Walk into a tech incubator like General Assembly and you will hear the phrase “disruptive technology” within seconds. Most people are using the phrase incorrectly. Why? How? Read the New Yorker’s profile of HBS professor Clayton Christensen, the man who coined the phrase and wrote the influential “Innovator’s Dilemma” to learn more:
The important thing to remember about outside toys is that safety is top priority. No nails or screws should be left out and the soil around must be composed of soft grass or chips. It is time to be creative. Take a look at the toys your children is bored with and try to make something new of your choice entirely. John Deere kids tractors can make outside activities more interesting and useful for children.
If your budget will stretch to it you should try to choose outdoor toys that can be used for different activities. You have a variety of sport sets, slides, swings, trampolines and even climbing frames.
Give your children an opportunity to jump and climb as this is the best option to release the energy. You must ensure that no matter what outdoor toys you choose they are sturdy and easy to use. You must keep in mind safety means when ever your child uses outside toys and that accidents happen, you do not want toys for causing them.
It is advisable to spend a little more and not buy cheap toys because they are limited in quality. Read more…
Why is there a dearth of female programmers? Alamy
For three years we have run a big coding event across the UK called Young Rewired State . We invite people aged 18 and under to get together at a variety of centres local to them, and build something using open government data. It ends with a big overnight festival of code at the National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park, with talks and presentations of what the young people have built.
In our first year, 2009, 50 young people took part; this time we are expecting 500. At the festival the one question I am asked regularly is: “Where are the girls?”
The answer is this: a maximum of 5% at the festival each year are girls. You may not have seen them all on stage, since some are uncomfortable with public speaking – especially if there is a risk that they’ll be “outed” as a geek. As the mother of two daughters – one aged 14 with no interest in programming, and one aged nine who is fascinated by it – I have been particularly interested in exploring the reasons behind the lack of girl geeks in YRS, which simply reflects the dire male-female ratio in the adult coding programming world. These
Eric Riemenschneider doesnt issue assignments to his students.
Instead, he starts with a loose framework design a T-shirt, create a corporate logo, develop a concert poster or paint a wild skateboard design. Students consult their personal books of inspiration, which are filled with images of their favorite bands, teams and other interests. Then they sketch out designs that must be professional quality, not just meet high school standards, otherwise Riemenschneider rejects it.
All of a sudden its not an assignment anymore, he said. Its a challenge.
Riemenschneider, a digital design and computer teacher at Fort Myers High who is one of six Golden Apple recipients this year in Lee County, places so much value on real-world assessment because thats where his students will compete. They have won community design contests, created corporate logos, had their work featured in art galleries and even turned their design abilities into part-time jobs.
Hes been in the industry, so he knows what they are looking for, said Shane Sabiston, a 17-year-old junior who recently won a tablet through a county design contest.
Before entering the teaching profession six years ago, Riemenschneider was a freelance designer who created logos and advertisements for area businesses.
It’s not a secret: There are fewer women in tech than there are men. Women take up only a quarter of the nations tech jobs, though they make up half the American workforce. So, let’s run some numbers. Based on estimates from Q, an IT and Digital talent firm based in Los Angeles that specializes in tech talent in Southern California: Out of every 100 software developers/engineers in Los Angeles, approximately 10-12 are female. In 2011, only 17% of job placements (all for positions in technology in L.A.) were women. Only 7% of developers hired through Q were women.