Archive for May, 2008

The new XOXO laptop design

Saturday, May 31st, 2008

As I was reading this week I saw a few pictures of the new XO laptop design on TED. Very cool. I hope it’s life it better and less controversial than the original. Sad that such a great idea could go bod. The design is great! Imaginative and creative … could it lead to the [...]

Discussing Cyberbullying with a Class

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

It was an interesting morning today. Bullying comes in all shapes and sizes. Today I shared a video with my grade 5 class. What started out as interesting quickly became serious. The 50 second video, Cyberbullying Talent Show, hit them with a shack and awe effect. The discussion that followed was excellent, especially when I [...]

Creative book reviews for elementary school

Friday, May 23rd, 2008

I have been using Audacity to create book reviews in my class. I give my 5th grade students the following criteria for reviewing books:
For your podcast be sure to include the following features. You may place them in any order but be sure you include them all in your review. Remember, no more than three [...]

Multiface surface computing … Unbelievable! Sweet!

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008

Popular Mechanics visited Microsoft in March for a sneak peak of surface computing. Here is a coffee table that will change the world. This 4:17 video goes inside its top-secret development – forget the keyboard and mouse: The next generation of computer interfaces will be hands-on. Check it out.

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Creating a technology team: A mistake not to make

Monday, May 19th, 2008

Creating a tech planning team demands ownership of many individuals. A strong team today starts with including faculty across the divisions into the planning team in the first place. Just as we develop horizontal and vertical curriculum teams in various disciplines, the technology team needs to hear from all the stakeholders as well.
Old school [...]

I want to be a Rocket man

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

This is cool! As a kid I always wanted to fly, but this takes flying to a new level. Four jet engines, a glorified hang glider, five years, and 286,000 dollars later. Yves Rossy, a.k.a. Fusion Man, has become my new hero. Wouldn’t this be cool! This video is awesome.

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When Not to Use Technology: Final Thoughts

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

While teaching eight years in the Philippines, I learned a very important lesson from the culture … it’s people that are really what’s important in life. I love gadgets, some people love travel, some live for their degrees but what’s really important? People.
The Learners: Kids and Communication
Integrating technology with education in a Web 2.0 world [...]

The Future of Libraries

Monday, May 5th, 2008

I recently attended a presentation by Mark Treadwell on the future of libraries. His presentation took us through the paradigms of education … book based > internet based > 2020AD.
The history of the book paradigm for learning began in the late 1400’s with the start of the printing press. Suddenly books became the fountain of [...]

We Think …

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

“We think” is a vodcast about web 2.0. The change is amazing. Check it out.

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Mark Treadwell – 21st Century Learning Conference

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

I just attended the 21st Century Learning Conference. One of the keynote speakers was Mark Treadwell from New Zealand. He has recently written a book (hot off the press … literally) titled: “Whatever! The Conceptual Era and the Evolution of School v2.0”
Some highlights from his talk include project based learning has been around a long [...]