From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Wed Sep 8 09:54:27 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Wed Sep 8 09:54:35 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] The Underground History of American Education Message-ID: <99533CAE-019E-11D9-A472-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> John Taylor Gatto is a former New York City school teacher. During his 30-year career, he has taught at 5 different public schools, has had his teaching license suspended twice for insubordination, and was once covertly terminated while on medical leave. He has also won the New York City Teacher of the Year award three times and the New York State Teacher of the Year award once during the final year of his career. The whole time he has been an outspoken critic of the school system. Nine years after leaving his career, he published The Underground History of American Education (full text available here), in which he puts forth his insider's vision of what is wrong with American schooling. His verdict is not what you'd expect: the school system cannot be fixed, Gatto asserts, because it has been designed not to educate. http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/06/1722203 The text: http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/chapters/index.htm http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/underground/index.htm --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 1771 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040908/e7e6688d/attachment.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Fri Sep 10 07:56:57 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Fri Sep 10 07:58:38 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] the use of solar power for laptops Message-ID: <842F098E-0320-11D9-BC5A-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> Solar plan for Indian computers By Ram Dutt Tripathi BBC correspondent in Lucknow Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have drawn up a pilot project to use solar power to run computers in village schools. Nearly 80% of houses are estimated to have no power, and many villages suffer frequent disruption in supply because of power cuts or other faults. Many have to use kerosene lamps for light and most government-run primary schools have no power at all. It is hoped the plan will help schools cope with the rural power crisis. Last year, the Uttar Pradesh Education for All Project Board bought about 1,000 computers for selected primary schools in all 70 districts. The schools were selected in villages which had no power lines, and teachers were given special training for computer-aided education. When my solar AC converter is ready it will be very convenient. I will run computers as well as fans in my school Gyaneshwar Varma, Tikara Patti villager A further 1,000 computers are to be purchased this year for village schools, but most of these will not work because there is no power available. "In the present situation of power supply we are not sure that electricity will be available in rural schools for computers," said GB Patnaik from the Alternative Energy Department. "To overcome this, we have drawn a scheme to arrange solar energy for these computers." The cost of running solar panels to power computers in one school would cost about ?1,000, which is expensive for many schools. But Parth Sarthi Sen Sharma, director for the Education for All project, said funds would be arranged on a 50-50 basis by both departments. Mr Sharma said the expenditure will be cost effective in the long run. Innovative uses As authorities in the education and alternative energy departments try to arrange funds, some farmers who have solar pumps for irrigation are making efforts to use this natural and clean energy source for other purposes. So far, solar energy has been used for cooking, heating water, light and running tube wells. Gyaneshwar Varma, who lives in the village of Tikara Patti nearly 50km east of the state capital Lucknow, bought a computer 15 years ago, primarily to play card and chess games. Later he purchased another computer for his school, but it had no electricity supply. He had to take his children into the village to learn about computers, but the power supply in the village was also very erratic and there was no fixed schedule for power. Mr Varma, a civil engineer by training, installed a solar pump in his school campus to irrigate his farms. Now he wants to convert the solar energy into 220-volt AC electricity, and has hired a mechanic from the industrial city Kanpur to make a power inverter for $124 (?70). "When my solar AC converter is ready it will be very convenient. I will run computers as well as fans in my school," said Mr Varma. Government regulations say solar pumps should be used for irrigation purposes only. But other farmers and youths are inventing all kinds of new uses of solar energy, generating employment and additional income. One Umari villager in the Barabanki district is charging batteries to run TVs in rural areas, which gives him an extra income of $3.50 (?2) a day. Farmer Sharmail Singh has dug a pond near his solar pump in his farmhouse, which is used for fisheries and drinking water for buffalos. Solar pumps provide light in the night via a battery. "It is almost a power house," commented his son Ranjit Singh. The state of Uttar Pradesh currently has 2.7 million diesel engine tube wells and 600,000 electric motor tube wells. Last year 109 solar pumps were installed, but the administration now aims to install 400 in 2004. Farmers only have to pay a fourth of the cost and the rest is subsidised by the government. Banks are also lending farmers the money they need to pay out. And if Mr Varma succeeds in developing the technology to run fans and computers from solar pumps it may encourage other farmers to do the same, giving them a more reliable and cleaner source of power. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/3623864.stm Published: 2004/09/05 21:37:57 GMT ? BBC MMIV --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 5474 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040910/fcf04d22/attachment.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Tue Sep 14 20:29:26 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Tue Sep 14 20:29:36 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] Oppose Fed. Ed. Tech. Funding Cuts? Message-ID: <4CFE162E-06AE-11D9-9596-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> From: hbarnet@wested.org Subject: [sigadmin] Important Ed Tech Info Date: September 14, 2004 6:44:06 PM EDT To: sigadmin@discussion.iste.org Reply-To: hbarnet@wested.org Subject: How to Oppose Ed Tech Funding Cuts - Senate Action Expected As you may know, the House of Representatives has passed a 13% cut in educational technology funding from the federal budget. Below is a letter from the National School Boards Association that provides additional information and as well suggestions for steps to take if you wish to influence your senators' vote on this issue. For additional information, see: http://www.iste.org/publications/washington-notes/2004/08.cfm#one http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA447803.html http://www.siia.net/govt/docs/pub/CmteAlert8-03-04FederalFunding.doc --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 1856 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040914/a6ab6d0b/attachment.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Thu Sep 16 21:53:15 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Thu Sep 16 21:53:20 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] papers to be presented at E-Learn Message-ID: <56E2D00A-084C-11D9-A056-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> We are presenting two papers at E-Learn (one is with Dr. Mott of Purdue). Attached is the list. You can access the abstracts at the links below if you are so inclined. If the links are broken just copy and paste the pieces into your URL. http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/sessions/index.cfm/fuseaction/ PaperDetails?CFID=3238320&CFTOKEN=7102271&presentation_id=24495 and http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/sessions/index.cfm/fuseaction/ PaperDetails?CFID=3238320&CFTOKEN=7102271&presentation_id=24602 Best Regards, jb -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: AACE - E-Learn Conference.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 95244 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040916/1f9cdcbe/AACE-E-LearnConference-0001.pdf -------------- next part -------------- --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Wed Sep 22 12:43:35 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Wed Sep 22 12:43:45 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] Special-ed pupils learn via high-tech inspiration Message-ID: <8C166896-0CB6-11D9-92B0-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> Special-ed pupils learn via high-tech inspiration Monica Mendoza The Arizona Republic Sept. 22, 2004 12:00 AM There's a classroom, across the courtyard from his office, where Assistant Principal Tim Ramsey likes to spend time. The work of pupils in that room at Desert Mirage Elementary School draws him in at least twice a day. The children know him and revel in his attention. But it's Ramsey who revels in them. "It's because they are honest," he said. "There are no shields." They are just nine children, in kindergarten to Grade 2, in the Pendegast Elementary School District's special-education class. The children have severe learning disabilities. For some, saying complete sentences is a learning goal for the entire school year. But they share one thing in common: They love technology. What Ramsey comes to see in room K3 is an innovative special-education teacher who uses a software program for children with disabilities and a 3-foot-wide, touch-sensitive computer screen that has the children making educational gains beyond what teachers and parents predicted, even hoped. Some of the children have exceeded their goals so much that the teacher and the parents are setting new learning goals just months into the school year. Theirs is a story of winning and of learning. It has children applauding one another and 25-year-veteran teacher Pat Spreitzer chatting away to her husband every night about their progress. Visitors have come to see the children at work. District officials want to know how they can duplicate it. And the little children of room K3 are teaching other pupils at their school how to use technology. "It's amazing," Spreitzer said. The technology Spreitzer's class is a self-contained special-education classroom, which means children with similar abilities are in class together. In Arizona, there are about 20,000 children in self-contained special-education classrooms with disabilities that range from speech and language impairment to mild mental retardation to emotional disabilities. In Spreitzer's class, there are two full-time assistants, and speech pathologist Kelli Gladieux works one-on-one with the children several times a week. She describes the children as having receptive and expressive language delays. It means they have difficulty translating language into usable information and have limited vocabulary. "Some things that would take a typical child months to learn - counting, learning colors - takes these children years," Spreitzer said. For years, Spreitzer has used computer software and hardware by IntelliTools, specially designed technology for children with disabilities. Last school year, she put the computer lessons on a giant SMART Board, a large touch-sensitive computer screen, one of four at her school that teachers reserve and check out for a limited time. One child, who is legally blind, came alive during the lesson on rain forests. He could see, he told the class. He wasn't the only one impressed by the "big computer." Other children wanted to touch it, hear it make sounds and seemed to enjoy the computerized voice that read sentences to them. Spreitzer found something that worked and wanted a SMART Board for her class, one she could keep full time. Last spring, she won a $3,406 grant from Salt River Project Learning Grants. Now room K3 has its own SMART Board; learning has entered a new era. The learning On the walls in room K3 there are words, graphs, photos and shelves loaded with puzzles and games. In one corner is a 3-foot-wide computer the children call the "big computer." Using it involves following directions, taking turns, choosing vocabulary words, reading and operating the computer. "Some children who were saying only one or two words are saying whole sentences," Spreitzer said. "It's something they have connected with, it's how their brain works." At least two times a day, the children assemble their chairs around the big computer, anticipating Spreitzer's calling their name. And in a "Come on down" game-show way, the child jumps out of his seat and approaches the screen, waiting for the question. "Where is the horse?" she asked in a recent lesson based on a book she had read to them. Each child takes a turn constructing a story, by touching a picture or word that answers her questions. As the teacher calls out the direction, the child touches the correct answer. When the child gets the right answer, the other children cheer. The big computer and the lessons Spreitzer designed have helped children expand their sentence length, increase their vocabulary, excite them about learning, help them with social skills and following patterns and direction. "There really is a difference in the speed in how they are meeting their goals," she said. Parent Dawn Flynn has seen the growth in her son, Harrison, who is diagnosed as mildly mentally retarded. He is 6 and last year, when he started school, he could say only a few words. One of his learning goals for this school year was to say entire sentences, his mother said. Now her son runs into the house every day after school to show her a printout of his work from the "big computer," she said. What Harrison can do today, "I didn't expect for five or six years," Flynn said. "I have tears of joy every day." Last week, Harrison talked on the telephone to his grandmother. Flynn could hardly get him to stop. "I couldn't even have given that as one of his goals," Flynn said. "We always hope for the best. We were given those teachers, which is more than the best." http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/ 0922special22.html# --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 6712 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040922/78403e03/attachment.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Fri Sep 24 11:19:06 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Fri Sep 24 11:19:17 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] books for disadvantaged students Message-ID: <136A1F3A-0E3D-11D9-9B95-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> Up to 1 million books for needy kids through Scholastic's Book Club Grant Title: Scholastic Book Clubs ClassroomsCare Organization: Scholastic Book Clubs, Partners First Book, Reach Out and Read, and Save the Children Eligibility: K-8 classrooms Value: Books for disadvantaged kids Deadline: December 31, 2004 The Scholastic Book Clubs ClassroomsCare is a philanthropy-based literacy campaign designed to teach children about the joys and importance of reading and giving. For each class that reads 100 books by Dec. 31, Scholastic Book Clubs, a division of Scholastic Inc., the global children's publishing and media company, will donate 100 books to disadvantaged children nationwide. A total of up to one million new books will be donated. The ClassroomsCare initiative, now in its fourth year, is open to all classrooms nationwide through Scholastic Book Clubs catalogues and the Scholastic web site. Teachers of students in grades K-8 who order from Scholastic Book Clubs in September and October automatically receive a free ClassroomsCare participation kit, complete with a colorful poster to record classroom reading, as well as a take-home reproducible letter to get friends and family involved. Contact: ?http://www.scholastic.com/classroomscare --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 2235 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040924/5f6c4b3d/attachment.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Fri Sep 24 12:56:06 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Fri Sep 24 13:10:29 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] "Children, the Digital Divide and Federal Policy" Message-ID: September 16, 2004 - "Children, the Digital Divide and Federal Policy" released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows important disparities in the quality of access to the Internet continue, even though 96% of 8-18 year-old-students report ever having gone online.? The federal government's most recent large study in 2001 found half (51.7%) of all children ages 3-17 with family incomes of $75,000 or more had Internet access at home, while just 15% of those with incomes of $20,000-$25,000 did.? Likewise, new data released by Kaiser indicates that school-aged children ages 8-18 with less-educated parents or who attend school in lower-income communities were significantly less likely than other children to use the Internet in a typical day or to have Internet access from their homes. Kaiser's "Children, The Digital Divide, and Federal Policy" issue brief includes new research findings and reviews the latest information on wiring the nation's schools and libraries, including points of access, the speed of connection, and what children are doing online. The report also examines current Federal policies and policy ideas that could address the new digital divide. (Find the full story at http://hellerreports.com/dte/lead.html) --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 2337 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040924/f5aebd5e/attachment.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Mon Sep 27 09:39:37 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Mon Sep 27 09:40:23 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] distance learning satellite launched Message-ID: India launches world's first education satellite 18:44?20?September?04 NewScientist.com news service Millions of illiterate people in remote, rural India could soon have access to an education, as a satellite devoted exclusively to long distance learning was launched on Monday. It is the world's first dedicated educational satellite, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). India launched the $20 million, 2-tonne EDUSAT from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, a tiny island in the Bay of Bengal. The satellite is the heaviest ever launched by an Indian-made rocket - the new Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), which cost $33 million. About 35% of the country?s billion-plus population are illiterate, a 2001 government census showed. ?India will require 10,000 new schools each year and meeting the teaching needs on such a scale [by conventional methods] will be impossible,? Madhavan Nair, chairman of ISRO, told New Scientist. To date, India has used both of its multi-purpose INSAT satellites to provide long-distance education information alongside their telecommunications, broadcasting and weather-forecasting functions. Virtual classrooms But EDUSAT's dedicated function will substantially improve the service provided. It will use the virtual classroom concept to offer education to children in remote villages, quality higher education to students in areas without access to good technical institutes, adult literacy programmes and training modules for teachers. ?It is a unique mission and we are happy to have achieved it,? Nair says. H P Dixit, vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi Open University, added: ?It will revolutionise education in our country." EDUSAT carries six KU-band transponders and six extended C-band transponders. All but one of the KU-band transponders will be dedicated to specific regions of India, while the rest of the transponders will provide blanket coverage for the country. The satellite will utilise an antenna with a 1.2-metre reflector to direct the KU-band spot beams towards their intended regions. This will enable information to be broadcast in relevant local languages - India has 18 official languages and over 400 dialects. The educational programmes can be viewed on any television set through a simple low-cost receiver costing about $65, Nair says. Operational phases Once EDUSAT is commissioned in two months' time it will initially provide one satellite link per beam, with each link catering for up to 200 classrooms. When fully operational, 25 to 30 satellite links will broadcast to about 5000 remote terminals. Monday?s launch marks several firsts for India?s space programme, says Nair. EDUSAT is India?s first satellite dedicated for education. Others being planned include AGRISAT, to address the country?s agricultural needs, and HEALTHSAT, for providing telemedicine services. It is also GSLV?s first operational flight. India will no longer depend on Europe's Ariane rockets to launch satellites of up to 2 tonnes, though it will continue to use them for heavier spacecraft. Padma Tata, New Delhi http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996423 --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 4980 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040927/4ad88f6e/attachment.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Tue Sep 28 13:48:33 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Tue Sep 28 15:20:40 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] tutoring Message-ID: <9E0E0FC4-1176-11D9-AB4F-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: a.gif Type: image/gif Size: 341 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040928/bc224b42/a.gif -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/alternative From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Wed Sep 8 09:54:27 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] The Underground History of American Education Message-ID: <99533CAE-019E-11D9-A472-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> John Taylor Gatto is a former New York City school teacher. During his 30-year career, he has taught at 5 different public schools, has had his teaching license suspended twice for insubordination, and was once covertly terminated while on medical leave. He has also won the New York City Teacher of the Year award three times and the New York State Teacher of the Year award once during the final year of his career. The whole time he has been an outspoken critic of the school system. Nine years after leaving his career, he published The Underground History of American Education (full text available here), in which he puts forth his insider's vision of what is wrong with American schooling. His verdict is not what you'd expect: the school system cannot be fixed, Gatto asserts, because it has been designed not to educate. http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/06/1722203 The text: http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/chapters/index.htm http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/underground/index.htm --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 1771 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040908/e7e6688d/attachment-0002.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Fri Sep 10 07:56:57 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] the use of solar power for laptops Message-ID: <842F098E-0320-11D9-BC5A-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> Solar plan for Indian computers By Ram Dutt Tripathi BBC correspondent in Lucknow Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have drawn up a pilot project to use solar power to run computers in village schools. Nearly 80% of houses are estimated to have no power, and many villages suffer frequent disruption in supply because of power cuts or other faults. Many have to use kerosene lamps for light and most government-run primary schools have no power at all. It is hoped the plan will help schools cope with the rural power crisis. Last year, the Uttar Pradesh Education for All Project Board bought about 1,000 computers for selected primary schools in all 70 districts. The schools were selected in villages which had no power lines, and teachers were given special training for computer-aided education. When my solar AC converter is ready it will be very convenient. I will run computers as well as fans in my school Gyaneshwar Varma, Tikara Patti villager A further 1,000 computers are to be purchased this year for village schools, but most of these will not work because there is no power available. "In the present situation of power supply we are not sure that electricity will be available in rural schools for computers," said GB Patnaik from the Alternative Energy Department. "To overcome this, we have drawn a scheme to arrange solar energy for these computers." The cost of running solar panels to power computers in one school would cost about ?1,000, which is expensive for many schools. But Parth Sarthi Sen Sharma, director for the Education for All project, said funds would be arranged on a 50-50 basis by both departments. Mr Sharma said the expenditure will be cost effective in the long run. Innovative uses As authorities in the education and alternative energy departments try to arrange funds, some farmers who have solar pumps for irrigation are making efforts to use this natural and clean energy source for other purposes. So far, solar energy has been used for cooking, heating water, light and running tube wells. Gyaneshwar Varma, who lives in the village of Tikara Patti nearly 50km east of the state capital Lucknow, bought a computer 15 years ago, primarily to play card and chess games. Later he purchased another computer for his school, but it had no electricity supply. He had to take his children into the village to learn about computers, but the power supply in the village was also very erratic and there was no fixed schedule for power. Mr Varma, a civil engineer by training, installed a solar pump in his school campus to irrigate his farms. Now he wants to convert the solar energy into 220-volt AC electricity, and has hired a mechanic from the industrial city Kanpur to make a power inverter for $124 (?70). "When my solar AC converter is ready it will be very convenient. I will run computers as well as fans in my school," said Mr Varma. Government regulations say solar pumps should be used for irrigation purposes only. But other farmers and youths are inventing all kinds of new uses of solar energy, generating employment and additional income. One Umari villager in the Barabanki district is charging batteries to run TVs in rural areas, which gives him an extra income of $3.50 (?2) a day. Farmer Sharmail Singh has dug a pond near his solar pump in his farmhouse, which is used for fisheries and drinking water for buffalos. Solar pumps provide light in the night via a battery. "It is almost a power house," commented his son Ranjit Singh. The state of Uttar Pradesh currently has 2.7 million diesel engine tube wells and 600,000 electric motor tube wells. Last year 109 solar pumps were installed, but the administration now aims to install 400 in 2004. Farmers only have to pay a fourth of the cost and the rest is subsidised by the government. Banks are also lending farmers the money they need to pay out. And if Mr Varma succeeds in developing the technology to run fans and computers from solar pumps it may encourage other farmers to do the same, giving them a more reliable and cleaner source of power. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/3623864.stm Published: 2004/09/05 21:37:57 GMT ? BBC MMIV --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 5474 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040910/fcf04d22/attachment-0002.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Tue Sep 14 20:29:26 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] Oppose Fed. Ed. Tech. Funding Cuts? Message-ID: <4CFE162E-06AE-11D9-9596-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> From: hbarnet@wested.org Subject: [sigadmin] Important Ed Tech Info Date: September 14, 2004 6:44:06 PM EDT To: sigadmin@discussion.iste.org Reply-To: hbarnet@wested.org Subject: How to Oppose Ed Tech Funding Cuts - Senate Action Expected As you may know, the House of Representatives has passed a 13% cut in educational technology funding from the federal budget. Below is a letter from the National School Boards Association that provides additional information and as well suggestions for steps to take if you wish to influence your senators' vote on this issue. For additional information, see: http://www.iste.org/publications/washington-notes/2004/08.cfm#one http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA447803.html http://www.siia.net/govt/docs/pub/CmteAlert8-03-04FederalFunding.doc --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 1856 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040914/a6ab6d0b/attachment-0002.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Thu Sep 16 21:53:15 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] papers to be presented at E-Learn Message-ID: <56E2D00A-084C-11D9-A056-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> We are presenting two papers at E-Learn (one is with Dr. Mott of Purdue). Attached is the list. You can access the abstracts at the links below if you are so inclined. If the links are broken just copy and paste the pieces into your URL. http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/sessions/index.cfm/fuseaction/ PaperDetails?CFID=3238320&CFTOKEN=7102271&presentation_id=24495 and http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/sessions/index.cfm/fuseaction/ PaperDetails?CFID=3238320&CFTOKEN=7102271&presentation_id=24602 Best Regards, jb -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: AACE - E-Learn Conference.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 95244 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040916/1f9cdcbe/AACE-E-LearnConference-0002.pdf -------------- next part -------------- --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Wed Sep 22 12:43:35 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] Special-ed pupils learn via high-tech inspiration Message-ID: <8C166896-0CB6-11D9-92B0-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> Special-ed pupils learn via high-tech inspiration Monica Mendoza The Arizona Republic Sept. 22, 2004 12:00 AM There's a classroom, across the courtyard from his office, where Assistant Principal Tim Ramsey likes to spend time. The work of pupils in that room at Desert Mirage Elementary School draws him in at least twice a day. The children know him and revel in his attention. But it's Ramsey who revels in them. "It's because they are honest," he said. "There are no shields." They are just nine children, in kindergarten to Grade 2, in the Pendegast Elementary School District's special-education class. The children have severe learning disabilities. For some, saying complete sentences is a learning goal for the entire school year. But they share one thing in common: They love technology. What Ramsey comes to see in room K3 is an innovative special-education teacher who uses a software program for children with disabilities and a 3-foot-wide, touch-sensitive computer screen that has the children making educational gains beyond what teachers and parents predicted, even hoped. Some of the children have exceeded their goals so much that the teacher and the parents are setting new learning goals just months into the school year. Theirs is a story of winning and of learning. It has children applauding one another and 25-year-veteran teacher Pat Spreitzer chatting away to her husband every night about their progress. Visitors have come to see the children at work. District officials want to know how they can duplicate it. And the little children of room K3 are teaching other pupils at their school how to use technology. "It's amazing," Spreitzer said. The technology Spreitzer's class is a self-contained special-education classroom, which means children with similar abilities are in class together. In Arizona, there are about 20,000 children in self-contained special-education classrooms with disabilities that range from speech and language impairment to mild mental retardation to emotional disabilities. In Spreitzer's class, there are two full-time assistants, and speech pathologist Kelli Gladieux works one-on-one with the children several times a week. She describes the children as having receptive and expressive language delays. It means they have difficulty translating language into usable information and have limited vocabulary. "Some things that would take a typical child months to learn - counting, learning colors - takes these children years," Spreitzer said. For years, Spreitzer has used computer software and hardware by IntelliTools, specially designed technology for children with disabilities. Last school year, she put the computer lessons on a giant SMART Board, a large touch-sensitive computer screen, one of four at her school that teachers reserve and check out for a limited time. One child, who is legally blind, came alive during the lesson on rain forests. He could see, he told the class. He wasn't the only one impressed by the "big computer." Other children wanted to touch it, hear it make sounds and seemed to enjoy the computerized voice that read sentences to them. Spreitzer found something that worked and wanted a SMART Board for her class, one she could keep full time. Last spring, she won a $3,406 grant from Salt River Project Learning Grants. Now room K3 has its own SMART Board; learning has entered a new era. The learning On the walls in room K3 there are words, graphs, photos and shelves loaded with puzzles and games. In one corner is a 3-foot-wide computer the children call the "big computer." Using it involves following directions, taking turns, choosing vocabulary words, reading and operating the computer. "Some children who were saying only one or two words are saying whole sentences," Spreitzer said. "It's something they have connected with, it's how their brain works." At least two times a day, the children assemble their chairs around the big computer, anticipating Spreitzer's calling their name. And in a "Come on down" game-show way, the child jumps out of his seat and approaches the screen, waiting for the question. "Where is the horse?" she asked in a recent lesson based on a book she had read to them. Each child takes a turn constructing a story, by touching a picture or word that answers her questions. As the teacher calls out the direction, the child touches the correct answer. When the child gets the right answer, the other children cheer. The big computer and the lessons Spreitzer designed have helped children expand their sentence length, increase their vocabulary, excite them about learning, help them with social skills and following patterns and direction. "There really is a difference in the speed in how they are meeting their goals," she said. Parent Dawn Flynn has seen the growth in her son, Harrison, who is diagnosed as mildly mentally retarded. He is 6 and last year, when he started school, he could say only a few words. One of his learning goals for this school year was to say entire sentences, his mother said. Now her son runs into the house every day after school to show her a printout of his work from the "big computer," she said. What Harrison can do today, "I didn't expect for five or six years," Flynn said. "I have tears of joy every day." Last week, Harrison talked on the telephone to his grandmother. Flynn could hardly get him to stop. "I couldn't even have given that as one of his goals," Flynn said. "We always hope for the best. We were given those teachers, which is more than the best." http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/ 0922special22.html# --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 6712 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040922/78403e03/attachment-0002.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Fri Sep 24 11:19:06 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] books for disadvantaged students Message-ID: <136A1F3A-0E3D-11D9-9B95-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> Up to 1 million books for needy kids through Scholastic's Book Club Grant Title: Scholastic Book Clubs ClassroomsCare Organization: Scholastic Book Clubs, Partners First Book, Reach Out and Read, and Save the Children Eligibility: K-8 classrooms Value: Books for disadvantaged kids Deadline: December 31, 2004 The Scholastic Book Clubs ClassroomsCare is a philanthropy-based literacy campaign designed to teach children about the joys and importance of reading and giving. For each class that reads 100 books by Dec. 31, Scholastic Book Clubs, a division of Scholastic Inc., the global children's publishing and media company, will donate 100 books to disadvantaged children nationwide. A total of up to one million new books will be donated. The ClassroomsCare initiative, now in its fourth year, is open to all classrooms nationwide through Scholastic Book Clubs catalogues and the Scholastic web site. Teachers of students in grades K-8 who order from Scholastic Book Clubs in September and October automatically receive a free ClassroomsCare participation kit, complete with a colorful poster to record classroom reading, as well as a take-home reproducible letter to get friends and family involved. Contact: ?http://www.scholastic.com/classroomscare --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 2235 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040924/5f6c4b3d/attachment-0002.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Fri Sep 24 12:56:06 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] "Children, the Digital Divide and Federal Policy" Message-ID: September 16, 2004 - "Children, the Digital Divide and Federal Policy" released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows important disparities in the quality of access to the Internet continue, even though 96% of 8-18 year-old-students report ever having gone online.? The federal government's most recent large study in 2001 found half (51.7%) of all children ages 3-17 with family incomes of $75,000 or more had Internet access at home, while just 15% of those with incomes of $20,000-$25,000 did.? Likewise, new data released by Kaiser indicates that school-aged children ages 8-18 with less-educated parents or who attend school in lower-income communities were significantly less likely than other children to use the Internet in a typical day or to have Internet access from their homes. Kaiser's "Children, The Digital Divide, and Federal Policy" issue brief includes new research findings and reviews the latest information on wiring the nation's schools and libraries, including points of access, the speed of connection, and what children are doing online. The report also examines current Federal policies and policy ideas that could address the new digital divide. (Find the full story at http://hellerreports.com/dte/lead.html) --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 2337 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040924/f5aebd5e/attachment-0002.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Mon Sep 27 09:39:37 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] distance learning satellite launched Message-ID: India launches world's first education satellite 18:44?20?September?04 NewScientist.com news service Millions of illiterate people in remote, rural India could soon have access to an education, as a satellite devoted exclusively to long distance learning was launched on Monday. It is the world's first dedicated educational satellite, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). India launched the $20 million, 2-tonne EDUSAT from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, a tiny island in the Bay of Bengal. The satellite is the heaviest ever launched by an Indian-made rocket - the new Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), which cost $33 million. About 35% of the country?s billion-plus population are illiterate, a 2001 government census showed. ?India will require 10,000 new schools each year and meeting the teaching needs on such a scale [by conventional methods] will be impossible,? Madhavan Nair, chairman of ISRO, told New Scientist. To date, India has used both of its multi-purpose INSAT satellites to provide long-distance education information alongside their telecommunications, broadcasting and weather-forecasting functions. Virtual classrooms But EDUSAT's dedicated function will substantially improve the service provided. It will use the virtual classroom concept to offer education to children in remote villages, quality higher education to students in areas without access to good technical institutes, adult literacy programmes and training modules for teachers. ?It is a unique mission and we are happy to have achieved it,? Nair says. H P Dixit, vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi Open University, added: ?It will revolutionise education in our country." EDUSAT carries six KU-band transponders and six extended C-band transponders. All but one of the KU-band transponders will be dedicated to specific regions of India, while the rest of the transponders will provide blanket coverage for the country. The satellite will utilise an antenna with a 1.2-metre reflector to direct the KU-band spot beams towards their intended regions. This will enable information to be broadcast in relevant local languages - India has 18 official languages and over 400 dialects. The educational programmes can be viewed on any television set through a simple low-cost receiver costing about $65, Nair says. Operational phases Once EDUSAT is commissioned in two months' time it will initially provide one satellite link per beam, with each link catering for up to 200 classrooms. When fully operational, 25 to 30 satellite links will broadcast to about 5000 remote terminals. Monday?s launch marks several firsts for India?s space programme, says Nair. EDUSAT is India?s first satellite dedicated for education. Others being planned include AGRISAT, to address the country?s agricultural needs, and HEALTHSAT, for providing telemedicine services. It is also GSLV?s first operational flight. India will no longer depend on Europe's Ariane rockets to launch satellites of up to 2 tonnes, though it will continue to use them for heavier spacecraft. Padma Tata, New Delhi http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996423 --- Jason Barkeloo President TouchSmart Publishing http://www.touchsmart.net t: 513.225.8765 f: 206.666.4856 This electronic mail (email) communication, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and intended solely for the indicated recipient(s). Any review, use, or distribution by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, or are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender, and delete all copies immediately. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 4980 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040927/4ad88f6e/attachment-0002.bin From bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net Tue Sep 28 13:48:33 2004 From: bridging_the_divide at touchsmart.net (bridging_the_divide@touchsmart.net) Date: Sat Nov 20 05:29:19 2004 Subject: [Bridging_the_digital_divide] tutoring Message-ID: <9E0E0FC4-1176-11D9-AB4F-000A95A5E63A@touchsmart.net> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: a.gif Type: image/gif Size: 341 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/bridging_the_divide/attachments/20040928/bc224b42/a-0002.gif -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/alternative