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"The internet has revolutionized information collection. The answer to virtually any question or problem is at our fingertips. Google has made this possible. While I am a great admirer of Google and an avid user of its products, in a way, Google has made my life as a teacher a LOT more difficult. Let me explain. In the "old days" (that would be pre-internet) when a teacher assigned a worksheet with a series of questions on it students had a few options to get the answers. 1. Ask mom. 2. If mom doesn't know, ask Dad. 3. If Dad doesn't know look it up in the textbook. 4. If the answer isn't in the textbook, give up."

"Which digital device is the better learning tool for students - a Chromebook or an iPad? If you're not aware of the hottest current digital device debate, you're probably not a parent or an educator. Once upon a time, that debate might have been about VHS vs. Beta, or Mac vs. PC. However, in prime time ed tech school district circles, folks are fiercely focused on Chromebooks vs. iPads (both now below $400). The big question? Which is the smarter purchase for their students? On the flip side of the classroom debate, Mom and Dad might not like the fact that portable digital tools are becoming more and more invasive. However, how's a parent to ignore these must-have lightweight mobile monsters, which are antiquating the family desktop and nurturing independence? Not to mention all your kids' friends seem to have one. So which digital device is best?" If you're not aware of the hottest current digital device debate, you're probably not a parent or an educator. Once upon a time, that debate might have been about VHS vs. Beta, or Mac vs. PC. However, in prime time ed tech school district circles, folks are fiercely focused on Chromebooks vs. iPads (both now below $400). The big question? Which is the smarter purchase for their students? On the flip side of the classroom debate, Mom and Dad might not like the fact that portable digital tools are becoming more and more invasive. However, how's a parent to ignore these must-have lightweight mobile monsters, which are antiquating the family desktop and nurturing independence? Not to mention all your kids' friends seem to have one. So which digital device is best?"

"This web site is designed to foster visual creativity by making stories out of photos. It is based completely on the Five Card Nancy game devised by comics guru Scott McCloud and the nifty web version at 741.5 Comics. However, rather than using randomly chosen panels of the old Nancy comic, my version draws upon collections of photos specified by a tag in flickr. You are dealt five random photos for each draw, and your task is to select one each time to add to your building set of images, that taken together as a final set of 5 - tell a story in pictures. When you are done, you can add a title and explanation, and save the story. You can easily put a link in your resume or send to your Mom (she may print it out and tape it to the fridge, or she may criticize your creativity, your mileage and mom may vary). Plus we offer the ability to tweet your story or use an embed code to add it to your own web site."

"For several months, Cara has been working up the courage to approach her mom about what she saw on Instagram. Not long ago, the 11-year-old-who, like all the other kids in this story, is referred to by a pseudonym-discovered that her mom had been posting photos of her, without prior approval, for much of her life. "I've wanted to bring it up. It's weird seeing myself up there, and sometimes there's pics I don't like of myself," she said. "

"n florida, a coalition of parents known as "the recess moms" has been fighting to pass legislation guaranteeing the state's elementary-school students at least 20 minutes of daily free play. Similar legislation recently passed in New Jersey, only to be vetoed by the governor, who deemed it "stupid." When, you might ask, did recess become such a radical proposal? In a survey of school-district administrators, roughly a third said their districts had reduced outdoor play in the early 2000s. Likely culprits include concerns about bullying and the No Child Left Behind Act, whose time-consuming requirements resulted in cuts to play. [1] Disadvantaged kids have been the most likely to be shortchanged: According to a 2003 study, just 56 percent of children living at or below the poverty line had recess, compared with 83 percent of those above the poverty line; a similar disparity was noted between black children and their white peers. [2] FROM OUR DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE Try 2 FREE issues of The Atlantic SUBSCRIBE The benefits of recess might seem obvious-time to run around helps kids stay fit. But a large body of research suggests that it also boosts cognition. Many studies have found that regular exercise improves mental function and academic performance. [3] And an analysis of studies that focused specifically on recess found positive associations between physical activity and the ability to concentrate in class. [4]"

"Kids across the nation are back in school, and moms and dads everywhere are rejoicing. If your kids still bring lunch to school, you can use some of that extra kidless time to download a few of these apps, which contain some great ideas for kid-friendly food. Peanut butter and jelly gets boring, so spice up those lunches with recipes from these apps."

"Following eBooks for kids on iPad are highly popular among kids and parents and they are developed by renowned graphic designers, movie makers and moms. Stories told in these eBooks for kids are crafted around characters and animals that kids love."

"I always try to do a video or something sweet to show the mom's of my students just how special they are! This week, as we celebrate our moms, my students did some "App Smashing" (When you use one or more apps together to achieve a final product) with ABCya's Word Cloud App, Photo and Video Transfer Over Wifi, Explain Everything, and I put it all together in iMovie."

"If you want to learn to program, you don't need lessons. You need to write a lot of code and have a great time doing it. That's what programming is about. It's gotta be fun. Not fun like yay a badge but fun like NO MOM I HAVE TO FINISH THE LEVEL! That's why CodeCombat is a multiplayer game, not a gamified lesson course. We won't stop until you can't stop--but this time, that's a good thing. If you're going to get addicted to some game, get addicted to this one and become one of the wizards of the tech age."

"Today we're joined by TinkerLab reader and friend, Aricha Gilpatrick Drury who's offered to show us how to build with box rivets. Aricha is a mom to four children and has a knack for tinkering. When she shared this uber-tinkering activity on our Facebook wall, we asked Aricha if she'd be so kind to share with us today. Lucky us, she said, "yes!" If you've never built with box rivets before (we haven't), you're in for a treat. They're simple plastic connectors that enable you build almost anything you can think of from cardboard: castles, theater sets, play structures, and more."

"How to work with well-meaning but demanding moms and dads."

You are dealt five random photos for each draw, and your task is to select one each time to add to a selection of images, that taken together as a final set of 5 images- tell a story in pictures. When you are done, you the option to add a title and explanation, then you can save the story so you can put a link in your resume or send to your Mom (she pay print it out and tape it to the fridge, or she may criticize your creativity, your mileage and mom may vary). Plus we offer the ability to tweet your story! via Langwitches

"Homework is no fun for anyone-including Mom and Dad. It becomes even more painful, as your child enters middle and high school grades. The probability that most parents differentiate equations every day for a living or for a hobby is pretty slim. These apps are filled with great information that can be accessed quickly and easily to make homework time move more swiftly. They are also handy tools for the times when your child has lost computer and gaming privileges. The whining stops pretty quickly, when you offer them an opportunity to study the endocrine system instead of play Halo or read Notch's latest blog post."

"The app store on your tablet or phone can be intimidating. There are so many options! If you want to incorporate learning with electronic time, you've probably been looking for the best educational apps for kids. Today, we've got them! Instead of trial and error, we encourage you to try these education apps that we've collected, inspired by iGame Mom. We love combining learning AND fun!"

"Imagine you could create a single button on your iPhone that does whatever you want. Want to order an Uber for your next Calendar event? Easy. Want a button designated for calling mom? Done. Wish you could tap a button and get directions to the nearest coffee shop? Who wouldn't? Want to tweet the last photo you took or song you're listening to? Just drag and drop each step of the process inside of Workflow and it turns into its own app. That's the concept behind Workflow, a new app designed to save you time by allowing you to string together various tasks and combine them into one action. You can then turn that action into an app on your homescreen or add it to your iPhone's share screen so you always have quick access."

"One post that I have been meaning to write for these 2 (almost 3…yikes!) years is a review of my favorite apps.  Shelley Tomich over at PitchHill.com is doing a Tech Talk Tuesday and encourages other music teachers to also blog about something techy.  Here's my chance!  Thanks Shelley for getting me writing again!  She is also is a mom of little kids so we're in the same busy boat…however, I think she is able to find more hours in the day than me!!  Good going, Shelley! So here goes my top 5 Favorite iPad Apps for Music Class"

"The renaissance of self-reliance has brought about such things as a flood of creative ideas on Pinterest, Arduino projects, popular YouTube DIY Channels, and the Raspberry Pi movement. But why should grown-ups have all the fun? Kids are born into technology, so why not include them in the experience? Teach them to fix and create things and you teach them to take control of their world."