Edu_Rss

For 'Hoop Dreams' scholars, quitting is the only unavailable option
One woman's work has helped more than 800 inner-city youths better themselves through mentoring, tutoring, and scholarships. From Christian Science Monitor | Learning on November 21, 2006 at 7:45 p.m..

Portraits of the homeless
A photo class turned outreach program is a lesson in lens, light, ethics, and service. Christian Science Monitor | Learning on November 21, 2006 at 7:45 p.m..

Portraits of the homeless
A photo class turned outreach program is a lesson in lens, light, ethics, and service. Christian Science Monitor | Learning on November 21, 2006 at 6:45 p.m..

Tony Greenberg and Alex Veytsel - Every Time You Vote against Net Neutrality, Your ISP Kills a Night Elf - RampRate
The premise of this article is that if net neutralist is lost then a major casualty will be online gaming, because online gaming requires minimal latency (that is, the smallest possible amount of time between an action and a response). "The battle over net neutrality is really a battle for latency (and jitter). It is unlikely that an ISP will make the mistake of repeating Canadian ISP Telus' attempt at outright censorship. Rather, the ISP's gentle nudge towards the preferred offering or provider is likely to come in the form of slow and inconsistent network performance for services t From OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Scott Adams - Good News Day - The Dilbert Blog
This is a great story, and I'm really happy for Scott Adams. In a nutshell, he had lost his voice due to Spasmodic Dysphonia - "essentially a part of the brain that controls speech just shuts down in some people, usually after you strain your voice" - but recovered it this week using, of all things, poetry. I'm not going to claim all sorts of vindication for networks, a la Tex2All, but I will echo this: As Steve Biko said, "The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." Via OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Christopher D. Sessums - Action Research and Social Software
"When we frame our actions in terms of experimentation, we can be somewhat relieved of the burden of being perfect." Right. "Richardson talks about the importance of modeling such behaviors, and I believe he is correct." I agree. These basic statements are couched in the model of Action Research in this post, which is a perfectly good model as such things go (the devil is in the details, as always). The post breaks down in the last few sentences, though. It is not about the edublogosphere being a collective, and it is not about evangelizing. It's about modeling and demonstrating, not prea From OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Unattributed - Skills Training Dysfunctional - BBC News
I can believe that the skills training program is dysfunctional. But I am not convinced that it ought to be put into the hands of business and industry to manage. After all, aren't they the ones who demanded something like the current "'alphabet soup' of skills quangos?" Business and industry have demonstrated over the years that they are mostly interested in the short-term and that they have no acuity for the development of public policy, including education policy. So why put them in charge of it? [OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Mary Burgan - In Defense of Lecturing - Change
In TALO, John Gregory wrote, "Will Richardson says we don't need college. Daniel Pink says high school's out too. How low can we go? Can a fourth grader replace every positive aspect of traditional schools with an online education? A second grader?" I responded, "Why do people always represent this sort of thing as though the student would be doing it completely on his or her own? Nobody expects a fourth grader to 'replace every po From OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Andy Gibbons and Clint Rogers - Selection of Quotations on Design Languages and Their Relation to Design Layers - ITForum
This is a very interesting paper. The premise is that the process of, say, instructional design involves the participants in the creation of a 'design language' - a set of terms, metaphors, meanings and images - that will characterize their project. Design language is best thought of as a tool, rather than a theory. It is typically applied in layers, with different representations of entities in the design relating to different aspects of that design. I think the authors finesse the incommensurability of theoretical language, and I From OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Derek Wenmoth - Wiki Generated, Free Textbooks - Derek's Blog
You have to figure, the people in a society should be able to collectively author high quality textbooks for schoolchildren. Right? So why would we be paying some company mnillions of dollars to do it? "Using wiki technology and an open community format, over a 1,000 textbooks are being assembled online (with some PDF and print versions as well). Titles include Accounting, Chess, European History, Physiology, Managing Groups and Teams, Ecology and more." Do have a look at the Solar System text. See also: Using I From OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Jay Cross - Wissensdurstig? - Internet Time
Twenty minute audio conversation between Jay Cross and George Siemens in preparation for their upcoming talks at Online Educa Berlin. [Link] [Tags: ] [Comment] From OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Danah Boyd - Social Network Sites: My Definition - Many2Many
For Val, this link to Danah Boyd on the definition of social network sites (I know that's not exactly 'social software' but it's close enough). Something like this definition is needed because with the recent popularity of social software everything and its dog is being called social software or a social networking site (I can just imagine getting in my email: Purina Cat Chow - social networking for your pets). Boyd writes, "A 'social network site' is a category of websites with profiles, semi-persistent public commentary on the profile, and a traversable publicly From OLDaily on November 21, 2006 at 5:45 p.m..

Ranganathan stuff
Mohamed Taher of the Multifaith Library in Toronto, in response to my transcription of a talk by Ranganathan, links to a list of photos of the great library scientist, and the work of Lennart BjÃ¶rneborn who, among other things, has transposed Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science into Five Laws of the Web. [Tags: ranganathan libraries mohamed_taler lennart_bjorneborn everything_is_miscellaneous ]... From Joho the Blog on November 21, 2006 at 2:49 p.m..

Cottonmouth: A Whole New Meaning
Scientists create the first edible cottonseed through genetic engineering. By neutralizing the toxic chemical gossypol present in cottonseed, the high-protein seed could help feed millions. In Bodyhack. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 2:46 p.m..

How BitTorrent Works
The next time somebody asks you how BitTorrent works, fire up a Java applet that illustrates the concept perfectly. And check out how a From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 2:46 p.m..

Bill O'Reilly Hates the IPod
In a rant vilifying iPods and machines in general, the pundit implies America is at risk because the country's kids play video games instead of learning to kill real people. So why does O'Reilly have a premium subscription available as a podcast? In Cult of Mac. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 2:46 p.m..

Testing PS3 Remote Play on PSP
We take the much touted PS3 Remote Play capability for a spin. Here's what you can and can't do when you connect the PSP to the PS3. In Game|Life. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 2:46 p.m..

Tiny Guitar Amp Delivers
The new baby blue Nano Head fits in the palm of your hand, promising stunning volume and "classic rock tone, with a very high level of crunch." Plus, a London cell-phone From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 2:46 p.m..

Google Takes Nearly Half of Search Shares for October
Google experienced 23 percent growth over last October in its share of searches. From ClickZ Stats on November 21, 2006 at 1:45 p.m..

Great Fifth Grade Book Wiki
Two fifth grade reading classes in Georgia have put together what I think is a great example of a book study wiki filled with information about the book itself and contextual information including photo slide shows, audio recordings of student performances, interviews and historical reports. The book is Patricia Beatty’s Turn Homeward Hannalee. One thing [...] From weblogged News on November 21, 2006 at 10:47 a.m..

Google Scholar Preferences - Citation Import
Hidden away in Google Scholar Preferences is the ability to automatically show links to import citations into EndNote, RefWorks, etc. I didn’t know that. It could have saved me considerable time. Via this thread on mefi about Ottobib - an ISBN to citation converter. From Serious Instructional Technology on November 21, 2006 at 10:45 a.m..

No cats were herded in making this site
Chris Locke and Jeneane Sessum are recommending the new Kat Herding blog. She sure is perky! [Tags: kat_herding say_wha?]... From Joho the Blog on November 21, 2006 at 8:49 a.m..

Beneath the Metadata - a reply
Elaine Peterson, associate professor and information resources specialist at Montana State University, has published an article called "Beneath the Metadata: Some Philosophical Problems with Folksonomy" in D-Lib Magazine (doi:10.1045/november2006-peterson). Since she spends some time disgreeing with my "Tagging and why it matters," I figured I'd reply. Elaine's article begins with a clear, straightforward explanation of taxonomies and folksonomies. Then she gives reasons to dislike folksonomies. First, she says folksonomies are unlikely to be "good for the average user...since folkso From Joho the Blog on November 21, 2006 at 8:49 a.m..

DOEP (Daily Open-Ended Puzzle) (intermittent): Angry packaging
What packaging makes your blood boil? I hate the thick, clear plastic, blister-packaging that's sealed all the way around and inviolable except with a serious knife or possibly a band saw. And puncturing it isn't enough. The plastic is so thick that you have to actually carve the product out of its container. Because the cut plastic is itself sharp, I worry about amputating a finger if the knife slips. I also hate the way the cut plastic smells, but now I'm just piling on. On the other hand, I find this to be funny to the point of being... From Joho the Blog on November 21, 2006 at 8:49 a.m..

Ok Tom…Here You Go
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. While I don’t agree with all of Tom Hoffman’s points regarding the use of the MLK.org [...] From weblogged News on November 21, 2006 at 8:48 a.m..

Wikinomics–How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
A new book due out next month from Don Tapscott (whose Growing Up Digital was great) looks at the potential of collaboration on a mass scale and looks like it might offer up some more ammunition to the conversation around rethinking what we do in our classrooms. Not sure if there is an education specific [...] From weblogged News on November 21, 2006 at 8:48 a.m..

Moon over the pre-dawn beach
Moon over the pre-dawn beach I recently had a long weekend away, up the coast at Forster. It's a lovely area, and my two 4:30am starts were rewarded with a number of beautiful pre-dawn coastal photos. This one is... From Column Two on November 21, 2006 at 8:47 a.m..

6x2 methodology unveiled
Today I completed the draft of what will be our next report: the 6x2 methodology for intranet planning. This is something that I've hinted at for the last few months, but I can finally unveil what it actually consists of:... From Column Two on November 21, 2006 at 8:47 a.m..

Rants: Text for the Ex
Readers tell us about their never-ending connection to former partners, lovers, friends and one-night stands. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

MMOs Get a Bum Rap
Terra Nova takes on the bad press garnered by MMOs -- those addiction stories of people locking themselves in to play and forgetting the real world, or falling dead after long stretches of gameplay. Is videogame perception so fear-based that people think they could be forced to behave in bizarre ways? In Game|Life. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Zap Seeks to Electrify Demand
An enclosed hybrid cycle could get up to 150 mpg, according to electric vehicle maker Zap, and the company will consider an all-electric version if interest is high. Lots more good stuff from the From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Adware Firm Still Deceptive
A $3 million fine isn't enough to stop adware company Zango from installing software without consent, critics charge. They want the government to keep hounding the miscreants. In 27B Stroke 6. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Will Boozer Buster Go Nationwide?
After the Ignition Interlock sends New Mexico DUI arrests into freefall, Mothers Against Drunk Driving pushes for rolling out the anti-drinking gadget across the land. In Gear Factor. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Yahoo Inks Deal With Newspapers
The search giant will index and tag local stories for 176 publications, while the papers will use Yahoo to power their classified listings, ad sales and local search. In Monkey Bites. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Amusing Viiv Is Still Overkill
Intel's entertainment-oriented line of computers begs the question: Who needs a PC tethered to a television? By Dan Goodin. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

What Will Wii Controller Unlock?
Nintendo's wonderful little game sports an innovative input device, but game designers have yet to truly tap its possibilities. Commentary by Clive Thompson. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Second Life Will Save Copyright
Rogue copying software lets users clone anything or anyone they want in the virtual world. By letting its community respond, Linden Labs sets the stage for a bold experiment in alternatives to U.S.-style copyright. Commentary by Jennifer Granick. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Musician Plucks Sound From Lasers
A composer and koto player reinvents an ancient Japanese stringed instrument by way of an Apple G4 PowerBook and tightly focused beams of light. By Alexander Gelfand. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Italy Tracks Its Tardy Trains
Can new technology mend the country's notoriously unreliable rail network? Not exactly. Nicole Martinelli reports from Milan. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Reality's for Losers: Give Me Wii
Modern marvels like game consoles and T-shirts that make air guitarists' phantom riffs audible further blur the line between the real and virtual worlds. Commentary by Momus. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Bioterror Detectors Get Sensitive
A national lab is developing lunch-box-size pathogen sniffers that can spot anything from anthrax to a nasty flu. By Luke O'Brien. From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

'Locavores' Dine on Regional Chow
When a group of Earth-conscious gastronomes gather for a holiday meal made only from ingredients produced within 100 miles of the home, the constraints of the task birth some creative results. By Paul Adams. Plus: Gallery: Geekiest Thanksgiving Cooking Gear Book excerpt: Deal With Turkey Day Disasters From Wired News on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

With Second Son a Rhodes Scholar, a Familys Bragging Rights Double
After this weekends announcement of new Rhodes Scholars, two brothers from Brooklyn became the first pair of siblings in recent years to win the honor. From New York Times: Education on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Pay Packages for Presidents Rise at Public Colleges
A survey showed an upward spiral of compensation occurring in public institutions as well as private ones. From New York Times: Education on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Schools Slow in Closing Gaps Between Races
As Congress prepares to consider renewing the No Child Left Behind law next year, studies show that disparities in test scores continue. From New York Times: Education on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

New York Court Cuts Aid Sought by City Schools
The amount was billions less than had been sought in a landmark lawsuit that started 13 years ago. From New York Times: Education on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 a.m..

Do email right
Some days I find little treasures in my unsolicited email. Hacking Email: 99 Email Security and Productivity Tips is a useful guide to email do’s and don’ts. Be professional. Ensure your work emails don’t contain ‘u’, ‘afk’, ‘ty’, ‘jk’ and/or several million other texting/chatroom acronyms. These developed because cell phones’ keypads aren’t well-suited to writing fully-formed [...] From Internet Time Blog on November 21, 2006 at 4:45 a.m..

Search as a Starting Point for Science Queries
The Internet is a top source for science-related information, second only to TV programming. From ClickZ Stats on November 21, 2006 at 12:45 a.m..