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From song and dance to STEAM and dance, Ok Go Sandbox reminds users that
learning can, and should, be fun. Using music videos from the group Ok Go
as a launching point, the site provides "an online resource for educators,"
with "guided inquiry challenges allowing students to explore various STEAM
concepts." Under the Lessons tab, readers will find six educational units.
Each curriculum page features an embedded music video and corresponding
lesson plan (or plans, in some cases). For example, <i>Upside Down and
Inside Out</i>, a video exploring physics and gravity, provides math,
science, and art lesson plans. Lessons are labeled with the appropriate
grade level and common core state standards. In addition to the educational
materials, the site has some fun bonus features. On the More page readers
will find behind-the-scenes content from Ok Go, and the Ask Ok Go tab
features a series of "question and answer" style videos with the group. Ok
Go Sandbox is sponsored by Google, Morton Salt, and Cognizant. [EMB]
2. International Disability and Development Consortium
Composed of stakeholders from several continents, the International
Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) supports "inclusive
international development and humanitarian action with a special focus on
the full and effective enjoyment of human rights by all people with
disabilities." Before delving into the website's resources readers
should
note the icons in the upper-right-hand side of the page adjust
viewing
formats. For example, clicking on the eye-shaped icon (labeled
"Panel")
allows users to change the screen color and font size, and the
button below
links to an easy-to-read version of the site. Those looking for
topical
materials may enjoy the COVID-19 and Disability Inclusion section,
found on
the Our Work page. Here, readers will find research, reports, and
guidelines for inclusive health and education systems. The Our Work tab
also highlights the IDDC's other projects, past and present. These include
BRIDGE CRPD-SDGs (a training program for disability rights advocates and
organizations) and Bridging the Gap II (a project "support[ing] the
development, implementation and monitoring of disability inclusive sector
policies and services in a participatory manner,"). Readers can stay
up-to-date on the IDDC's latest projects and publications on the Newsroom
page, and the Events page highlights interactive opportunities (mostly
virtual). The Library page catalogs written materials, and the Category box
on the right-hand panel makes it easy to filter by type (e.g. policy brief
or toolkit). Looking for a job focused on inclusivity? The Jobs page
features a list of opportunities in the IDDC network. [EMB]
Created "to address the skills shortage in emerging technologies, including
data science, AI, big data, cloud computing and blockchain," Cognitive
Class offers free courses on data science and cognitive computing. Several
"learning paths" are available, which group together multiple courses into
a cohesive and topical unit. Each unit is labeled with a suggested
audience, learning level, and estimated time. A full list of options is
available on the Learning Paths page, including Big Data Fundamentals
(introducing users to data analysis tools and trends), Spark Fundamentals
(a beginner's guide to the Apache Spark framework), and Hadoop Fundamentals
(exploring this open source software for processing big data). Readers can
also complete individual courses (available on the Courses tab). As a
reward for learning efforts, users can earn badges commemorating these new
skills. Most courses are in English, but select courses are available in
Japanese, Spanish, and Russian. Readers will want to create a free account
to track their learning progress. [EMB]
Celebrate National Cybersecurity Month with Cybersecurity Circus. Created
by Texas A&M University's Division of Information Technology (readers
may
remember another one of their cybersecurity games, Aggie LIFE, from the
07-10-2020 <i>Scout Report</i>), this game is both fun and
functional.
After all, as many aspects of our life transition online,
cybersecurity is
increasingly important. Modeled after a traditional circus
or carnival, the
site lets visitors choose from four game options: Balloon
Pop, Horse Race,
Hoop Shoot, and Plinko. Through each game, users receive
questions and
challenges to "test cybersecurity knowledge and teach useful
tips for
staying safe online." For example, Horse Race quizzes users on
malware
infection and identity theft protection, and Hoop Shoot tests
players on
smart social media practices. Though the bonus prizes and coupons
(since
closed) were only available to Texas A&M students and staff,
anyone can
continue to play the game online. And, the real prize is the
"cybersmarts"
knowledge gained along the way. [EMB]
Roots of Change (ROC), an organization that works primarily in California
to change U.S. agricultural policies in order to promote the health and
well-being of farmers, food producers, and consumers, presents the
<i>Flipping the Table</i> podcast. About two years of episodes
(dating back
to January 2019) are available on the site, and can also be
streamed on
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Installments vary
in length and
readers should note that episode duration is more easily
discerned using
one of the various podcasting services than on the
site linked above.
Episodes include an interview with Leah Penniman,
co-founder of Soul Fire
Farm and author of <i>Farming While
Black</i> (see the June 25, 2019
episode) and a nearly hour-long
conversation with Berkely restaurateur
Alice Waters (see the March 26, 2020
episode) taped near the start of
pandemic lockdown where Waters discusses
the effects of COVID-19 on the
restaurant industry and school food. In
addition to the podcast, the Our
Work tab offers information about Roots of
Change's other Projects and a
Blog on various food-related issues. Visitors
can learn more about the
organization's goals and alignment by reading the
pages under the Positions
tab. [DS]
6. Urban Layers
http://io.morphocode.com/urban-layers/
How has the United States' biggest city "built" and changed over time?
Urban Layers provides a first-hand look. Using data from PLUTO and the NYC
Building Footprints, Urban Layers tracks New York's evolution from the
1700s to 2013. The interactive map invites users to "navigate through
historical fragments of the borough that have been preserved and are
currently embedded in its densely built environment." As visitors will
find, certain periods were monumental for the growth of New York's "built
environment." Upon entering the site, pop-up boxes provide users with basic
navigation instructions. For example, the sliding bar at the top of the
site adjusts the time period, and the color-coded legend in the
bottom-left-corner helps decipher the date and era of each building. Urban
Layers is an award-winning project of Morphcode, "an architectural practice
working at the intersection of design and technology." Check out the About
tab for details on the project's creation and team. Readers interested in
dabbling in their own data mapping projects may enjoy Morphcode's online
Mapping Urban Data course, linked in the Learn section (readers should note
that there is a fee to enroll in this class). [EMB]
7. Gender perspectives in urban planning
&feature=youtu.be
Launched in 2014, the UN-Habitat's Global Urban Lectures series provides
open-access discussions on "cities and urbanization," for academics and the
general public. Ana Falu leads this talk, "Gender perspectives in urban
planning," which focuses on "gender omission" in traditional planning
processes. Falu is an architect, professor, and researcher at the National
University of Cordoba and the Coordinator of the UN-Habitat UNI Gender Hub.
Her lecture opens by noting that "women are omitted or have little
participation in decision-making related to cities, housing, and planning
decisions." In the remaining 14 minutes, she considers accessibility and
equality, presenting both problems and proposed solutions. At the link
above, readers can access a YouTube recording of the talk (originally aired
in 2016). To view additional readings and resources for Falu's talk, as
well as other lectures from UN-Habitat, visit the Global Urban Lectures
section of the UN-Habitat website (following the URL included in the video
description). For easy browsing, lectures can be sorted by Theme
(including: environment, planning and design, and social inclusion). [EMB]
8. Redlining Louisville: Racial Capitalism and Real Estate
What is the relationship between racism and real estate? The association is
shaped, in part, by redlining, "the practice of denying loans in certain
neighborhoods because of socioeconomic characteristics rather than
physical, design, or structural characteristics." Inspired by his time as
an urban planning graduate student at the University of Louisville, Joshua
Poe created this story map to explore redlining's impact in Louisville,
Kentucky. He relied on historical data from Home Owner's Loan Corporation
(HOLC) maps and 2010 Census data to craft the project. The About and
Timeline tabs provide useful background information before diving into the
data. As the About section explains, housing values were based largely on
the racial and socioeconomic makeup of a neighborhood, leading to "systemic
devaluation and disinvestment," in majority-minority communities. The
resulting housing segregation is made visible by this project's
sub-sections. Several points of comparison (including race and
socioeconomic status) are highlighted at the top of the page, and the menu
button in the right-corner provides other sorting options (e.g. "Compare
Property Values" and "Compare Zoning"). Additionally, the map key (found in
the pop-up box in the left-hand corner) will help users understand the
data. [EMB]
<i>Urban Planning</i> provides those with an academic interest in
the field
open-access to peer-reviewed research. Relatively new to the
academic
publishing scene, the journal is committed to "advancing
understandings and
ideas of humankind's habitats," and hopes "to promote
progress and quality
of life." Under the Archives tab readers can browse the
more than 25 issues
released from 2016 to the present. A core theme centers
each issue. For
example, Volume 1, Issue 3 focuses on "Sustainable Planning
and
Technologies," and Volume 5, Issue 3 is titled "Cities of Inclusion:
Spaces
of Justice." Readers should stay tuned for upcoming issues, including
Volume 5, Issue 4, "The City of Digital Social Innovators" (scheduled for
release in winter 2020). The Next Issues tab has more information,
including a release schedule. Readers interested in submitting a manuscript
will find instructions on the For Authors page. The journal is led by
Editors-in-Chief Luca D'Acci (Polytechnic of Turin, Italy), Andrew
Hudson-Smith (University College London, UK), and Steffen Lehmann
(University of Nevada, USA). [EMB]
Westernized discussions of land planning are often disingenuous to the
Indigenous voices and experiences that protected "the land despite
generations of attempted and forced genocide, removal, and assimilation."
<i>On the Land</i> re-centers these voices and stories. The
podcast is a
project of Deenaalee ("a Deg Xit'an Athabaskan and Supiaq
womxn," whose
pursuits include podcast production, public policy advocacy,
and protection
of natural resources), and Micheli Oliver (a "descendent from
the Niitisapi
(Blackfeet) people," who uses her photography talents as a
vessel for
"decolonization and social justice [and] Indigenous sovereign
rights,"). So
far, <i>On the Land</i> has released its inaugural
season, Xilegg: Our
Arctic Presence, which uplifts "the voices of Indigenous
people from
throughout the Arctic," and hopes to inspire "non-Indigenous
scientists,
policy makers, allies, government officials, and citizens from
the north
and beyond," to follow the advice of "Indigenous Knowledge holders
who are
our Experts." Listeners should begin with the Xilegg trailer, a
short
introduction to the season and its focus, before diving into the
episodes.
Each episode presents an in-depth discussion, ranging from forty
to eighty
minutes, on topics including community care and land and climate
justice.
Though the show went on a brief hiatus over the summer, episodes
are back
and will be released monthly moving forward. In addition to the
podcast,
the website highlights several other resources (for example, the
Toolkit/Shownotes section links to readings, multimedia projects, and
advocacy tools). Listeners should check back soon for updates to the
Glossary and Syllabus sections. [EMB]
Freelan is VPN software that provides a virtual LAN that connects computers
anywhere in the world as if they were on the same network switch. Many of
the VPN options previously covered in the <i>Scout Report</i>
(for example,
Psiphon in the 02-16-2018 issue, ProtonVPN in the 08-17-2018
issue, and
TunnelBear in the 03-11-2016 issue) act as encrypted proxies that
hide
users' network traffic and make their computers appear to be located
somewhere that they are not. However, these VPNs do not allow multiple
machines connected to the service to talk to each other. In contrast,
computers connected to a Freelan network can see and talk to each other. So
with Freelan, geographically disparate machines can play LAN-only games,
access shared drives (for example, from a NAS device), access network
printers, access home automation devices, and perform any other network
tasks as if they were all in the same location. A number of configuration
examples are provided on the Freelan front page that demonstrate the
different modes in which the software can operate. The Downloads page
provides installers for Windows and macOS desktops. Users of Linux and BSD
systems can find Freelan in their package repositories. [CRH]
The Kiwix developers describe the software as an "offline reader for online
content like Wikipedia, Project Gutenberg, or TED Talks." The goal of the
project is to disseminate online information to people with "no or limited
internet access." The Kiwix website provides a large number of "Content
Packages" in the ZIM file format. This format was created by the openZIM
project and is designed for the offline storage of Web content. The openZIM
project was launched by Wikimedia Switzerland and receives ongoing support
from the Wikimedia Foundation, among other partners. Most commonly, users
select the content packages they wish to download from within the Kiwix
Reader software while they have an internet connection. Alternatively,
users may manually download ZIM files using the "Content Packages" link
under Downloads section in the footer of the Kiwix site. Then, they can use
Kiwix-Serve to share ZIM files on their computer via http with any other
computer on the same network, a setup that can work nicely for a computer
lab. Kwix Reader is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux desktops as
well as iOS and Android devices. Kiwix-Serve is available for Windows and
Linux computers. [CRH]
13. CityLab: The Commuting Principle that Shaped Urban History
<i>How do social ideals and structural ideals combine to transform our
cities and spaces? As this article last featured in the 09-06-2019 Scout
Report concludes: "From ancient Rome to modern Atlanta, the shape of cities
has been defined by the technologies that allow commuters to get to work in
about 30 minutes."</i>
For many people, commuting to work is an almost ubiquitous daily occurrence
that most strive to keep to a reasonable length. But is this a uniquely
modern difficulty, or did workers in past eras have similar commuter
struggles? That question is the focus of this August 2019 CityLab article
written by Jonathan English, a PhD candidate in urban planning at Columbia
University. The article opens by introducing what is known as the Marchetti
Constant, an idea coined by the Italian physicist Cesare Marchetti, which
English describes as stating that generally "people have always been
willing to commute for about a half-hour, one way, from their homes each
day." English goes on to explore examples of how this principle has tended
to hold true throughout the centuries, noting that "the average speed of
our transportation technologies does more than anything to shape the
physical structure of our cities." Examples range from pre-Industrial Rome
and Paris to 19th-century railway and streetcar cities like London and
Chicago, and culminate in the expressway systems that enabled the rise of
suburbia and car commuting that are common today. This article, which
includes several illustrative maps and images, offers readers a quick
overview of the history of transportation and urban development.
For reproduction information about the Scout Report, please see:
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed
in
this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect
the views of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, or the
National Science
Foundation.
====== ======
1. Ok Go Sandbox
2. International
Disability and Development Consortium
3.
Cognitive Class
4. Cybersecurity Circus
5. Flipping the Table Podcast
6. Urban Layers
http://io.morphocode.com/urban-layers/
7. Gender perspectives in urban planning
&feature=youtu.be
8. Redlining Louisville: Racial
Capitalism and Real Estate
9. Urban Planning
10. On the Land
11. Freelan
12. Kiwix
13. CityLab: The Commuting Principle that Shaped Urban
History
====== ====
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October 2, 2020 Volume 26, Number 38 |
General Interest |
Theme: Urban and Regional Planning |
Tech Tools |
Revisited |
General InterestBack to Top | |
Theme: Urban and Regional PlanningBack to Top | |
Tech ToolsBack to Top | |
RevisitedBack to Top | |
The Scout Report (ISSN 1092-3861) is published every Friday of the year except for the Fridays after Christmas and New Years by the Internet Scout Research Group, based in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Computer Sciences.