Category: geography
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Interactive Google Earth Updates and Map Tools: Solar System Exploration and Nuclear War
In this week’s EdTech Situation Room podcast (tomorrow/Wednesday evening at 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain) I’m going to share several new space related features in Google Earth as well as some new Google Maps mashups (at least new to me) that can be used in the classroom to interactively explore and discuss current…
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Reflections on Comancheria, Identity and Frontier Terrorism
I never thought much about my own family bloodlines and ancestry until we moved to Oklahoma in 2006. As I got to know teachers and school staff members in my role (at the time) working as an “education advocate” for AT&T, I learned that all public schools in Oklahoma have “Indian Education” programs and students…
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Using 8 Bit Games and Humor to Present Serious Political Messages
The website and political game project “GOP Arcade” (@GOParcade) offers telling insights into not only the issues of the 2016 election in the United States, but also the ways media and gaming can be used to influence voters and communicate serious political messages. The site features 8 bit online games (that means they have very…
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10 Highlights from our Offline Colorado Vacation
The past week following ISTE and iPadPalooza, our family has been camping in the mountains of Colorado. While I’ve been completely offline (including Twitter) the same can’t be said for everyone in our family, since the times we drove into town for a grocery resupply or to catch the local drive-in movie (playing “Grease”) a flurry…
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Lessons Learned on our Family’s College Journey (April 2016)
I’ve been needing to write a post for many months sharing some of our family’s lessons learned and where we are on our collective “college journey” with three kids heading to university respectively in the classes of 2020 (Alex), 2022 (Sarah) and 2026 (Rachel). Part of me has been waiting until we “arrive” at a milestone…
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Backyard Astronomy Laser and iPhone App
This evening I ordered the “Z-Bolt Extreme Temp Green Laser (14° ~122°F – Constant On/Off)” online for $108. I based this purchase primarily off this 2006 review of another Z-Bolt astronomy laser, the recent article for Sky and Telescope, “Some Pointers on Using Laser Pointers,” and some other online reviews which recommended getting a laser which works in…
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Cautiously Optimistic About Iran and United States Relations
I’m cautiously optimistic about Iranian and United States relations in the wake of the July 14th announcement by President Obama of the Iranian Nuclear deal and his hour long press conference yesterday focusing primarily on that accord. We live in the day of 140 character information bites, but I encourage you to fully watch both these…
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Traveling with Airbnb? Consider Checking Crime Maps First
Last week and this week several members of our family have been and are visiting Philadelphia and Washington D.C. We were in Philly to attend part of the 2015 ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) conference, and are visiting friends as well as sightseeing in D.C. for the 4th of July weekend. We’ve used…
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Spinning a Revised History of Genghis Khan with Media and Exhibits
Shelly, Rachel and I are in Philadelphia for several days attending the ISTE Conference, and spent a couple hours this evening exploring the new Genghis Khan exhibit at the Franklin Institute. I was especially keen to experience this exhibit since I downloaded and listened to most of Dan Carlin’s enthralling “Wrath of the Khans” series on…