Daily Education & Technology News for Schools 04/12/2011
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YouTube - Teachers Who Inspire Student Entrepreneurs
Winners for imagine cup:
Thanks so much!
This afternoon in Redmond, WA, the nation's best and brightest tech students gathered for the ninth annual Imagine Cup 2011 U.S. Finals. Starting with a field of more than 74,000 students, the final 12 teams presented their life-changing projects to a panel of elite judges, tackling diverse issues from eliminating malaria to promoting alternative energy. After an intense weekend of presentations and eliminations, the winners were named:
* 1st Place, Software Design: Team Note-Taker, Arizona State University. Project: "Note-Taker" - A portable, assistive technology to help vision-impaired students take notes in class.
* 1st Place, Game Design - Windows/Xbox: Team Bloom, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy. Project: "Spero" - A game focused on alternative energy solutions and educating people on how to live healthier lives.
* 1st Place, Game Design - Mobile: Team Big Impact Bear, University of Houston. Project: "Forest Gun" - A game that aims to prevent and reverse deforestation in the world.
* 1st Place, People's Choice Award - Software Design: Team BearPaw, Brigham Young University. Project: A mobile and cloud solution for ultrasound images that is cost-effective, widely available and easy to implement.
* 1st Place, People's Choice Award - Game Design: Team Bloom, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy. Project: "Spero" - A game focused on alternative energy solutions and educating people on how to live healthier lives. -
Home to Homeroom | Stop Medicine Abuse
A website about helping teens with medicine abuse. A good specific website from the national association of school nurses.
"Multiple national surveys point to the disturbing abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, like OTC cough medicine, among today's teens. Five percent of high school teens admit to having abused cough medicine containing dextromethorphan, or DXM, to get high in the past year." -
From this organization:
"We’re launching a new “60 Second Lecture” campaign in conjunction with the Ford Focus Global Test Drive, and many interesting individuals from the PresidentAmy Gutmann of the University of Pennsylvania to Dean Thomas Robertson of the Wharton School have already agreed to share their insights." -
MacdonaldTechForTeachers - iPad Apps for Education
Ann McDonald is building a very nice wiki with so many resources! She is an excellent Flat Classroom teacher.
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Excellent article about a struggle to ban cell phones in schools and why it is not working.
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Social Media Policy Best Practices: Trust Is Cheaper Than Control | Beth’s Blog
Nice Social Media Policy Best Practices discussion for nonprofits. The social media policy is related to your strategy. Most schools only have a strategy to prevent litigation and certainly, that is a factor as we look at schools and yet - we're not there yet on this discussion. I have to think at some point we're either going to have platforms that do a better job of protecting the privacy of minors or we're going to have to grow up in how we deal with these tools.
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Flat Classroom : The Tornado Tribune
Helen Harvey's Flat Classroom participation received a write up in her local paper. An important part of each of our projects is to issue press releases to gain media attention for the schools that break down the walls.
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Seth's Blog: Moving beyond teachers and bosses
So we, as teachers, are characterized like this from Seth Godin:
"We train kids to deal with teachers in a certain way: Find out what they want, and do that, just barely, because there are other things to work on. Figure out how to say back exactly what they want to hear, with the least amount of effort, and you are a 'good student.'"
Are we the kind of teachers who have to move past or someone that kids are moved with.
Do we have a limiting mindset? -
Knight Foundation Webinars - Knight Foundation
April 20th from 2-3 pm EDT - a connected citizens webinar about their new report "Connected Citizens: The Power, Peril and Potential of Networks"
sign up for this event here. -
Connected Citizens Report: The Power, Peril, and Potential of Networks | Beth’s Blog
If you have no idea what network-centric grantmaking is and you write grants or work with fundraising - this blog post is an important read for you. (Buy Beth's book - the networked nonprofit - it is great.)
Themes as per Beth:
These themes include:
1. Listening to and consulting the crowds: Actively listening to online conversations and openly asking for advice.
2. Designing for serendipity: Creating environments, in person and online, where helpful connections can form.
3. Bridging differences: Deliberately connecting people with different perspectives.
4. Catalyzing mutual support: Helping people directly help each other.
5. Providing handrails for collective action: Giving enough direction for individuals to take effective and coordinated action. -
join the crowdsourced keynote at the BC educational technology users group. Here are instructions:
We Want Your Videos
April 7, 2011 By grantpotter Leave a Comment
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In June 2011 the BC educational technology users’ group (etug) will be hosting a Spring Workshop in Nelson, BC. The theme? OPEN 4 LEARNING.
In the spirit of openness we would like to invite YOU to participate in a crowd-sourced keynote. Our vision is to create a keynote video that highlights the collective voice on the value of openness.
Here’s what we would LOVE for you to do:
Create a short video/interview/montage answering one or two of the following questions:
1. What is the value of openness?
2. What examples of openness stand out to you as being valuable/worthwhile?
3. WHY do you believe in the value of open education?
If you are interested in participating we would love to have you be a part of this exciting opportunity, to collectively gather voices across the globe in answering the question “what is the value of openness”. Have fun with your video – the more creative the better.
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Upload your video to:
http://www.dropitto.me/etug
password: open
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Deadline: May 9, 2011 -
Online Learning in Australia - Connections, Partnerships and Successes ~ Stephen's Web
A report on the state of elearning in Australia. Every collection must comprise 40% free content.
Again, this article proves that if you're in education and not reading Stephen Downes' feature-rich blog, you're missing out. -
Colleges Spend Far Less on Educating Students Than They Claim, Report Says ~ Stephen's Web
Colleges actually spend LESS educating students than students are paying. From Stephen Downes as cited from the Chronicle of Higher Education April 8, 2011.
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STUDYBLUE | Make online flashcards & notes. Study anywhere, anytime.
Study Blue website to let you make flashcards to study and put on your ipod, ipad, cell phone, etc. Over 12,000 have recommended via facebook. Facebook is linking with learning as are mobiles.
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20 Terrific TED Talks for Language Lovers | Bachelor's Degree Online
Ted Talks for Language Lovers.
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The Truth is Out There | November Learning
Interesting discussion about "blue blood" and the quest for truth in an age where even Googling something may not change minds. By Bob Sprankle
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TLC = Tech + Library + Classroom: iPad Apps To Love
Tara from the TLC (Tech + Library + Classroom) Blog posts her iPad apps she loves.
I think the I write words app is very interesting for handwriting. I wonder if the fact that they are using their finger is a drawback but think that it will help the kids take the strokes the same way. -
Speak Up National Findings 2010
Important study surveying students about empowered education with emerging technologies.
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One Year Later: Assessing the Impact of iPads on Education - iPads in Education
Assessing the impact of iPads on education one year later by Sam Gliksman on the Ipad educators ning (hat tip to Julie Lindsay for this information.)
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Final Teams in US Imagine Cup:
Software Design
TTHV - Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Central Connecticut State University
Uca Ursus - University of Central Arkansas
Lifelens - Anderson School of Management, Harvard School of Business, University of California San Diego, University of California Davis, University of Central Florida
Note-Taker - Arizona State University
Game Design –Windows/XBOX (XNA):
Bloom - Tribeca Flashpoint Academy
Plump Pixel - California State University Chico
Righteous Noodle - University of Houston
XozGaming - Lick-Wilmerding High School
Game Design Mobile (Zune/Phone)
Big Impact Bear - University of Houston
EDO - Arizona State University
Team AAMP - University of Houston
Team Mintrus - Columbia College in Chicago, University of Louisville
Read Alfred's blog for more. -
Alfred Thompson's ongoing coverage of the Imagine Cup. I love this interview with the kids who invented a program about fighting a global pandemic.
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Sneak Peak of New Facebook Nonprofit Use Research from Idealware | Beth’s Blog
Yes, nonprofits are seeing success on Facebook. Beth Kanter, nonprofit social media guru, has a guest post from Kyle Andrei of Idealware on their findings about Facebook and nonprofits. Fundraisers, schools, and facebook fans read up.
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Gesture-Based ‘Gmail Motion’ April Fools’ Day Prank Gets Real - Techland - TIME.com
I love this! Gmail motion was Google's april fools day prank and many people fell for it. Heck, if I'd had time, I might have played with it but after thinking I realized what day it was! Tee hee.
But a lot of people WANTED this -even though the gestures were designed to be silly (who is going to do a jumping jack for making a star on an email.) so ICT used a kinect camera and actually made Gmail actions work! Watch the video and enjoy.
People actually WANT this just not with the exaggerated motions and definitely not a shot that requires the camera to see your feet.
