Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

7.2.10 |

It’s the Learning, Not the Technology: Howard Rheingold talks with Jessica Parker, author of “Teaching Tech-Savvy Kids,” and starts with some central questions in the book, such as: What does literacy look like in the 21st century? Read more about the book at Spotlight.

Tech Experts Reflect on Social Media Boom: A survey of nearly 900 internet experts and technologists by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and the Imagining the Internet Center at Elon University found that while most respondents noted that the internet has both positive and negative effects, 85 percent said it has improved their own social relations and will continue to do so through 2020. Read the full report here.

Ebooks and Other Emerging Trends: Topics such as cloud computing, the impact of the iPad, and the ereader price war, as well as 3-D printers and handheld book scanners, were some of the tech topics discussed at the American Library Association conference in Washington, D.C., last month.

School Library Journal has more on the conference, including coverage of a session by Douglas Uhlmann, a librarian at the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, Penn., who urged school libraries to implement ebooks.

Plus: Over at eBookNewser, Amy Chow, vice president of the Hudson Valley Library Association and the head librarian at The Brearley School in New York City, notes that the school has so far purchased “one Kindle to circulate among faculty, but we have not moved beyond that yet.”

She continues: “We are waiting to see which device is the most functional and cost effective. I’m also interested in seeing whether schools and textbook publishers will make textbooks available on eBook readers. If there can be a more complete integration of eBooks and eBook readers into school functions, I feel the potential for successful adoption is increased.”

“Fab@Home” Constructs 3-D Objects: Speaking of the 3-D printer, the MacArthur Foundation’s Digital Media & Learning Competition awarded a $185,000 grant to Cornell University’s computational synthesis lab and to University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, to bring 3-D printers to elementary school classrooms and to develop school curriculums that incorporate the fabricator technology. The Fab@Home model can build a 3-D object in layers out of anything from plastic to cookie dough.

Cornell engineering professor Hod Lipson wants to use 3-D printing technology to get young children excited about science and technology. “We think we could have a profound impact on kids’ attitude toward science, math and especially engineering,” he told The Ithaca Journal.

Global and Mobile: Those interested in global news will be pleased to learn the United Nations has gone mobile. UN Publications has released applications for iPhone and e-books for Amazon’s Kindle. The apps provide access information on global issues, including The Charter of the United Nations, The United Nations Today, and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

What Will You Learn This Summer?: Yes, we know: You need a vacation. But as Shelly Terrell writes at Teacher Reboot Camp, “eventually you may feel the need to be inspired and motivated for the upcoming school year.” When that feeling strikes, check out these 35 professional development resources, including free online courses, real-time events and university classes.

Also check out http://ilearntechnology.com—a blog about integrating technology in the classroom that features a great collection of tools and resources. And have a great 4th of July weekend!