Archive for: Education
I honestly don’t know who’s crazier, the school for implementing a policy like this or parents who just accepted it. Basically, Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania installed a program on all of its laptops which could be used to spy on students.
The program is used to track and trace stolen laptops but could potentially be used to spy on students at home. Basically, if the principal decided to turn on the tracking for a specific laptop (only supposed to be done if the laptop is stolen) then the web cam begins taking pictures and screenshots are also taken. These are then sent back to the principal. What I’m wondering is how this is any different than hacking into someone’s computer, remotely turning on their web cam and spying on them?
The school policies are even more frightening:
- possession of a monitored MacBook was required for classes, and possession of an unmonitored personal computer was forbidden and would be confiscated.
- disabling the camera is impossible
The case is now on its way to court and I hope for the safety of the children, and just their own peace of mind that they can’t be tracked and spied on, this stupid program is abolished.
We’re entering an age where robots are beginning to think and act for themselves. Many have even become celebrities such as ASIMO. Programming is no longer necessary for them to do every little task. They can learn. And now, apparently, they can teach.
The South Korean government has announced its plans for robots to being teaching in pre-school classed by 2012. They won’t be the sole teacher just yet. However, the robots will be responsible for things such as reciting stories and even acting as a portal into the class room so parents can check up on their kids.
This will start off as a trial and if it proves successful they will expand the program and bump it up to Kindergarten level also.
I think it will be many years until it advances further though. At the moment, robots can only act a a supplement or a teacher for the most basic and least interactive of tasks and need human guidance. Crucial tasks such as helping kids with their problems and teaching new material to children can only be done by trained professionals.
Ever watched a movie clip around two years prior then needed it for a project or something? Me too.
Things like documentaries, famous speeches and old fashioned shows are hard to find on sites like YouTube and Vreel – especially when all you have to go on is a quote or extract.
ReelSurfer however aims to change all that. They take a huge volume of content from the Internet and break each video up into thirty second segments. Then, they index all spoken words on the video as though they were text. Thus, when you search for your quote the thirty second segment pops up. You may be asking, why do they bother splitting up the video at all? Well this is purely so you’ll hear your keywords right away. Imagine watching an entire movie whilst praying it’s the right one!
This is similar to AnyClip, however there is one core difference. ReelSurfer will allow you to create your own account for your company or college thus allowing you to upload meeting, lectures etc… This would come in very handy for students looking for information on a chosen topic while revising or an employee quickly catching up on the conference call he missed.
Space, the universe and that lies beyond interest us all to some degree or another. Given the opportunity, I think we’d all be on the next shuttle to the International Space Station because it’s new and it interests us as human beings.
Kids are especially enthralled by the wonders of space. I suppose we all go through that ‘I wanna be an astronaut’ phase. Well Slooh is a great product that lets you take control of high powered telescopes around Europe to have a look into space.
Basically, it works on the same principal as controlling public access CCTV cameras. You can move them around and zoom in and out.
It costs just $19.95 and it’s available here. You also get a book that you can record your finding in and that has activities for the kids. Slooh will definitely have the whole family gathered around the PC saying “left! Left! …no, back a bit!”
Remember the days of sitting in a classroom or auditorium listening to long drawn out lectures on topics that you just did not care for. College requirements dictated that you sit in this class and pass before you “pass GO and collect $200.”
Now with Lectr, you have the ability to find the topics you like, and listen some some of the world’s best recorded lectures on any topic. These degreed professionals were recorded and now the community benefits by having their lectures shared with the entire online community.
Topics range from Physics, Chemistry, Math, Biology, and Criminal Justice. These recordings come from some of the most prestigious colleges and universites from around the globe, all at your fingertips.
Give it a try, get your education on, and learn something!
Korean backed company, Brightstorm, is making headlines by going live for the public. With $6 million invested, Brightstorm looks to offer students of all ages an opportunity to receive online tutoring through a series of web videos based on the subject. There are currently 20 instructors on the site offering assistance with a variety of courses including History, Government, Math, and SAT prep. I’m sure the site will expand its offerings and possibly increase the number of instructors as the site grows.
Now there is a price involved. For $50 a course, the videos are made available for you to watch, ranging from 10-20 min. in length depending on the subject matter. Students and parents are able to watch samples in order to decide whether they enjoy the instructor or not, and obviously to decide whether the quality and value is worth the money. The video courses will also offer pop-quizzes, interactive challenges, and other dynamics to keep the student aware and involved as much as possible.
I commend the efforts of Brightstorm, and while they may not be the only fish in the sea in terms of online tutoring sites, they appear to be the best organized. Can a student learn better from an online video tutor as opposed to an in person tutor? That will remain to be seen.
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