Starting From Scratch: Making STEM Easy, Kid-Friendly & Fun

Update: July 30, 2014  Scratch Junior (scratchjr.org) was just released for the iPad today, and it's FREE. Thx @360Kid for sharing that news!  Original Post June 13, 2011: I get far too geeky and jargon-ish when it comes to enthusiasm over kids’ science, technology, engineering, and math innovations, (STEM) in hopes of engaging and retaining girls in the field, so I’ll cap the … [Read more...]

Free Media Finds That Are Priceless Year-Round

Dec. 16, 2009 Got gifts? Not sure when we jumped from “Black Friday/Cyber Monday” to bold-type headlines of “last minute gifts!”---but I’m still holding my own on the ‘haven’t stepped in a mall’ front… So today I’m going to add a few FREE ‘last minute finds’ that are literally and figuratively priceless. To up the ante and make it tougher, I’ll remove the physical … [Read more...]

Beam Me Up, Scholars: Arcane Star Trek Cameo Tidbits

May 16, 2009 My favorite academic digital rag, the Chronicle’s Wired Campus newsletter reports: “Henry Jenkins, co-director of MIT's Comparative Media Studies Program, thought it was some kind of joke when he got an e-mail message from a Hollywood casting director asking him to be an extra in the latest Star Trek film...But a few weeks later he was getting fitted for a … [Read more...]

Doug Engelbart Supports Shaping Youth By Offering Digital History

Jan. 30, 2014 Thinking pensively about the late, great Doug Engelbart on this birthday today, as he would've been 89. Let's celebrate his spirit by raising the collective knowledge for humanity...and applying it every day of our lives! Jan. 30, 2013 update: Make it great for #88! Just wrote birthday wishes on Doug Engelbart's wall and reminded myself once again why we need … [Read more...]

Serious Fun! Making Media to Study for SAT Exams

Mar. 9, 2009 I’ll admit I had my doubts. When Jack at MIT told all of us on the Classroom 2.0 hub that BrainyFlix was asking kids to make viral videos for pass around fun about SAT vocabulary words my first thought was reminiscent of Cosby’s comedy monologue with Noah and the Ark, “Riiiiiiight.” Even with cool prize payola (free iTunes download for every 5 referrals or … [Read more...]