No, that image to the left is not an iPad surrounded by SmartCovers. That is the Microsoft Surface. Not to be confused with the giant table-sized computer the company released a while ago, the Surface is Microsoft’s entry into the tablet market.
Attempting to take a page out of Apple’s playbook on several levels, Microsoft revealed the Surface during a mystery press event in California. What those in attendance saw was an iPad knock-off that is heavier, boasts shorter batter life and an inferior chip. To be fair, the Surface does have an impressive cover that contains a fully functioning keyboard, but that is an accessory that must be purchased.
Microsoft has two versions of the Surface in the works, each for a very different audience. There’s a “consumer version” that will run Windows RT and a “business version” that will run Windows 8.
Microsoft isn’t saying exactly when the Surface will be available for purchase, or how much it will cost, but experts are predicting the “consumer version” to fall in the $500 price range with the “business version” to come in at over $1,000. The pricier version does have better overall tech specs than its cheaper brother, but that improved performance comes at the cost of weight and, of course, cost.
Imagine, knowing that your birthday would always fall on the same day each and every year. Would it be helpful if you knew that all holidays would also be celebrated on the same day? Our current calendar, called the Gregorian calendar, has been used for 450 years. Two professors at John Hopkins University think we need a new calendar. Their calendar would eliminate all leap years, which are added ever 4 years to keep our 365.2422 day year from getting our calendar out of sorts. With the...
Starting off with something so simple, the first task to change your classroom to a haven of learning is to grab some Popsicle sticks from a craft store. It doesn't matter whether they are plain or colored. It doesn't matter whether they are skinny or fat. Your only purpose is to use them to write students' names.
Once you have your sticks, begin writing each student name on individual sticks until you have written down your entire roster. Be sure to include last initials of students...
Editor's Note: This week's post comes from Dave Weiss, a college professor who teaches in the education department.
The title of this post can be applied to the state of teacher education today. When I did my teacher training, forty years ago, I was armed with Piaget, Bruner, Dewey, and other theories of learning. I found these theorists exciting and stimulating. I was ready to implement these theories when I would finally be given my own classroom. My goal was to teach in an...
Editor's Note: This week's post comes from Dave Weiss~ a college professor who teaches in the education department.
In the period of time that I have been an adjunct instructor in various schools of education~ I have witnessed and participated in on-going debates and discussions concerning how prospective teachers should be prepared for the urban classroom. Much of this debate has centered on the issue of theory versus practice.
In the classes I have...
With the Martin Luther King holiday coming~ I wanted to share a webquest I developed on the minister and civil rights leader. Martin Luther King once said~ There is nothing more tragic in all this world than to know right and no do it." Perhaps~ you can use this quote to discuss the issue of bullying and how if a student sees something that looks like bullying-to say something!Perhaps~ you might find the webquest of value to use with your students. You can find it at this link:...
Using current events in the classroom as a cross curricular activity...Perhaps~ your students might want to follow Helen Skelton's attempt to be the first person to bike to the South Pole.She started today on her 500 mile trek using a specially built bike~ the Hanebrink "ice bike". Skelton hopes to complete The Polar Challenge~in 20 days. Skelton hopes to travel 14 hours a day~ battling frigid air... temps(-13F to -58F) and wind speeds that can reach up to 125 mph~ for charity. She will...
Student recognition in the classroom is a necessity to keep students working their hardest. It becomes easy to overlook the student who is always doing what is expected~ and to always notice the child who is misbehaving. But~ consciously recognizing students as they achieve great things is vital to motivating children throughout their school career.
Think about the last time you were praised by your superior. How did it feel? Did you remember whether or not you smiled? Were you then...
Space shuttles lifting off and landing on run-ways~space probes to distant worlds~ and an international space station~ all had their beginning with brave astronauts such as John Glenn. Fifty years ago this February~in a 9 1/2 by 6 ft. space capsule called Friendship 7~ John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth.In a space about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle~Glenn orbited the earth~ three times~ in 4 hours and 56 minutes. I developed a webquest on John Glenn's amazing...
Can you name the most annoying word? For the third straight year~the winning irritating word is..."whatever". A poll conducted by Marist College Institute for Public Opinion said that 4/10 people responded that "whatever" is the most annoying word to hear in a conversation. Close runners up for disliked words included "you know" and "like".Might be an interesting activity to ask students to make a list of words used in conservation that they dislike hearing.
Happy Holidays to you all...