When was the last time a champion speller rolled up to a Bee in a Ferrari? Never. If you really want to guarantee your kids make something of themselves one day, youll want to forget board games like Scrabble and focus on building real-world skills. Not only does Robot Turtles teach a love of Herpetology the study of reptiles it also teaches them the basics of computer programming—aka coding.
Read More: A Board Game That Teaches Four-Year-Olds How To Code | Kinja
Browsing toy stores these days is often a constant reminder that they don’t make toys like they used to — because, in most cases, they make them better. It’s row after row of products you wish had been around back in your younger days. This goes double for the high-tech toys including robotics, smart devices and construction kits. Moss is a little bit of each.
The second product from Boulder, Colorado-based hardware startup Modular Robotics began life as a Kickstarter campaign late last year, when it managed to capture more than three and a half times its lofty $100,000 goal. And it’s not tough to see why. The robotics kit promises balances education and entertainment.
READ MORE Moss is a pricey Erector set for robot lovers [REVIEW] | Mashable
Lists recently posted resources related to MOOCs, big data, Gamification, The Flipped Classroom, 3D Printing, Mobile Learning and Digital Textbooks. READ: The Latest in EdTech Trends: 70 Resources Roundup | OEDB.org.
MicroBLINK PhotoMath Smart Camera Calculator. From PhotoMath.net “PhotoMath reads and solves mathematical expressions by using the camera of your mobile device in real time. It makes math easy and simple by educating users how to solve math problems.”
PhotoMath from MicroBLINK on Vimeo.
Doctor Who’s latest adventure sees him teaming up with a Dalek and trying to save the universe, but also teaching children some early computer programming skills.
This isn’t a TV show, however: it’s a game due to launch on Wednesday 22 October on the broadcaster’s CBBC website. The Doctor and the Dalek includes voice narration from current Doctor Peter Capaldi, and a new story by Phil Ford, who has written for the TV show.
The free web game is aimed at 6-12 year-olds, and involves freeing a battered Dalek from a ship of Cybermen, then building it back up to full strength through puzzles based on the programming elements of the new English computing curriculum.
via Doctor Whos new web game aims to teach children programming skills | Technology | theguardian.com.
The Cybersecurity Lab is a game designed to teach people how to keep their digital lives safe, spot cyber scams, learn the basics of coding, and defend against cyber attacks. Players assume the role of the chief technology officer of a start-up social network company that is the target of increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. In the game, players must complete challenges to strengthen their cyber defenses and thwart their attackers. The Lab also features stories of real-world cyber attacks, a glossary of cyber terms, and short animated videos that explain the need for cybersecurity, privacy versus security, cryptography (cyber codes), and what exactly hackers are. MORE: Cybersecurity | NOVA Labs | PBS.
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
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