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This is a quick article on the new program developed by the VHS program

Hi Juan, Not sure I qualify as an expert, but I am researching online high schools for this class and I work for an online high school, so I'll jump in. I had not heard of VHS, but the article says they are a nonprofit arm of K12, inc, which has received a LOT of press--most of it bad. It seems that some schools that are using K12 product are better run than others. The wikipedia article on K12 is interesting, and references a lot of the press: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K12_%28company%29 VHS is an interesting one indeed. I can't quite figure out how they are going to work it. It looks like they are partnering with schools so that students can get a degree from a school in their district even though all of their classes are taken from VHS. So rather than get a VHS degree, the degree will actually say Austin High or whatever their local school is. They are doing this only for "partner" schools, which are schools that they have already been supplying with online course material piecemeal. So, that must mean that they are meeting the state-required standards of each partner school. Thanks for the tip. I think I will call them and see if they are willing to be interviewed.

I call you the expert since this is your specialty and I wouldn't have know that this is a competing organization otherwise. I like the idea of a hybrid solution where some classes are physical and others are online, make for an easier transition.

I think this is a great alternative for students who don't fit well into the public setting, but at $450 a course per semester? WOW! I think I would save my money to pay for college.

Jackie, think about all the costs they don't have to spend--wardrobe, gas to and from school, school supplies (fewer), etc. For many, the benefits far outweigh the costs. It can definitely be a good solution for many if the school is a good one and the student has other options for social interaction. Juan, you might be interested to learn about the USC hybrid school. They came recommended to me by the folks at ISTE, who are essentially the standards-setters for online ed. I ended up not interviewing them because they are not really an online high school, but more of a blended option. What appeals to me about that program is that it really is targeting underserved populations: http://uschybridhigh.org/ From their website somewhere: USC Hybrid High School is a college preparatory public charter high school in Downtown LA currently serving 9th and 10th grades. We combine a traditional "no excuses" model with a blended learning model that embeds technology across the curriculum and school day. Our goal is to develop self motivated and disciplined learners who are prepared to graduate from top four year universities and who will go on to use their college degrees to effect Positive Multigenerational Change. Its student population mirrors the population of the USC neighborhood, with 64% Latino/a, 28% African American, 4% White and 4% Asian students. About 82% of the students qualify for free or reduced price lunch. Spanish is the primary language in 40% of the homes.

I can see the demographic they have chosen to target as being most in need. I've grown up in neighborhoods like this and you don't always get the best teachers. It is tough trying to excel in a public school where most of your colleagues are in and our of Juvenile hall. Hybrid works simple because those who choose to learn, but are in less than a safe environment.

I'm very interested in what you are saying here, Juan. Are you saying that hybrid works because those who choose to learn can do a chunk of their learning from a safer environment than the school? Please expand!

I would think so, in areas like SC LA, the Wards in Houston and New Orleans are some of the more impoverished areas in their respective states. Usually these environments are a little hostile and not really safe for students who want to learn much less got to school physically. I grew up in a gang ridden area and I saw many of my friends take to the streets rather than education, sadly most are gone or locked up today. I would imagine the same holds true for areas like Afghanistan where these groups prefer that their followers not be educated, take for instance the Pakistani girl shot for wanting to go to school. My idea is if these people had the opportunity to take classes in either a hybrid or fully online model they could proceed with their education in the safety of their homes. That being said for some people "home" might not be the safest place or best place to get an education. I guess it really depends on the situation. If a person wants to educated themselves they will find a way to do it. Slaves of the 1800s were taught in secret and they in turn taught others, and the history books do state that it was death for a slave to learn to read. An online education just makes it easier to do, because you lack the physical constriction. We all knew someone who was home schooled and we all thought it was the coolest thing to not have to come to school. That was just an off-shoot of correspondence school. Online education is just a natural evolution and if we are lucky be the norm. Schools are no longer the safest place to be and I think some day online may be the best alternative. Jen, hope these ramblings are of some benefit...

Thanks so much for sharing, Juan. Very interesting, indeed! I've seen many ways that online can be useful, but I hadn't really thought this one through. You make me want to revisit that interview even though it isn't a typical online school so that I can learn more. THANK YOU!

I believe the parents of the students in these types of virtual schools would probably play a much greater role than parents would like to be involved. If not, who would keep the students on task? This also may exclude those parents that could not get involved because of limited resources. Additionally, what if both parents have a full time job this would make it difficult to balance work and the student's education at the same time. Most experts would probably agree that in order to be successful in these types of courses parents would need to be actively involved.

Actually, Jaime, what I'm finding is that the students who are successful are the ones who are capable of self-motivating. Sometimes parents are involved and sometimes they aren't. Time management and getting enough social time are the two biggest issues for online students. Schools are coming up with all sorts of solutions, such as teachers who spend a lot of time poking and prodding students or calendar systems that send reminders and give students tools to keep themselves on pace for the former and clubs, summer camps, graduation/homecoming type ceremonies kids can attend in person for the social. Some schools also work out partnerships with regional schools to allow students to participate in local school music, dance, theatre, or sports. Many of the students are what we call "professional students," who are very driven to do something else--like compete in the Olympics--but don't want to miss out on their education, so they find the time to do what they need to do for school when they aren't training or competing. It's a world that is designed to meet special needs, but yes--either the student needs to be self-motivated, or he/she needs a strong parent or teacher to keep him/her on task.

Hi Juan, I've got an interview set up with the Director of Academic Affairs of VHS for Tuesday morning. Thanks again for the tip. That's a real interesting setup they've got going on there! Jen

Sounds like an interesting idea but I would ditto to what Jackie had said. I can totally see it work for GTs or child celebrities. Can you think of a newly immigrant child who needs to build on his/her English language skills or need to learn how to socialize in their new environment while trying to learn from an fully online program? I don't think it's for everyone. However, It's nice to know that there is an option for the few who can need it and/or can pay for it.

Jen, please keep us in the loop with how your interview goes, would be interested to hear.

Jackie, I do think the next generation will have more experienced learners. There has never been a more important time to apply principles of development and learning when considering the use of cutting-edge technologies and new media. When the integration of technology and interactive media in early childhood programs is built upon solid developmental foundations, and early childhood professionals are aware of both the challenges and the opportunities, educators are positioned to improve program quality by intentionally leveraging the potential of technology and media for the benefit of every child.

I really liked the piece you picked for the discussion group. In my school district we are implementing a 1:x initiative that all students will have Ipads and use them in the classroom. I think this is great on some instances and bad on others. Like the discussion says kids learn more when a video or some other form of multimedea follows with instruction. I get that and I am trying to use this in my classroom. The hard part about this philosophy right now is most of the students that we have, have grown up with the Ipad as a toy not an educational device and having the students think about the Ipad as an educational device is harder said than done it seems. My son is in the 4th grade and was given an Ipad 2 weeks ago. He has been able to some great things with it as a learning tool BUT he still sees the Ipad as something he gets to play Mine Craft on and not a learning tool. My high school students are having a harder time using the Ipad for educational use. I did not mean to derail this thread with this topic but my experience is telling me that we are at a cross roads right now. We have students that started with pen and paper and slowly have moved to a more technology based education are struggling using the technology because they have only used the technology as a toy up until now. The students coming up have had the technology earlier in life and are able to use it in class but they are still having a hard time associating the technology with learning. I guess what I am saying is that I know that the use of the technology will help the students learn but the students are having a hard time realizing that the technology is an educational tool as well as a game. What can we do to help the students realize the powerful tools they have at their disposal these days that we did not growing up?

Maria, I have to admit that I am guilty of standing in the way of technology. It is hard to incorporate the technology in a way that is resourceful and useful. I think Adam hit the nail on the head when he talks about the fact that today's student thinks of the technology as a toy not an educational tool, even if they played educational games. Martha has the key that the integration of technologies needs to be built on a strong foundation so that the new generation can see the ipad as a tool instead of a toy.

Jackie, You bring up very interesting points as do Adam and Martha. I would reflect on the different issues tackled maybe separating them into their different components. One element is the learning process: as Martha says, applying proper methodologies and evidence-based research in the classroom is essential. My question would be: as teachers, we have all been taught and trained in developmental theories and educational methodologies, however, very little of that seems to trickle into our practice, I wonder why. Another point would be the use of technology as such and the definition of a learning process: if the learning process is restricted to the acquisition of data, technology can do very little for us, since internet, ipads, etc. are, for the most part, meant to facilitate the spread of information. Maybe the emphasis should be on the development of skills that would allow students to process and discriminate sources and facts, and be able to apply them to a variety of real life situations. The acquisition of data should be dependent upon the development of higher order thinking skills. In this sense, the line separating the use of technology as a toy and the use of technology to facilitates the access to data is not very easy to draw. It has been argued that the development of problem solving skills and creativity is at the core of many games. Should the educational process be limited to games? Most certainly not, but, I think that technology is forcing us to redefine the way we see learning.

Interesting dialogue! Maria, I completely agree that the emphasis should be on the development of higher order skills. I know, too, that technology can rapidly turn off students if it is slow or boring or whatever they are doing with it doesn't interest them. I think real learning is always going to come back to meeting students where they are and getting them to think in new ways about topics they care about--whether they are using technology or not. So technology may be forcing us to redefine the way we teach, but I don't think it's redefining the key elements of effective teaching.

I'm amazed we know as much as we do given the way we were taught and how it is so "wrong" compared to the way our brains actually work. I think that says something for human resilience and adaptation. In spite of the classrooms we endured and seemingly endless lectures, a lot of us have still been able to come out ok and be pretty darned effective in our lives and jobs. Do I think the next generation will be more experienced learners because of the hands on nature of various devices they've been exposed to? Not necessarily. It still depends on how it is used. If all my 5 year old does is play some game on my iPhone, I don't know if that is making her a more experienced learner. Just like anything else, it takes the parent or educator to be involved and help the child use the device in the most effective way.

Maria you are absolutely correct! As educators we know what we should do, but it is not the easy road so we fall short sometimes in using proper methodologies. I believe there are many reasons "excuses" such as: classes are large with too many learning styles, paperwork gets in the way of planning, not enough time in class to apply methodologies. Let's face it when it comes down to the wire the use of methodologies are just good teaching skills, which should include the use of current technologies in the right context and for the right reason. I think too many times educational games just become "play" time and a break for the teacher to get other work done. They are called educational, but many times the kids just see the game not the educational aspect. Jennifer and Jeff, I don't think I could have said it any better. In order to be an effective teacher, one must incorporate the available tools in a way that meets the needs of the students. It all breaks down to how we use technology. Thinking about how "we" learned referring to those of us over 30 who did not have all this technology in school, we did turn out okay. If I talk to my colleagues who have taught more than 15 years they would say that the technology has taught our current students to be less effective at critical thinking when it comes to academics, yet they can learn, maneuver, and use problem solving skills to navigate the newest video games. Have any of you tried to play "Call of Duty" or "World of Warcraft?" They are not easy! It takes time, repetition, and good problem solving skills to get through each level. Maybe we as educators need to be more versed in the problem solving skills in popular games and be able to show our students the connection between the skills they use in the classroom and the skills they use in those games. It would give them the answer to that age old question, "Why am I learning this_____________?"

Totally in accord, Jackie! Technology should be only one more tool and, consequently, it should be used only under certain criteria.

Teacher do become an obstacle in the classroom, but not of their own accord. They get their hands tied by state testing the ruins education and district politics that can end their careers. It is really sad to see what education has become, if you as a few generations before us, it was a privilege to go to school and today students seem to have to go kicking and screaming. The misconception I have gotten from several teachers that I know is that they have this odd belief that the technology is there to replace them or simply teach the class for them. Technology is a tool that is meant to be wielded by someone who understands it. I think in the next few years we are going to see an exodus of pre-technology teachers and and influx of Generation iPad teachers who are tech savvy and have grown up with the technology. I think that will be a game changer for education and good serving of job security for students in our field.

I normally will skip articles which mention arithmetic. My eyes are easily caught by a visually appealing graphic, a photograph or a poem. But I absolutely agree that "animations and visual images help students see the mathematical concepts and to visualize how math works." Particularly when integrated learning with games, it will make learning more effective and proficient. I believe next generation children will definitely acquire a different learning style with technology, and is much unlike ours.

Ernie, I think you pose an interesting question that is not easy to answer. I think that everyone copes with technology differently at school and at work. I think it all depends on how open minded one is to technology and if ones first experiences have been easy or hard. I personally have to say "thank spellcheck for that red squiggly line." I always have been a horrible speller and it makes life that much easier. Luckily, I went to college at 30 when it was the norm to turn in a paper that was typed on a computer with Microsoft Word. I don't think we have lost our thought process, I just think that we have to stop and realize that we truly cannot multi-task everything. There are only certain things that should be multi-tasked such as a pilot on an airplane as mentioned in the article, but most everyday things should not be. We need to learn to be truly sufficient in what we do we need to put our full attention into our task. I am curious about the articles comments about students reading less. I teach middle school and I would not necessarily agree with that statement. I would say that about 60% of my students will pick up their books as much as they can during class and would read the entire class if I let them and many of them would love to bring their Kindles or e-readers to schools if my school would let them. They might not be reading a book in print, but I bet if more students were aloud to read on their phones or other electronic devices we would see more kids reading.

I agree with Jackie! Everyone copes with technology differently but I also believe in two distinct ways either positively and negatively. The people that embrace technology positively will not only use the spell check app but would not think twice not to use it because this is acceptable behavior. If it was not acceptable to use, why is the option available? I realize relying on an app or computer software to do most of the work is a receipt for disaster one day. I think it is too late to turn back the old ways because the world dictates the pace we now live in. Let's say for example, we want to slow down the use of technology in the classroom. The question is, will the rest of the world follow suit? I do not think so! Based on the article you have provide Erie, it clearly states that recreation reading is in decline and I do not think it is going to get any better any time soon. The gaming industry is to blame because these games provide students with a shot of instinct gratification that recreation reading will never be able provide. The people that do not embrace technology will not only not use the spell check app but technology altogether. I have few co-workers in my office that refuse to learn and incorporate technology in their daily routine. When they do need to use technology they are always asking for help and it gets old after a while. I believe ten years from now everything will be automated and these cohorts of employees will be obsolete if they do not change their ways. No, Erie I do not believe we have lost the thought process by multitasking. In fact I think the opposite has occurred. I have witness in my office where season techs struggle with a technology issue and a student employee finds the issue without any real training. I then asked the student employee how he was able to figure it out and the answer is always I do not know how I just did. Crazy as it sounds it has happen several times in my office.

Technology is ubiquitous and as such, impossible to avoid. We get used to our kindle, notebook, phone, etc. and life seems impossible without them. While technology seems to simplify our lives it also poses questions and problems as the one Jaime describes that require the use of something that technology itself cannot provide, i.e., intuition in the process of problem-solving. That is something inherently human. I don't think I'd worry about losing this trait. I know it sounds like a cliché but a computer cannot replace a human brain. Having said this, I do think that the way we process information is changing but it is an adaptation to new environmental challenges; challenges that include technology amongst other things. It may be described as a new ability to multi-task, although as Dr. Medina explains in Brain Rules, the ability to multi-task is a myth. I prefer to consider it a new ability to focus in sequential processes.

One thing that we need to consider is that the pre-computer generation is getting ready to retire and these new "workers" have grown up with computers and internet. Each generation to come will be more and more tech savvy. My daughter struggled with standard keyboarding in school, but types a million miles an hour on her ipad! I read somewhere that the Concorde airplane was the last airplane that actually required a pilot to manually fly it, where as all the new and current planes really only require the pilot for landings and take-offs. There are school districts still fighting to keep cursive in their curriculum, but when is the last time a teacher took a hand-written paper? The question above about whether we are losing something due to our reliance on technology, is an interesting one. The better question would be is what if the technology was taken away, would we be able to function? Can we as a people survive without it?

I think that just like anything else, as our technology grows, we will lose some thought processes and gain others. That's not necessarily bad, though. We have always done that. I don't feel bad about losing the thought process that involves sneaking up on a chicken and killing it. Then, cleaning it and cooking it. I like that I can just go buy it prepared. By the same token, I like not having to get out the liquid paper when I mess up a word or sentence. Just a few keystrokes and I have made the correction. With regard to multitasking - Medina tells us that we really aren't wired for that. It does seem that more and more, people wear the ability to multi-task like a badge of honor. But actually it goes back to the old saying "jack of all trades, master of none". I would like to see people (myself included) take more time to focus their attention on one thing and get it right.

Link to annotations: https://diigo.com/01bzzm

So this is what you meant, Jeff? "Rocky the Octopus predicts Super Bowl 46 winner" http://youtu.be/XCxFiWLUtfo

LOL Exactly!! :-)

Very interesting! Could it be that because the octopus is something that is not easy to study in nature because they are smart enough to evade? Makes you wonder if this is why we never see "Bigfoot" or "Nessy." No really, how could we not believe that there are animals or other beings out "there" that are more intelligent or at the least intelligent in different ways? I bet if you talked to anybody who worked in a lab with animals you would hear stories of behavior that would not be typical of that particular animal. Why? Because the animal is not in its natural environment. No matter how big or small a brain is, it will adapt to the situation it finds itself in. This happens everyday when stray animals of all types are abandoned in areas that are not their natural habitats such as "domestic" snakes in Florida in the 80's and 90's. Now, what does Florida have? A BIG snake problem, because although I would think the snake would not have much of a brain they learn to survive in areas that get colder than they are accustomed too by surviving.

The ocean is by far the most unexplored area on earth. It covers about seventy percent of the earth's surface that is vital to our planets survival. It regulates the earth's temperature and supports living organisms like the octopus. I read an article a few years ago that 90 percent of the ocean still to this day remains unexplored. I cannot believe with the advancement of technology 90 percent of the ocean is still unexplored. If you think about it the ocean is a big museum that can provide us with many answers to most of our questions.

Yes, Jackie, it is really amazing how animals are able to adapt. Humans so often think we can control these things but it's not so simple. Jaime, it does make you wonder what else is under there that we don't even have any idea about. Could be very exciting...or scary! (Pacific Rim, anyone?)

I is fascinating how animals can adapted to their environments. The oceans are filled with animals that act like and hunt like land animals. They have to find their niche to live or perish. Darwin's studies on this have always amazed me. Maybe we can find an animal in the ocean as smart as us.

You are correct in that higher education is having to adapt to more technologically experienced students. It is really difficult for a student of that caliber to go into a classroom that is taught with a blackboard and chalk. You have hit it on the nail with Rule #4 about boring things, teachers and instructors do need to "step it up" in order to keep these new students engaged.

Juan, you are correct. Instructors need to step it up and use more of technology to engage students. The problem with this that many instructors are not tech savvy and want to continue using the old teaching strategies. Some of this faculty are intemediated to use a computer; using other devices would drive them insane.

I agree Juan. Many of my students are coming back to tell me that their college classes are basically the same as when we went to college. All lecture based and you never really get to know your professor. In some inservice we had I saw some youtube videos about students that are leaving college because they re not learning anything new in the classes. They could learn everything online if they wanted too. Colleges might have to make some changes if these MOOC or other online classes dip into their attendance base.

My apologies for starting a new topic and THEN reading this one. The overlap is great! I am glad, though, to have the Forbes article to reference in addition to the one I supplied from the NYT. This sentence from the article caught my attention in particular, "The beauty of teaching analytics is that teachers will have real time information on how students learn and can augment future plans accordingly." For my research project I've been interviewing administrators from online high schools. A couple of them have mentioned how incredibly valuable it is to have analytical data, such as the amount of time a student spends on a page, site, assignment, or test as well as all the concrete test and assignment data to identify where they struggle. One principal told me that when she surveyed her teachers last year, she heard two things again and again, "You'll have to pry the computer out of my cold, dead hands before I go back to in-class instruction," and "You have broken me and I won't be able to return to a brick-and-mortar setting where I don't have the ability to gather data like I do in an online setting" This particular school (Mountain Heights Academy) has a focus that is heavily data driven and student-centered. She told me, "Teachers are skeptical at first, but have really come to see how much looking at the data allows them to create personalized instruction that can make all the difference in learning for the kids."

This is a very interesting article and quite thought provoking. I should start by saying that I love MOOCs. I have taken a dozen classes at different MOOCs and most of them have been very high quality. Teachers are passionate about the topic they are teaching because they are normally topics they don't get to offer at their universities for a number of reasons. Some of the courses even offer undergraduate credit hours. I don't think they represent any threat to the standard university program and, for the most part, my impression is that students who take these courses do it for the sake of learning.

Survival is always at the classroom level, districts often have to implement programs like this in order to have any technology in the classroom at all.

I understand the concept but at the same time raises too many flags allowing the students to bring devices from home. What about viruses, or student losing their device(s), who would be responsible? I think students at a young age taking their devices to school don't know too much about responsibility. I wouldn't allow my 7yr old take her Kindle to school.

Being the parent of a student that lost a device to theft I can feel your pain. Remember that this school is allowing them to do so, but if it is anything like LFCISD they send a waiver home for parental permission and responsibility. I don't really see BYOD programs coming into play until the middle-school age, where there we can at least pray that they have learned some semblance of responsibility as well as being cautious of their surroundings.

I am the parent of a 4th grader and he has been given an Ipad this year. I think 4th grade is a bit young to have the responsibility of an Ipad personally. his teacher is incorporating material in class to use it. Someone in his grade has already lost theirs. We had to get insurance on the Ipads before we could get them from the school so hopefully if my son does lose his it would be covered.

I would not consider BYOD in any grade under Middle School. As the campus points out these devices even for a school are expensive, I don't believe the school or the teachers want to be responsible for them. I need to confirm but I was told that here in Brownsville ISD that the teachers have access to the devices but are responsible for them and are required to pay for any damages. Which at a teacher's salary is very harsh. I would think it best that the content be developed in such a manner that it can be accessed via the device but from home. Take our Blackboard service, you can use it on your tablet, join collaborate, and access all your classroom content.

I love this article! thanks so much, Juan. It is helpful on multiple levels. It's no easy thing for a large university to scope out a plan for integrating online education. It's a brand new world and it feels very high risk. As we learn about best practices and our budgets get trimmed, the temptation is to do enough to check the box, but that model causes more trouble in the long run. Lucas's article is a thoughtful, articulate review of lessons learned that can be applied straight away. Thank you!

Schools as a business are running out of funding, yet tuition keeps getting more expensive (funny right?). I don't know if the current platform for education will be replaced with MOOCs, but it will definitely be replaced, it's natural evolution. Jennifer you are working with Virtual High Schools, soon we will see this in the lower grades. The strange kids we knew who and were jealous of because they were "Home Schooled" will be the norm! However we are not only talking about the "survival" of the institutions, we are talking about the titles that come with these degrees. 50 years High School was a family achievement, today High School doesn't qualify you to stand on the side of the highway with a sign... How long before these titles like M.Ed are no longer worth the paper they are printed on?

I believe the University of Miami Online High School has already offered a MOOC about college/ACT prep. I'm bummed because I was hoping to be the first high school to offer a MOOC. I really just love the idea of using technology to give kids opportunities that they would not have otherwise had. But there are practical considerations that trump my idealistic ideas about it. It's always about the money. I think one of the biggest problems we face in our society today is the concentration of wealth at the top. Higher and higher salaries at the top necessitate lower salaries (greater tuition, etc.) elsewhere. We also have huge infrastructure/insurance costs. It's a complex, complicated problem that makes me weary!

The beauty of a MOOC is that you can literally run it from your parents basement! Look at how Khans Academy started and what it has grown into. Any one of us could essentially develop an online course, videos and all and run it from our home. Although I was just introduced to MOOCs in last semesters 6329, I see them becoming more and more integrated into future curriculum. It would not surprise me if at one point the 6332/6358 course required the development of a fully functional MOOC. Remember I said it first!

Nice input Juan! I really appreciate the opportunity of learning more about our brain. Knowing how it functions we are able to better utilize this "human computer". I love technology. Nowadays, we can't live without computers. It is easy to upgrade, download, upload or delete files on computer, However, some memories are unable to be deletes from human brains. I guess this is the difference between computers and the human brain. After reading brain rules, I keep on reminding myself : "to give my brain a break".

I like the comparison of a brain and a super computer and the complexity of the two. Yes, I agree the similarities are scary and promising at the same time. One of the comparisons is that both can be infected by a virus and cured by either an antivirus or an antibiotic. Although, one of differences that I can think of is even if it had a battery back up a computer can be unplug to turn it off .The other big difference I can foretell is that computer's will never be able to feel or have an emotional component attached to their hardware unlike a human brain can. I have meet people in their late eighties as sharp as a knife at a family BBQ .Image a human brain eighty years old that has never crash or had to be updated to a new operating system or unplugged for the night. I cannot foresee a future where everything we do has to be logical and act according to a plan.

I just simply got tired reading how much our brain does and how fast it works. It kept me thinking when I read that the activities in our brain never stop; I thought it would get some rest when we slept, apparently not. I thought Juan's comment was funny about wishing for the ability to upgrade the human brain as easily we would on a computer.

I agree with the author that in 21st century children spent too much screen time and not enough activities on reading, sports games, and family time. No doubt about it, new technology has made contacting family and friends easier than ever, and has assisted us in managing life. But I can't say technology has made people happier than ever. I would rather see children playing in the park, playing basketball with friends, go swimming, biking, hanging around with their circle of clique instead of chatting on Facebook all day. While hurricane Ike severely damaged Houston area in 2008, The power outage lasts longer than 3 weeks in my neighborhood. Kroger offered clearance for 50% off on all Frozen Food items, we have had wonderful hurricane parties with our neighbors. That is also a good time for the whole family get together and having a candle light dinner quietly without bothering of TV and phone calls. (We were having tuna fish with bread for dinner). Without AC, we have to let the window open up all night, and I just enjoyed the summer night breeze.

I like what the article is saying about getting kids feet wet with technology. What I really like is that they gave examples on what to do with kids at different ages. Many times you read articles or hear advice from sources on what is good or bad for kids but they don't give any real advice on what you should do with kids. I like the fact that they are giving parents some choices on what to try with their kids. The internet and App store are big places and it can be hard for parents to find material that is suitable for kids. You can't just turn kids loose with the Ipad and not expect bad things to happen, even if it is just by accident. I would love to see more articles like this that have choice of technology or apps that parents have used with their kids.

Thank you, Martha, for sharing such an interesting article! I liked the last phrase about monitoring and took the liberty to add a sticky note. I agree with Adam. The article provided actual advice broken up into ages and even suggested devices and software appropriate for each age. It's an excellent guide to navigate the ever growing world of technological offers that flood the market.

Adam, I also found this article very useful because I'm often searching for what is adequate in technology for my daughter to use. She currently has her own Kindle w/parental controls but I have noticed that sometimes she gets bored of the activities or programs that she uses suitable for her age. I think at times she needs more of a challenge in the programs that she currently uses.