-to-follow directions for using each technology tool
Suggests innovative ways of implementing tools like website design, podcasts, social networking, and blogging
Gives teachers an overview and advice on implementing the latest exciting technology tools

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Digital Habitats; stewarding technology for communities Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm often the technology steward for communities of practice (CoP). I create the Ning spaces and configure `em, I setup the email lists, I work out whether we should have a wiki or a blog or a discussion forum or some other combination of communication technologies. As you can see I'm quite a geek: I really do love it.
And whenever I get stuck I'll contact my friends at CPSquare: Etienne, Nancy and John. And while I know they all have a deep understanding of CoPs I tend to ask Etienne the theory questions, Nancy the technology questions and John the group dynamics questions. Together they are a formidable team. Sadly I think their new book, Digital Habitats, will give them strong cause to suggest I should RTFM: Read The Flipping Manual.
Digital Habitats (DH) has a single goal: to help the reader understand the role of technology steward in cultivating a community of practice: what is it, why you would do it, are you are cut out for it, how to do it and where to find help. But it is not a shoppers guide nor a roadmap for technology selection.
There is a lovely photo of Etienne, Nancy and John in the preface and I feel that reading DH is like have a friendly conversation with them on a sunny balcony. They provide the context, a little theory, then lots of practical tips supported by real life stories to ground it and make it memorable.
For me there are three ideas in this book I have already put into practice with great effect.
Experience shows us that all know that communities of practice are different, and sometimes poles apart. DH introduces the idea of community orientations to help us understand where the emphasis might lie and therefore what technologies make most sense.
There are 9 orientations: meetings, open-ended conversations, projects, content, access to expertise, relationships, individual participation, community participation, serving a context. With my engineering communities, for example, I've asked the members where they see their current orientation and then ask them to identify where they would like to be. A community might start off very content focussed but realise that the real benefits will come from providing access to expertise. By understanding this orientation gap the technology steward can start introducing tools to facilitate the future orientation needs.
The second idea I find useful is how my friends (I was going to say `the authors' but it didn't feel right) describe the range of activities a community might be engaged in. The axis range from informal to formal and learning from to learning with. This diagram helps me ensure I'm thinking about the full range of possibilities when helping communities members design their CoP.
DH envisages three types of readers: deep divers, attentive practitioners and just do it-ers. The just do it-ers are directed to chapter 10 which contains an action notebook. It is a series of checklists to help you think about the role of the technology steward. What I love about chapter 10 is that I can jump in and start learning about the role by doing things and then come back to the descriptions contained in the rest of the book when it is more meaningful for me. DH makes the job of finding the relevant descriptions in the other chapters easy through a multitude of cross-links from chapter 10 to the relevant book section.
There are very few practical community of practice books available (I can think of 3 others) and Etienne has already had a hand in writing one of them. So Digital Habitats is a valuable addition to this exclusive club. It's highly readable and practical and will definitely help make a difference to the quality of your technology support for your community of practice.

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Technology has changed what it means for communities to "be together." Digital tools are now part of most communities' habitats. This book develops a new literacy and language to describe the practice of stewarding technology for communities.Whether you want to ground your technology stewardship in theory and deepen your practice, whether you are a community leader or sponsor who wants to understand how communities and technology intersect, or whether you just want practical advice, this is the book for you.

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Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools Review

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(More customer reviews)People no longer just search for information on the web. Now they provide information, too. These people include our students. The world has changed; students have changed, and traditional schools are no longer up to the task of educating young people for the future.
This is the argument of the book Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools. Although we're still in the early days of bringing together education and Web 2.0, there are good models of learning and technology use that point us in the right direction.
The authors provide examples of teachers who have guided their students to use Web 2.0 tools in creating a collaborative math solutions manual, an independent literature circle project, a collaborative guidebook about online security, for example.
Solomon and Schrum observe that, although young people may be ahead of their teachers in using these tools, teachers can help them use the tools in educationally appropriate ways.

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Web 2.0 has arrived--find out how it can transform teaching and learning!
What is Web 2.0? Once upon a time, Web sites were isolated information 'silos'--all content and no functionality. Today, the next generation of Web sites gives power to the end-user, providing visitors with a new level of customization, interaction, and participation. Many Web sites now allow users to upload, categorize, and share content easily. Weblogs and podcasts allow anyone to publish or broadcast on any topic. Wikis provide information that is constantly updated by the end-user. Open-source software is free and customizable. These new technologies are changing our relationship to the Internet.
What can Web 2.0 tools offer educators? Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging Web 2.0 technologies and their use in the classroom and in professional development. Topics include blogging as a natural tool for writing instruction, wikis and their role in project collaboration, podcasting as a useful means of presenting information and ideas, and how to use Web 2.0 tools for professional development. Also included are a discussion of Web 2.0 safety and security issues and a look toward the future of the Web 2.0 movement. Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools is essential reading for teachers, administrators, technology coordinators, and teacher educators.
Topics include:
-online collaboration tools -technology literacy-technology integration-teacher training-curriculum design-open source-blogs -wikis-podcasts-professional development
Also available:
Database Magic: Using Databases to Teach Curriculum in Grades 4-12 - ISBN 1564842452 What Works in K-12 Online Learning - ISBN 1564842363 Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education - ISBN 1564842479
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy and leadership for innovation. ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and ISTE's annual conference (formerly known as the National Educational Computing Conference, or NECC), ISTE represents more than 100,000 professionals worldwide. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of transforming education.
Some of the areas in which we publish are: -Web. 2.0 in the classroom-RSS, podcasts, and more-National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) -Professional development for educators and administrators-Integrating technology into the classroom and curriculum-Safe practices for the Internet and technology-Educational technology for parents

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Choosing Web 2.0 Tools for Learning and Teaching in a Digital World Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a wonderful overview volume for information on a variety of web 2.0 tools. Comparisons of similar tools, with varied features of each listed, is especially helpful. The use of the Stripling Model of Inquiry throughout the work was very effective in pulling everything together.

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