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This is a wonderfully bizarre interesting story site where users move the character around and solve the puzzles. The demo version is free. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/English

A great interactive Maths video and games from the BBC. Solve the puzzles by using your knowledge of money. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Maths

A superb adventure game set in China. Learn about this fascinating country while solving puzzles. There are three levels to complete. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Mandarin+%26+Chinese+culture

A superb adventure game set in China. Learn about this fascinating country while solving puzzles. There are three levels to complete. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Mandarin+%26+Chinese+culture

A superb adventure game set in China. Learn about this fascinating country while solving puzzles. There are three levels to complete. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Mandarin+%26+Chinese+culture

This is the lead in story that tells how they are trying to solve the mystery of the silk tower. I love how they did this -- read this with your students first and then the next article for the answer. Very good writing and kudos to wired. Neat.

All students and educators participating in the challeng will have their name flown on the Exploration Flight Test-I mission as a member of the virtual crew. This mission will be unmanned and will launch in late 2014. So, kids can be a "virtual explorer." There are 4 challenges, age appropriate, to help design protective radiation protection for astronauts. We need to get students interest in space travel for a variety of reasons. This is a lovely real world project for students to join or could be a project for one of your #geniushour teams. "The goal of the Exploration Design Challenge is for students to research and design ways to protect astronauts from space radiation. NASA and Lockheed Martin are developing the Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and on to an asteroid or Mars. Protecting astronauts from radiation on these distant travels is an important -- and very real -- problem that needs solving. NASA would like your help!"

Great article about the importance of Computer Science. This is one of those that superintendents and principals should email their curriculum directors, school board members and PTO's to support and encourage this kind of education. "This is not about helping the tech industry. It's about the tech industry helping the rest of America. Today, 67 percent of software jobs are outside the tech industry. If hiring computer programmers is challenging for Silicon Valley, it's an even greater challenge for every other industry in America. Tech jobs aside, teaching kids basic computer science is valuable no matter what career path they might choose. Every child can benefit from a strong foundation in problem-solving. As software is taking over the world, a rudimentary grasp of how it works is critical for every future lawyer, doctor, journalist, politician and more. American schools are struggling to teach basic math and English, and skeptics may worry that we can't afford to teach anything else. We'd argue that computer science is part of the solution: it motivates kids to learn other subjects. If a school can afford to teach biology, history, chemistry and foreign languages, it should teach computer science too."

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."

OECD Figures

"Put the tools in kids' hands. * Interactive whiteboards: They don't call 'em interactive for nothing. When these large-display screens that connect to a computer and a projector arrived at Forest Lake, Williams gave teachers six months to wean themselves from their interaction-less overhead projectors. Students can touch the interactive boards to solve math problems, play games, or write and edit text. When one student is running the board, Williams suggests keeping others engaged using remote clickers, personal dry-erase slates, or manipulatives. (Download this idea guide for interactive whiteboards.) "

The course is an ideal introduction to the world of computers and IT in an increasingly digital world. The course practically examines a multitude of topics including data, problem solving, biometrics and security and more.

Students video themselves solving math problems; teachers learn how to help them.

Have you ever wanted to create short "how to" video for your students to use for homework, remembering facts, and solving math problems. How often have your students stated, "I could not complete the homework assignment, because I could not remember the steps and no one could help me." Well the answer is to create a screencast or video for posting on your class wiki or blog for students to view at home or anywhere else they have web access.

Speech given by Arne Duncan, May 17, 2010 regarding international collaboration and engagement in US Education

Students from our two schools were grouped together to study an issue of social justice using web 2.0 tools. These tools help students put the best practice of collaborative learning into play by working with others to problem solve. Tools such as VoiceThread allow teachers to practice differentiated assessment. Being socially connected, students believe their contributions matter and they feel a stronger degree of responsibility to support their new partners. Students want an authentic audience to express themselves too.

Stimulating critical thinking using technology has the potential to create more in depth understanding of science and math content by students when engaged in learning activities which integrate in-class and on-line technology resources. Technology tools support stimulation of both inquiry-based and critical thinking skills by engaging students in exploring, thinking, reading, writing, researching, inventing, problem-solving, and experiencing the world outside their classroom. This is accomplished through learning content through the lens of video to multimedia to the internet (Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement, NCREL, 2005).

NEA Foundation and the US Department of Education Challenge to Innovate contest is requesting classroom teachers to identify and solve the current pressing issues regarding education. Smallish grants designed to help implement small pilot projects.

The Kids' Science Challenge is a nationwide competition for 3rd to 6th graders to submit experiments and problems for REAL scientists and engineers to solve. Play science games, watch videos, and enter to win awesome prizes and trips!