Technology_Leadership+Book+Summary

**RSS for Educators** **Blogs, Newsfeeds, Podcasts, and Wikis in the Classroom** I feel that this book is a startup guide, geared to help educators who would like to use emerging World Wide Web-based technologies in the classroom. John G. Hendron, who is the author, is also an educator for the Goochland County public schools; serves as a teacher and instructional technologist in Virginia. His purpose in writing this book is assist those of us who want to impact the way students learn and communicate by using blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. In this reference book, Hendron points out several emerging web 2.0 tools that are cost-effective and can provide I believe the most impact in preparing students, educators, parents, and stakeholders for the 21st century. The book is divided into three parts: school applications, core software applications, and classroom applications. In the first section, John introduces the new tools, he describes their purpose, and how each was applied in their district. In section two, describes key add-on applications that will be helpful when using such technologies. The author goes into detail as to give at least three different options to choose from when selecting which application would be best for your educational needs. This is the main reason why I feel this is a great resource material that you should get if you want to explore any of the emerging web 2.0 tools in your school or district. The last section provides proven lessons that work in a vast number of subject areas using blogs, wikis, podcasts, and newsfeeds. Key points that I drew from when reading “RSS for Educators,” were blogs helped coin the tern “Read/Write Web,” (Hendron, 2008) and with wikis “the overriding principle of each one is that content can be updated by anyone, quickly and easily.” (Hendron, 2008) Blogs and wikis, I feel are key components of the new writing wave allowing for our students to have a voice when they sometimes feel that they don’t have one or when they feel that their voice doesn’t matter. “Blogging encourages writing, organization, communication, and collaboration.” (Hendron, 2008) Blogs can be used in the classroom as a means of a closure activity, where students reflect on their feelings on what was taught, learned, and what they are still unsure about. Hendron also encourages you to ask students to read and comment on each other’s post as a means of building online collaborative relationships and to encourage peer review, which is a key concept students should learn in preparing for college. “Creation, sharing, and access to content make wikis a powerful classroom tool and its ability to foster collaboration, review, and revision among students.” (Hendron, 2008) “Among the easiest way to publish work is through the Internet. On the Web, everyone who cares to be an author, creator, and publisher can author, create and publish. It stands to reason that podcasting is an ideal mechanism for students to share their work, and it makes learning more real. We are not longer limited by plain text on the Web. Student publishers can publish a variety of content online, including audio and video podcasts.” (Hendron, 2008) Podcast are not as popular as wikis and blogs because I feel with podcast you have to have two-to-three different applications in order to put together an effective podcast. Also, when you get into posting podcast online you have to convert it to different formats depending on what type of hardware you are using to play it back. The author provides great detail in podcast and highlights the iTunes, iPods, and Mac applications. It is my assumption that their district is heavily infused with Mac products. With my campus or even district only certain campuses uses Mac labs or products which seems to be easier to create podcast if you have these resources. “RSS for Educators,” is a great resource book to have if you want to incorporate blogs, wikis, podcast, or video conferencing in your classroom. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Just like RSS, this book “makes it possible to easily access frequently undated content on the Internet.” (Hendron, 2008) It provides step-by-step instruction for creating these emerging web 2.0 tools and also provides proven lessons that you can take with you and apply it to your classroom. Hendron, J. G. (Ed.). (2008). //RSS for Educators: Blogs, Newsfeeds, Podcasts, and Wikis in the Classroom//. 175 West Broadway, Suite 300, Eugene, OR 97401-3003: International Society for Technology Standards.