ALABAMA SUPERCOMPUTER AUTHORITY

Global supercomputer leader Cray Inc. recently announced that it has received an order for a 12-chassis Cray XD1 supercomputer system for the Alabama Supercomputer Authority (ASA). After successful testing and evaluation of a three-chassis pre-production Cray XD1 system at ASA's Alabama Supercomputer Center, ASA approved implementation of the full system, a 72-processor Cray XD1 system, at the Alabama Supercomputer Center in Huntsville, AL. Later this year, the system will be expanded to a full cabinet of 144 AMD Opteron processors with 634 billion calculations per second (gigaflops) of peak processing power. Each of these installations will represent the largest configurations of the Cray XD1 installed to date. To read more, visit Forbes Business Wire at http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2004/10/21/businesswire20041021005277r1.html.

READING ABOUT EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY

The Elon/Pew Predictions Database is a searchable and browseable selection of predictive remarks made between 1990 and 1995 about the future of networked communications. It contains more than 4,000 statements made by 1,000 different voices of the time, from well-connected stakeholders to common netizens. http://www.elon.edu/predictions/

Laptop Flop? Despite a growing number of mobile computing initiatives across the country, including dramatic statewide adoptions in Maine and Michigan, laptop programs continue to breed controversy. For instance, critics of Maine's laptop program point to a $28 million per year price tag that hasn't yet yielded higher scores on the state's educational assessment test. Meanwhile, in suburban Andover, Mass., and other communities, one-to-one computing programs are being dropped or delayed due to lack of sustainable funding. Given this backdrop of continuing debate, TechLearning magazine examined laptop programs from two perspectives. First, what does the most current research say about their impact on teaching and learning? For this angle, the expertise of Saul Rockman, who's conducted numerous studies of K-12 mobile computing environments, was utilized.. The issue was taken a step further by exploring practical advice on how to successfully structure a laptop program to get the most return on investment. To read the article, visit http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=49901145.


EDUCATION AND THE INTERNET

The Mariners' Museum – Age of Exploration, Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus's sailors aboard the Pinta sighted the Bahamian island of Guanahani on October 12, 1492. The first recorded celebration of this event was held on October 12, 1972, three hundred years after Columbus's landing in the 'New World.' On the 400th anniversary of the landing, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation urging Americans to mark the day. Now 512 years later we still commemorate Columbus's landing by observing Columbus Day on the second Monday in October. The Mariners' Museum's Age of Exploration Online Curriculum Guide covers maritime discovery from ancient times to Captain Cook's 1768 voyage to the South Pacific with a section dedicated to Christopher Columbus. You'll find facts on Columbus, his four voyages and his death. The Mariners' Timeline puts his discovery into perspective and allows the visitor to trace how technological inventions and growing knowledge of the Earth and skies made possible the voyages of exploration and discovery that changed the course of history. http://www.mariner.org//educationalad/ageofex/columbus.php If the younger set finds Mariners' Museum a bit academic, Kids Domain has a well-done presentation on Columbus himself, the controversy surrounding him, the holiday, navigation of the voyages as well as general activities. Check out http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/columbusday.html for a full briefing!

PBS: By the People: Election 2004 The lesson plans listed are organized by grade level and topic. All are designed to tie to state and national standards for civics, history, math and language arts. http://www.pbs.org/elections/kids/educators.html

Forces of Nature With Florida facing one of its worst hurricane seasons ever, this National Geographic Web site is an ideal online tool for discussing natural disasters in the classroom. This new site educates visitors on how natural disasters happen, while allowing students to create and control their own storms, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature.

Alliance to Save Energy This recently launched web site focuses on energy efficiency messages aimed at today's tweens. The site provides news written by kids for kids, Web links to interactive energy games, as well as online educational activities and resources. Students can participate in the Appliance Olympics, which features Energy Star-labeled refrigerators, clothes washer and torchiere lamps racing against conventional appliances. http://www.ase.org/kids

SIXTEEN NEW LEARNING RESOURCES in arts, math, science and social studies have been added to FREE. They're described below. FREE makes finding federal learning resources easier: http://www.ed.gov/free

Earth as Art: A Landsat Perspective shows striking photos of Aleutian clouds, Atlas Mountains (Morocco), Bolivian deforestation, the Great Salt Desert in Iran, Dragon Lake (Siberia), the Everglades, Ganges River delta, Iceland fjord, Karman vortices, Kilimanjaro (East Africa), the world's largest glacier (Lambert Glacier), and more. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/earthasart/

Long Island Consortium for Interconnected Learning in Quantitative Disciplines presents physics problems, calculus projects, problem sets for precalculus, multiple choice and essay questions for Calculus I-III, business/math problems using spreadsheets and calculators, and 23 math research projects. http://www.licil.org/

Bio-Link.org offers resources for biotechnology instructors. Find online courses, lab equipment, information on biotech in high school,and more. A biotech news roundup includes articles on genes and a range of topics -- anxiety, addiction, acne, cystic fibrosis, depression, muscles, sudden oak death, prostate cancer, and others. http://www.bio-link.org/

ChemTechLinks features resources for training chemical technicians: instructional materials, industry standards, professional development opportunities, chemical technician careers and salaries, molecule of the week, chemistry in the news, a newsletter, and answers to questions such as why some schools are considering a ban on soda machines. http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/home.html

New Jersey Center for Advanced Technological Education provides two instructional modules that integrate mechanical, computer, and electronics technology: a golf course module and a fairground rides module. The Center also offers a curriculum model for engineering and science technology disciplines, professional development for teachers, competitions for students, and course descriptions. http://www.njcate.org/index.htm

South Carolina Advanced Technological Education features resources for students considering engineering technology as a career: frequently asked questions, facts on engineering technology, salaries and job openings, information on creating a resume and cover letter, interview tips, and a streaming video featuring women engineers. http://www.scate.org/

America on the Move tells how transportation changed America. A classroom activity guide looks at foods and families on the move (1880s), workers and products (1920s), early highways (1930-40s), suburban communities (1950-60s), and movement of the world's people and products (1970-2000). A collection of 1,000 artifacts and photos can be searched by region, time period, or type of transportation (air, road, water) or vehicle. http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/learning/

CivilWar@Smithsonian examines the Civil War through collections of artifacts. Topics include slavery and abolition, Abraham Lincoln, the first Union officer killed, soldiering, weapons, leaders, cavalries, navies, life and culture, Appomattox, Winslow Homer, and Mathew Brady. A Civil War timeline is included. http://www.civilwar.si.edu/

George Washington: A National Treasure takes an in-depth look at the famous Gilbert Stuart portrait of our first president. Explore the symbolic, artistic, and biographic meanings of the sword and books by clicking on those and other objects in the 1976 painting. Learn about Washington's life, ideas, accomplishments, and his tremendous influence on the U.S. http://www.georgewashington.si.edu/

Hall of Presidents shows portraits of U.S. presidents. Each painting is accompanied by a brief description of the president and his accomplishments. http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/hall2/index.htm

Just Vote! offers a set of five lessons to encourage student involvement in the political process (Grades 9-12). Among the topics: what is a good law, the Constitution's role in evaluating laws, what is a good citizen, the history of suffrage, and skills required of an informed voter. http://www.constitutioncenter.org/education/TeachingAids/JustVote!.shtml

Lewis and Clark as Naturalists presents flora and fauna as described by the explorers during their journey across America in 1804-6. Follow their 3,700-mile trail using an interactive map, or browse the collection of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, and amphibians by category. http://web4.si.edu/lewisandclark/index.html

Lewis and Clark: Mapping the West features maps of the famous expedition. The Corps of Discovery collected 30 maps from Indians, trappers, and traders,and prepared 140 maps -- most of them drawn or compiled by Clark. The website shows the King map (created for the expedition) and the first map displaying their geographical discoveries. Descriptions of expedition members, life on the trail, and help provided by Indian tribes are included. http://www.edgate.com/lewisandclark/

Living a Tradition: Visit the Last of the Shakers recounts a journey into Shaker country, including a visit at Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester, Maine, where the last of the world's few Shakers keep the old ways. Learn about Shaker worship, moral codes (hard work, celibacy), their founder (a blacksmith's daughter born in Manchester, England, in 1736), and their many inventions -- flat-edged brooms, a rotary harrow, and others. View Shaker works and recipes, and hear Shaker music. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/journeys/01/apr01/abs_feature.html

National Constitution Center offers lessons on the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, electoral process, executive branch, federal powers, war making, First and Fifth Amendments, freedom of speech, Founding Fathers, jury duty, separation of powers, and suffrage. Teaching with Current Events features news stories relating to the Constitution, discussion starters keyed to the news, and perspectives by commentators and elected officials. http://www.constitutioncenter.org/education/CurriculumResources/LessonPlans/

The Fight, companion to a PBS film that premiered in October, looks at the 1938 bout between American Joe Louis and German Max Schmeling in the context of African-American history and the coming war with Germany. 70,000 fans crammed into Yankee Stadium, and millions turned on their radios to witness, on the eve of World War II, what has been called the most important sporting event in history. Listen to the broadcast of this fight and their earlier bout in 1936. http://www.pbs.org/amex/fight

Believe It or Not! After being passed down through the generations, many traditional stories end up a combination of fact and fiction -- and you might not be sure what to believe. This month, the MarcoGram explores the truth about deception and how inaccurate information might cause problems further down the line. Use the activities to examine what's real and what's imagined, then scroll down for links to more lessons and resources. Please view the online version at http://www.marcopolo-education.org/MarcoGrams/Nov2004.html.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Operation Paperback is a non-profit, grassroots program of family, personal friends and web friends who collect gently used books and send them to American troops deployed overseas. Operation Paperback began by sending books to troops in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and expanded efforts to include Afghanistan, Arabian Sea Fleet, Bahrein, Bosnia, Crete, Diego Garcia, Dubai, East Timor, England, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Horn of Africa, Iceland, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kosovo, Krygystan, Kuwait, Macedonia, Mediterranean Sea Fleet, Okinawa Oman, Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Philippines, Persian Gulf Fleet, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. To learn how you can help, visit http://operationpaperback.usmilitarysupport.org/howto.html

The Rich Get Richer A new report from The Education Trust documents a growing disparity in the level of state and local funding that goes to wealthy and poor K-12 districts in the country. According to "Funding Gap 2004," the disparity is upward of $1,300 per student when the extra cost of educating low-income students is factored into the equation. Looking at revenue figures for the 2001-02 school year (the last year for which data was available), the report finds that in 25 of the 49 states studied, the districts in which families experience the highest levels of poverty receive fewer resources than those with the lowest numbers of households living in poverty. Illinois and New York have the highest funding gaps -- to the tune of more than $200 per student -- but some states are making progress. Although the funding disparity between low-income and high-income districts grew larger in 22 states between 1997 and 2002, the gap shrank in 27 states. The full copy of the! report, which includes recommendations on how states can close the funding gap, is available online at http://www2.edtrust.org/edtrust.

Registration for Science Through ARts (STAR) is now open for the 2004-05 school year. STAR participants in grades 5-12 form a global learning community around the topic An Eye on the Moon. Participants videoconference with each other to share information or debate the topic, and they videoconference with NASA and the Cleveland Museum of Art to learn how different cultures over the centuries have depicted the moon and about NASA's past and future plans to explore space. This year for the first time, ePALS will provide a safe, collaborate online environment via email, message boards, and chat rooms. Students are encouraged to write science fiction and create their stories using multimedia, adding art, music, etc. They are also encouraged to translate their stories into another language. In May students share their "best" stories with STAR participants and NASA via videoconferencing. Those "best" stories are then linked from the STAR website: http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/STAR/Eye/. Registration will close December 1, 2004, or when the number of registered schools reaches 25. Register today! http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/STAR/Eye/registration.htm.

Megaconference VI is the world’s largest Internet videoconference. Everyone, from around the world, with access to adequate H.323 videoconferencing technology is invited to participate. The theme of this year's Megaconference is: Let's Talk: Global Communications, Innovation and Participatory Videoconferencing. Presentations this year will include not just talks, but also musical events, dramatizations, and any other form of interactive communication. All presentations will be strongly encouraged to take advantage of the interactive possibilities in videoconferencing, by engaging with the registered participants, presenting from multiple locations, or by any other means that take advantage of this multiway, real-time communication technology in research and education
Date: Dec 9, 2004 8am to 2pm, and 6pm to midnight EST (GMT-5). For additional information, visit http://www.megaconference.org/.

Speak Up Day 2004 U.S. students who want to share their thoughts on the state of educational technology in the nation's schools have until Nov. 12 to participate in Speak Up Day 2004, an online survey that aims to give K-12 students a say in how schools use technology and the internet. For additional information, visit http://www.netday.org/.

The U.S. Department of Education recently unveiled a new professional development web site for teachers and administrators. Its architects hope the free resource--built by teachers for teachers--will encourage the use of proven classroom strategies and provide more effective ways of using data to improve instruction in the nation's schools. http://www.paec.org/teacher2teacher/