{Edtechchat} Google CEO promotes taking tech education beyond coding

{Edtechchat} Google CEO promotes taking tech education beyond coding

Coding is a vital component of tech education, but it won’t be enough to sustain the next generation of workers. With a rapidly evolving tech world, employees will require continuous training in basic digital skills, according to Sundar Pichai. The Google chief executive explains in an opinion piece published Thursday by NBC News THINK that the notion of getting…

{Edchat} Teaching and learning in a micro school

{Edchat} Teaching and learning in a micro school

Portfolio School is part of a growing movement of “micro-schools.” Coined by British education blogger Cushla Barry in 2010, the term refers to educational institutions that emphasize interdisciplinary project-based learning, building social skills such as communication and critical thinking, and tailoring instruction to the needs of each individual student. Source: Are Microschools the Next Big…

{Edtech} Oh Facebook, when are you going to fix your newsfeed?

{Edtech} Oh Facebook, when are you going to fix your newsfeed?

Facebook serves many useful functions. It helps you set up events, send messages to friends and family, and even organize groups. These are all side benefits, though. The main feature—the real thing Facebook wants to sell you—is the News Feed. Too bad it’s so broken that it’s almost useless. Source: Facebook’s News Feed Algorithm Is Completely…

{EdtechChat} What responsibilities do companies have in regards to smartphone addiction?

{EdtechChat} What responsibilities do companies have in regards to smartphone addiction?

In an open letter to Apple, two of its major shareholders, Jana Partners and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, have raised concerns about research that suggests young people are becoming “addicted” to high-tech devices like the iPhone and iPad, and the software that runs on them. It asks the company to take a number of…

{Edtech} Is it time for K12 integrate computer science across the curriculum?

{Edtech} Is it time for K12 integrate computer science across the curriculum?

It’s high time for students to move beyond an hour of coding exercises and learn computational thinking. That’s the message of a new report from Digital Promisethat examines what’s important to know and be able to do in a “computational world.” Source: It’s Time to Weave Computational Thinking into K-12 — THE Journal The researchers us of…

Should college degrees be required for middle skill level jobs?

Should college degrees be required for middle skill level jobs?

American companies have a problem. Over the past decade, they have begun to demand a bachelor’s degree in hiring workers for jobs that traditionally haven’t required one. This uptick in credentialing, or “degree inflation,” rested on the belief that these college-educated employees would be smarter, more productive, and more engaged than workers without a degree….

Create infographics with this 9 tools

Create infographics with this 9 tools

When learners design their own infographics they interpret their data, information, research and facts. Students create a meaningful connection with the data and share with others the important bigger picture the data tells. Infographics can persuade others to act or reflect. The following web tools will help students design awesome infographics. Source: 9 Web Tools for…