Copyright laws: 3 facts a teacher should know...

1.    If you record a program on a non-premium service you must erase it after 45 calendar days.  I was completely unaware of this violation.  Although it has been years since I taught, many teachers kept copies of taped programs from year to year.  I did not know this was a violation.

2.       You are not allowed to install a single copy of a program on multiple computers or onto a network without permission.  Although I am not guilty of this one (we were just getting one computer in each classroom the last year I was teaching), I think this would be an easy one to violate.  I can see where if I bought a terrific biology program, I would want to share it with the other biology teachers.  However the Fair Use exception does not cover copying complete computer programs on multiple computers or networks. 

3.       All internet materials are copyrighted unless noted otherwise.   

At what cost?

This week, one of my customers told me that he heard one of Microsoft's executives speak.  The executive had a 5 year old in kindergarten and the school called him because his child kept ripping through his paper when he would try to write.  The executive said that it then dawned on him that his child's experience with writing/drawing was always on a tablet, thus he did not understand how to control the pressure of his pencil.  Two hours later, another customer shared that they no longer teach cursive writing in elementary school.  (She said her son goes to a school in Guilford County.  I have not verified that this is accurate.)  Then this morning, I read Kiva Elliott's blog.  She spoke about how technology is making children antisocial.

I feel that so many aspects of technology in an educational setting are great and improve/enhance the learning process.  However, at what cost? As great as it may be that a 5 year old can manipulate a tablet computer, doesn't that child also need the mechanical development of holding a pencil or crayon?  Is cursive writing going to become a thing of the past?  Will our students only learn how to "sign" their name for legal documents?  How will children learn how to interact face-to-face?

Personally, I do not think that we will lose the need for pencils and crayons in the immediate future.  However, cursive writing may be a thing of the past.  Most of my correspondence is computer-generated in some form.  I rarely receive a hand-written note anymore (but I love it when I do).  I do think that as long as children have recess, sports and time to play outside (with no electronics), social skills will develop.  A balance will need to be found. 

Features of iPad 2

I thought I would pass along some of the features of the iPad2:

1.  33% thinner and 15% lighter
2.  twice as fast with the same 10 hour battery life
3.  A camera with FaceTime!!
4.  Smart Cover
5.  Same price as the first iPad