#android app development classes and course

[schoolforvampiresarchive]

School For Little Vampires had a mobile game available to play on Android and IOS devices, eventually they were removed as they became outdated overtime. The game was created by an independent game development and software engineering company founded in 2006, based in Cologne, Germany! The game is listed online as released in September 2014, but this information could be incorrect. The game is known to be unofficially licensed, but beloved by many fans who were around that time.

There is much more content I found of the game so expect for those to appear on my page very soon! Until then, here’s a little description of the game straight from the app stores it appeared on;

“Enroll at the famous school for vampires and join Oskar and his classmates! All kids have to go to school, even if they are vampires! Together with his friends, Oskar takes classes in a school where they can learn everything a creature of the night should know: how to avoid dangerous garlic and sunlight, make magic potions, identify blood types or transform yourself into a bat.”

“In this game, you get the chance to become a pupil at the school for vampires and attend classes together with Oskar and his friends! You get to know the ancient secrets of dark magic and train your vampiric skills. In order to be successful, you have to plan well, attend diverse classes and take up different jobs at the castle in order to get materials needed to pass the courses. You can also challenge other students online to see who has what it takes to become the smartest vampire student of all time! Invite your friends to play with you! Vampires with more friends can attend advanced courses and have much better chances of winning a challenge.”

“Recommendable for humans and bloodsuckers of all ages…”

FEATURES:

• FREE to play

• Multiplayer ONLINE Role Playing Game

• Mysterious vampire world with an exciting story

• HD-& Retina-display optimization

• Over 90 unique tasks and dozens of items you can use

• Fast and easy game introduction

• Alliance and challenge system allowing you to add your friends and compete against them

• Weekly prizes for the top 10 players of the leader boards

• And a lot more!

Note: A network connection is required to play the game.

[agustinycrowclock]

KeepAndroidOpen

In English

Okay, I want to vent a little, which is why I'm writing this document.

About the #KeepAndroidOpen initiative, and how Google is taking measures against open-source apps. People, don't be passive or oblivious to this situation, because it's something that can (and will) harm all users who own an Android device—from tablets to phones, whether recent or years old. This isn't something to take lightly; we're talking about how Google has total control over your device, not just over what you can download or not, but also over what you can see, do, and control.

This goes beyond just limiting open-source apps. It will escalate to the point where Google, if it wants, can apply the same ultra-capitalist and technocratic model we see today on social media, especially regarding how there are verified users and "average" users. Those who can pay for "advanced" services—which used to be basic and accessible to everyone—now have them exclusively because they can afford to pay for them. Right now, Google is demonstrating a level of power and supremacy over people by manipulating their devices—devices that people bought, and which are now firmly in the hands of corporations and monopolies.

And if you think I'm exaggerating, look at how Twitter started and what it is now. Look at how Facebook developed and what it is now. Even Instagram isn't safe from these measures: dividing society into just two classes—those who can afford to pay for their device's services and those who cannot. If censorship has taught me anything, it's that this concept has no stopping point. Once it begins, it isn't satisfied with just fulfilling its objective, but also with expanding to other spaces. A clear example of this is when we see that on social networks and platforms, you can't say words like "fascist," "black," or even "covid," but far-right figures and parties (who, of course, defend big corporations—in this case, social media like X and services like Google) can spew all kinds of hate speech, insults, soft attacks, direct attacks, and even racist, xenophobic, anti-LGBT, and even anti-democratic comments.

This is just a small sample of the real power these figures have to override the will of the individual, and by extension, that of society. Although I don't know the exact scope, this measure will be applied internationally, which implies control over our devices that is much more agile and silent than we think. Because it won't be announced as a proposal or an "update" notice, but rather as a discreet precautionary measure with little significance. They use the excuse that open-source apps must be regulated by them for security reasons, but I'd bet anything that they're doing this because open-source apps don't pollute our devices with their invasive ads.

Please, if you're truly against all of this, or simply want to have control over your device, don't hesitate to file your complaint with Google. Share and spread the #KeepAndroidOpen initiative or others that also seek to fight against this whole technocracy that these oligarchic monopolies are leading us into. Even just showing people what you think about this is enough. The more people talk about this, the more likely it is to reach Google's ears, and maybe they'll backtrack.

---

En Español (mi lengua nativa)

Okay quiero desahogarme un poco y por ello hago este documento. Sobre la iniciativa #KeepAndroidOpen, y de como Google esta tomando medidas contra las apps open-source. Gente, no sean pasivos o ajenos a esta situación, ya que es algo que puede llegar (y va a llegar) a perjudicar a todos los usuarios que cuenten con un dispositivo android; desde tablets hasta móviles; sean recientes o tengan sus años. Esta medida no es algo para tomársela a la ligera, estamos hablando de como Goggle tiene el control total de tu dispositivo, no solo de lo que puedes descargar o no, sino también de lo puedes ver, hacer y controlar.

Esto va mas alla de solo limitar las app open-source, esto escalara al punto de que Google, si quiere, puede aplicar el mismo modelo ultracapitalista y tecnocratico que vemos hoy en día en las redes sociales, sobre todo en como hay usuarios verificados y usuarios "promedio". Los que pueden pagar por tener servicios "avanzados" que antes eran básicos y accesibles para todos, ahora son solo para aquellos que se permiten poder pagar por ello. Google ahora mismo esta demostrando un nivel de poder y supremacía sobre las personas al manipular sus dispositivos, dispositivos que fueron comprados por las personas, y que ahora estos dispositivos es tan en manos de las empresas y los monopolios.

Y si creen que estoy exagerando, miren como empezó Twitter y lo que es ahora, miren como se desarrollo Facebook y como es ahora, e incluso intagram no se salva de estas medidas: dividir a la sociedad a una en donde haya solo dos tipos de clases, los que se pueden permitir pagar por los servicios de tu dispositivo y los que no. Si algo me enseño la censura, es que este es un concepto que no tiene punto de parada, una vez que empieza no se conforma con solo cumplir su objetivo, sino tambien en poder abarcar a las espacios. Un claro ejemplo de esto lo vemos cuando en las redes y plataformas no puedes decir la palabra "fascista", "negro" o incluso "covid", pero personajes y partidos de ultraderechas (que por supuesto defienden a las grandes empresas, en este caso las redes sociales como X y servicios como Goggle) pueden decir toda clase de discursos de odio, insultos, ataques blandos, ataques directos e incluso comentarios racistas, xenofobos, anti-LGBT, e incluso anti-democráticos.

Esta es solo una pequeña muestra del poder real que tienen estas figuras para sobreponerse a la voluntad del individuo, y por extensión, a la de la sociedad. Aunque desconozco el alcance exacto, esta medida es aplicara de manera internacional, lo que implica un control sobre nuestros dispositivos mucho mas ágil y silencioso de lo que creemos. Ya que a la medida no sera anuncionada como una propuesta o un anuncio de "actualización", sino como una cautelar sin mucha relevancia y de manera discreta. Ponen la excusa de que las app open-source deben ser reguladas por ellos por temas de seguridad, pero me apuesto lo que quiera a que esto lo hacen porque las app open-source no contaminan nuestros dispositivos con sus anuncios invasivos.

Por favor, si realmente estas en contra de todo esto, o simplemente quieres tener el control de tu dispositivo no dudes en presentar tu queja a los de Google, comparte y difunde la iniciativa #KeepAndroidOpen u otras que también busquen luchar contra toda esta tecnocracia a la que los están llevando estos monopolios oligarticos, e incluso basta con simplemente mostrarle a la gente cual es tu pensamiento de esto, cuando mas gente este hablando de esto es mas posible que llegue a oídos de Google y tal vez de marcha atrás.

[the-monkey-ruler]

WuKong Education (2016) 悟空中文

Date: 2016 Platform: IPhone / Android / PC Developer: Lan Global Limited Publisher: Lan Global Limited Genre: Education Also known as: WuKong: Chinese, Math & ELA Adaption: Crossover

Summary:

The WuKong app is specially designed for parents to stay up-to-date with student's learning progress and development at WuKong Education.

[WuKong's Functions] · Check course schedule anytime: Smart switching calendar to control the learning progress · Attend live course by one click: Simplified learning procedures, attending the class through one-click · Flexible leave request before a class: Easy to submit application and adjust the course schedule · Course playback for review & consolidation : Limitless replay helps you to surmount the key and difficult knowledge

[About WuKong Education] WuKong Education is dedicated in providing best online education solution for students, and has developed into an international educational platform which is the priority selection by 100K+ overseas families to achieve their elite-education dreams. Our students come from US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and more than 65 countries and regions, in most of which, WuKong Education always keeps a dominated position in market share.

[WuKong Education's Advantage] · Top-rated teaching force: All teachers have more than 5 years of teaching experience. 1% selected excellent teachers are “one in a million”, each teacher is 100% guaranteed - to hold a Professional Teacher Qualification Certificate. · Interactive Small Class: 1-on-1 immersive tutoring class, real-time interaction with teachers online · Leading course experience: International authoritative and self-developed textbooks, benchmarking international authoritative examination standards.

Source: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wukongacademy.studentportal&pli=1

Link: https://www.wukongsch.com/

[meddwlyngymraeg]

I'm going to abuse this blog a bit this once, but it is related. They're getting rid of the Duolingo forum tomorrow, which is fairly shocking because there are too many good resources posted on there!

I'm trying to copy over some of them for reference, because there are things that maybe I'm not advanced enough to use right now, but I would like to be able to use once I'm a little more skilled at Welsh.

Copied below are all the resources, verbatim. (Some resources may be repeated because I'm just copying)

The two best, best resources for self-learning, apart from Duolingo itself, for visual learners, are the series of videos on pronunciation on youtube:- https://www.youtube.com/user/welshplus

and the Big Welsh Challenge course :- http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learnwelsh/bigwelshchallenge/ (click on 'enter course', then 'skip introduction'), the section 'practice with tutor' is particularly useful, especially the male South Wales presenter, who is a well know, very funny Welsh actor. (Ignore the 'archive notice' and click on 'enter course', it works fine.)

The book that we have linked to in the Welsh course on Duolingo is here https://cls.byu.edu/welsh/BYU_Cwrs_Mynediad.html

Hard copies are available through all the usual book sellers.

For auditory learners 'Say something in Welsh' is very good and has a wide network of supporters in particular its popular Facebook group. https://www.saysomethingin.com/welsh/course1

Finally don't forget to join our Facebook group where further discussion takes place and the writers respond to queries. https://www.facebook.com/groups/welshduolingo/

Also here is a link to an fairly good article about mutations:- https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Welsh/Mutations#Soft_mutation

Here is a website which gives a daily crossword and also a range of 'her geirfa' vocabulary challenges:- http://www.happyhere.co.uk/

In addition for people not anywhere near a Welsh class, there are a number of people and places that offer online Skype lessons. Here is the link to the Skype courses of one of the Welsh centres in Wales:-http://www.coleggwent.ac.uk/welshcentre#.V1Zh_5PR-V5.

Below is the list of apps grouped into themes and in alphabetic order. Enjoy!

Complete courses:

Learn Cymraeg Mynediad Android, and iOS

Lovely free course for beginners, offers a variety of activities and contains plenty authentic audio recordings. A more advanced course from the same developer is available for purchase.

SSiWelsh Android and iOS

Say something in Welsh, a great Welsh course available from the website and via app. Users can choose between North/South Welsh pronunciation. The Challenges and Course 1 are for free and there’s more paid content. I highly recommend this app.

Grammar-specific:

Ap Treiglo Android and iOS

Another amazing app that teaches you how to use mutations properly. There is a list of words causing mutation, you can also look up grammar rules regarding prepositions, numbers, etc. Good to have it in your toolkit.

Welsh Number Whizz Android only

Welsh Number Whizz is an app designed to help you learn the traditional vigesimal number system. Could be useful especially for us Duolingers, as the Welsh course focuses on the decimal system.

Welsh Verb Blitz Android only

A fantastic tool to learn verbs and their conjugations. The app offers several mini-games to practice Welsh conjugation.

Vocabulary-specific

Anki Android and iOS, the iOS version is paid

I put Anki here as one of the two tools I know and use for flashcards. Anki is available both in a desktop and app version. There are a few big decks with Welsh flashcards, you can find them here: Dal Ati Android and iOS

For all those who have access to S4C this is a very useful app to learn vocabulary that is used in S4C programmes.

Dreigiau Dinas Emrys Android and iOS

I fell in love with this cute game from the first tap. Such a great idea to explain the legend of two dragons in Dinas Emrys and turn it into a Welsh learning app. Great music and sounds, try it out!

Gofalu Trwy’r Gymraeg Android and iOS

If you want to learn some medical Cymraeg, check out this one: nicely arranged topics with authentic recordings and English translations. Simple and intuitive, well worth taking a look.

Memrise Android and iOS

Many of you probably know Memrise, a popular website and app for learning languages and other subjects using flashcards. But do you know that there are many great decks (or courses, as they are called on Memrise) with Welsh vocabulary? Take a look here to see a list of Welsh flashcard courses on Memrise:

Vocab Game Welsh Cymraeg Geirfa Android only

Interesting vocabulary app for learning Welsh. 8,160 words structured in about 200 levels arranged by number of letters and alphabetic order. Each level contains about 20-25 words. The app is nicely designed and fun to play. Perhaps one downside is that many of these words are old or very specialised and I often have to look up the English translations to find out what something is. Nevertheless, you will surely get to know lots of vocab after completing all the levels, so give it a try.

Dictionaries

Ap Geiriaduron Android and iOS

A very nice Welsh-English and English-Welsh dictionary. Recognizes mutations, contains common phrases. And it works offline as well. A must-have.

GPC Geiriadur Prifysgol Android and iOSA monolingual dictionary of Welsh, less useful for beginners, but definitely something to have on your be-able-to-use wishlist. Great features: you can download the whole database to your memory card and there are language games.

Other:

Ap Beibl Android and iOS

This one is perhaps not for beginners, but it’s good to know about it for the future. Contains a number of different translations of the Bible into Welsh from different periods of history.

Ap Golwg Android and iOS

This app allows you to buy a digital edition of Lingo Newydd, a bi-monthly magazine for Welsh learners. Articles are colour-coded to mark difficulty and there are audio recordings of articles (which you wouldn’t get in the paper edition). You can either but a single issue for £1.49 or a subscription plan (Lingo Newydd costs £9.99 year). Ap Golwg also gives access to the Golwg360 website. It’s totally free and has a useful VOCAB button at the top that shows definitions of words in articles. You don’t need the app to access the website, but it’s nice to have a shortcut to news in Welsh on your mobile device.

Legends of the West Android only

Fabulous app about the history of Ceredigion and Wales. Contains text and recordings in Welsh and English.

There is a lot on the BBC Learn Welsh site, too - http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learning/learnwelsh/ Much of the site is archived now but much of it still works. There is a downloadable grammar guide here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learnwelsh/grammar/index.shtml - which you might find in book form, too, if it is still in print.

Dal Ati ('Stick At It') is a television programme on S4C for learners of Welsh. There is a Youtube channel for the programme here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSnqXodFrOCxTH2VRAeXIVQ

The recently revised DysguCymraeg/LearnWelsh course books are available for free download in pdf form on their website. This Duolingo course covers approximately the same ground as the Mynediad and Sylfaen books, and a little of Canolradd.The course books are available here - https://learnwelsh.cymru/learning/curriculum-and-course-books/ or try https://parallel.cymru/amdani/ or https://learnwelsh.cymru/

If you hunt around http://www.ybont.org there are a lot of supporting materials for learners of all levels.

For an online dictionary, https://www.gweiadur.com is very good (free registration to use its full range of information).

For a smartphone app, the free Ap Geiriaduron is good.An authoritative English to Welsh dictionary is https://geiriaduracademi.org, although many of its examples of usage use more formal Welsh than is taught on introductory courses such as this Duolingo one.

The National Centre for Learning Welsh has a web site including many materials for learners. Look around https://learnwelsh.cymru for materials supporting the national Mynediad and Sylfaen courses for adults.

A few more apps which I have found good are: Tywydd which gives you the weather forecast in Welsh and teaches you weather related vocabulary.

Gwlad Gwlad which teaches you to sing and pronounce the National Anthem of Wales.

The Magi Ann children's books apps which allow you to tap to hear the words spoken in Welsh or tap to see the English translation.

S4C programmes available to view outside the UK: http://www.s4c.cymru/clic/Categories/99

Stories: For entry (mynediad) and foundation (sylfaen) level stories, go to the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Amdani: Learn Welsh Festival of Reading (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNbPx7YxCU13oE6qCWs9hjP57ypKscCgR). The short stories are written for learners, and read by the authors, from the books 'Agor y Drws' (entry) and 'Ffenest' (Foundation). I was able to buy both books online from my local, Welsh bookshop in Llanrwst (https://www.bysabawd.cymru/en/products/books/welsh-books?search=cyfres%20amdani) and find it is really helpful to hear the author read the story out loud while reading the book myself.

The Dysgu Cymraeg course: https://dysgucymraeg.cymru/dysgu/cwricwlwm-a-chwrslyfrau/ Textbooks and mp3s. Is really good.

[n41r]

Ore'n, Battle Meme Chronicle The sucessor of Oreca Battle as a 3D TCG that will be available on android????

This morning, I just woke up from a weird dream- After that, I checked fb and saw a fellow community group member posted this on the group, and my gosh-

Konami is planning on making a new game with the same battle system as Oreca Battle, but they're going to make it into mobile game!!!

Honestly, I'm pretty ecstatic- Not sure why they're naming the game as "Meme" game tho, but I am excited-

Here's the official link for the game info!

Now, let's gush about the previews that are available at the website~

This UI is very reminiscent of the iOS app version of Oreca Battle, huh?

Also gosh, even tho the preview is very smol, but look at that recolored version of Demera- shshhshshs-

Oh man, they adapted the class change system as well, I'm so stocked-

Also, isn't the artstyle for Warrior Misanga look very familiar~? Hmm? Hmm~????

But this is what makes me the most excited about the preview of Ore'n,

3D GRAPHICS???!!!

wajkefhejhfg, we will got dem 3D graphics for the battle, aah maaannnn;;;; Also there will be cutscene aspect of the game as well, kdruhsrjdhgjrg;;;

And of course, Posuka-sensei is going to participate on the development of this game as well!

Posuka-sensei works hella hard, huh- You can see her name on so many media nowadays, and honestly, great for her-

Gosh, I hope this game is not going to be JP exclusive only- I'm absolutely OK if the team are not planning on making EN localization for the game, I just hope players from outside JP can install the game as well in the future;;;

Also, wondering if the OG characters from Oreca Battle will ever make an appearance in this game? That would be absolutely great tho, I really hope they could make an appearance like how Dante and Demon King Azul make an appearance in Solomon Program-

I hope the game will be released without any problem in the future~

[roseliejack123]

Understanding Java: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners and Pros

In the ever-expanding landscape of programming languages, Java stands as a stalwart, renowned for its versatility, reliability, and scalability. Whether you're an aspiring coder taking your first steps into the world of programming or a seasoned developer looking to broaden your skill set, Java presents a vast and captivating journey of discovery. This comprehensive guide aims to provide you with a roadmap for mastering Java effectively, offering insights, strategies, and resources to empower your learning process.

Java's prominence in the tech industry cannot be overstated. Its cross-platform compatibility, robustness, and extensive libraries make it a top choice for a wide range of applications, from web development to mobile app creation and enterprise-grade software solutions. With Java as your programming language of choice, you're embarking on a learning journey that can open doors to diverse and rewarding opportunities in the software development field.

Whether you're just beginning your Java journey or seeking to enhance your existing skills, this guide is your compass, pointing you toward the resources and strategies that will enable you to thrive in the world of Java development. So, let's embark on this adventure together, as we unlock the power of Java and take your coding skills to new heights.

The Fundamentals: Starting with the Basics

At the heart of mastering Java lies a strong grasp of its fundamentals. To begin your Java journey, you must dive into the basics. Start by understanding variables, data types, operators, and control structures, including loops and conditionals. These are the building blocks of Java programming and serve as your foundation. Fortunately, there's a wealth of online tutorials, textbooks, and courses available to help you comprehend these essential concepts.

The Power of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

Java is often celebrated for its object-oriented programming (OOP) paradigm. Delve into the world of OOP, where concepts like encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction are fundamental. These principles are crucial for writing clean, maintainable, and scalable Java code. A strong grasp of OOP sets you on the path to becoming a proficient Java developer.

Practice Makes Perfect: The Art of Coding

Programming is a skill that thrives with practice. To truly master Java, you must write code regularly. Start with small projects and gradually work your way up to more complex challenges. Experiment with different aspects of Java, refine your coding style, and embrace the iterative process of development. Platforms such as LeetCode, HackerRank, and Codecademy offer a plethora of coding challenges that can sharpen your skills and boost your confidence.

Harnessing the Java Ecosystem: APIs and Libraries

Java boasts a vast standard library, replete with pre-built classes and methods. Familiarize yourself with these libraries as they can significantly streamline your development process. By leveraging these resources, you can save time and effort when building applications. Whether you're developing desktop applications with JavaFX, web solutions with Spring Boot, or mobile apps using Android Studio, understanding the Java ecosystem is indispensable.

Memory Management: The Key to Efficiency

Java employs automatic memory management through garbage collection. To optimize performance and prevent memory leaks, it's essential to grasp how memory is allocated and deallocated in Java. Understanding the intricacies of memory management is a hallmark of a proficient Java developer.

Building Real-World Projects

Theory alone won't make you a Java expert. Building practical applications is one of the most effective ways to learn Java. Start with modest projects and gradually increase their complexity. This hands-on approach not only reinforces your understanding but also equips you with real-world experience. Develop desktop applications with JavaFX for intuitive user interfaces, craft robust web applications using Spring Boot, or dive into the world of mobile app development with Android Studio. The projects you undertake will serve as a testament to your Java prowess.

The Power of Java Books: In-Depth Knowledge

Consider supplementing your practical experience with authoritative Java books. "Effective Java" by Joshua Bloch and "Java: The Complete Reference" by Herbert Schildt are highly recommended. These books provide in-depth knowledge, best practices, and insights from seasoned Java experts. They are invaluable resources for expanding your understanding of Java.

Enriching Your Learning Journey: Online Courses and Tutorials

Online courses from reputable platforms like Coursera, Udemy, edX, and ACTE Technologies can accelerate your Java learning journey. These courses offer a structured approach, with video lectures, assignments, and quizzes to reinforce your knowledge. ACTE Technologies, in particular, stands out for its expert instructors and comprehensive curriculum, providing you with valuable insights into the world of Java development.

Engaging with the Community: Online Forums and Communities

Joining Java forums and communities is an excellent way to complement your learning. Platforms like Stack Overflow, Reddit's r/java, and Java-specific LinkedIn groups provide a space to ask questions, seek guidance, and share your knowledge. Engaging with the Java community not only helps you find answers to your queries but also keeps you updated on the latest industry trends and best practices.

Staying Current: Java's Evolution

Java is a dynamic language that evolves over time. To remain at the forefront of Java development, it's essential to stay updated with the latest Java versions and features. Follow industry-related blogs, newsletters, and social media accounts. Keeping abreast of these changes ensures that your Java skills remain relevant and in demand.

In conclusion, embarking on the journey to master Java is an exciting and rewarding endeavor that demands dedication and continuous learning. The world of Java programming offers a multitude of opportunities, from web development to mobile app creation and enterprise solutions. By following the comprehensive roadmap outlined in this blog, you can pave the way to becoming a proficient Java developer.

Remember, learning from reputable sources such as ACTE Technologies can provide you with the knowledge and expertise needed to excel in Java programming. ACTE Technologies' exemplary Java courses, led by expert instructors and featuring a comprehensive curriculum, can help you establish a strong foundation and advance your Java skills. As you embark on your Java learning journey, may your passion for coding and commitment to excellence lead you to success. Good luck!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Ed-tech apps spy on kids

When schools switched to distance learning amid the lockdown, it represented a chance to rethink education and ed-tech, from lessons to schedules to evaluation.

For the most part, we have squandered that chance, doubling down on the most destructive educational practices.

This is true across the board, not just in ed-tech. Take the bizarre start-times for classes - as early as 7AM for students enrolled in "period 0" classes. This timing has nothing to do with best practices in pedagogy or our understanding of adolescent brain-development.

Instead, it's a least-worst option arising from the US's unwillingness to treat high-quality child-care as a public good that benefits both kids and working parents. We open our schools at o-dark-hundred because parents need to get to work.

This, despite the fact that the majority of teens' body-clocks shift nocturnally as they go through puberty. We know that waking kids up early hurts their learning outcomes, but we accept that tradeoff because the alternative (kids whose parents can't earn a living) is worse.

Virtual schools represented an opportunity to shift education to more humane hours, but we blew it. And that's the least of our failures, barely registering in comparison with the way that we failed to fix ed-tech even as it grew to eclipse all other pedagogical questions.

Exhibit A, of course, is "remote invigilation," the spyware that we force students to install on their computers in the name of preventing cheating on the pedagogically bankrupt high-stakes tests we cling to.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/22/ihor-kolomoisky/#copyfraud

These tools are force-multipliers for the destructive power of high-stakes testing: their junk-science "sentiment analysis" facial recognition algorithms can't recognize dark-skinned faces, forcing Black kids to sit tests with multiple lamps shining directly in their eyes.

Students forced to use tools like Proctorio are expected to rotate their webcams 360' degrees to prove they're alone in a room at home - which means that poor kids who share a room (or can only get wifi in the parking lot of a Taco Bell) are penalized for poverty.

Unsurprisingly, a company that would knowingly torment children in this way is run by terrible people and behaves terribly. It's not just that the CEO doxed a child who complained about his products on Reddit:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/01/bossware/#moral-exemplar

The company has also abused copyright law to sue and intimidate its critics, including a student security researcher who revealed defects in the company's products:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/22/ihor-kolomoisky/#copyfraud

The fact that businesses that profit by spying on children are run by awful, awful people is no surprise.

One of the most established ed-tech categories is censorware, which schools are required to install as a condition of receiving federal funds, under 1997's CDA.

This software captures every student's click and search-term, and often their chats and emails, and spies on all of it, using arbitrary word-matches and human classifications to block kids (and teachers) from seeing materials deemed "inappropriate."

The premise of this exercise is that somewhere there is a boiler-room full of prudes so large that it can look at billions and billions of webpages and decide which ones are and aren't "child-safe" and that an "AI" can pass judgment on the pages they haven't got to.

Even if you accept that bizarre premise, remember: this isn't an editorial process, it's a surveillance system. It's one thing for a school librarian to make decisions about which books to shelve, but this doesn't require them to spy on everything every kid tries to read.

For censorware companies to block your kids' data-requests, they have to intercept and examine them. Censorware is spyware. Given that, it's worth asking, "Who are we allowing to spy on our kids?

Terrible people, as it turns out.

The school censorware industry is a subsidiary of the global censorware industry, and its largest clients aren't schools - their bread and butter is the tyrants of the Middle East and former Soviet Union, dictators who buy their products to keep their citizens in line.

These are the depraved human-rights abusers we get to spy on our kids (they also provide censorware for corporate, hotel and airport wifi!), and you know what? They've got *terrible* judgment.

Independent audits of their blocklists show that they're blocking about a third of the top search results for terms related to the common curriculum, with overblocking skewed heavily to women's health, reproductive health, and LGBTQ (no surprises there).

And, like Proctorio, these censorware companies have a long history of intimidating and harassing their critics, abusing copyright law to prevent independent analysis of their blocklists in a bid to make it impossible to test whether they are any good at their jobs.

We've been spying on schoolkids' online activities since 1997, and the pandemic only accelerated that process, and not just through test proctoring, either, as a new report from the Me2B Alliance shows.

https://me2ba.org/me2ba-product-testing-spotlight-report-published-data-sharing-in-primary-secondary-school-mobile-apps-2/

The report analyzed 73 mobile apps that 38 schools in 14 US states were using as part of their administration and instruction and found that 60% of them transmit student data to commercial data-mining companies.

https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/04/school_mobile_apps/

The apps were built using "free" SDKs from Facebook, Google and other surveillance companies; these SDKs make it easy to build apps quickly, but they also harvest the app users' data at scale and subject it to long-term retention and analysis.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/03/rip-david-graeber/#hyas

Me2B found that the apps were sucking up "identifiers (IDFA, MAID, etc), Calendar, Contacts, Photos/Media Files, Location, Network Data (IP address), permissions related to Camera, Microphone, Device ID, and Calls."

Ios devices were far less likely to harvest user data than Android apps, but 1 in 4 still spied on users, and on both platforms, "95% of third-party data channels... are active even when the user is not signed in and that these apps send data as soon as the app is loaded."

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[tamabbyboi]

Dating headcanons- Tamaki Amajiki

Pairing: Tamaki Amajiki x reader

Request: no

Word count: 663

Synopsis: General dating headcanons with best boy! If anyone wants to see this with other characters shoot me an ask! Also I've been obsessed with smau's lately if anyone knows any apps for Android you can use for that please let me know 😫

Taglist Form

This man is the absolute sweetest boyfriend!! I mean, we been knew tho.

He is,, very anxious but once he reaches a certain level of comfort with you he gets really clingy and affectionate.

2 words: touch. starved.

He doesn't get close to a lot of people due to his anxiety so physical affection hasn't had a big presence in his life however he absolutely loves the idea of being physically affectionate with an s/o and has always looked forward to getting to do that.

He loves cuddles, will cuddle you 25/8, once y'all are in dorms you know he's never letting you out of his arms.

But like,, nothing to complain about what's better than Tamaki holding you?? (🅱️ls can you tell how touch starved I am)

Though he loves physical affection and any form of cuddling, he isn't big on pda. He doesn't like the attention it brings.

He loves to give and receive cheek kisses though! It's his way of showing a quick little burst of affection in public without it being too much.

He is also more than fine holding hands in public and often does it to ground himself when he feels his anxiety spike.

You. become. his. wall.

Whenever he feels the need to faceplant into the nearest wall he instead faceplants into your shoulder/the crook of your neck.

When he's there you run your fingers through his hair, whispering words of comfort into his elf ears as you work to calm him down and ease his anxiety.

Expect cute dates, like not necessarily the really cheesy grand gesture type thing (he is absolutely not the type for grand gestures), but he is always very observant and sweet about dates.

Like if you mentioned one time liking a certain animal he is already planning a date to the zoo specifically to see one.

Or if you mentioned that your'e excited for the weather to be nice on a certain day he is already researching the exact time of day it will be nicest and how long it'll take you to get to your favorite park.

Also very observant and thoughtful with gift-giving and gives you random little things pretty freqently, he likes to make sure you feel appreciated and thought about.

If you mention in passing that you haven't had your specialty from your favorite coffee shop in a while he is at your dorm ready with it as soon as he can be.

You often find cute little stuffed animals on your bed with a note attached in your boyfriend's careful handwriting saying something like 'saw this and it reminded me of you, just thought you would enjoy it'

If you talk to him about your recent hyperfixations he will listen to how passionate you are about it and immediately decide he needs to buy you merch.

He also genuinely listens when you rant about your interests, and often develops an interest in it as well, leading to intense 3am conversations about the latest theories

Will do the sweetest things for you

As I previously mentioned, he isn't a sap and doesn't go for anything too cheesey or grand-gesture-y but that doesn't mean he isn't romantic.

Will straight up eat flower petals in order to make your favorites appear from his hands to surprise you

You tell him to stop eating the flower petals and tell him he doesn't need to do that for you but does he listen?? Of course not.

Leaves you little love notes on sticky notes and sticks them in your school notes so you have a little something to get you through class.

Of course, you do the same for him and seeing his face flush red when he finds one in the middle of an English lesson will never stop making your heart flutter.

All in all, the most amazing, sweetest, adorable boyfriend who treats you so well and reminds you of how perfect you are every single day, whether that's verbally or through his actions