Speaking of being wary of marketers pitching 'magical digital products'...this study found "no discernible effects" on high school students standardized test scores - of course, we must ask how the effects were measured (what the test actually tests) and measure in what ways software has a meaningful effect on student's learning...

Article about a Chicago high school's new digital library that encourages kids to produce and remix media. Certainly an intriguing idea, but I am reminded of the attention we must pay to the latest 'fads' with new digital media - will this library be outdated by the time this district's elementary school children reach high school? Still, wicked cool stuff and definitely moving in the right direction in getting media literacy into schools!

In light of our conversation of mobile learning, this article provides insight as to the stationary nature of the use of mobile technology. Shadow Cities - a game that prizes 'on the go', 'real world' scenarios within the game, found that most people play mobile games in the spaces where they spend the majority of their time - especially the home, which means mobile games compete with traditional gaming devices. Anyway, some food for thought...

"SOUTH KENT, Conn., Sep 26, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- South Kent School is pleased to announce that it has continued an innovative new platform for curriculum delivery, including digital textbooks and media tools for the 2011-2012 school year, said Head of School Andrew Vadnais." iPads are clearly entering classrooms...how do we make sure that we are making the most out of these tools and not just getting caught up in the hype?

"Nearly a third of children aged ten or under now have their own mobile phone, according to survey of parents. One in ten said their child was using an internet capable smartphone, such as the iPhone or Android devices." And yet, most schools make kids 'check' their technology at the door. Things that make you go "hmmmmm".

"What would digitized classrooms look like, and how could technology improve pupil engagement and mastery of concepts? How might educators scale up successful pilot projects? On October 6, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings will host a forum on education technology and its potential to transform the modern American classroom." Looks like it could be a pretty good conversation for students like us to participate in!

Simulations, Global Learning, Virtual Manipulatives, Probes and Sensors, More efficient assessment, storytelling and media, e-books - good overview of how technology is enhancing education

Entrepreneurs in the classroom. Last paragraph of article reads: "But Michael Goldstein, founder of the MATCH charter high school and middle school in Boston, observes that "there's a history several decades long of technology promising to make education better, and teachers finding it remarkably difficult to implement.'' " (page 2) Good commentary on some initiatives and the challenges teachers face with classroom integration.

Saw this over the summer and thought it raised some good questions about IEP initiatives, a child's ability to learn technical frameworks without explicit instruction, community engagement, technological innovation in impoverished areas, etc.

This video lives on the website for ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). It's 4 minutes of your time well spent :-)