Tuesday, March 4, 2014
March 2013 Brainy Breakfast/Lunch & Learn
Faculty: Don't forget
about this month's Brainy Breakfast and Lunch & Learn! Do you wonder what
apps you could be using to increase your productivity or enhance learning in the
classroom? Please join us for a faculty-led conversation about how apps work in
our everyday lives! Come prepared to tell us about your favorite app!
Please join us Friday, March 21, 2014:
Please join us Friday, March 21, 2014:
§ Brainy Breakfast:
7:00a-8:00a: Launer 8 Conference Room
§ Lunch & Learn:
12:00p-1:00p: Launer 8 Conference Room
Meals will be provided. Please RSVP at http://training.ccis.edu to ensure
appropriate meal planning!
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Documentary Screening: Terms and Conditions May Apply
Friday, February 14, 2014
11:30a-1:00p
Atkins-Holman Student Commons
Admit it: you don't really read the endless terms and conditions connected to every website you visit, phone call you make, or app you download. But every day, billion-dollar corporations are learning more about your interests, your friends and family, your finances, and your secrets, and they're not only selling the information to the highest bidder, but also sharing it with the government. And you agreed to all of it. This disquieting expose demonstrates how every one of us is incrementally opting-in to a real time surveillance state, click-by-click--and what, if anything, you can do about it.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
SynergyNet: integrating multi-touch software in classrooms for collaborative learning
The Durham University SynergyNet project will investigate a technology-driven interactive classroom for schools that is intended to improve the way students can collaborate in group activities. It is a £1.5 million research project funded for four years by the EPSRC/ESRC funding councils through the Teaching and Learning Research Programme’s Technology Enhanced Learning programme . The work is a collaboration between three of Durham University’s Departments: Computer Science, Education and Psychology. Part of this research will involve the development of software to operate the new multi-touch technology. All software that is developed as part of this project will be open source and so will be free to schools.
The technology behind this new vision of the classroom is based on a technology just released on the market called multi-touch. Central to SynergyNet is a new form of desk that contains a large built-in multi-touch surface.
Multi-touch surfaces are similar to PDAs, interactive whiteboards (IWBs) or tablet PCs in that they remove the need for a mouse or keyboard by allowing the user to interact directly with a finger or stylus. However, unlike these technologies, multi-touch surfaces can detect simultaneous contacts by fingers or pens. Therefore, two or more pupils can operate the desk at the same time. So a single multi-touch desk could act as a set of individual digital work spaces and/or a single large computer workspace allowing pupils both to work on their own or to cooperate on a task. Our research has shown that increased opportunities for students’ involvement in the classroom are likely to improve attendance, attention and engagement in learning.
One of our concerns leading to the proposal to investigate the integration of multi-touch in learners’ desks is that the use of IWBs is more often associated with teacher-led classroom approaches. We believe that there are many practical reasons for this, including issues such as that:
- the height of board may need to be different for pupils and for teachers;
- older pupils are often less keen to leave their seats and move to the front of the class;
- individual pupils involvement in whole-class teaching can reduce lesson pace and reduce overall engagement.
We believe that to make a real change in pedagogy it is necessary that, whenever new software is developed, careful consideration must be made about its operational use within the classroom. All our work will therefore be carefully driven by feedback from the those involved, so both teachers and pupils will be important participants within this research.
Our vision for the classroom is that all students will have direct access to this technology at all times. Multi-touch hardware will become the technology that is embedded within learners’ desks. This means that all classroom-based activities can be supported, as needed, by technology and students can move easily between class and group activities and individual tasks. It will also bring increased opportunity for competitive activities between groups i.e. between desks, where electronic feedback could be presented on each desk to mark the progress of the student groups.
For the teacher also this technology will offer a new way of working. We envisage that in time interactive whiteboards will also offer this technology. So a teacher will be able to demonstrate how to use a desk from their presentation board. One additional feature that will be available to teachers would be the ability to monitor what is going on at each desk from a ‘teacher console’ by displaying small representations of each desk (rather like photographic images). This will enable a teacher the opportunity to monitor, at a glance, the progress of each group. A further opportunity provided by SynergyNet’s digital workspaces is for teachers to replay group actions and, thereby enabling teachers to review their teaching and adopt reflective practices or be involved in collaborative coaching.
However, the integration of multi-touch within a classroom involves a change from single (i.e. one mouse or keyboard) to simultaneous input and so it necessitates a complete redesign of the user interface of this new form of computer and this work is still very much in its infancy. The funds for this research are to develop software and a small number of applications to demonstrate and evaluate the true potential of this hardware within the classroom. The project will involve working with teachers and children of all ages to evaluate both the usability and the robustness of the developed solution within the classroom.
Progress so far has concentrated on the development an infrastructure to run the multi-touch applications and of a set of software building blocks to enable the learning content to be easily and quickly developed. A small range teaching materials are now available and these are now being run on the new multi-touch desks to investigate the impact of the technology on children’s learning.
Further Information
For further information about the educational dimensions of the project please see the SynergyNet website. More information about the project can also be found on the leaflet prepared by the Technology Enhanced Learning Research Group.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
The iPad as the Teacher's Pet
To view a larger version of the infographic, visit: http://visual.ly/ipad-teachers-pet.
Monday, September 9, 2013
How Google Glass might be used in Education
The future is now. With Google Glass, teachers and students alike can display information in a smartphone-like hands-free format, while interacting with the Internet via natural language voice commands. With limitless possibilities at its virtual fingertips, the education community can build closer working relationships with students, and allow children to get more involved with their learning experience. Here we take a look at how Google Glass might be used in education.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Google Glass Official Promo Video
Google Glass is a wearable computer with an head mounted display that is being developed by Google. It displays information in a smartphone-like hands free format, and can interact with the Internet via natural language voice commands. Check out the video below for a preview of how Google Glass works.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
4 Ways to Recycle Your Old Gadgets
We all have unused and unwanted gadgets — cellphones from the days of yore, laptops long since rendered obsolete — and they usually end up just sitting at the bottom of a closet or in a seldom-opened drawer. - Apple Recycling Program: You can send your old Apple products back to the company for proper recycling. If they have any monetary value, Apple will apply it toward a gift card.
- Best Buy Recycle: Best Buy will recycle just about any tech product, ranging from TVs and computer monitors to DVD players and video cables.
- Canon Recycling Program: You can send Canon your old cameras, lenses, printers and other devices by selecting your specific product, and then you'll receive the special recycling label via email.
- Dell Mail-Back Recycling Program: Dell's mail-back program partners with FedEx so you can responsibly recycle your unwanted computer equipment.
- Dyson Recycle - WEEE: If you live in the U.K., Dyson will recycle your old vacuum cleaner for free when you buy a new one online. The company will pick up your old vacuum cleaner free of charge and recycle it.
- Lenovo Product Recycling Program: Lenovo offers free recycling of Lenovo, Medion and select IBM PCs, Iomega and LenovoEMC storage devices, and Medion TVs.
- LG Recycling Program: The website for LG's Recycling Program helps you find nearby drop-off sites and more information on how the company recycles your old tech.
- Motorola Recycling: Motorola's take-back programs accept any mobile device or accessory, and some devices are refurbished for reuse in developing countries.
- Nintendo Product Recycling: Because game systems aren't recycled very often, Nintendo tries to minimize waste with a free take-back program, and either refurbishes systems or recycles parts for new products.
- HP Global Citizenship: HP allows you to trade in any product from any brand, recycle ink supplies and more.
- Samsung Recycling Direct: As of May 2013, Samsung has collected 276,458,977 pounds of recycled products from its various locations, which you can search through on the website.
- Sony EcoTrade: Sony accepts both Sony and non-Sony products (as long as they're eligible) and lets you trade them in for credit toward your next Sony purchases.
2. Donate to Non-Profits and Refurbishing Programs
While it's great to recycle parts, your old and unwanted gadgets can be incredibly useful to someone else. These non-profits and programs work to refurbish and deliver cellphones and other electronics to those in need.
- Call2Recycle: Call2Recycle is a free program for collecting and recycling rechargeable batteries and cellphones in North America.
- Cell Phones for Soldiers: Non-profit Cell Phones for Soldiers provides U.S. troops with a cost-free way to call home from their active stations. Your donated cellphone will be traded in for calling cards and other communications devices.
- CTIA "Go Wireless, Go Green": CTIA's "Go Wireless, Go Green" website gives useful information to consumers about how they can be more environmentally responsible with your gadgets, old and new.
- National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: You can donate your unwanted cellphones to the NCADV, which partners with Cellular Recycler for the collection of used electronics and uses proceeds from refurbished gadgets to help stop domestic violence.
- PCD Donate Option: Similar to the NCADV, Personal Communication Devices' DONATE A PHONE CALL TO PROTECT campaign collects wireless phones to benefit victims of domestic violence. Refurbished cellphones are given to violence victims to use during emergencies.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Resources: The EPA's website is a great resource for anyone looking to recycle his or her gadgets, citing reasons to recycle, what to do before you donate and where to drop off your electronics.
- Verizon HopeLine: Verizon's HopeLine is a program that connects survivors of domestic violence to resources while helping the environment.
There are some programs that offer you money or replacements for your unwanted gadgets, making sure you don't waste any money (and, in some case, make a nice profit).
- Gazelle: Gazelle is a marketplace that pays you for the devices you no longer need, and also helps find new homes for them, ensuring little-to-no waste.
- Glyde: You can buy and sell a variety of devices on Glyde, and also compares the different amounts you can get from other sites.
- Amazon Trade-In Program: The Amazon Trade-In Program gives Amazon.com gift cards in exchange for eligible electronics (as well as DVDs, books and other items).
Image: Flickr, Atomic Indy
You can always give some new life to your gadgets by reusing them in different ways — lamp bases, picture frames, second screens and more. For some inspiration, check out our previous tips and tricks for repurposing tech:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)