Science & Environment - Ocean living: A step closer to reality? Life on the sea has been one of mankind’s enduring visions, but the technology hasn’t been up to the task... until now. Are we on the cusp of housing communities permanently on the ocean? The 1995 film Waterworld was one of Hollywood’s most infamous budget busters – a mega-million-dollar post-apocalyptic thriller that, at the time, cost more than any other film ever made. It did a pretty decent job of sinking Kevin Costner’s career for the rest of the decade. More importantly, it may also have helped do the same to the idea of mankind living on the sea. Though scientists aren’t predicting sea-level rises of the magnitude seen in Waterworld – hundreds of feet thanks to melting polar ice caps – we may have to plan for a world with much higher sea levels. Does this sound too futuristic? Supply issues It may be a necessity – not merely a novelty – to inhabit the sea in the coming decades, but to do so will require the means to create reliable and sustainable food and power souces.
Office of Educational Technology Is the Certificate the New College Degree? - Education Going to college is still one of the best ways to set yourself up for success in the workforce, but not every job in the 21st century economy requires a four-year degree. Sometimes a certificate is all you need to get on your desired career path. Indeed, according to a new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, certificates are the fastest growing form of postsecondary credential around. In 1980 only 6 percent of Americans earned a certificate, but that’s skyrocketed up to 22 percent, with more than one million of us earning a certificate every year. What’s the appeal? They're less time consuming—54 percent take under a year to earn—and are therefore less expensive than either a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. On average, certificate holders earn about $39,000. Notice we said "male." So should you go get a certificate to make yourself more employable in a tough job market? Photo via (cc) Flickr user rutlo
EduTechMag One to watch? Samsung's new wearable tech Dick Tracy, the iconic comic-strip detective, used a high-tech wristwatch to call for help chasing down gangsters. For decades, people could only fantasize about owning a similar device. But recently, technology companies have started to see a big future in so-called smartwatches and are pushing to capitalize. A handful of firms, including Sony and Pebble Technology, a Silicon Valley start-up, already sell time pieces that let people check their email, follow friends on Facebook and track the how far they jog. Samsung on Wednesday became the latest to join the nascent smartwatch field by unveiling Galaxy Gear, a time piece that Dick Tracy would hardly recognize. The question remains whether consumers share the technology industry’s enthusiasm for smartwatches. Smartwatches are designed to free users from having to constantly pull out their phones to check email, for example. “We’ll be able to live with our hands free and our heads up,” said Angela McIntyre, an analyst for Gartner.
Tech Tools by Subject and Skills Every year, so many new technology tools for teachers are launched into the market that it can be nearly impossible to keep up with them all. In order to keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest educational tech tools, our team of edtech specialists has put together this list of the best edtech resources and technology tools for teachers. Clicking on the links below will take you to hundreds of apps, websites, extensions, and more. Whether you're looking for a specific tech tool or just trying to find something new and interesting for your class, we encourage you to browse around all of the different categories to see how many wonderful resources are available for your students. Also, if you have a tool that you'd like to see added to the list, please feel free to contact us at admin@edtechteacher.org. The following technology tools for teachers have been organized by academic subjects, topics, and learning activity.
- Top 100 Sites of 2011 0 Comments November 23, 2011 By: David Kapuler Nov 23 Written by: 11/23/2011 3:54 AM ShareThis The time is finally here for my annual list of favorite sites of the year. Conduit Mobile - Without a doubt the coolest, most innovative site I came across this year. David Kapuler is an educational consultant with more than 10 years of experience working in the K-12 environment. Alert to All Users of the Disqus commenting system: Because of a recent global security issue, the Disqus website recommends that all users change their Disqus passwords.
Educational Technology Visit the links below for more information about the work of Texas Education Agency's Educational Technology unit in the Division of Instructional Materials and Educational Technology and statewide educational technology initiatives. Technology Planning and Funding Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 2014 Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology (PDF) School Technology Planning, E-Rate Modernization, and Broadband ConnectivityE-Rate in TexasOnline Technology Plan (ePlan)School Technology and Readiness (STaR) ChartStudy on School District Network Capabilities (TEC Sec. 32.005)Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Title II, Part D (outside source) Funding and GrantsState Instructional Materials Allotment (IMA) Technology Lending Program Texas Education Agency Grant Opportunities Funding Digital Learning (outside source)Using Federal Funds to Support Transition to Digital Learning (outside source)Federal Grants (outside source)
8 Ways Anyone Can Learn To Code Their Own Software There’s a lot of talk about hardware, devices, and tools for the classroom. But if we learned anything from yesterday’s WWDC Apple keynote, it’s that software is king. It’s what makes or breaks a new product or device. Those days are gone. Get Your Code On So instead of sitting back and waiting for Apple or Google to churn out the software we want, why not learn how to build it yourself? So whether you think you don’t need to learn how to code or just want to dip your toes into the pool, read on. Below are just a few of an increasingly crowded marketplace. Patience Is A Virtue Important note: coding takes time. W3Schools Skill Level: Beginner If you’re new to coding (I’m talking about ‘no idea what code is’ kinda new) then this is THE place for you. In my experience, W3Schools has some of the best-organized guides to using the popular coding languages of today. Codecademy Skill Level: Intermediate This free service is extremely useful to anyone with a moderate level of coding ability.