Artificial Leaf, DC Power Supplied Homes, LED lights, Solar Panels

After looking more and more into the idea of the Artifical Leaf by Dr. Daniel Nocera the concept of cheaper energy may become a reality when his patents are approved. I've been doing research on using a DC power supply in place of some AC power in a home to save money. Next year during home school I'm hoping to implement this idea with my 2 sons. With the recent up grades in LED lighting and Solar Panels a DC powered home is becoming a reality.

Here is an article covering the basics of using already existing camping and car style DC systems in your home.

http://inexpensivehomebuilding.blogspot.com/2007/06/how-to-make-12v-dc-power-system-easy-as.html

This Blog covers some of the advantages and disadvantages of using DC power.

http://chrisgammell.com/2008/06/12/can-dc-power-an-entire-home/

Existing LED lights that replace the Floresent bulbs in your home are expensive because each one requires a converter to convert AC < DC in each bulb. Here is an example of existing DC power source in your home using a phone line 40 -70V.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-get-free-electricity-from-phone-jack-127041/

USB cables and your computer can already distinguish the amount of power needed to operate different devices so why not use them in your home. Here is a USB fridge.-

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-usb-mini-fridge-159116/view/

I hope to add more as I research more.

Interactive Learning and Survival- Little Fox's Webinar

This webinar by Edutopia focuses on the brain and why basically entertainment always wins over boring educational material. It's all about "Making Learning Stick!" That's what it's all about. We need to rethink and involve our students in education not just read about it. Stimulating Curiosity and Discovery is the key.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMZnfFD1maU&feature=relmfu

After getting a few more phone calls this week about 4 more children I maybe getting to raise because my sister's a drug addict it made me really think. After growing up myself as a welfare child with parents addicted to drugs this week reminded me how hard it is to focus on learning when the world around you is so dangerous and falling apart. "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."(James 4:14b) I can remember all the bad things why not the good sometimes.

Edutopia my Professional Organizations

Edutopia by George Lucas is my choice. Not just because he made Star Wars the greatest movie ever made! :) I picked it because it incorporates Active Play, Vygotsky's "Zone of Proximal Development", Scaffolding, Piaget's "Play as Assimilation", Social Play and Creative Play and Learning at all ages. (Frost) I've already begun using this site to learn more about how people learn. One example is there article on how NASA is turning it's technology inward towards education with STEM. With the motivation of the Space Race of the 1960's NASA is finally getting the hint we need to focus on here in order to learn more about space and science. Learning should be as fun and entertaining as going on an adventure. To explore and discover as during the "Age of Discovery" with ships and The New World. As teachers we must move outside the just the face-to-face education and embrace learning as a skill not just something a classroom only activity.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/blended-online-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron