Adding technology to old school blocks

At Forest Grove Elementary School, along the Ohio River just northwest of Pittsburgh, the Rust Belt is giving way to educational innovation. In a windowless room in the library, first- and second-graders experiment with a strange teaching device that’s half computer and half wooden play table. A giant computer screen looms over the table, and a touch-screen tablet is built into the table’s surface. A dancing cartoon gorilla appears on both screens, while a disembodied female voice commands two students to erect towers. The children reach into two bins of colorful wooden blocks and oversized Legos and build.

Source: What Kids Can Learn When Blocks Get A Tech Boost | MindShift | KQED News

Although this use case is pretty limited, it’s a great start on how technology can be infused with hands on activities in the classroom.