The 2017 Dean’s List: EdTech’s 50 Must-Read Higher Ed Blogs

With summer break almost here, we’ve got an idea for how you can use some of your spare time. Take a look at the Dean’s List, our compilation of the must-read blogs that seek to make sense of higher education in today’s digital world.

Follow these education trailblazers for not-to-be-missed analyses of the trends, challenges and opportunities that technology can provide.

If you’d like to check out the Must-Read IT blogs from previous years, view our lists from 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

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Did your blog make our list? Be sure to grab a Must-Read IT Blog badge and give your site the recognition it deserves. Also, make sure to bookmark this list so you can explore the content all summer long.

 

  

 

As the CIO at the University of Chicago, it’s Cole Camplese’s job to make sure his IT team is in tip-top shape. His blog on IT governance, efficiencies and more serves as a place to teach others how to do the same.

Whether you are a student, teacher or IT staffer, Stephen Frazier’s Western Illinois University blog is a fantastic spot to get answers for your tech questions, from IT budgeting to anti-piracy efforts.

Wellesley College CIO Ravi Ravishanker uses his blog to bring his expert perspective to the latest IT trends such as data analytics, privacy protection and cloud migrations.

As a twice-over CIO and a current digital adviser, Joanna Young knows a thing or two about using technology effectively in higher education. Her blog explores getting the best return on investment for tech.

Launched by the CIO, the University of California IT blog was designed with IT staff in mind. The posts by administrators and staff serve as guideposts for the university on everything from updates to community research.

Writing on Inside Higher Education on the topic of student affairs and technology, education thought-leader Eric Stoller uses his personal blog to explore how everything from data and mobile tools can be used to provide a better experience for college students.

Mike Richwalsky blogs about the intersections of technology and marketing in higher education. Using his experience as the former executive director of creative services and e-marketing at John Carroll University in Ohio, Richwalsky touches on web development, the cloud, application security and more.

University of Stirling’s Ben Williamson writes this blog that explores where coding fits into higher education. Williamson covers topics like artificial intelligence and data analytics.

Josh Murdock, a.k.a. Professor Josh, is a prolific ed tech conference attendee who uses his blog to regularly recap what he learns from those sessions. He also offers regular coverage of the Orlando, Fla. tech scene.

Digital Bodies focuses on what’s next in higher ed tech: virtual reality, augmented reality and other immersive technologies. Written by ed tech experts and educators Maya Georgieva and Emory Craig, the blog explores the hottest news on the latest technologies.

Kelly Walsh, the CIO of The College of Westchester in New York, uses his blog to inspire and empower educators with tips on how to use gamification, flipped classroom methods and more.

Researcher, education and lifelong learner Bonnie Stewart explores how knowledge and technology intersect by cover topics like open educational resources and digital identity management.

Former higher education professor and data visualization expert Bob Plankers goes deep into IT (from Microsoft Excel to virtual servers), all topics a fellow sys admin would find useful.

A diverse group of administrators, instructional designers and IT specialists are the experts behind San Jacinto College Education Technology blog. Using their different experiences, they offer easy tech tips for fellow educators.

 

A leader in policy surrounding tech-enabled learning, WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) offers must-read advice for administrators. Online learning and distance education are popular topics.

A team of professors and administrators are the authors of this Chronicle of Higher Education blog. Their posts span a variety of disciplines and give readers content related to classroom technology and instructional design.

Powered by Inside Higher Ed, this blog is devoted to competition and innovation in higher ed — and how technology fuels this. Posts are written by Margaret Andrews, who has held a number of academic leadership positions over the last 20 years.

The peer-reviewed articles and podcasts that call this online journal home all focus on how technology is reshaping the teaching process at universities. Contributors to the blog investigate tools that are particularly useful to educators.

The staff of Duke’s Center for Instructional Technology blogs on everything from videoconferencing to digital copyright protocol. With over 20 contributors, the blog offers a diverse group of opinions and advice.

The Ohio Technology Consortium produces this blog that details the innovations coming to campuses in Ohio and across the country.

Tips and how-tos perfect for higher ed IT staff populate this multi-contributor blog. Topics run the gamut from digital signage ideas to network security tips.

Rutgers Office of Instructional & Research Technology Blog is the place for the university’s educators to find out not only about the latest tech on campus but also the latest trends.

The nonprofit well-known for advancing effective uses of IT doesn’t disappoint with its blog offerings. Contributors from all over the country submit content to the blogs on everything from innovation, data and policy.

Higher ed researcher Liz Gross covers how universities can effectively leverage social media monitoring and metrics, as well as other tips for communicators and innovators at higher ed institutions.

This research and analysis firm leverages its background to explore what is on the precipice of technology in higher education. Some recent topics include adaptive learning and the return on investment on getting a college degree.

A provider of a wide variety of tech tools for higher education — from networking to collaboration — Cisco Systems goes a step further by making sure those tools are used to their fullest potential through informative blog posts.

Adobe products fuel creativity at many college campuses. The company’s education blog includes the latest news on its products — like the Creative Suite — as well as research into how technology intermingles with media, design and communications.

IT staff from the small Pennsylvania school work together to create a combination of tech trends specific to Elizabethtown College as well as easy tech tips on topics like privacy and phishing. Anyone in higher ed would benefit from a read.

 

Bonni Stachowiak has dreamed of being an educator since she was 6 years old. Now, as a university professor, she uses her experience to offer tips on using the latest tech and social media tools like Facebook Live in order to engage with students in new ways.

Daniel S. Christian’s passion is helping higher education institutions leverage technology to create accessible, affordable and effective education. On his blog, Christian uses this passion to provide his spin on the latest in ed tech.

In real-life math, “casting out nines” is the process of checking for errors in multiplication. This blog of the same name is where associate mathematics professor Robert Talbert discusses math, technology and university education.

J.T. Edwards knows what today’s higher ed students want out of education, because it really wasn’t that long ago that she was in their shoes. Her blog, Millennial Professor, looks at how education is changing and how technology is the best way to connect with millennials.

Blogger Susan Smith Nash has worked in ed tech for the past two decades. With this experience (and insights from the e-learning thought-leaders she interviews), Nash is a great resource for administrators and instructional designers alike when it comes to online learning.

Considered an online magazine, Cult of Pedagogy is where Jennifer Gonzalez brings together both K–12 and higher ed administrators and educators to discuss how technology has changed the nature of teaching.

A champion of open educational resources, professor Robin DeRosa chronicles her adventures of using OER in her classroom, and discusses how other educators can go open with technology and improve their teaching.

In today’s world of fake news, media literacy is an important skill. Professor Remi Kalir’s blog primarily focuses on digital and media literacy. He discusses how communication teachers can utilize the web in better ways for students.

For the past few years, researcher Neil Brown has used his blog to explore how coding and computer science are taught in colleges today. Chock-full of in-depth technical details, this blog is a must for those deeply interested in computing.

When it comes to preparing aspiring teachers for the tech tools they are likely to come face-to-face with in the classroom, Jessica Brogley is your guide. The lecturer and Google-Certified Teacher and Trainer at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is well-versed on the ins and outs of tech integration.

With more than a decade of experience at universities, Laura Pasquini understands the necessary training and PD required for success with classroom technology. Now at the University of North Texas College of Information, Pasquini explores the latest trends in using tech for learning.

Engaging students through social media is the impetus behind Rey Junco’s blog. But he doesn’t stop there. The professor and author remains on the cutting edge, exploring emerging tools like data analytics.

As an ESL teacher at Georgetown College in Kentucky, Christel Broady knows a thing or two about global education. In her commitment to 21st century education, Broady has also learned a lot about how technology can promote collaboration and boost engagement.

Since the advent of the internet, the journalism world as we know it has been turned on its head. This “new media” is the focus of University of Southern California professor Henry Jenkins’s blog, with posts on how tech has reshaped print and broadcast journalism.

After more than a decade researching emerging digital learning environments, George Veletsianos has a deep understanding of how technology can improve teaching. His blog focuses on online learning, social media and open education.

 

ADMIN-ALL STARS

Technology has arguably changed higher education for the librarian more so than any other occupation. ACRLog is the sounding board for academic and research librarians to come together and discuss how tech fits into today’s library.

Student affairs educator Josie Ahlquist devotes her blog to exploring how social media and other digital experiences can promote leadership among college students and administrators.

Senior student affairs leader Ed Cabellon has developed a well-respected presence both online and offline. His blog takes a look at how to engage the digital generation.

As executive director for student information systems and technology at UC Santa Barbara, Joe Sabado understands how today’s students interact with digital tools. His blog covers IT leadership, student affairs and the impact of technology.

In her blog powered by Inside Higher Ed, University of Massachusetts Amherst academic dean Tracy Mitrano leverages her knowledge of the school’s cybersecurity certificate programs. Topics she covers include IT accessibility and privacy standards.

Serving as both a resource and a sounding board for academic, administrative and other higher ed leaders, this blog is a collection of essays looking at tech’s role in innovation, strategy, management and leadership.

Preparing people for “the future of work” is just what Terri Griffith does. Her blog — as well as her speaking, writing, teaching and research — looks at how tech such as artificial intelligence and data are reshaping how colleges interact with their staff.