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In 2006 - The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (the folks that seem to sponsor everything on PBS and NPR) launched its 5 year initiative to explore how youth are engaged in digital media.

In 2006 - The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (the folks that seem to sponsor everything on PBS and NPR) launched its 5 year initiative to explore how youth are engaged in digital media.

Ok... maybe the tie in to education is not immediately obvious. Mostly, I just think this is so cool that I had to post it. But think for a moment about carpool, soccer practice, and sports as a starter. No longer does a kid's participation in extracurricular activities require them to get a ride from mom. Go a little further... field trips, classes that are only offered at the charter school across town, on-site science explorations. How many more kids could venture out of their neighborhood for educational opportunities? There was a time 20 years ago I never would have believed that elementary school children would be carrying their own phone, but now will they all get their own car in 2nd grade??

Miami-Dade county explores BYOD. Looks like, as of last Tuesday, the school system has $1.2 billion coming their way (it's worth clicking on the relevant link within this article), at least some of which is intended for technology upgrades. 

DARPA is funding "hackerspaces"--high-tech workshops to give high school students opportunities to explore engineering and learning through creation--at 1,000 U.S. high schools. 

From the UK, but in keeping with a theme we have often explored: the way the teacher uses the technology has much to do with its effectiveness.  

Tapping into the Internet and using several iPads as video cameras, Sandel, the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, connected his Harvard students in Sanders Theatre on Friday with students in Japan, China, Brazil, and India for a wide-ranging discussion that explored the complicated question of the ethics of solidarity and the dilemmas associated with patriotism, membership, and collective responsibility.

Using Minecraft inside and outside the classroom to inspire and explore engineering ideas.

I just started using this on my iPad - it shows you where all the stars and planets are as well as the ISS - basically a planetarium on your mobile device that you can use to find things in the sky in the day or night

Following up on yesterday's section discussion on connections and barriers between educational game development and "mainstream" gaming, here is an interesting white paper released by MIT's Education Arcade last year that explores obstacles and opportunities in great depth.

An interesting breakdown of statistics from MITx's first course last spring. They show some demographic / background information for a subset of 6,000 students who registered for the course (not necessarily completed the course).

A step to explore models for MOOCs

Students from Norco College created an interactive game that introduces middle schools students to career technical education. '' It's so important to get students thinking early about their future'' (Director of Career & Technical Education Projects)

A precursor to ubiquitous computing?

After reading this I wonder what other resources there are online for learning all those things that I have found difficult to master in my life.

A great read and resource that came up through another one of my classes. The Harvard Business School grad makes free online videos that explore math and science concepts. Bill Gates is a big fan.

A not surprising move on the part of educational publishers trying to keep from going extinct. But it does force us to ask, are they just in a rush to utilize the popular technology, or have they really explored its value for learning?

"According to DARPA, the goal of the Network Challenge was to explore how "broad-scope problems can be tackled using social networking tools." It said it aimed to look at such issues as mobilization, collaboration, and trust in diverse social networking constructs."

Interesting argument for iPads and tablets

It's very encouraging to know that a study shows that "Video games and TV shows can help us learn, similarly to traditional non-electronic methods."

"School of One uses technology to develop a unique learning path for each student and to provide a significant portion of the instruction that is both individualized and differentiated." I liked the definitions of individualized (pacing), differentiated (learning preferences/methods), and personalized (pacing, preferences, and content/objectives).

I was exploring Navigator, searching for formative assessment links.  I came across an HP Catalyst funded iniative at the Colorado School of Mines.    I'm not convinced that Navigator's map view of tech projects is the best organizational metaphor.