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New Software Lets iPods Replay Classroom Lectures



Young people attempting to convince the parental units to buy them the latest iPod now have a compelling argument in their arsenal. And adults who would rather buy items with educational value for their children may be pleasantly surprised. It turns out that in addition to playing music and video clips, the iPod may be used to recast and display lectures and visuals from the classroom. The New York Times reports that at least two companies now offer software that aligns recorded auditory information with digital images. In practice, a professor's words and her PowerPoint slides are linked and then placed on a server from which students may download the lecture.

One advantage of the new software is the ease with which students may search for particular parts of the lecture to review, rather than having to sit through the whole presentation all over again. Every word that appears on the lecture's accompanying digital images is indexed so that students can search for key words and open the lecture at any juncture. This technology is already in full swing at schools like the University of Central Florida, while others such as Purdue University are testing it out.

We're guessing that the children might be winning a few bouts with the parents after this news gets out...

From The New York Times (via geeksugar)


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Attend College Lectures Via YouTube

Attend College Lectures Via YouTube

YouTube is kind of like Scrooge McDuck's safe full of gold coins, except the ocean of gold you're swimming in isn't legal tender -- it's transgender rants about Britney and cats facing off against ceiling fans. As the fourth biggest destination on the entire Web, it's no wonder the site has been accused of enabling global idiocy. But, believe it or not, there are some people out there trying to use the new boob tube to make us all smarter.

UC Berkeley has formally announced a relationship with YouTube that will make more than 300 hours of the university's lectures available online by the end of the year. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean Berkeley undergrads will be able to forgo class, sleep until Miller Time and attend lectures on their own time from the comfort of their dirty sheets. None of the 86 full courses hitting YouTube will be able to be viewed for credit; they're simply there for educational purposes should you ever be interested in watching a 45 minute monologue on Integrative Biology. Incidentally, you wouldn't be alone – the first video in that series has logged more than 7,000 views in the last month.

While there's no official degree in it for you, these videos are basically a way of scoring a free college education -- without any exams or term papers! This whole thing reeks of a modern day version of the 'Mr. Ed' episode in which the talkative horse trots off to a college every day and listens to lectures through an open window. Cue the hijinks!

From Slashdot

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Computer Training for Tots

Get Your Toddler to Geek Out
If you've been wondering how you're going to turn junior into a Bill Gates-grade computer dork who will make millions of dollars and support you in your old age, we've got the answer. Clickstart, from children's electronics maker Leap Frog, is here to make sure your child never gets used to things like being outside.

You can start 'em off real young. This wireless keyboard, console and mouse is intended for children ages 3 to 6. The children's computer plugs into the TV and uses games to teach phonics, letters, animal facts, counting and basic computer navigation skills.

From Red Ferret Journal

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Computer Programming for Kids

The MIT Media Lab has developed a free programming tool called Scratch, which is designed with one clear mission: Keep it simple. The program allows anyone to create his or her own interactive programs without a lick of code. Aimed at children, the software does not require knowledge of computer programming languages such as C or C++. Rather, it uses a building block metaphor in its graphical user interface (GUI), making it accessible to anyone who's comfortable using such basic operating system concepts as folders and windows.

Building a program is as easy as selecting an object or character you get from the built-in menu. You can also use images you've created or even snagged off of the Web. You place the object in the main window, where you can then drag actions and sounds on top of it. But don't take our word for it. Watch the above video to see how to make a cat move across the screen in just a few simple steps.

In many ways, the tool is similar to building with Lego blocks, which is only fitting since one of Scratch's researchers, Professor Mitchel Resnick, invented Lego Mindstorms, an educational robotics toolkit. The name Scratch was inspired by the way DJs take different parts from different places to create something completely new.

The software is for Mac and PC and available as a free download. A companion Web site allows kiddies to upload and share their programs. They can also take parts from other people's projects to use in their own.

If you listen closely, you can actually hear the thousands of programmers who are right now telling their kids, "Back in my day, we had to program everything by hand, uphill and in the snow!'

From BBC

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