SpaceX full simulated demonstration.

I’ve posted a few videos of some small SpaceX tests before but I have yet to see a full demonstration of the sequence of events from launch to retrieval. Obviously this is just an animation but I think this makes it pretty clear that SpaceX can seriously advance our methods of getting in to space […]

SpaceX full simulated demonstration

I’ve posted a few videos of some small SpaceX tests before but I have yet to see a full demonstration of the sequence of events from launch to retrieval. Obviously this is just an animation but I think this makes it pretty clear that SpaceX can seriously advance our methods of getting in to space on a repeated basis as long as they continue to be successful in their development.

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It’s Silly, I know!

It’s a silly distinction to make, I know, objecting to “personalize learning,” as a term for describing the current flavor-of-the-week in education reform/transformation conversation, preferring instead, “personal learning,” .  

As an advocate, I cannot fault the use of either label for student learning that is personal, needs-based, unconfined and empowered by personal passions and skills. That’s my immodestly paltry characterization that fits both terms.

I could, if I thought it would be the least bit helpful, call attention to semantics, suggesting that one is a verb, “..produce (something) to meet someone’s individual requirements..”, and the other an adjective, “..belonging to a particular person..”

But I guess what disturbs me the most and prevents me from letting go of this argument is that one can be

  • Packaged,
  • Monetized,
  • and marketed

to superintendents and legislators,

 

The other liberates learning.

International Space Relations

In the 1960s, it was every child’s dream to be an astronaut. This was the age of the space race, or who would get into orbit and to the moon first. Of course, Russia beat America in getting into space, but we beat Russia in getting to the moon. With the International Space Station, it […]

InternationalRelationsinSpace_52f104453d20cIn the 1960s, it was every child’s dream to be an astronaut. This was the age of the space race, or who would get into orbit and to the moon first. Of course, Russia beat America in getting into space, but we beat Russia in getting to the moon. With the International Space Station, it has become less of a competition against one another and more of a cooperation to gather knowledge.

This infographic gives information on the space race, relations between various nations since the moon landing, and little tidbits that are just interesting. Share this with your students, and discuss the future of the space program. John F. Kennedy said that America would reach the moon by the end of the 1960s, which came true with a few months to spare. What do your students think will be next? Ask for a timeline on the future of space travel with support for their guestimations.

Blog: http://visual.ly/international-relations-space

Crash Course: Intro to Psychology

Crash Course is back! This time, tackling the mental science of Psychology. Don’t forget to check out their numerous other series as well. Embed This Video

Crash Course: Intro to Psychology

Crash Course is back! This time, tackling the mental science of Psychology. Don’t forget to check out their numerous other series as well.

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Timeline of the Far Future

The good news shared by this infographic is that Earth should still be around for at least another one hundred quintillion years, at which point everything that is not biodegradable will be destroyed, although this infographic does mention even the decay of titanium in laptops. But this infographic goes into many more details that lead […]

timeline-of-the-far-future_52d481e19c764The good news shared by this infographic is that Earth should still be around for at least another one hundred quintillion years, at which point everything that is not biodegradable will be destroyed, although this infographic does mention even the decay of titanium in laptops. But this infographic goes into many more details that lead to the destruction of the Earth.

The first two points on the timeline involve civilization collapse versus continuance. It gives us a timeframe for when buildings will collapse, and when vocabulary will be changed. The timeline continues to changes in the solar system and the galaxy even what can be seen with the naked eye. It also involves global changes, including global warming, Earth’s tilt.

There are several questions that arise from this infographic. First, what data supports this? We have all heard the theories of global warming, and that it is inevitable, but has man made it come sooner. In addition to this, there is the questions of Earth’s tilt, would this occur suddenly and be catastrophic, or would people most likely migrate over thousands of generations and not notice these global changes?

Blog: http://visual.ly/timeline-far-future

Lava Crater Collapses

Watching this video it’s hard to imagine that this actually took place on our planet. We can modernize our lives and build all the sky scrapers we want but it doesn’t change the fact that this planet is a constantly evolving rock that we’re just lucky enough to be able to survive on. Embed This […]

Lava Crater Collapses

Watching this video it’s hard to imagine that this actually took place on our planet. We can modernize our lives and build all the sky scrapers we want but it doesn’t change the fact that this planet is a constantly evolving rock that we’re just lucky enough to be able to survive on.

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Welcome to 2024

in a sense, this presentation was a follow-up of a short story I wrote as a first chapter of a book I wrote in 2004, describing a middle school in 2014.

I’ve never had so much fun doing a presentation — that I had never done before. The fact that the 2024 version of myself had traveled more than 87,000 timezones to get to the NCTIES conference, and the jet lag that implied, took a lot of the pressure off.

The scenario went like this. My wife, children and granddaughter chipped in to buy my a trip back to 2014, to visit an old education technology conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. I walked into the session dressed as the eccentrically old geezer I am certain to become, limping with a cane, because of a self-defense class injury. I am toting my granddaughter’s book bag, which we will excavate to reveal clues as to what education becomes ten years from now.

I did a Q&A, fielding a number of quite interesting questions, for which the trickier ones, I was able to hide behind the FCC Commission on Cross-Temporal Communications Act of 2022, paragraph 14.

I was also honored to find Adam Bellow in the Audience and convinced him to take a selfie of us together, which I could pick up later from the Twitter archive, housed at archive.org.

 

My only regret was having left my notes back in 2024, so there was much that I forgot to include, such as, “If you want to party like it 2024, then you’ve gotta wear argyle socks.” You can write that down.

At first I was a little relieved that ISTE turned that presentation proposal down. Now I wish they’d accepted it. :-/

 

ACL Surgery Explained

If you’ve ever followed a sport, you’re probably aware of a particular injury that can ruin a season and possibly harm someone’s career. I’m talking about the ACL tear. It’s a painful knee injury that these days requires surgery and a lengthy recovery period. However before this procedure was invented, the outcome was even worse. […]

ACL Surgery Explained

If you’ve ever followed a sport, you’re probably aware of a particular injury that can ruin a season and possibly harm someone’s career. I’m talking about the ACL tear. It’s a painful knee injury that these days requires surgery and a lengthy recovery period. However before this procedure was invented, the outcome was even worse. Sports medicine is constantly evolving and this video outlines one of the most important breakthroughs athletes have ever seen.

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Persuasion mind trick: How to impress in meetings

Here’s a quick video that gives a little insight in to how the subconscious mind works. While this obviously doesn’t show an absolute truth when it comes to decision making I can’t help but feel just a small percentage of my decision making happens in this way. Embed This Video

Persuasion mind trick: How to impress in meetings

Here’s a quick video that gives a little insight in to how the subconscious mind works. While this obviously doesn’t show an absolute truth when it comes to decision making I can’t help but feel just a small percentage of my decision making happens in this way.

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Top Ten Tips for Attending NCTIES Conference

It is customary, as famous conferences are approaching, that experienced attendees post tips to help newbies pack and prepare for the event. So I, as a professional conference go’er, thought I would contribute ten more tips for NCTIES 2014.

  1. Raleigh is always swelteringly hot this time of year, so wear light-weight, loose fitting clothing. Conservatively styled bathing suits are also common. But, because the Raleigh Convention Center is huge, wear boots, big ones, with lots of laces.  You will be doing a lot of walking.  If preferred, heals may be substituted.
  2. You’ll want to take lots of notes, so carry several spiral-bound note books. Also carry pencils — #2s. If you can find them, use white or aluminum grey pencils. They’ll impress the people sitting near you.
  3. In the presentation rooms, be careful not to sit near anyone with a laptop or tablet computer. They have almost certainly left their email notification alarm on, and when it goes off, everyone will turn around and look — at you! If someone with a computer sits near you, get up and find a more secluded spot.
  4. If possible, sit on the front row and straighten your legs out as far as possible. This is where the boots come in, because presenters love to navigate obstacle courses while presenting.
  5. The exhibit hall is the reason you came. There are treasure here. It’s also a great place to play. Pretend you’re invisible. Wearing a dark cape will help. If you can achieve invisibility, then you’ll have the run of the hall. Simply walk into any booth and pick-up all the pens, pencils, letter openers, and soft fuzzy balls you can find, and slip them quietly into your bag–preferably a large brown paper bag. Chocolate is an especially treasured item and worth a return for more. If someone in a booth confronts you, then carefully put the pencils back on the table, look down at the floor and slowly back away.
  6. You’ll see areas in the conference center with comfortable chairs, where people will be milling, talking, and showing each other their computers. Shun these places. The people will try to brainwash you.
  7. If someone approaches you, wanting to talk, then turn invisible. If this doesn’t work, then look very stupid. You’ll need to practice this in front of a mirror. If they persist, then speak gibberish and walk away.
  8. If you hear anyone speak with an English accent, don’t believe anything they say – no matter how intelligent they sound or cute their accent.
  9. When the day is over, or by 4:00 PM, which ever comes first, flee back to your hotel room. This is the real challenge of conference-going, finding things to do in your hotel room. I like to remove the lids of shampoo bottles and guess their scent. Also, the extra blankets in the closet are expressly provided for the construction of elaborate blanket forts. ..and I hope that you are a fan of “Law and Order.” It will be playing during your entire visit – on at least three channels.
  10. What David really wants you to do is be comfortable, hungry to learn, ready to laugh and willing to cry, tweet your heart out and hashtag with #ncties, take every opportunity to meet someone new, and wear something strange. I like those satin slippers with toes that curl up and a tiny bell on the end.

If I see you at NCTIES, please forgive me if I’ve forgotten your name. I’m way past the need for excuses.