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"There was a lot of head-nodding around the office when Jason Orbaugh's article for EdSurge "Lessons from the Downfall of Interactive Whiteboards" made the rounds on TechSmith's internal social media site few months back. When we visit schools and ask teachers how they're actually using their IWBs, the answers would probably surprise the people who wrote the checks for these devices. But we're making a huge bet that things are going to be different with Chromebooks. Why? "

when it comes to preparing students for success in the 21st century you not only have to think outside the ban, sometimes you have to dive in head first and break it. The following is a collection of ideas each teacher implemented to successfully break and/or work within the ban where they teach in an effort to empower students with the freedom to use their cell phones as personal learning devices.

"If you've scratched your head over suggestions to manage your "digital footprint," you aren't the only one. A surprisingly large percentage of people have never even heard the phrase, let alone thought about how to manage theirs responsibly. Among students, the percentage is probably higher. We'll talk about ways you can help students understand and manage their digital footprints before they get themselves in trouble."

"If it's an image that displays and explains information quickly and clearly, it's an infographic. But we've collected some that are head-craning, eye-squinting, eyebrow-raising nightmares that leave you more confused than before you clicked 'next'. The result is an exciting gallery of infographics that tell you nothing."

"If you're a visual learner like myself, then you know maps, charts and infographics can really help bring data and information to life. Maps can make a point resonate with readers and this collection aims to do just that. Hopefully some of these maps will surprise you and you'll learn something new. A few are important to know, some interpret and display data in a beautiful or creative way, and a few may even make you chuckle or shake your head."

"You may have heard of Wolfram Alpha, which is a "computational knowledge engine." That makes it sound a bit scary, but it's a great tool once you can wrap your head around it. Apple's Siri uses Wolfram Alpha for 25% of its searches. You can leverage that magic and put Wolfram Alpha to work for you - the empty search box on its homepage holds endless possibilities."

"One of the great things about Minecraft is that there's not just one version. It exists as a stand-alone game, but creative players also create modifications, or "mods," that add all sorts of upgrades, features, and options for every taste. One of the most popular mods for classrooms is MinecraftEdu. Since it's targeted at classrooms, teachers may be tempted to ignore Minecraft and head straight for MinecraftEdu -- but not so fast! Both Minecraft and MinecraftEdu can serve as great learning tools. So which version is right for you and your classroom? Consult this list of pros, cons, and suggestions to make your decision."

"Technology has evolved at a neck-snapping pace. We see it every day as we all learn about new web tools, apps, startups, and ideas in the education technology arena. We have bright eyes staring toward the horizon and we're all hoping for a bright future for our students. But it's important to look back. I've found you never truly know where you're headed until you understand where you've been. In terms of education technology (emphasis on technology), we've come so far. Let's look at an interesting image that I came across whilst browsing the ol' Pinterest:"

A range of digital tools are listed that will allow students to reflect or comment on issues or put their own point of view. They are listed under headings such as writing, multimedia, speaking, performing/directing and artistic expression. Each offers a discussion about the strategy, the tools that could be used and ideas about measuring success.

"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."

"Fraser Speirs is a busy man. Having convinced Cedars School of Excellence in Greenock, Scotland to buy more than 100 iPads and distribute them to all its students (age 5-17) earlier this year for class and homework, the private school's head of IT is traveling around the United States to talk about his school's experience with the Apple tablet."

1:1 school with a tablet computer, it is happening already now.

"Translating technology has come a long way since Babblefish. A new iPhone App called Word Lens combines augmented reality, real-time translation and character-recognition software that will have you heading to that Mexican restaurant you always wanted to try but couldn't read the menu."

"....as you look to the future of personal computing, it may not be about how many terabytes a drive can hold, or how many cores your processor has, but how connected you are to the web."

"VIDEO games have become one of the most notable features of our culture, yet the industry receives relatively scant attention in mainstream media. This is not only curious, it is unfortunate; because many parents and carers and educators remain unnecessarily wary of this crucible of creativity. The reach of these games is expanding with the take-up of smartphones and tablet computers. A recent study by the head of media communications and technology at Bond University, Jeffrey Brand, found that about 95 per cent of Australian children under 15 play video games."

Kathy Shrock has create this clickable graphic listing Google tools under the Bloom's Taxonomy headings.

Keynote speech by Tom March at the Council of Educational Facility Planners International Conference at the Sydney Convention Centre. Visionary exploration of where Education is at and where it use headed. -Change will come, the technology will drive that! Great flash based production including slides

"Our aim is not to buy an expensive super-computer that most students will never fully take advantage of; rather, we strive to provide a device and the digital tools that do what most students need most of the time, extremely well. This key trade-off opens the door to a faster, simpler platform for staff and students to utilise. Chromebooks are designed for the web and that's where we see resources, books and tools heading (if not already there). Add all of this to our longstanding success with Google Apps, these devices made for the perfect extension of what we were already doing."

GitHub has compiled this great list comprising more than 500 free books on programming and coding. The books are organised under useful headings cover a multitude of topics.

Getting a new channel set up is a simple and quick process, though. Go to YouTube and sign in. Head over to YouTube.com and click 'sign in' in the top right corner of the page