Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Technology and Education Integration 101

Great article about why schools need the technology for 21st century learning and how to achieve it.

"The biggest question about technology and schools in the 21st century is not so much "What can it do?" but, rather, "When will it get to do it?" We all know life will be much different by 2100. Will school? How close will we be to Edutopia?
First, it helps to look at the typical process of technology adoption (keeping in mind, of course, that schools are not typical of anything.) It's typically a four-step process:
  • Dabbling.
  • Doing old things in old ways.
  • Doing old things in new ways.
  • Doing new things in new ways"
Click here for the article: http://www.edutopia.org/adopt-and-adapt

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Kids and Technology

I recently came across an open discussion on Edutopia that asked: "When do today's children start learning about computers and technology that they would use for the rest of their lives?" (http://www.edutopia.org/groups/elementary-school/50686)

Granted, a lot of students in public and private schools begin using computers in first or second grade. But what about other devices? iPhones, iPads, tablets...as these products become simpler to use and more prevalent in our lives, it brings up the question: at what point does it become necessary to teach children how to use them? Will introducing them at an early age give them a competitive advantage?

Or...have these products become so intuitive that kids already know how to use them? A certain six-month-old Dylan Wallace loves to play with his mom's iPad. He likes to watch the bright colors and changing images. Now it may just be happenstance that he he has gotten the hang of the swipe, but I predict that by the time he reaches kindergarten all five-year-olds will be showing off their own iPads to each other on the playground.

What do you think? Discuss in the comments!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Meet Opti+

LOVE Opti+ by Vanerum Stelter! Intuitively adjustable and ergonomic, Opti+ is a great solution for multiple users and interchangeable environments. Sit and be inspired!