ETC BP2_2009101_Google Reader for Education

Thanks to Google Reader, I am now receiving feeds from six different educational news sites. These subscriptions will allow me to keep up with trends in education and be able to participate in current discussions on hot topics in our field. The benefits of this participation will certainly include personal and professional growth, as well as hopefully making an positive impact on my students while implementing shared strategies.

Listed below are the six subscriptions I have added to my Google Reader:

• BBC News - Education - UK Edition
• Education Week American Education News Site of Record
• Educational Technology (University of Illinois at Springfield)
• NY Times - Education
• US Department of Education
• Washington Post Education

Rather than explain my reasons for choosing each of the above subscriptions, I will address the group as a whole, since my rationale is consistent across the board. I probably checked out about a dozen feeds, but narrowed down my list to these six based on factors such as number of weekly posts, global viewpoint, notoriety, and relevance of topics.

In order to get the most out of following these feeds, the average number of weekly posts was important, as more participation will give a broader viewpoint. Personally, I am interested in a more global viewpoint, so adding the BBC feed was crucial. The major news sources, such as the NY Times and Washington Post should help with the "big picture" also. Another motivation of mine is to follow the trends that are impacting our country's leadership, so the US DOE feed is key. To get specific information about technology, I'll be looking at the UIS feed closely.

This course has just begun and I am already geared up for following these news feeds. I have always been an information seeker, but I will admit my efficiency has not been the best. Hopefully this process will help.