How Technology is Fostering Unconventional Alternatives in Education

The Wall Street Journal produced an informative article on current trends in telelearning. More kids than ever before are attending school from their living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. The result: A radical rethinking of how education works. An excerpt from the story is below:

It was nearing lunchtime on a recent Thursday, and ninth-grader Noah Schnacky of Windermere, Fla., really did not want to go to algebra. So he didn't.

Tipping back his chair, he studied a computer screen listing the lessons he was supposed to complete that week for his public high school—a high school conducted entirely online. Noah clicked on his global-studies course. A lengthy article on resource shortages popped up. He gave it a quick scan and clicked ahead to the quiz, flipping between the article and multiple-choice questions until he got restless and wandered into the kitchen for a snack.

Noah would finish the quiz later, within the three-hour time frame that he sets aside each day for school. He also listened to most of an online lecture given by his English teacher; he could hear but not see her as she explained the concept of a protagonist to 126 ninth graders logged in from across the state. He never got to the algebra.

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Technology Representatives Meet to Focus on Broadband in Latin America and the Caribbean

Caribbean PressRelease.com recently published an account of a meeting of technology industry representatives who were exploring ways of improving the regulatory framework in Latin America and the Caribbean to encourage greater broadband penetration and usage. An excerpt from that release is below.

On December 8, approximately 50 telecommunications industry representatives participated in the half-day brainstorming session, “IDB’s Broadband Platform: Creating a regulatory framework that works.”

The meeting was held at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) headquarters in Washington, D.C. Among the companies and nonprofits that attended the meeting or followed the proceedings by teleconference were Alcatel-Lucent, Intelsat, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm, Telefónica, Cable and Wireless, UNCTAD, Connected Nation and Inveneo. The meeting was organized by the Bank’s Office of Outreach and Partnerships (ORP) and the Science & Technology Division.

The objective of the consultation was to seek industry experience and input to improve the region’s regulatory framework to help facilitate increased broadband penetration. Over the next two months, IDB experts will write a publication with the industry’s input that will be part of the IDB’s Broadband Platform strategy for the Latin American and Caribbean region.

To read more about this event click here.

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Tech Firms Often Neglect the Unique Needs of Seniors

The Washington Post recently published a thought-provoking article on the plight senior citizens face trying to keep up with the pace of technology. An excerpt from the story is below:

Rapidly changing technology places everyone on a constant learning curve. This poses a particular challenge for seniors.

Americans older than 65 now number 40 million — that’s roughly 13 percent of our population.

The U.S. Census Bureau says that 11 million are older than 80. Very few of them are going to learn to use the innovative and intuitive devices younger consumers can’t seem to live without. Shockingly, few companies are providing pragmatic technologies to aid these 40 million people in their lives.

There will be 60 million of them once the youngest crosses the 65-year-old line. Isn’t that a market big enough to serve?

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Puerto Rico Continues to Cultivate a Knowledge Workforce through Community Technology Centers

By Wil Payton, Communications Specialist, Connected Nation

The Community Technology Centers (CTC) – East Region will have its second meeting on Saturday, December 3, where a host of presenters will provide insight into current technology trends and best practices.

In today's economy, students must possess knowledge of technology and have the ability to use it. Technology is used in classrooms, homes, and businesses for training, project completion, research, and basic communication. In today's world, technology opens the door to many resources. Access to those resources is the key to social and economic inclusion.

The CTC event is being held at the University of Puerto Rico, Enrique Laquerre Library, www.centroparapuertorico.org. Attendees will be informed on the following topics:

• Skype-like interactive organizational communications tools

By: Prof. Sylvia Figueroa, University of Puerto Rico, Recinto de Aguadilla

• Tools of Web 2.0 for your CTC

By: Vanessa Barreto, Network of Educators of Puerto Rico

• Internet for the Service of the Community

By: Prof. Wanda Cortez, Director of Public library of Añasco

• Movable Applications with administrative and educative approaches to add value for your CTC

By: James Lynn, Network of Educators of Puerto Rico

• How to use the technology to develop the sustainability of the CTC Network

By: Bernabé Soto Bertrán, Instructional Designer

The U.S. Department of Education established the Community Technology Centers (CTC) Program to provide access to computers and other forms of information technology in an educational setting to low-income, urban, and rural areas, and economically distressed communities. The need for such access was discovered through a U.S. Department of Commerce study showing that persons from affluent households are more likely to own a computer or have access to one.

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