Radical new economic system will emerge from collapse of capitalism | Guardian Sustainable Business At the very moment of its ultimate triumph, capitalism will experience the most exquisite of deaths. This is the belief of political adviser and author Jeremy Rifkin, who argues the current economic system has become so successful at lowering the costs of production that it has created the very conditions for the destruction of the traditional vertically integrated corporation. Rifkin, who has advised the European Commission, the European Parliament and heads of state, including German chancellor Angela Merkel, says: No one in their wildest imagination, including economists and business people, ever imagined the possibility of a technology revolution so extreme in its productivity that it could actually reduce marginal costs to near zero, making products nearly free, abundant and absolutely no longer subject to market forces. With many manufacturing companies surviving only on razor thin margins, they will buckle under competition from small operators with virtually no fixed costs.
A Very Useful Tool to Create Educational Animated Videos on Google Drive December 21, 2014 PowToon is a very powerful web app which you can use on Google Drive to create beautiful animated videos and presentations. PowToon provides you with all the necessary animation tools you’ll need to immediately begin creating your own professional-looking animated explainer videos and animated presentations. It has an easy to use interface with pre-designed templates and a variety of style libraries to choose from. The videos you create in PowToon can also be easily converted into animated presentations with each slide representing a scene in the storyline of your presentation. Watch this short video to learn more about PowToon Prizewinning Educational Games from the Nobel Foundation Marie Curie, Martin Luther King Jr, Albert Einstein, Sir Alexander Fleming, Mother Teresa; all of these amazing individuals have one thing in common – winning the Nobel Prize. The Nobel Prize is one of the most highly regarded awards given to people working in the fields of literature, medicine, physics, chemistry, peace, and economics. But the Nobel Foundation is more than just an award giving Foundation, and has branched out into creating educational content related to the hard work done by Nobel Prize winners. Not only does their website contain video clips, documentaries, literature and history related to the winners, but it has over 29 interactive educational games for students to learn about key scientific, economic, literature and peace concepts. Peace Prize Games The Nobel Foundation has four compelling Peace Prize games that touch on important political and human rights issues such as nuclear weapons, prisoners of war, conflicts and democracies. Science Games Literature Games
At Penn, students can get credit for ‘Wasting Time on the Internet’ Kenneth Goldsmith stands in front of 10 tons of printed paper from his exhibition “Printing Out the Internet” at a Mexico City art space in 2013. (Janet Jarman/For The Washington Post) Lucky creative writing students in a University of Pennsylvania seminar will be able to earn academic credit for wasting time on the Internet next spring. The class, appropriately titled “Wasting Time on the Internet,” will require its students to spend the three-hour weekly sessions dividing their attention between the world of the Internet and the classroom. The instructor, Kenneth Goldsmith, tells The Washington Post that he will strictly enforce “a state of distraction” among the students — exactly the sort of thing he and virtually every other professor on Earth spends time trying to eliminate from their classes. The purpose, Goldsmith says, is to have the students write something good at the end of the course, as a result of all that forced distraction.
Ian Livingstone applies to create 'gaming' school 9 October 2014Last updated at 10:20 ET By Dave Lee Technology reporter, BBC News Ian Livingstone is known to some as "father" of Tomb Raider Lara Croft British games industry veteran Ian Livingstone has formally applied to launch a free school with lessons built using video gaming. Mr Livingstone told the BBC he wanted to use games-based learning rather than relying on "relentless testing". "I'm passionate about children who have been born into the internet. I think they learn in a different way." The school, which could open in 2016, would be based in Hammersmith, west London. The application to the Department for Education, submitted this week, was backed by Mr Livingstone's several trustees including Barnaby Lenon, former headmaster at Harrow, and Marion Gibbs, head teacher at James Allen School for Girls in East Dulwich. Also on the board is David Cramer, who owns international rights for the Rubik's Cube. Angry Birds "We're not trying to be radical in any sense," he said. School expansion
Office of Digital Learning All Fun & Games? Understanding Learner Outcomes Through Educational Games Over the past several years, there has been tremendous interest among educators in the use of digital games as serious learning. Advocates of game-based learning for K-12 students cite the value of digital games to teach and reinforce skills that prepare students for college and career, such as collaboration, problem solving, creativity, and communication. Not as often discussed is our ability to use students' in-game actions as evidence for the assessment of skills and knowledge, including those not easily measured by traditional multiple-choice tests. The Potential of Games as Invisible Assessments Traditional assessment methods often require teachers to interrupt classroom learning and administer tests. Invisible assessments such as games provide teachers, students, and parents with immediate feedback about progress, enabling them to make timely adjustments to teaching and learning approaches. Game or Gamification? A Look Toward the Future
The 18 Best Free Web Tools Chosen By You It’s the start of a new year and that means there’s infinite possibilities that lay before you. But you can’t move forward without arming yourself with the best free web tools and apps. I was perusing some of my favorite education blogs, social networks, and other time-sucking online spots when I came back to the Edublog Awards . I’m proud that Edudemic was nominated for a bunch of awards (didn’t win but what can ya do) but more importantly I’m impressed with the amount of effort put forward by the Edublogs team. Below is the list of finalists for the best free web tools. Claco Find, build and share resources with teachers across the hall or across the world — aligned with Common Core ClassDojo Improve specific student behaviors and engagement by awarding and recording real-time feedback.
How to Plan Instruction Using the Video Game Model Imagine you are placed in the following scenarios: You are dropped off at the top of a ski resort's steepest run when you've only had experience on the beginner slopes. You have to spend your day on the bunny hill when you're an expert skier. In each of these extremes, you would feel either frustrated or bored, depending on your level of achievable challenge. Challenge is a powerful motivator when students take on tasks they find meaningful and, through their efforts and perseverance, succeed. Achievable Challenge Requires Individualization As I wrote in my previous blog, A Neurologist Makes the Case for the Video Game Model as a Learning Tool blog and the accompanying video, the most popular computer games take players through increasingly challenging levels as they became more and more skillful. The video game model is ideal for kids lacking in foundational knowledge, but it is not necessary for all kids at all times. The Role of Scaffolding Demonstrating Incremental Progress
51 Things every game student should know | Zero G: Games, Edu & WIG 100 things every game student should know (.pdf download) With another round of assessments and marking finished and all the comments from well wishers, Grammar Nazis and the much better informed, I can now unleash the promised “100 Things” version of my pdf. Some notable corrections include caveats about the whole “mobs” debacle, “vertexes” being Kosher after all, a response from Notch (NOTCH!!!) As usual, I make this .pdf open an available via Creative Commons to all who want to share it, use it, print it, make something new out of it. The original “51 Things” archive is listed below, which has spawned an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live and an article for a game career guide (more details as I get them). thanks, Kaye 51 things every game student should know (.pdf download, now updated and fixed. What this is: 51 fugly slides of things that every budding game developer (who is studying at university) should know. It’s finally here. Like this: Like Loading...
A Neurologist Makes the Case for the Video Game Model as a Learning Tool The popularity of video games is not the enemy of education, but rather a model for best teaching strategies. Games insert players at their achievable challenge level and reward player effort and practice with acknowledgement of incremental goal progress, not just final product. The fuel for this process is the pleasure experience related to the release of dopamine. Dopamine Motivation The human brain, much like that of most mammals, has hardwired physiological responses that had survival value at some point in evolutionary progression. The dopamine-reward system is fueled by the brain's recognition of making a successful prediction, choice, or behavioral response. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that, when released in higher than usual amounts, goes beyond the synapse and flows to other regions of the brain producing a powerful pleasure response. No Pain, No Gain The survival benefit of the dopamine-reward system is building skills and adaptive responses.
Google for Educators - Resources for using Google in school I am a huge proponent and user of Google tools, both for myself and in my classroom. Here are some great resources for educators who want to learn more about using Google's many tools in their classroom. Last week, Kathy Schrock posted a great interactive image of Google tools listed by Bloom's taxonomy levels. It is a great way to search for Google tools as you work to create activities for your students. Google for Educators Mind Map is an interesting site that has resources for educators for using Google tools in the classroom. It has classroom posters, links to Google tools by topic, links to help resources, and links to discussions and more about Google. Google For Educators - Google's official page for educators. Google Accessibility - Google's page with tips, links and resources for using accessibility features in Google tools. Google List of Tools - this page has a listing of the major Google tools available. Google Tutor - how-to's, tech tips, and more on Google tools