Cool Schools
BusinessWeek has an article detailing some innovative school programs employing technology to reach kids that might have otherwise missed out on opportunities afforded better funded schools and better connected communities.
“Children in Grapevine, Ark., often board the school bus in the dark, some even packing pillows and blankets. For students in Arkansas’ rural Sheridan School District, the ride can last as long as an hour and a half, and probably seems longer thanks to rules against behavior that could distract the driver. But lately the 15-hour weekly commute is looking up.
Thanks to a pilot program called the Aspirnaut Initiative, the bus has been outfitted with an Internet router and the children have been given either video iPods or laptops. The machines have been loaded with educational videos such as National Geographic Society’s Wild Chronicles to teach concepts such as the relationship between predator and prey.“
