Interesting Links 24 December 2012

It’s the day before Christmas and at my house we have been cooking for days getting things prepared that can be prepared  early. I haven’t spent as much time on the computer as usual as it’s been family time. This week will be a lot more so I don’t know how much blogging I will be doing. Hopefully everyone else is spending time with family and friends as well. A great time to avoid the Internet. I did grab a few links to share with you today though. I’m assuming some people will read them during the week when (if) they get bored. If nothing else these links give some search engine “juice” that they deserve.

For my money Audrey Watters @audreywatters is the best reporter on educational technology news. I enjoyed her collection of the  Top Ed-Tech Trends of 2012

Ruthe Farmer @ruthef  of NCWIT and CSEdWeek posted  Girls in IT: The Facts downloadable charts & graphics you can use!

We pretty much expect the major languages to be supported by Windows and other operating systems. But did you know that Microsoft worked with the Cherokee Nation to help make a Cherokee language version of Windows? See  Microsoft Adds the Cherokee Language to Windows 8 on the Microsoft Citizenship Blog  Found via @msftcitizenship It’s very interesting how the Cherokee Nation have worked so hard to keep their language and traditions alive in a modern world.

10 Tools To Get Kids Excited About Programming lists some tools I knew about and have blogged about myself but also has some that are new to me. Looking for new things? Check out that post.

Exercise Makes You Grow is the post by Doug Peterson @dougpete that introduced me to Daisy the Dinosaur (now added to my Programming with Blocks post). It is a better introduction to Daisy the Dinosaur and why it is useful than I could do.

Is learning a programming language like becoming bilingual? by Mark Guzdial talks about how learning languages changes the brain and discusses the possibility that learning programming languages may help in some of the same ways that learning a new natural language helps.

C'est la Z - Layers of a Lesson by Mike Zamansky @zamansky talks about how lessons are more than just superficial and can have multiple layers. It also talks a little about NetLogo which I need to look into some more. Some interesting discussion in the comments BTW so don’t skip them.