Tech Integration Group (Urvi, Justin, Afzal)

"The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV and a keyboard. It is a capable little computer which can be used in electronics projects, and for many of the things that your desktop PC does, like spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It also plays high-definition video. We want to see it being used by kids all over the world to learn how computers work, how to manipulate the electronic world around them, and how to program."

"The minute you download and install iOS 8, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system for iPhone and iPad, you should take note of these privacy steps in order to lock down your device."

"So the following infographic from Mentoring Minds is immediately relevant to all educators, and students as well. It's a bit of a mash of Habits of Mind, various 21st century learning frameworks, and the aforementioned learning taxonomies, promoting collaboration, problem-solving, and real-world connections (standard "critical thinking fare" with Habits of Mind-sounding phrases such as "Open-Mindedness.""

Great "how to" resources for many different instructional technology tools. Easy to use and free.

"This is where Google Drive shines. Thanks to built-in integration with literally hundreds of third-party apps, Drive not only stores all your files, it brings powerful, PC-like capabilities straight to your browser. To access these apps, open your Google Drive and click on the Gear icon on the right. Click "Manage apps" and then click "Connect more apps" in the window that pops up. Welcome to your new life in the browser. Check out your superpowers below."

"In a recent post, I critiqued the claims in Ferris Jabr's Scientific American article, "Why the Brain Prefers Paper" that addressed the differences in comprehension between reading from paper and reading from screens."

"Twitter chats are such a great way to stay connected and informed in your professional circle, and education is no exception. Through education chats, you can find out about new methods for teaching, tech resources, even jobs for teachers. Most chats are held weekly, and offer an opportunity to have a regularly scheduled conversation with like-minded educators."

"One good thing about this easy-to-use technology is that students can still use important English language arts skills like writing a narrative, planning a sequential story, and including key details when getting ready to make a movie. These apps can enhance the work that you are doing with children in the classroom and give them room to be creative storytellers."

"Apparently Code.org's successful "Hour of Code" event in December was just a warm-up act. The Seattle-based nonprofit on Thursday is announcing the rollout of its computer-science education programs at 30 school districts around the country. Altogether they'll reach more than 2 million students - nearly 5  percent of all K-12 students in the country - starting this fall."

"I'm talking to one of the educator/gamers who is turning Minecraft into a powerful school resource, Minecraft Edu. It's Mikael Uusi-Mäkelä in Finland."

"When I signed up for the account necessary to use the online tool, I did something that many people do not do: I read the terms of service."

"As schools embrace these personalized learning tools, however, parents across the country have started challenging the industry's information privacy and security practices."..... login - user: sbauld@yorkschool.com Pass: library

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