Cool Cat Teacher Blog is at coolcatteacher.com

I'm quite exciting about the project that some really cool people will be kicking off next week! (If you're my friend on twitter you already know about it!) We plan on making the "big blog" announcement some time tomorrow and we have a way that YOU can be involved! (Can you say K12 peer review?) Talk to you soon! It is after midnight and I'm finally going to bed after 5 hours on this one! (Whoever said teachers don't work long hours doesn't know the teachers I know!) But let's say I've been around the world tonight and now am about to go land in my big comfy bed!

Cheryl Oakes has written a phenomenal post about online gaming over at Tech Learning today. It is an absolute MUST READ. In this article she not only talks about Second Life but about some I'd never heard of Webkinz , Runescape , and Club Penguin . I applaud Cheryl because of the three things that I think make her a great educator: She is connected with her students. She learns from them and has an open mind and is not ashamed of letting them teach her. She is an encourager. Add to this her willingness to document and share with the rest of us and she emulates an effective 21st century educator. tag: secondlife , web3d , second life , webkinz , runescape , club penguin , Cheryl Oakes , gaming , hz07 , video games

I'm so excited about tomorrow night's show! While I'm so sad I missed George Siemen 's blockbuster interview on WOW2 last week ( listen here ) I am ready to talk to two people who are already using virtual worlds to teach. The Horizon Report 2007 states that virtual worlds are going to be a significant trend on college campuses in the next 1-5 years but there are some educators already doing it. The Guests Beth Ritter-Guth is a pioneer who is teaching literature in Second Life (SL). (Shakespeare in SL, to "prim or not to prim?") She has taught me so much and is very patient! We have a lot to learn from her. Dr. Allan Webb is the founder of literaryworlds.org and has an amazing story to tell about how a difficult book became very teachable in a 3D environment. This is not technology focused as both of our interviewees are teaching literature! It will be exciting! We have agendas for these shows. I'm going to share a pared down version with you: ...

My new friend Ellen Ullman from Cable in the Classroom magazine wants me to ask the following question for inclusion in their July/August issue... this is your chance to "be a star!" Just comment here with your answer and I'll pass it along! What are the most 'popular' websites (that the kids love) that you currently use in your classroom with students? How do you use them? Be sure to state your name, grade or subject(s) you teach, your school name, and city/state and Cable in the Classroom Magazine may publish your response it in their July/August issue. I love that magazines are tapping the power of the blogosphere as print media and user created content become more entwined. I hope you'll share! I know that I will! tag: Ellen Ullman , Cable in the Classroom

Via Emma Duke-Williams , an article about compulsory blogging at Sony blogging ... you should share this with anyone who thinks blogging is not important for their future: According to an official release from the group, Ged Doherty, chairman and chief executive of SonyBMG in UK and Ireland, said the company "has made it obligatory for all senior staff at both Columbia Records and RCA Records to start blogging actively". Blogging is obligatory! But what happens to those who refuse? A spokesperson for SonyBMG told us "you won't be sacked for failing to blog", but added, rather ominously: "If you don't blog, it's going to be frowned upon. Ged has made it clear that staff are expected to blog and participate in the community. He sees it as part of people's jobs." Blogging is not the future it is right now! I expect that we will see even more of this in the future! tag: blogging , SonyBMG , blogs , education , teaching

Beth Kanter has just won the NTEN prize given to the most valuable member of the nonprofit technology community. The great thing about Beth is that although she does great blogging , she does a lot of connecting and behind the scenes work that makes things just go better. Here is a case in point, two weeks a go I was literally on the wow 2 show over at edtechtalk and beth e-mailed me to let me know about Andy Carvin naming March 30 Stop Cyber Bullying day. Yes, I read blogs, but sometimes these e-mail prods get me going. (She sends them to me at the right time -- never sending FWD's!!! but REAL e-mails just to ME! I want to be like that -- networking for good!) She does things like this all the time. In fact, she got me on Twitter and that is how I found out about her getting the award. If you sign up for twitter, let me know I'd love to follow you! tag: Beth Kanter , NTEN , Andy Carvin , edtechtalk , nonprofit , awards , cybercompliment

I'm tired and have got to go to bed, but this post from Ric Murry about a conference topic simply got my blood boiling! In his post , Ric quotes the conference description of a local ETTC, here it is: My Network vs. MySpace: Beating students at their own game Today’s tech-savvy students enjoy taking risks and have easy access to negative content. Richard J.B. Campbell of Securiant will discuss how K-12 organizations can address inappropriate web content and the explosion of social websites like MySpace and YouTube while effectively securing their networks with a limited staff and budget. Don’t miss your opportunity to hear from an expert and innovator in the education network security industry! Now, I'm not going to rush to judge Mr. Campbell, actually he and his company, Securiant , seem to be very reputable in the security area and provide services that block hackers from attacking the network but of course, they also offer filtration, etc. I would challenge Mr. Camp...