Whatever their level of expertise using computers in the classroom, all
teachers have questions and concerns from time to time – and the best
answers often come from other teachers. One way to locate helpful colleagues
is through the online community, where educators are participating in a
number of “listserv” email groups specifically devoted to issues
surrounding teaching and technology. These groups make it possible for
teachers around the world to share innovative ideas, receive practical
advice from their peers, and even collaborate on projects. Here’s how it
works:

Members of a group post messages relating to the subject under
discussion.

These messages are then forwarded to all group members, as are
any replies.

The lists range from groups containing just a few members
within one organization to international forums reaching thousands of
readers.

Perhaps the largest listserv dedicated to classroom technology is the EDTECH
list, sponsored by H-NET Humanities Online. Serving approximately 3,500
direct subscribers internationally, EDTECH also reaches thousands more
through news groups, gopher, and WWW sites. Originally developed by staff at
Michigan State University, this very active list publishes between 15-60
messages a week. All messages are automatically forwarded to the editor, who
screens out commercial messages (i.e. “spam”) and other communications not
related to educational technology before sending relevant postings on to
list members. Some of the topics regularly discussed include: solutions to
problems in using educational technology, reviews of educational hardware
and software, and notices of conferences and special events. Previous
postings are archived at the EDTECH Website in a format that allows them to
be easily sorted and searched by keyword. It’s free to join. For more
information, visit their website at http://www.h-net.org/~edweb/

Have you found another great online resource for teachers? Let us know - Send us an email. Thanks!