What Can We Do?

It has amazed me what all I am learning by visiting educators' blogs around the world! Technology best practices, free online tools, professional learning at my finger tips. I couldn't wait to share this learning venue with everyone I could contact in MS! So, I sent an email out through Blackboard B.R.I.D.G.E. sites. Several issues were made apparent to me!

1) Some districts in MS are blocking any email that is associated with a distribution list (more than one receiver in the TO line)

As an avid email receiver, I understand the desire to block un-elicited emails offering everything from millions of dollars from foreign countries, a PhD...earned in two weeks, and offers of great pharmaceutical savings. But, what can we do to ensure educators receive factual, informative emails concerning their curricula, teaching strategies, and/or professional learning opportunities?

2) Some districts are blocking blog sites (catagorized as Social Network sites)

Forgive me if I over dramatize with this scenerio! Walking with children through a mall parking lot and grabbing them when they came close to being hit by an on-coming car, did NOT lead decision makers to do away with automobiles. Children are taught, and taught, and taught NOT to walk in front of a passing car! We as educators have the opportunity to teach, teach, teach safety on the Internet Highway.

It was dissappointing to receive email after email from teachers who couldn't view the sites I had sent them with great teaching strategies. As fate would have it...I received an email from EdTECH Listserv (great PD for me!!!) inquiring if anyone remembered reading a post from a renound presenter who was presenting at the JFK Presidential Library. As the email stated, in the middle of his presentation, he clicked on a site to share at the conference, and it was blocked.
Andy Carvin replied to the email and reported it was him. He then sent us through email to his article he had written concerning the issue. Take a few minutes when you can and read his thoughts. Interesting Read!

After reading his article, I decided it would be a great read to send on to those who had emailed me with concerns about not being able to read the professional learning blog (the site we are on now) I was developing. Guess What! They emailed me back that the site was blocked and they could not read the article...it is posted on PBS - Teacher Site. Again, what can we do?


3) Some teachers in those districts are wondering how to get to the good info!

I copied the article into Word, saved as a pdf and sent it back to the teachers.

I would love for conversation to begin concerning how to ensure educators are able to receive mass emails (especially from Blackboard), can receive teaching strategies from EXPERTS around the world, and possibly allow teachers the discernment to allow students to visit some of these sites.

Let me hear from you!