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Canadian middle-schoolers rank pretty high for computer literacy
In addition to making excellent poutine and maple syrup, our friendly neighbors to the north are also pretty adept at prepping students for the future we live in too. The International Computer Literacy Study recently looked at 60,000 eighth graders from Ontario and assessed their proficiencies at copying and saving a document in addition to modifying info and using a handful of applications simultaneously. The CBC says this is the first international test of its kind, and that the Canucks scored 547 out of 600 in computer literacy -- much higher than the average score of 500. What's more, it's in a "statistical tie" with Australia and the Czech Republic for the top spot. If the CEO of the Education Quality and Accountability Office is to be believed, this is a direct result of Ontario's investments in putting technology in the classroom. Maybe SimCity can move into the Great White North's classroom and train up the next set of civil engineers, too.
California limits schools' social media monitoring
In California, school officials are now required to be more transparent when tracking a student's online activity. Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill earlier this week requiring parents to be notified when a school is peering at their kids' online activity. What's more, schools have to delete collected social media posts within a year of the student leaving or their 18th birthday. The law comes in response to the Glendale Unified school district hiring an outside firm to monitor Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds in 2013 -- without informing students or their parents that they were being watched. "I believe that as the world changes and this type of monitoring becomes more commonplace, legislation like this is critical to protecting the privacy of our children," said California State Assemblyman Mike Gatto. Glendale Unified says it doesn't keep posts that it's alerted to via the monitoring service. [Photo credit: Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images]
Prepare a perfectly timed presentation with Video Pitch
If you've ever had to give a timed presentation, be it for educational or professional purposes, you probably know how difficult it is to rehearse and get all of your points across in exactly the right amount of time. Video Pitch wants to give you a helping hand. This iPad app allows you to set a duration, speech dialogue, record yourself and more all to practice your pitch until you reach perfection. It's free with in-app purchases and requires iOS 7.0 or later. Video Pitch divides into three section for preparing and rehearsing a pitch: text, time and assistant. In the text section, you enter the name of your pitch as well as the pitch itself. This might be a description or an actual script or even just some bullet points - whatever you want. Giving your pitch a name also comes in handy later if you decide to save it. The time section is where you really get the tools necessary for customizing your presentation. For free, the duration slider goes all the way up to 15 seconds. However in-app purchases unlock even more time. Underneath is a slider for a delay before starting anywhere from zero to ten seconds. Slow, normal and fast buttons also help quickly adjust duration to the app's presets. This section also houses the play button and options to save, cancel or delete the entire project. Finally, the assistant section lets you add helpful visual cues to your presentation at any point along a timeline. Video Pitch comes with four: a dollar symbol, smiley face, thumbs up and a clock. This was my favorite feature, given that sometimes the most basic of symbols can save you from crashing and burning. When you play your presentation, your pitch scrolls in perfect time, visual cues appear and optionally so does your face if you want to record video of your rehearsal. After your video is done, the app asks if you want to share it but alas, the app crashed every time I attempted to. I often find that design aesthetics and functionality of an app go hand in hand: the best apps have good design complemented by a strong set of quality features. In Video Pitch, those two are not linked. The features are plentiful here, yet the design and color scheme in particular are just ugly. Does this subtract from Video Pitch's usefulness? Not really, but if you're expecting an elegant app to complement your elegant presentation, prepare for disappointment. Now we come to in-app purchases. Video Pitch offers three different plans. Free, or "Intro," mode limits you to 15-second videos and up to 5 videos total. Active enables up to 5-minute videos, reverse camera usage, customized visual cues (in addition to the aforementioned four,) and removes the watermark from the video. This plan is oddly free to upgrade to so I see no reason why you shouldn't. The top-tier Pro Active plan allows for 10-minute videos, unlimited video storage and custom fonts for US$0.99. Video Pitch has all the essentials for creating a professional, timely presentation for a variety of purposes. From the visual cues to adjustable durations, it's difficult to find weak points in the app. Even pricing for in-app upgrades is very reasonable. Video Pitch is free and available for iPad.
Microsoft makes it easier for students to get Office 365 at no cost
Back when it launched the Student Advantage program, Microsoft made it possible for 35,000 educational institutions across the globe to receive free access to Office 365. As part of that, students and teachers alike could get a subscription to the productivity software at no cost to them, so long as their school had enrolled in the initiative. Problem is, since then, each student depended on the school to be the one to create an Office 365 account they could use -- until today. Microsoft's now simplified the process, opening up a self-serve service for students to get the license without the need to check with the school's IT department first. Those who qualify will need a valid .edu email address to receive the free subscription, from a school that's currently participating in the Student Advantage program, and that's about it. The only caveat is that this is limited to US students at the moment, but Microsoft says it plans to bring the sign-up feature worldwide later this year.
iTunes U on iPad will let teachers create courses and take your questions
Right now, iTunes U on the iPad isn't a complete educational tool. You can read textbooks, but not much else -- you still need to use old-fashioned email to ask the teacher a question, for example. It's going to be much more useful on July 8th, when Apple releases a major overhaul to the app. The new iTunes U lets teachers create and manage courses entirely from the iPad, plucking source material from other apps and even the device's camera. Students, meanwhile, get some much-needed interaction -- you can now ask questions from the app, or join in class discussions.
Birdly VR rig invites users to soar like an eagle, look like a lazy mole
Mankind has long dreamed of soaring through the clouds like the majestic albatross. That feat remains firmly in the realm of comic books and sci-fi novels, but thanks to students at the Zurich University of the Arts and the Oculus Rift VR headset, we can now fake it pretty well. Dubbed "Birdly," the contraption seen in the above footage offers users a bird's-eye view of their virtual flight, while a fan provides faux headwind and scent emitters waft the surrounding smells directly into a the would-be bird's all too human nose. Motors in the apparatus shift a user in relation to what the Oculus Rift headset is depicting, and sensors translate arm movements into the flapping of an bird's wings. Granted, it's not actual flight, and will probably cause a number of people to vomit from vertigo or simple sensory overload, but you take the good with the bad. A few puke stains are a small price to pay to glimpse the future of virtual reality. [Image: Birdly]
Spotify now offers US college students half-price music streaming (updated)
Don't think you can afford a paid streaming music service as a cost-sensitive student? Think again -- the price may finally be within your reach. Spotify has launched a US student program that lets you pay just $5 per month for Premium access (half of the usual price) as long as you're attending a post-secondary school that qualifies for federal aid, whether it's a college or a vocational outlet. Be sure to time your registration well, though. Much like an equivalent offer in the UK, you'll only get the discount for a year. Still, the $60 you spend may be worthwhile if it gives you enough studying music to get through a couple of tough semesters. Update: Helpful reader will noticed that the discount merely lasts for a year at a time -- you can renew it three more times before you're paying full price. In other words, it should cover your entire degree.
Sprint and Best Buy offer students a year of free cellphone service, with a catch
Many students have trouble scrounging up money for loan payments, let alone cellular service. Thankfully, Sprint and Best Buy have teamed up on a promotional cellphone plan built for these non-existent budgets. The My Way promo adds a line with a year of free phone service to a parent's existing account; customers just need to sign up at Best Buy and prove that Junior is going to school, whether it's elementary or college. As you'd expect, though, there's a big catch. While the plan includes unlimited calls and messaging, data is capped at 1GB per month unless you pay an extra $10 per month for unfettered internet access. Even so, it's a potentially huge bargain for students who get in before the deal ends January 1st -- they may finally have cash to spend on the finer things in life.
LinkedIn launches University Pages, helps students learn more about colleges
LinkedIn has already branched out a bit with its own blogging and following features for select groups, and now the popular social networking site has introduced a tool geared towards students. Aptly dubbed University Pages, LinkedIn describes the new service as one that's part of its strategy to help college-bound pupils "at every critical milestone from campus to fulfilling successful careers." Beginning September 12th, LinkedIn's set to welcome high school students on its network and provide access to the new University Pages, allowing them to explore and rub elbows with about 200 participating universities, both in the US and abroad. Users will then be able to do things such as receive regular updates about campus news / activities and view notable members of each college's alumni. If one of your favorite schools isn't there just yet, fret not -- LinkedIn says "thousands more" will be given access over the next few weeks.
Microsoft gives students 3GB additional Skydrive storage for one year
There are plenty of cloud storage options out there which offer some initial amount of free space -- including Dropbox (2GB), Google Drive (5GB 15GB), Box (5GB) and Microsoft Skydrive (7GB). While these services usually provide additional free storage via referrals and special deals (bundled with device purchases for example), Microsoft is doing something different with Skydrive by gifting students an extra 3GB of free space for one year. If you have a valid .edu email address you can visit the URL below to receive a free storage code. The offer is limited to one per person and the code must be redeemed before December 31st 2013. It's unclear what happens to your data after the year's over but it presumably remains available in read-only form. Considering the price of tuition, this deal isn't quite as juicy as getting 100GB of free space for two years on Google Drive with the purchase of a Chromebook -- still it's a no brainer. Update: To be clear, Google's now offering 15GB of free storage shared between GMail, Google+ photos and Google Drive. Also, Google Apps for Education provides 30GB of free space for these services.
2013 'Doodle 4 Google' top 50 winners selected, require your judgment
There's little in life finer than pitting youths against each other in battle, which Google's annual "Doodle 4 Google" contest clearly appreciates. The competition takes thousands of Google logo doodle entries and pits them down from thousands to 50, one per US State, and organizes those entries by grade level. The images are then put online for the world to enjoy, as well as to vote on -- out of the five doodles with the highest votes, one national winner is selected, which Google plans on revealing on May 22nd in New York City. This year's theme is "Best Day Ever," which means outdoor activities to one Maine-based middle schooler (seen above), and hanging out with bees to a Michigan-based high school student. Of course, there are 48 other excellent pieces to peek at before casting your vote, though you've gotta get in there before May 10th at 11:59pm ET.
Apple offers 150 student scholarships to WWDC 2013
Like it has done in previous years, Apple is offering scholarships for students to attend WWDC. Students must be at least 13 years old and a member of the iOS developer program. To apply, each student must create an app that'll showcase their coding skills, background and interests. Apple will be giving away up to 150 tickets to eligible students, and applications must be received by May 2, 2013 at 5:00 pm PDT. You can read more about the student scholarship program on Apple's WWDC website.
The student's guide to balancing real life, good grades, and video games
If academic success for fans of video games were as simple as "Do your homework and limit your time online," we'd all be LFG amongst a population of Rhodes Scholars. But maintaining your sanity (and your grades) when your most beloved hobby is designed to be an endless maze of virtual delights involves more than vague notions of buckling down during key pressure points. Achieving balance requires effective tactics to help you keep your life in balance -- and that's what we'll be covering here. Playing an MMO like World of Warcraft as a student drops you into a minefield of inflexible teachers and schedules, disapproving parents, unaccommodating raid schedules, and blithely tempting guildmates. Trip on any one of these drama bombs, and you're in for what we sometimes ironically refer to as "good times." Whether you're an independent college student or still working out your schedule with Mom and Dad, we'll show you how to set and stay on course while heading off the most common school/life/play issues before they strike.
HP tells Chinese factories to stop raiding schools for cheap labor
We know that HP's Chinese sub-contractors enjoy a spot of opera on the production line. What's always been harder to determine though, is who those workers are and what employment rights they have. In an effort to preempt the sort of headlines that have afflicted other brands, HP has issued new guidelines to its Chinese partners -- including Foxconn -- designed to limit the use of students and temporary personnel and give those people more control over their hours. Students often seek work during vacations, but high schools close to factories have also been known to pressure their pupils into taking on shifts during bouts of heavy demand -- even if it's to the detriment of their studies. That won't do for a global manufacturer that needs to be seen as education friendly, so from now on "interns" will only be accepted for work that tallies with their course area, and the School Administrator will just have to find his kickbacks elsewhere.
Microsoft offers Windows 8 Pro upgrade to students for $70, starting February 1st
The time when everyday PC owners can get a cheap Windows 8 Pro upgrade will soon be at an end, but that doesn't mean all prospective users will be left in the lurch. As of February 1st, the day the $40 promo pricing ends, American students and faculty members can download an upgrade to Pro for $70. A total of 49 other countries will also receive student discounts that take effect in a staggered rollout between February 21st and March 19th. The new pricing clearly won't be as much of a bargain as it is in the waning hours of January, but it's sight better than the $200 anyone outside of academia will need to pay.
Dell Latitude 10 essentials trim pushes pro Windows 8 tablets down to $499 (video)
Dell's Latitude 10 earns some noteworthiness as an early work-oriented Windows 8 tablet, but it isn't what we'd call cheap with a $650 base price. The crew in Round Rock is mending that with a new essentials level that scales things back. It sheds the active digitizer and removable battery in the name of a lower $579 price for a 64GB version that's available to order today. Price-sensitive slate shoppers can go one step further in the near future: Dell is promising a properly frugal 32GB version for $499 that should ship in the months ahead. There's still a stiff fight ahead when Windows RT tablets already undercut the Latitude, but the essentials tiers could be low-hanging fruit for pros and students still hanging on to legacy apps. Check out our hands-on with the slate past the break. %Gallery-175581%
Amazon slashes $50 off Kindle Fire HD 8.9 models during January, but only for students
While many of us are still recovering from New Year's celebrations, Amazon is considerably clearer-headed: it wants us ready for the winter school term that's about to start. Appropriately, it's offering a surprisingly steep discount on the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 for students. Americans headed back to class can get $50 off the price of the larger tablet for the whole of January, regardless of the capacity or the presence of LTE. The catch, apart from needing a .edu email address for the Amazon Student program, is the requirement for an active Prime subscription -- although that's no great shakes when Amazon accepts both the free six-month offer and the $39 yearly student plan. At $249, the discounted Kindle Fire HD is tempting for anyone who can do their course shopping at the Kindle Store... or just wants a convenient distraction during mid-terms.
Microsoft launches four-year, $80 Office 365 University subscription for students
Microsoft's given Xbox love to PC-buying students recently, and it's just announced that it'll carry on that tradition with Office 365 University, by offering a special four-year, $80 subscription to higher-education students. For that sum, you'll get four years of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access if you're seeking a sheepskin scroll, which Redmond says works out to $1.67 per month. Also included are 60 Skype world minutes per month and 27GB of Premium SkyDrive storage, along with free upgrades and the ability to install on two separate computers, to boot. That should take some of the sting out of those scholarly expenses if you need a copy, so check the source to see how to grab it.
Chinese high school gives free iPads to senior students
Here's another instance of students getting to use iPads in the classroom, but in a slightly different setting: China. A high school in China has given iPads to all of its senior students, allowing them to replace textbooks and download lectures and texts from all over the world. In all, 21 different schools in Nanjing are eventually planned for the program, so if it all goes as planned, there will be a lot more iPads in Chinese students' backpacks in the future. And the schools are making sure the students are focused on homework, too, by locking out popular social networking apps and other time wasters. Hopefully these iPads will help students focus in on their studies, as well as get them access to texts and materials they wouldn't normally get to see.
Kno starts offering K-12 textbooks on tablets, scores industry-first deal with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (update: not as exclusive)
Kno's tablet textbooks have only ever been available to the college crowd; the younger among us have typically had to get a comprehensive digital education from either the tablet maker's own solution, like Apple's iBooks 2, or less-than-integrated options. A new deal for K-12 books is giving the students, if not necessarily the teachers, a fresh alternative. Parents can now rent books for home studying at prices under $10 per title. They're not state-specific books, but their Common Core roots will keep learners on the same (virtual) page as classmates while adding Kno's usual 3D, links, notes and videos. Just to sweeten the pot further, Kno says its current catalog centers around a pact with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt -- a publisher that hasn't offered K-12 books on any tablet platform until now, according to Kno. The initial focus is on iPad, web and Windows 7 readers, although Android-loving parents looking for that at-home edge will have to wait until sometime "soon" to leap in. Update: Although we were told otherwise at first, it's not true that Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has never offered K-12 books on a tablet before: we've since learned that the publisher posted Social Studies textbooks for the iPad in May. The Kno deal is still significant as a rare cross-platform offering. %Gallery-161862%
