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"Robots are everywhere, they open our garage doors, vacuum our floors and if you are lucky they even park your car.  Until recently there weren't many robots in the classroom and now I couldn't imagine approaching STEM without them.  Using the Sphero robots in my after school programming club has opened my eyes to both what can be taught using simple robots and how to do it.  I want to share with you some tools and tips for teaching with robots."

"For many, Python is the programming language of choice for use in the classroom. Why? There have been many ways to get at Python and make it successful. As mentioned previously, and it will come up with any computer science teacher, there's nothing like a silly missing semi-colon to drive the introductory programming student crazy. In many cases, people will introduce Scratch or Alice as an introductory language since building with blocks overcomes this situation. The programming concepts are great for those getting started."

"Join high school-aged girls from around the world as they try to better their community through technology and collaboration in this thrilling, heartfelt documentary. By 2017, the app market will be valued at $77 Billion. Over 80% of these developers are male. The Technovation Challenge aims to change that by empowering girls worldwide to develop apps for an international competition. From rural Moldova to urban Brazil to suburban Massachusetts, CODEGIRL follows teams who dream of holding their own in the world's fastest-growing industry. The winning team gets $10K to complete and release their app, but every girl discovers something valuable along the way."

"Whatever model of Android or iOS tablet you have available, it's a hugely versatile tool when it comes to educating and entertaining children. Here are some of the best apps and features you can make use of in the classroom - some of which you have to pay for and others that are free."

"Contrary to the belief that technology can be distracting for students, using drones in the classroom can be used as a tool for enriching students' imagination and awaking their natural curiosity."

"At Hackster we know that learning new technologies and tools for use in the classroom can be time consuming and daunting for many teachers. To help with this, we have partnered with the Micro:bit Foundation to create three short, informative video lessons that will give you the confidence to use the micro:bit in your classroom, without wasting time with extraneous details."

"Over the past three decades, a handful of products like Netscape's web browser, Google's search engine and Apple's iPhone have truly upended the tech industry and made what came before them look like lumbering dinosaurs. Three weeks ago, an experimental chat bot called ChatGPT made its case to be the industry's next big disrupter. It can serve up information in clear, simple sentences, rather than just a list of internet links. It can explain concepts in ways people can easily understand. It can even generate ideas from scratch, including business strategies, Christmas gift suggestions, blog topics and vacation plans."

Should be in place by the fall for GAFE schools. Looks very interesting.

"This episode of ITT features the Sphero 2 robots and how the innovative educator, Sam Patterson, is using them in a robot club as well as when working with classrooms of students. From the Sphero Website: Control Sphero from your smartphone or tablet, change colors, complete challenges, earn tricks, and more. Sphero is waterproof, pet-proof, and ready to roll. Educationally savvy: Download free SPRK lessons and learn the basics of programming. Then unleash Sphero's inner robot and program like a pro. The more you play, the smarter you get."

"The Arduino/Genuino 101 is a learning and development board which contains the Intel® Curie™ Module, designed to integrate the core's low power-consumption and high performance with the Arduino's ease-of-use. The 101 adds Bluetooth Low Energy capabilities and has an on-board 6-axis accelerometer/gyroscope, providing exciting opportunities for building creative projects in the connected world. More information about the technical specifications and documentation can be found on the Arduino/Genuino 101 main page. The Arduino/Genuino 101 is programmed using the Arduino Software (IDE), our Integrated Development Environment common to all our boards and running both online and offline. For more information on how to get started with the Arduino Software visit the Getting Started page."

"Join a few of our ISTE 2015 Makerspace presenters for a 30 minute chat." Laura Briggs, Sylvia Martinez, Vinnie Vrotny talk everything Makerspaces in advance of their sessions at ISTE 2015.

"I normally don't like to create "click bait" blog post titles, but this one seemed to fit. Twenty-five resources can be overwhelming, but there is a good mix of different types of items. There are links to websites with lesson plans, iOS apps, books, videos, and samples of student work to fit your learning style.  Scratch was developed by MIT a little over eight years ago. It uses a visual programming language that is easy to start for students of all ages. Teachers can start with the Scratch Jr. app for the iPad. That app, linked on the list.ly below, is designed specifically for 5-7 year olds. The only way to learn new skills, is to dig in and give it a try. I love the summer for this reason. It gives me the chance to keep up and learn something new. I am going to try Minecraft with my daughter, Gwen, after I finish up this blog post. "

"Just poking around looking for resources, I fell into this really interesting project carrying the logo from Bourne Grammar School. It's a project constructed by Marc Scott that lets you use Scratch to create your own LOL Cat.  It's titled "A Virtual Pet in Scratch" and released under a Creative Commons license. This isn't a simple, straight-forward project as the menu driving the project will attest."

"Around this time of year I post a gift recommendation each Friday as part of a "Gifts for the Gifted" series.  The title is a bit misleading, as it might imply that the gifts are only for children who have been endowed with the label, and that is certainly not true. Just as with any gift, you should select a product that suits the interests of the receiver.  These lists of potential gifts that I provide are ones that I feel will be engaging for children who enjoy problem solving and/or creativity. Our first product in this year's Gifts for the Gifted recommendations is the lovable pair of robots, Dash and Dot. Wonder Workshop, the company behind Dash and Dot, knew exactly how to encourage youths to program and create when they put these robots on the market.  They definitely have the cuteness factor wrapped up, and they were designed with so much versatility that will keep imaginative children occupied for a very long time."