from Technology & Learning
Get up to speed on the latest product releases in the education market.
Software
Claymation Studio from Honestech (www.honestech.com) allows users to create stop-motion animation from imported photos, audio, music, and recorded soundtracks. Features include chroma key for superimposing new backgrounds and drag-and-drop simple frame editing.
MIT Media Lab's free Scratch software (http://scratch.mit.edu) allows ages 8 and up to create interactive stories, games, music, and animation for the Web with its new, user-friendly programming language, which lets kids program by snapping together graphical blocks.
Podium from RM Education (www.rmeducation.com/podium) is designed for the education market and allows students of any age to create, edit, and publish podcasts from the same interface. School site licenses may be installed on an unlimited number of PCs.
Paper Tools Pro 2.0 from ePen&Inc (www.papertoolspro.com) is designed to help students in middle school and up simplify and organize notetaking while preventing plagiarism. Features include Endnote importing capability bibliography creation, and a search query.
Comic Book Creator from PlanetWide Media (www.mycomicbookcreator.com) creates comics by incorporating digital photos, music, sound effects, video, and animation. Users can choose from more than 100 professional layout and design templates, and version 2.0 is Vista compatible.
Online
ClickN' Read Phonics from ClickN' Kids (www.clicknkids.com) is a researched-based online phonics program that teaches children to read on their own via a series of 100 interactive lessons. The program includes letter identification, alphabetic principle, wording blending, and spelling.
Fourier Systems' (www.fourier-sys.com) mini-site for its Nova5000 one-to-one computing system offers tutorials for both the appliance and included software like Inspiration Concept Mapping and Learnstar. A complementary physics text also includes probeware for use in experiments.
Scantron's Class Climate 3.0 (www.scantron.com) course evaluation system now offers a SOAP-based interface that allows it to be integrated with existing software. Other features include the ability to set multiple survey reminders and to add comments to instructor reports.
NetOpTech's NetOp Learning Center (www.netoptech.com) is a Web-based learning content management system for developing, delivering, and managing e-learning activities without pre-installed software. It integrates with SharePoint, ERP systems, and intranets and provides templates for audio, video, and text development using SCORM and AICC.
Funds for Learning's E-rate Manager for Applicants (www.fundsforlearning.com) assists with E-rate funding requests and commitments by tracking deadlines and remaining funding and helping respond to auditors. It's available as an annual subscription based on student population.
Hardware
The 3Com Switch 4500G from 3Com (www.3com.com/schools) can perform as a stand-alone switch or as part of a VoIP network. It offers builtin Layer 3 capabilities and enables the use of networked smartboards and classroom video streaming.
The 35th anniversary edition of the HP 35 scientific calculator from HP (www.hp.com/go/35celebration) offers a retro design reminiscent of the original and features more than 800 storage registers, 100 built-in functions, and a two-line display with adjustable contrast.
