Technology Solutions

Get Onboard with Online Communities!

Online communities are becoming more and more specialized as people migrate to the Web in large numbers. The Web offers instant feedback and facilitates direct, real-time conversations between people all over the United States and beyond. Many Web sites focus on linking educators with their students, the parents, and other educators. The Web offers a vast, virtual space for the growth of educationally-based communities.

Forums, message boards, and other sites exist on different levels — from individual message boards for one class to state-wide and even national sites. Some sites require that you belong to a particular community to be a member, while others will welcome you without restriction. Some sites such as HotChalk allow you to collaborate online with your students and their parents. Other sites, such as PBS Teachers Connect and The Teachers Corner focus on connecting teachers. Online communities can help you expand your knowledge as well as your contacts.

Check to see if your school, your district, or any of your professional organizations support a forum. You may also find alumni forums that are hosted by the Education departments of your college or university. If you are unable to find anything that suits your needs, you can always send out some e-mails to your colleagues and friends and start one yourself.

Check out the online communities below.

HotChalk
HotChalk includes a learning management system, lesson plans, video content, and professional development for teachers. Teachers can create online classrooms and manage many of their daily classroom tasks through the Web-based application. Teachers can also use HotChalk to communicate with students and their parents. It is free to join and some premium content is available.

PBS Teachers Connect
This site creates a community focused on using digital media in teaching and learning. The site organizes its communities around the local PBS affiliates, although teachers are free to communicate with the wider community. Teachers, students, and parents may join for free.

TheTeachersCorner.net
Membership to this K-12 teacher site is free, and discussion is open to a wide variety of educational topics. Teachers are invited to help one another or hang out in the "Teacher's Lounge."