iPads, MakerEd and More in Education

As young kids enter the classroom for another school year – or perhaps their first – parents can take comfort in knowing there are smart apps that give their children a boost.

Whether it’s educational games, homework helpers, learning to code, or encouraging kids to read, there’s no shortage of affordable downloads and cloud services playable on devices like tablets, smartphones, laptops and desktops.

If you’re looking for some “best-in-class” suggestions, the following is a look at four such platforms, catering to various ages and subjects.

So what next? Well, the chances are that at least part of the answer could be sitting right by you. They’re called ‘women’. You may have heard of them. And it’s time they were a much bigger part of the UK’s tech sector.

When preparing students to be ready for the future, the focus often is on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. But, in a podcast with employees from Google, Pinterest and Twitter, EdSurge found that those in the tech industry believe students need skills beyond just technical expertise.

“I think the one thing to keep in mind is that it’s impossible to say what technical skills people are going to need in 10 or 20 years,” says Ryan Greenberg, a software engineer at Twitter. “I think that necessary job skills actually have to be a little bit higher level than specific technology.”

We gathered four key takeaways from what Greenberg, Google for Education program manager Drea Alphonso and Pinterest software engineer Trisha Quan say are the best skills future-ready students can have.

Kids love new technology, and a cool new tech toy will make any celebration fun and exciting. Our list gives plenty of food for thought. STEM building toys, bright artistic sets for coloring or creating bracelets, and exciting hover-boards are all great ideas at any price point. Even the fussiest niece or nephew will enjoy the best new tech toys around.

Here is a list of toys for all ages and learning levels that both nephews and nieces will love. Sometimes you just need a few ideas to get you thinking about what someone would like!

t is wonderful to see that SAMR is a great place to start. It provides the teacher with some definitions and an understanding of how technology can both facilitate learning while also expanding it. In fact, teaching teachers about the line in between SA and MR allows teachers to see if they are on the road to transformation. This is often referred to as teaching above… or below… the line.

I am certain you are waiting for that “however”… so here it comes. SAMR is one model, and perhaps a first step, in helping teachers understand technology integration and transformational learning. Do not stop with SAMR! Try to understand that a lesson at the top of SAMR may not be the ultimate learning opportunity in technology integration. As you facilitate teachers on a best practices journey it will be important to look at lessons with some other filters, SAMR, after all, is only one. Let’s take a look at some other concepts we must keep in mind as we help educators understand SAMR. Please enjoy the ideas below, and by now you must know that in future posts I will be building upon these important ideas.

If you thought those drones buzzing around on the beach were annoying, just wait and see what happens when they become cheaper than iPhones.

Whether you like it or not, drones — miniature remotely controlled aircraft — may be on the cusp of going mainstream as they plummet in price. DJI, the world’s largest consumer drone maker, which is based in Shenzhen, China, will soon release Spark, its first $499 drone. That’s roughly half the price of the most popular drones on the market, or three-quarters the cost of an iPhone, which starts at about $650.

I tested Spark over several days this week and found it surprisingly capable for a low-cost drone. Unlike most expensive drones, which operate with a physical remote control, this machine was designed to work primarily with a smartphone app; you can also make hand gestures to move Spark or make it take your selfie. It shoots superb high-definition video, weighs about a quarter of a pound and is so compact you could stuff it in a tote bag.

I was able to confidently fly Spark, the first drone I have ever used, after several sessions, a testament to its overall ease of use.