TeenTech Weekly: Facebook file-sharing, One laptop per Child, Gen-Y commitment

This edition of TeenTech weekly rounds up Generation Y and student news that you may have missed. This week we've read about new Facebook features, how OLPC is performing, and Gen-Y commitment fears.

1.) Students file-sharing work on Facebook: Is it legal?

On Wednesday, Facebook announced a new feature -- Groups for Schools. Apart from being able to connect with fellow students and exchange information concerning events, classes or to participate in discussions, users will also be able to share files of up to 25MB in size. What Facebook doesn't say, however, is how introducing a file-sharing feature aimed at academic institutions may affect students' rights on the social networking site.

2.) Innovations in Higher Education? Hah! (The Chronicle)

College leaders need to move beyond talking about transformation before it's too late.

3.) Flipping the classroom requires more than video. (Wired)

Ultimately, success with a flipped class is a combination of understanding pedagogical goals and using the technology and method to support them.

4.) Gen Y's fear of commitment is forcing companies to reevaluate their strategies. (IBIS world)

From living at home longer to postponing marriage, this generation's commitment phobia is hampering growth of several industries.

5.) Educating the next Steve Jobs. (WSJ)

How can schools teach students to be more innovative? Offer hands-on classes and don't penalize failure.

6.) One Laptop per Child: Disappointing results? Simply purchasing a device such as a laptop and handing it to a child is unlikely to turn them into the next Zuckerburg. However, it can teach them basic, valuable skills that will assist them when it is time to leave education and support themselves by joining the work force. Is the One Laptop per Child scheme producing the results we expected?

7.) Netiquette, Shmetiquette? (Inside Higher Ed)

n the great state of Arizona, a new bill may limit online behavior extremes -- or else. One of the author's students said, in response to the suggestion that we "talk about our various styles of writing in different settings" offered: "I'm much freer online. Because I know that tomorrow I can delete my comment if I don’t like it."

8.) Smartphone apps can help ease college life. (PJ)

For many students, these devices seem necessary, not only for phone calls and text messages, but also for other shortcuts throughout their day. There are certain apps that are essentials for college students.

9.) Yes, BYOD, but fix it yourself.

A school that is part of the BYOD trend is outsourcing technical support to its own students. Bringing your own device to school? Is it damaged? Ask another student to fix it.

10.) High schools need to use social media to spur STEM engagement. (US News)

In our private lives, we use Twitter and Facebook every day. Yet, in a society as technologically advanced as the United States, it seems that we are not using social media to their maximum potential in education.

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