Lego, the company that gave us the universal plastic building block, has fallen on hard financial times. Among the probable cuts is Mindstorms – the product that allowed the building of simple robots and the control of these robots through a computer interface and a simple programming language. When our book contained a chapter on programming, the educational potential of projects developed using such resources was an area of emphasis.
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eSchool News (you may have to enroll for access) recently summarized a report by Market Data Retrieval indicating that schools struggling to meet the No Child Left Behind adequate yearly progress goals were behind in the use of technology.
– use laptop computers – 39% vs. 43%
– high speed Internet access – 75% vs. 80%
– use Internet for instruction – 74% vs. 79%
– teachers “beginners” in using technology – “majority” vs. 18%
Interpretation? Technology causes higher achievement?
My guess – it is all about the money. I would bet one could eliminate the differences by controlling for % of kids receiving reduced cost lunch.
On a related matter: The “Texas Miracle” has become a political example justifying “No Child Left Behind.” Now, the validity of these claims is being disputed – 60 Minutes.
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Mac fans probably know that MacWorld is underway and they are watching to see if any new products emerge (still no tablet). There was a cool new music product (Garage Band) that some may find useful. I did not see anything that I felt every educator would immediately have to purchase, but you might want to watch the MacWorld Keynote and draw your own conclusions.
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The Educational site of the day (and perhaps week) has to be NASA’s description of the Mars Rover Expedition. The graphics are great and there are lessons for learners of all ages.
Ironically, Cindy reports the Grand Forks Schools’ filtering software prevents access to the site.
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Henry Jenkins has been writing an interesting series of articles in Technology Review concerning the importance of parents and educational institutions taking responsibility for developing media literacy. These articles discuss some important issues and offer some useful suggestions.
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CNN offers an description of rock star David Byrne’s experimentation with PowerPoint. Article considers limitations and opportunities.
Happy New Year!
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I have commented previously on the role of the Internet in this election. Here is a new opportunity – Dean Election Game
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