On 06/29/2014,
in Apple, Augmented Reality (AR), Daniel S. Christian, education technology, ideas, library / librarians, machine-to-machine communications,
by Daniel Christian
On 06/25/2014,
in Amazon, Apple, business, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, corporate / business world, Daniel S. Christian, future, game-changing environment, Google, heutagogy, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, lifelong learning, Microsoft, mobile learning, mobile technologies, more voice more choice more control, multimedia, online learning, online media, platforms, programming, second screen apps, smart/connected TV, strategy, streams of content, student-related, tablets, technologies for your home, technology (general), trends, ubiquitous learning,
by Daniel Christian
Mobile Megatrends 2014…uncovering major mobile trends in 2014 — from visionmobile.com
Excerpt:
This report examines five major trends that we expect to shape the future of mobile in the coming years:
- Apps: The Tip of the Iceberg
- Mobile Ecosystems: Don’t Come Late to the Game
- OTT Squared: Messaging Apps are the new Platforms
- Handset Business Reboot: Hardware is the new Distribution
- The Future of HTML5: Beyond the Browser
From DSC:
In looking at the below excerpted slide from this solid presentation, I have to ask…
“Does this same phenomenon also apply to educationally-related products/services?”
…
Yes, I think it does.
That is, the educationally-related products and services of an organization will compete not by size, but how well the experience roams across screens. Lifelong learners (who are using well-designed learning experiences) will be able to tap into streams of content on multiple devices and never skip a beat. The organizations who provide such solid learning experiences across multiple “channels” should do well in the future. This is due to:
- The affordances of cloud-based computing
- The increasing power of mobile computing
- The convergence of the television, the telephone, and the computer — which is opening up the door for powerful, interactive, multi-directional communications that involve smart/connected televisions
- Generation Z’s extensive use of screens*
![The Living [Class] Room -- by Daniel Christian -- July 2012 -- a second device used in conjunction with a Smart/Connected TV](http://danielschristian.com/learning-ecosystems/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/The-Living-Class-Room-Daniel-S-Christian-July-2012.jpg)
* From Here Comes Generation Z — bloombergview.com by Leonid Bershidsky
If Y-ers were the perfectly connected generation, Z-ers are overconnected. They multi-task across five screens: TV, phone, laptop, desktop and either a tablet or some handheld gaming device, spending 41 percent of their time outside of school with computers of some kind or another, compared to 22 percent 10 years ago.
On 06/24/2014,
in Apple, business, corporate / business world, Daniel S. Christian, education technology, ethics, funding / grants, K-12 related, MBA, reinvent, society, staying relevant, student-related, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
The most extraordinary speech ever by a graduating MBA — from LinkedIn.com by John Byrne
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
Gerald spoke movingly about a near-death experience with armed gunmen in his hometown of Dallas, and how that changed his life forever. “A strange thing happened as I accepted that I was about to die: I stopped being afraid.” He then decided to “give my life to a cause greater than myself.”
After arriving at Harvard Business School from Yale, Gerald said that HBS “changed who we were; it reminded us who we could be. It reminded us that we didn’t have to wait until we were rich or powerful, or until we actually knew finance, to make a difference. We could act right now.”
With three classmates, Casey founded a non-profit, MBAs Across America, which is a movement of MBAs and entrepreneurs working together to revitalize America. “We saw the signs for hope in entrepreneurs who were on the front lines of change. They showed us that the new ‘bottom line’ in business is the impact you have on your community and the world around you — that no amount of profit could make up for purpose.”
See also:
From DSC:
Though the use of the word “ever” in John Byrne’s posting on LinkedIn.com may be a stretch for some, Casey Gerald did give an incredibly powerful, deep, well-articulated message at Harvard Business School’s 2014 Commencement.
I really appreciated what Casey was getting at — a higher calling for business. A higher calling for one’s life. If it’s only about making a living — vs making a life and a contribution — it comes up short. We can do better. Businesses can do better. Wall Street can do better. With corporations sitting on a trillion+ dollars, how might those massive resources be put towards helping society at large? Here are 2 ideas:
- Don’t lay people off so quickly. Take some of those funds and use them to retrain/reinvent people. Keep America’s households running. Help keep peoples’ skillsets relevant, and help keep people employed. Better yet, do this now for those people that you know you will be replacing in the future with algorithms and/or with robotics.
. - Fund/outfit educational institutions. For example, it would benefit society greatly if the large tech companies would outfit the K-12 classrooms across the country (yes, I’m mainly thinking of you Apple, Google, & Cisco). Many districts are struggling to implement ed tech and this would be of huge service to the country.
See also:
On 06/05/2014,
in Apple, computer science, internet, machine-to-machine communications, mobile learning, mobile technologies, platforms, programming, user experience (UX), user interface design,
by Daniel Christian
“The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) gives developers an in-depth look at the latest in iOS and OS X. You can learn from and be inspired by more than 100 sessions led by Apple engineers, get help from Apple experts through an extensive set of hands-on labs, and connect with fellow developers from around the world, giving you the opportunity to create your best apps ever. WWDC 2014 takes place June 2 – 6, 2014 at Moscone West in San Francisco, California.”
The 22 most important things Apple announced at WWDC 2014
From QuickType to Continuity, this is Apple’s future
Apple announces iOS 8 at WWDC 2014 — from cnet.com by Nick Statt and Shara Tibken
Apple’s next iteration of its mobile operating system is all about upgrading what’s under the hood.
iOS 8: Way more open to your world — from networkworld.com by John Cox
Swift, Apple’s New Programming Language, Has Been In Development For Nearly Four Years — from techcrunch.com by Kyle Russell
9 new iOS features from Apple’s WWDC that Android already had — from networkworld.com by Steven Max Patterson
8 huge new features in iOS 8 that Apple didn’t talk about today — from theverge.com by Dan Seifert
From Wi-Fi calling to a new keyboard for the blind, sometimes the best things are hidden
Metal, meet Apple TV: Why iOS 8 seems destined for console gaming — from cnet.com byScott Stein
Console-quality games on iOS could be closer than ever, which means a TV-connected device makes even more sense.
Apple’s iOS 8 uses iBeacon tech to bring location-aware app access to lock screen — from appleinsider.com
While not a shiny new feature like HealthKit, Apple baked what appears to be new iBeacon functionality into iOS 8, making the process of proximity-aware app and content pushes passive and more discovery oriented.
Full Transcript of Apple’s WWDC 2014 Keynote: OS X 10.10, iOS 8, and More — macrumors.com
On 05/29/2014,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, Amazon, analytics, Apple, Asia, business, Canada, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, communications, convergence, corporate / business world, dangers of the status quo, data related items, disruption, emerging technologies, Europe, global / globalization, Google, human-computer interaction (HCI), IBM, innovation, interactivity, internet, marketing/social marketing, marketplaces, mobile technologies, more voice more choice more control, pace of change, platforms, smart/connected TV, social media, society, strategy, streams of content, technologies for your home, technology (general), telecommunications, television, trends, UK, United States, user experience (UX), vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, workplace, youth,
by Daniel Christian
Example slides:
On 05/21/2014,
in Apple, machine-to-machine communications, marketing/social marketing,
by Daniel Christian
The Future of iBeacon: Trends for the Year Ahead — from beekn.net guest post by Stefan Wolpers
Excerpt:
Beacons will become a hardware commodity within the next 6 to 12 months:
Best of Beacons – Weekly Wrap Up for May 9 — from storify.com/jason_smith by Jason Smith, OHO Interactive
Great to see some new launches and some very interesting patent news from Apple. The Cisco Report on In Store experiences came out earlier but the data is very good.
Google developing free LMS as part of Apps for Education — from campustechnology.com by David Nagel
Excerpt:
Google Classroom provides, among other things:
- Assignments that integrate with Google Drive and Google Docs;
- Grading;
- Real-time feedback on student work;
- Assignment sheets;
- Real-time questions;
- Announcements;
- Commenting; and
- Homework collection and organization.
From DSC:
It’s not a stretch of the imagination to think that Google Hangouts will eventually be integrated here…and then some means of application sharing…and then some means of polling…and before you know it, Google has set up a serious CMS/LMS.
On 05/06/2014,
in Apple, machine-to-machine communications,
by Daniel Christian
On 04/17/2014,
in 21st century, Apple, art, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, education technology, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, interactivity, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, machine-to-machine communications, platforms, smart classrooms,
by Daniel Christian
New iBeacon App Stations of the Cross at St. Thomas — from mrspepe.com by Courtney Pepe
Excerpt:
This app was developed by a fellow ADE Jay Anderson. It uses iBeacon technology to sense how close you are to different pieces of art related to the 14 Stations of the Cross in a church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The app has three different settings: meditation for children, meditation for adults, and the comments of the artists. Great use of the iBeacon technology.
Addendum on 4/19:
The National Slate Museum in Llanberis which is operating an iBeacon smartphone information point.
On 04/11/2014,
in 21st century, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, Apple, art, biology, Bring your own device (BYOD), chemistry, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, content development, aggregation, repositories, creativity, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, engagement / engaging students, engineering, Google, graphics, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, maker movement, mobile learning, multimedia, new media literacies, open courseware and systems, passions, physics, platforms, play, political science, presentations, productivity / tips and tricks, programming, publishing, science, simulations, STEAM-related, storytelling, student-related, tablets, teachers, teaching & learning, writing, youth,
by Daniel Christian
From the About Us page (emphasis DSC):
App Ed Review is a free searchable database of educational app reviews designed to support classroom teachers finding and using apps effectively in their teaching practice. In its database, each app review includes:
- A brief, original description of the app;
- A classification of the app based on its purpose;
- Three or more ideas for how the app could be used in the classroom;
- A comprehensive app evaluation;
- The app’s target audience;
- Subject areas where the app can be used; and,
- The cost of the app.
Also see the Global Education Database:
It’s our belief that digital technologies will utterly change the way education is delivered and consumed over the next decade. We also reckon that this large-scale disruption doesn’t come with an instruction manual. And we’d like GEDB to be part of the answer to that.
It’s the pulling together of a number of different ways in which all those involved in education (teachers, parents, administrators, students) can make some sense of the huge changes going on around them. So there’s consumer reviews of technologies, a forum for advice, an aggregation of the most important EdTech news and online courses for users to equip themselves with digital skills. Backed by a growing community on social media (here, here and here for starters).
It’s a fast-track to digital literacy in the education industry.
GEDB has been pulled together by California residents Jeff Dunn, co-founder of Edudemic, and Katie Dunn, the other Edudemic co-founder, and, across the Atlantic in London, Jimmy Leach, a former habitue of digital government and media circles.
Addendum:
Favorite educational iPad apps that are also on Android — from the Learning in Hand blog by Tony Vincent
On 04/08/2014,
in Apple, CMS/LMS, digital learning, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), e-readers, education technology, Google, higher education, Microsoft, student-related, tablets,
by Daniel Christian
8 surprising facts about undergrads and ed-tech — from eCampusNews.com by Meris Stansbury
Excerpt:
It’s not every day, after scouring headlines from dozens of news sources, that news—especially education technology news—can surprise a seasoned education writer; but in recent research provided by EDUCAUSE, as well as a spiffy new infographic, many details on how undergraduate students are using ed-tech are fascinating…in that they’re not always as ‘cutting-edge’ as some may think.
On 03/29/2014,
in Apple, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, Microsoft, mobile learning, mobile technologies, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, tablets, tools,
by Daniel Christian
Microsoft expands cloud services for mobile scenarios — from Microsoft.com
Office for iPad and Enterprise Mobility Suite showcase Microsoft’s mobile-first, cloud-first approach.
Excerpt:
SAN FRANCISCO — March 27, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. on Thursday announced several new and updated applications and services including Microsoft Office for iPad and free Office Mobile apps for iPhone and Android phones. Microsoft also announced the Enterprise Mobility Suite, a comprehensive set of cloud services to help businesses manage corporate data and services on the devices people use at work and at home. In addition, the company announced the upcoming availability of Microsoft Azure Active Directory Premium and enhancements to Windows Intune.
“Microsoft is focused on delivering the cloud for everyone, on every device. It’s a unique approach that centers on people — enabling the devices you love, work with the services you love, and in a way that works for IT and developers,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer for Microsoft.
March 27, 2014
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discusses the intersection of cloud and mobile at an event in San Francisco.
Microsoft CEO Nadella pulls the trigger on long-gestating Office apps for iPad — from businessweek.com by Joshua Brustein
Excerpt:
Read-only versions of the iPad apps are available for free. To create and edit documents, customers will need a subscription to Microsoft’s Office 365 software, which costs individual users $99 a year. By making the iPad app part of its wider software package, Microsoft avoids splitting revenue with Apple (AAPL), which takes a cut of the money that developers make through its App Store. Because the full versions are only offered as part of a wider package, it also means all those bosses who want their employees tapping out spreadsheets on their iPads while they wait in the airport will have to start ponying up for Office 365.
Microsoft and Office in a multi-platform world — from techcrunch.com by Alex Wilhelm
Microsoft finally brings Office to the iPad — from forbes.com by Parmy Olson
Excerpt:
Microsoft Office is at last coming to the iPad, marking an important step for the software giant as it races to catch up with the move to mobile. Microsoft general manager Julia White said that as of 11am Pacific Time on Thursday, key Office programs Word, Excel and PowerPoint would be available on the App Store for the iPad.
Microsoft’s popular email application, Outlook, was notably absent from the list of available programs. The apps are free but users will require a subscription to Microsoft’s Office 365 service to use them.
Office for iPad review: Surprisingly worth the wait — from techcrunch.com by Darrell Etherington (@drizzled)
On 03/21/2014,
in Apple, Bring your own device (BYOD), Daniel S. Christian, ideas, innovation, interactivity, machine-to-machine communications, tablets, technologies for your home, technology (general), tools,
by Daniel Christian
iBeacons aren’t just for retail: Placed lets you use them as iPhone quick launchers at home — from techcrunch.com by Darrell Etherington
Excerpt (emphasis and addition by DSC):
There has been a lot of talk about iBeacons since they launched with iOS 7 last fall, but much of the focus has been on how they benefit retailers and add to the in-store shopping experience. They have a much broader range of potential use, however, and part of that is consumer-focused (and education-focused), too. Placed is a new app that shows you how iBeacons might benefit anyone at home, by tying iBeacons to specific apps and offering quick-launch capabilities.
Also see:
From DSC:
Thinking out loud…again, we can see applications for this type of technology in the classroom. Say, for example, the topic you are teaching this week is photosynthesis. You set up your room with some iBeacons and props. One corner has a large plant in it with an iBeacon attached to it; when a student approaches that plant/iBeacon with their iPad or iPhone in hand, a video demonstration of photosynthesis is automatically launched. The student views the demo then moves over to another corner of the room where another webpage is automatically brought up on their device — perhaps to take a quiz on what they just reviewed. Another corner has another iBeacon that launches a certain app that provides information for further exploration.