Maybe Columbus was wrong?

After listening to Thom Friedman, I think that Columbus' voyage would be much easier today, because the world really is flat!
Of course, I do not mean that literally. But as easy as it is to get from one place to another, contact people, and get information, one might think it was flat.With all of the technology available to us today, it is as if we were right next door to people that are actually around the world. This not only connects us to people we may never have thought of, it levels("flattens") the playing field in business as well.
Companies in Europe can now compete with North American companies as if they were located here. This not only expands the market for the company, it betters the product/service available to the consumer! It has only been in the last 20 years that there was a true world wide market for almost anything. If you have an internet connection and a credit card, you can get anything, anywhere, anytime, from anybody!
I think this also allows us to make stronger emotional connections as well. When the tsunami struck, it was as if we were there. We had almost instant footage, before/after satellite photos, and thousands of images of the destruction. This amazing technology is also what allowed us to help more quickly than ever before. We could donate online and our monies were working to help the very next day. The same was true for our neighbors when they saw the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.
Just as with any advancement, there are disadvantages. This technology also allows the dishonest quicker and easier ways to take advantage of others. But, it also gives law enforcement quicker and easier ways to catch the criminals.
As the world flattens itself out, I hope that the honest people in the world will prevail in the number of new ways to put these amazing technological advances to work for us.

I've been skyped!

Skype has to be the coolest thing that has ever been evented! During our class on Thursday night(3/22), we were all able to talk to Mike in Chicago and Tony in Nebraksa at the same time. And we were in Lexington, SC! Even better than that, it was free! It almost felt like we were cheating the phone company:)
This is a neat way to have a conference. The only cost involved is the purchase of a quality microphone. I imagine that this would not be more than a month's long distance phone bill. It would certainly be worth it. I know that many people use cell phones instead of land lines for long distance now, but this is another great alternative.
There are, of course, some disadvantages, but not any more than any other technoogy. You have to schedule a teleconference, and we had to schedule this. The person receiving the call on skype may or may not be close to their computer if they do not anticipate your call. I do not know if skype has voice mail available or not. That would certainly make it even more convenient.
This wonderful technology allowed us to pick the brain of two of the most knowledgeable people on technology in education. We got to ask all of our questions about how to put what we are learning in to practice in our classroom. Not only was it neat to do, it was also helpful. It is always nice to be reminded that those we consider "experts" are just people just like us.

Downloading software

Tonight, we had the chance to seek and find free software for the handheld. It was a unique experience. I was very surprised at how much is even available. There are programs that are compatible with just about every curriculum, from math to music! In my opinion, this is just one more reason to utilize handhelds. The software is easily downloaded (in most cases) and it is often free. There is no ordering, no PO form, no receipts, no waiting for it to arrrive! You can get so many support materials for your class so easily.

This is also great for parents. I can load these "games" on to my handheld and then my children can play them in the car, the grocery store, and/or the dr. office. They think that they are playing a game, and they are learning something at the same time.

The one down side is that often you cannot preview the entire software before you download it. This means that one must be selective about the sites from which they download. One must take all precautions in order to protect their computer and/or handheld from any viruses or other damaging programs.

I was able to download a number of additions for the program Dropairs. I had already worked with the one that reviews multiplication facts. I was able to add ones that review state capitals, state flags, and telling time. I like the program set up, but it is easy to just guess quickly until you get hte right answer and not really learn anything. I wish there was a way to modify the prgram and prevent that from happening.

I could use a little Calm Technology! (project)

Mobile technology was such a foreign topic for me before this class. We won't even begin to talk about ubiquitous computing! Now, it seems that it is all so obvious. This is not only the future of our society, but certainly the future of education. If we want our students to perform "on the same level" as the rest of the world, then we must make them as aware and as comfortable with the technology.

The late Mark Wieser, know as the father of ubiquitous computing, also uses the term "calm technology". (www.ubiq.com/weiser/) I like this because it implies that there is no stress involved, and that the actions are natural. This 'third paradigm' is the idea that the technology is so much a port of our lives and routines, that we barely give it any notice. Computing and technology become as natural to us as a microwave or a cell phone. This is the way technology must become if our students and our teachers are to succeed with it.

One of the biggest problems with technology is the inequitable availability to our students. We, as educators and school leaders, must level this playing field. The Concord Consortium is working to reach just that goal. Andy Zucker of the Consortium states that "Provding computers to all students also equalizes access to these tools for families of different economic backgrounds."www.concord.org/publications. Many states have already put programs in place to try to achieve a one-to-one ratio with students and technology. Many of these programs have reported an increase in student engagement, independence and performance. Technology also offers an amazing number of opportunites to special education students that simpy were not there before.

There is an entire research group at the University of Maryland, Baltimore http://ebiquity.umbc.edu/ dedicated to devleoping just the kinds of technolgy that is needed to make our classrooms ubiquitous. One of their recent projects is something called the mNote - "a wireless mobile multimedia appliance, a next generation educational tool-kit, combining the traditional chalk-and-board teaching method with the latest wireless ad hoc network technology and multimedia processing capabilities. " This device allows the instructor/student to integrate lecture notes, slide presentations, student comments and instructor's handwritten notes as well as other processes. This technology also uses an idea called context-aware computing, in other words, it recognizes its context, or surroundings and adapts appropriately. Wow!

One way that many states are working to achieve one-to-one computing is through handheld computers. They are less expensive, take up less space, and there is an abundance of available software. One of the best things is that they are portable. They can be used outside of the classroom, and even taken home for independent work. Tony Vincent of www.learninginhand.com says that "Classrooms all over the world are using handhelds for teaching and learning because of their low cost, portability, ease-of-use, and great software." A Chicago-based company, TanCher, is working on designing a new handhelds just for students. ( http://www.technewsworld.com/story/40471.html ) It will have a "built in peer-to-peer network that will not require the Internet for users to stay connected." However, it will also be fully Internet capable as well. This kind of investment only goes to prove that mobile technology strictly for education is here and actully, moving forward. If we do not want to be left behind, we better get on board!





Other sources on the Future of Mobile Technology:

• A wikipedia on Ubiquitous computing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubiquitous_computing

• Apple's solutions for K-12 technology

http://www.apple.com/education/k12/onetoone/

• A list of classroom resources from a school district in Michigan

http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bcisd/classres/mobile.htm

• A resource about context-aware computing

http://www.redwoodhouse.com/wearable/

• A resource page about Wearable computing, even handier than the pocket PC

http://www.praecogito.com/~brudy/wearable.html

Nano technology

WOW! Nanotechnology is so sci-fi, and yet, so real at the same time. It is exciting to think of the possibilities, yet frightening. It makes me think of the movie "Inner Space" where Dennis Quiad is put into this submersible-type machine and shrunk down and injected into the body of Martin Short. He, of course, is able to see and fix problems that would otherwise go un-fixed. It is exciting to think that we can manipulate things at such a small level because so often, that is where the problems actually begin. The idea that we can manipulate things that we cannot even see is hard to comprehend. But, isn't that what we do every time we use a computer/handheld?

Nanotechnolgy is certainly the cutting edge. Just like so many other applications, it begins with a very specific use, and is then adapted to every day life. Can you imagine being able to change the color of your walls with the seasons? It certainly was not developed with that in mind, but it is headed that way.