Another reason for 1to1 computing

A wonderful clip made for television of Seymour Papert's early work on using computers to spark childrens' imaginations. Seymour Papert was the man behind the LOGO programming language.

Technologies used as cognitive tool is key in CSCL and 1to1.

Welcome to ACU on iTunes U, their video somewhere talks about how they implement as freshman kit

reckon they priced the ipods and iphone into the freshman welcome kit as a means of accessing course work and network in campus.

Jimmy was asking about how to implement 121.

My thoughts:
get the students to buy them or give it to them? there is a national initiative to close the digital divide in Singapore right? :) http://www.ida.gov.sg/News%20and%20Events/20071121164659.aspx?getPagetype=20



http://www.acu.edu/itunes/index.html

Take a look inside ACU on iTunes U, and learn with us - anytime, anywhere. Things you can do on iTunes U Download lectures and interviews. Subscribe to podcasts, music, news. Explore ACU academics. Experience student life. Play it on your iPod, PC or Mac, or take it with you. First time here? You'll need iTunes and Quicktime. Free download

iPod Touch - an educational gadget for 1:1

Chris Webb has a website on the educational possibilities of iPod Touch. Take a look at
http://projects.minot.k12.nd.us/groups/chris/weblog/5ce29/Why_an_iPod_Touch_in_education_.html

Learners creating AirTags with iPhone for fieldtrip

Wow! So many things you can do with iPhone. This video shows how learners can create air tags of what they see in field trips, even with voice annotation, and share them immediately with friends. Possible activity with iPhone in 121 computing.

Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students

Download the paper

As a way of helping states and districts interested in laptop initiatives, NEIRTEC has reviewed published lessons learned from many laptop initiatives around the country and has prepared this paper, Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students. A Web discussion board has been set up to help promote discussion about these or other lessons learned.

A vision of K12 students today

Here's a video from the past, mine anyway, but it has reminded me that we should meet the needs of our students. It remains current today. I've always enjoyed it.

The Intel Classmate PC

Some of our schools are using the Intel Classmate PC. Here's a link to see the hardware online: http://www.classmatepc.com/resource-center/gen2-multimedia-manual/

How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century

More background reading. This one is a Time magazine cover article: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1568480,00.html

1-Vision

Here's another case of a district-wide(?) implementation of 1:1 for our consideration: http://www.ci.bryanisd.org/1Vision/Welcome.html. I'd recommend watching the video.

Moving Windmills: Lesson on pedagogy in 121 Computing environment

I like to share this inspiring videoclip about a school dropout named William (not out of choice but force by circumstances) in managing his own learning that serves to benefit the community around him, and possible for the whole world to take lesson from his endeavour.

I was motivated to share this because of a discussion I had about pedagogy in 121 computing. Wikipedia has an interesting argument against pedagogy. It sees learning as "a process people do, not a process that is done to people; they affirm this is true of everyone and is a fundamental principle". William demonstrates this point in the video. So the criticism against pedagogy is: Why are we force-feed a process to get people to learn when learning is a natural, self-engender process emerging from people need to fill in gap for knowledge?

With regard to Knowledge Forum and knowledge building pedagogy, I wonder which one came first and lead the other? Did Marlene and Paul come up with the pedagogy first before working on the Knowledge Forum platform? Or did their work on the platform first and then "discover" the pedagogy? Which is driving which?

Working on finding out what pedagogy lend itself well in 121 computing environment is a great idea. Still, we have to aware that sometime new pedagogy may emerge from learning in 121 computing environment that we may not anticipate at all. For that to happen, it is always good to allow for natural, self-engender and spotaneous learning to happen in 121 computing environment, very much like how people learn informally. Try to understand how it works and then work out features in the 121 computing learning environment to further enhance it.

In this way we do not enforce on learner a process on how they should learn but let them express how they want to learn in 121 computing learning environment and work on enhancing their own pedagogies. We may end-up having a learning environment supporting multiples pedagogies, all come out from and customised by learners for their own learning.

Do you see this possible?

Hmm kinda answers out question of provision of broadband for low-income families...

From Straits Times 16 June 2009

The income cap for low-income families to receive subsidised computers under the Enhanced Neu PC Plus scheme is raised from $2,000 to $2,500. The Government also introduced a new Broadband-Only Scheme, where households with school-going children under the Financial Assistance Scheme can get broadband services for $1.50 a month for three years. This is expected to help close the digital divide between the richer and poorer stratas.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_390976.html

Play (and learning hopefully) in the 21st Century

We are all aware that while technological advances impact many aspects of our life, they stop short from entering through the door of education. Well, I hope this 121 computing team can change all that. *smile You think I'm being too optimistic, huh? Well, who wouldn't if you look at the newest Project Natal for XBOX 360. Can the 21st Century learning be about play? Project Natal envisions how people play in the 21st Century.

Let's order one for our team and test drive it. What say you? : )

Students seeking teacher: Lesson on epistemology and ontology

These kids are so excited with the way their teacher brings ICT into learning that when she had to go for maternity leave, they decide to put a little video advertisement to prospective teacher who are keen to teach them. Their offer?

" you must be qualified but you don't have to be able to do all the computer things yourself. You just have to let us do it because we can do it for you!"

Easy job? You bet. Go to this link to read more of their ads.

It makes me wonder why kids in this country never put up an ads like this. I guess the way the teacher integrates ICT into learning empowers the kids into charting their own learning path, rather that one decided at the onset the teacher. It is a learning experience that change the kids epistemology and ontology beliefs.

In this regard, I remember reading an article about Vygotsky's idea of Spontaneous and Schooled concepts. I guess when it comes to implementing 121 computing in schools, we have to look into striking a delicate balance between spontaneous and "schooled" learning (well, I am all for spontaneous learning but see merit in incorporating some extent of "schooled" learning) in a way that moves learners' epistemological and ontological beliefs in line with what is demanded from the 21st century workforce.

We are twidles, so let's get them kindles

We are now called Twidle (well, not yet officially). So it makes perfect sense to get the Kindle. Twidle Kindle. :D

Kindle is an electronic book from Amazon who foresees it as a "new way for people to read textbooks, newspapers and documents"and "a step in the direction of a long-dreamed-of “paperless society.” It costs US$489 now (but I am sure it will be more affordable in due time). At the moment, it is still a pilot project and Amazon reports that University of Virginia will begin testing the device with students later this year.

I can't see now what new pedagogy this new gadget will afford. At face value it serves only to access content subscribed from print distributors and newpapers. For collaboration 24/7, you still need another computing device like a notebook if you are going for Kindle. Well I could be wrong. The project is still at its early stage. There could be more features that requires test bedding before they are officially announced to the public.

Let's see what comes out about Kindle in the next few months.

Angus King on 1 child to 1 computer policy

i happened to know about this guy Angus King- ex-governor of Maine, USA.

What he did:
Maine, a town he has implemented in the whole state the 1:1 project where all kids own laptop to support learning
Convince educational thought leaders, your board, your parent community and other constituents that the time and money invested in a laptop program are worthwhile.
How he successfully lead change on a grand scale.
Share on his rich experience in business, education and politics.

Angus King shared about his experience working on 1to1 computing with Apple.
When others plan to do 1to1, here he is been there, done it, sharing his secrets!

There are some good points made which i shared in the video by subtitles.

1. Uncertain future involves more Education and Technology

2. Everybody is doing the same thing, Lower Taxes, Streamline Regulations, Exports, Research and Development, where is the competitive edge ?

3. Incremental change is the norm, fundamental change is where competitive edge is more likely to come from.
http://66.7.205.91/~lookangc/index.php?topic=454.0

let me know if it is any good :)

My dream which I wanted to materialise back then...

I've always thought that 1:1 computing, especially when it provides the opportunity for mobile learning, learning anywhere anytime has always held promise!

I had wanted to use netbooks or umpcs with mobile broadband and cam/video function to facilitate geog fieldwork with my students. Alas no money and had to write paper to justify haha. I sincerely felt that allowing communication between students and exploring the geog landscape by themselves, framing geog fieldwork pictures etc were great ways to facilitate SDL and CL.

Key issues would be portability of machines (light, long lasting battery) and mobile internet availability. Interestingly, software used can be free, such as through the google platform, rather than proprietary software which can be priced prohibitively.

iPhone and self-directed learning

Learn-gasm highlights 100 Best iPhone Apps for Serious Self-Learners. Here, content resides elsewhere and iPhone serves as an interface to bring the content to the learners. In choosing which apps for learning, I feel it is important also to find out what apps are more popular to learners (it may be something outside the 100) so that learning designed around iPhone allows more seamless experience and in sync with learners way of being in today's media rich landscape. Following this view also requires us to be aware of the nuances how iPhone is being used by today's youth before we design learning activity around iPhone and the apps.