Comments on: Net Day links http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/webkids/2006/10/17/net-day-links/ Students are getting information in new ways, and this gives publishers a new challenge. The success of educational media now depends on how well publishers form partnerships with commercial search engines, video gamers, and social media like MySpace. We\'re talking about the promises and pitfalls of using these new media as learning tools. Participants include Brad Edmondson; Kate Wittenberg of Columbia University; Julie Evans of Net Day; researchers from The Education Arcade; and more. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:43:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Eric Rosenbaum http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/webkids/2006/10/17/net-day-links/#comment-13 Eric Rosenbaum Sat, 21 Oct 2006 21:22:18 +0000 http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/webkids/2006/10/17/net-day-links/#comment-13 Hi sclark- There are are some really interesting projects out there creating tools for exactly what you describe: letting kids make their own games and simulations. My lab, the Teacher Education Program at MIT, is currently developing StarLogo TNG. It's a graphical programming environment that lets kids make their own 3D video games and simulations. Check out the latest preview release here: http://education.mit.edu/starlogo-tng/ Another one to check out is Scratch, also being developed at MIT. It's not available to the public yet- here's the URL: http://weblogs.media.mit.edu/llk/scratch/ There's also a really cool environment called squeak, which has a language called eToys. That's here: http://www.squeakland.org/ Enjoy! Hi sclark- There are are some really interesting projects out there creating tools for exactly what you describe: letting kids make their own games and simulations.

My lab, the Teacher Education Program at MIT, is currently developing StarLogo TNG. It’s a graphical programming environment that lets kids make their own 3D video games and simulations. Check out the latest preview release here:

http://education.mit.edu/starlogo-tng/

Another one to check out is Scratch, also being developed at MIT. It’s not available to the public yet- here’s the URL:

http://weblogs.media.mit.edu/llk/scratch/

There’s also a really cool environment called squeak, which has a language called eToys. That’s here:

http://www.squeakland.org/

Enjoy!

]]> By: sclark http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/webkids/2006/10/17/net-day-links/#comment-11 sclark Fri, 20 Oct 2006 17:05:58 +0000 http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/webkids/2006/10/17/net-day-links/#comment-11 Do we know which instant messaging clients are popular among students. Do they still use AIM or are new clients such as google talk on the rise? Do we know which instant messaging clients are popular among students. Do they still use AIM or are new clients such as google talk on the rise?

]]> By: sclark http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/webkids/2006/10/17/net-day-links/#comment-10 sclark Thu, 19 Oct 2006 21:13:05 +0000 http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/webkids/2006/10/17/net-day-links/#comment-10 I'd be interested in seeing if there are any programs or applications available to enable kids to get involved in the actual creation of simple games and simulations for educational use in the classroom. I recall teachers in both high school and middle school that assigned a group of students chapters or units from the textbook that had to be learned and taught to fellow students. This usually resulted in a powerpoint presentation, a series of handouts and the group of students lecturing from the front of the class. The creation of education objects that illustrate specific concepts could then be shared with fellow students as well as future students within the same school and across the country. I’d be interested in seeing if there are any programs or applications available to enable kids to get involved in the actual creation of simple games and simulations for educational use in the classroom. I recall teachers in both high school and middle school that assigned a group of students chapters or units from the textbook that had to be learned and taught to fellow students. This usually resulted in a powerpoint presentation, a series of handouts and the group of students lecturing from the front of the class. The creation of education objects that illustrate specific concepts could then be shared with fellow students as well as future students within the same school and across the country.

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