Try a diesel. Yep, diesel. Cleaner burning, better mileage. With the new ultra low sulfur fuels becoming more available in the US (not required until 2006, I think, but new emissions regulations enter in 2004... go figure).
Run some biodiesel (http://www.biodiesel.org) and you have a no sulfur fuel. You have a clean car running on renewable fuel, no dependency on Middle East oil. Burning biodiesel smells like popcorn out the tail pipe.
Currently the only diesel engine we Americans can buy in a passenger car is a 90 hp/155 ftlb Volkswagen TDi (Jetta, Golf, Beetle).
Do some chiptuning (http://www.upsolute.com) and you have one heck of a fun car.
"As a parent who spends all day on the computer, I feel they are nearly useless as teaching aids (except for programming, naturally). That's particularly true for small children."
Unfortunately, most stores where parents shop (even geek parents) don't carry the best software. Most retail software is drill 'n' kill which is better done with a 79 cent pencil and paper. Stores can't move product if it requires serious support -- the best stuff for teaching comes from academic publishers that don't sell high volumes. Some of the best software I've seen is written for elementary mathematics. http://www.sunburst-store.com/ sells one of my favorites http://www.enc.org/resources/records/0,1240,000855,00.shtm For the truly geeky, check out http://webassign.net/pasnew/aboutpas.html. Electric Field Hockey is a hit even with the 9th graders!
Back to the hardware issue: My students are dependent upon my geek skills to keep viable an ancient lab of PowerMacs, circa 1996 (no flames please) for data collection and analyzing. I don't have the time to breathe during the day, much less build my own computers on my few measly dollars (compared to my pre-teaching days of working in materials science).
Computers are critical as is the gear to hook into the box to collect data. Check out http://www.pasco.com or http://www.vernier.com. I use photogates and motion detectors primarily; I can't afford nifty gadgets like force probes or 3-D accelerometers but I can dream.
Technology is often read as "computers" but items like CBLs (calculator based labs) that use a TI or Casio to accept data input are often overlooked. .
That said, the value of a computer is not much if the curriculum is just collect more data with no deep analysis. Check out http://modeling.asu.edu. Excellent curriculum which can be done low tech, but often more effective (and easier from a teacher's point of view) with the high tech gear. Collecting one set of data with a stopwatch is fine. Collecting multiple data sets with multiple variables is niftier.
Could you repost this URL? Every permutation I tried came up 404.
I eagerly await with a properly partitioned iBook, LinuxPPC installed and tired of using the CD to switch from Linux back to the Mac. Argh.
Slashdot Mirror
TedEd, Khan, et alis are not enough.
http://fnoschese.wordpress.com/ (current post)
http://www.techsavvyed.net/archives/1866 (refers to older posts of Frank)
Here's why Khan other video lessons may *worsen* the problems:
http://fnoschese.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/khan-academy-and-the-effectiveness-of-science-videos/
http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/pdfs/research/super/PhD(Muller).pdf
Try a diesel. Yep, diesel. Cleaner burning, better mileage. With the new ultra low sulfur fuels becoming more available in the US (not required until 2006, I think, but new emissions regulations enter in 2004... go figure).
Run some biodiesel (http://www.biodiesel.org) and you have a no sulfur fuel. You have a clean car running on renewable fuel, no dependency on Middle East oil. Burning biodiesel smells like popcorn out the tail pipe.
Currently the only diesel engine we Americans can buy in a passenger car is a 90 hp/155 ftlb Volkswagen TDi (Jetta, Golf, Beetle).
Do some chiptuning (http://www.upsolute.com) and you have one heck of a fun car.
FYI, I get 43 mpg city and 52 mpg freeway.
"As a parent who spends all day on the computer, I feel they are nearly useless as teaching aids (except for programming, naturally). That's particularly true for small children."
5 ,00.shtm For the truly geeky, check out http://webassign.net/pasnew/aboutpas.html. Electric Field Hockey is a hit even with the 9th graders!
Unfortunately, most stores where parents shop (even geek parents) don't carry the best software. Most retail software is drill 'n' kill which is better done with a 79 cent pencil and paper. Stores can't move product if it requires serious support -- the best stuff for teaching comes from academic publishers that don't sell high volumes. Some of the best software I've seen is written for elementary mathematics. http://www.sunburst-store.com/ sells one of my favorites http://www.enc.org/resources/records/0,1240,00085
Back to the hardware issue: My students are dependent upon my geek skills to keep viable an ancient lab of PowerMacs, circa 1996 (no flames please) for data collection and analyzing. I don't have the time to breathe during the day, much less build my own computers on my few measly dollars (compared to my pre-teaching days of working in materials science).
Computers are critical as is the gear to hook into the box to collect data. Check out http://www.pasco.com or http://www.vernier.com. I use photogates and motion detectors primarily; I can't afford nifty gadgets like force probes or 3-D accelerometers but I can dream.
Technology is often read as "computers" but items like CBLs (calculator based labs) that use a TI or Casio to accept data input are often overlooked. .
That said, the value of a computer is not much if the curriculum is just collect more data with no deep analysis. Check out http://modeling.asu.edu. Excellent curriculum which can be done low tech, but often more effective (and easier from a teacher's point of view) with the high tech gear. Collecting one set of data with a stopwatch is fine. Collecting multiple data sets with multiple variables is niftier.
Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Could you repost this URL? Every permutation I tried came up 404. I eagerly await with a properly partitioned iBook, LinuxPPC installed and tired of using the CD to switch from Linux back to the Mac. Argh.