I went to a great presentation today about getting started with blogging, podcasts, and videos.  Nic Champagne, a web specialist for the OAH, did a wonderful job introducing these topics to the audience.  I especially enjoyed learning about creating podcasts, as I see this as a way to record lectures for students who miss class.  The presentation was especially timely, as Sarah A. Curtis, Jason Lahman, and Brian J. Griffith wrote an article in the April 2012 Perspectives titled, “Blogging in the Classroom.” (Unless you are a member of the AHA, you might not be able to see the entire article until the next issue comes out.)  In addition to using blogs, I would also recommend using Twitter in the classroom.  (You can see how I use Twitter in a previous post.)  In a day where teachers are expected to use more technology in the classroom, I would highly recommend blogging and Twitter.

On a final note, I attended the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR) luncheon today where Sarah B. Snyder was awarded the Stuart L. Bernath Book Prize for her book, Human Rights Activism and the End of the Cold War: A Transnational History of the Helsinki Network.  Based on what I heard at the luncheon and my quick perusal of the information on the Google Books page about the book, I plan on checking out from the library as soon as I return home.  I urge you to do the same.

Regards,

Jason