Wireless at school

http://www.startribune.com/local/south/64186172.html

Interesting article in the Star-Tribune. (Yes, I still read the newspaper on paper.)

This article is about how high schools are moving to wireless access for their students. I'm inclined to say it is about time that this is happening. I'm glad it is. It is happening in my district too.

Think about it. The biggest collection of thought, ideas and concepts ever created by man is available wirelessly. Anywhere in the building. Is there any reason that kids shouldn't have easy access to ALL of that information and answers to their questions? That is the amazing thing about the times we live in, that collection of information. Talk about a learning opportunity! ISN'T THAT THE KIND OF WORK WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AT SCHOOL?

I can understand why it hasn't happened sooner. How do you protect the network and provide access to kids. The Child Internet Protection Act makes administrators nervous as well. But because kids might create problems doesn't mean we cut all kids off completely. We have kids write evil notes all the time; we don't take their pencils. Kids may run into an idea that their parents aren't comfortable with; We don't close the library. Instead, we discuss/teach/learn/argue our way through.

As far as how much is the going to cost, I bet it is cheaper than pulling more wires. Kids bring their own devices to connect. That part sounds pretty cheap. Yes, there will be the very poorest we should help out, but with a little creativity...

How easy can this stuff get?

I was amazed.

My son loves his Nintendo DS.  He loves to play it at school on Fridays when he is allowed to bring it to the after school program.  He loves to sit and play DS while his friends play their DSs.  I thought that was pretty much the social side of the DS.  We sit together and talk while we do our thing.  

I couldn't help but notice that Mark and Anna were playing the same game.  Literally, the same game.  At the same time.  Both of them had characters in the same game on their two machines.

These SECOND graders had figured out how to network their DSs together to play the same game.  

I knew it was possible.  I just figured that it would involve reading a bunch of directions that were translations from the original DS directions written in Sanskrit.  Nope.  Two new readers could figure out how to set up a wireless network like it was child's play.

I wish my computer toys networked that easily.

Vacationeer returns

I have been out of town for a week on vacation.  Very relaxing.  

We spent some of the time in Ely, Minnesota.  The local radio station there, WELY, promotes itself as "End of the Road Radio."

We like to go there for the BWCAW canoeing experience.  The few motorboats you see there are piloted by people that actually do yield to non-motorized traffic.  Paddle on Lake Minnetonka on a weekend and you will know why that is important!

Ely may think of itself as the end of the road, but I think it has many 21st century things happening there.  I will be writing about them as I can get my thoughts organized.