It Still Isn’t About the Technology February 8, 2010
Posted by Matthew Woolums in 21st-Century, Articles/Videos, Humor.add a comment
Interesting post by Will Richardson. He critiques a video for an interactive whiteboard product that purports to be easy to use. The video makes its point about easy, but does nothing to justify the reason for the technology. The ’smart’ board is presented as nothing more than an updated chalk board, and the example classrooms are no different from those that existed in the last century. There has to be more to the technology than just easy. That is important, however, if the technology is more of the same, it isn’t worth the cost. It isn’t about the technology. It is about the teaching and learning.
Weblogg-ed » Transformative Technology? Really?
Here is a comic from Speed Bump that sort of makes the same point that technology to do the same thing isn’t an advancement.
Essential Books February 3, 2010
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Humor.add a comment
Nice to see that books are still essential.
Encyclopedias Are Still Helpful – There, I Fixed It
Hardware in Your Hands January 27, 2010
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Hardware.add a comment
Seems like new innovations for the Internet have slowed down a bit. While new sites are coming out, I’m not seeing much beyond augmented reality that is providing something new. Technology has two primary levers, software and hardware. While the trend the last few years has been toward the software side of things (moved to the cloud yet?) hardware has become less important. That is changing. While software pendulum is swinging back toward stability and refinement, new hardware is entering the stage to provide enticing opportunities. Here is a run down of some of those devices, mostly from the loose category of hand-held computing.
- Samsung e-book reader also lets you write. Samsung E-Books Let You Read and Write | Gadget Lab | Wired.com
- New class of notebook, mininets. Roundup: Mininets | Wired.com Product Reviews
- Dell’s ’slate’. AppleInsider | CES: Dell previews 5-inch tablet concept akin to large iPod touch
- Apple’s tablet/netbook/e-book reader. Apple – iPad – The best way to experience the web, email, & photos
Boycott ‘That’ Site January 12, 2010
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Opinion, Safety.add a comment
I just finished watching a YouTube video about authenticity and evaluating web sites when I realized that we need to be more careful in selecting appropriate examples. For those of you who follow Alan November you know he used to point to a particular site dedicated to a particular civil rights leader. That site is actually interested in forwarding a particular agenda, and not in presenting a balanced perspective. When we use that site, we are also working to further expand the reach of this group.
We need to be careful that the fruit we feed our students is nourishing. Controversial topics need a venue, but in this case, there are alternatives to using a rotten apple. As an educator, I vow not to use this reference in the future. Specifically, I won’t be mentioning, or showing, ‘that’ site again. So if you are looking for alternatives to the site that will not be named, here is one:
Because we wanted to make a point about finding useless information even in a site which looked at first to be fairly well put together, all of the Explorer biographies here are fictional. While many of the facts are true or based on truth, many inaccuracies, lies, and even downright absurdity are mixed in indiscriminately. As such, it is important that you do not use this site as a source of reference for your own research!
What resources, other than ‘that’ site, do you use?
A Day in the Internet January 8, 2010
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Data, History, Tools.add a comment
It’s big. Really big. Click on the image for a poster sized version.
Created by Online Education
From a link from Lanwitches: http://langwitches.org/blog/2010/01/08/links-for-2010-01-08/
E-Book Reader and Writer January 8, 2010
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Articles/Videos, Hardware.add a comment
I admit, I don’t own a Kindle, and have not become a big fan of e-books, regardless of their delivery mechanism. Still, I have to admit, this one piques my interest. Samsung is demonstrating a new e-book reader at CES that also allows you to write. Imagine highlighting, note-taking, and composing your own material. Marked up material will need to be shared and even worked on collaboratively, but this is a giant step in the right direction. Any opportunity to change passive consumers into either active consumers, or better yet, into producers, the more opportunities there are for learning.
Samsung E-Books Let You Read and Write | Gadget Lab | Wired.com
Disconnected January 6, 2010
Posted by Matthew Woolums in 21st-Century, Articles/Videos, Humor, Opinion.add a comment
If you have a spare hour, take a look at this documentary by a group of college students who challenge each other to go without a computer for three weeks. Great points include attempting to figure out the typewriter, trying to remember what to do on a computer when they return to using them, accomplishing everyday tasks, organizing a campus computer free day, and just living through all the emotions that are wrapped up around computer-based communication. The perspective gained by the students is worth listening to, both to understand their technology infused world, what it would be like to have no access, and what we are missing by choosing the virtual over the physical. Then again, I did watch this on my computer… while playing a game on Facebook… and checking my email…
blogging about it…
ISTE Keynote Selection January 6, 2010
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Conference Sessions.add a comment
ISTE is coming to Denver this year, and they want people to vote for the keynote presenter. Sounds like fun, especially if you are planning to attend. The nominees are:
- Chris Lehmann Bio | Nomination Comments
- Alan November Bio | Nomination Comments
- Jeff Piontek Bio | Nomination Comments
- Peter H. Reynolds Bio | Nomination Comments
- Gary Stager Bio | Nomination Comments
