TimePhiz

John Muir Climbs Mt. Whitney

2011-07-08T12:37:00.017-04:00

Well, obviously it's been a while since I've had anything to write about regarding technology in education - I've been in transition (like so many teachers!), and am now at the Oakland Museum of California. On August 5th we open a new show called "A Walk in the Wild: Continuing John Muir's Journey". One of the interactives that I'm working on will allow visitors to virtually join Muir during his epic trek during the fall of 1873 to the top of Mount Whitney. It's called "Follow Muir" and it runs on top of Google Earth. The user interface for that presentation is being custom-built by Lawrence Dolton at ViewPoint Geography, but the data is going to be made available for everyone to download and use. The data has been specifically built to run on both the personal computer and the tablet (iPad) versions of Google Earth. It'll work on an iPhone, but it may not be easy to use.

The tour consists of a series of "campsite" placemarks connected by purple (with horses) and yellow (on foot) paths. Most campsites include a pop-up balloon with Muir's journal notes and drawings, along with other additional info. There are also a series of "Fly-bys" which allow you to visually "follow Muir" on one of four peak ascents, as well as a number of "Sketchbook" photo-views which places Muir's sketches into the landscape - use the transparency slide here to help you see what Muir saw.

Here's how you can try it out ...

To download Google Earth for your PC or Mac, click here.

To download the data file for Google Earth on your PC or Mac, click here.

The iPad version does not include the "Fly-bys" or the "Sketchbooks", as these are not supported in the app - but you get everything else, sized for consumption on your tablet.

To add this data set to your iPad, do the following:

1. Get and login to a Google Account
2. Find the map data at this link
3. Click on "Save to my places".
4. Install Google Earth on your iPad
5. Click the "Layers" button in GE on your iPad
6. Login to "My Maps Account"
7. Select "John Muir Climbs Mt. Whitney"

Bentley Core Values Video

2010-05-28T21:39:00.006-04:00

A video project which is part tour, and part expository piece on Bentley's Core Values. Bentley has five Core Values, and the students who attempted the fifth one (integrity), well - they couldn't make a video that seemed appropriate. Four out of five ain't bad.

From Augmented Reality to Augmented History

2010-05-25T12:14:00.010-04:00

This article in Gizmodo sent me back to my original idea for TimePhiz that I wrote about in 2005 - providing a digital experience in which the backstory is not some mythical fairy tail, but somthing right out of history. I wanted to be able to take a field trip through time. I imagined GoogleEarth with a time slider - and they made that! And when I saw this, well it's like Google StretView with a time slider, too. Unfortunately, you can't download the app in the US - it comes from the Museum of London in the UK.

All I can say is I really hope this catches on. I certainly recognize the value of being able to find a good coffee shop by holding up your iPhone to the street-scape, or even taking yourself on a tour of a new place - but this iPhone app allow you to move the landscape back in time, see people, and get a whole new context.

Of course, this experience is not interactive - those people don't move or talk, but I see no reason why that couldn't happen in another five years.

UPDATE: The app is now available in the US. I've downloaded it, but it's basically just a photo album until you are actually in London (which I'm not).

MLK Assembly Video

2010-01-15T16:04:00.003-05:00

Here is the updated MLK Day video for 2010:

Video Production 2009

2009-10-01T17:13:00.008-04:00

Video Production Class - First Trimester, 2009

"Halloween Parade":

"Minute Documentaries":

"Opening Shots":

Memories of Bentley

2009-04-09T23:33:00.005-04:00

The kids in the Technology Projects Elective are making a series of video essays which document their memories of the Hiller Campus as they prepare to graduate from Middle School. I found the projects amazingly well executed and quite touching.

Quilters of Gee's Bend

2009-02-25T02:12:00.005-05:00

The Video Production class (trimester 2) made a video documenting the visit of the Quilters of Gee's Bend, honoring the Martin Luther King holiday.

Live Blogging the Inauguration

2009-01-15T12:56:00.064-05:00

JAN 20, 2009, 09:25PM - Ryan: Srry my messages could not get through today was the day before the day. Im so excited. We had a long dress rehersal and had a

JAN 20, 2009, 05:19PM - Emma: It was so amazing did u get the pic alot of my texts arent going through

JAN 20, 2009, 12:28PM - Jacob (in the Mac Lab): i completly agree with you julia. this is a very special day! :)

JAN 20, 2009, 11:18PM - via KRON-4: The San Francisco Boys and Girls Choruses video clips:
- "Hymn to Freedom"
- "An American Hymn"
- "America the Beautiful"

JAN 20, 2009, 10:43AM - Emma: Hey Im @ the inauguration its around 12 there r 4 mill people here there is so much energy many cant see the speakers but we hear obamas voice and hes prez now a

JAN 20, 2009, 09:52AM - Julia (in Meadows): what struck me most was the power in his voice, the conviction he spoke with. he believed in what he was saying, which made me believe too. he addressed Americas issues as well as the worlds problems. i hope that when i look back on this day, i will remember all the emotions that i have now, all the appreciation for barack obama.

JAN 20, 2009, 09:42AM - Sean (in Meadows): I thought that the reverend's speech was quite touching because he had been with Martin Luther King Jr. in the marches, and that he had been through the times where blacks and whites good sit together in a restaurant. I also liked the rhyming.

JAN 20, 2009, 07:37AM - Mr. Calhoun: My Flight to DC
I left SFO for DC Monday at 12:30 AM. As I walked to the gate for my connecting flight at Houston, I felt really excited. As I passed a statue of George H. Bush in the Houston Airport, I could see my gate and folks waiting to fly to DC. People were feeling good. There was an incredible amount of Obama gear and a more police officers than I have ever seen to watch people board a plane. Folks were friendly as we prepared to go witness an historic event.

Monday Lunch
We had lunch yesteday with friends we have not seen in a while including an old friend who is now working for the State Department. She was over with her fiancee, how is a captain in the army. They met while they were both stationed in the Sudan, and they will both be headed to Afghanistan soon. I told the Army captain about the good work being done to support the Lost Boys of the Sudan at Bentley. He was impressed by the committment made by students. He added that the work to support individuals is important, but we need to pressure congress to effect long term change.

The DC Gala
Last night, I attended the DC Gala Ball. There was no Obama present, but I did get to see the O'Jays. It was fun to be part of the DC contingent. They really know how to celebrate. On the license plates in Washington DC, there is a famous quote "No Taxation Without Representation." In between the speeches congratulating Obama, several DC politicians past and present (including the infamous Marion Berry) commented on how DC needs statehood. I am interested to here what our Bentley History teachers think about this.

Tuesday Morning
Oh boy, I really want to be out on the mall. My wife's family are member of St. John's Church, which where the President will attend. She is on her way back from a service this morning. Her text from church (and she usually would not text from church) stated that the Biden and Obama families were in attendance. As soon as she gets back, we're headed out to the mall.

JAN 19, 2009, 07:18PM - Ms. Hedrick: Here are links to the clips from today on The Early Show:
- SF Boys Chorus Practices For Obama Inaugural
- SF Boys Chorus To Sing At Obama Inauguration

JAN 19, 2009, 02:34PM - San Francisco Boys Chorus Inauguration rehersal and sound check at the US Capitol Building

JAN 19, 2009, 08:23AM - Alex: We are having a great time here in DC! it was a long flight to get here and when we arrived it was 12 degrees F! The next day we went to the zoo but didnt get to see every thing. and on sunday my aunt brought friends with when she arrived. And also that was the day we went to the concert. today is the day that we are going tto the national mall (its snowing!) and maybe the African Art Museum and eat dinner later with everybody. tommorow is the big day and i just cant wait.

JAN 18, 2009, 06:03PM - Ms. Hedrick: San Francisco Boys Chorus blog. Thought you may enjoy.

JAN 18, 2009, 09:10AM - Ryan: capitol building

JAN 18, 2009, 06:35AM - Ryan: Today we have our first breakfast in the base. Its sunday and were having our free day. My group is goimg to an air and space mus

JAN 17, 2009, 03:32PM - Ryan: Hello. Right now in d.c. Its 6:30 pm and im thirty minutes im going to sing for diane feinstein with a select group of boys and g

JAN 17, 2009, 10:12AM - Ryan: To cold for snow. And tonight im singimg for diane feinstein.

JAN 17, 2009, 09:25AM - Ryan: Today we went to a small patch pf green grass in front of the capitol. There we recorded for the channel pbs. Now i am in the lib

JAN 16, 2009, 10:14AM - Ryan: Thx everybody i just landed, and im not tired anymore. Here im my connection from chicago to d.c. It is 12:12. The rest of my day

JAN 16, 2009, 05:28AM - Ryan: Day one, woke up at 2:45 for a call time of 4:00 and a flight of 6:00. Right now its 5:30, and i can barley feel my eyes.

JAN 15, 2009, 12:52PM: Next Tuesday we've planned a "Web 2.0" experiment for the kids in which a few of them go off to Washington and send their their experiences back to Oakland; and then we all share our experiences watching the Inauguration "live" on the web. We are gathering grades 5-8 in the auditorium, and we'll project the live broadcast of the Presidential Inauguration on the big screen, and be able to time shift video and show everybody text comments and pictures sent by their friend who are attending the events in DC. We have the amazing fortune of having several student bloggers in some unique places; here are the folks that we know are in attendance:

- Ryan: is on stage and singing with the SF Boys Chorus
- Matthew: is in the VIP seating area
- Emma: is attending with a youth leadership group
- Alex: is attending with his parents (has a camera)
- Upper School: Mr. Calhoun, Shawn, Woody

Let's hope the large crowd does not overwhelm the cellular network, and we can get some real-time feedback from the east coast.

The Live Blog will go up Tuesday, January 20, at 6:30AM or so, on the Bentley School home page.

Hiller Campus Model Fly-over

2008-12-16T19:05:00.009-05:00

The kids from "Tech Projects" each made a separate part of the our campus in Google SketchUp and exported their models to Google Earth. This is a screen capture of a "tour", flying over, around and thru the campus ...

Halloween Parade 2008

2008-11-20T21:50:00.005-05:00

Video Class Final Projects ...

Flag Football Movie

2008-11-10T20:10:00.005-05:00

Another series of student movies ...

Minute Documentaries

2008-10-27T17:37:00.012-04:00

The first clean "directors' cuts" from my digital Video Production class. These are one-minute documentaries from the 8th period electives:

SketchUp Houses Fly-over

2008-09-16T11:07:00.009-04:00

I have a new class this year which is a kind of buffet style course encompassing all my other courses: programming, robotics, and digital video. They just finished a three-day project building houses in Google SketchUp and then "visiting" each other in Google Earth.

I love the way these simple and intuitive tools allow kids to make immersive experiences really quickly. It's a real hook, and there's a lasting "pay-off" value when kids can build their own models and share them - kids come back and build stuff during open lab times just for fun.

Robot Sumo Tournament

2008-06-05T00:01:00.003-04:00

[ click here to view Sumo movie - music by The Flaming Lips ]

A Trip to the Redwoods

2008-05-31T18:46:00.018-04:00

[ click to play QuickTime movie - music by R. E. M. ]
Took the eighth graders on a trip to Prairie Creek. My earlier, snarky post about the trip has been removed, with continued apologies to the innocent.

Maker Faire - Boy Meets Robot

2008-05-07T11:43:00.010-04:00

click for slide show

Went to the Maker Faire in San Mateo this weekend with my brother and my nephew. The event was exactly as organized as you would expect from a bunch of beatniks and nerds - it was horrible. But now that I know the deal, I think I can prepare for next year and make a better run thru.

Bringing a 5-year old boy has its plusses and minuses. We waited nearly 40 minutes and held some primo seats to the RoboGames event. We saw one fantastic battle between a battle-bot with a big spinning device and a really fast flipper-bot (the flipper bot won after taking some serious punishment!). The boy, however, was scared to death and could not handle a second bout. Then, once we got home, he couldn't stop talking about the robot battle; everything became a robot battle (playing with matchbox cars, playing with stuffed animals, playing with food, etc). Oh well. Next year, we load him up on robot YouTube videos and get some foam ear plugs, and maybe he'll make it thru a few more matches. That was cool!

We tried to get on some of the funky rides, but by the time we got out "liability waiver bracelets", some strange stage show was underway, and all the rides appeared to be closed. What's that about?

Then we watched some model rocket launches. My nephew was interested enough that we tried to go make our own rocket so we could launch, but they had just run out of kits, and we could only watch. Note that we had gotten there about mid-day, and they had run out of kits already. Rats.

The event was really big, but still really crowded. The big hall was crammed full of smaller stalls, and that may have been the most fun, especially since my nephew seemed to find enough to do there. He liked the homemade robot displays, the musical devices were also really fun. There were a few commercial booths (like Radio Shack), but most of it seemed to be in that homebrew spirit that we had hoped to see. And, of course, we got to meet Russell the Giraffe.

A Robotics Course - Finally

2008-03-28T00:59:00.004-04:00

Was finally able to get a robotics class going. Sorry - it's been too long since my last post, but its been so busy.

click here to play

My computer class has been having a blast (I think) building Google Sketchup models. Here's a little bit of that too - the Mac Lab on the HIller Campus:

Compare to:

Tribute to MLK

2007-12-06T13:56:00.000-05:00

I was asked to put together an presentation for MLK Day in January and thought it might be a great chance to use the new iMovie 08. But, I was given little time to complete the project, since the administration wanted to review the product before the December Break. I tried using iMovie 08, I really did, but the new UI just frustrated me. I spent about twenty minutes trying to figure out how to import still images as slides and assemble them with pans and transisitons, then bailed and went back to the old iMovie HD.

Here's a beta "rough cut". It's part of the "mountaintop speech" that MLK gave the day before he was killed in 1968. In it, he talks about an incident from 1958, in which a "deranged woman" stabs him during a Harlem book signing and nearly kills him. In the hospital, he is recuperating and reading letters from well wishers:

Let me know what you think!

PC Autopsy the Movie

2007-09-29T14:40:00.000-04:00

The three Autopsy Teams (Proton, Neutron, Electrons) disassembled their computers, calatoged the parts, and the re-assembled the computers, hoping that the machines would survive the process and reboot:

Music by Fatboy Slim.

Computer Autopsy Day 1

2007-09-13T23:56:00.000-04:00

So the kids in class have started to take apart their "cadaver PCs". It was a good day -- very noisy and active, but lots of good questions. They are documenting the dis-assembly with digital cameras and in their blogs; they are also identifying each part in a PC Parts Catalog database. All their data is being uploaded to a class space in Moodle.

I've really enjoyed using Moodle. It's as linear and structured as any courseware I've used, which can make it difficult to set-up and teach to the kids. But there are enough options that you can make the kinds of spaces and tools that you need; and it's free. The Forums and blogs do not seem to handle EMBED tags quite right, which is really frustrating a couple of the kids who want to play with Flash and QuickTime. I guess if you're a 12-year old kid who wants to learn how to embed media objects in HTML, you really don't have a big problem -- if you know what I mean.

Anway I'll see if I can Google-up a solution to that problem.

[ click images for larger view ]

Bob the Egg - Lives!

2007-09-12T23:25:00.000-04:00

Today, after the Convocation at Bentley's Lafayette Campus, the Middle School did a little engineering exercise of sorts. Each Advisory got an egg. The egg was to be dropped and we needed to protect it with a given "kit of parts". I made a little movie of the event:

[ click to view the slide show ]

The Lab in Action

2007-09-12T23:23:00.000-04:00

Here is an "action shot" from the new Computer Lab on August 31st:

Getting the New Lab Ready

2007-08-16T23:47:00.000-04:00

Wow. It's been a busy summer, but I got a lot done. First, I moved to California. Then I set about making a new Computer Lab and designing a new Computer Studio course which I hope will start to test some of the ideas I've been blogging.

The couse will move kids from a hardware overview (autopsy), to some basic media work, some HTML, and some blogging of their own. Once they have a handle on how to report on their work, we'll start on a few projects. As I've said, this course will approach computers with an artist's curiousity: what are they? how do they work? what can I make with them?

First we'll try podcasting and video work -- really an extension of the media work that they started with, but adding some XML and RSS to the mix. Then I want them to try making a non-linear experience within a web browser, maybe like a museum of science interactive that explains something. They'll incorporate audio and video media, as well as other programming skills.

Next I want them to try their hand with Google Earth, wikis, and media. We'll see if they might also be able to do something with Google SketchUp.

Then we'll dig into some "starter" IDE's like Scratch. And finish with Lego Mindstorms.

Also, all the tools I'm using are free, and almost all are cross-platform -- so the kids can download and use them at home:

- Audacity
- Firefox
- Google Earth
- Google SketchUp
- LEGO Digital Designer
- Scratch
- TextWrangler

Rivers Campus in Full 3D

2007-06-14T18:19:00.001-04:00

A couple of Rivers Seniors have built Rivers in 3D. Try as I might, I could not get my copy of Google SketchUp to render a proper .kmz file for Google Earth, but this is a big, detailed model:

They added all kinds of landscaping details (signs, benches, garbage cans, etc) and could not add colors and textures without slowing the animations to a crawl. But this was a tremendously fun thing to watch happen.

Google SketchUp Model Update

2007-04-18T16:26:00.000-04:00

I finally did the promised update. This was done with the new version of SketchUp, and I lost the edge lines in the model -- for the life of me I could not figure out how to get them back. Maybe cause I added all these colors and textures to the model (?). Note that the base of the flagpole has a nice aqua patina (you gotta look really close!).

The revised SketchUp .kmz file for the Rivers Site is here.

PlayStation Portable Is History

2007-03-31T10:07:00.000-04:00

Well, of course, I knew this was coming. I'm rather surprised it hasn't happened earlier. A school in Birmingham, UK, is rolling out a pilot project with PSPs -- they are going to use them to teach history:

School that will teach history on a PlayStation

"Pupils are being handed gaming consoles to help with their studies.

Teachers believe the Sony PlayStations will motivate youngsters studying French, history and geography.

The hand-held devices can carry educational video and audio clips as well as notes and pictures."

It sounds like the PSP is going to be used as a media device and a browser. Obviously they can author and hear podcasts, Flash video clips, and other Web 2.0 consumables. Something I'll try to watch closely.

Other links:
Monsters and Critics
BBC News
Gamer Squad
Next Generation

Rivers Updated in Google Earth

2007-02-01T15:01:00.001-05:00

This had to have happened in just the last couple of weeks -- Google has updated the satellite maps for the The Rivers School campus, and it now includes the Athletics Center:

We're pretty sure this is a Saturday in Spring 2005 since the baseball field is not yet been moved beind behind Maintenance. It looks like the site has shifted a bit under my model (see the roof edges sticking out from under the walls?), so I'll have to try to snap-shot and export the model again, see if I can get it to line up better.

It's interesting that there was about two years from the time of the satellite photo to its incorporation into Google Earth.

Half Life Falling Water

2007-01-22T15:42:00.000-05:00

A Half Life player named Kasperg (an architectural student from Spain) has bult a hi-res model of Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water, linked here:

Digital Urban

This absolutely shows how 3D models can be brought into these FPS gaming engines (sans gun barrel) to render an accurate, immersive experience. The model (with sound effects!) is amazing, and there is a .wmv file you can download.

Build Your Campus in 3D

2007-01-19T14:51:00.000-05:00

Google has launched a competition called:

"Build Your Campus in 3D"

And they've released Google SketchUp 6. It lloks like you can now use photos as texture maps -- cool!

iRobot Create

2007-01-19T14:49:00.000-05:00

From the folks that brought you the Roomba vaccum, comes "iRobot Create":

I been follwing the Roomba cause on a bunch of the maker and hacker sites, this has been the target of some investigation -- and iRobot thought enough to add a programming port to the Rooba at some point. Now they've removed the vacuum part and just given the maker-hacker community "base robot" that folks can play with. Great idea. Here are some projects:

iRobot Create Projects

Read more at Make Magazine and this review at ROBOT.

XNA Available Next Week

2006-12-13T11:42:00.000-05:00

Microsoft announced that the XNA Game Development Studio will be available for download starting next Monday (Dec. 18th). From an ARS artcile by Jeremy Reimer:

The XNA Game Development Studio for Xbox 360 and PC

"Of course, the sheer sophistication of modern games makes it difficult to imagine a return to the days when an individual could compete on his own with the big boys. However, the popularity of simpler games such as Lumines on modern platforms has shown that you don't necessarily have to make a sprawling epic adventure in order to be a success. With the XNA Game Studio lowering the bar for developers to create content, we can expect more unique and interesting titles to come out of the woodwork. Not all of them will be gems, of course, but the next killer game may well come from someone the world has never heard of."

So another challange to the Tech Club here at Rivers is possible: make a 3-D model of the campus, and let's race around -- according to the article, the XNA Racer Starter Kit will be available, too!

Mindstorms NXT Test Run

2006-11-22T17:59:00.000-05:00

After the AISNE Tech Directors' meeting, the folks at Belmont Hill threw down a challenge to see if we would like to "lego-a-lego" with a little friendly competition. Not one to back down, or miss a chance to expense some new Lego products, I got the new NXT kit. First, the retail package *finally* has Mac-compatible software; and it appears to be the same software sold in the educational markets. In any case -- what you're seeing here is the retail version:

The software is very different, but the concept of object oriented programming with tiles is the same. The crazy wires and threads from the old Mindstorms are pretty much gone, replaced by something called a "sequence beam". Big sigh of relief, tho you still need wires for more advanced functions; was so frustrating to see the old wires folded behind tiles and never know where the command strings were broken. The icons are not as strait-forward, however (or maybe I'm just used to the old ones), and you have to pay attention to the tiny-tiny radio buttons and sliders in the control pane. I also wish you could zoom in and out of the program view; big programs become very hard to see. There is a "Map" tab, which makes navigation easier, but it provides a limited view.

You can also import the old Mindstorms tiles (IMHO, still confusingly referred to as "blocks") from the web site's update page:

NXT Software Updates

The assembly tutorials, however, are a big step forward -- you can see those famous Lego "graphic instructions" in a viewer pane called "Robo Center". I used to do this with MacBrick CAD, and there was really no way to dimensionally imagine or walk the kids thru custom assemblies. Boy, I wish there was a way to add my own assemblies into the Robo Center (it's written in Flash, so it might be possible to import .swf files). There's also a little "Portal" tab where you can link and get more resource files and projects.

Inside the box, the whole package is separated into those little perforated baggies, as you would expect -- but there is a special box that says "Start Here!". It contains the first set of instructions and all the parts to make the basic "tribot" used in the tutorials. It's so easy to get started -- that plus the programming tutorial is so basic, it's easy to see that kids can get going real fast.

The NXT has Bluetooth -- if you ever used the old IR comm-tower you'll know how amazing this improvement is! The old IR signal was so weak, that you often has to cover the tower and the RCX brick with a shoe box in order to get a good download.

However, the basic tribot does virtually nothing, so you want to get right to the big claw pieces. This is not a challenging build as far as Lego construction goes. I don't like the big crazy fat cables. You have to keep the cables from interfering with the wheels and sensors, etc. The new cables are not easy to keep "tucked". Wire management was always an issue with the old system, too, tho at least Lego provided bricks cut with slots to snap-in the old, thinner cables. But the new motor units are tremendous; they are much easier to package around the NXT brick. Using the Technic beams and pins as opposed to regular Lego bricks makes the mechanical engineering much more strait forward.

Here is the completed "tribot" with claw arms. The basic instruction here is: go to ball, stop, when user claps hands, arms grasp ball, robot turns, and brings ball back to "Start" point:

I do miss the regular bricks, however -- there is not one regular Lego brick in the kit! Not even a minifig. So ...

Ah. That's better.

Rivers School on Google Earth

2006-10-18T12:58:00.000-04:00

Some of the kids at school asked about Google Sketchup -- so I finally made the time to build a quickie model and export it to Google Earth to see what it's look like.

First, I took a site plan and scanned it into a JPEG file. It's clean enough to see the building footprints. I had to guestimate the scale by drawing a line and scaling the line to a known measurement -- but not too tough:

Next, I found the Rivers School on Google Earth and exported a snapshot of that to Sketchup -- this is just a simple button click in Sketchup. It pulls in both a snapshot and the "terrain" (topography). It's kinda cool the way the shadows line up on the Google Earth image:

I could then match up the scanned site plan to the Google Earth snapshot quite easily -- boy things look so good when they're in Google Earth:

The model is very "blocky"; I guessed on all the vertical dimensions. This is more of a proof of concept. The Sketchup .kmz file for the Rivers Site is here.

Scientists say video games can reshape education

2006-10-18T12:05:00.000-04:00

Oh, it's from "scientists", so this must be true! Great discussion points and examples in the report (linked blow) ...

FAS Summit on Educational Games
[ link to the full report, PDF ]

"The Federation of American Scientists -- which typically weighs in on matters of nuclear weaponry and government secrecy -- declared Tuesday that video games can redefine education.

Capping a year of study, the group called for federal research into how the addictive pizazz of video games can be converted into serious learning tools for schools.

The theory is that games teach skills that employers want: analytical thinking, team building, multitasking and problem-solving under duress.

Unlike humans, the games never lose patience. And they are second nature to many kids."

AP article on CNN.com

Mindstorms NXT Reviewed on Ars Technica

2006-09-01T22:01:00.000-04:00

Boy, this sounds like fun:

Lego Mindstorms NXT

Great little movie clips on some of the pages -- but no death ray attachment. Rats.

Everyone an XBox Developer

2006-08-14T20:50:00.000-04:00

Incredibly welcome news:

Play your own Xbox game (via CNet)

Reminds me of the way Sony used to accelerate interest and game development with Yaroze -- what ever happened to that program? Why isn't there a Yaroze for the PSP? Maybe this will push Sony to look back and remember when they used to do fun and innovative work.

Also -- the new Lego NXT is due out very very soon. It's like waiting for Xmas morning!

Also, from Ode magazine, and interesting article in their September issue -- "The Future of Homework". Unfortunately, the web site thinks the latest issue is July right now. I'll link the article when (if?) it gets posted.

UPDATE (8/22/06): It got posted:

http://www.odemagazine.com/article.php?aID=4345

Also, there's an interesting "Forum" conversation in September's Harper's Magazine -- no link.

Mac Google SketchUp Free Download

2006-06-12T20:19:00.000-04:00

You know, I just re-read the title for this article and I'm not convinced that it's English.

Anyway, Google has finally released a Mac version of Google SketchUp:

MacCentral article
Download page

It's downloading now! Oooo. Exciting.

Google SkethUp Is Free

2006-04-27T17:03:00.000-04:00

No Mac version yet -- but "soon"!

Google SketchUp

More importantly, there's a community site to share SketchUp models called Google 3D Warehouse:

Google 3D Warehouse

SketchUp Has Been Googled

2006-03-14T18:43:00.000-05:00

You might recall my enthusiasm for combining Google Earth and SketchUp:

SketchUp and Google Earth!

And now we find out: Google was equally as enthsiastic. The difference is, of course, I am not in a position to actually buy a software company:

"WHAT'S NEW?
Well, about the biggest thing ever: we’ve been Googled. That’s right, Google Inc. has acquired @Last Software… so you might have just spit your coffee all over your keyboard, or you’re rolling your eyes thinking this is another one of my April Fool’s jokes. Believe me, we’re still having a hard time believing it ourselves, but it’s real — we are now Google!"

SketchUpdate 03.14.06
A new home for @Last Software

Spore - Like TimePhiz for Science

2006-03-09T20:39:00.000-05:00

OMG! Got this link from today's Rocketboom video blog. This game takes ideas from evolutionary biology and makes them into a totally compelling game. It's mind-blowingly cool:

Spore Web Site at EA Games

It's part Sim-Ant, part Civilization, part Legos, part interactive cartoon. It works on so many scales it's just amazing: from celluar to planetary -- and you really go from microscopic viewing to telescopic viewing.

On Google Video they have six videos which explain and illustrate the thing completely: "Will Wright talking at the 2005 Game Developer's Conference about 'Spore', which looks like it could possibly be the best video game ever."

Spore Gameplay Video

Was so engaging I had to download the Google Video to my PSP. Now how fun is that? There's a little interview with Wright in Wired -- love ths quote: "I don't want players to feel like Luke Skywalker. I want them to feel like George Lucas."

Wright Hopes to Spore Another Hit

Here's a better article from GameSpot about Will Wright's game design theories and his introduction of Spore at the 2005 Game Developers Conference in SF (evidently where the Google video comes from):

Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think About Games

But this parady article of him is much better:

Building Games With the Wright Stuff

Multiverse MMO "Kit"

2006-02-24T17:51:00.000-05:00

Boy -- people have been waiting for this one for a while now, but it looks like a company named Multiverse is going to soon offer an MMO development environment. I can see MMOs iterating the way "multi-media" titles did in the early 90s. Remember all those Director titles, and mTropolis? They eventually got killed by dedicated 3D platforms and game machines, but before they did, they were *everywhere* -- there was a Director title for *everything*. What if there was an MMO for every story franchise out there? What would the internet feel like? How would you build communities around a franchise? Could be way cool:

Massively multiplayer on-line games on the cheap

MULTIVERSE web site
Kothuria: The World's Edge

Ed Tech Life Has Moved

2006-02-22T20:50:00.000-05:00

Mark Wagner moved his blog:

Educational Technology and Life

His blog connects in lots of ways: gaming, gadgets, education. A few good recent posts on "risk taking" as well as "fear" -- a couple of topics that certainly hit home for me:

Risk Taking and Educational Technology
What Teachers are Afraid Of

Top of mind since we recently had to block facebook and myspace URLs at my school. Some naughty naughty posts from some of our students. Very disappointing, but it's hard to argue with the other administrators when fac-brats, in particular, were trashed in the posts.

Anyway, Mark's blog is always a good read.

Also from the PSP rumor blogs, there are tons of reports (or maybe tons of links to a single report?) that Sony will release a PSP with 8GB of NAND flash memory, built-in:

Sony to adopt NAND flash in PSP

Also, Memory Stick Duo Pro prices are still falling (I got a 1GB stick for less than $70 a few weeks back; guess I coulda waited!):

2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo for $85 at Amazon

2GB sticks had been going for about $180. But this is coincident with reports that black-market Memory Sticks are also flooding the market:

$49.99 Memory Stick PRO Duo 1GB? Better Be Careful

Stuff is Going On!

2006-02-02T21:45:00.000-05:00

First, a bunch of freshmen boys at the school are playing around with Unity and are having a total blast. Right now they have a game where you can drive a car of an island in the sky -- not great game-play, but they love doing it. It also involves an enemy car and a dragon and fireballs. All from the minds of freshmen boys, of course.

Next, the "top dog" at OTEE (who publishes Unity) has stepped up and said they would love to help seed a pilot project. So maybe we can buy (cheap?) a few copies of the software. It runs on Mac OS X -- so if you wanna try, drop me a note.

Last, I heard from Chris (Gail's husband) about maybe making some architectural models in SketchUp. It appears you can transfer them to Unity via a .3ds format. I think the thing will be to just take a simple model he already has and see if we can jam it into Unity and run around in it!

Chris may also have a lead on some beta testers. So stuff is happening!

Unity 3D Engine

2006-01-20T12:57:00.000-05:00

Found another great tool -- this one looks like a true production tool (but not for PSP).

Unity

If I can get the School to agree to a pilot, this might be worth pursuing -- see if they'll give us some seed copies cheap or something. Could also use this to model something and block it out with the other "Adventure Maker" tool. Downloadable demo on the web site.

Video Game Revolution

2006-01-19T11:52:00.000-05:00

Big thanks to reader saten for the tip on this PBS series:

The Video Game Revolution

Slightly unfortunate name given Nintendo's upcoming gaming deck (codenamed "Revolution"). Looks like it'll air in about two weekends on WGBH-HD (what is that, cable?) -- but not broadcast in the Boston area. Maybe I'll get the DVD. Others: LMK what you think of the show! Is it worth checking out?

SketchUp and Google Earth!

2006-01-11T20:39:00.000-05:00

Holy schnikees!

A big blast of amazing tools announced at MacWorld San Francisco this week. Intel Macs and iPod radio -- but I found out about this on the MAKE Expo blog:

The Acropolis as a SketchUp 3D model laid on and into Google Earth

MAKE's "Best of Macworld SF 2006"
Google Earth for Mac OS X
SketchUp Google Earth Plugin

3D worlds! Yay!

Media and Consumption

2006-01-06T20:45:00.000-05:00

David's feedback got me thinking about consumption and production. It's actually a big part of my game idea.

First, I guess I didn't make it clear, but I really think that as the nature of the medium changes, the nature of consumption changes. In fact, more and more of our media consumption is going to get more and more "active" (or at least less passive). Blogs, podcasts, reality shows, etc, all offer the opportunity for feedback and participation. Watch TV and vote on your cellphone. Send and e-mail and have it read on the podcast. The lines between the stage and the audience are gone.

I recall going to Moses Brown School in RI some years ago and listening to Douglas Rushkoff talk about this as it applies to video games. He talked about the importance of encouraging kids (and teachers!) to cross the same line -- to "look behind the curtain":

Think of it from a video game player's perspective. It's as if the first renaissance gave the gamer access to the cheat codes, so she can move about as she wants. The next renaissance gave her access to the programming language of the game, so that she can create her own levels and then share them with other gamers. It's like moving from player, to cheater (or meta-game player), to programmer. -- [full text here]

Second, I want to be platform agnostic, but I chose the PSP as the target platform just to give us the hardest target; the biggest challenge with respect to teacher acceptance. However, I also agree that as more classwork is done with technology, there is going to have to be some kind of 1-to-1, student-to-device relationship. But why does it have to be a traditional computer? Wouldn't it be more cost effective to have many more of a consumption platform that costs $200, and therefore require fewer of a production platform that costs $2000? And keep in mind that this consumption platform will allow feedback, interaction, and, in the case of the PSP, cooperative work (play?). Going forward, by breaking down the psychic barriers to iPods, cellphones, and PSPs, teachers will be free to leverage devices that the kids already have in their backpacks for all kinds of learning experiences.

At Rivers, we already have a less than 2-to-1 student to computer ratio. The thing that kind of skews the cost-math for me, is that we retire our computers in three to five years. If I can reduce the cost of that turn-over, all the better. So, with regard to equality, I was hoping that the PSP would be a more positive force than you (David) suggest.

Finally, let me say that I did not intend this game to "make learning fun". When learning is actually happening, it already is fun -- I could not possibly add anything to it. But I did intend to add some "value" to the "video-game fun", a meme that simply does not exist as far as I can see. Kids are out there buying these devices, playing these games -- let's consider the generic gaming experience: blowing stuff up, shooting demons, winning money. Kids learn they need to be a second-class wizard, with combat clusters, to beat the swap troll at Texas Hold 'em, collect the reward, and score with the newly liberated sex-bot. Sounds like a fun game to me, but I'd love it if there was a point to it all.

I certainly agree that we cannot cast the personal computer aside, but I do want to re-cast it as far as the classroom goes -- because it is often too complicated to be a productive ally for teachers in that setting. Scenario: assuming that a computer is configured, with the latest patches and all the necessary plugins, in order to participate in a Flash-based web project, each student must:

retrieve the computer from storage
boot the computer
login to the network
find and launch the browser
type the appropriate URL
wait for the Flash file to load
learn

Man, that's like five to ten minutes wasted just getting to the learning. With a PSP or other consumption-oriented device, you turn it on, load the game, and go. It might take less than a minute.

We recently finished a round of training with the teachers on a new e-mail system. During our planning for the training, my Network Manager sent me an ambitious proposal for the class, showing-off fancy new capabilities and features. I asked him stick to the basics and make sure to do that well, and I predicted that it would take fifteen minutes just to get them all configured and logged-in. Guess who was right? That's right, the smug jerk with the PSP.

As information and knowledge are commoditized, creativity and imagination will become the only differentiators. I believe that the future of education lies in finding a way to accelerate the creative process by making it a communal process. Cooperative gaming provides a terrific model for that kind of learning. The technology already exists, and the kids are already playing.

David -- thanks for the feedback. Consider the rant "enjoyed". :c)

More on Serious Games

2006-01-04T15:02:00.000-05:00

I asked David about Serious Games since he works for the UN; his response below. I did *not* notice the sponsors for Serious Games was America's Army -- LOL!!

Do you know about this Serious Games dealie?

No, but I'm going to check through the posted materials. Could be interesting - especially the corporate solutions. Free market says the guys who can pay 6-figures for a system will get the coolest stuff. I think the trick is seeing how to import the colllaboration environment and ease of use (execs and especially middle management are often techno-handicapped like teachers). Did you notice who the founding sponsor was (AA).

I checked out the game environment you sent around. Simple but cool. We might be getting some extra computers in the office, in which case I may be snagging one to play around with Adventure Maker.

Quick thought on the aside in your latest post. I worry about promoting consumption devices as an educational medium for a couple of reasons. First is the cost of universal access. If the idea is just to create fun but educational content then it's no big deal, in that the kids with PSP's and iPod Video's will be your consumer audience. But if the intention is to integrate the technology into the formal educational realm (i.e. classroom), you need to ensure universal access. That means buying one for every kid (or at least having classroom sets - though this limits their availability and thus hinders more complete integration with lesson plans), which costs money many schools don't have. This feeds the larger have/have not situation which increasingly imperils notions of equality and opportunity in America. I'm not so radical as to suggest forced redistribution, but I think technology developers (as this is probably where the disparity is most marked) need to be especially sensitive to this.

One other thing I worry about is the efficacy of developing for consumption platforms. Inherently these are all passive mediums (except for the PSP, see below) offering homogenous content, and so except in so far as they may help kids absorb their text book - making "math fun" or "bringing history to life" - they are redundant. But, they also have the effect of further undermining literacy and pushing it towards obsolescence. As far as the PSP (and this assumes no one develops a keyboard for it - in which case it just becomes a low end computer whose small screen destroys more young eyes) while it does offer some level of interaction, it is particularly limited in an interpersonal setting and precludes innovative thinking.

So, do they offer something: certainly. But I think it is wrong to cast aside the computer (and other innovative production devices) as complicated overkill. Moreover, having just spent the last decade investing in computers and acclimating teachers to their encroachment on the textbook, I don't know that school districts are going to be receptive to introducing a new expensive appliance that they will spend another decade fighting teachers to grudgingly accept (especially since in 10 years there will be another "must have" technology).

Enjoy the rant.

David

The Gaming Blogoshpere

2006-01-03T20:49:00.000-05:00

I've been pounding the video game blogosphere for educational topics and found some interesting stuff. First, there is this blog called Kotaku that has a section for education and gaming:

Kotaku - Gaming/Education

It really provides an great list articles and links to provide some perspective of what the gaming insdutry itself is doing about education. An article by Jason Ocampo, provides a good summary (from GameSpot):

Fraction Fever Forever!

More importantly, I've been getting myself up to speed on some academic work being done on game, game theory, pedagogy, and application. The latest theory or investigatory thread is called"Ludology" -- which (as far as I can tell) has nothing to do with Luddites:

Ludology - Videogame Theory
Wikipedia - Ludology

There is also a big conference called the Serious Games Initiative which, I believe, intends to put some "importance" back into the game industry by creating application that work "on the other side" of games like SOCOM or American Army -- but for NGO's and such. It would be interesting to know if they are building a simulation type thing. I found this terrific essay by Adam Singer in the archives:

Games for Change Annual Conference

Some blogs that might be good to keep an eye on:

pasta and vinegar
Mr. MacKenty
Educational Technology and Life
banapana
Games! Games! Games!
The Ludologist
Education/Technology - Tim Lauer

Just as an aside to this, I think a lot of educators are stuck on the personal computer as a consumption device. But most kids (and people!) that I know really don't use the computer for consumption. They consume media with TVs, car radios, iPods, and (maybe) now PSPs. As a production device, the personal computer is practically unparallelled, you can write articles, send e-mails, even make movies -- but as a consumption device it's just a compromise. It's so complicated to setup (both hardware- and software-wise), maintain, and use just to watch a show or listen to a talk. I remember a teacher who was trying to show a DVD on a projector in class from her computer, having all sorts of trouble getting the computer to sync with the projector, then getting the DVD image to show on the big screen, etc-etc. I pointed to the DVD player hooked up to the projector and walked out of the room.

Finally, for yucks, here's a game article from The Onion with the headline "New Video Game Designed To Have No Influence On Kids' Behavior":

New Video Game

Adventure Maker Software

2006-01-01T15:11:00.000-05:00

Found some great prototyping software, unfortunately, it's Windows only just now:

Adventure Maker

I'll have to see what we can do with this. I've added a link to it at the left "Links" column. I did download the two available games on the web site, and they look and run well, tho, no audio.

Also, Ron sent this link from a Slashdot article on the PSP Homebrew community:

PSP Tutorials

Thanks Ron!

Positive Gaming Experiences

2005-12-29T10:30:00.000-05:00

My nephew David writes to let me know about an article in the Washington Post:

"My Son and I, Game to Learn", by Sebastian Mallaby

The article centers around the game:

"Age of Empires III"

Again, not a game that could ever be useful in a classroom setting (because of the time it takes to setup and play), but a game that does challenge kids to think, strategize, and be creative thinkers. It's all very beautifully rendered and there is even an interesting (if superficial) layer of history in there. Unfortunately, the game does include wars, conquering, and other hallmarks of the kind of aggressive competition that does not make for a positive "school-like" experience. Countries are treated like comic-book characters with varying super-powers:

Civilization Descriptors

The Mr. Mallaby reminds me of some parents I've dealt with who believe in promoting poker for teenagers. Sure, kids may learn certain math skills, or complex game strategies; but they also learn aggressive, addictive behaviors -- some of the students at the school where I work owed hundreds of dollars to other kids. At some point it became destructive to the community and, as school administrators, we simply had to ban it.

For example, Mr. Mallaby writes,"'America's Army,' a game with some 6 million players, includes an opportunity to learn how to be a medic." A medic. Right. Here's the picture of the "Combat Medic" in action, applying some serious medicine:

AA Squad Roles

AA also gives kids the opportunity to learn how to be a grenadier, a rifleman, a marksman, etc. I guess you'll find out soon enough why you need a medic.

NSA and CIA for Kids

2005-12-27T20:30:00.000-05:00

Boy, now I know it's gonna be hard to keep these posts from reducing to rants against the game industry, but wow. Check out the web sites for kids (kids!) that the NSA and CIA have put together:

CryptoKids™
CIA Home for Kids

Cartoons about spying and surveillance. Nice. You gotta wonder how much money was spent putting the CryptoKids thing together. Why is the NSA designing games for kids? Also, be sure to click the links on the CIA site, one of the links says "K-5th Grade Homepage". See? Kindergarten is not too early to learn about our spooks.

I have also spoken about how games are used to promote war -- see how games are used to attract and, essentially, train kids for warfare, check out these:

Rise of a Soldier

SOCOM II - US Navy Seals

Note that these games aren't just designed to simulate the experience of soldiers or seamen -- they are designed in cooperation with, and branded by, those branches of the US military. I suppose a game called "Extreme Pacifist: Let's Get Peaceful!™" wouldn't sell, eh?

I am only left, then, to wonder: where are the games that teach the values of cooperation and learning? Even if they existed, would they ever find shelf space at Wal*Mart? Will web sites like CryptoKids help promote a free exchange of ideas? Can such a market ever be balanced? Again, not arguing that these games shouldn't be published, but hoping that alternatives are out there somewhere.

Show and Notes Posted

2005-12-20T16:50:00.000-05:00

Hey You Guys -- For your viewing pleasure, and (again) to make the sharing even easier, I've posted the QuickTime movie of the Slide Show, as well as a PDF of my sketch notes from the launch meeting.

Click to load the movie; then click the images to advance the slides. The movie files is about 12MB, so wait for it!

Click here to download the Sketch notes as a PDF file (435KB).

Right-button click and save the target (Mac users, ctrl-click and download linked file).

And, as promised, let me add my own little manifesto here ...

I do not want to surrender mass media to the folks who dream up games like Grand Theft Auto or Quake. Understand, I don't think these titles are evil; I'm not calling for a ban or government controls. They are simply diversions. They add nothing to the forward movement of our society. But if parents and teachers think the way past these diversions is to ignore them, they should note: Doom (or Final Fantasy or Tomb Raider) is not only a game franchise, it's: a series of paperbacks, a feature film, a soundtrack, in comic books, on t-shirts, and on and on. In fact, I believe that when the pervasiveness of these mass-media properties grows to this scale, they affect and form the way kids absorb stimuli. If that's the case, perhaps the best way to get useful and meaningful information to this audience is through the technology that formed them.

Working the "negative" has had almost no affect on the game industry. ESRB rating, threatened legal action, outspoken politician (and their spouses!) have done nothing to change the content. Here's an exercise for you: click this link to go to Amazon's "Kid Safe Zone" in the PS2 Games aisle. Scan the titles: DDR, Sponge Bob, sports, poker, and racing games. Are there any titles with actual educational content? No. And these are the games rated "E for everyone".

BTW, if you click out a few pages, somehow, GTA III actually shows up in the "Kid-Safe Zone". It's rated "M for mature".

So I want to offer an alternative. In the same manner that Sesame Street took concepts, pacing, and structure from commercial television, there needs to be some PBS-ification for video games and the mass-media properties that surround it. I propose we can make this happen at the grassroots.

Thanks for Participating!

2005-12-11T16:53:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness, I'm tired. To those who made it, thank you all for coming down to listen to my slightly-connected ranting. I hope it was fun and stimulating. I am so appreciative -- who else has friends who would spend a Sunday afternoon listening to some half-baked scheme to bridge the divide between technology and teachers. Thank you so much!

To those who could not make it, I'll send your packages out later next week. There are two handouts and a memory key with soft-copies of the handouts and some other stuff that you can share.

Obviously, from the discussion, there are at least three big threads to follow:

- How does this make money; or at least how does it make a business?
- We need to flesh-out the story-line and the game logic.
- In the meantime what can we build that's illustrative of the idea?

My first response, of course, is to share the idea with anyone else who might be able to add to or help answer the above. If you have thoughts on the story-line or game-logic, add them here to the comments and we can all work that out. And think franchise -- if the first thing we can make is a comic book or a an online "trailer", that's cool.

The last item is the most interesting to me, cause if we can get some grant money and build a small "appetizer" web site, that would be the best, I think, first step. I also think if we can just make this a bit more substantial, and fill in some holes, I could very easily make a proposal to Rivers or the Tech Directors' Group of the AISNE or some other interested party (Houghton? WGBH?) to see if there is interest is building some of the historical sets.

I added a link The Sims web site at EA Games. Any other links, LMK and I'll add em.

Thanks again. More news soon.

The TimePhiz Blog

2005-12-08T23:10:00.000-05:00

Welcome!

TimePhiz is a an educational game concept. This blog will serve as the center of an online community working to make TimePhiz into a real, honest to goodness product that teachers and students can use. I work as an administrator at a small private school. The idea for this game was sparked by new rules put in place at my school this year which outlawed iPods on campus. My feeling is that educational professionals, instead of fearing the distractions created by entertainment technology, should make learning the most compelling distraction. Thanks for your feedback.