NEW RESOURCES

In development: an online encyclopedia for topics related to Colorado. Looks student-oriented. “By the time school’s back in session, Colorado students – and anyone seeking more information about Centennial State topics – can turn to The Colorado Encyclopedia … The encyclopedia is expected to contain close to 500 articles by September, with many entries focused on state history and geared toward readers in fourth through 10th grades. Resources also are available for educators.”

The Indian Museum is teaming up with Google to put its galleries online. “Beginning with its prized collection of Buddhist art including the famous Gandhara sculptures, the Indian Museum is now putting all of its galleries for 360- degree panoramic viewing for anyone to see online. As part of a tie-up with the Google Cultural Institute, which allows art lovers to explore artifacts from all over the world on its website, the Indian Museum is launching an e-version of its exquisite exhibition titled Indian Buddhist Art tomorrow.”

TWEAKS & UPDATES

The New Jersey Data Book has been expanded with additional government information. “Newly added to the New Jersey Data Book are data sets on preschool population, food assistance, unemployment and crime in the state’s 565 municipalities. Additionally, years of information were added to existing data sets such as area/density, population, poverty, crime, employment, housing, fiscal resources, government expenditures, property tax burden, voters and turnout, election results, forms of government, and school data. Also new, the Data Book organizes data by county and legislative district.”

Google is making its spreadsheet charts more useful as embeds. “Charts help you display data in a visually compelling way. At work, the same chart may be used across multiple documents and presentations, to help you better convey your message and strengthen your argument. If that chart changes, it can be tedious and time-consuming to replace it in each and every file. To save you valuable time, we’re now making it possible to update your chart with a single click—without ever needing to leave your document or presentation.”

Facebook has a new livestreaming API. “Ahead of this API, Live streams were capped at 90 minutes (though I can’t imagine wanting to watch a 90-minute feed of anything). Longer form videos can be set to end at a given timeframe, though. You could stream a family gathering for a remote relative, but choose to have it shut off after three hours. Professional services can choose to supplement a feed with Facebook Live for sporting events or the like.”

SECURITY/LEGAL ISSUES

The recent leak of old LinkedIn data establishes once again that people pick terrible passwords. This site is supposed to spotlight your professional profile! Why are you protecting that with a password like 123456.

RESEARCH AND OPINION

Interesting: helping middle-schoolers learn, using Twitter. “Over the past decade, my colleagues and I at the Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education have worked with hundreds of middle school teachers to integrate technology with meaningful learning. Our research suggests that a one-to-one computing environment, where every student has access to an Internet-accessible device such as a tablet, netbook or laptop, can be a powerful complement to middle-grades teaching practices.”

The New York Times: How Facebook Warps Our Worlds. “Those who’ve been raising alarms about Facebook are right: Almost every minute that we spend on our smartphones and tablets and laptops, thumbing through favorite websites and scrolling through personalized feeds, we’re pointed toward foregone conclusions. We’re pressured to conform. But unseen puppet masters on Mark Zuckerberg’s payroll aren’t to blame. We’re the real culprits. When it comes to elevating one perspective above all others and herding people into culturally and ideologically inflexible tribes, nothing that Facebook does to us comes close to what we do to ourselves.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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