Blog Juice for Educational Technology

When Glendale Community College’s contract with its computer vendor expired, campus officials made an unorthodox decision: Instead of entertaining offers from computer retailers, they figured they could build their own machines from scratch.

So far, the officials say, that strategy has paid off. Campus technicians have assembled almost 800 machines from parts, and they say they’ve saved about $200,000 on computing costs in the process. And some faculty and staff members say it has been easier to get computers tailored to meet specific needs since the college started building the machines in house. (The Arizona Republic)

Professors have plenty of reasons to hate Web sites like Pick-a-Prof and RateMyProfessors, which let students critique their teachers’ classroom performance. Commentary on the sites can be coarse and unconstructive, and anonymous posters often make inaccurate claims that are nevertheless hard to rebut.

So it’s understandable that some professors might get a short-lived sense of catharsis from contributing to Rate Your Students, a snarky Web site that lets them anonymously kvetch about their students’ poor paper-writing and short attention spans.

But there’s no excuse for faculty to gripe about students on a public Web page, argues Emily Schwartz, a student at Elon University. “Why fuel this demon?” Ms. Schwartz asks in a published debate on the controversial rating sites. “You’re much more mature than to contribute to such ridiculous vulgarities.”

Michael Skube, a professor of journalism at Elon, agrees with Ms. Schwartz’s assessment of Rate Your Students. But Pick-a-Prof and RateMyProfessors, he argues, have done more to corrode academe — by advancing “the unexamined assumption that students are in any position to judge how well they are taught.” (Los Angeles Times)

With three desktop computers running around the clock, Anthony B. Clyde caused his share of power blackouts in his 1970s-era dormitory at Washington University in St. Louis. But like a growing number of college students, Mr. Clyde, who graduated in May, found that having one computer just wasn’t enough. In 2005, 27 percent of students surveyed by a research group called Student Monitor LLC owned more than one computer — up from 19 percent five years earlier. The survey included 1,200 full-time stud2005, 27 percent of students surveyed by a research group called Student Monitor LLC owned more than one computer — up from 19 percent five years earlier. The survey included 1,200 full-time students at 100 four-year colleges. (The Chronicle, subscription required)

There’s been a slew of new “serious” games out recently, but one that I think is really interesting (not to mention fun) is McDonalds. The game, which blatently rips most of McDonald’s most sacred trademarks, is one of the most effective yet scathing rebukes of fast food I’ve seen. This game is seriously disturbing on so many levels. There’s an interview with the creator here.

Furthermore, since the game is licensed under CC and freely available in a barrage of formats, we can expect to see it disseminated pretty far and wide before McDonald’s scares them off with a C&D or sues them out of business. Interestingly, the creator talks about this in the interview:

Brenda started talking about Martin’s essays, which are now part of the application process (and fortunately not part of the process in 1969)…. But do they need to be the trunk of the tree — or are they the roots, a foundation, upon which truly unique, curious, and talented students freely become individuals with identity, value, and pride?

As podcasting gains momentum at Stanford University and other colleges across the nation, catching up on lectures may no longer be a matter of being in the right place at the right time, but of downloading a file from iTunes. Stanford’s new podcast servic

Children in the Warren County school district are using a new interactive technology called ACTIVboards. Matcher Elementary’s music teacher, Leslie Lloyd, says: “It’s so interactive with the children. I can’t wait to have one in my room.” The district rec

Sitting in front of a computer, Capt. Jeremy MacDonald wears a grim expression as he carefully moves his character through a faintly-lit room in a police tactical shooter game. As he travels down a hallway, he’s gunned down by an opposing player. Restarti

After more than a year’s worth of public debate and legislative wrangling, students at the University of Florida are finally getting a chance to decide if they’re ready to hold their elections online. In a referendum this week, students will weigh a proposal that would let them vote from any computer on the campus — a far cry from an earlier plan, endorsed by a student committee, that would have required people to cast their ballots via computer at designated locations. (The Gainesville Sun)

When Glendale Community College’s contract with its computer vendor expired, campus officials made an unorthodox decision: Instead of entertaining offers from computer retailers, they figured they could build their own machines from scratch.

So far, the officials say, that strategy has paid off. Campus technicians have assembled almost 800 machines from parts, and they say they’ve saved about $200,000 on computing costs in the process. And some faculty and staff members say it has been easier to get computers tailored to meet specific needs since the college started building the machines in house. (The Arizona Republic)

Professors have plenty of reasons to hate Web sites like Pick-a-Prof and RateMyProfessors, which let students critique their teachers’ classroom performance. Commentary on the sites can be coarse and unconstructive, and anonymous posters often make inaccurate claims that are nevertheless hard to rebut.

So it’s understandable that some professors might get a short-lived sense of catharsis from contributing to Rate Your Students, a snarky Web site that lets them anonymously kvetch about their students’ poor paper-writing and short attention spans.

But there’s no excuse for faculty to gripe about students on a public Web page, argues Emily Schwartz, a student at Elon University. “[W]hy fuel this demon?” Ms. Schwartz asks in a published debate on the controversial rating sites. “You’re much more mature than to contribute to such ridiculous vulgarities.”

Michael Skube, a professor of journalism at Elon, agrees with Ms. Schwartz’s assessment of Rate Your Students. But Pick-a-Prof and RateMyProfessors, he argues, have done more to corrode academe — by advancing “the unexamined assumption that students are in any position to judge how well they are taught.” (Los Angeles Times)

Teachers are many things–good listeners, mentors, miracle workers–and now one will get a chance to be a comic book super hero thanks to the combined efforts of OfficeMax, Marvel Entertainment, and TeachersCount. The first-time contest will recognize outstanding middle school teachers and the students who nominate them by turning them into real comic book characters.

Students in grades 6-8 can nominate teachers by writing short essays on “Why My Teacher Is a Super Hero,” and mailing the entries to TeachersCount or dropping them off at participating OfficeMax stores between now and March 17. Entry forms are available here.

The grand-prize winning teacher and corresponding entrant will make an illustrated cameo appearance in a mainstream Marvel comic book such as Spider-Man or the Fantastic Four and will appear in a special-edition Marvel comic book honoring teachers as super heroes. Ker-pow! Now that’s a terrific idea.