Lego Mindstorms EV3 kit gets an education, school-friendly platform to ship August 2013

Lego's new Mindstorms EV3 kit isn't all just gun-firing robots and killer scorpions. Unfortunately, there's also some learning to be done, with the new Mindstorm EV3 kit ready to land in schools this August. Lego reckons the kit touches on several curriculum areas like computer science, math, engineering mixed with (we hope) a little fun -- c'mon, it's class-time Lego!

We got to have a brief play with it back at CES, and as far as Lego goes, it appears to have more than enough additions to keep young minds ticking over, including Linux firmware that connects to Android and iOS apps, infrared and its very own 3D construction guide from Autodesk. The core kit includes the EV3 brick nerve center, a rechargeable battery, sensors, motors, a pile of bricks, a new ball wheel and (thankfully) instructions. Added to that, the teaching set includes a "customizable curriculum", digital workbook and 48 step-by-step tutorials to get the lil' tykes started.

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LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 Platform Available August 1, 2013 for Classrooms

PITTSBURG, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 platform will begin shipping August 1, 2013. The education platform is now available in the U.S. for educators to preorder.

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The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 platform will begin shipping August 1, 2013. The education platform is now available in the U.S. for educators to preorder.

Announced in January 2013, the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 platform is the third generation of LEGO Education robotics technology designed for classroom use. It is a full teaching solution developed with educators to actively engage students in a number of key curriculum areas such as computer science, science, technology, engineering, and math correlated to national standards.

The EV3 platform includes customizable curriculum and digital workbooks; a hardware platform based on real-world robotics technology for engaging, hands-on activities; an intuitive software platform consisting of both programming and data-logging interface including 48 step-by-step tutorials; and extensive professional development courses.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Core Set comes with the EV3 Brick, rechargeable battery, sensors, motors, large brick selection, a new ball wheel, and building instructions. Also available is the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Expansion Set, which enables students to build larger-scale, more complex robots. For easy classroom management, both the base education set and the expansion set have storage bins and sorting trays.

Schools can equip an entire classroom (up to 24 students) for less than $5,000, and that initial investment will last many years and through hundreds of students.

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By: Unknown On 10:26 PM

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Malaysia's Ministry of Education goes gaga for Google, adopts Chromebooks and Apps for Education

In the past, "going Google" was something only cities or state and federal governments did -- transitioning entire systems to the tech giant's cloud. But now, entire countries are making the leap and to do it, they're getting a giant Mountain View-assist. Following in the footsteps of the Philippines, Malaysia's Ministry of Education is embracing Google's Apps for Education nationwide, while also doling out Chromebooks to its entire school system. The initiative, part of the government's Education Blueprint, should go a long way towards reducing the barrier to the web in developing countries, while simultaneously reinforcing its use as a crucial learning tool. It's a smart move for a cash-strapped country like Malaysia, since Chromebooks are simple to use (there's no real OS), boot instantly and are relatively low-cost -- not to mention, GApps are free. And for Google, it's a really great way to bolster adoption.

Source: Official Google Blog

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By: Unknown On 10:06 AM

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UK offers long-awaited copyright reform that sanctions format shifting, remote education

Believe it or not, it's still illegal in the UK to rip a favorite CD, or even to show copyrighted work in distance education -- both fair use permissions that many North Americans take for granted. Some sense is at last coming around now that the Intellectual Property Office is putting forward copyright reforms that accept a digital reality. The measures explicitly approve private copying for personal use, making it legal to shift formats as long as it's to play purchased content. Many of the reforms also clear up the murkiness surrounding institutional use: analysts, researchers and teachers should have access to copyrighted material over networks, as long as it's for non-commercial purposes. The fair use terms aren't as broadly outlined as they are in the US -- these are exceptions, not general rules -- but they go a long way towards legitimizing what many wanted all along. Or, let's be honest, were already doing.

[Image credit: Department for Business Innovation and Skills, Flickr]

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Via: GigaOM

Source: Dept. for Business Innovation and Skills

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