The Versatile Blogger at Year One

We have been blogging for approximately a year now on When Tech Met Ed.   Sylvia Ellison at El’mentor recently passed on The Versatile Blogger award to us.  It was a welcomed reminder of how professionally useful the blogging experience is.  Our purpose continues to be to explore technology as a tool and for professional development.  Along the way, we have discussed and researched topics such as gaming, transmedia storytelling, podcasts, etc.  These topics often make us think and are fun to consider in larger contexts such as educational reform and the future jobs of children. Blogging has also opened up some doors like professional networking.

After accepting The Versatile Blogger, here are some things we are requested to do:    

1. Thank the person (people) who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog.
2. Share 7 things about you.
3. Pass this award along to 15 other blogs that you have discovered.

Seven Things About Us (See our individual bio pages at Cheridy and Kacey.)

• Cheridy:  I can’t think without considering education and learning.  I’ve tried without much success. Even simple things such as taking walks, watching movies, etc. cause me to make connections with teaching and education.  This can at times be annoying to those around me, but on a positive note, it leads me to have a love for curriculum development.
• Kacey: I am interested in learning. I spend time listening, reading and processing anything I can find to help my students learn. 
• Cheridy:  I am interested in learning more about instructional design and effective ways of teaching online classes.  
• Kacey: I became a teacher because as a child I had a difficult time learning. My hope is that because I struggled and eventually succeeded I can fast forward a child in their learning so they won't have to go through the pain and frustration that I did.
  
• Cheridy:  Chocolate, family/friends, huckleberries, reading, teaching, traveling, and writing make me happy.  Above all, I like people and activities that make me laugh or think. 
• Kacey: I enjoy gardening, reading, camping-- especially at the beach, and spending time with family and friends. 
• Cheridy and Kacey:  We enjoy discussing all things education and technology and have fun collaborating.

15 Top Notch Blogs We Learn from Reading  (See our network page for more.)

1. 21^st Century Educational Technology and Learning: Michael Gorman 
2. Bit by Bit: Bob Sprankle 
3. Box of Tricks: Jose Picardo 
4. Bud the Teacher: Bud Hunt
5. Cool Tools for 21^st Century Learners: Susan Oxnevad 
6. Edu Mashup: Jessica Vaz 
7. iLearn Technology: Kelly Tenkely 
8. Integrating Technology in the Primary Classroom: Kathleen Morris 
9. Langwitches: Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano 
10. Tech The Plunge: Jeff Thomas 
11. The Clever Sheep: Rod Lucier
12. The Principal Blog: Melinda Miller 
13. The Kids Should See This: Rion Nakaya and her 3 year old curator
14. Mr. Salsich’s Class 
15. Write Now in Room 204

Thanks again to Sylvia Ellison, our readers, and those we enjoy reading.  If you are considering blogging for professional growth, our advice is to go for it!  It’s rewarding on many levels.