Educators Online ― Preparing Today's Teachers for Tomorrow's Digital Literacies

Educators Online fills a significant need, introducing educators to social and collaborative technologies that will enrich their own lives and those of their students. Proceeding from the understanding that once teachers become comfortable with these technologies, they will be more willing to experiment with them in their classrooms, Laura M. Nicosia blends theories of new media literacies with anecdotal accounts from her much-sought-after professional development offerings. Educators Online focuses on why teachers should use these technologies; thus, even as the technology evolves, this book will be seminal. The social practices associated with these applications nurture stronger professionals and, by extension, improve both teaching and learning. The book will compel professional educators, support staff, and pre-service teachers to dive into these networks at their own pace and have a «virtual coffee break» with each other. This book will prove valuable in courses on teaching methods, educational technology, introduction to social media, introduction to digital literacies, and digital rhetoric.

Laura M. Nicosia earned her PhD in American literature at New York University and is Associate Professor of English and Director of English Education at Montclair State University, where she teaches American literature and explores educational uses of technology to improve pedagogy. Dr. Nicosia is President of the New Jersey Council of Teachers of English (NJCTE) and State Representative of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN). In 2012, she was named Educator of the Year by the NJCTE, was awarded the 2012 New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education, and was recognized by the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education for Excellence in Teacher Education. Her recent techno-pedagogical publications focus on constructivist teaching and learning using the Second Life virtual reality platform.