science

Chris Dede: The Future of Digital Learning [webinar/session recording from Adobe]

On 04/24/2015, in 21st century, active learning, Adobe, analytics, biology, blended learning, creativity, curriculum, data related items, digital learning, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, face-to-face, future, geography / geology, ideas, innovation, interactivity, K-12 related, learning agents, learning ecosystem, learning theories, lifelong learning, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multimedia, participation, pedagogy, personalized/customized learning, platforms, real-world assignments, research, science, student-related, teaching & learning, tools, webinars, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
Chris uses ecoMOBILE and ecoMUVE to highlight the powerful partnerships that can exist between tools and teachers — to the benefits of the students, who can enjoy personalized learning that they can interact with. Pedagogical approaches such as active learning are discussed and methods of implementing active learning are touched upon.

Chris pointed out the National Research Council’s book from 2012 entitled, “Education for Life and Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge & Skills in the 21st Century” as he spoke about the need for all of us to be engaged in lifelong learning (Chris uses the term “life-wide” learning).

Also, as Chris mentioned, we often teach as we were taught…so we need communities that are able to UNlearn as well as to learn.

Also see:

The CreateEdu Channel on YouTube

Excerpt (emphasis DSC — with thanks to Mr. Joe Byerwalter for this resource):

What is the future of learning? FIRST® LEGO® League teams will find the answers. In the 2014 FLL WORLD CLASS? Challenge, over 230,000 children ages 9 to 16* from over 70 countries will redesign how we gather knowledge and skills in the 21st century. Teams will teach adults about the ways that kids need and want to learn. Get ready for a whole new class – FLL WORLD CLASSSM!

FLL challenges kids to think like scientists and engineers. During FLL WORLD CLASSSM, teams will build, test, and program an autonomous robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS® to solve a set of missions in the Robot Game. They will also choose and solve a real-world question in the Project. Throughout their experience, teams will operate under FLL’s signature set of Core Values.

*9-14 in the US, Canada, and Mexico

APP Ed Review (appedreview.org) & the Global Education Database (gedb.org)

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

App Ed Review

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:

From the About Us page:

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

Wow! Those teaching Physics/Science/Art might want to investigate new possibilities w/ Google Glass (& the like)!

On 09/13/2013, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, art, Augmented Reality (AR), biology, chemistry, creativity, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, education technology, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, flipping -- inverted learning, Google, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, immersion, informal learning, innovation, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, media/film, Michigan, more voice more choice more control, multimedia, new media literacies, online learning, online media, physics, platforms, science, streams of content, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, telepresence, ubiquitous learning, user experience (UX), videoconferencing, virtual field trips, vision/possibilities, visualizing information, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

A first look at how educators are really using Google Glass — from by Stephen Noonoo

Excerpts (emphasis DSC):

Per Andrew Vanden Heuvel:

What Glass does offer, Vanden Heuvel said, is a shift in perspective, particularly because teachers can use it as a tool to engage students faster and more easily than before. After returning from Geneva, Vanden Heuvel launched a YouTube channel devoted to his experiments with science–and Glass–called STEMBite. To date, in more than two dozen videos, he’s guided viewers through the physics of ball spin on the tennis court to the polarization of light through (appropriately enough) a pair of glasses.

“What I’m excited by making these videos is not only that they’re filmed with Google Glass, but they’re high engagement videos, so they’re meant to be really short and to get kids to think about how math and science is all around,” he said. “I suppose I could have done that before, but it’s just so easy now.”

Per Hanna Brown:

“I’ve had videos in my classroom before–that’s not a novel thing–but I’ve never been able to take a video from my eye perspective,” said Hannah Brown, another early Glass adopter who works as a high school art teacher at Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, an all-online statewide charter school in Ohio.

From DSC:
Virtual field trips, mobile learning, videoconferencing, web-based collaboration, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), and other topics come to my mind when I see this.

Using the Web to match the needs of your institution with the passions of your donors [Christian]

On 09/09/2013, in budgets, business side of he, funding / grants, higher education, ideas, passions, research, science, strategy, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

Crowdfunding-DanielSChristian-9-9-13

From DSC:
Match the needs of your institution with your donors’ passions!

In thinking about how to get the funding necessary to accomplish things, it seems to me that more people would give more of their resources if they knew what the specific needs were at a particular school, college, and/or university. This is where Web-based solutions could play a new, important role (and serve as another example of using technology strategically).

I was reminded of this possibility during a recent conversation with a faculty member from our Music Department. First, some background. My mother was/still is a piano teacher. My folks met due to music and my dad has sung throughout his lifetime. My siblings have each played 1 or more instruments. Music has been something that has been extremely positive for my folks’ marriage and was always heard throughout our home. (Not to mention that music can turn a bad day around for me.)

You can see where music was important to our family, to me…I have a passion for music. So when I heard of a need that our Music Department had, I was ready to get my wallet out on the spot.

I wonder how many more people would be struck like this if they only knew what the specific opportunities to contribute/make a difference were.

See below for some
related resources
on this topic.

Also see:

Crowdfunding — from wikipedia.org
.
GoFundMe.com — Education-Schools-Learning
.
Scientists discover ‘crowdfunding’ as a way of replacing research grants — from The Washington Times by Casey Mutchler
Excerpt:
Like an increasing number of scientists who have seen public grants and investments shrivel, Mr. Perlstein has broken away from traditional sources of scientific funding and turned to the Web, social media and “crowdfunding” to raise money for his efforts.
.
Crowdfundingforum.com
.
Education Heroes at TechAccess.org

Addendum on 9/12/13:

MOOC seeks Kickstarter funding for brain experiments at home — from educationdive.com by Daniel Shumski

edShelf: Find the right educational tools for your needs

On 08/13/2013, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, biology, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, creativity, digital learning, digital video, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, homeschooling/homeschoolers, interactivity, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, love of learning, mathematics, mobile learning, multi-touch, multimedia, online learning, participation, personalized/customized learning, productivity / tips and tricks, programming, science, simulations, social learning / networks, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, tools, by Daniel Christian

With thanks to
Robin Good for curating this item

Shortfall in educated U.S. workers to worsen: study — — from reuters.com by Paige Gance

Excerpt:

WASHINGTON | Wed Jun 26, 2013 5:55pm EDT (Reuters) – U.S. workers with advanced skills in areas such as math, science and healthcare are growing more scarce, with a shortfall of 20 million adequately educated workers expected by 2020, a study released on Wednesday found.

“The United States has been under-producing workers with postsecondary education since the 1980s,” researchers at Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce said in the study. “Jobs will return, but not everyone will be ready for them.”

They predicted that 65 percent of the projected 165 million jobs in 2020 will require more than a high school diploma, up from 59 percent in 2010.

From DSC:
IF the status quo is maintained, the outlook for the U.S. is not good.

That is, if the prices of obtaining a degree in higher ed keep going up and the middle class continues to be hollowed out, a smaller pool of people will even be able to afford getting a postsecondary education (regardless of whether it’s in healthcare, math, or science).

How much longer do the status quo’ers think that the U.S. Federal Government will wait around, watching this situation develop? How much longer before the Federal Government looks elsewhere for its workforce development (let alone the students out there who need to make a living)?

There is not an infinite period of time for institutions of traditional higher education to respond. MOOCs are a start, but they are but one option and they need to be improved. Along those lines:

The organization who can collaborate with those perfecting IBM’s Watson, Apple’s Siri, or Google Now — and integrate those technologies into a low-cost solution for postsecondary education — will be a potent force in the future.

Innovation alert: World’s first 3D printed canal house in Amsterdam [freshome.com]

On 03/21/2013, in 3D, architecture, engineering, Europe, innovation, science, the downsides of how people use tech, by Daniel Christian

Innovation alert: World’s first 3D printed canal house in Amsterdam — from freshome.com

…and, as usual, technology itself can be used for good or bad…here’s the far less appealing side of the coin (at least to me):

Tagged with: 3D • architecture • engineering • Europe • innovation • science • the downsides of technology

31 top apps for education from FETC 2013 [Noonoo]

On 03/05/2013, in accessibility / UDL, Apple, Augmented Reality (AR), cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, K-12 related, mathematics, science, tools, by Daniel Christian

31 top apps for education from FETC 2013 — from The Journal by Stephen Noonoo

Excerpt:

Like last year, this year’s popular App Shootout at FETC 2013 tossed around dozens of useful apps for teachers and students. Once again the closeout session was led by ed tech pros Gail Lovely, Hall Davidson, and Jenna Linskens, who each presented apps in three different categories of their choosing, including their favorite “wow” apps. Read on for a selection of the most buzzed about apps for Apple devices. For even more app ideas, visit the shootout’s Web site and complete app list Google Doc.

Tagged with: accessibility • Apple • augmented reality • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • iPad • K-12 • math • science • tablets • tools

White light separates into a dazzling array of colors [Knapp]

On 02/20/2013, in art, physics, science, by Daniel Christian

White light separates into a dazzling array of colors –– from mymodernmet.com by Stephen Knapp

Tagged with: art • cross-disciplinary assignments • physics • science

What are science cafes?

On 02/05/2013, in biology, chemistry, engagement / engaging students, lifelong learning, physics, science, social learning / networks, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

Science cafes offer a sip of learning — from reuters.com by Barbara Liston — with thanks to Annie Murphy Paul (@anniemurphypaul) who used twitter to ask: Americans resist studying science in school, but they flock to “science cafes” on their own time. What gives?
.
Excerpt:
(Reuters) – Americans may be turning away from the hard sciences at universities, but they are increasingly showing up at “science cafes” in local bars and restaurants to listen to scientific talks over a drink or a meal.

Tagged with: biology • chemistry • engagement • Lifelong learning • physics • science • social learning

Tomorrow’s world: A guide to the next 150 years [BBC]

On 01/07/2013, in business, career development, computer science, corporate / business world, curriculum, future, political science, professional development, science, society, technology (general), workplace, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
Some potential scenarios of our future. Are there implications for how we educate today’s students? For our curriculum?

Tagged with: business • career development • corporate / business world • curriculum • political science • professional development • society • technology (general) • workplace

To boldly go where no pupils have gone before [Morgan]

On 12/03/2012, in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, collaboration, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, future, human-computer interaction (HCI), interactivity, K-12 related, learning spaces, mathematics, multi-touch, science, smart classrooms, UK, by Daniel Christian

To boldly go where no pupils have gone before — from scienceomega.com by James Morgan

Excerpt:

The researchers behind the design of so-called ‘Star Trek classrooms’ have discovered that multi-touch, multi-user desks can boost pupils’ skills in mathematics. The inter-disciplinary team from Durham University, whose findings have been published in the journal Learning and Instruction, found evidence to suggest that children who used smart desks to complete mathematical exercises benefited more than those who completed their tasks on paper.

During the course of a three-year project known as SynergyNet, the researchers have worked with more than 400 pupils, predominantly aged between eight and 10. The team’s latest results show that collaborative learning, such as that facilitated by touchscreen desks, increases learners’ mathematical fluency and flexibility. Moreover, the researchers are confident that the technology that they have developed could also be used to improve learning across other subject areas.

Also see:

Tagged with: 21st century • A/V • collaboration • educational technology • emerging technologies • engagement • human-computer interaction (HCI) • interactive whiteboards • interactivity • K-12 • learning spaces • math • multi-touch • science • smart classrooms • UK

Some innovative apps for science, astronomy, digital storytelling/journalism, & robotics

On 11/27/2012, in chemistry, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, digital storytelling, education technology, innovation, journalism, robotics, science, by Daniel Christian

An interesting augmented reality app:

Zappar App – Augmented reality in Science

Some other innovative apps:

Nuclear — with thanks going out to Mr. Steven Chevalia for this find/resource
.

Robots

Solar Walk — with thanks going out to Mr. Steven Chevalia for this find/resource
.

The Wider Image from Reuters — with thanks going out to Mr. Steven Chevalia for this find/resource
.

From DSC:
Publishers — take a look at what Reuters is doing here; consider offering such a constantly up-to-date stream of content that fills up digital “textbooks.”

Addendum:

Note Anytime – Write stylish notes, mash up handwritten text or typed text with photos and high resolution graphics; scale from a piece of paper to a whiteboard, then output to your favorite social networks. Take a Note Anytime! By MetaMoJi Corporation

Tagged with: astronomy • chemistry • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • digital storytelling • educational technology • iPad • robotics • science

Previous Entries Next Entries

Learning Ecosystems

Using the Web to match the needs of your institution with the passions of your donors [Christian]

Shortfall in educated U.S. workers to worsen: study [Gance]

Innovation alert: World’s first 3D printed canal house in Amsterdam [freshome.com]

White light separates into a dazzling array of colors [Knapp]

Tomorrow’s world: A guide to the next 150 years [BBC]

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