Eclectic Technology

Social media usage at the K-12 level has exploded over recent years, with some 40% of teachers saying they use blogs or wikis in the classroom. More social media, so the argument goes, means better communication, more collaboration, more learning opportunities.

But what does wiki usage in the K-12 classroom really look like? How are teachers and students using them? And are these online learning opportunities equitably distributed across different socioeconomic populations?

This article proivdes answers to some of the questions based on research by Justin Reich. Links to his report and white paper are also included.

The relationship between social media and privacy has long been a controversial one, but with recent privacy breaches, ever-changing privacy settings and an overall increase in the things we share in social media, there is now renewed attention to...

Despite appearances, the history of social media traces back as far as the late 1970s, when computer hobbyists Ward Christensen and Randy Suess invented the bulletin board system (BBS)...

Social media is growing and going anywhere. Many school are now embracing the move. By understanding this movement, schools can make better choices in how to utilize social media in education.

Welcome to the Cranial Cash Clash, a financial literacy assessment tool that pits your financial knowledge against the world. Clash with your friends to see who can score the most and see how you rank globally.

Published by ASCD this infographic may be downloaded as a pdf at http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/policypriorities/pp_v17n04_infographic_pdf.pdf

Simple - Great OER content is out there. Gather that content, stitch it together, and engage learners w/o reinventing the wheel.

Stretchy - Seamlessly integrate content with dozens of popular websites, apps, and social media services.

Sticky - Make ANY web content engaging, interactive and shareable using the same tools your learners use every day.

TED, the non-profit devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading," announced the winners of its 2011-2012 "Ads Worth Spreading" challenge on Tuesday. The non-profit stated on its website that the intention of this annual initiative is to find “ads that communicate ideas with consumers in the same way that TED wants to communicate with its audience.”... This links to the ten winners and is another way to view social media and a great tool to use to in media literacy.

As more of our life happens online, Internet skills are crucial to living responsibly. What are the skills needed to navigate today's Internet society? How can parents and educators teach themselves, their families, and their communities about important topics like identity protection, fraud detection, and digital citizenship?
Welcome to ThinkB4U! ThinkB4U is a collaboration between Google Inc. and expert safety partners Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, and the National Consumers League. Together we are tackling some of the biggest learning curves thrown at the average user in a fun and interactive way.