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Bharat Battu

India's $35 tablet is here, for real. Called Aakash, costs $60 -- Engadget - 3 views

www.engadget.com/...or-real-called-aakash-costs-60

tablet low-cost rural india student

shared by Bharat Battu on 05 Oct 11 - No Cached
pradeepg liked it
  • Bharat Battu on 05 Oct 11
     
    Tying into discussions this week about bringing access to mobile devices to all via non-prohibitive costs, while still reaching a set of bare-minmum technical specs for actual use: India's "$35 tablet" has been a pipedream in the tech blog-o-sphere for awhile now, but it's finally available (though for a price of roughly $60). Still though, as an actual Android color touch tablet, with WiFi and cellular data capability - I'm curious to see how it's received and if it's adopted in any sort of large scale
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  • Bharat Battu on 05 Oct 11
     
    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jkCXZtzqXX87-pXex2nn23lWFwkw?docId=87163f29232f400d87ba906dc3a93405 A much better article that isn't so 'tech' oriented. Goes into the origin and philosophy of the $35 tablet, and future prospects
  • Bridget Binstock on 08 Oct 11
     
    I had heard months ago that India was creating this, but was not going to offer it commercially - rather, just for its own country. Just like the Little Professor (Prof Dede) calculator, when tablets get this affordable, educational systems can afford classroom sets of them and then use them regularly. But to Prof Dede's point - can they do everything that more expensive tablets can do? Or better yet - do they HAVE to?
  • Bharat Battu on 08 Oct 11
     
    I think this is what they're aiming to do - all classrooms/students across the country having this particular tablet. They won't be able to do everything today's expensive tablets can do, but I think they'll still be able too to do plenty. This $35 tablet's specs are comparable to the mobile devices we had here in the US in 2008/2009. Even back then, we were able to web browse, check email, use social networking (sharing pics and video too), watching streaming online video, and play basic 2D games. But even beyond those basic features, I think this tablet will be able to do more than we expect from something at this price point and basic hardware, for 2 reasons: 1. Wide-spread adoption of a single hardware. If this thing truly does become THE tablet for India's students, it will have such a massive userbase that software developers and designers who create educational software will have to cater to it. They will have to study this tablet and learn the ins-and-outs of its hardware in order to deliver content for it. "Underpowered" hardware is able to deliver experiences well beyond what would normally be expected from it when developers are able to optimize heavily for that particular set of components. This is why software for Apple's iPhone and iPad, and games for video game consoles (xbox, PS3, wii) are so polished. For the consoles especially, all the users have the same exact hardware, with the same features and components. Developers are able to create software that is very specialized for that hardware- opposed to spending their resources and time making sure the software works on a wide variety of hardware (like in the PC world). With this development style in mind, and with a fixed hardware model remaining widely used in the market for many years- the resultant software is very polished and goes beyond what users expect from it. This is why today's game consoles, which have been around since 2005/6, produce visuals that are still really impressive and sta
Billy Gerchick

10 Tech Skills Every Student Should Have - 5 views

www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx

skills technology wp1 w4 student competencies tech eng102 mcc research amnoi journalism medialiteracy

shared by Billy Gerchick on 10 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • 1. Internet Search - students need to know how to do a proper internet search, using search terms and modifiers. This skill is needed for school, work and life in general.
  • 2. Office Suite Skills - students need to now how to create, edit, and modify documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. Businesses still use MS Office for the most part, but iWorks, OpenOffice / LibreOffice, and Google Docs are all getting more popular. They all work similarly so the learning curve when switching isn't that big.
  • 3. Self learning of tech and where to go for help - knowing how to search a help menu on software or hardware, where to go to find user forums for help, and where to find the manual for technology is a huge skill that many do not know about.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • 6. Netiquette - Internet/Email/Social Media etiquette - proper way to use the internet, write professional emails, use social media in relation to your job (not complaining about the boss).
  • 5. Social Media - how to properly use social media for school and work, how to protect yourself on it, the issues of cyberbullying, connecting with others in your profession (PLN).
  • 4. Typing - yes, typing. I can get much more work done since I know how to type, then people who don't.
  • 7. Security and Safety - antivirus, spam, phishing, too much personal information sharing, stalkers, and more are all issues they need to know about.
  • 8. Hardware basics and troubleshooting - knowing what different parts of technology are called, how to make minor fixes, and how to do basic troubleshooting for WiFi, networks, OS won't load, etc
  • 9. Backup data - with all of the data that students create for school and work, it is important to back it up and have access to it at any time
  • 10. Finding apps and software - how to find, evaluate, and use apps for school and business. Also, how to find quality, free alternatives to paid software, apps and services.
  • Billy Gerchick on 10 Feb 12
     
    Gateway source for all students: high school and college composition and journalism and student of life. Bookmark this source and then bookmark the hyperlinks in this article. Do you have the 10 (11 for the bonus) tech skills down? I certainly can improve in some of these areas.
Uche Amaechi

BYOD - Worst Idea of the 21st Century? : Stager-to-Go - 7 views

stager.tv/blog

technology Emerging Technology T561

shared by Uche Amaechi on 09 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • Allison Browne on 10 Oct 11
     
    Uche, you keep posting stuff I have a problem with- OK I understand that BYOD policies may not be so great but I really believe that familes should shoulder some of the costs for hardware since degredation is such a problem. The schools can have agreements with vendors to provide certain laptops or tablets for a certain price point and they can design their systems to support these items. Parents are expected to purchase backpacks, binders, and school supplies. When parents can't provide these back-to-school supplies, schools cover it. The same should be for computers. Speaking as a middle class parent (refer to above article) I believe this is an important investment in our schools so that they can focus on hardware support and software implementation/ integration.
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  • Bridget Binstock on 10 Oct 11
     
    @Allison and Uche - I am torn. While I initially thought BYOD was a good idea so that schools would have to stop "blaming" their fiscal woes on their inability to integrate emerging technologies into the curriculum, I now have some appreciation with points from this article - especially around "false equivalences" and "enshrining inequities" in light of my own children's "bring your own electronic device" day that took place two weeks ago. As a school wide reward for meeting their Accelerated Reading goal, all students were told they could bring an electronic device to school to "play" with on Friday afternoon. This prompted my kids to call me (Skype) on Thursday night and ask me if I could buy them a DS or a SmartPhone that NIGHT so that they could bring either of those devices to school for the celebration. Now mind you, my kids have access to lap tops, iPad, Smart Phones, Wii games, GameBoy, iPods, Flip camera, digital camera, etc - albeit not their OWN - but still access to them for use (when Mom and Dad are not using them). But apparently, of the devices left that Mom and Dad weren't using, none of them were "cool" enough for this event. That got me wondering if BYOD might have the same effect on our learners making those who don't have the latest and greatest feel bad or less adequate then their friends or classmates who could bring something they deemed as "better?" Allison, your point seems to be that requiring parents to cover the expense of a digital device as a requirement for school is not a bad idea, but I think you are referring to expecting the SAME device to be purchased and used, not myriad devices with various capabilities, features and functions - am I understanding you correctly? And if we did try to mandate parental supply of digital devices, would we have a different kind of fight on our hands because, as consumers, parents might have their own biases around what they deem is the best device of all (not just PC vs MAC or iOS vs Android, but sma
  • Allison Browne on 10 Oct 11
     
    I still believe that a system properly designed could mitigate some of your concerns. In reality, schools can not support any device that a student brings in. They are capable of supporting a certain number and if they build relationships with the vendors to sell those devices that the school is capable of supporting then families will be aware that the school will offer the best deal on the items that are compatible. Every year the school recommends items for back to school supplies. If the laptop could replace all of the binders it might be worth it. There are many factors to consider but the biggest obstacle is that schools maintain such old equipment because of their budget woes. Even when we can purchase the latest and greatest software, the computers can't run it.
  • Erin Sisk on 12 Oct 11
     
    What a great debate you guys are having! One point worth considering is that typically the parents are responsible for purchasing the supplies, while the school is responsible for providing the content (textbooks, workbooks, handouts, worksheets, videos, etc). In the near future these devices may also be the primary sources of content, replacing textbooks altogether. I would hope perhaps funding for textbooks could be transferred to funding for these devices. I would also hope that the price of these devices drops significantly (is the $35 tablet in our future?). Then of course the question of who pays is less important. In my job producing educational video for publishing companies, I spend way too much time dealing with various formats and compatibility problems with browsers, so I'd love to see a future where this becomes more standardized.
Devon Dickau

The End of the Textbook as We Know It - Technology - The Chronicle of Higher Education - 3 views

chronicle.com/...125044

higher education college students textbooks

shared by Devon Dickau on 26 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • For years observers have predicted a coming wave of e-textbooks. But so far it just hasn't happened. One explanation for the delay is that while music fans were eager to try a new, more portable form of entertainment, students tend to be more conservative when choosing required materials for their studies. For a real disruption in the textbook market, students may have to be forced to change.
  • saying that e-textbooks should be required reading and that colleges should be the ones charging for them
  • radical shift
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Here's the new plan: Colleges require students to pay a course-materials fee, which would be used to buy e-books for all of them (whatever text the professor recommends, just as in the old model).
  • they're far cheaper to produce than printed texts
  • publishers could eliminate the used-book market and reduce incentives for students to illegally download copies as well
  • When students pay more for new textbooks than tuition in a year, then something's wrong
  • Tricky issues remain, though. What if a professor wrote the textbook assigned for his or her class? Is it ethical to force students to buy it, even at a reduced rate? And what if students feel they are better off on their own, where they have the option of sharing or borrowing a book at no cost?
  • In music, the Internet reduced album sales as more people bought only the individual songs they wanted. For textbooks, that may mean letting students (or brokers at colleges) buy only the chapters they want. Or only supplementary materials like instructional videos and interactive homework problems, all delivered online. And that really would be the end of the textbook as we know it.
  • P Parson on 31 Oct 10
     
    I would be for this. I could not believe a place so big on recycling (Harvard) murdered so many trees with the printing of course packs. I like this idea if you could get the material from other sources than just the school (say the author or publisher directly or something like Amazon). Otherwise, there is no opportunity for competition or bargaining.
Jessica O'Brien

Twitter, Facebook, and social activism : The New Yorker - 4 views

www.newyorker.com/...101004fa_fact_gladwell

twitter activism facebook social media Gladwell civic education

shared by Jessica O'Brien on 02 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • The world, we are told, is in the midst of a revolution. The new tools of social media have reinvented social activism. With Facebook and Twitter and the like, the traditional relationship between political authority and popular will has been upended, making it easier for the powerless to collaborate, coördinate, and give voice to their concerns.
  • Fifty years after one of the most extraordinary episodes of social upheaval in American history, we seem to have forgotten what activism is.G
  • The platforms of social media are built around weak ties. Twitter is a way of following (or being followed by) people you may never have met. Facebook is a tool for efficiently managing your acquaintances, for keeping up with the people you would not otherwise be able to stay in touch with.
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  • But weak ties seldom lead to high-risk activism.
  • Jessica O'Brien on 02 Oct 10
     
    This article is interesting in light of Haste's article for class. Gladwell dismisses the "Twitter revolution" in Moldova and explains that real activism--real civic participation--is not seen in low-risk online networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. Perhaps new technology cannot empower individuals enough for real-life civic engagement?
  • Garron Hillaire on 03 Oct 10
     
    I am not sure that online networks only form weak ties. I am somewhat surprised there was no mention of http://www.meetup.com/ and the soon to be released http://www.jumo.com/ as they both appear to consider themselves to be a means for social change. There is another point raised that we seem to have forgotten activism. This point, if true, may be a good explination as to why social media is not commonly used for social change.
  • Mydhili Bayyapunedi on 05 Oct 10
     
    Thanks for posting this Jessica! I've been thinking about this for sometime now and I don't think Gladwell is right in saying that Twitter and FB form weak ties just as the SM folklore claiming that twitter or FB is in the middle of real activism. Social media is a tool for organizing civic participation. Civic engagement is defined by how many participate and only later by the platform/tool they use. Couple of reactions to Gladwell's piece: http://rburnett.ecuad.ca/main/2010/10/1/the-anti-gladwell-small-change-indeed.html http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/tipping_point_author_malcolm_gladwell_says_facebook_twitter_cant_change_world.php
Katherine Tarulli

Cellphone Ban Is a Tale of Two City Schools - 3 views

www.nytimes.com/...tes-a-tale-of-two-city-schools

mobile learning technology education

shared by Katherine Tarulli on 30 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • Katherine Tarulli on 30 Oct 11
     
    Cell phones are banned in NYC public schools, but it is the norm for students who attend schools without metal detectors to bring their phones anyway. If caught teachers are confiscating phones for up to a week, or longer, at their discretion. At schools with metal detectors small businesses have popped up around schools, storing students' phones for the school day for a small fee, similar to a coat check system. Instead of harnessing the power of mobile phones that almost every student already has, they are punishing them and/or causing them to pay money to keep them stored for the school day so that they can have them before and after school. I think this is a missed opportunity for the NYC school system not only because they are missing out on mobile learning opportunities with technology the district doesn't have to buy, but they could also be teaching the students responsible and appropriate use of mobile phones in public spaces.
Harley Chang

The King of MOOCs Abdicates the Throne - 3 views

www.slate.com/...cessful_for_most_students.html

MOOC education technology learning educational_technology online

shared by Harley Chang on 21 Nov 13 - No Cached
  • Harley Chang on 21 Nov 13
     
    Sebastian Thrun, CEO of Udacity, has openly admitted that his company's MOOC courses are a lousy replacement for actual university class and instead will be taking his company to focus more on corporate training. I personally will reserve further judgement until after I finish the readings for next week.
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  • Grif Peterson on 21 Nov 13
     
    I posted this article in G+ a day or two ago. Some of the better commentary surrounding this article below. Tressie McMillan Cottom: "Thrun says it wasn't a failure. It was a lesson. But for the students who invested time and tuition in an experiment foisted on them by the of stewards public highered trusts, failure is a lesson they didn't need." Rebecca Schuman: "Thrun blames neither the corporatization of the university nor the MOOC's use of unqualified "student mentors" in assessment. Instead, he blames the students themselves for being so poor." Stephen Downes: "I think that what amuses me most about the reaction to the Thrun story is the glowing descriptions of him have only intensified. "The King of MOOCs." "The Genius Godfather of MOOCs." Really now. As I and the many other people working toward the same end have pointed out repeatedly, the signal change in MOOCs is openess, not whatever it was (hubris? VC money?) that Thrun brought to the table. Rebecca Schuman claims this is a victory for "the tiny, for-credit, in-person seminar." It's not that, no more than the Titanic disaster was a victory for wind-powered passenger transportation."
  • Molly Wasser on 29 Nov 13
     
    Grif - where did the Stephen Downes quote come from ? I read the Rebecca Schuman article and don't really agree with her. To expand on the Schuman quote you posted - it's really interesting how she says the massive lecture format doesn't work but then provides two examples of massive technology that do work - texting and World of Warcraft. This relates directly to some of what we talked about earlier this semester. I don't think it's the 'massive,' as Schuman implies, that causes the failure of a MOOC. It's part of the design. Once the design is better and more engaging, then MOOCs may find that they have higher retention rates. Schuman: Successful education needs personal interaction and accountability, period. This is, in fact, the same reason students feel annoyed, alienated, and anonymous in large lecture halls and thus justified in sexting and playing World of Warcraft during class-and why the answer is not the MOOC, but the tiny, for-credit, in-person seminar that has neither a sexy acronym nor a potential for huge corporate partnerships.
  • Grif Peterson on 09 Dec 13
     
    The Downes quote was from OLDaily, which is a daily listserve of his that I subscribe too. I think the difference between texting/WoW and MOOCs is that, while both have many many users, the former two have means in which those groups are disaggregated into smaller units that are largely responsible for the UX/individual growth that goes on. I agree with you that massive is not necessarily the failure, in fact, I think it's the best thing they have going for them. However, until the design can leverage meaningful collaboration, like WoW and texting, the massive will remain a burden.
Bharat Battu

Technolog - Adobe gives up on mobile Flash, focuses on open Web standards - 1 views

technolog.msnbc.msn.com/...-focuses-on-open-web-standards

mobile cross-platform adobe flash compatibility

shared by Bharat Battu on 09 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • Bharat Battu on 09 Nov 11
     
    in response to Jen Lavalle's post about games having to go cross-platform to survive. Adobe, makes of the Flash platform, have announced they are stopping further development of the plugin for mobile devices. They are instead now going to focus on open standards (like HTML5), to allow content to be viewed on all modern devices (mobile and computers) with no plug in required. They will also focus on tools to allow developers to push content speciically to the app stores of today's most popular mobile devices. This is a good & bad sign for app developers who use Flash (lots of them, it's been an industry standard for years. Flash has suffered from terrible performance on mobile devices, so it's good to see Adobe acknowledging the need to do something different for their mobile strategy. But what this means for the tools developers will (need to learn to) use? TBD...
David Chen

Why Desktop Touch Screens Don't Really Work Well For Humans - 0 views

www.techcrunch.com/...n-the-desktop-dont-really-work

touch screens computers technology

shared by David Chen on 15 Oct 09 - Cached
  • David Chen on 15 Oct 09
     
    Some interesting commentary on the future of touch screens. Potentially has implications for educational uses as well: "Anyone who has used one for a long time will tell you that they quickly revert to using the keyboard and mouse. And it isn't because of the software or touch technology - both are fine.The problem is that you get tired keeping your hands up and on the screen for a long period of time. Touch experts I've spoken with say it's because your hands are above your heart, which isn't comfortable for very long."
Kasthuri Gopalaratnam

Education Week Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook: Applicable Teaching Tools - 1 views

www.edweek.org/...01tablets.h05.html

education apps iPad technology disability

shared by Kasthuri Gopalaratnam on 18 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • Kasthuri Gopalaratnam on 18 Oct 11
     
    Educators are discovering that iPads and other tablet computers offer new routes to learning for students with disabilities
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  • Bridget Binstock on 18 Oct 11
     
    Kasthuri - I attended a session at ISTE last summer on using the iPad with Special Needs students (my oldest son has special needs) and discovered many apps that are created for "typical" learners can be adapted for students with special needs. The particular app and use in this article has (in my opinion) one huge advantage and one huge disadvantage. The advantage is price and therefore more widespread accessibility. Augmented Communicative Devices (http://www.abilityhub.com/aac/aac-devices.htm) can cost thousands of dollars. The iPad ($500-800) and app ($100) keeps the cost well below that and can give SES students with this particular need a greater chance in getting the device. The Disadvantage (in my opinion) is the FINE MOTOR skills necessary to operate the touch screen feature of the iPad. The children that I have seen who need this device to communicate have multiple issues at work that prevent them from isolating their fingers in such a way to make this a feasible way for them to communicate effectively. Some of the devices you can see in the link have distinct boundaries that account for mobility and fine motor deficiencies that make the use of the device successful to those who need that adaptation. I am not knocking the iPad for Special Needs students, simply pointing out that it is not the best tool for everyone.
  • Kasthuri Gopalaratnam on 18 Oct 11
     
    Hi Bridget, I agree that it may not be for everyone. Would the use of a stylus rather than fingers make it easier to use the app?
  • Bridget Binstock on 18 Oct 11
     
    Strictly speaking from my experience, the children that I have observed using these devices have Cerebral Palsy (or other muscular issues at work) to the extent where holding any device is not feasible for them. But I can see how a stylus might help specific students overcome this deficiency. Allison has had even more exposure to SN students than I have, so perhaps she can share some insight here.
Chris McEnroe

µTorrent 3.0 - µTorrent - a (very) tiny BitTorrent client - 2 views

www.utorrent.com/ut3

shared by Chris McEnroe on 29 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • Chris McEnroe on 29 Oct 11
     
    Does anyone have any experience with this tool. It looks like a very interesting example of a Intelligent Web Filtering. Wow! Good side is that this is like Tivo for the web. Bad side is that you better have nothing else to do but look at the web. Also an interesting take on Personal Learning Networks.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Bharat Battu on 30 Oct 11
     
    I am familiar with BitTorrent, and it's interesting Chris that you came about it excited for its uses in education. But have you read or heard about the controversy surrounding it? In a nutshell- BitTorrent is a technology that allows large collections of files and data to be shared across the internet in a decentralized, peer-to-peer manner. A person who has the original files decides to share them via BitTorrent, so others can download from him/her. But as the others begin downloading the files, they also start sharing the pieces they've downloaded with the ever-growing set of new users asking for the file. BitTorrent works like a growing web- in order to download files shared via BitTorrent - you have to share the pieces you get with others. More downloaders = more uploaders as well, ensuring popular files will always be accessible. The benefits - this is cheap and decentralized, no need to pay to host the files on the web. The users who have the file are sharing the file from their own computers with others requesting it. And this can be permanent - if you host a BitTorrent to share a file, you have that sharing channel last forever (not relying on external services that cost $ or can be shut down).
  • Bharat Battu on 30 Oct 11
     
    BitTorrent is a really powerful technology that allows large amounts of files and data to be shared quickly with a limitless number of people. It's scalability at no cost. Could be a great tool for educators to share content across the globe in a hassle-free way. Even the folks at Khan Academy are excited to use it: from: http://blog.vipeers.com/vipeers/2008/10/bittorrent-is-a.html "For Khan Academy, BitTorrent was a natural extension for it stated mission of "a world-class education for anyone anywhere," Sal Khan tells Fast Company. Kahn was excited for activist educators to be able to download the Academy's entire portforlio, burn it on a CD, and distribute it to rural or underdeveloped areas otherwise unable to access it without a broadband connection. "I think the single most fun thing about BitTorrent," Khan adds, "is this content will never die. A nuclear bomb could hit our offices tomorrow and could take down our servers, but its going to sitting somewhere in the world on somebody's server." He added, "We don't care about monetizing the content; we just care that it gets used."
  • Bharat Battu on 30 Oct 11
     
    But despite the prospects of BitTorrent being a great technology to allow sharing of digital content freely, to allow downloading of vast amounts of data that can then be stored offline and shared with anyone... the rest of the article (http://blog.vipeers.com/vipeers/2008/10/bittorrent-is-a.html) mentions that Google was unhappy with Khan's decision to use BitTorrent. Google actually blacklists BitTorrent content from its searches, and so is actually blacklisting Khan Academy content, despite being a recent financial backer of Khan. Why? This is the controversy: BitTorrent's power to share digital content in a decentralized way, where the more popular a file is, the faster it'll spread-- has led it to become the most popular method of digital piracy out there today. This has quickly become the most common use of BitTorrent, far exceeding the sharing of legitimate digital content. It's become a nightmare for the movie, music, software, and video gaming industries. A summary of the legal issues surrounding BitTorrent: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_issues_with_BitTorrent
  • Chris McEnroe on 30 Oct 11
     
    Hey Bharat, I am so glad I asked. I had no idea. Very interesting. New dimension to the concept of free knowledge vs. intellectual property. I think the kids at my school are using this to share music. I'll have to check it out. I find this conflict- "Google actually blacklists BitTorrent content from its searches, and so is actually blacklisting Khan Academy content, despite being a recent financial backer of Khan. " so intriguing. At first glance it looked to me like a vision of networked learning that was aimed at an authentic task with authentic participants (as portrayed by actors :).
Tomoko Matsukawa

Balancing your child's time spent with technology - Orlando Sentinel - 0 views

articles.orlandosentinel.com/...d-technology-yearbook-director

t561 children technology

shared by Tomoko Matsukawa on 11 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • Tomoko Matsukawa on 11 Sep 12
     
    - as technology become more available everywhere, how to deal with its use among children in informal setting is a topic under discussion - for now, it seems like individual parents are providing their own guidance to their children (or no guidance) with no common understanding of what is best for the children of certain age - the pessimistic view in this article claims for the risk of ''the Nobody Scenario'' and seem to believe that there would be many negative cognitive consequences for the children if heavy-used (the definition of 'children' and 'technology' here is not clearly defined) Understanding and cooperation from children's parents would be very important in the process of implementing emerging technologies in school settings thus this type of controversy is interesting to watch.
Bharat Battu

What Would You Pay for a Great Educational App? | MindShift - 1 views

mindshift.kqed.org/...ay-for-a-great-educational-app

mobile apps pricing education subscriptions digital content

shared by Bharat Battu on 30 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • Bharat Battu on 30 Nov 11
     
    full disclosure: classmate Alex Schoenfeld first shared this with the us in the TIE facebook group :). But it brings an interesting trend in the adoption and pricing of mobile apps: Article outlining what lots of us know when it comes to moblie apps and pricing - free, $1, and $2 are the price-points that sell, and allow us to try out an app with minimal regret. But with the rise of more and more high-quailty, high-profile, and high-budget educatioanl apps, will the pricing structure change? Will parents and educators be willing to spend the prices of traditional computer software ($50 or more?) for really great mobile apps? The article brings up an interesting model that seems to already be coming to life looking at how apps are being sold and updated lately: "Donahoo and Russell propose there's a better way: subscriptions and content expansion packs.  Launchpad Toys follows the latter tact. The initial price the Toontastic app for $3 (though it's currently free). Users can use that fully functioning app, or choose to add additional characters and themes with $.99 expansion packs. This way, they contend, costs are controlled; it's cheap for parents and children to evaluate an app, and the model encourages regular updates."
James Glanville

Education Week: Digital Book-Sharing Unlocks Print for Students - 2 views

www.edweek.org/...10book_ep.h31.html

Emerging Technology learning print

shared by James Glanville on 17 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • Bookshare memberships are for students who are blind, have low vision, have such learning disabilities as severe dyslexia, or have a disability such as cerebral palsy that could keep them from holding a book. Such students have what are collectively called print disabilities—a distinct departure from saying “learning disabilities,” said David Rose, the chief education officer at the Center for Applied Special Technology, or CAST, in Wakefield, Mass. Related Blog Visit this blog. Using the phrase “print disability” said Mr. Rose, “is co-locating the problem. Print is part of the problem.” His nonprofit organization works on expanding learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through a set of principles called “universal design for learning.” “We can convey that information in a whole host of ways now. In that world, you go, ‘Print is not very good for a lot of kids,’ ” he said.
  • James Glanville on 17 Nov 11
     
    Interesting article in edweek on Bookshare - a non-profit electronic book service that provides free digital copies of books in accessible formats for kids with print disabilities, a term coined by George Kerscher to cover visual, physical and language based disabilities that impact the ability to read a physical book.
Adrian Melia

Five secret ways that games are changing the world. - Kill Screen - 0 views

killscreendaily.com/...-ways-games-are-changing-world

technology games education learning educational_technology social

shared by Adrian Melia on 21 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • Adrian Melia on 21 Sep 12
     
    Interesting examples of how some games are used for more than just entertainment including crowdsourcing for scientific progress, helping support research, and bridging the language gap.
  • Matthew Ong on 22 Sep 12
     
    Hi Adrian, thanks for sharing this. I think that the crowdsourcing potential for online games is great for solving real-life problems. Maybe educators could actually use such a platform for engaging students in school too, like crowdsourcing to solve problems in school.
Laura Johnson

TechLearning: Google Chromebooks & Apps for Education: The Power of the Web for Teachin... - 0 views

www.techlearning.com/...52887

webinar HGSET561 edtech

shared by Laura Johnson on 26 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • Laura Johnson on 26 Sep 12
     
    Free webinar tomorrow (9/27) from Tech&Learning on Google Chromebooks and Apps for Education - Power of the Web for TEaching and Learning 
Jennifer Hern

If You're Not Seeing Data, You're Not Seeing | Gadget Lab | Wired.com - 0 views

www.wired.com/...augmented-reality

AR augmented_reality

shared by Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09 - Cached
  • “augmented reality,” where data from the network overlays your view of the real world
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      I knew that.
  • developers are creating augmented reality applications and games for a variety of smartphones
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Who are these developers? Lots of $$ backing them?
  • embraced a version of the technology to enhance their products and advertising campaigns.
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Of course AR has been used to enhance private $$ making industries.
  • ...23 more annotations...
  • Tom Caudell, a researcher at aircraft manufacturer Boeing, coined the term “augmented reality” in 1990.
  • head-mounted digital display
  • was an intersection between virtual and physical reality
  • he wants to be able to point a phone at a city it’s completely unfamiliar with, download the surroundings and output information on the fly.
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Called Anywhere Augmentation.
  • stifled by limitations in software and hardware
  • requires a much more sophisticated artificial intelligence and 3-D modeling applications
  • must become affordable to consumers
  • early attempts have focused on two areas
  • your computer is prominently appearing in attention-grabbing, big-budget advertisements
  • Mattel is using the same type of 3-D imaging augmented reality in “i-Tag” action figures f
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Mattel is experimenting with AR... can I get a job there?
  • isn’t truly useful in a static desktop environment, Höllerer said, because people’s day-to-day realities involve more than sitting around all day
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Okay... so desktop computers are not for AR tech. People are mobile, so AR should be mobile. But what about people stuck sitting at a desk all day?
  • And that’s why smartphones, which include GPS hardware and cameras, are crucial to driving the evolution of augmented reality.
  • Ogmento, a company that creates augmented reality products for games and marketing
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Ogmento... see if they want to hire me, too.
  • movie posters will trigger interactive experiences on an iPhone, such as a trailer or even a virtual treasure hunt to promote the film.
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      This is going to bring out the inner nerd in everyone....
  • The Layar browser (video above) looks at an environment through the phone’s camera, and the app displays houses for sale, popular restaurants and shops, and tourist attractions
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Where does this information come from? Who creates this information? Selected sources/companies who pay to have their information posted? A whole new competitive marketing strategy in the making.
  • it’s not truly real-time: The app can’t analyze data it hasn’t downloaded ahead of time.
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      I can only imagine crowds of people walking the streets staring at their apps, running into people and lamp posts, not to mention getting run over by cars... I think this technology might weirdly affect the health insurance industry.
  • You know more, you find more, or you see something you haven’t seen before.
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      this is supposed to be the advantage of using AR from a commercial perspective... it is still self-centralized.
  • Nokia is currently testing an AR app called Point & Find, which involves pointing your camera phone at real-world objects and planting virtual information tags on them
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      This can be a really cool feature for teachers if they have a closed-group option. If you are part of the large network, there is all sorts of things people might plant that you don't want to see or know about... Another thought, if there is a closed-group option, perhaps this will create a whole new way of drug trafficking and helping illegal organizations hide information from authorities.
  • the hardware is finally catching up to our needs
  • Nvidia Tegra, a powerful chip specializing in high-end graphics for mobile devices.
  • place (real) Skittles on the physical map and shoot them to set off (virtual) bombs
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Are you kidding me? Marketing Skittles within an AR game?
  • open API to access live video from the phone’s camera
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      Need this technology in order to produce AR. iPhone does not have it. Wonder why.
  • live tweets of mobile Twitter users around your location.
    • Jennifer Hern
      Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
       
      I can just imagine what a nightmare this app would be in a classroom full of students with handhelds....
  • Jennifer Hern on 22 Sep 09
     
    Background on Augmented Reality. Reading for 9/14.
Jessica O'Brien

First virtual school in Mass. opens Thursday - Boston.com - 4 views

www.boston.com/..._school_in_mass_opens_thursday

shared by Jessica O'Brien on 01 Sep 10 - Cached
    • Jessica O'Brien
      Jessica O'Brien on 05 Sep 10
       
      Poor student health is associated with educational gaps. It seems possible that virtual schools may one day offer an effective alternative to traditional schools for children with chronic disease. However, it seems far too premature to consider that application yet.
  • Chris Dede on 01 Sep 10
     
    Very few virtual schools have worked with students this young, so there are interesting questions about jumping from no virtual schooling all the way to this model.
  • ...1 more comment...
  • P Parson on 01 Sep 10
     
    I wonder what the purpose would be of having a school entirely virtual. I can see this being a better opportunity for children in rural communities who are limited by distance (overlooking the financial aspect, of course). I also see this as a subtle way to eventually reduce staffing (not as many teachers and support staff workers needed). Have we evaluated the physical effects of children being glued to a screen for six hours a day?
  • Justin Reich on 01 Sep 10
     
    There is a really fascinating and controversial policy story behind this. Through "legislative sausage-making" the states first virtual school is being run by a single district out in Western Mass., mostly as a result of the entrepreneurial spirit of the superintendent. There are big questions about what will happen as students across the state sign up for the virtual school and their districts are required to pay tuition to Greenfield. And Greenfield isn't really providing a school, they are just enrolling students to be taught by a for-profit company, K-12. There are quite a few very interesting policy issues that would be worth digging into as the state launches this new venture in an unusual way.
  • P Parson on 01 Sep 10
     
    When I first read the article, I immediately thought "an idealist gone rogue." I wondered if there was even any research/method behind this decision, and you mentioned there is a fee. Did I understand correctly that the school district will have to pay this fee for the student like some sort of voucher? If I get a chance I'm going to look for more articles out there on this project. Thanks for mentioning it, Justin. Interesting, indeed.
kshapton

The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet | Magazine - 2 views

www.wired.com/...1

apps apple internet web facebook content traditional media human nature capitalism oligopolies marketing trends technology

shared by kshapton on 06 Sep 10 - Cached
  • a good metaphor for the Web itself, broad not deep, dependent on the connections between sites rather than any one, autonomous property.
  • According to Compete, a Web analytics company, the top 10 Web sites accounted for 31 percent of US pageviews in 2001, 40 percent in 2006, and about 75 percent in 2010. “Big sucks the traffic out of small,” Milner says. “In theory you can have a few very successful individuals controlling hundreds of millions of people. You can become big fast, and that favors the domination of strong people.”
  • Google was the endpoint of this process: It may represent open systems and leveled architecture, but with superb irony and strategic brilliance it came to almost completely control that openness. It’s difficult to imagine another industry so thoroughly subservient to one player. In the Google model, there is one distributor of movies, which also owns all the theaters. Google, by managing both traffic and sales (advertising), created a condition in which it was impossible for anyone else doing business in the traditional Web to be bigger than or even competitive with Google. It was the imperial master over the world’s most distributed systems. A kind of Rome.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • This was all inevitable. It is the cycle of capitalism. The story of industrial revolutions, after all, is a story of battles over control. A technology is invented, it spreads, a thousand flowers bloom, and then someone finds a way to own it, locking out others. It happens every time.
  • Enter Facebook. The site began as a free but closed system. It required not just registration but an acceptable email address (from a university, or later, from any school). Google was forbidden to search through its servers. By the time it opened to the general public in 2006, its clublike, ritualistic, highly regulated foundation was already in place. Its very attraction was that it was a closed system. Indeed, Facebook’s organization of information and relationships became, in a remarkably short period of time, a redoubt from the Web — a simpler, more habit-forming place. The company invited developers to create games and applications specifically for use on Facebook, turning the site into a full-fledged platform. And then, at some critical-mass point, not just in terms of registration numbers but of sheer time spent, of habituation and loyalty, Facebook became a parallel world to the Web, an experience that was vastly different and arguably more fulfilling and compelling and that consumed the time previously spent idly drifting from site to site. Even more to the point, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg possessed a clear vision of empire: one in which the developers who built applications on top of the platform that his company owned and controlled would always be subservient to the platform itself. It was, all of a sudden, not just a radical displacement but also an extraordinary concentration of power. The Web of countless entrepreneurs was being overshadowed by the single entrepreneur-mogul-visionary model, a ruthless paragon of everything the Web was not: rigid standards, high design, centralized control.
  • Blame human nature. As much as we intellectually appreciate openness, at the end of the day we favor the easiest path. We’ll pay for convenience and reliability, which is why iTunes can sell songs for 99 cents despite the fact that they are out there, somewhere, in some form, for free. When you are young, you have more time than money, and LimeWire is worth the hassle. As you get older, you have more money than time. The iTunes toll is a small price to pay for the simplicity of just getting what you want. The more Facebook becomes part of your life, the more locked in you become. Artificial scarcity is the natural goal of the profit-seeking.
  • Web audiences have grown ever larger even as the quality of those audiences has shriveled, leading advertisers to pay less and less to reach them. That, in turn, has meant the rise of junk-shop content providers — like Demand Media — which have determined that the only way to make money online is to spend even less on content than advertisers are willing to pay to advertise against it. This further cheapens online content, makes visitors even less valuable, and continues to diminish the credibility of the medium.
Katherine Tarulli

Many U.S. Schools Adding iPads, Trimming Textbooks - 0 views

www.huffingtonpost.com/...ools-adding-ip_0_n_947927.html

technology education learning textbook school

shared by Katherine Tarulli on 04 Sep 11 - No Cached
  • Katherine Tarulli on 04 Sep 11
     
    Giving all students in a school district iPads could have some really positive results. Having all textbooks combined on a tablet has the potential not just to aid in convenience, but can also allow for students to access more up to date texts. I think that there is also a lot to be said for the potential of an iPad to help engage students in the classroom.
  • Bridget Binstock on 08 Sep 11
     
    While in theory, the "allow for students to access more up to date texts" is a fantastic purpose for putting content on line and not burning it to a CD or printing the pages, it is the text book adoption laws in each state that publishers battle with every cycle, many of which won't allow for updates or changes to the one they purchase for the length of the adoption.
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