Slashdot (yeah, I started reading it again...) has two interesting posts that may be pertinent to geo education.

First up, a query from a high school teacher about whether to teach an older version of a commercial graphics package or use an open source one. Both sides are represented in the replies, as is my favorite suggestion: teach more than one package to encourage literacy. I'm hearing more about GIS courses/programs using a mix of software. A recent podcast interview with Rodney Jackson of Central Piedmont Community College from Very Spatial highlighted a program that uses ESRI and Manifold and teaches open source programming.

Second up, an eval of use virtual worlds and multiplayer games in education. This comes from a fellow who got a grant to explore economic theories in virtual world gaming. He put togther a game called Arden, the World of Shakespeare. (That's an odd combo, but who am I to question the MacArthur people's grants?) "It's no fun," says Edward Castronova, a professor at Indiana. He's working on new version.