Breathtaking rainbows over the world’s largest waterfall — from mymodernmet.com by various photographers
On 01/30/2013,
in geography / geology, photography,
by Daniel Christian
On 08/24/2012,
in art, drama/theater, faith, geography / geology, hearts -- matters of the heart, history, K-12 related, languages and translation, pedagogy, real-world assignments, relationships, religion, science, teaching & learning, technology (general),
by Daniel Christian
Excerpt:
The site presents teaching examples—for both elementary and secondary classrooms—from a range of subjects: art, cooking, dance, technology, drama, English, environment, geography, history, technology, math, foreign/second language, music, physical education, health, Bible class and science. (There are also categories titled “teacher,” “tests” and “topics.”)
Each example leads off with a question: “What if a grammar lesson challenged selfishness?” “What if success in math depended upon forgiveness?” “What if history could inspire students to love their city?” The site also provides tabs labeled “The Approach,” “Training,” “Big Picture,” and “Information,” where teachers can learn how to apply what they’ve learned in their classrooms.
“The website helps teachers ask key questions and make strategic decisions, not only about what to teach but about how to teach,” said Matt Walhout, Calvin’s dean for research and scholarship. “It relates specific topics like language, history, and math to the overarching Christian principles of faith, hope, and love.”
Also see:
Google unveils full 3D Google Earth feature — from CNET.com by Roger Cheng
Google uses advanced 3D imaging to create full 3D maps, which will come soon to Android and iOS.
Google Maps adding 3D, offline directions— from CNET.com byBridget Carey
Google Announces Massively Improved 3D Views For Google Earth, StreetView Backpacks & Offline Maps For Mobile — from techcrunch.com by Frederic Lardinois
On 11/28/2011,
in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, Augmented Reality (AR), change, convergence, digital learning, education technology, emerging technologies, geography / geology, mobile learning, mobile technologies, telecommunications, trends, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning,
by Daniel Christian
Excerpt:
A REVOLUTION IN PERCEPTION is in the air, a transformation decades in the making. It will require a radical shift in viewpoint, as the way we experience data and information revolves 90 degrees from our traditional bird’s-eye view of maps, paper and screens to a more natural cinematic vision of the real world, one overlaid with digital information virtually attached to specific places.
And while augmented reality may still be in its infancy – with smartphone viewfinders displaying floating objects that are only vaguely connected to real places – don’t let that fool you.
The changes could reach far beyond mobile broadband and potentially be as profound as the development of the World Wide Web, says Michael Liebhold of the Institute for the Future. Liebhold forecasts that within five to 10 years, “the unadorned world will be history,” and our reality will have become a mix of the real and the digital. Telecom companies need to be ready, he says, to meet the demands of networks in which we are connected right before our eyes.
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On 10/13/2011,
in change, geography / geology, global / globalization, science, society,
by Daniel Christian
20 stunning infographics to show how climate change affects ecosystems — from mastersinenvironmentalscience.org; with thanks to Donald Smith for the resource
Excerpt:
According to one infographic in this list, many people believe that climate change is happening and that it is irreversible. The difference in opinion is in how climate change is occurring. On the other hand, another information graphic shows that fewer people are believing the climate change scenario despite evidence of glacier melt and an increase in dramatic weather patterns such as more rain and drought. A degree in environmental science may not affect what you believe, but evidence-based science is difficult to refute, especially when faced with over 20 graphic images that show how climate change is affecting ecosystems.
On 09/20/2011,
in geography / geology, global / globalization,
by Daniel Christian
On 07/25/2011,
in biology, chemistry, computer science, creativity, data related items, digital learning, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), education technology, emerging technologies, engineering, faculty, geography / geology, graphics, higher education, innovation, interactivity, mathematics, physics, research, science, tools, user experience (UX), vendors, visualizing information,
by Daniel Christian
On 05/06/2011,
in blogs / blogging / vlogging, geography / geology,
by Daniel Christian
Travel the World in the Blogosphere: 10 Top Geography Blogs — from Education-Portal.com
On 04/04/2011,
in biology, chemistry, geography / geology, physics, science, simulations, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning,
by Daniel Christian
Science Simulations: A Virtual Learning Environment — from Journey in Technology by Dolores Gende
Where do I find simulations?
One of the best websites for science simulations is PhET from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Originally founded by Physics Nobel Prize laureate Carl Weiman, PhET provides fun, interactive, research-based simulations of physical phenomena for free. These simulations can be downloaded or played directly on your browser.
Teachers can access the Teacher Ideas & Activities page for teacher-submitted contributions, designed to be used in conjunction with the simulations.
These are the links to the core science courses simulations. The PhET website also contains excellent Math simulations.
Simulation Resources
- Biology Online Labs
Comprehensive list to virtual labs and simulations - Anatomy Online Labs
- Comprehensive list to virtual labs and simulations
- Chemistry Online Labs
Comprehensive list to virtual labs and simulations
- Geology Online Labs
Comprehensive list to virtual labs and simulations
- Physics Simulations
My website contains links to hundreds of simulations.
On 03/31/2011,
in Augmented Reality (AR), Daniel S. Christian, education technology, emerging technologies, geography / geology, ideas, mobile learning, mobile technologies,
by Daniel Christian
Augmented Learning — from Kirsten Winkler at bigthink.com
Excerpt:
A technology that keeps me excited for a while now is augmented reality in combination with QR codes and geo tagging. One start-up that caught my attention early on was StickBits.
From DSC:
I’m thinking of a related application here — it involves Geology courses. That is, what if the rocks or other types of materials (that students were trying to learn about) were assigned their own QR codes? Then the students could walk around the room, scan in the QR codes, and the relevant information about that rock/material would appear on their device.
The Magic of the Music — from Mobile Learning Services; original posting from Katherine Burdick’s Mobile iEducator blog
Features:
- Audio and video features bring a deeper level of understanding to the text.
- Fun, interactive geography lesson encourages readers to use maps and scale of miles to calculate distance.
- Motivating math activities give the opportunity for participation by individuals or pairs.
- User is able to personalize the story by uploading personal photos and drawings.
- Recording feature lets readers record themselves singing or retelling a favorite tale.
- Links to the company website allow parents or teachers to download additional support materials to keep the learning growing outside the book.
On 10/20/2010,
in Augmented Reality (AR), biology, dangers of the status quo, economics, emerging technologies, ethics, faith, future, geography / geology, global / globalization, health, internet, morals/values, political science, sociology, surviving, vision/possibilities,
by Daniel Christian
From biotech visionaries growing new body parts, to in vitro meat, from a global sensor web that monitors the health of the earth’s biosphere, to a massive effort to reverse-engineer the human brain, Surviving the Future takes a disquieting and astonishing look at some of science’s most radical new technologies.
The film also takes a hard look at the ‘new normal’ of the climate crisis, as we balance our desire to be environmentally responsible—to ‘do the right thing’—and still participate in the consumer economy that is, for better or worse, the basis of our society.
Surviving the future is an unsettling glimpse into the human psyche right now, as our culture staggers between a fervent belief in futuristic utopian technologies on the one hand, and dreams of apocalyptic planetary payback on the other.
Thought provoking and visually stunning, Surviving the Future looks at the stark and extreme choices facing our species as we prepare ourselves for the most challenging and consequential period in our history.
From DSC:
These are some of the things I was alluding to in my post here…I’d be more comfortable with many of these things if the state of the heart were in better condition.
