Wednesday, June 27, 2007
PUTTING THE E IN EDUCATION
The U.S. Department of Education wants to know what you think about technology in the classroom. The department is seeking input from people on their Web site, as to what role they think tech should have in our schools.
Already, Southwest Missouri classrooms are pretty wired. We all know about all the SMART Boards in classrooms. One of the stipulations of the $57.3 million bond for new JopMo middle schools is to rewire North Middle School in order to accommodate the interactive whiteboards, computers and projection units for many classrooms. The R-8 district also has a pretty impressive program for getting more technology in schools.
Carl Junction is ahead of the game: Their board members work with laptops and e-documents instead of traditional board booklets (which also means easier public inspection of board business... g'head, see for yourself). Webb City's superintendent is reluctant to go to such a technical solution, but other districts are interested.
However, Joplin is expected to take a deeper look into its policies regarding electronic devices brought in by students. Board members will likely delve into the topic during their next meeting.
~ Here's a special bulletpoint for my grammarphile readers: Just like there's no such common nouns as a Kleenex, Frisbee or Xerox, SMART Boards are proper names for interactive whiteboards. Occasionally in journalism magazines such as AJR, companies will take out ads featuring the proper use of their names. Smart Technologies may want to consider that.
Already, Southwest Missouri classrooms are pretty wired. We all know about all the SMART Boards in classrooms. One of the stipulations of the $57.3 million bond for new JopMo middle schools is to rewire North Middle School in order to accommodate the interactive whiteboards, computers and projection units for many classrooms. The R-8 district also has a pretty impressive program for getting more technology in schools.
Carl Junction is ahead of the game: Their board members work with laptops and e-documents instead of traditional board booklets (which also means easier public inspection of board business... g'head, see for yourself). Webb City's superintendent is reluctant to go to such a technical solution, but other districts are interested.
However, Joplin is expected to take a deeper look into its policies regarding electronic devices brought in by students. Board members will likely delve into the topic during their next meeting.
~ Here's a special bulletpoint for my grammarphile readers: Just like there's no such common nouns as a Kleenex, Frisbee or Xerox, SMART Boards are proper names for interactive whiteboards. Occasionally in journalism magazines such as AJR, companies will take out ads featuring the proper use of their names. Smart Technologies may want to consider that.
Labels: EDUCATION, INTERNET, TECHNOLOGY
Saturday, April 14, 2007
LOUIS SKOLNICK WAS RIGHT
Remember that scene from Revenge of the Nerds, where Louis Skolnick scores with Betty Childs in the funhouse? Remember how she was fooled, because Skolnick was wearing a mask, but then realized that nerds make better lovers? Remember how Skolnick said it was all because nerds think about sex all the time? Ever thought that was a load of Windows 2000?
Regina Lynn proves you wrong. Eat it, jocks.
Even Justin Timberlake thinks so:
Labels: GEEKS, SEX, TECHNOLOGY
Monday, January 29, 2007
VISTA RELEASED WORLDWIDE TO MILD INTEREST
Um, yeah. Yawn. So Vista, the new Windows OS, is supposed to be as graphically beautiful as Mac's OS X. It retails for $100-$400. And it's going to cause everybody to upgrade to DirectX10, buy new motherboards and be ticked off that they STILL can't run World of Warcraft while copying and burning DVDs of Ghost Rider with Nicholas Cage.
I can't say I'm going to rush out and buy it. I'm hardly excited. Heck, if I were a software pirate, I wouldn't be excited about stealing it. Seriously: Look at the demo. Their introduction piece does nothing but advertise the different software packages. It doesn't explain how Vista is easier, more efficient or worth the upgrade at all. Those of you who use Macs know the truth: Mac's OS improved things like MOVING FILES from one folder to another. It's just a better system. Vista is finally catching up to where OS X is. Not like Apple is doing anything to advance its OS. Too busy with iPods, I guess.
The most bizarre thing about the release was Bill Gates appearing on The Daily Show. Jon Stewart tried his best to joke with the guy and talk to him, but it didn't work. Gates ended up leaving the set before the cameras faded.
Of course, with Windows releasing Vista, that means Mac will have to compete. That means watching more of these tools.
Labels: COMPUTERS, TECHNOLOGY, TRENDS
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