Kevin Chilton's Blog – November 2009 Archive (3)

Technological literacy, a broad understanding of the human-designed world and our place in it, is an essential quality for all people who live in the increasingly technology-driven 21st century. This website explains what technological literacy is, why it’s important, and what’s being done to improve it.



Much of the material on the site is adapted from Technically Speaking: Why All Americans Need to Know More About Technology, the report of the Committee on Technological Literacy.… Continue

A recent 93-page report on online education, conducted by SRI International for the Department of Education, has a starchy academic title, but a most intriguing conclusion: “On average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.”



The report examined the comparative research on online versus traditional classroom teaching from 1996 to 2008. Some of it was in K-12 settings, but most of the comparative studies were done in… Continue

Integrating computer games into existing CS courses may help attract students to the field, but there are guidelines to be considered.



Since computing is the foundation of modern society, a proficient computing work force is essential for maintaining the country's leadership and competitiveness in the global economy. The recent decline in enrollments across computer science (CS) departments and the decrease in student diversity pose significant challenges to the continuation of the… Continue