While most of the evidence has been largely anecdotal, the idea that a mentor can help guide you along a better path in life is hard to argue against. Now, a large study from North Carolina State University seems to support the claim that, yes, having a mentor at a young age can lead to better, more-fulfilling employment later on.
READ MORE: Study: Children With Mentors Find Happier, More Fulfilling Careers | Fast Company | Business + Innovation.
The new narrative in education, echoed from Silicon Valley to Washington, D.C., is: “Everyone should learn to code.” But something’s getting lost in translation between technologists and parents of students around the country. Let’s get this out of the way: Not everyone needs to learn how to code. Coding is just one part of the constantly evolving technological landscape. There’s a big difference between learning how to code and having a fundamental understanding of how technology and software operate. Of the two, the latter is way more important for most people. What students—and, really, anyone who wants to function in careers in the future—should learn is how to be digitally literate.
READ MORE: Kids Need To Learn Digital Literacy—Not How To Code | ReadWrite
Imagine being cut off from the world around you — unable to read a contract or count your pay, to read the newspaper or write an email. Imagine a community where the majority of citizens are unable to find decent work to support their families.
Literacy is the foundation of sustainable development. Individuals are empowered to participate in their community’s economic, social and political life. The community benefits from the ideas and contributions of all its members. A literate society can more ably tackle its challenges — from poverty and health, to crime and exclusion, to natural disasters.
Read the full story: How Adult Literacy Is Transforming a Village | Craig and Marc Kielburger | HuffPo
I’m often asked where to go to find high-quality and hi-resolution still images for reuse so I’ve put together this guide. There have been several new image collections that have opened up to the public just within the past year that not many people are aware of yet, but they offer access to thousands, or in some cases millions of outstanding photographs that can be downloaded for free. Here’s a quick guide to finding those collections.
READ MORE: A Guide to Little-Known Image Collections with Millions of Free, Hi-Res Images | OEDB.org.
Discovering Literature: Romantics and Victorians from British Library Learning on Vimeo.
While Discovering Literature is an important cultural resource that can be enjoyed by all ages, it has been carefully tailored to appeal to GCSE and A-level students. The British Library’s research among teachers showed that original manuscripts, with their edits and revisions, dodgy grammar and messy handwriting, can be a powerful way of engaging pupils. Contextual material can also be a source of inspiration, and the site is packed with items such as letters, diaries, dictionaries, newspapers and illustrations that illuminate the historical, social and political contexts of classic works.
READ MORE: British Library gives teachers tools to inspire | Books | The Observer.
Technological breakthroughs have flooded into classrooms, changing the face of K-12 education. From smart boards to smartphones, these digital trends have become useful educational tools in the teaching process. While todays kids are learning the same lessons and concepts, they are absorbing in different ways.
With new apps and interactive sites, science class, in particular, has received a few upgrades. We took a look at how science technology has evolved over time, and what adjustments have been made.
READ MORE: 7 Tech Upgrades to the Old-School Science Class | Mashable
The very best ways to learn Ruby, Ruby on Rails, and the art of building dynamic web applications, including free and paid tutorials, instructor-guided courses, community support, reference materials, and the tools you need to get going. Learn Ruby: 29 of The Best Online Educational Resources to Learn to Ruby and Ruby on Rails | SkilledUp.
[A] new app might be able to break through that passivity by meeting the Touchscreen generation where their fingers live. ScratchJr is a new iPad variation of the Scratch programming language, a tool created at MIT to help teach kids to code. The premise for both is the same: instead of text, Scratch uses interlocking colored blocks to mimic the logical structures and functions of a typical grown-up programming language. Scratch scripts allow their creators to direct and interact with “sprites”—cartoonish characters on the screen. By introducing kids to coding without the hurdles of arcane syntax and bug-prevention, the hope is that they’ll become engaged enough with the process that their sensibilities will shift.
READ MORE: Finally, a Way to Teach Coding to the Touchscreen Generation | WIRED.
People now buy songs, not albums. They read articles, not newspapers. So why not mix and match learning “modules” rather than lock into 12-week university courses?
READ: Are Courses Outdated? MIT Considers Offering ‘Modules’ Instead | The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The ubiquity of mobile phones is providing a new low cost tool for teaching in some of the poorest communities.
The following programs are discussed:
READ MORE: How mobile phones are democratising education | Guardian Sustainable Business | Guardian Professional.
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