This post is so self-referential (in a blogging sense) yet I can’t help myself. Michelle Hagerman has written a great review of Spreecast, “a social video platform that let’s people broadcast together.” I love it that not only does she give us the details about this new online technology, she gives us a glimpse of how she uses it in her instruction and practice. The platform looks very promising but her article was notable for a couple of details that I find particularly interesting.
One, Michelle got the word on Spreecast from a direct tweet by Leigh Graves Wolf – ok, if you know Leigh, no surprise there but the interaction between them just reinforces a very strong dynamic in tech-knowledge transfer. Communities of learning, groups of people with shared technology and professional interests, are valuable and powerful resources in helping students and educators get a handle on trends and applications that evolve on a daily basis. I know Michelle’s article made me think, not only about how others have helped my own tech practices but also how I could be more active in my own learning community. I can’t always wait for others to give me the heads up on what’s out there – communities of learning survive and thrive on the giving and getting of everyone involved.
Two, as educators, choice of technology is on our side. We benefit from companies and organizations that take our tech wishes – “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” – and make them a reality. We might get comfortable with a certain technology simply because it was our first but that doesn’t mean newer options aren’t premiering regularly. They may not all be better options so again, it goes back to our personal communities of learning. More eyes on the technology landscape means a better sense of the terrain and how to navigate it with skill and confidence.
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