Girls like words - boys prefer video

Quoted From eSchool News: Report: Girls blog, boys post video

Thu, Dec 20, 2007

Full report at C|Net News: Girls blog, boys post video

"Just like with diaries, teen girls tend to blog more than their male counterparts, but boys post more video, a new study find

About 35 percent of all online teen girls blog, compared with only 20 percent of boys, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project "Teens and Social Media."

"Girls continue to dominate most elements of content creations," the study finds.

About 54 percent of the girls online post photos compared with 40 percent for boys, but boys are nearly twice as likely as girls to have posted video online (19 percent vs. 10 percent).

Overall, 28 percent of online teens have their own blog, up from 19 percent in 2004, while 27 percent of the teens maintain their own Web page."

New twists use of video in science

From eSchool News: Video sites make science more accessible

According to the article: "Fans of the niche sites say they help the lay public—and students—understand the scientific process, allow researchers to duplicate one another’s results, and might help discourage fraud."

Included among the sites are: SciVee - kind of like a YouTube for scientists and students and fans of science, funded by NSF. Also included:
The Journal of Visualized Experiments, Lab Action, DNATube, and one commenter suggested the addition of WGBH's Teacher Domain.

Positive initial reviews for OLPC project in Peru

From eSchool News: Laptop project enlivens Peruvian hamlet

Distribution of the first sets of XO laptops (part of what was formerly, but still popularly known as the $100 laptop despite the $100+ price tag) has been underway in Peru, and researchers and reporters are finding positive results thus far. Obviously it is far too early to tell what the end result will be - but children and their parents seem to be putting the computers to good use, and there seems to be an indication that they will have some power to improve the educational system in this educationally challenged country.

My favorite quote in the article comes from Oscar Becerra, Peru's head of educational technology: “If we make education pertinent, something the student enjoys, then it won’t matter if the classroom’s walls are straw or the students are sitting on fruit boxes.”

IDC 2008

The 7th annual Interaction Design and Children Conferences is being held June 11th -13th 2008 in Chicago. Submission info is available at: http://idc08.northwestern.edu/cfp.php

I'd count this among my favorite conferences because of its international perspective on interactive design rather than one that is US-centric. As such, it tends to attract an eclectic group of designers that are pushing technological boundaries.

I'm hoping to be able to attend this year since it is so close to home.

Life in a virtual world

From CNet: What kids learn in virtual worlds

A brief article that highlights some of the research that is currently being done on youths' use of virtual worlds. Specifically, it highlights the social and commercial nature of the sites that are most popular today, as well as identifying some of the concerns and hopes. There seems to be no doubt that virtual worlds are informal learning spaces - its just a matter of _what_ kids are learning in them.

wanted: 21st Century skills for 21st Century workforce

from eSchool News:

Voters urge teaching of 21st-century skills: Results of a new poll commissioned by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills shows the vast majority of U.S. voters believe students are ill-equipped to compete in the global learning environment, and that schools must incorporate 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication and self-direction, and computer and technology skills into the curriculum. But the upcoming presidential election, researchers say, presents a perfect opportunity to charter a new path to success for America's students ... http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=7434

...But can we convince legislators that real, usable skills are more important than memorized facts and test scores?

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale...

Gilligan, eat your heart out! NOAA has created a virtual island within Second Life that is full of learning opportunities: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/outreach/sl/

According to the NOAA site: "On NOAA's island, one can soar through a hurricane on the wing of a research aircraft, rise gently through the atmosphere atop a weather balloon, or search for a hidden underwater cave on a side trip from a NOAA submarine."

Visit the island: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Meteora/177/161/27/