A QR (quick-response) code is a two-dimensional scannable code, similar in function to a traditional bar code that one might find on a product at the supermarket. The main difference between the two is that, while a traditional bar code can hold a maximum of only 20 digits, a QR code can hold up to 7,089 characters, so it can contain much more…

Design thinking is about using design to improve the human experience. It combines collaboration, systems thinking, and a balance of creative and analytical habits. It also fuels what the students want for themselves: making an impact on the real world in real time and having adults take their passions seriously. The process essentially comes down…

Many educators know that web 2.0 tools can transform learning and teaching, but teachers need support to make this happen. This article discusses how principals can encourage teachers to learn how to use these powerful tools. Over the past decade, Intel has provided the Center for Children & Technology with funding to conduct numerous studies…

Adobe Youth Voices (AYV) is a global educational program sponsored by the Adobe Foundation, the philanthropic arm of software maker Adobe. The education-based initiative teaches underserved kids aged 13-18 how to use digital media to comment on their world, share ideas, and take action on the social issues that are important to them. The AYV…

In this article, the author describes the Jazz Workshop, a unique blend of collaboration and constructivist learning using videoconferencing and Web 2.0 tools. Each summer it draws about 400 participants--mostly teachers, technology facilitators, teacher librarians, and videoconferencing coordinators--who convene in 20 locations across three…

In this article, the author introduces the world of RSS (Real Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary), one of the least used and understood of all the Web 2.0 tools. RSS technology has two parts: (1) feeds; and (2) aggregators. RSS feeds use a special type of HTML known as XML. Each feed is defined with channel tags, which contain specific…

Even those teachers with the best intentions of taking advantage of the Internet to support learning may have obstacles before them. In researching the problem, the author has heard their complaints and understands some of the difficulties. However, creating a classroom Web site is not as difficult as one might think. In this article, the author…

Electronic communication is a powerful tool teachers can leverage to improve learning. In this article, the authors explain how they used chat and discussion forums to improve their mathematics classes, and how others can adapt their strategies across the curriculum.

When it comes to technologies like digital games, simulations, and social networking, teachers and students may find themselves at cross purposes. Often, students find that these technologies, so prevalent in their lives outside of school, are unwelcome in their classrooms. Many teachers can tell stories about the disruptive influence of video…

By all accounts, the Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) is a special school. It was the first public charter high school in Denver to become a one-to-one laptop school, thanks to a $1 million gift from Hewlett-Packard. Even though the school accepts applicants via a lottery system and its charter requires that 40% of its students come…

The convenient format, delivery, and accessibility of information offered by podcasting has made it a hot new trend. One of its limitations in educational applications, however, is its implementation primarily as a push technology--one that simply feeds users information. Podcasts tend to focus listeners inward and rarely encourage human…

Learning is becoming more personal, yet collaborative and networked, portable and situated, ubiquitous and durable--and increasingly at odds with formal education, as more and different types of learning are happening outside of the classroom. In this article, the author provides a glimpse of what the not-so-distant future of education might…

Educators in K-12 and university settings have begun to embrace blogs for a variety of reasons and in a variety of ways. Blogging provides technical advantages that paper diaries do not, including the elimination of the notebooks themselves and the possibility of linking to relevant materials online rather than just citing them. In addition, the…

This article is a brief debate on the pros and cons of allowing students to use instant messaging (IM) in school. On one hand, teenagers' desire to socialize can overcome other priorities and schools may set policies to ban instant messaging. The contrary view is that schools should embrace the IM technology being popularized by youth and find…

Education technology leaders are ever seeking new ways to eliminate the traditional social and geographic boundaries that hinder communication and collaboration for both K-12 students and educators. Larger districts with geographically dispersed schools often find that innovative ideas for technology use and integration are balkanized into…