Google Search Education

I just recently discovered this new opportunity provided by Google that provides lesson plans, activities, and live trainings on how to use Google Search correctly.  Using Google has become a crutch for so many students in finding the answers that they need.  It has become both a positive and negative influence in education.  If used correctly, it can be a great tool for students and teachers.  If used incorrectly, it fosters laziness and a lack of understanding in what is a quality website.  

If you are looking for opening week lessons, this would probably be a great starting point.  Each lesson and activity is divided into "Beginner," "Intermediate," and "Advanced."  There are also "Google-A-Day" activities as well that are broken down by subject matter.

You can see the video below that offers more information.

Leap Motion

Have you seen this floating around Twitter and other social media?  Leap Motion is a new technology that allows you to use your hands and fingers in various motions to manipulate your computer screen?  The future of technology and the impact on education is going to be tremendous over the next couple decades.  It seems every time a new tool or software becomes available, there is the immediate question: "How can this be used in Education?"

Leap is taking the SMARTBoard interaction to a different level all together.  It takes "hands-on" and technology to a whole new meaning.  Of course, it is just the next new thing and who knows the implication that it COULD have on the classroom, but thinking about how students will actually be involved in using the computer in a different way is interesting.

See the video below.


A 27" iMac is probably a good purchase if Leap Motion gets popular