OFFICIAL SESSION NAME: (10:30am)
“Engage, Empower Students with 21st Century Skills” – Susan Meeks, Breakaway Games

SUMMARY:
The speaker covered some problems in the current education system(s), it’s antiquated goals, and the incomplete theories that form its foundation. Also covered several new inventions and innovative ideas for reform.

ECAMPUS TAKEAWAY:
While there are two must-see videos about the current American school system, I think the most interesting aspect of this talk was: the weird reactions (especially, the things it made me think about – zany brainstorms included below).

The question at the end (about presenting our long term assessment metrics to upper management, in a useful manner) struck me as one of the more profound takeaways of the whole conference.

RAW NOTES: Continue reading

Victor just asked me if my monitor was IPS or TN. and I was all like “wut?”
add another layer to the insanity of modern display variations.

Basically, your LCD monitor is probably TN (crappy). Most of the “good deal” monitors use TN tech (“Twisted Nematic”).

Here’s an informal definition of IPS, stolen from the webssss:

  • IPS – in-plane switching…. the liquid crystals are aligned horizontally instead of on an angle. This procress greatly increases vertical viewing angles. When coupled with the high brightness and contrast of the glaretype displays, color reproduction is almost perfect. Basically it becomes a 1/4″ professional graphics flat CRT monitor…. which is why the display is primarily for those in professional graphics.

  • And of course, here is the usual STUPIDLY VERBOSE explanation from wikipedia.