Google+ Developer APIs and other Hangout stuff

Google has launched an initial set of APIs for developers creating games and apps on the Google+ platform.

The initial release is limited, only allowing developers to retrieving public information from the Google+ community. Developers using the API can access public information about their customers, as well as retrieve certain player analytics.

Google+ supports programs written in Java, GWT, Python, Ruby, PHP, Objective-C, and .NET, the company said.

The Google+ social games network was unveiled in August. Heavyweight studios such as Zynga, Rovio, PopCap, Playdom and Digital Chocolate are supporting the platform with key game releases.

Inkling by WACOM

Tablets are super cool ... but, what if you could draw on paper and then magically upload that sketch into Photoshop? How often do you wish that you could do that?

Well, check this out ... Inkling by WACOM.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXbBA1DRE84

US News and World Report Starts STEM Ed Resource Center

US News's STEM Education resource center will have their latest news, opinions and thoughts about science, technology, engineering and math education." The STEM center will provide "viewpoints from top experts in the field, rankings of top STEM schools, and stories about programs and people that are making a difference."

NSTA Freebies Resource

In case you have not seen this, here's an NSTA page is an amazing collection of cool resources for Science Teachers:

http://www.nsta.org/publications/freebies.aspx

Making Learning Games that Don't Suck

Palo Alto-based education game maker Airy Labs has raised $1.5 million from Foundation Capital, Google Ventures, and Playdom co-founder Rick Thompson.

The funding comes after a $100,000 fellowship grant to Airy’s founder, Andrew Hsu, from Peter Thiel’s much-publicized and politicized “20 under 20″ grant program, in which the PayPal co-founder paid 20 young entrepreneurs to leave or forgo college in favor of starting companies.

The announcement also makes Hsu the first alum of Thiel’s program to get a business idea venture funded.

Airy’s mission, according to Hsu, is to “make games that parents can feel good about handing to their kids … and that don’t suck.”

The games, which will initially teach English, math and memory building, will be targeted at the 5 to 13 age range, which is coincidentally about the same age Hsu was when he started studying neuroscience at the University of Washington.

It’s somewhat ironic that the first funded Thiel fellow has spent almost half his life in college.

While Hsu said that Thiel’s cash was “nice to have,” he said he knew he’d have to raise a lot more to build out his vision for cross-platform learning games.

Hsu said Airy’s first products would be offered initially on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android platform, with the hope that the games will evolve “into a larger platform where social learning can take place.”

New Framework for K-12 Science Education

A report released today by the National Research Council presents a new framework for K-12 science education that identifies the key scientific ideas and practices all students should learn by the end of high school. The framework will serve as the foundation for new K-12 science education standards, to replace those issued more than a decade ago. The National Research Council is the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering; all three are independent, nongovernmental organizations.

Read the report online at the National Academies Press.

Ko's Journey - Math Game

Ko's Journey is a story-driven game for 5th-7th Math education.

Developed by Imagine Education, this digital game-based learning product is aligned to the Common Core Standards Initiative.

The game authentically situates the learning activities within the context of the game narrative.