EdTech Situation Room Episode 113

Welcome to episode 113 of the EdTech Situation Room from November 7, 2018, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach), Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) and special guest Jason Kern (@jasonmkern) discussed the past week’s technology news through an educational lens. Topics for the show included virtual reality in the classroom, the use of social media worldwide to radicalize politics, hardware updates from Apple’s special event last week, and our need for media literacy everywhere. Anya Kamenetz’ excellent response article, “What the Times got wrong about kids and phones” was also highlighted. Professional courtesy with cell phones at meetings and in the classroom, the NetFlix documentary “The Eighties,” and Flickr’s important announcement about free and pro accounts rounded out the show. Geeks of the week included free “Unity” software licenses for schools, Raspberry Pi projects, the browser extension “OneTab,” and the “Pulse” SMS app on Android. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can (normally) at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC.

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Kern (@JasonMKern) – blog: jasonmkern.com
  7. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  9. ASU Online biology course is first to offer virtual-reality lab in Google partnership (ASU, 23 Aug 2018)
  10. Virtual Reality: A Safe Place to Learn (ATD, 5 Nov 2018)
  11. Can virtual reality revolutionize education? (CNN, 1 Nov 2018)
  12. Giving Classroom Experiences (Like VR) More … Dimension (Inside Higher Ed, 2 Nov 2018)
  13. Ready Player One (2018 – IMDB)
  14. Apple Abandons the Mass Market, as the iPhone Turns Luxury (Wired, 3 Nov 2018)
  15. The new MacBook Air answers fans’ hopes and gripes (FastCompany, 30 Oct 2018)
  16. What can you connect to the new iPad Pro with USB-C? (9 to 5 Mac, 7 Nov 2018)
  17. This Is How We Radicalized The World (BuzzFeedNews, 28 Oct 2018)
  18. We Should Teach Media Literacy in Elementary School (Scientific American, 7 Nov 2018)
  19. What the Times got wrong about kids and phones (Columbia Journalism Review, 5 Nov 2018)
  20. The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life by Anya Kamenetz (@anya1anya)
  21. A sharper focus for Flickr (Flickr blog, 1 Nov 2018)
  22. Flickr promises it won’t delete Creative Commons photos when it limits free storage (The Verge, 7 Nov 2018)
  23. Professional Courtesy Video (Edutopia video, Apr 24, 2017)
  24. Documentary “The Eighties” on Netflix
  25. Jason Kern’s Geeks of the Week: Free Unity Licenses for Schools and Raspberry Pi Projects
  26. Jason Neiffer’s Geek of the Week: Pulse SMS App on Android
  27. Wes Fryer’s Geek of the Week: OneTab Browser Extension (Example)

EdTech Situation Room Episode 91

Welcome to episode 91 of the EdTech Situation Room from April 4, 2018, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week special guests Alice Barr (@alicebarr) and Cheryl Oakes (@cheryloakes50) along with host Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the accessibility Chrome extension Plazma, the “Teach Wonder” robotics and PD program from Wonder Workshop, and Ripple’s amazing fund of all DonorsChoose classroom projects recently. Additional topics included iOS 11.3’s battery problems, Apple’s new hire to improve Siri’s AI abilities, favorite uses of smart assistants (Madame A and the Google Home Mini), and new DNS projects speeding up Internet access and improving security. New developments in the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica story were also highlighted. Geeks of the week included BusyKid, ClaroRead Chrome Extension, and 12 Augmented Reality Tools for Schools. Follow us on Twitter on @edtechSR for updates!

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Alice Barr (@alicebarr) – blog: alicebarr.com
  7. Cheryl Oakes (@cheryloakes50) – blog: cheryloakes.com
  8. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  9. In honor of Autism Month: Plazma (a sensory app on Chrome extension as well (oh now, people will try it and stop listening!), free, like a lava lamp)
  10. ACTEM has teamed up with Teach Wonder (Robotics and teacher professional development)
  11. How to Get $29 Million for Classroom Projects? Just Ask (NYTimes, 20 March 2018)
  12. Apple iOS 11.3 Release Has Five Nasty Surprises (Forbes, 3 April 2018)
  13. Apple hires Google’s former AI boss to help improve Siri (Verge, 3 April 2018)
  14. DNS Resolvers Performance Compared: CloudFlare x Google x Quad9 x OpenDNS (Linux.com, 3 April 2018)
  15. Cloudflare launches 1.1.1.1 DNS service that will speed up your internet (Verge, 1 April 2018)
  16. New “Quad9” DNS service blocks malicious domains for everyone (ArsTechnica, 16 Nov 2017)
  17. Facebook Says Cambridge Analytica Harvested Data of Up to 87 Million Users
  18. Facebook Collected Your Android Call History and SMS Data For Years (Hacker News, 25 March 2018)
  19. Here’s how to download all your data from Facebook. It might be a wake-up call. (Washington Post, 27 March 2018)
  20. How to download a copy of everything Google knows about you (CNBC, 30 March 2018)
  21. Dave Perloff – Perloff Family Foundation  (generous donor for #STEM and #MakerEd projects in Maine classrooms)
  22. Merge Cube Object Viewer
  23. Family Online Safety Institute (@FOSI)
  24. Apple will replace old iPhone batteries, regardless of diagnostic test results (Verge, 2 Jan 2018)
  25. Upload VR News (@uploadvr)
  26. Apple’s new augmented reality kit makes Minecraft look magical in AR (TNW, 27 June 2017)
  27. Google Expeditions AR Pioneer Program FAQs
  28. Wes’ Geek of the Week: BusyKid: Allowance Chores – Kids Chore Chart App via Tech News Weekly Episode 25 (@technews_weekly)
  29. Cheryl’s Geek of the Week:  ClaroRead Chrome Extension (extension in Chrome) Web based, PDF  FREE, with option to upgrade.
  30. Alice’s Geek of the Week: 12 Augmented reality Apps Schools can use today

EdTech Situation Room Episode 67

Welcome to episode 67 of the EdTech Situation Room from September 27, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed prison time given to a Volkswagon engineer who wrote the emissions test dodging car code, updates to Google Slides, Team Drives for G Suite users, and G Suite’s new File Stream app for offline file access. Additional topics included the recent war of words between Donald Trump and Mark Zuckerberg, Doug Belshaw’s post about why he deleted all his past Twitter likes/favorites as well as most of his tweets, and an alleged $5 million purchase by Mexico of Israeli technology which permits monitoring of anyone’s cell phone location, text messages and phone calls by just using their phone number or phone IMEI number. (This article prompted Wes’ tin foil hat for part of the show.) The possible risks of biometric smartphone security was discussed, along with a slew of new product announcements from Amazon bring the menu of Alexa-powered devices to eight. (Wes is still not ready to purchase any of them for home use, however.) It’s Happy Birthday time for Google, and apparently time for the U.S. Congress to fire the current chairman of the FCC,Ajit Pai. Geeks of the week included Gazelle (a smartphone reseller to consider using when upgrading), the free iPad app “TextingStory Chat Story Maker,” and the upcoming “Google Camp OKC” $25 PD event on Saturday, November 4, 2017 in Oklahoma City (@googlecampOKC). Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and reach out to us if you listen to the show! If a particular article or topic is especially thought provoking or interesting to you, please let us know. The EdTech Situation Room is produced live each week (almost) on Wednesday nights at 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain time. Thanks for tuning in. Stay safe and stay savvy!

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Tin Foil Hat (English WikiPedia)
  9. VW engineer sent to the clink for three years for emissions-busting code (The Register, 25 Aug 2017)
  10. Happy Birthday, Google! Here are 19 random facts about Google on its 19th anniversary (ReCode, 27 Sep 2017)
  11. Present like a pro: these new updates in Slides are designed to make you look good (GSuite Blog, 27 Sep 2017)
  12. Copyright for Educators (from 2009 by Wes)
  13. Team Drives for G Suite!  What Can You Do with Team Drives?
  14. Google File Stream Released at last for GSuite Users! Choose and deploy a sync solution –  Install Google File Stream
  15. Using Google Team Drives to Create and Share Lesson Plans (by @NKeithBlend, 24 Aug 2017)
  16. Mark Zuckerberg hits back at President Trump’s claim that Facebook is against him (Verge, 27 Sept 2017)
  17. Why I just deleted all 77.5k tweets I’ve sent out over the last 10 years (by Doug Belshaw, connect with him on Mastodon – subscribe to his co-hosted Today in Digital Education – TIDE podcast @TIDEpodcast with Dai Barnes @daibarnes)
  18. Fav Cleaner by Twoolbox (Delete Twitter likes / favorites)
  19. Did Mexico Drop $5 Million On This ‘Unlimited’ Uber-Stealth Spy Tech? (Forbes, 25 Sep 2017)
  20. Why you shouldn’t unlock your phone with your face (@ossia, 12 Sep 2017)
  21. Average iPhone user unlocks device 80 times per day, 89% use Touch ID, Apple says (AppleInsider, April 2016)
  22. Here’s everything Amazon announced today (TechCrunch, 27 Sep 2017)
  23. Amazon’s Echo and Echo Plus are hiding a lot of new tech (The Verge, 27 September 2017)
  24. Amazon announces new Fire TV with 4K and HDR for only $70 (The Verge, 27 September 2017)
  25. Comparing all 8 Amazon Echos (TechCrunch; 27 September 2017)
  26. EFF Resigns From W3C After DRM In HTML Is Approved In Secret Vote (TechDirt, 18 Sep 2017)
  27. An open letter to the W3C Director, CEO, team and membership (@EFF and @doctorow, 18 Sep 2017)
  28. It’s time for Congress to fire the FCC chairman (The Verge, 27 Sept 2017)
  29. Geek of the Week from Jason: Upgrading? Check out Gazelle!
  30. Geeks of the Week from Wes: TextingStory Chat Story Maker (free for iPad) and Google Camp OKC Sat Nov 4, 2017 (@googlecampOKC)

EdTech Situation Room Episode 11

Welcome to episode 11 of the EdTech Situation Room from May 26, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. We’ve been off for a few weeks and we’re glad to be back! This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the evolving role of digital assistants powered by artificial intelligence, Google’s annoucement that the Google Play Store is coming to Chrome OS, and the continuing evolution of machine learning. Other discussion topics included learning experiences which cultivate “grit,” Apple Stock (and Warren Buffett’s response), and the sunset for floppy disks in US Air Force missile silos. Geeks of the week included Google’s Project Aura and the upcoming National Week of Making in the United States, June 17-23, 2016. Check out the podcast shownotes for links to these and other resources, which you can also find on http://edtechSR.com/links. Please follow us on Twitter (@edtechSR) http://twitter.com/edtechSR for updates. We expect to be back on our regular Wednesday night schedule for next week’s show. Hope you can join us live! Whether you listen to us live or in an archived format, we’d love your feedback on the show.

Shownotes:

  1. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  2. Watch Episode 11 on YouTube
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video podcast feed
  5. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Subscribe to @edtechSR on Blab.im
  7. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach)
  8. Wesley Fryer (@wfryer)
  9. The creators of Siri just showed off their next AI assistant, Viv, and it’s incredible (Verge, 9 May 2016)
  10. Students aren’t very good at search (August 2011, Inside HigherEd)
  11. Clockwise Podcast (@clockwisepod)
  12. Chromebooks to run Android apps: What does it mean for teachers and schools? (NCCE Tech-Savvy Teacher Blog, 25 May 2016)
  13. Chrome Show on GigaOm (now discontinued – by @KevinCTofel & @jank0)
  14. Soon We Won’t Program Computers. We’ll Train Them Like Dogs (Wired, 17 May 2016) @jasontanz @WIRED
  15. Why Grit Can’t Be Taught Like Math (EdSurge, 25 May 2016)
  16. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway buys $1B of Apple stock (AppleInsider, 16 May 2016)
  17. US nuclear force will phase out floppy disks next year (The Verge, 26 May 2016)
  18. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Google Project Ara (Recode, 20 May 2016)
  19. Wes’ Geek of the Week: “National Week of Making: June 17-23, 2016) http://weekofmaking.org
  20. Related inspiration: The Maker Movement Isn’t Just About Making and Electronics: EdSurge Talks to MIT’s Mitch Resnick (23 May 2013 – EdSurge)