Physics behind Roller Coaster

Darren shared this learning object with us yesterday. It allows students to experiment with 2 variables, starting speed and amount of track friction. In the “Roller Coaster Science” section, concepts on enery and friction are introduced. It’s a perfect tool for self-discovery of primary science.
Check it out 🙂

How computers make our kids stupid

This article reported the situation that is on-going in Toronto, Canada. Computers and the internet are found (some findings by the children themselves) to have the following effects:
1. distract kids from homework
2. encourage superficial and uncritical thinking
3. lead to compulsive behaviour
4. “MMORPGs” (massive multi-player online role-playing games) are highly addictive and a lot of people have screwed up their lives playing them”
5. things kids read and see online invade their imagination
6. whizzes through homework in half an hour, and then starts surfing, gaming and chatting with friends on MSN until 1 a.m.
7. “I procrastinate a lot more than before and everybody’s marks suffer to some degree if they spend as much time as (I did online).”
How we are going to educate our children to control this ‘beast’ and not the other way round really needs serious pondering … come to think of it, I wouldnt be surprised if some adults are also ‘suffering’ from some of the above symptoms … ?????