iPads, MakerEd and More in Education

A full third of the world's population -- 2.6 billion people -- play video games, plugging into massive networks of interaction that have opened up opportunities well beyond entertainment. In a talk about the future of the medium, entrepreneur Herman Narula makes the case for a new understanding of gaming -- one that includes the power to create new worlds, connect people and shape the economy.

There is a huge controversy around whether or not video games are beneficial. While  some view it as a sort of addiction that erodes individual's (particularly kids) lives others regard it as a recreational source of untapped creativity and learning. No matter what stance you take, video games are making huge inroads in the world of education and we have already talked about this when we discussed Jame Paul Gee's book  What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. In today's post, we go another step further in emphasizing the important role video games play not only in learning but also in improving brain function and making the world a better place.  We are sharing with you these wonderful TED Talks that are featured in TEDs list "The Illuminating Benefits of Video Games". These are talks to help you explore the transformative potential of video games. Enjoy

(CNN)There is, inevitably, a gap between the parents we are and the parents we think we are. Not unlike algorithms, we rely on the past to inform our parenting decisions in the present. But this world keeps on turning, and the parenting present is never quite like the past.

In his new book, "The New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World," Jordan Shapiro considers how this gap is playing out in our children's screen time. Many parents see themselves as dutiful, and at least occasionally wise, guides for their children. We help them make good decisions at school, with friends and on the sports field. But when it comes to digital lives, many kids tend to be steering the ship on their own.

That escalated quickly! My post on using Fortnite in the Classroom became my most popular article ever. I was also lucky enough to be asked to chime in on EdWeek’s article on Fortnite and video games in the classroom. Through all this, I received dozens of emails, mostly positive, with many readers asking how they can get started integrating video games into their classroom. I’ve been integrating video games into my classroom for the last six years and I’ve come up with some best practices I’m happy to share.