Welcome to AusMacEd - this is our official launch post to the group blog.
Good luck to all AusMacEdders and may the force be with you 
As promised I’ve been working on a multi-user blog for Australian educators using Macs and iPods (and iPhones). The goal of AusMacEd is to bring our vibrant discussions about the huge potential of Apple based solutions in Australian education out onto the internet in a pro-active and web2.0 manner. So this is a personal invite to be the first to the *LIVE* launch of http://ausmaced.org.
I intend to let the Maced list know later this weekend. If you think there are any issues or ideas that need discussing related to the launch please contact me. In the meantime if you have the time and inclination please make a post and comment to get things kickstarted. As they say on Windows click to “ start”
If any of you are interested in joining a voluntary AusMacEd moderation and administration team of the website please do let me know. Recently I began a new role in the Curriculum Through ICT section of WA’s DET so I may be a little pushed for time in the next month as I get my head around the new position.
Some background. The idea of ‘AusMacEd’ for came about for these reasons:
1. With the feelings of absolute frustration triggered by reading this SMH article -
“For Macs in schools it’s death by a thousand cuts” http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/08/21/1156012466395.html
2. Having read your interesting and informative posts to Maced or another list and thought it was unfortunate your knowledge is not available to a wider audience.
3. Many of us are too busy to keep a regular weblog but do have a web presence already. The opportunity to work collaboratively to establish a body of knowledge on the topic of technology in education.
4. There is a need to bring attention to the good uses of Apples ICT’s in Australia and bring them out from behind the veil of password protected email lists and isolated school websites.
How can you take part?
I have endeavoured to make participation as easy for you as possible. Your contribution may amount to one 10 line post a month/year on a terrific website you came across or ICT you are using and would like to share with fellow educators. Or it may be an opinion you’d like to share on Apple ICT’s in Ed. Or even a tutorial on software/tools you are well versed in.
But what can I write on?
You may even just like to use one of your old email/or link directly to a post on your own website. There are probably many posts you have made to Maced and other lists/blogs that could be used straight away.
How do I post to AusMacEd with Wordpress?
To make a post on Wordpress you need to follow this simple how-to. NB: WordPress claims to be as a easy as sending an email! Please consider including links, add tags, and allocate a category to the post; and images always help. I’m happy to spruce up posts with links and images for you as time allows.
Inviting other teachers to the blog?
I have enjoyed reading your posts to Maced and believe you have a unique insight into technology in education. I am sure you know other Mac users who would like to contribute. I don’t want to take control of the author membership or promotion, so please feel free to promote AusMacEd. It is community of educators using Macs website not mine. I will maintain the website but will not be controlling the content beyond cosmetics - eg adding links or images. The website should grow organically as more people participate.
A benefit for you?
As you contribute your posts will automatically be archived under your own authors URL eg. http://ausmaced.org/author/paul-reid/ Effectively this will be like your own blog of sorts. Comments will be displayed in the sidebar.
Who’s hosting this?
I registered the domain ausmaced.org as it was the one that received the most positive feedback back in August when I initially mentioned the idea to the Maced list. I am providing the server space on a voluntary basis and can handle 1TB of traffic a month (just in case one of us posts something really exciting that hits the RSS feeds on blogosphere eg DiGG).
So, please have a look around and make a test post or comment (even just copy/paste from an email you’ve sent to Maced over the last year) - you can’t break anything! The only thing I want to stipulate is that we all recognise the professionalism that will be necessary working on such a geographically disparate group project. Anything defamatory with simply be moderated out. Not that I expect this will be a problem, it just needs to be mentioned in recognition of our positions associated with large organisations.
Your educational technology knowledge, specifically positive experiences with Apple products, are something the digital immigrant teachers beyond the Maced email list are very interested to know about! Still thinking why should I? http://tinyurl.com/hnbzt
We can compare the success of AusMacEd at the end of the 2007 with that of Digital Chalkie (another multi-user group blog I help start). Since March 2006 on DC we have have had these small successes:
- there are currently 80 posts and 123 comments, contained within 19 categories.
- 53 educators from Australia and beyond have signed up to take part via posting ideas or making comments
- mentioned in a couple of top 100 edublog lists here and here
- nomination for best group blog in the Edublog awards
Have fun,
Paul
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