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"Have you noticed how bizarre social media and the news cycle has been lately? In the age of digital media, journalism is changing significantly. Widely available storytelling and distribution tools, misinformation spreading like wildfire, social media filter bubbles-headlines and stories are increasingly vying for attention, plastered across a smorgasbord of platforms. Can media get any stranger? Without a doubt. The videos we watch and podcasts we listen to may themselves soon be seamlessly manipulated, distorting the truth in new ways. Photoshop was just the beginning. Advanced media creation tools today are cheaper than ever, and innovative tech is accelerating the bleeding edge, further blurring the line between fantasy and reality. One of the latest developments was introduced last week at Adobe Max conference in San Diego. Engineered to make audio editing easier, Adobe's Project VoCo allows users to edit voices by rearranging words or saying phrases never actually recorded-all via typing. The software requires a minimum 20 minutes of recorded talking to do its magic. Then you can make an edited or brand new snippet of speech. In a text box below a visualization of the audio, you can copy/paste or type whatever you want. In a playful demo, Adobe presenter Zeyu Jin jokes around with comedian Jordan Peele by using the software to make him speak falsehoods. In short, this is the audio version of Photoshop-the ability to create something from nothing. A new generation of "sound-shopping," à la photoshopping, has been born."

"Think back to 2005. Since the dot-com bust, there had been a steep and steady decline in undergraduate enrollments in computer science, with no end in sight. The computer science community was wringing its hands, worried about the survival of their departments on campuses. Unlike many of my colleagues, I saw a different, much rosier future for computer science. I saw that computing was going to be everywhere. I argued that the use of computational concepts, methods and tools would transform the very conduct of every discipline, profession and sector. Someone with the ability to use computation effectively would have an edge over someone without. So, I saw a great opportunity for the computer science community to teach future generations how computer scientists think. Hence "computational thinking." I must admit, I am surprised and gratified by how much progress we have made in achieving this vision: Computational thinking will be a fundamental skill used by everyone in the world by the middle of the 21st century. By fundamental, I mean as fundamental as reading, writing and arithmetic."

"Social media is fascinating.  It's the double edged sword of the 21st century.  It can highlight the good and it can put a magnifying glass on the bad.  There is a story going viral right now about a teen having her birthday party alone. I love that this teen is going to be flooded with cards that will likely mean more to her than any of us can comprehend.  It's going to be a really awesome surprise for her. But, then I start to get frustrated.  The string of people proclaiming, "I'm sending a card," goes viral.  Everyone proclaiming how terrible it is for this teen to be alone on her birthday.  Everyone who must not have any true idea of what autism is really like for families, for children, and for the world."

"Nicholas Provenzano puts the 'A' in STEAM education. As a high school English teacher who actively seeks new ways to enhance learning, he is often at the leading edge of trends in education and technology - from going paperless in the classroom, to creating a makerspace in the school library, to teaching STEAM skills through project-based learning. For his TED-Ed Innovation Project, Provenzano launched student innovation projects - in which students were given the opportunity to choose an interesting problem and solve it in an innovative way. The projects were then shared in the school's first ever STEAM competition. Here is Provenzano's recap of what worked best for his students - and how you can launch student innovation projects in your school:"

"Most kids really appreciate today's technology. Want to know what the latest must-have phone is? What about the newest game or app? Often, you need look no further than the students in your classes. Many of them are passionate about using the coolest gadgets and tools. That's why teaching with cutting-edge technology can be a great way to connect with your students. The right app can make even the most boring or time-consuming subject seem interesting and understandable. Financial concepts like budgeting, buying a house, or running a business may not be the most exciting subjects for students, but it's important to teach kids financial literacy starting at a young age. ZipBooks is free accounting software that can help familiarize them with concepts around running a business. The interface is easy to grasp so students can jump right into the app with little instruction. It's not overwhelming like a lot of accounting software. Every element is labeled clearly, and there are in-app tips to help newcomers get started. There are lots of ways you could use ZipBooks in the classroom and we have outlined a couple ideas to get you started."

"When it comes to official desktop management tools for smartphone platforms, iOS and Windows Phone 7 appear to have a clear edge over Android - they have official applications for that purpose. "

"It appears since the arrival of iPads that the PC it is no longer the cutting edge technology that it once was. My blogs aim to investigate the use of this handheld technology in primary education, in particular Spring Cottage Primary School's 'iPad journey' and look at some of the apps that can be used across the curriculum to engage, motivate and inspire children's learning in the classroom."

"Apple's iPad and other tablet computers have certainly been garnering ardent support from the edtech community. Gadget geek teachers love the thousands of apps available to give their courses a multimedia edge, and students love how so many reach out to different learning styles. For the connected classroom, the following stand out as either great supplements to various lessons or essential, time-saving streamlining strategies."

"Most of us have probably stood on a beach or stood on the edge of a large flat field (I did this in Nebraska last week) and wondered just how far we can actually see. Brain Stuff offers answers to this question in the following one minute video. "

"Store Van Music embarked on a tour of schools in the UK and help the students create outstanding music using iPads and their minds. Their stated goal is to put a stop to the 80% dropout rate of students in the musical arts. As you can see from their website, they're a passionate bunch with some terrific motivation. They've made another video recently, and within an hour and a half of the release, it reached number 1 in iTunes children's charts. As of this writing, it is the 19th most watched music video in the UK. Talk about cutting-edge, relevant music education! Check out the video below, and use it as a little inspiration when you're not feeling sure that technology is enhancing your classroom!"

"Augmented Reality (AR) is cutting-edge technology that allows for a digitally enhanced view of the real world, uncovering hidden images, videos and texts to the user when the 'trigger' (or 'marker') image or item is scanned by a camera, adding layers of digital information directly on top of objects around us."

"Whether you are looking for a toy that provides educational value, a gift that gives a little bit more or a digital companion that can teach logic and programming, these robots for kids are some of the most cutting edge gadgets around. With companion smartphone apps, voice control, advanced mechatronics and even xylophones, these amazing pieces of electronic kit will keep your kids entertained, engaged and educated for years to come."

"Imagine being able to connect with one hundred million people anytime you want. With that many people on Twitter each day (and that's not counting the additional 184 million users who are on Twitter at least once each month), a great deal of knowledge, perspective, and news is accessible to you, just by clicking a few buttons. It's no wonder educators are harnessing the power of Twitter to bring cutting edge ideas, trends, research, and best practices to use in their schools and classrooms. But just as Twitter can be a treasure trove of information, it can be overwhelming for new users to figure out how to use it effectively. We've compiled this list of the best ways to make Twitter a social media tool that works for you."

"Immediately after updating your iPad to iOS 9, you'll get the new features. Some of the new features you'll get are, then new multitasking features enable a new slide-over mode, where you can peek and use an app on the edge of your screen. The split-view which gives you the opportunity to make use two apps at the same time. You can even watch a video while using another app with the new picture-in-picture feature. Last of the new multitasking features is a new virtual keyboard. The keyboard which automatically turn into a trackpad for quickly navigating and editing text, and constantly offers tool shortcuts just above the keys for simply editing."

"Makers have long been known as hobbyists or tinkers. However, with increased access to professional-grade tools, the maker movement is transforming business as usual. Through collaboration and connectivity, makers are inspiring innovation on a daily basis with the creation of smart gadgets, machines, robots and wearables. This new way of doing business is a shift from the historic model where innovation was monopolized by multi-million-dollar companies. Makers and their peers have the opportunity to build cutting-edge products, test them in collaborative workspaces and share their inventions online in order to bring "the next big thing" to market for mass consumption. It is through this connectivity that makers are able to contribute to the Internet of Things - a world of interconnected devices that use sensors to interact with the people, the environment and other devices around them. This smarter, connected way of life is the future of technology worldwide."