Why Do You Ask?

Friday, August 01, 2008

Sacrilege To The Filter gods

Anyone who knows me, knows I whine too much about how our (and too many other) Tech Departments block sites in schools. Simply because an outsource company (who seeks only to make money - not protect the chillldddreeennnn) tells Tech Directors that they must block things first, then open when there is a possible reason.

Well, it's time to see what has happened this week.

COPA has been found to be unconstitutional (again). Schools won't care about that though.
CIPA, DOPA, and any other restrictive measure will serve them in their fear of information access for all people.

Jim Gates is ticked off by the control-mongering techies who oppose learning for censorship and power. Welcome to the show Jim.
[NOTE: You probably won't see Jim's post if you're at school - he uses the demonic Blogger and Blogspot for his communication ;-) So do I.]

All this is well and good. I have vowed to get off my filtering is the new book burning, neo-nazi, anti-education rants. Now I really can.

Why?

Because, Apple is making everyone's life better. If you have been one of those "I'm not sure I should get an iPhone (original or 3G) and/or MacBook" (whatever kind), "Windows is far superior" (for what I don't know - other than accumulating viruses), then it is time for you to change your ways...for the American Way!

You can use your iPhone as a tethering devise to get internet access to your computers!

NetShare, by Nullriver, Inc., that allows your iPhone to serve as your computer's Internet connection. Guess what? I can work at my workplace again! It's been over 7 years since I had that ability.

C'mon educators. It's time to drink the Apple Kool-aid - again.

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Note:Publications of professor-marvel.com or associated works (unless specifically labeled with another copyright notice) are licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.
The views expressed here are my own and reflect only my opinion.
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Labels: Apple, filtering, iPhone, MacBook, NetShare

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

How I Used My iPhone

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Labels: iPhone, mobile

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Can Kids Learn With Cell Phones?

iPhone - so easy a 2 year old can master the controls.

Imagine what a 7 year old could learn to find on the iPhone...

Imagine what a 12 year old could create for the iPhone...

Imagine what a 17 year old could provide for the iPhone with SDK...

Imagine if K-12 schools would use this tool for learning...

Imagine...

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Thanks to Rob De Lorenzo at the Mobile Learner blog for the find.

Labels: education, iPhone

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Free iPhones and iPod Touches to Freshmen

Texas university giving freshmen iPhones and iPod touches

Alright ACU. I like it. Anytime, anywhere information, classrooms, and learning. Even if students have to pay the $20/month data package, it is worth it.

Depending on SDK programs, the phone will have numerous applications for college students. What I think would be great is for the students to create the SDK apps they need, and perhaps that others might need, as course requirements.

Live blog classes? Twitter-feed classes? Hhhmmm.

Mobile computing is not coming soon. It is here. How many years will it take k-12 schools to accept it? I say at least 6 more years...2014. Until this time, teachers will need to be subversive to use the technology of the students.

What do you think, Liz? How about everyone else? Good idea or problematic.

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Labels: AbileneChristian University, Faculty Lounge, iPhone, iPod Touch, Liz Kolb

Thursday, February 07, 2008

More $ For IT or Let Students Use Their Phones

Pete Reilly discusses a recent E-School News survey.

Nearly three out of four school leaders say they don’t have enough IT
staff to support their needs effectively, according to the survey.
Fifty-five percent of respondents said they can’t maintain their
network adequately, 63 percent said they can’t plan for new
technologies, and 76 percent said they have trouble implementing new
technologies.

Pete's continuing thoughts are correct, when operating on the assumption that we truly need school provided computers.

I am becoming more and more convinced that the way schools might consider spending some of their tech dollars on providing students with free web/data access through the cell phone providers in the community. It seems to me that a mobile provider could allow unlimited access to all students from the hours of 7:00 to 5:00 (or longer?).

Some benefits:

Cell phone venders and mobile providers would be the IT department. Phone breaks, they replace or repair.
Families are providing phones to their kids at younger ages, and the phones many of them have are more powerful than the computers we provide in schools.
No need for filters! Mobile providers could include visited web sites for the parents. Then the responsibility falls more on the student and parent when it comes to viewing inappropriate material.
School finances could be spent on training teachers how to teach with phones.
Students would have the advantage of thumb-typing over the teachers, so students would have confidence in the tools.

I use an iPhone. It is my first phone with web access. It is $20 a month for unlimited data. If teachers/admins/schools are afraid students would use the phone in bad ways, then get the iPod Touch, with no phone access. Google Docs, Zoho, and other online office suites will allow students the software. To me it makes too much sense not to do. But how much trouble would a teacher be in if the made a cell phone a requirement for their class, in place of a notebook, colored pencils, and backpack?

Cell Phone
Everywhere web
Use it to learn, I do
"We don't need no stinkin' 'puters"
Mobile

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Labels: E-School News, Google Docs, iPhone, iPod Touch, Pete Reilly, Zoho