Monday, April 08, 2002

Speaking of NetGens, Classrooms Need Upgrades, Too "Schools have made progress integrating computers and PDAs into the classroom, yet one design firm believes that more drastic changes are needed, so they created a prototype of what a future classroom may look like.... The three-part technology system consists of an interactive PDA called the GooBall, a backpack and a removable flexible LCD screen for each student. Students can sit, stand or lie down when using the devices, and are not confined to desks.... The GooBall is an interactive communication device containing six layers of learning software. The device monitors a student's heart rate and body temperature with a bioread function and uses GPS to track where they are. It includes instant messaging and a compass, watch, and topic-specific alert system that directs a student to relevant articles and books about whatever they are studying. Students can choose an animal icon to represent their personality. The backpack houses the main power supply for the system and holds any personal items. The pocket keeps items locked tight with a fingerprint security zipper. The portable flexible screen functions like a laptop, providing wireless Internet access and streaming video. It has a touch-screen interface.... 'I can't see where people are willing to put more money into advanced ideas when there are some really basic things that people aren't willing to pay for,' said Rozanna Bejin, a seventh-grade English teacher at DeLong Middle School in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. 'There's just no money for schools. We have to have referendums for people to make the payrolls and fix the roofs on the buildings.' " [Wired News] [The Shifted Librarian] 9:59:47 AM    comment []

First Wave of Homeschoolers Comes of Age. "Legal in all 50 states since the 1980s, homeschooling has often been criticized as a paranoid practice of right-wing religious fanatics that stunts children's emotional growth. But as that first generation of homeschoolers settles into young adulthood, the criticism is proving unfounded. If anything, some experts say, the homeschoolers are proving to be better prepared for adulthood than their traditionally schooled peers.... Many homeschooled teens supplement their education with community college classes, taking over the direction of their education much earlier than other kids their age. Whether that is good or bad remains a subject of debate." [FoxNews, via LIS News] This should be a group of kids that appreciates and values the library (not that others don't). We need to keep reaching out to them and supporting them as adults. [The Shifted Librarian] 7:17:33 AM    comment []