Over the summer, Mozilla Learning announced eight pilot programs to train library staff and students in adapting Mozilla’s web literacy curriculum for use in public libraries and librarian-training programs. The three-part workshop series helped me think about how to teach some of the digital literacy skills I take for granted, and also how to incorporate web literacy into existing library programs and instruction.
At the development & research meeting today, the library team led everyone in a Google Cardboard construction workshop!
Science360, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, is an immersive experience into the world of science, engineering, math, and technology.
City Farm is a free, browser-based game from PBS Learning Media about urban gardening.
Paper is a fun app with a many cool features, but without a sync solution to transfer work in the native Paper format, it’s not the most efficient way to work.
Ever wondered what’s like to be an air traffic controller? In Sector 33, you can guide planes through the Northern California airspace to the San Francisco International Airport as quickly and safely as possible! Developed by NASA, the app—available for Android and iOS—is a companion game to the Smart Skies LineUp With Math curriculum, designed to spark students’ interest in science and math.
Late Nite Labs provides realistic, online science lab simulations in biology, chemistry, microbiology, and physics. The Late Nite Labs library includes around 10-20 different labs in each subject area. The platform allows instructors to set up experiment modules (equipped with instruments, materials, and texts) and students to work at their own pace and in their own time.
StyleWriter 4, billed as a “plain English editor,” is a style and English usage checker that runs with Microsoft Word in Windows.
When creative ideas are backed by an understanding of science and math concepts, inventiveness is a real possibility. This notion—that science, math, and the arts are a connected and necessary part of innovation—is at the heart of Bigshot. Developed by Columbia University’s Shree Nayar, Bigshot is both a digital camera and a learning experience. Nayar designed the kit, which includes elements like a handcrank power generator and electromagnetics, to pack in as many scientific concepts as possible; as a result, Bigshot delivers a broad range of science and engineering concepts. Additionally, the Bigshot website provides a variety of simple science projects, conceptual explanations and interactive demos, and lesson plans for teachers and self-directed learners alike.
GitHub has long offered educational discounts for students; they unveiled their official GitHub Education policy earlier this year, providing students and teachers with free Micro accounts and GitHub organization accounts for classrooms. Now, they’ve launched a suite of free developer tools for students.
The Student Developer Pack is available for students aged 13 and up—all you need is proof of enrollment, like a school-issued email or a valid student ID.
