Following up my article 5 reasons to join Computing communities, here are 3 communities you must join:

ICTRN

This stands for the ICT Research Network. It’s a discussion list, and has some very good discussions about things like latest research reports.

To subscribe, send mail to LISTSERV@JISCMAIL.AC.UK with the command (paste it!) in the e-mail message body:

SUBSCRIBE ICTRN

ICT and Computing Teachers Group

This is a group on Facebook, started by Darren Smith, who approves (or not!) applications to join. What I like about it is its down-to-earthness. Unlike the ICTRN group, there are few discussions about academic matters, but lots of discussion and help around issues like “Good resources for teaching e-safety to Year 7?” or “How do you teach programming when your network has gone down?”

Obviously, you have to belong to Facebook to start with.

Mirandanet

Again, a good discussion list, and a new-look newsletter edited by Theo Kuechel, to accompany the refurbished website. A great advocate for classroom research by teachers, led by founder and head person Dr Christina Preston, who is a passionate defender of teachers.

Here’s the website: Mirandanet.

A note on my choices

I realise I’ve left quite a few communities and other organisations out of my list, so here’s a list of my criteria:

They have to be a community in the true sense of the word.
They have to be useful for teachers and other ed tech professionals.
I have to be (relatively) active in one to be able to recommend it.

Disclosure, for what it’s worth (‘cos it ain’t influenced my choices): I’m a Fellow of Mirandanet – and dead proud of it too! (But I will not be posting “So humble to have been awarded a Fellowship by Mirandanet for my brilliance and for being the best thing since sliced bread” on Facebook any time soon.

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