Education Technologies

Microsoft SmallBasic

Image by via CrunchBase Microsoft have released a new version of basic designed for children and novices called SmallBasic. It has only fifteen keywords to learn to allow newbies to get up and running quickly. The web site says thatSmall Basic is …

Image by via CrunchBase

Microsoft have released a new version of basic designed for children and novices called SmallBasic. It has only fifteen keywords to learn to allow newbies to get up and running quickly. The web site says that

Small Basic is a simple and easy programming language with a friendly environment that provides a cool and fun way of learning programming. From making turtles animations to running a slide show on the desktop, Small Basic makes programming natural and effortless.

Might be a good way of introducing programming to your classes.

Featured Windows Download: Small Basic Teaches Programming Fundamentals

Related articles by Zemanta

Here’s an Ethical Dilemma For You

Image via Wikipedia Web Worker Daily have a great post about intellectual property (IP) rights. Specifically it gives you information on what to do if your work is stolen on-line.I’d really like to tell you about this post as it contains great inf…

Image via Wikipedia

Web Worker Daily have a great post about intellectual property (IP) rights. Specifically it gives you information on what to do if your work is stolen on-line.

I’d really like to tell you about this post as it contains great information about how to deal with this problem but, if I quote it, am I simply copying?

I’ll take my chances and put it down to Fair Use.

You can read the article here:

WebWorkerDaily » Archive What To Do When Your Work is Stolen Online «

Related articles by Zemanta

Didn’t This Used to be Investigated by the Justice Department?

Image via WikipediaOK Here’s the scam.Invent an operating system that’s full of vulnerabilities Create some software that plugs the holes (let’s call it OneCare, for example) Sell it Find that no-one buys it because others sell similar software ex…

Image via Wikipedia

OK Here’s the scam.

Invent an operating system that’s full of vulnerabilities
Create some software that plugs the holes (let’s call it OneCare, for example)
Sell it
Find that no-one buys it because others sell similar software except cheaper and better
Make your software free
Drive all the other manufacturers out of the game
Sell your software at a new, higher, price

Microsoft are at point five on the list. Six and seven are sure to follow soon.

In the meantime take advantage of their “generosity” to make your Windows machine safe to use.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Microsoft to offer free security

Related articles by Zemanta

Can Teaching in a Virtual Environment be Productive?

Image via Wikipedia Teaching in virtual environments can be very productive, Bill ThompsonCan it?BBC NEWS | Technology | Moving to the Second Classroom

Image via Wikipedia

Teaching in virtual environments can be very productive, Bill Thompson

Can it?

BBC NEWS | Technology | Moving to the Second Classroom

Is e-Learning a Distinct Profession?

Image via WikipediaMore and more institutions (usually at the prompting of funding councils) are demanding that courses be available on-line. Of course the distance between the aim of providing a course on-line and the final course is a long one a…

Image via Wikipedia

More and more institutions (usually at the prompting of funding councils) are demanding that courses be available on-line. Of course the distance between the aim of providing a course on-line and the final course is a long one and is not a journey that, whether from lack of interest or lack of skill, not all learning professionals can take.

Is there a place, then, for professional e-learning practitioners who exist solely in the ether?

Angela Boothroyd explores that question further here:

Studying Online: E-learning as a profession: Part 1

Related articles by Zemanta

Credit Crunch Creates Courses

Image via Wikipedia

Interesting Article in Science Daily about how the complete lack of available cash could lead to a boom in e-learning.

Bottom line is that companies see savings to be made by creating a course once and rolling it out to many users rather than paying a trainer to deliver the course personally.

I agree with the sentiment; although the statement

The newest solutions make it possible to turn a PowerPoint presentation into a course for a thousand employees within two hours.

makes me cringe. There’s more to learning that presenting information. And there’s less to PowerPoint than presenting information.

Economic Crisis Boosts E-Learning

Being a Gifted Speaker Isn???t a Gift

Image via Wikipedia Change This is always a good place to go for giving your brain a kick start. The various manifestos available may not always be correct (or even good), but they are always thought-provoking. This one for example by Frances Cole…

Image via Wikipedia

Change This is always a good place to go for giving your brain a kick start. The various manifestos available may not always be correct (or even good), but they are always thought-provoking. This one for example by Frances Cole Jones reminds us that public speaking isn’t an inate gift but something that can be worked on. As the site says:

Despite a pervasive idea that some people areborn with a ‘gift’ for public speaking—and that this gift is the reasonthey excel when presenting themselves—my experience has proven this isn’t so. I believe that everyone can be a great speaker, and this includes you.

See if you agree.

ChangeThis :: Being a Gifted Speaker Isn’t a Gift

Related articles by Zemanta

dimdim is SmartSmart

Image via WikipediaDimDim is a free, web based video conferencing utility. As they say:With no software to download or install, Dimdim forever democratizes webbased live meetings. In seconds – right from your browser – you easily host or attend we…

Image via Wikipedia

DimDim is a free, web based video conferencing utility. As they say:

With no software to download or install, Dimdim forever democratizes webbased live meetings. In seconds – right from your browser – you easily host or attend web meetings complete with audio and video conferencing, desktop and document sharing.

With Dimdim you can host meetings for up to twenty people at no cost. With no software to install it may be easier to use in institutions with locked down desktops.

Give it a try here:

Dimdim: Free Web Meeting, Free Web Conferencing, Meetup, Open Source, Net Meeting, eLearning, web conference, Unified Collaboration, Online Meetings, Online Training, Free Screen Sharing, collaboration, live meeting

Related articles by Zemanta

Calendar Applications Just Don’t Get Any Easier

Image via Wikipedia

Busy people wouldn’t be as busy if they’d just stop trying to finfdnew ways or organising themselves and just get on with their work.

With that off my chest Deadline is, without doubt, the simplest planning application ever.

Just throw a task and a time at it and it will let you know by mail, chat, inter-galactic thought transfer, etc.

Deadline: Home