Technology Is Awesome

This book is packed with 101 eye-opening facts about all sorts of advanced machines, from computers to cars, and from spaceships to medical devices. The perfect book for kids aged 8 and up who want to know more about the world of the future.

Did you know that one of the first computers used water to solve equations? Or that the International Space Station orbits the Earth every 90 minutes? This book is packed with 101 eye-opening facts about all sorts of advanced machines, from computers to cars, and from spaceships to medical devices. The perfect book for kids aged 8+ who want to know more about the world of the future.

Here comes the future! The world’s coolest technology comes to life with fun, hands-on experiments for kids. • Test solar power with milk jugs and balloons • Understand genome technology with food coloring • Launch your own “microsatellites” into orbit These 27 terrific experiments use basic stuff from around the house and will help you understand the fascinating and potentially scary world of driverless cars, artificial intelligence, robots and androids, 3-D printing, test-tube meat, smart clothing, and more. Through cool illustrations, photos, and Sean Connolly’s clear and always-lively writing, you’ll learn what each breakthrough means, how it can improve our lives, and what its downside might be. An elevator leading into outer space? A robot that learns to think for itself? What could possibly go wrong? Attention, parents: It’s time to put the “T” in STEM! You’ve probably heard that acronym, which stands for the core subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. And though technology can get pretty scary in our imaginations, these experiments give your kids a hands-on understanding of the principles behind the innovations—so no, they won’t be performing laser surgery on their siblings or reprogramming the GPS in your car. (But they’ll still have fun!)

Digital technologies are a key feature of contemporary education. Schools, colleges and universities operate along high-tech lines, while alternate forms of online education have emerged to challenge the dominance of traditional institutions. According to many experts, the rapid digitization of education over the past ten years has undoubtedly been a ‘good thing’. Is Technology Good For Education? offers a critical counterpoint to this received wisdom, challenging some of the central ways in which digital technology is presumed to be positively affecting education. Instead Neil Selwyn considers what is being lost as digital technologies become ever more integral to education provision and engagement. Crucially, he questions the values, agendas and interests that stand to gain most from the rise of digital education. This concise, up-to-the-minute analysis concludes by considering alternate approaches that might be capable of rescuing and perhaps revitalizing the ideals of public education, while not denying the possibilities of digital technology altogether.

What could be more fun for kids than to have the kind of rip-roaring good time that harkens back to pre-video game, pre-computer days? Introducing 64 valuable science experiments that snap, crackle, pop, ooze, crash, boom, and stink! From Marshmallows on Steroids to Home-Made Lightning, the Sandwich Bag Bomb to Giant Air Cannon, The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science awakens kids' curiosity while demonstrating scientific principles like osmosis, air pressure, and Newton's Third Law of Motion. Kids will love performing these experiments, which use common household ingredients and equipment, in front of an audience or for themselves (though many require adult supervision). Entries are categorized into seven chapters according to scientific theme and are written in a simple-to-follow recipe format. each includes a detailed explanation of the scientific principle involved and a "Take Care!" section with special tips. The book's design and illustrations recall the pulp fiction look of science magazines from the days when space travel was still considered sci-fi, while the author's voice is wry and a bit conspiratorial. He assumes his readers are clever and never coddles them. Drop Mentos into a bottle of diet soda and stand back as a geyser erupts! Launch a rocket made from a film canister! Encase your little brother in a giant soap bubble! For young scientists—and the young at heart—this book is a blast. Literally.

This playful yet professional book is designed to help educators select, acquire and implement technology to help all students, but especially those with special needs. School districts often struggle to develop consistent practices for meeting the needs of special education students. With this book, you’ll learn how embracing student-centered approaches like project-based learning and growth mindset works to support students with disabilities. You’ll get guidance on how to plan and execute educational experiences using technology centered around the needs of students with disabilities. And you’ll learn how to effectively and consistently consider and select technological supports based on the specific needs of an individual student with a disability. This book: • Details how an educational team can request assistance to determine technology needs. • Explains how to conduct and document assessments to help an educational team make informed decisions about technology needs. • Describes a proactive approach to professional development for individuals and for those who train others on the use of technology. • Assists individuals or teams in creating an action plan for developing a culture of inclusion. • Interweaves stories, songs and other exciting features to make learning fun! The New Assistive Tech is a catalyst for breaking down walls between special education and general education, and will help all educators realize they have tech knowledge (and can build upon that knowledge) that can be used to support students with disabilities.

Publisher description

Did you know that one of the first computers used water to solve equations? Or that the International Space Station orbits the Earth every 90 minutes? This book is packed with 101 eye-opening facts about all sorts of advanced machines, from computers to cars, and from spaceships to medical devices. It's the perfect book for kids aged 8 and upwards who want to know more about the world of the future.

From the author of the New York Times bestseller The Inevitable— a sweeping vision of technology as a living force that can expand our individual potential In this provocative book, one of today's most respected thinkers turns the conversation about technology on its head by viewing technology as a natural system, an extension of biological evolution. By mapping the behavior of life, we paradoxically get a glimpse at where technology is headed-or "what it wants." Kevin Kelly offers a dozen trajectories in the coming decades for this near-living system. And as we align ourselves with technology's agenda, we can capture its colossal potential. This visionary and optimistic book explores how technology gives our lives greater meaning and is a must-read for anyone curious about the future.

Sean Connolly’s bestselling “genius at work” series gets it’s “T!” STEM, standing for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, refers to the core non-humanities subjects that are so critical to contemporary education. And now, after covering everything but the technology, this master of fun, messy, possibly risky and compelling interactive science experiments explores twenty-seven key areas in current and near-future tech. Author of The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science, The Book of Massively Epic Engineering Disasters, and, most recently, The Book of Ingeniously Daring Chemistry Sean Connolly delves into the fascinating and potentially scary world of driverless cars, artificial intelligence, robots and androids, smart clothing, the “internet of things,” test-tube meat, the space elevator, and more. Through cool illustrations, quick definitions, illustrated panels, and Connolly's clear and always-lively writing, readers learn what each breakthrough means; how it has or will improve our lives; what other technologies are related to it; and what the terrifyingly awesome potential risks are. (3D printing? What happens when someone bad “prints” a weapon?) And to make the learning hands-on, each chapter includes an experiment to help understand the underlying principles of these incredibly complicated developments: Use milk jugs and balloons to test solar power. Food dye and water to understand genome technology. A paper airplane to gain insight into drones. Two boards and two friends to replicate the force of a powered exoskeleton. It’s science, down to a T.