I have class tonight and so won’t be able to post very much until tomorrow night, but I did want to throw two related thoughts at you guys and hopefully generate some discussion.
First, I learned that my old high school is getting ready to implement “Smart Board” technologies in some of its classrooms. Smart Boards combine a whiteboard, a computer, a projector, and some sort of touch/motion sensor to know when your hand or marker makes contact with its surface. The result:
The Smart Boards also allow you to save notes taken on the whiteboard.
Second, Ars Technica has a write-up on Abilene Christian University’s plan to give out iPhones to incoming freshmen this fall, ostensibly for academic use. Some say it’s a gimmick, others see great potential.
With those two blurbs in mind, what do you think of technology in the classroom? We’ve recently discussed blogging as a learning method. Where do you draw the line between a cool gadget and a real tool for teaching and enrichment? Could this money be better spent in other ways? Speak your mind in the comments!
P.S. — Bonus points to whoever can figure out where that guy is browsing in Google Earth. I don’t have the answer… but if you recognize the buildings on the board then speak up because I, for one, am curious!
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Jarred and I really don’t intend to focus this blog on career changes any more than the environmental, technological, political and social changes that share this space. But if you’ve been reading lately, you can tell that career and life decisions weigh heavily on the minds of your trusted bloggers as we contemplate the close of our first year in the wild blue yonder.
The Argument
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