Educational Technology

Posted on EduDemic

We’re always excited to find the next best thing. But how does one actually find this supposed next best thing? Let EduDemic and it’s sister site EduDatum do the work for you! For example, ever wanted to spend zero dollars but have some of the most bleeding edge technologies at your disposal? Fear not!

http://edudemic.com/2010/07/the-100-best-and-free-online-learning-tools/

By AMY RIGBY, ABC News

For the college student who has trouble writing notes while listening to a professor talk, or has skipped class and missed an important lesson, take heart — someone out there is taking notes for you. Smokin’ Notes, a Gainesville business that sells its note packets through local bookstores, hires students from the University of Florida to take notes. (Amy Rigby/ABC News on Campus)Websites such as ShareNotes.com, GradeGuru.com and NoteHall.com allow students to sell their class notes online or share them for free. Reactions from professors are mixed, but the services are growing.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/students-paying-class-notes/story?id=11200727

By Chris Foresman, ars technica

The iPad is about to have its academic chops put to the test this fall in a number of programs around the country. Colleges and universities are looking to adopt the iPad as a collaborative tool, a standardized mobile device to integrate into curriculums, and, in some cases, even a cost-saving device.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/07/ipad-goes-under-the-gauntlet-at-universities-this-fall/

by Betsy Scott, News-Herald

Efficiency is at the heart of Riverside Schools officials’ latest attempt to get feedback from district residents. Parents and guardians received an automated call this week directing them to the district website, where they would find a “parent satisfaction survey.” They are asked to fill out the 18-question document for each of their students in the district. The survey method is meant to cut costs for the district and time for those filling it out, said Chuck Schlick, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2010/07/15/news/nh2764957.txt

By Ryan Singel, Wired

Kids around the country are getting high on the internet, thanks to MP3s that induce a state of ecstasy. And it could be a gateway drug leading teens to real-world narcotics. At least, that’s what Oklahoma News 9 is reporting about a phenomenon called “i-dosing,” which involves finding an online dealer who can hook you up with “digital drugs” that get you high through your headphones. And officials are taking it seriously. “Kids are going to flock to these sites just to see what it is about and it can lead them to other places,” Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs spokesman Mark Woodward told News 9.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/07/digital-drugs/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29

by Jennifer Aaker, Andy Smith, Good.is

Stanford Graduate School of Business offers a class called the Power of Social Technology, the goal of which is to arm entrepreneurial business students with social media tools that create social good. The class has also spurred research on the “ripple effect”—the idea that small acts of goodness can create big change—and has welcomed speakers from Pixar, Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare, Groupon, and Google to talk about how students can harness social good in a way that goes hand-in-hand with profit-making.

http://www.good.is/post/how-do-you-teach-social-good/

By Leslie Postal, Orlando Sentinel

Central Florida school administrators are fearing technology snarls and scheduling nightmares when thousands of high-school students start taking standardized math exams on computers next school year. Florida’s first big move away from pencil-and-bubble-sheet tests is what’s producing all the anxiety. Many local high schools do not have enough computers, sufficient network access or even the right rooms to securely test hundreds of students online, educators say. In another tight budget year, finding money for needed upgrades — they could cost $750,000 in Seminole County alone — isn’t easy.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-computer-testing-worries-07-06-10-20100713,0,5593264.story

By Brian Prince, eWeek

Security researchers have found more malware exploiting an unpatched Windows vulnerability via .LNK shortcut files. According to Sophos blog, two other pieces of malware have been observed targeting the bug. One is a keylogging Trojan the company is calling Chymin-A that is “designed to steal information from infected computers.” The other is Dulkis-A, a “worm written in obfuscated Visual Basic” that contains several subcomponents.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Windows-Vulnerability-Targeted-by-More-Malware-442601/?kc=rss

By Michelle Maisto, eWeek

Netbooks, once expected to fade away in favor of desktops and notebooks, are still enjoying strong sales. Shipments are forecast to hit 60 million in 2010, and that figure is now expected to double by 2013, according to a report by ABI Research. Netbook sales are showing no signs of waning, ABI Research announced July 22, sharing findings from a new study. Nearly 60 million netbooks—lightweight PCs with prices that are generally under $400 and enough power for social networking activities and Web surfing— are expected to ship worldwide by the end of 2010, and that figure is likely to double by 2013, the research company said.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Desktops-and-Notebooks/Netbook-Sales-to-More-than-Double-by-2013-ABI-864854/?kc=rss

By Cara Erenben, eSchool News

At less than half the cost of purchasing new computers, buying high-quality refurbished machines is cheaper and more efficient, some education technology directors say—and that’s a big deal with school budgets stretched so thin. McNairy County Schools in Tennessee bought 300 used Dell laptops for its one-to-one computing initiative from CDI, Computer Dealers Inc., one of the largest computer resellers in North America. The district plans to buy 300 more from CDI when more funding comes.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/07/13/schools-save-money-with-refurbished-computers/

By Jeff Bertolucci, PC World

The Droid X appears to be an opening day hit. Motorola’s new smartphone–Verizon Wireless’ answer to the Apple iPhone 4 via AT&T and HTC EVO 4G via Sprint–has already sold out online and at various retail shops across the nation. The ongoing iPhone 4 antenna soap opera has no doubt helped spur interest in the Droid X, as have positive reviews and Verizon’s aggressive and snarky ad campaign. With its large 4.3-inch display, 8-megapixel camera, HDMI output, and the ability to capture high-def (720p) video, the Droid X has a strong multimedia focus that’s resonating with consumers. But could the phone be a suitable laptop-replacement?

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/201285/could_the_droid_x_replace_your_laptop.html

by Joanne Fox, Sioux City Journal

The students use Generations Online, a software program designed specifically to introduce and engage senior citizens who cannot afford or who do not feel comfortable enrolling in a computer class. The program began in Philadelphia and is now used in more that 1,300 sites in the United States and Canada. The Generations Online Digital Divide Initiative is made possible through the U.S. Department of Labor funding through Senior Service America and is free to agencies and participants.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/lifestyles/article_581663fa-0d30-5bf0-9cd2-b90fcdd20576.html

By Sophia Li, Chronicle of Higher Ed

Faculty members and information-technology staff members alike say technology is useful for teaching and learning, but professors take a narrower view of what technology belongs in today’s classroom, according to a report released by the technology company CDW Government Inc. Eighty-eight percent of the 303 faculty members surveyed said technology was essential or useful for student learning, and over 60 percent said they used electronic materials in their teaching, according to the report.

http://chronicle.com/blogPost/What-Belongs-in-a-21st-Century/25642/?sid=wc&utm_source=wc&utm_medium=en

Janese Silvey, Columbia Daily Tribune

The University of Missouri System wants to close that gap between technological advances and traditional academia. Steve Graham, vice president of academic affairs, envisions a modern academic landscape where faculty members incorporate interactive tools and videos and online resources into their courses to marry the technology students already use with the traditional curricula they learn on campus. “I would love to see rich resources in the form of instruction and discussion among faculty members and a culture of supporting this,” he said. There are barriers. On the Columbia campus, an online learning system already exists, and internal politics will likely snag any efforts to re-create an e-learning environment.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010/jul/18/um-system-aims-close-gaps/

By John Morris, ZDNet

Over the past several weeks computer makers have released new laptops-and updated existing ones-in preparation for the back to school onslaught. Before you run down to Best Buy, here are a few tips on what to look for in a school laptop.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/computers/a-crash-course-on-back-to-school-laptops/3189

Ryan Kim, San Francisco Chronicle

IPhone and iPad users are creating movies, editing pictures, making music and sketching artwork. YouTube, Facebook and Flickr are filled with examples of people using these mobile devices to do a host of creative things that used to be done on a desktop or laptop computer. Apple has gotten into the act by releasing a version of iMovie, its video-editing program, for the iPhone 4. The $4.99 program is now the third-highest-grossing application in Apple’s App Store.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/09/BUIB1EBJA4.DTL

by Jennifer Schenker, Bloomberg Businessweek

The flaws in today’s “chalk and talk” educational system, which has remained pretty much unchanged for the last century, are widely recognized. But attempts to fix it by bolting on computers and connectivity have so far had only limited success—partly due to a lack of relevant educational content and software tools, says Dovi Weiss, Time To Know’s Chief Pedagogical Officer and a co-founder of the company. “What is needed is a holistic approach,” he says. Enter Time To Know’s Web-based software, which forms the basis for a suite of tools ranging from course planning and classroom management to group collaboration and student assessment. At the core is a collection of interactive curriculum in math and language arts (reading, writing and comprehension), as well as English as a second or foreign language.

http://bit.ly/au9n7A

By Jane Palmer, World-Herald

Technology is his thing, and 13-year-old Chase Crispin, who has been blind since birth, makes it seem so easy. The Blair, Neb., youth shows up in YouTube videos demonstrating how to use the latest technology for the blind. His calm voice, steady demeanor and command of the technology seem far beyond his years. In late June he was in Washington, D.C., to demonstrate the technology for congressmen. About a week later he was in Los Angeles, representing Nebraska middle schoolers at the National Braille Challenge, which tested his ability to transcribe, type and read Braille.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20100710/NEWS02/707109934

by Scientific American

Microsoft has for the past eight years hosted a global competition that challenges high school and college students to develop applications that address some of the planet’s most urgent needs. The company’s Eighth Annual Imagine Cup finals wrapped up Thursday in Warsaw, Poland, with 400 students vying for $240,000 in prize money. The Imagine Cup, of course, serves as a major promotional event for Microsoft, with the dual purpose of trying to ensure that the company’s products are the tools of choice for the next generation of computer programmers. The event’s popularity has expanded rapidly—about 325,000 students from more than 100 countries registered to compete this year (with 400 students advancing to this week’s finals).

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=microsoft-imagine-cup

From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2010.  http://scout.wisc.edu/

If you’re looking for a creative and novel way to create meaningful presentations, Prezi is well worth a look. Prezi uses a whiteboard style visual interface, rather than the more traditional slide format. Visitors can incorporate videos, photographs, charts, and so on quickly and easily. It’s easy to use the program for business presentations, educational activities, and so on. First-time visitors should view the introductory video, check out some popular Prezis by clicking on the “Explore” tab, and then sign up for their own Prezi account. This version of Prezi is compatible with all operating systems.

http://prezi.com/

By Daniel Willingham, Washington Post

New technologies seem to touch every part of our lives: How we socialize, how we do business, how we elect people to our government and so on. Is it equally obvious that these new technologies affect the way we think? Are the very brains of our students being changed by new technologies? And if so, should teachers contemplate new methods of instruction to teach these changed brains?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/daniel-willingham/is-technology-changing-our-bra.html