Digital ‘Smart’ Pens Transform Paper into a Digital Tablet

Echo, Liverscribe’s latest smart pen:

• streams all notes taken on their special dotted paper in real time to a computer while also recording the notes in pen’s memory. (Currently, it must be connected to the computer via a USB cable to stream notes.)


• records audio as well as handwritten text— by tapping the paper with the pen, students can hear what the instructor was saying at that exact moment in their notes.


• has a 4GB model for $169.95 and an 8GB model for $199.95. The 4GB pen can record about 400 hours of audio while the 8GB pen can record approximately 800 hours.


• provides reference tools such as a dictionary, simple games, and study guides.


• will allow users to instantaneously create a PDF file of the recording and save or share it through email with the click of a button.

…Software allowing the above capabilities will be released this fall.

IOGEAR’s Mobile Digital Scribe:

• does not require special paper.


• is built with enough memory to store the notes on 50 standard-size sheets of paper.


• stores handwritten notes or drawings that can be uploaded to any computer.


• handwritten text and drawings cane be displayed directly on the computer screen when the scribe is connected to the computer.


• provides editing capabilities that make it possible for users to modify their notes.


• allows users to export notes via JPEG format and share notes with other users through email or Instant Messaging.


• supports 12 languages (English, Spanish, Traditional/Simplified Chinese, French, Dutch, Italian, German, Portuguese, Swedish, Korean, Japanese, and Russian).

OLPC Founder Give Recommendations for India’s Tablet

Nicholas Negroponte, the founder and chairman of One Laptop per Child (OLPC), invited the Indian Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) to visit the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in order to examine how the OLPC team created their $100 laptop. As I mentioned last month, India’s government recently revealed a $35 tablet that is specifically designed for students. Negroponte stated in his invitation to India’s MHRD that he would like to collaborate with the tablet’s inventors rather than compete. Negroponte also gave six pieces of advice, and I found one of those most interesting:
“Focus on children 6 to 12 years old. They are your nation’s most precious natural resource. For primary school children, the tablet is not about computing or school, it is about hope. It makes passion the primary tool for learning.”

KIPP: Knowledge Is Power Program

While reading articles on one of Bill Gate’s websites, I learned of the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). KIPP is an open lottery program gives students from low-income communities leaning experiences that allow them to transform themselves into high-achieving students with goals of higher education. KIPP is determined to teach in a kid-friendly manner which includes teaching students through music and chants the same way young people memorize popular songs.

I found most of these tidbits of information on KIPP’s website :

Over 85% of KIPP alumni have gone to college. (This is compared to 20% of low-income students graduating college nationwide.)

Fifteen years ago, KIPP started with 2 schools and 120 kippsters and now there are more than 82 schools and over 20,000 kippsters.

Nationwide 94% of kippsters outperform the district average in language arts; 100% of kippsters outperform the district in math.

33 of kippsters who have graduated from college have come back to work at KIPP.

Click here to watch KIPP in action, or click here to learn how KIPP started by two DEDICATED teachers.

One-Kindle-Per-Child Program

In May, I wrote about One Laptop per Child, and last Friday, a co-worker of mine showed me this article from The Wall Street Journal. Former Amazon senior vice president, David Risher, co-founded Worldreader which created the One-Kindle-Per-Child Program. Guess where they have chosen to test the program. GHANA!

When I taught in Ghana, the lack of books was one of our major challenges. Ghana’s capital city, Accra, did have bookstores with a decent number of book options, but they still would not have the selection we have in most American cities. The other cities in Ghana that I visited had a bookstore or bookstand, but the options were very limited. The selection was similar to what we could expect if we bought all of our books at thrift stores and garage sales. As anyone could guess, it is extremely difficult to get kids excited about reading when all of the book options are secondhand, random selections with content that usually is not relevant to young people. I am excited to see how this program plays out. I firmly believe programs such as this one is the best way to provide kids with the opportunities they need to take control of their future no matter where they live.

Got to love a passionate teacher!

“It’s hard to imagine what could be if you don’t know anything about what is."
--Brian Cosby, 4th grade teacher and educational leader

iB-LIEVE

iB-LIEVE is a social enterprise that creates programs for youth and community development that are grounded in neuroscience. Starting in August 2011, iB-LIEVE will embark on their largest project yet, the iB-LIEVE Express.

The iB-LIEVE Express will be traveling to all 50 states in 50 weeks for 300 Days of Youth Empowerment broken down as:

100 days of programs on personal leadership, career development, and team building on campuses, in classrooms, and on athletic fields

100 days of community service to target specific needs within cities throughout the country

100 days of live, broadcasted, conversations with key leaders, change makers, and experts of our nation

Since August 1st, they have been competing in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge to help fund the iB-LIEVE Express. Pepsi is awarding grants each month to the best ideas that will refresh the world. iB-LIEVE has applied for the largest grant award of $250,000 and the winner with the most votes takes home the prize. If interested, you can vote through
iB-LIEVE’s website , Facebook , or Pepsi’s website . You can also text Pepsi (73774) the following code: 101681

Race to the Top 2nd Round Finalists

QUICK NOTES:

Race to the Top is a $4.35 billon project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The money is awarded to states that prove aggressive education reform plans.

Tennessee and Delaware were the only states to win money in the first round.

The following 18 states along with D.C were chosen as finalists in the second round:
-Arizona
-California
-Colorado
-Florida
-Georgia
-Hawaii
-Illinois
-Kentucky
-Louisiana
-Maryland
-Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
-Pennsylvania
-Rhode Island
- South Carolina

The winners of the second round will be announced in September. All states can apply again if they do not receive money in second round.