Tag Archives: interactive

7 Tech Upgrades to the Old-School Science Class | Mashable

Posted on by

7 Tech Upgrades to the Old-School Science Class

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

Top 30 Applications of Google Glass in Education [Interactive Infographic] | OpenColleges

Posted on by

The future is now. With Google Glass, teachers and students alike can display information in a smartphone-like hands-free format, while interacting with the Internet via natural language voice commands. With limitless possibilities at its fingertips, the education community can build closer working relationships with students, and allow children to get more involved with their learning experience. Open Colleges takes a look at how Google Glass might be used in education.

Click the link to EXPLORE all the possibilities illustrated within this interactive infographic: Top 30 Applications of Google Glass in Education  | OpenColleges


How Google Glass might be used in Education – An infographic by the team at Open Colleges

A Dead-Simple Tool That Lets Anyone Create Interactive Maps | WIRED

Posted on by

Data surrounds us. It’s everywhere, in the most micro sense small gadgets that track calories we’ve burned, or how much water our plants need to the most macro analytics companies that can monitor, for instance, the health of entire populations. But there are precious few companies actively working on helping us make sense of all that data. One of them is Tableau, a software company that turns heaps of data into visualizations for the common man: teachers, doctors, journalists, you name it. To make those tools clearer and cleaner, they recently partnered with Stamen Design, to release three new map templates, which anyone can play around with by downloading Tableau’s free software.

READ MORE A Dead-Simple Tool That Lets Anyone Create Interactive Maps | Design | WIRED.

An Ingenious Museum Design That Turns Visitors Into Creators | WIRED

Posted on by

An Ingenious Museum Design That Turns Visitors Into Creators | Design | WIRED

In the revamped Cooper Hewitt, still in Carnegie Mansion, there will be around 15 new interactive screen displays where users can draw, design, and virtually explore the Cooper Hewitt collection. Much of this will happen via an electronic pen conceived by Local Projects and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and designed by Cooper Hewitt, GE, Sistelnetworks and Undercurrent. Each is paired with a unique URL on the visitor’s ticket, and as guests pass through different galleries they can touch the tip of their pen to wall text next to objects they find interesting, or inspiring. The pen then stores those selections. The museum still is finalizing details, but either way what follows will be a free-flowing, open-ended experience: with their pen, visitors can download all their selected items into a screen, and begin designing.

Read More: An Ingenious Museum Design That Turns Visitors Into Creators | Design | WIRED

‘Hour of Code’ Offers Free Coding Lessons | PCMag.com

Posted on by

Code.org today launched a massive campaign aimed at encouraging kids to learn computer programming.

Kicking off Computer Science Education Week, the nonprofit organization joined forces with supporters like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Reid Hoffman, and Jack Dorsey to get students, teachers, and parents excited about coding.

The “Hour of Code” initiative, first announced in October, provides an interactive introduction through online tutorials. Are you just a beginner looking to learn the basics, or have you already mastered one coding language and want to pick up another? Visit Code.org to find coaching on building apps and Web pages, programming robots, and more.

Read: ‘Hour of Code’ Offers Free Coding Lessons | News & Opinion | PCMag.com.

‘Sherlock’ interactive trailer: Clues, and a magnificent mustache | CNET

Posted on by

The new trailer for season 3 of the BBC’s “Sherlock” debuts with never-before-seen video footage and photos embedded in the trailer itself. Be warned: Spoilers ahead.

The interactive trailer is great. Check it out here: ‘Sherlock’ interactive trailer: Clues, and a magnificent mustache | Crave – CNET.

This Video Game Could Revolutionize Publishing—and Reading | The Atlantic

Posted on by

When the Best Books of 2013 are listed, the most important may not make the cut. Thats because the most exciting literary innovation of the year is not a book at all, but a video game for iPad and iPhone. Device 6 is a metaphysical thriller in which the world is made almost entirely from words. Playing it is like reading a book—except, in this book, the words veer off in unexpected directions, rather than progressing in orderly fashion down the page. When Anna, the game’s protagonist, turns a corner in the narrative, the text does too, swerving off to one side at a right angle, forcing the player to rotate the screen.

More in this story about other innovative gaming apps that have a literary angle. Read: This Video Game Could Revolutionize Publishing—and Reading | Rowland Manthorpe | The Atlantic.

Oculus Rift-based virtual reality game could help restore 3D vision | Engadget

Posted on by

Many will tell you that video games are bad for your eyes, but James Blaha doesn’t buy that theory. He’s developing a crowdfunded virtual reality title, Diplopia, that could help restore 3D vision. The Breakout variant trains those with crossed eye problems to coordinate their eyes by manipulating contrast; players score well when their brain merges two images into a complete scene. Regular gameplay could noticeably improve eyesight for adults that previously had little hope of recovering their depth perception, Blaha says. The potential solution is relatively cheap, too — gamers use an Oculus Rift as their display, and they can add a Leap Motion controller for a hands-free experience. If you’re eager to help out, you can pledge $20 to get Diplopia, and $400 will bundle the app with an Oculus Rift headset. Check out a video demo of the therapeutic game after the break.

Read: Oculus Rift-based virtual reality game could help restore 3D vision | Engadget

Middle Earth comes to life in epic Chrome experiment | Engadget

Posted on by

We’re go out on a limb here and say that the Venn diagram of Engadget fans and Tolkien fans looks something like this. So, we figure you’ll probably want to hear about a brand new Chrome experiment that brings various parts of Middle Earth to life, including the Trollshaw and Dol Guldur. It starts with a pretty simple interactive map, but from there you’re able to dive into several locations and learn about Hobbit lore through text, animations and audio. At the end of each lesson on Tolkien’s fantasy world, you’re challenged to complete a simple mini game that has you causing flowers to bloom or avoiding troll attacks. While the WebGL-powered games are pretty impressive, its the HTML5 audio and animations that are the real eye-candy here — doubly so since they work just as well on a phone or tablet as they do your desktop. As you swipe through slides in the story, camera angles change in coordination with your finger and characters dart across bridges. Honestly, even if you’re part of that tiny sliver in the diagram that can’t stand Tolkien, it’s worth checking out the latest Chrome Experiment, if only to remind yourself of the growing power of the web browser.

Middle Earth comes to life in epic Chrome experiment | Engadget

50 year after JFK’s death, new website asks people to share their stories about his legacy | The Washington Post

Posted on by

There’s no shortage of places for people to share memories of where they were 50 years ago when they found out John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. But a website debuting Monday aims to take the focus from past to future by asking people of all ages — even those who weren’t alive when Kennedy died — to share their thoughts about how he has inspired them.

The website is part of the JFK Library and Museum’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death, which is Friday. The museum also plans a new exhibit of never-before-displayed items from his three-day state funeral, including the flag that draped his casket and notes written by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

Visitors to the “An Idea Lives On” site can explore an interactive video that includes NASA Commander Chris Cassidy, former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, comedian Conan O’Brien, Freedom Rider Charles Person and others talking about Kennedy’s lasting impact.

Read more: 50 year after JFK’s death, new website asks people to share their stories about his legacy | The Washington Post.