Group items tagged

This is a Slashdot article that points to a research paper (unfinished) that analyzes which elements are most important in the success/failure of a game. The abstract and conclusion sections of the article are succinct and accessible. The results are quite telling. One wonders if the results are consistent across game genres/audiences/distribution methods.

This is a new interface for taking notes -- what are the implications for studying and for content mastery?

Hey Prof! Funny you tagged this article. I was just searching for advanced note-taking software and was having a difficult time finding anything that would resemble my handwritten notes. Also, I came across a similar device that is described in your article today at my internship at Soup2Nuts. Since all of the animators/artists use Flash to create the cartoons, they have something similar to this "magical pen". However, they need to use a specific type of tracking pad to draw. The idea of applying this same technology to any piece of paper is a useful idea (if you are one of those people who remember to bring paper and pads to class).

Using computer games as well as interactive visuals in the classroom, students are taught fractions, equations, comparisons and other math processes. Later, they learn the vocabulary and symbols that go with the subject matter. It's a high-tech version of the paper money and metal coins that instructors have long used to teach about currency.

Makes sense

this paper provides an overview of the potential of the integration of mobile Web 2.0 tools (based around smartphones) to facilitate social constructivist pedagogies and engage students in tertiary education.

I did not buy the article to get the details, but this paper seems pertinent to this course.

Jerry Brown, Governor of California, speaks out about the ineptitude of standardized tests as a comprehensive, accurate way of measuring student learning. This idea is germane to most of what we are learning about the virtues of performance-based assessments, constructivist approach to learning, and the future of education. Does anybody think that there will ever be a time when standardized testing is replaced by something more effective? Emerging technologies like augmented reality simulations and multi-user virtual environments could be candidates for the replacement of standardized paper-based tests. Interesting to think about...

Link to National Research Council workshop on games and simulations in science education, including all the commissioned papers.

Discussion on whether digital reading differs neurologically from paper reading.

"Jochim and Siddell's books converge a traditional children's book format, a CD-ROM, a webcam and a computer to create "the same interactivity you could have on an iPad or (a Hewlett-Packard Co.) tablet, but with paper," said Jochim, president and founder of the Tempe-based Digital Tech Frontier."

A growing number of kids at increasingly younger ages are engaging in online social networking today-a development that is leading to a surge of news stories, media attention, and economic investment. In this paper, produced with the generous support of Cisco Systems and the Digital Media and Learning Hub at the University of California, Irvine, scholars Sara Grimes and Deborah Fields argue that these shifts in usage and public discussion demand a better understanding of the ways that social networking sites mediate kids' socializing and the opportunities and limits they place on kids' participation, particularly for young children.

"While some federal initiatives, such as The Investing in Innovation Fund (i3), have been aimed at promoting innovation in education, some of the fiscal requirements of two large federal education programs--namely Title I and IDEA Part B--stand in the way. This paper identifies three fiscal requirements of these programs that encourage the status quo, instilling in districts a profound deference for existing staffing and spending patterns."

Per our discussion about Sherry Turkle's work, here is an article she co-authored on interactive robots in nursing homes.

I see similarity in what CEEO is trying to achieve with MIT's Scratch project. Emphasis on creativity, learning from others, reflecting on process. Figuring how to assess its performance remain as an issue here as well. 

Interesting article to read considering the changes (curricular, ed technological, etc.) that have happened in the paper four years...

This new paper talks about the need for a "learner profile" that can help teachers adjust at the beginning of the year for each student. This would save them time and effort in personalizing to the needs of each student

A push for electronic portfolios of student work that follows the student from year to year and from class to class. Analogous to the increasing use of electronic health records?

Our sister course at Stanford is called "Educations Digital Future". The masters students of EDUC 403x were asked to compile a collection of "white papers" summarizing the major themes of the course. They are linked here and are an interesting comparison to "Transforming Education..". Many of their discussions, hopes and concerns were similar to those voiced in our class. There is

Have we posted/discussed this? A system such as this (see following post) would work well in one of the distributive models of teaching and learning we worked with last week. I am considering integrating into my charter school and would be curious to know people's experience and thoughts...