Technology as a Babysitter

School is out for the summer and parents searching for activities to keep their children’s boredom at a minimum. Aside from the traditional sleep-away camps, pool days and family vacations, technology has gradually eased the burden placed on parents. Specifically, the advent of the seemingly iPhone has sparked the interest of children around the world with its abundance of apps, video capabilities, music and games. Sounds like the ultimate boredom-slashing solution, right? All a parent has to do is hand the sleek, portable device over to his or her child and can go about their daily activities, knowing that they have supplied hours of instant gratification.

Though the iPhone may be extremely convenient and enjoyable, parents should think twice before deeming the gadget their child’s new nanny. Lack of social interaction and use of imagination are long-term consequences that should be considered when leaving hours of the day to be occupied by technology. To read more about the possible ramifications of the ubiquitous iPhone, look here.

Weekly Recap of @TopicsEducation on Twitter

All of us at Topics Education are engaging in discussions on Twitter about issues relevant to this blog. We don’t want you to miss it, so each week, we’ll share some of the highlights here. You can also follow us at @TopicsEducation.

• Animatronic Dragons? Have you heard? http://ow.ly/2fhgw [video inside]
• Very interesting! RT @fastcompany Paging Dr. 3PO. New Robot Surgeons Can Operate Without Human Assistance http://ow.ly/2f59q #BiopsyBot #3d
• RT @nprpolitics Today's Junkie Segment On TOTN: Shirley Sherrod, Race And The Media's Role http://ow.ly/2eIEH
• RT @dcarli: Green Business Forecast Shows Strong Growth Ahead http://bit.ly/ci3OfE
• Upside 1- http://ow.ly/2e4Zk Upside 2- RT @EEWeek Gulf oil spill inspires young artists http://ow.ly/2e506
• Thoughts on our blog around single-gender schools... http://ow.ly/2e7vj. Original article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://ow.ly/2e7wC
• RT @theobserver: Ask.com's Top 10 Things People are asking about Charlotte http://ow.ly/2e4hg ^ericfraz
• Oh summer days RT @activekidsclub New post AKC : "Sea, Shell, Salt" http://ow.ly/2dC82 #playoutdoors
• Why give? RT @kanter Free webinar...with Dan Ariely on the upside of irrationality http://cot.ag/aS0BXL - explores donor motivations

Animatronic Dragons

Here at Topics, we support almost all STEM education efforts, but this animatronic dragon has us scratching our heads. Do students really need to learn how to build fire-breathing robots?

Dale Dougherty, founder of MAKE Magazine, thinks that building robots could be just the sort of project twenty-first century students need. Dougherty and other “Makers,” a growing group of tech enthusiasts, believe that tearing apart technology and making it into something new is the key to learning how our technologically advanced society functions. "The hands-on imperative means getting your hands on a computer to open it up and see how it was made to figure out how to make use of it," Dougherty said.

Do these crazy contraptions really represent the future of our children’s education? Find out more and decide for yourself by clicking here.

Thoughts Single-Gender Schools

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently ran an article about the questions raised by gender-separated public schools. While the practice has long been prevalent in private schools, it is still controversial in the public sector.

The article raised some interesting points:

• Would single-gender schools inhibit students ability to learn the social skills required by the coed world outside of the schoolhouse?
• If the single-gender model is most likely to improve achievement for elementary-aged students, is high school too late to use the model to alter learning styles and bad habits?
• Do single-gender schools reinforce the gender stereotypes that boys are competitive and girls are passive?

We agree with Dr. Pedro Noguera, author of "City Schools and the American Dream," as quoted in the article: "The things to focus on are safe schools, good teachers and mentoring."

The rest of the article serves as an excellent start to conversation and debate. Continue reading the article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette here, and let us know your thoughts.

[Photo courtesy of Valerie Everett]

Weekly Recap of @TopicsEducation on Twitter

All of us at Topics Education are engaging in discussions on Twitter about issues relevant to this blog. We don’t want you to miss it, so each week, we’ll share some of the highlights here. You can also follow us at @TopicsEducation.

• Shazam for art! RT @nytimesbusiness State of the Art: Apps That Don’t Exist, but Should http://ow.ly/2bziX
• RT @BBBSatl: It's a Big day for BBBSMA! Not only are we 50 Years old, we are celebrating the graduation of several of our Littles. Congratulations!
• Danish study found that simply cycling to work lowered the risk of death by 40%. http://bit.ly/aJuA9k
• Thoughts on our blog and kudos to @worldchanging - the top five most liked stories of 2010 - so far! http://ow.ly/2b0Kw
• RT @jt_topics: Your phone wants you to check your blood sugar - Health - Health care - msnbc.com http://bit.ly/bhjXkW
• Short video included RT @dcarli “Environmental Consciousness” New Forth Pillar of Consumer Branding http://ow.ly/2aMmJ
• RT @greentweet: For those feeling EXTRA-crafty: Make Your Own Rechargeable, Water-Powered Battery [DIY] http://ow.ly/2a9DN #Ecomonday
• Hint: education focus RT @DanielPink: Quote of the day: The real reason China is laughing at the US http://bit.ly/armbiP (via the Pink Blog)

From Worldchanging: "The Top Five Stories from 2010, So Far"

The team over at Worldchanging compiled a top five list of what stories the blog's readers have liked most so far this year.

"Over 1.8 million [readers] have visited the site in the last 6 months", and the top five stories range from the "unknowable future" to Bill Gates' climate speech.

Since we generally like Top Five lists, we wanted to share this one with you. You can check the rest of it out here.

(Photo courtesy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center via flickr.)

Weekly Recap of @TopicsEducation on Twitter

All of us at Topics Education are engaging in discussions on Twitter about issues relevant to this blog. We don’t want you to miss it, so each week, we’ll share some of the highlights here. You can also follow us at @TopicsEducation.

• RT @Discovery: RT @BearGrylls: My Dad always told me, "Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.”
• Another reason why Corporate Social Responsibility is important... http://ow.ly/27Awg
• Our July eNews comes out tomorrow!! Have you registered? Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox or your reader! http://ow.ly/27APf
• Our eNews is out! You can see the articles on our blog! http://ow.ly/28b32
• RT @TakePart: Junk Food Bust: Federal Standards Restrict Marketing to Kids http://bit.ly/bKw0IU

Like Driver's Ed ...

Definitely count me among the fans of The New Yorker. My only complaint is that I'm rarely able to read as much of it as I'd like. Some time on the beach should help remedy that ...

Okay. I'm back. Had a quick vision of being on the beach with a view, a breeze, a magazine, and a drink. Though I rarely read as much as I'd like, I rarely miss reading the Financial Page. James Surowiecki's piece in the current issue must be shared, read, and shared some more!

He writes about financial literacy -- well, illiteracy, really. I especially love his analogy to driver’s ed — I’ve also been using that analogy for a while. A few years ago I was invited to present to a committee of the National Association of State Boards of Education charged with making recommendations to state boards about integrating personal financial education. I used the driver’s ed analogy with them and then again not too long after that in a report we wrote on behalf of the NC Treasurer’s Office that they used as ammo to get funding from the legislature for its mandate to teach financial education.

There are also a number of compelling elements in the piece outside the analogy! I've got to think that the more people read and write about (and share!) this topic, the more we'll be, uh ... driven to address the financial literacy/illiteracy in this country!

World Cup+Vuvuzela+blender = whew

In case you dislike the vuvuzela, check out this video from BlendTec.

http://willitblend.com/videos.aspx?type=unsafe&video=vuvuzela

Working with Cablevision's Power to Learn

Looking to expand the content of its educational website, Cablevision’s Power to Learn hired Topics to create content devoted to health and wellness. This content covers an array of health and wellness topics and is written in ways to make the material engaging and accessible to “tween"-aged students and beyond (grades 3–12). The component should go live before school resumes in the fall.

Uhhh, no thanks

New award opportunity just popped up, the Clio Healthcare Awards. On the invitation is a photo of a urine sample, with this copy -- "Do you produce sick creative? We will contact you if the results are positive."

Really?

Come on. Hopefully, people are generating creative that adds to the healthcare conversation. Not sure a urine sample tells that story. And the overuse of the term 'sick' is in poor taste.

That's just my opinion, however....

Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility

The team here at Topics has always been a fan of corporate social responsibility. We believe it gives greater meaning to one's work. Susan Thomas, assistant director of electronic communications at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, wrote today about a study linking corporate social responsibility programs and employee commitment.

She writes: "We’ve always thought corporate citizenship offers a great way to engage employees, and a new study by the Center for Creative Leadership confirms that corporate social responsibility programs are linked to how committed an employee is to an employer."

Click here to read the original posting.

Weekly Recap of @TopicsEducation on Twitter

All of us at Topics Education are engaging in discussions on Twitter about issues relevant to this blog. We don’t want you to miss it, so each week, we’ll share some of the highlights here. You can also follow us at @TopicsEducation.

• Our July eNews comes out next week- have you registered? Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox or your reader! http://ow.ly/26hTb
• We can't wait for pictures! RT @nprnews NASA's Flying Telescope Sees Early Success http://ow.ly/26gyV
• RT @mashable: WordPress Now Lets You Phone in Your Blog Posts - http://ow.ly/25ZtA
• Have you seen the "Fast Lane" brought to you by @volkswagen? Video on our blog. http://ow.ly/25XN7
• Meet Charlie Wittmack. RT @TheWorldTri: Charlie took 1st stroke of this 10,225mi journey today at 10:54am CST. Watch the 1st video: http://fb.me/ukdQ7aYx
• Easy and effective. RT @TakePart Today's 5-minute action: Help reduce deforestation by canceling your junk mail http://ow.ly/25R21
• RT @BBBSatl: Looking for an Independence Day activity w/ your Little? Share your favorite holiday recipe or "battle" story about overcoming obstacles
• They should be synonymous, yes. RT @Justmeans Good Design = Sustainable Design http://ow.ly/25pb0
• Another post from one of our summer interns! On Bullying: When Should Schools Step In? http://ow.ly/25p7r
• One of our summer interns put her first post on Three Sticks today! Check it out here http://ow.ly/24W1E
• RT @College_Success: RT @tvanderark: 3 keys from @BillGates: close bad charters, innovate, & scale #ncsc #charterschool
• "Not a question of if, but when" RT @PublicAgenda Cell phones as educational tools http://ow.ly/24HaU #edtech
• RT @Justmeans: How Sustainable is Big Organic? http://bit.ly/ag2mre #Justmeans

TE Summer Interns

Each summer, Topics hires an intern or two. This summer Izzy Burbank and Beth Thompson joined our team. Izzy interned here last summer and is a rising senior majoring in English at Davidson College. Beth is a rising junior in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at UNC-Chapel Hill. Both of them contribute to the dynamic of our workplace. Recently, they have started contributing to our blog, as well. Izzy wrote about one upside to the oil spill on Tuesday, and Beth has written about schools' reaction to bullying on Wednesday. They are going to continue adding a fresh perspective to our blog, so we hope you will check out their posts.

Observations on Observation

By Bruce Nofsinger, Partner, Topics Education

Recently, I had the good fortune of front-row seats for Dan Pink’s presentation on the necessity of integrating arts into education. To paraphrase Jerry Maguire, he had me at “Good afternoon, everyone.” His presentation made a strong case for arts integration, focusing specifically on the economic benefits to the U.S. workforce that would emerge as a result of a greater emphasis on the arts in our schools.

The presentation struck a chord with me, particularly when Dan described how a weeklong drawing class helped him “see the world” differently. As a blossoming drawer, he saw familiar places and people in a new light. He imagined how he could transcribe them onto a page. He emerged out of the drawing class more observant.

I’m convinced that developing skills of observation in young people today is a crucial component

of their future success. In short, observation skills make us better learners. Increased observation allows us to see analogous and metaphorical relationships, comparing and contrasting all we encounter on a daily basis. These thought processes in turn promote greater reflection and synthesis of new ideas and concepts. This engagement and reflection lends to a greater probability that students and observers will recognize the relevance and meaning in learning.

The brain is like a muscle. It responds well to use and can sometimes lose capacity as a result of neglect. Unfortunately, we’re allowing the parts of the muscle responsible for observation to atrophy.

In schools this is apparent because curriculum, too heavily skewed toward success on standardized tests consisting of questions (each with a “right” answer), doesn’t promote observation, because by its very nature, observation is a subjective activity. Plus, too often the path to that right answer is the same for everyone — one that is built on routine, standardization, and ultimately regurgitation of information. The recall part of the muscle may be well-developed for a lot of students, but it’s of little use outside of school, particularly if other parts of the brain get only a light workout.

This is where arts integration in schools comes in. The presence of arts in schools contributes to a multifaceted education, encouraging an observant and reflective style of learning — one that will engage more students and one that will guide them along a deeper exploration of learning.

As Dan Pink said, “We need to prepare kids for their future, not our past.”

Obviously, the world was a different place when we were growing up, and as it continues to evolve, so too must our response, our approach and our education models.

I realize that exploring this topic in only 500 words is scratching the surface. It is a topic that is important to me, so I want to continue this exploration in Three Sticks and in conversations with others — particularly in ways that will help us better address the need for greater emphasis on observation. Let me know if you have observed what I’ve observed!

July Top Five: Our Favorite Summer Blockbusters

Each year production companies save some of their biggest movie releases for the summer months. We have compiled our all-time favorite summer blockbusters for July’s Top Five. Of course, we had trouble keeping the list to five, so you can find the list of our favorites on our blog. Pop some popcorn and enjoy some of our favorite flicks as the temperatures outside continue to rise.

• Caddyshack
• Forest Gump
• Jaws
• Star Wars
• The Dark Knight
• Shaft
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Spider-Man

Teachable Moment: Test My Brain

Two lab groups at Harvard University are collaborating around a common goal: understanding how the human brain works. The website Test my Brain is part of how they are conducting their research. The site allows the researchers to expand their participant pool by engaging internet users across varying demographics and populations.

Why we like it: Test my Brain is using the internet to advance scientific research and education. They can use the internet-generated information to further their research allowing them to post their results and findings. All of the experiments are personalized to the user, and they’re fun! You can test your short-term memory, facial recognition abilities, and your “number gut.” Click on over and give it a try.

Life as a Playground

Love this. VW, in the same spirit that had them create an interactive keyboard in a subway station, installed a slide in a subway station.

Check it out.