Author: grabe

With HyperStudio fading as a tool for student multimedia authoring, we have been exploring and somewhat promoting the products of a Canadian company eZedia. Selecting products to serve as example is important for us because we use these products as examples in our writing activities. The publication delay (perhaps 9 months), the run of an book edition (3 years), and the volatility of the software industry, make such selections both challenging and important. The 4th edition of our book used HyperStudio as a major example even though this product was no longer being supported.

We identified eZedia as a company offering products we felt would become widely used in K-12 classrooms. Now, we learn that eZedia has been sold to Safari Video Networks (see simple announcement on the eZedia web site). Our contacts at eZedia are encouraged by the focus of the new parent company on video instruction and the niche their products fill within this focus.

We will see how this goes and whether student authoring is promoted or fades as this integration plays out.

I am becoming more and more impressed with Google and their ability to parlay an advantage in one area (search) into other service areas. After developing several types of “information” services, Google now offers users a way to generate a personalized home page providing access to multiple services.

See Google Home Page.

tech.Learninghas posted a simple tutorial on the use of Blogger.com. Now that summer is here, if you want to give blogging a try and need a little help, this may be just what you need to get started.

Sometimes an issue you are interested in gets decided before you even know the issue exists. eSchool News reports that the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has rejected a proposed “broadcast flag” for digital video. Such a marker would be attached to broadcast digital video content and prevent anyone from storing and sharing video content. Educators have some opportunity to make limited use of such content under the TEACH Act. While there is obviously opportunity for abuse and it would be naive to claim that some educators have not abused opportunities to tape television programs for classroom use, this ruling appears to come down on the side of assuming certain users will use digital content appropriately.

If this issue does not make sense to you, I understand it in comparison to how Apple protects music downloaded from the Apple Music store. When I purchase a CD, as the owner of that CD I can “rip” and legally copy the music to my computer. In a way, I own my copy of that music. However, with iTunes, a song I downloaded is protected. I can actually share it with myself within limits, but there are limits. As an owner of the song, I am legally prevented from attempting to circumvent the copy protection attached to the file. In a way, I have a right to copy a resource I own for my own use (as in the case of the songs on a CD), but I do not have a legal right to defeat copy protection attached to the original (I think this is an accurate representation of the situation). I am no way advocating stealing of music. However, I purchase a great deal of music as downloads and on CD and I am frustrated by legal measures that seem to assume I will attempt to do something illegal with the music I download.

So – the legal decision here would seem to declare copy protection schemes designed to prevent the acceptable use of broadcast digital video illegal. I can’t believe this will be the end of this issue.

The issues of why gender differences in academic performance exist and increase with age was reawakened with the recent controversy involving the Harvard University president (previous blog entry).

Education Week published a recent article addressing this issue. This is a nice summary and there are links to other related articles.

The May 16th Newsweek focuses on America’s Best High Schools. Included is a ranking of the best schools based on a simple metric – the number of AP tests taken divided by the number of graduating seniors. The rationale for using the AP is presented in one article. The on-line article lists the top 1000 schools, but there is no search feature so you will have to page through the list to determine if a particular school of interest has been included.

If this issue interests you, make sure to read the author Q&A. The authors discuss their methodology and issues related to AP exams. While interesting, I do not agree with all of the authors’ contentions. One issue I feel able to comment on relates to the position of some colleges in resisting AP course credit. Among the issues raised in addressing this issue is the contention that higher ed institutions may resist partly because of revenue issues. I think this leaves the wrong impression. Passing AP exams (a score of 3) is only equated to a C college grade. If a student is truly serious about a subject area, it would be a mistake to accept passing out of an intro course with what amounts to a C grade. I agree with the sentiment that college bound high school students need to experience some more rigorous high school courses.

I do wonder about the motivation associated with AP exams. The number of students taking AP exams has tripled since 1995. Both of my daughters passed the AP calculus exam. The daughter who received the 5 took no math courses in college. For a student with real talent in this area, I wonder if this would be an outcome those pushing AP courses would want. The university math faculty had no opportunity to sell their discipline to her. Because she regarded math as simply another of the prerequisite areas she had to check off the list, she never gave them a chance. So when critics challenge the value of pushing college experiences down into high schools I am at least willing to listen.

This same article contains some data from a recent large population survey reporting that high school students are studying less than 20 years ago (34% report studying 6 or more hours per week compared to 47% in 1987).

The Mother’s Day Race for the Cure has become a tradition in our family. We participate in Minneapolis. Cindy is an 11 year (and two-week) survivor.