If you’ve been following along so far, you’re starting to accumulate some useful resources. You have some podcasts that you’re listening to. You’re reading some blogs. Maybe you’ve found a few other useful things along the way. At some point, you’re going to want to go back to these pages. For the first decade of the web, we used bookmarks. When you’re on a web … Continue reading Summer Renewal 4: Mmmm, Del.icio.us

“Check back frequently for updates,” the web site implores. “I don’t have anything important to say right at the moment. But I’m glad you stopped by, and I expect you to come back again tomorrow just in case I want to tell you something then.” I never check back for updates. If a web site isn’t changing, there’s no reason to keep going back to … Continue reading Summer Renewal 3: Read the Feed

The development of the read/write web has made it much easier for people to post content online. We’ve moved away from a few people posting relatively static “reference” materials online to a LOT of people expressing opinions, reflecting on experiences, and holding conversations. Because of The Long Tail, some of these people are a lot like you. Maybe you’re the only music teacher in your … Continue reading Summer Renewal 2: Drink From the Fire Hose

In the last two years, there have been two technologies that have had a transformational effect on my personal professional development. The first of these was podcasting. A podcast is a digital media file that is distributed through an RSS feed. I know, that’s a complicated, technical definition. Let me try again. A podcast is a an audio program that you can subscribe to. When … Continue reading Summer Renewal 1: Podcasts

Summer’s here! I don’t know anyone working in education as a teacher or a student who isn’t excited about the end of the school year. The countdown started weeks ago (months ago, in some cases). There’s something about that sense of completion that is so attractive. The job is done. Now, we can take some time off, relax, and recharge the batteries. It’s nice to … Continue reading Summer Renewal

Here’s some useless information. While doing some spring cleaning last weekend, I encountered a box of 5.25″ floppy disks. These disks had been tucked away in the back of a closet, and hadn’t been touched in well over a decade. I quickly thumbed through the 100 or so disks in the box. I was amazed at what a great job I did of backing up … Continue reading Obsolete Media