American Libraries Magazine recently reminded us that the South by Southwest Interactive event took place. Why should we care? Because this is the event where new technologies are highlighted, and with the recent makerspace interest and activities, lots of exciting new things were showcased. In fact, they featured an SXCreate space! I don’t want to steal Jason Griffey’s thunder, so read his final report to hear more about 3D printers from LulzBot, SparkFun educational kits, Makey Makey’s musical plants, and the Handibot, a programmable material-carving machine. Sounds fun, right? Give your makerspace a boost by reading the full post now.
Image credit: Photo by Patricia Post from 2015 Edible Book Festival makerspace activity.
There are many reasons one might need or want a new keyboard. Perhaps your keyboard is as “old as the hills”, or maybe you need something more ergonomic, or maybe it boils down to an increase in gaming on your computer. Whatever the reason, here is an excellent list of features and reviews for several popular keyboards with various price ranges.
How many of these notable tech trends have you looked into or possibly implemented in 2015? No worries if you haven’t used some of these yet or even heard of them. These resources can stir your thinking to dream big in 2016!
Just a couple of the ideas and available resources touched on:
The Google Documents add-on called Tag Cloud Generator is a great way for students to examine their own or another person’s document for frequently used words. They can generate a word cloud within their story to aide in the revision process. Educators can then ask them to find synonyms to make a more interesting story or essay.
Whether you are working with elementary students or college students with dyslexia there are many innovative tech tools that can make a huge difference in his or her ability to communicate and learn. A simple iPad in the hands of a young person who is dyslexic can be a “complete game changer” according to fifth-grade teacher and producer of the HBO documentary, “The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia“, Kyle Redford.
Dyslexia expert, Martha Youman, says that oftentimes the challenge is with educators who may think that “using technology with dyslexics is somehow cheating.” She suggests, “schools must let go of expectations that each student is going to get to the same place in the same way.” Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques Center (SALT) at the University of Arizona has used technology with their students since it’s inception 30 years ago. They have had great success helping students with note-taking, email organization, and managing their technology all through technical tools.
American Libraries Magazine recently reminded us that the South by Southwest Interactive event took place. Why should we care? Because this is the event where new technologies are highlighted, and with the recent makerspace interest and activities, lots of exciting new things were showcased. In fact, they featured an SXCreate space! I don’t want to steal Jason Griffey’s thunder, so read his final report to hear more about 3D printers from LulzBot, SparkFun educational kits, Makey Makey’s musical plants, and the Handibot, a programmable material-carving machine. Sounds fun, right? Give your makerspace a boost by reading the full post now.
