learning.now

Going Ape over APIs

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:54:08 -0500

When educators talk about Web 2.0, they often focus on the community and publishing aspects of it - social networks, blogs, user-generated content and the like. And while these tools come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, there’s often one important thing they have in common - something most educators probably haven’t heard of. It’s called an API, and it helps make the Internet the rich, interconnected ecosystem it is today.

No Resolution Yet for Julie Amero

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:36:42 -0500

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged about Julie Amero, the substitute teacher whose conviction on child endangerment charges was set aside after computer experts demonstrated that spyware caused her PC to display adult images in a classroom. Thirteen months after the conviction was tossed, prosecutors still haven’t dropped the case - and the local media is hopping mad about it.

PBS Teachers Embraces Social Networking and Bookmarking Tools

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:58:07 -0500

Visitors to the PBS Teachers website will see something new today. It’s called PBS Teachers Connect, and it’s the first step in bringing social networking to the website.

Random Acts of Journalism

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:01:46 -0500

At the Personal Democracy Forum in New York City this week, participants discussed and debated the impact of Web 2.0 on journalism, politics and governance. For two days, I couldn’t stop asking myself: what skills should we be teaching students to make them 21st century citizens - and should teaching them to act as citizen journalists be a part of it?

The Mystery of Grockit

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:36:48 -0500

A San Francisco-based startup named Grockit is working stealthily on what they call an MMOLG - a Massively Multiplayer Online Learning Game. What the game is and how educational it will be remains to be seen, but venture capitalists are throwing money at them. Something is afoot.

Coming to a School Near You: Gigapixel Photography?

Fri, 23 May 2008 13:24:32 -0500

If that five-megapixel camera isn’t cutting it for your students any more, have I got the gizmo for you. Carnegie Mellon University is prototyping a robotic camera mount that will allow any consumer digital camera to capture gigapixel-resolution - yes, I said gigapixel - images. They’re already working to get these photo-taking robots into the hands of students, and in the meantime, I’ve gotten to try one out for myself.

Indictments Handed Down in the Megan Meier Case

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:47:28 -0500

This afternoon, a federal grand jury indicted Lori Drew, the woman at the heart of the Megan Meier tragedy. The indictment is a major turning point in the cyberbullying suicide case that shocked the nation.

Judge Upholds NYC School Ban on Mobile Phones

Tue, 06 May 2008 12:40:15 -0500

In a blow to parents and school groups fighting the New York City Department of Education’s prohibition against mobile phones on campus, a judge has ruled that the board was within its rights to institute the ban.

SlideShare and VoiceThread: Not Your Father's Film Strip

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:13:52 -0500

For those of you who get as bored as I do watching PowerPoints and other passive slide presentations, there’s a new generation of presentation tools embracing interaction, discussion and community building. I’ve been particularly fascinated by the educational potential of two of them: SlideShare and VoiceThread.

Publishers Sue University over the Distribution of Digital Course Packs

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:42:19 -0500

Like many universities, Georgia State University distributes electronic reading materials to students, often copying sections of copyrighted materials. But a group of academic publishers have concluded that GSU’s actions go beyond the notion of fair use and they’re suing the university over its actions.

Gangs, Social Networks and Media Literacy

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:15:54 -0500

Around the country, community groups offer free Internet access to young people as a way to keep them off the streets and away from gangs, just as gangs have started using social networks to recruit teens. Are they offering the proper media literacy training to combat the problem?

The Megan Meier Tragedy: A Perpetrator Speaks

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:29:25 -0500

The sad case of Megan Meier, the girl who killed herself after being bullied by her neighbors in an online hoax, is back in the news again. One of the perpetrators of the hoax is speaking out for the first time, as federal prosecutors explore filing charges against the mother at the center of the hoax.

Strengthening Student Resilience to Online Risks

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:37:14 -0500

A new report commissioned by the British prime minister tackles the thorny challenge of addressing online safety for young people. The report urges people to put the relative threat of online predators in perspective, while at the same time noting that schools and parents must to more to give students the media literacy skills required to use the Internet responsibly.

Students Produce Podcasts Addressing Global Challenges

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:20:59 -0500

A teacher at a private school in the San Francisco Bay area is inspiring students to become more civically engaged by having them produce podcasts about global policy challenges. The podcasts tackle international issues from a local perspective, and are giving students direct exposure to people who are trying to make a difference.

Judge Dismisses Student Lawsuit Against Plagiarism Detection Service

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:51:04 -0500

A group of Virginia high school students who sued a plagiarism detection service on the grounds of copyright infringement has had its case dismissed. Ironically, the judge concluded that the company’s storage of student researcher papers constituted fair use.