Group items tagged

This incredible website lets you pick all of the software you want and automatically says NO to toolbars and "junk" you don't want on the computer. I'm using it to make sure I have everything on the new computers I'm putting in at school. It is missing a few virtual world programs but overall it saves TONS of time! It even does updates! Works for Linux and PC.

Instructions for resetting the PMU NOt PRAM in Powerbooks when Apple Firmware update goes wrong: Zapping the PRAM will not bring back your Bluetooth. You have to reset the PMU.(Power Management Unit) Mac OS X PowerBook G4 (12-inch), PowerBook G4 (12-inch DVI), PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW 800), PowerBook G4 (17-inch) and PowerBook G4 (17-inch 1.33GHz) 1. If the computer is on, turn it off. 2. Reset the power manager by simultaneously pressing and then releasing Shift-Control-Option-power on the keyboard. Do not press the fn (Function) key while using this combination of keystrokes. 3. Wait 5 seconds. 4. Press the power button to restart the computer.

Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, New Image for Computing (NIC) is currently in the first stage of what is planned as a multi-phase project that aims to improve the image of computer science among high school students (with a special focus on gender and ethnic disparities) and encourage greater participation in computer science at the postsecondary level. Download the full report.

My good friend @Luke1946 on Twitter (we've also met before - he is SOOOOO smart) pointed me to the resources that he uses to help speed up the boot of computers. WE're having sloowwww boot times in our computer lab and here is where I'm heading.

Here is a beginner guide for Scratch. This is a great set of resources to help you get started with computer game production in Scratch. This was developed to cover the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, Experience, and Outcome for Game Production. This is a fascinating way to start. I hope others will share their resources in the comments. I want to use Scratch in my classroom.

This might be good for introducing programming without needing to touch a computer. I've students who aren't initially engaged by jumping into programming with a computer even with something like Scratch. Maybe this is a way to get them in the correct mindset first. When I first found this, I hoped there might be program cards that required using loops or variables but from looking at the game rule book that does not appear to be the case.  It appears that movement is the only command types, which can result in automatic laser firing or bumping another robot. Still seems like a good game though.

All the ways to teach binary numbers. Some older lesson plans on Alfred Thompson's old blog. I teach binary numbers in my introduction to computer science blog.

A great downloadable programme for making computer games for a variety of platforms and devices. Drag and drop items to make your creations. It's provides a more mature environment than tools like Scratch and there are many more options and advance settings for talented students. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools

Free virtual environment to teach the fundamental of computer Networking

A good educational video site on topics including a wide range of science, history, maths, computing and more. Search using words that appear in the video. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Video%2C+animation%2C+film+%26+Webcams

Yes, every school in the UK is going to teach programming next year. Pushing schools into the 21st century needs to happen and yet the US is tolerating that 90% of schools here teach NO computer science.

Tutorials to teach students of all ages about computational thinking and coding.

This is very true. Online tutorials can only get us so far. This is why I'm learning Scratch and brushing up on Java. I may even have to learn Python before I'm done. We need Computer Science but who will teach it? If we only rely on videos, it would be like asking kids to teach themselves math using Khan Academy without a teacher who knew how to work the problems. "The vast majority of my students do very well on their first hour or two of coding using structured lessons, but when they start to write code for a new problem, or hit the first set of bugs, they get frustrated and need help. Sometimes, all they need is a hint, a pointer to a similar problem, or my assurance that they can solve it. In some cases, they need someone to just re-explain it a little differently."

This has got to be the funkiest instant poll, quiz, response site around. Create questions, quizzes and polls with optional uploaded images for participants to complete in real time from a computer or mobile device. The users access the quiz by using a pin code. The 'question master' gets the data back instantly and it is stored on the site or can be downloaded. This is superb for checking the knowledge of children in your class or that your audience is still awake. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools

Got this email from a teacher Hi Vicki- I love your blog, tweets and contributions to flipboard! I am a teacher at a local school district charter high school and appreciate your zeal for teaching and learning. I am not sure if you have heard about Kahoot! but wanted to ask you to check it out by following it on Twitter or watching a few youtube videos of Kahoot in action. I have no financial investment in it or any reason for recommending it other than how much we are enjoying using it at our school and how valuable a tool I believe it to be. Questions can be entered by students or teachers and pictures can be uploaded to each question to add visual appeal. The students can use computers, smart phones, tablets and don't have to have an account- they just log in to kahoot.it and then join the interactive quiz. Everyone gets so involved and passionate and it is great for reviews before tests or for supplemental instruction. The results can be viewed on a spreadsheet and provide formative assessments. It can be used for any ages and any subjects. I am so jazzed about this great new tool and hope you will be too. https://getkahoot.com Kathryn Lewallen Payson, AZ Payson Center for Success High School

There are many prizes for having an hour of code - including a set of laptops for your school or chats with some computer science leaders like Bill Gates. Have you signed up for the "hour of code?"

While many people say multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multitaskers actually have more trouble focusing and shutting out irrelevant information, scientists say, and they experience more stress. And scientists are discovering that even after the multitasking ends, fractured thinking and lack of focus persist. In other words, this is also your brain off computers. "The technology is rewiring our brains,"

Enrolling in a distance education course can raise many concerns, with how to do well in an online class being a leading cause of for this anxiety. Avoiding this apprehension requires a good understanding of the process of using the computers during online classes. This also leads to the need for preparation, planning, and developing an understanding one's ability to learn and study.

"My StoryMaker lets you control characters and objects - and creates sentences for you! Once you are done with your story, you can print it out. You cannot go back and edit a story once you have ended it but, if you click "yes" when asked to share it with others, you can print it out again by entering the magic number it gives you in the box on the right. Since lack of space forces us to delete story files older than 1 month, please save the .pdf file that prints to your own computer."

"My StoryMaker lets you control characters and objects - and creates sentences for you! Once you are done with your story, you can print it out. You cannot go back and edit a story once you have ended it but, if you click "yes" when asked to share it with others, you can print it out again by entering the magic number it gives you in the box on the right. Since we periodically have to delete the older story files, please save the .pdf file that prints to your own computer."