Along Came a Spider: News on the Web [July 2005 Archive]
The Three R's Come Together. . . .
. . . in math journals, a new teaching tool that has some educators counting their blessings. This issue of the ASCD's Inforbrief examines the positive role that journaling can play in students' math education, encouraging reflection and critical thinking skills about their math thought processes:
www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE
Styling with Stylus-Driven Calculators
And in more math news, a new calculator design allows students to input numbers and symbols the same way they do on paper—with a stylus. The new design offers increased flexibility and the calculators can perform far more complex computations than even many standard graphing calculators. Guess you know what's on your favorite gifted math student's Christmas list!
www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7583
Open-Sourcing Opens a New World of Educational Possibilities
A new kind of collaboration in the classroom! Sun Microsystems (perhaps best known for their Java software) is taking collaboration in educational technology one step further, providing open-source materials for educators. For those not up on tech-talk, open-sourcing means that end users (consumers) can actually make modifications to the software to suit their own needs, thus allowing teachers (and their computer-talented students) to tailor software to suit educational objectives.
news.com.com/Sun+makes+case+for+open-source+schooling/2100-1047_3-5766750.html?part=rss&tag=5766750&subj=news
The website for this project is here:
edu-gelc.dev.java.net
To get a sample of the kinds of things that can be done with open-source software, check out Firefox, the freeware alternative to Internet Explorer. "The 'fox" is also open-source, and many independent developers have made their mark on the browser by offering great extensions and other tools which allow users to add extra functions to the basic browser. (Your N&V editor's personal picks include the Amazon.com tools which allow you to access your Amazon account from the main toolbar of your browser, and the radial context menu which shrinks your page-long right-click menu into a handy little "wheel" with icons (though you can still access the traditional menu by holding down the "Ctrl" button as you click)!) To find out more, go here:
www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/index.html
Go Live With NASA!
NASA LIVE is an exciting set of free videoconferencing programs designs for use with students in grades K-college. The program allows students of all ages to have access to NASA's unique aerospace science resources and enhance their learning experiences. Check it out!
live.larc.nasa.gov
Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3. . . .
With the importance of standardized testing increasing under No Child Left Behind, some educators are proposing a system which they believe provides a more accurate evaluation of students progress. "Value-added testing" charts students' individual progress as they go from grade to grade, rather than, as in the current system, comparing the progress of one group of, say, third-graders to the previous year's third graders, despite the fact that they may be radically different groups of children.
news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/06/30_pugmiret_testing
Googling the World!
Google Earth, a fun education tool from the ubiquitous Google.com, provides cartography buffs of all ages the chance to view satellite maps from around the world. But that's not all—readers with something to say can interact with the maps, annotating and sharing favorites with other users. The site also provides driving directions and other exciting features. Explore the world from Google:
earth.google.com
Read an article about the site here:
www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,68042,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_9
"Sawing Wood" May be a Sign of Hyperactivity
Researchers have found a surprising connection—between early snoring and hyperactivity. The results varied with age and gender, with snoring boys under the age of 8 showing four times the risk of hyperactive behavior as those who did not. Other sleep-breathing problems may also be implicated:
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8424429
"AP Online" Isn't Just the Associated Press
In an effort to offer more options to students in less affluent areas, Massachusetts schools are offering a new resource to their students: online Advanced-Placement courses. While proponents are excited about the new opportunity for students, others suggest that the courses may not offer the full range of resources provided to students in traditional AP classrooms and schools which focus on AP testing:
www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/07/18/state_high_schools_log_on_for_ap_courses
"Time Off" For Good Behavior
In Britain, some school districts are testing out new "Smart Cards"—discounted passes to entertainment venues like movies, libraries, and sports events which can be offered to students as rewards for good behavior. The goal of the system, say proponents, is to put the focus on rewarding positive behavior:
education.independent.co.uk/news/article299978.ece
It's Hip to Be Square!
Embracing your inner geek is becoming quite the trend these days, as students and entertainment media alike suddenly play up the image of the "geek". TV shows like "The O.C." portray a geeky character in a positive light, and in the real world the rise of young software tycoons has shown the rewards of nerdiness to the current generation of teens. However, some caution that this fad is just that, and may not indicate a true change in cultural consciousness toward respect for the geeky:
www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/07/18/dork_pride_suddenly_its_cool_to_be_uncool/?page=1
Capture the Magic: Harry Potter's Back in Action
As you can't help but know, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hit the stands on July 16th, provoking intense reactions from fans. Many thronged the bookstores on "opening night" claiming a long-reserved copy at the stroke of midnight, and many of us . . . er, them, (stayed up until the morning light reading it. Among more die-hard fans (those who frequent fansites such as Fictionalley and The Leaky Cauldron, as well as the hundreds of LiveJournal communities devoted to the cause, er, the books) the book provoked a storm of controversy over the actions of loved and not-so-loved characters (many of whom, one suspects, are not precisely the ones Ms. Rowling may have intended!) On a more serious note, parents of younger children especially may want to make themselves available to discuss some of the books darker themes and scenes, including child abuse and character death, and older children may also benefit from a discussion about the portrayal of romantic relationships among Harry and his friends. Check out some articles here:
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1698839,00.html
the-leaky-cauldron.org (This fansite provides an interesting list of news articles about the books, and also hosts a post-HBP interview between the owner of this site and another one with J.K. Rowling)
www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/050725/25read.htm
www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/07/21/children_discover_magic_at_potter_camps
Books for Boys
Concerned that boys' reading scores are falling and noting that assigned reading offerings in schools may not appeal to boys, author Joe Scieszka has launched Guys Read, a website that not only offers reading lists for boys but also gives tips to adult men on how to help the boys in their lives learn to love reading:
www.guysread.com
Primary Sources Online
This article, which uses Colorado classrooms as a model for the use of digital primary source material, provides a wealth of material to help teachers make use of these online resources. The article includes suggestions for professional development and relevant resources:
www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_6/bloom/index.html
Exertainment: Fighting Fire With Fire
Video games are often cited by critics as being linked with childhood obesity. Now, though, some districts are fighting back with "exertainment"—interactive video games that use more of a player's body than their thumbs. Exertainment classes would use games like the popular Dance Dance Revolution and EyeToy: Play to give students a workout that they will enjoy—and hopefully choose to continue outside of school:
www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,67868,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_5
Summer School Out of School
With the rise in popularity of online courses, some students are finding it easier than ever to take advantage of summer learning opportunities. Some high schools have joined colleges and universities in offering some of their courses online, and many secondary students are making the most of the opportunity. Experts caution that students who want to sign up for an online course should consider their own ability to work independently:
www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/articles/050627/27online.htm
The Art of War
This excellent webpage by the same name gives students an in-depth look at World War II political art in Britain. The site includes links to illustrations, propaganda, and a film archive, among other resources:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar
Read an article about the site here:
www.csmonitor.com/2005/0621/p25s01-stin.htm
Better Learning Through... Less Homework?
Students everywhere will be delighted to hear it: a new study actually found that more homework can actually lower students' test scores. The study, a comprehensive review of homework policies as compared to academic standing of schools all over the world, found that countries like Japan and Denmark, whose students do well academically, assigned little homework in comparison to countries like Iran and Thailand, where homework levels are high:
www.livescience.com/othernews/050602_homework_burden.html
A Change in Reading
Regardless of your feelings about the Internet, one thing is certain: it's changed the way we read. Hyperlinks and search engines allow readers to access a broader range of information within a single text, immediately as they read—and these changes, some say, are only the beginning. ScentHighlights, for example, goes beyond traditional search engines to root out key paragraphs in a document, and Buddy Buzz provides speed-reading help for text-messaging users:
www.csmonitor.com/2005/0623/p13s02-stin.html
Big Brother?
Recently, the Pentagon, in accordance with provisions of NCLB requiring schools to provide military recruiters with access to students, began creating a database of all US college students and of high school students over the age of sixteen, to help with the recruitment process. Critics say that the move violates privacy rights:
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/06/23/pentagon_creating_database_of_students
Ten Tips for Technophobes
Just because you're the teacher (or parent) doesn't mean you know everything, and that's especially true when it comes to surfing the web. To keep from wiping out, this article provides the not-so-tech-savvy with some basic tips to help you make better use of the Internet (and not embarrass yourself in front of the kids!):
www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=164300755
