:: The 4th Era ::

Three apps that copy music from your iPad or iPod or iPhone back to your computer. Miguel Guhlin offers very reliable recommendations.

Today's connected students may be more digitally aware than ever thanks to mobile technology, but this handy infographic shows a number of interesting ways that technology is being used in educational settings.

by David Hochman

"What’s beautiful about Waze is how it constantly surprises you. “Here?! You want me to turn here, Wazy Daisy?” Not to sound like The Californians on SNL but we Angelenos pride ourselves on knowing the right route at any given moment (“Take the 90 to the 405 to the 10 to the 110 to the 101 to the 5, dude”). Waze just knows way better. The other day I’m taking what I think is the only route back home from Whole Foods. It’s the way I’ve driven for ten years. Traffic was slugging up so I asked Waze what to do. Two seconds later, I’m snaking around traffic on side roads — I swear — I didn’t even know existed. It also pointed out a traffic camera, a road hazard and flashed an icon where the stopped vehicle was blocking traffic on my normal route. I probably shaved ten minutes off the trip."

by Justin Pot

"Have you ever considered writing a book? Are you planning to self-publish the book? If so, you probably have a lot to learn about the various processes you need to go through and the companies that can best help you along the way.

"Check out “Your Guide To Self Publishing: From Print to Kindle and Beyond!” This guide is by Christian Cawley, a resident MakeUseOf writer who has self-published his own book multiple times. It’s a comprehensive guide to the self-publishing process in order to make your life easier when you embark on the journey.

"Whether you’re working on a piece of fiction, poetry or any other piece of literature, this guide outlines your self-publishing options – digital and physical alike."

by Patrick Tucker

"A little-known California company called Esri offers a “Facebook for Maps” that promises to change the way we interact with our environment, predict behavior, and make decisions in the decades ahead."

by Ida Kubiszewski, Robert Costanza and Tom Kompas

"The Next Phase in Higher Education
"Historically, universities have retained much of their autonomy, providing courses in isolation from other universities. This has changed to a certain degree over the past decade as collaborations have begun to form. Many of these collaborations are around specific degrees or programs that the universities are all interested in, or perhaps certain areas of research. There are a few universities that have begun sharing online course content or sharing platforms to offer their courses. "Creating an international consortia of universities, sharing not only course content but also the teaching of courses, could potentially move higher education to a new phase of development. Such a collaboration could be managed by an independent third party, most likely a nonprofit organization, that would help with communication and organization—think of it as a MetaUniversity—connecting the partner universities. "The MetaUniversity would help facilitate two types of courses: (1) online courses that are analytical and tool-based and (2) synthesis courses that are face-to-face, on-the-ground, and focused on solving real world problems. Although the Internet has advanced to the point that the majority of what we know can be imparted via the Web, learning the higher-order skills of problem solving and critical thinking must be done in person. The combination of these two types of courses will provide students with the opportunity to not only understand how to use analytical tools, but also how to apply and communicate them in appropriate ways depending on the situation and audience to solve problems."

By Stephan Vincent-Lancrin

"The recent international OECD-CCE-Singapore workshop gave 30 education decision-makers from 12 countries the opportunity to share the lessons from Asian educational initiatives aiming to foster pupils’ creativity and critical thinking. While most of these initiatives build on project-based, research-based, and other active pedagogies, some start to use design thinking methods to scaffold the learning of innovation skills.

"Singapore and Korea are two good examples of countries emphasising creativity, critical thinking and character building in their curricula. Since 2009, Korea expects its schools to foster creativity as part of quality subject-based learning – but also to devote almost 10% of overall school time to projects and other transversal activities that foster creativity. As for Singapore, their “Desired Outcomes of Education” include critical and inventive thinking as well as social and emotional competences. At the end of secondary school, among other things students are expected to be “resilient in the face of adversity”, “innovative and enterprising” as well as “able to think critically and communicate persuasively”.

Responding to complaints, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said states could postpone for a year using more rigorous tests to make career decisions about teachers.

by Jordan Shapiro

"Upper One Games is the first indigenous owned video game company in the United States.

"Announced at the 2013 Games For Change Festival, the partnership between E-Line Media and Cook Inlet Tribal Council aims to make “meaningful and scalable social impact by creating world-class games and game-based learning infused with Alaska Native values and culture.”

"Their first consumer game will be a top line indie game to be released on major consoles. And Upper One Games is not holding back. They’ve handpicked top commercial talent who are excited to be working on games for impact."

By Valerie Strauss

Summary by Public Education NewsBlast

"In an open letter to the students and parents of Montgomery County, Maryland and the Montgomery County Department of Education, teachers in the math department at Poolesville High School explain what they see as the systemic reasons behind widespread exam failures in their content area by students (letter reprinted by Valerie Strauss in The Washington Post). The failures proceed from policies in place for many years having a cumulative effect, they write. Students have been accelerated through the math curriculum as teachers and principals have been pressured to meet unrealistic targets, with the result that students have gaps in understanding. As many students as possible have been placed in honors math classes, so higher-performing students lack sufficient challenges, and those not in honors find themselves in classes with no peer role models and a culture of failure. The ubiquitous use of calculators in the early grades has resulted in students who lack number sense and basic skills, and thus cannot make the leap to algebra. And Algebra I de-emphasizes algebraic manipulation, leaving students unprepared for Algebra II and beyond. The teachers also recommend that students be required to pass a final exam to receive credit for a course, and teachers be allowed to assign grades that truly reflect mastery of content."

A great collection of links for self-directed learners. Over 100 resources in 12 different areas such as Open Courseware, Non-traditional education outside of college, Noteworthy Blogs about undorthodox ways of working, and Work Colleges combining schooling and working.