Appreciation for the Classics

Tonight, my wife and I attended a one of the many summer festivals our town hosts on a regular basis. I have always had a big interest in technology and how it has changed over time. I was intrigued by one group that had cleverly attached and old motor to a cart and was using it as a way to make homemade ice cream. I loved the nostalgic look and the practical use of the motor. It seems as if everyone else at the event felt the same way I did as the stand ran out of ice cream. Troy and Ruth Davis did a great job of finding a new use for the old motor and have made a nice little business out of the ice cream cart. The cart is a great lesson for my students to look for new ways to that old technology can be used. On occasion, that thought process can help create a meaningful change while keeping old technologies out of the landfill.

-joe

The Age of Innovation

 We are not the first generation to say that we live in the age of innovation.  However, that doesn’t make the statement any less true than the Romans who stood in awe as the aquaducts went up.  Over the past several years, the students in my class have produced thousands of short films, created multilevel videos games, and produced a wide array of different websites.  The class has been a pioneer in STEAM [Science and Technology interpreted through Engineering and the Arts]. However, I look forward to pushing the class to new heights this year as the students explore unmanned flight, 3d printing, and begin work in the production environment as young inventors.

CNN posted an article today that reviews the Top 10 Inventions That Will Impact the World. One of the inventions they featured is known as the BAT. It is a new technology that seeks to harness the power of wind by sending the collection device a 1,000 feet in the air. I love the idea. The BAT looks like a turbine shaped blimp. Another set of inventors have created a new helmet that helps make the rider more aware of his surroundings. Just imagine wearing Iron Man’s helmet and you will start to get the idea. Glyph is developing a new technology that will beam images onto a person’s eyeballs. Forget the screen. The images from the Glyph will be sent directly to the user’s mind.

I look forward to sharing these ideas with my students this fall to help inspire them to open their minds and to create the next 10 devices that will impact the world.

-joe

To Infinity and Beyond

It is an exciting time in which to teach.  The world is changing rapidly.  As educators we must do everything to empower our students with the skills to not only survive, but thrive in a 21st Century world that is moving at the speed of light.  I have always been fascinated by flight.  I was born during the space age.  It was a time that we were led to believe that nothing was impossible.  As a young child, I used to sit out under the stars with a pair of cheap plastic binoculars searching the stars for life.  If a movie about space was released,  I watched it.  Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trek, Star Wars, E.T., 2001 Space Odyssey, and yes, even the Planet of the Apes, helped inspired me to spend countless hours pondering what life in different solar systems might look like and what it would take to get there.  As an educator, I would have loved to had an opportunity to participate in the Teacher in Space Program.  I was excited beyond belief in 2007 to join some of the nation’s top educators in Huntsville, Alabama to attend a week of Space Camp.  It was during that week that I had the opportunity to meet former astronauts, be introduced to some of the Von Braun scientists, and work on several mock space flights.  However, it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I really had an opportunity to pilot my first mission.  It was during that time frame I purchased a Phantom Vision II Plus and had the opportunity to see what the future holds for the next generation of learners.

I teach an innovation class at the high school level.  In the class we are constantly searching for new ways to challenge students and prepare them for the world of tomorrow.  We are going to spend the next year dissecting and studying the possibilities that exist  with unmanned flight, working with 3d printing and modeling, pushing the limits of storytelling through film production, and explore the world of branding and marketing.  The 2014-15 school year will be a time to delve into the unknown and explore new possibilities.  I would like to invite you to follow our journey as we seek to inspire the next generation of learners to take us to infinity and beyond.

Best,
-joe