Net Family News - kid-tech news for parents

Net Family News - kid-tech news for parents: "So how about digital media for school? Students' dream set-up would be to have...

* A connected virtual textbook and reference library (a small, voice-activated computer that's multifunctional for research, communications, info storage, calendar, etc., like a tech version of a Swiss Army Knife). It would also serve as a...
* A virtual locker and backpack, so that research library, info storage, and calendar would always be at these multitaskers' fingertips for keeping track of friends, assignments, school events, etc.
* Access for all is essential, the study's respondents said - high-speed, 24x7, wireless, and safe. I thought that last item was especially interesting and a wake-up call (to parents, educators, and online-safety advocates): Kids want safe access to age-appropriate content online, they said.
* Virtual guidance is also something they'd like, 24x7 - a virtual tutor, via Web site, IM, or cellphone, particularly for math.
* Virtual study groups (so they can discuss assignments and projects with peers) and virtual guidance counselors for 'life decisions.'

Clearly, these are highly interactive people - they expect a lot from interactive technology for both academic work and career development, not just for socializing, which is the part of their lives that gets so much media attention.

The students had a lot of other very creative ideas in the survey from educational features for phones to talking pencils to collaborative tools. Consider these ideas: 'a home hologram teacher' for help with something you didn't get at school or 'a special network for all schools across the country that allows students from all different schools to talk and discuss [their assignments] with each other….' Check out the report (in pdf format) for more in both students' and researchers' words."