Teens & Technology

I don't know about most schools, but I do realize that many schools are adding technology that kids already use into their classes.  My daughter uses Glogs and other tools to create and turn in assignments at Gwinnett Online Campus.  My son's textbooks are mostly online now, my daughter has no text books.  Both come home and play video games, or (in the case of my daughter) play with their phones. 

It's interesting that schools are engaging kids using the same things that we're asking them to turn off.  I'm not sure that turning off is completely the answer, but more of a moderation.



I do find this infographic interesting, though.



Then again, given that I'm online a good portion of the day both for work and for personal use (blogging/facebook/etc), maybe I'm not the best judge. 

Tech Talk - Camera choices

I need a new camera.  It was reinforced during our trip to Yellowstone.  Mine is 8Mp and is very slow to write to the card.  I've been debating a new camera and here are the choices I've come up with.  Of course, they're out of budget right now unless I can find a super sale, but at least I can think about it.

Do I want a "normal" or a "rugged/waterproof" camera?  I'm torn on this.  I love the idea of being able to swim with my digital camera to get pictures, or to take it on my next mud run.  My options, though, are limited and picture quality isn't always as nice as a nice camera.  If I go for a waterproof, I'm thinking I'll go with the Nikon Coolpix AW110.  It has the best ratings from Consumer Reports and the feedback I've found on various sites gives similar results.  It runs around $200-350.

If I go for a "normal" camera, I want something a step down from what my husband has.  He has a nice Canon Rebel that allows you to change lenses, etc.  I don't need anything that nice, so whatever standard lens it has needs to be enough.  I'm also not always good with manual settings, though I'm getting better.  I'd love the option for 'auto' on there.  I also want an optical zoom and at least 12Mp, prefer 16Mp photos.  From what I can find, the Panasonic Lumix may be the best bet. Unfortunately for me, depending on the model, that one runs around $800-900.

So, while I sit back and think hard about what really matters when it comes to me taking pictures, if you have any suggestions about cameras I'm more than happy to hear them.

Tech Talk Tuesday

A usability study is one where you take a product and put it in front of a sample of potential users and find out just how well it does (or doesn't) work. This is especially important when it comes to testing computer or software based products so that kinks and issues can be resolved BEFORE releasing it to your actual audience. Unfortunately for my kids, I don't think ANYONE performed one of these for the interface they're using for school.

I find the interface klunky and kludged. The "parent" or auditor interface is such that if you have multiple students, you have multiple accounts. It's not possible to put the interaction into one place for all students under one parent. Not to mention the fact that the data provided is not reliable enough to depend on when you need it. Instead, the parent must log in to each student's account and see what the student sees to find any information.

The student interface starts out looking cool, with a graphic that should send them to the media center, help desk and more. From there, though, it looks like a frames based html interface using text linking to more information. Something I was creating twenty years ago in college (scary thought that). To get to material, the student must first go to the subject, then to the 'checklist' to find the important assignments. We were told not to depend on the calendar option as it wasn't reliable. This means scrolling down through a long list of assignments to get to the one you are looking for.

From there the student follows various text links to get to the lesson and information they need. To submit an assignment, they go to a "dropbox" link, scroll down through a list of assignments, click the appropriate one and upload a file. Quizzes/Tests are under another link.

For a parent wanting to confirm that their student has submitted a file, the system supposedly sends "confirmation" email to the student. This means that the parent must log in to the student's email account and either a)set up a filter to forward this information, or b)remember to log in to check it on a regular basis. It does not allow you to enter a second email or to change the one it has by default.

If the parent does not want to mess with the email, then they must log in to the student's account. They must follow the same steps as the student to find the list of assignments (which teachers recommend you print weekly), then they must go to the dropbox area to see if it has been submitted. This has to be done separately for each subject the student has.

The entire process is annoying and klunky. For the student, but for the parent as well, the interface can be hard to initially figure out and get right. The lessons (to me) look like they're kludged together. I've had it pointed out to me, though, that I'm spoiled by the k12 interface. That may be so, and k12 has it's own issues, but I would think a lot of issues could be simplified and corrected with a good usability study before they ever sent it out.

New Summer Toy

I have been debating for a while about getting a tablet of some sort. I've played with an iPad and decided that while nice I didn't want to buy one. I started thinking Nook or Kindle Fire or Samsung Galaxy. I have friends that have one or the other and I asked their opinions. For what I wanted though, I decided simple was better. I went with the Nook for the simple reason that it has the micro SD slot. I have enough geeky friends that told me where to find info on how to turn that SD card into a bootable disk for my nook. This allows my Nook to be an android tablet as well as a "regular" nook. So, I can play with all the android apps that aren't available from B&N to my heart's content. I can also put the Kindle reader on it and take full advantage of books from amazon.

I also am part of several point-earning sites. I have no problem cashing out the points that I earned for Amazon or B&N gift cards. That makes that aspect of it that much cheaper. I love to review books (though I haven't in a while), which is another way to maintain my book addiction.

All in all, I'd say it was a good investment for me. I found the Nook on sale, refurbished, for significantly less than it would have been otherwise, even on ebay. I have a great way to earn credit for books and apps. Most importantly, though, for those that know me is that it's a GADGET! Now to go crawl back into my hole and play with my new toy..