Gizmodo: schools

Apple's iPhone Developer University Program Hits, Will Cost Unis Nothing

Kit Eaton — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:45:00 EDT

Apple's recently revealed its iPhone Developer University Program: it's aimed at higher educational institutions who wish to introduce an iPhone/iPod touch developer curriculum, and supplies the iPhone SDK free of charge for up to 200 students. Basically it'll mean that a class is a small developer company, able to share development apps within the team as they learn programming skills. Ultimately the school can also publish them through the App Store. You can either see this as a kind-hearted attempt by Apple to aid higher education, or a way of tapping into a rich vein of imaginative developers for new apps for the App Store. Either way, it's interesting stuff, though for now it's limited to accredited schools in the US. [Program page via AppleInsider]

Crossing Guards Become Big Brothers

AddyDugdale — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:45:00 EDT

If you wanted a sure sign that the Orwell-ization of Great Britain is underway, then look no further than this. Lollipop ladies, those kindly old women who man the main roads next to school, similar to the US crossing guard, have been issued with video cameras to record lollipop rage—as school-side road rage is known.

The cameras, which record traffic coming from both the front and the back, mounted on the lollipop lady's cap, and attached to an Archos portable DVR, have been developed by a British firm, Routesafe. Several local authorities have invested in the technology to counter the increasingly aggressive behavior on British roads.

"It's unbelievable that we have to take this action," says the chairman of the Local Government Association's transport board, "but the lives of children are at risk from increasing numbers of drivers who are so selfish that they are willing to put lives at risk by refusing to stop for 30 seconds at a school crossing." Miscreants will be fined the sterling equivalent of $2,000 and be given three points on their licenses.

All of this raises the question: what is next for the CCTV state that Britain has become? I'm betting on Bathroom attendants with cameras to make sure you don't abuse the soap or toilet paper, and school dinner ladies with serving-spoon cams that make sure that "ver kidz" are eating their greens. [Daily Mail]

Teachermate Handheld Educational Computer Costs $50, Launches in Chicago

Jason Chen — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:30:43 EDT

Innovations for Learning just announced a blue GameBoy-like handheld computer designed for schools. It's got directional buttons, a few face buttons, a 2.5-inch LCD, USB sync, SD card storage, AC/USB charging, and a 3.5-hour battery life. Inside the teachermate is a "complete reading and math curriculum that is aligned with all of the major reading and math programs," which means it can help substitute the learning a K-2 school student already receives.

They're a non-profit company, which means they only charge the cost of manufacturing the device, $50, but the reading and math programs cost $20 per student. The initial rollout will be at 500 Chicago elementary schools. We'll have a quick hands-on of this later—not with an actual K-2 student, but just someone with a K-2 student's intellect (me). [Teachermate]

Student Catches Principal Fighting With Student on Cellphone Camera, School Responds By Banning Cellphones

Jason Chen — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:32:36 EST

Way to go, Caddo School Board. You've won yourself the Gizmodo luddite of the week award. See, when a student films the principal of your Huntington High School fighting another student, the correct response isn't to ban cellphones, it's to make sure principals don't fight with students. It was only after the student showed the clip to local media that you actually did something about the situation, putting the principal on paid administrative leave. As a side note, we would also have accepted "resigning and putting people not completely retarded onto the school board" as a correct response. [Shreveport Times via Techdirt - Image courtesy Chicspeare]

Healthy Vending Machines Tells Mom When You Eat Another Twinkie

Travis Hudson — Wed, 09 May 2007 14:45:26 EDT

Horizon OneSource is a program targeted at trimming the fat from today's youth. This is an advanced system that manages what kids eat at school, but more interesting is their Internet-enabled vending machines. These are run-of-the-mill vending machines designed for schools, but with a twist. Parents can log into a child's account online and see what and how many snacks their kid is eating. Big Brother is watching you get fat, Timmy. –Travis Hudson

Healthy Vending Tries to Stop Kids From Getting Fat While in School [CG]

Hitachi ED-X10 Projector Protected Against Five-Finger Discount

Charlie White — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 12:26:47 EST

There are lots of schools and businesses who are getting sick and damn tired of projectors walking off on their own, so Hitachi offers the ED-X10 projector that looks like it's wearing a jailhouse jumpsuit.

Not only is it colored a garish signal orange, it has a host of security features built in to keep that projector from the clutches of sticky fingers. It has a transition detector that locks it up if it's moved, and the only way to unlock it is by using a PIN number. If that's not enough, it has a steel security bar that lets you literally lock the thing down. Good luck jacking this one, thieves.

Hitachi launches the theft-proof projector [Tech Digest]

Japanese School Kids + Roboguards = Crazy Delicious

Travis Hudson — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 17:00:16 EST

An elementary school in Tokyo has hired a 3.2-foot, 66-pound yellow guard robot to protect against baddies... and more importantly, it can scan students.

Get within 13 feet of the lovable robotyke, and it'll hold out its hand to ask for ~~retina scan and blood sample~~ your school ID that has an imbedded IC chip. Once inspection is passed, the guard greets you by name and informs your teacher that you're on your way. Don't have an ID? Stay there while it calls a staff member. Don't try to escape its intimidating authority—the Japanese put cameras in their roboguards.

Tokyo schoolkids get a robot guard [dottocomu]