Edublogs annually recognizes social media that promotes and demonstrates value to educators.  It’s great to see when the list comes out as there is always something new and useful.  My nominations focus on the use of 3D immersive environments and games, I am hoping to see a category specific to this topic in future Edublog categories, for now I will nominate as each best fits a category.

Each of these represents digital spaces shared with the educational community and other stakeholders to encourage innovation, reform and improvement.  My nomination for ” Use of social network”  is perhaps a little  unconventional because it is a 3D space rather than 2D, which all the rest are.   These types of spaces are becoming more popular as we play games and meet via avatar with our colleagues around the globe.  The link is for the 2D description but the space is far more than that, I highly recommend a visit on a Thursday night.  The rest of the nominations are for  sites I have found particularly useful or cutting edge.  I invite everyone to take a look at what some of our educators with intellectual curiosity are doing with their personal learning and with their students.  My nominations for the 2012 Digital spaces that contributed to teaching and learning are:

• Best individual blog – Educating Lotus – http://educatinglotus.wordpress.com
• Best group blog – Games Mooc – http://gamesmooc.shivtr.com
• Best ed tech / resource sharing blog – Illivisi (I Live In Science Land) http://iliveisl.com
• Best teacher blog – Ctrl Alt Teach – http://www.ctrlaltteach.com
• Best individual tweeter – @proximalzone
• Best twitter hashtag – #Gamemooc
• Best free web tool – Google Hangout – http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/
• Best educational use of audio / video / visual / podcast – G.A.M.E. Webinar Series – http://g.a.m.e.shivtr.com/pages/webinarpage
• Best open PD / unconference / webinar series- G.A.M.E. Webinar Series – http://g.a.m.e.shivtr.com/pages/webinarpage
• Best educational use of a social network – SIGVE Diner on SL – http://sigve.weebly.com/sigve-diner.html