On first reading, this story from a Wisconsin school district, bugs me. The district is planning to ban any communication between teachers and students on social networking sites and instant messaging services.  I realize there are two sides to every issue but to me, this represents so much of what makes school irrelevant for students. “There is absolutely...

I listened to this podcast last summer but I think the ideas and shifts discussed are worth sharing. Danah boyd and Marc Fisher discuss a couple of issues. First, the implications of student publishing and their perceptions of privacy and communication. The second half of the discussion focuses on teachers and how they choose to be connected to their students. The...

My new favourite podcast is Spark. Spark is a podcast about technology and culture. Nora Young features intriguing guests and topics that are so relevant to learning and life. Here’s a couple of stories from recent episodes that has me thinking: Does location matter anymore? A discussion of telepresence and computers/webcams as social prosthesis’. Clay...