Group items tagged

"Breakthrough innovation uses eyewitness accounts on social media to map and respond to new outbreaks"

A reminder of some simple and effective ways to use Google Drive to develop literacy and 21st century skills

"The desktop operating system is dead as a major profit center, and Apple just delivered the obituary. Amid a slew of incremental improvements to its iPad tablets and MacBook laptops, Apple today announced some landmark news about its oldest surviving operating system: It will not charge for the latest big upgrade, Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks, breaking from a tradition that goes back 16 years and shining a light on a long-unfolding reversal in how tech profits are made. Eighteen years ago, the tech industry's dominant company made nearly half its revenue selling OS licenses. Now, as Apple just confirmed, the prices of OS licenses are headed towards zilch."

"If you're studying math or science, you are probably pretty familiar with Wolfram Alpha as a tool for figuring out complicated equations. That makes it a pretty good tool for cheating, but not necessarily for learning. Today, the Wolfram Alpha team is launching a new service for learners, the Wolfram Problem Generator, that turns the "computational knowledge engine" on its head."

A different perspective on why so few girls are making computing a career.

Unquestioning reliance on automation can, and has, led to disasters. This is one of the major reasons why teacher-librarians, librarians and other information professionals need to very diligently to ensure digital information literacy skills are learnt by everyone in the community. We all need to be in control of our technologies, not allow our technologies dictate to us.

"The Raspberry Rover is a small RC car with a Raspberry Pi for a brain. It is controlled over a Wi-Fi network through a TCP/IP socket, and streams back live video from an on-board webcam. It even sports 'Night Vision' for navigation in the dark."

A great read with some points highlighted to help establish change and recognise why change is difficult for many of us.

An article adapted from Clive Thompson's book 'Smarter Than You Think', an exploration of being connected, as well as the impact and inflence this has on our thinking.

What a great concept. I hope we see more of these schools emerging across the world in the near future.

Digital classroom tools like computers, tablets and smartphones offer exciting opportunities to deepen learning through creativity, collaboration and connection, but those very devices can also be distracting to students.

"In a fantastic discussion as a part of +Ed Tech Crew Episode 240 focusing on what it takes to be an IT co-ordinator, +Ashley Proud spoke about the demise in tinkering amongst students. Although +Mel Cashen and +Roland Gesthuizen mentioned about taking things a part, giving the conversation a more mechanical theme, I feel that tinkering is best understood as a wider curiosity into the way things work."

A good article in light of the furore around Justine Sacco. Tarun Wadhwa makes an interesting point that what would have happened if Joanne had in fact been hacked. Also makes the comparison with the Boston Bombing fiasco involving the use of social media.

"197 Digital Channels For Learning"

"197 Digital Channels For Learning"

"From basements and bedrooms to classrooms and cloistered locations, hundreds of students hit the "record" button on a smartphone and delivered up novel interpretations of Shakespeare's words."

"The more our students are online, the more information they will encounter. It is important for them not only be able to access this information, but also to be the best digital citizens that they can be. Here are some ideas. I am sure there are lots and lots more."

"The Senate has forced the Australian Electoral Commission to disclose the source code of the software that counts Senate preference votes after the organisation refused to release it in response to a freedom-of-information request. "