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This is more of a practical resource some people may find useful. The forms can be edited and adapted accordingly.

I'm sure you all know about Berkman Center. In case you're not on their email announcements list, you might want to be. As educators, parents and protectors of children, we have an interest and obligation to employ best practices for use of technologies and media dissemination. I'm certain we are all thinking about this deeply at this very heavy time.

A new proposal calls for a Consumer Reports-like rating body to evaluate new digital learning tools. Ed tech innovators like the idea in theory but they worry that it won't work in practice.

Funny, I was just talking with someone about this very idea the other day. We absolutely need something like this and my guess is that we will have a few competitors, at least early on, for the top ed tech review site. I think there is space for both an organization that specializes and for a yelp like site that essentially crowd sources the reviews. It will be tough to keep up, but think of how many products and areas Consumer Reports deals with- we can do this, and need to do this, for ed tech to get used wisely in our schools.

With regards to e-learning, I think inevitably some company or organization will provide ratings of the quality of online degree programs and learning tools. Whether this is Consumer Reports or US World & News Report or some new player (investment opportunity?), the need for objective assessments of digital learning tools is definitely needed. The Benchmarking e-learning wiki is interesting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benchmarking_e-learning

Wow, thanks for this link, Uche. I think that's a really interesting business they have going...kind of a way to spread best practices that in private industry might be spread via other means. It seems to address the PD / collaboration issue mentioned in NETP, too.

wow, great idea....I really like this model! This is can be great incentive for teachers to put their best work out there... and they finally recognized for their creativeness!

EPIC-Ed is a U.S. Dept. of Education's online community of practice (OCOP) focused on the planning and implementation of ubiquitous computing environments. This is EPICEd's YouTube space. Videos include interviews with Karen Cator, Bob Wise, and teachers around the country, as well as on topics such as assessment and literacy.

A good utility posting that offers links to portfolio management tools; useful for both kids in school and us to showcase our work in TIE, etc. 

An interesting article about how new platforms such as computers and Blackberries are being used to help people manage anxiety through programs that provide training and practice in Cognitive-bias modification (CBM).

A reminder that technology is not in and of itself a motivating force in the classroom.

I wonder if different types of technology have different impacts. For example, I can absolutely see where students wouldn't be motivated by a digital whiteboard or a blog...too adult and too similar to traditional education. But what about things like games for learning? Would they draw in a non-traditional student and actually motivate them to learn, albeit indirectly? There seems to be research on the gamification aspect that shows its positive impact, so do Bill's comments only apply to a subset of educational technology?

In this feature, Apple profiles HOW their products are used in a variety of educational settings. It's one of the least 'promotion-based' sites I've seen from Apple in awhile... Typically, I'm cynical when a company "profiles" its own products; however, this one is done fairly well. This site could be a helpful model when attempting to demonstrate functional use of a product, highlighting the ends, not the means...

Thanks for sharing this link! I know that there are some schools which have bought iPads and then didn't know what they were going to do with them. This community obviously had a clear idea of how to use them, what problems they were going to solve and how to assess their outcomes. Nice!

UNESCO recommendations on mobile use policies in education. This is from a global perspective on using mobile technologies in the classroom. There is a link to the actual UNESCO policy draft.

Here's a link to a series of paper UNESCO has on Mobile Learning. The nice thing is that it even breaks Mobile Learning down intro different regions. It also looks at different initiatives from a policy perspective, and by looking at what can be done to support teachers/improve practice. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/themes/icts/m4ed/mobile-learning-resources/unescomobilelearningseries/

I agree, great article about forthcoming UNESCO mobile learning policies and this exciting new educational area.

While I understand the reasons behind designing tablets like these, that monitor the content kids consume really carefully, it does bring up the larger issue of how do you really want to introduce kids to the internet. Do you shelter them by only letting them use kid-friendly apps, search engines, etc. or do you teach them early about smart and safe digital practices? There are of course plenty of safety reasons to go with the former, but I'm also interested in seeing how the latter might look.

One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) implementation in Australia seems to bring positive results. In remote, largely indigenous northwest Queensland, Doomadgee, 3rd grade students' numeracy improved from 31 per cent last year to a staggering 95 per cent in 2011.

For those who pine for film over digital movies, miss the clackety-clack of typewriters, or even rotary dial phones, well, get ready for the slow-motion demise of brick-and-mortar schools. COLLEGES TAKING OVER THE ENTIRE LEARNING PROCESS! STANFORD HAS STARTED --- OTHERS WILL FOLLOW!

Talks about various online resources like Youtube EDU, Khan Academy, Teacher Tube, Show me app, etc.

Great ideas for organizing lessons. Very practical.

--- I would use this article for: 1) Target Practice 2) Toilet Paper 3) Fuel 4) Wrap for Smelly Fish 5) A Dust Pan What AM I TALKING ABOUT --- I was a poor black kid --- I would use this article to explain to all my Harvard classmates what technology is not!!!!!!

Technology is playing an increasingly prominent role in America's schools. These days, computer games teach math skills and lectures are given at home via YouTube while class time is reserved for practicing the material, in what has become known as a flipped classroom. I WOULD JUST FALL TO SLEEP IN ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS! It is a shame that people allow their biases to hinder children. People running away from the present and future --- it is like that very bad M. Night Shyamalan movie ---> THE VILLAGE. COMPUTERS are like the imaginary demon! In truth, the demon only lives within the mind of people stuck in time.

"Good teaching was not defined by test results. Instead, its attributes were identified on a nine-item scale, which included student appraisals of how well the teacher organized material, used class time, explained directions, and reviewed the subject matter."

A look at what was an emerging technology over 50 years ago. It's interesting (not necessarily in a good way) that he's talking about things like immediate feedback and learning at your own pace - things that still haven't penetrated deep enough into the practice of education.

This is a bit of an older article, but I think it's a great illustration of the way that 'gamification' can transform the exploration of a real-world conundrum into an engaging, appealing experience (with very practical applications).

Also a neat example of the ability of modern formats to draw upon the expertise and skills of an enormous (but broadly distributed and amorphous) community

Recommendation 1: Complete the Shift from Print-Centric Textbook Adoption Practices to Digital Resources within Five Years Recommendation 2: Develop a Vision and Roadmap for Completing the Shift 2a: Eliminate Unnecessary Regulations and Enact Supportive Policies 2b: Invest in Infrastructure and Devices to Support the Shift 2c: Ensure Effective Implementation of Digital Policies. Recommendation 3: Ensure a Vibrant Marketplace for Digital and Open Content