Category: Classroom Tools

OLPC on USB

One Laptop Per Child or OLPC initiative aims to provide low-cost laptops to the educational market.  These computers feature a special, education-focused operating system designed to work with a School Server that can provide content distribution, homework collection, backup services, Moodle integration, and filtered access to the Internet.  The main advantage of this operating system […]

ETEC 533 Final Reflection and Analysis

Below you will find my final reflection post for ETEC 533.  To see the article full screen please click here. Introduction When I started this ETEC 533 class I had a strong feeling that the activities and readings would help me to discover new interactions between learning and technology and further develop my understanding of […]

BC Principal Blocks Cell Phone Reception

A principal in BC became fed up with cell phones in his high school and decided to take matters into his own hands by buying a cell phone jamming device for $115 (with school funds) and installing in the school. According to The Province his actions were rooted in reducing classroom management issues surrounding cell […]

Virtual Reality and Haptics: Lessons for the Classroom

In my ETEC 533 class we are discussing how embodied learning can be achieved by portable, hand-held and virtual reality (VR) technologies.  As part of this module we were asked to research one or more of these topics and reflect on our findings.  I chose to discuss and reflect upon the areas of virtual reality […]

Dell School-Oritented Touchscreen Notebooks

It appears Dell will be releasing some school-oriented possibly touchscreen notebooks.  With names like School Bus Orange, Blue Ribbon, Red Apple and Chalkboard Black and a small desk-friendly footprint (roughly 10″x8″) and size (under 3 lbs) I think it is pretty obvious these will be marketed towards the education sector.  Hopefully this means they will […]

The Future of Online Learning Communities

According to Bielaczyc and Collins (1999): “The defining quality of a learning community is that there is a culture of learning in which everyone is involved in a collective effort of understanding. There are four characteristics that such a culture must have: (1) diversity of expertise among its members who are valued for their contributions […]

“Information Visualization”

I am grateful to be teaching in the technology-infused, connected world we live in today. As an educator the internet offers a vast array of resources that can be easily implemented in your average secondary classroom to meet information, communication and technology (ICT) outcomes and course outcomes or simply making a difficult concept easier for […]

Aviary – Free online graphics editing

A common problem for teachers and professionals on the go is having the software you need when you need it. As the Internet gets speedier and programmers get more creative we are beginning to see software move into the “cloud” of computers and servers. Cloudware is one of many terms used to describe software that […]

Jasper Series Impressions

Teachers often labour to anchor learning in a realistic and applicable context and with firsthand experience I must say it is no easy task. In an effort to develop material to cater to the instructional needs of teachers and learning needs of students the Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (CTGV) developed the Jasper Woodbury […]