The Jetsons

My principal, best in the known universe, sent this to us and I need to post it here so I can remember to try to use it this coming semester. Watch it till the end to see something really killer! How can I best utilize this awesomeness? How? How? Dunno yet, but dang!

ZOOBURST tutorial

So in thinking about technology and its uses, we get really excited about stuff like this. Of course we do--the cool factor is off the chart. Each innovation feels like we are in the future, living the Jetson life. But if you remember the cartoon, everything is done for the Jetsons. They pass their time describing the problems and pressing a lot of buttons. The problem solving is done by machines. Will creating a pop-up book transform Elroy and Judy into problem solvers? better writers? deeper thinkers? I don't see how, just yet. If you can see, let me know.

I am a full-on believer that fun is important, just ask my students--I come from the Mary Poppins school of education. But as a responsible educator, I have a sacred trust to maximize our learning in our minimal time. I need to see how technology ENHANCES or DEEPENS real learning. If it is just aesthetic or entertaining, it is an expensive, time-consuming bunny trail I want to avoid, no matter how cute the bunnies may be.