Ron Gray

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Official Google Reader Blog: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing
New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing. Posted by Alan Green, Software Engineer Today we're rolling out the new Reader design, and the Google+ features that we mentioned just over a we…

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+Greg Becker and +Brian Crumrine, I thought of you two when I saw this.

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They take rather inaccessible scholarly writing and turn it into engaging journalism. Very Australia-focused right now but a really great idea.

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The Conversation: In-depth analysis, research, news and ideas from leading academics and researchers.
Curated by professional editors, The Conversation offers informed commentary and debate on the issues affecting our world. Plus a Plain English guide to the latest developments and discoveries from th…

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Most importantly, the 9 big ideas of earth science make for a great framework for a course.

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Valuable resource for teachers and curious students!

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I love the Onion.

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Last American Who Knew What The Fuck He Was Doing Dies
CUPERTINO, CA—Steve Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple Computers and the only American in the country who had any clue what the fuck he was doing, died Wednesday at the age of 56.

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Great idea supporting teachers!

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YouTube Launches Site Specifically for Teachers | MindShift
Skip to content. NPR Argo Network. Home; News; Radio; TV; Education; Arts; Food; Science; Community; Donate. MindShift. How we will learn. back_in_time. 10 Awesome Apps for Learning About Music, Natur…

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Taken from Michael Barton’s The Dispersal of Darwin blog, here’s a fascinating talk by William Kimler on the changing image of Darwin over time.

Images of Darwin and the Nature of Science from American Scientist on Vimeo.

Mendeley, my favorite reference management software, has long been able to save web pages to include in your collection.  However, unlike what it can do for pdfs, it does not allow you to annotate the web pages it saves.  Enter the new start-up (partly funded my NSF), Scrible, that allows you to easily annotate web pages which can then be saved or shared.  Combining these two services is easy and allows for saved annotated web pages in your Mendeley collection.

After you’ve signed up for Scrible and added the bookmarklet, simply use the toolbar to annotate a page.  Once you’re finished, save the web page to Mendeley as you had before (either through a bookmarklet or browser plugin).  The HTML file saved in Mendeley will include the annotations!  I have yet to check if the annotations are visible if you do not have the Scrible bookmarklet installed, but I’d imagine so.

This week’s STEM-Ed digest:

• Some open-source applications for math teachers.
• Some thoughts on why we should focus on deliberate practice in schools to help build expertise.
• A review of what the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind might mean for science teachers.
• Why teachers should be paid more from the New York Times.
• From Education Week – How education reforms trap poor children.  My favorite quote: “Standardized exams serve mostly to make dreadful forms of teaching appear successful”
• Interesting chart comparing teacher pay and hours of work around the world.
• A free course: Physics for the 21st Century.  Just in case you need to brush up on your physics.
• A primer on the peer review process in science.
• What Arne Duncan thinks about math teachers.
• NYT Opinion: A better way to teach math.
• A fascinating look back at the evolution of classroom technology.
• Some dos and don’ts while writing (or talking) about the history of science.
• 70+ examples of using Google Docs in the classroom.
• A video about one teacher’s thoughts on creationism in the classroom.
• From the Economist: How James Clerk Maxwell changed the world.

This week’s STEM-Ed digest:

• Here are some ideas for using digital videos in the classroom.
• Skype has just started a dedicated network for teachers. Your classroom can now have it’s own account.
• Making Calculus the most popular class on campus.
• An incredible video demonstration of making circuits for young children out of play dough.
• Some notes on bringing rigor to project-based learning.
• What skills do our children need to get the jobs of the future?
• How social media is changing education.
• Some of Darwin’s most interesting personal correspondences.
• Ideas on what makes a master teacher.