Technology through Time

New York times recently published an article about how some libraries are including video games in the library contending that this will/ can encourage kids to pick up a book and read. Furthermore the article states: "S purred by arguments that video games also may teach a kind of digital literacy that is becoming as important as proficiency in print, libraries are hosting gaming tournaments, while schools are exploring how to incorporate video games in the classroom. In New York, the John D. and Catherine T.  MacArthur Foundation  is supporting efforts to create a proposed public school that will use principles of game design like instant feedback and graphic imagery to promote learning." Howvever there are a few that contend that kids will rely on the visual literacy skills rather than the written words to get through the games. History has shown my husband and I, though, that our son was spurred on to read beyond the basic SFA program in school through...

Best Ads on TV website publishes a weekly podcast (as welll as on their website), the best ads from around the world. BE AWARE, however, there is some explicit material, so watch before you show your students!!! They have categories for best print, tv and interactive. here is a sampling below: Best  print  of the week Kayaking Jumbo : Choking Ogilvy & Mather Indonesia Standard Bank : Convict TBWA Tequila\ Johannesburg Pepsi : Lifeguard CLM BBDO, Paris Museum : Cup Cossette West, Vancouver Primus : War Lew´Lara\TBWA, São Paulo IGN.com : Boxer George Patterson Y&R, Sydney

Having just discovered this, I am feeling a bit behind on the times. Introducing a wonderful tool for media review and collaboration: Voice Thread. Here is a sample of a voicethread discussing storyboarding. 

It caught my eye, yesterday when I was reading some articles on CNN. But when it was mentioned again to me by my husband, I had to ask, ok, what is up with this? He pointed out that we were not the only ones asking the questions, who would invest in a mortgage right now, after looking at a dancing girl banner ad. The undulating bodies always disappoints me as I think about another ad being sold with sex. Yet, it grabbed my attention, which is exactly what an ad wants to do. Further investigation turned up a  blog article by  Workbench, "Dancing Mortgage People Ate My Brain. " Apparently, this has been an ongoing trend and very affective.  New York times  tracked down the ad creator.  It seems that the company that uses these ads have made because " the credit agency Experian bought the eight-year-old company for $400 million in 2005."  Furthermore, Brad Stone from the  New York times article  stated, "Mr. Coffin said that the company clos...