1968 - Future of Computers

So what did they get right and what's a little different?
What is our prediction for 2048?

A quote to share around...

This is a quote I found on Naketa's Blog (our fabulous ICT facilitator!) - and I thought it inspiring...

" The last few decades have belonged to a certain kind of person with a certain kind of mind - computer programmers who could crank code, lawyers who could craft contracts, MBAs who could crunch numbers. But the keys of the kingdom are changing hands. The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind - creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers and meaning makers. These people - artists, inventors, designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big picture thinkers - will now reap society's richest rewards and share its greatest joys. "

Source: http://www.danpink.com/wnm.html

Chris and Cru - A fight for Justice

Ok - it's late - but it's passionate!!

Human rights have been disregarded this week. Two young children - twins - three months old - were murdered. After two years of investigation, a charge filed against their father, a trial, and TEN MINUTES of deliberation - somebody has gotten away with murder.

This CAN NOT happen! New Zealanders CAN NOT let this slide!

I do not know if their father, Chris, who has stood trial for their murders, did deal the final blow. Maybe it was their mother, who is rumoured to have gone out drinking on the town the night the children died, who beat them so badly before going out for the night.

The Day Chris and Cru Died - Macsyna King returned from a night away and discovered the boys had sustained substantial bruising. She and her husband took them to the GP - "who ordered immediate hospitalisation for the infants. Instead of going to Middlemore Hospital, which was only 10 minutes away, the parents went to McDonalds and returned home after several hours" (wikipedia). When the children were eventually taken to the hospital it was discovered that they had suffered serious brain injury as the result of skull fractures from blunt force truama.

As the investigations began the public were told that the Kahui family refused to speak to police.
WHAT does that mean?
How is it that children can be murdered in their home and the ones in the house at the time can decide whether or not they would like to speak to the police?
I did not understand then and I do not understand now why the police scrambled as the whanau (extended family) pointed fingers at eachother, defended the parents, and defied police. Why did the police investigating these murders allow this family to get away with it? It took 5 months for a charge to be laid.

During the trial there were many references of the abuse that Chris and Cru suffered at the hands of their parents. It is not doubted that these children sustained continual abuse during their 3 traumatic months. And even on this the law enforcers seem powerless to act.

Are we really going to allow New Zealanders to get away with the abuse of children AGAIN?
Are we really going to allow New Zealanders to get away with the murder of their children?


You can read a slightly different but equally as brutal, version of events here.



A late addition to the May 15th, Blogging for Human Rights Campaign BUT not just a post - THIS IS a call for action. See below.



Does anyone know of a public online forum, where New Zealanders can have their voice? A site that has a moderator who will oversee a mature fight for justice. I would like to see somebody like the Commissioner for Children facilitate such a site. Children need us to fight for their rights. We need to fight for our children!

Other's Uniting in Human Rights
Pentad
DrowsyMonkey
Everyone deserves a good Education
The Right to Exist
For more...

Bloggers Unite - 15th of May

As I curl onto my bed and surf the net before I shut my eyes - with wireless broadband I can help to change the world!!!

Tomorrow BlogCatalog is running it's initiative - uniting bloggers around the world to raise awareness of a single topic of world wide concern. Bloggers Unite's previous campaigns have addressed Organ Donation Awareness (sorry I missed that one), Bloggers against Abuse, Acts of Kindness. On the 15th of MAY 2008 - bloggers will unite again to raise awareness on Human Rights Issues.

So surfers on the web, on the 15th of May, will find themselves reading a similar message over and over again as more and more people unite on world concerns.

For my small part - I discussed this event with Ash at the new and responsive DotDash social network. They too are joining this event. Hopefully more and more social networks, ...... schools, teachers, students, parents and more .... will use this time to band together and unite on a single topic of world wide concern...
and use the internet as a POWER FOR GOOD.

How will Early Childhood respond?
How will YOU change the world from your place in it?

To find out more - go to www.unite.blogcatalog.com

Mathmaticious

I have realised that many of my blog posts are not so much about ICT in early childhood - but are focusing on ICT in schools. The reason for this is that as a teacher in the early childhood sector, dedicated to making education relevant, exciting and explorative, I find it motivating to see and share the ICT exploration happening in the primary and secondary sectors. I have been concerned about our students moving on to primary and secondary schools where there is a very 'traditional' approach to education. So it is really motivating to come across videos such as Mathmaticious. I highly recommend Early Childhood Teachers, Parents and School teachers check this out and encourage a wider spectrum of learning methods. See what school children are saying about this approach to learning via theYouTube comments.

My Great Imaging of the World

Found My Great Imaging of the World from Free Technology for Teachers

Thought this was a great place to display my own photos, but it is also a great site for students looking to extend their knowledge about countries and cultures around the world. Students can also add their photos depicting their view of their world. Like a photographic wiki.

Beyond the Classroom walls

As a kindergarten community exploring the possibilities of information and communication technology, we continue to discuss and promote it's uses higher up the education spectrum. Where are our children heading? What will their primary and secondary schools be offering to further their excitement of learning using technology as a resource?

Second Life is not new to Education - but I challenge you.. are YOU thinking beyond the classroom walls?



Then again, I challenge myself. Is there any room for young children in Second Life? What are the implications? What are the possibilities?

You might like to engage in discussion about this here through comments or at BlogCatalog as part of the Education Today group.