Appreciate Technology

This is a funny video that I 100% agree with. It talks about how far technology has come and still no one it happy.

Week 14- Gaming as a Learning Tool

This week in class we discussed using games as a learning tool. With the ever expanding technology, teaching has grown from being limited to books and papers to include many new and innovative ways to convey lessons. Using games to teach students lessons or improve skills like memory is a great way to allow kids to learn while they are having fun. Children like to see their progress and playing games that have multiple levels and will allow them to set goals for themselves and reach them. I remember playing games when I was young to improve my skills in different areas. I had to find tiles that matched each other from a pile of them facing down. This improved my memory. For math skills I remember having to help a chef calculate how much the bill was for each table at his restaurant. Using games is also great because you can create a game to teach almost any subject, from math to English to music, to art. In fact, not only does using games online help children in the particular subject matter of that game, it also helps their technology skills that are now so crucial to have in life. It is important to note however, gaming is not a substitute for education, but a tool to enhance it.

While some games are educational, others sometimes blur the line between reality and fiction. Games such as Second Life or World of Warcraft which are role-playing games allow users to create an alter-ego. Sometimes though people get lost in their character and forget that there is a life past the computer screen. I read an article where a woman divorce her real life husband because he "had and affair" in Second Life even though he was loyal to her in reality. We all like to be distracted from life sometimes but when gaming becomes an obsession it is probably time to cut back. I think it is a little extreme that countries have embassies in second life. It's hard to imagine that someones job is only to stay on second life and answer questions about their country.

Telecommunication is not really related to gaming. The only similarity would be that in some games there is a plot or storyline that the user follows and advances on throughout the game. As a telecom. major, we sometimes have to come up with storylines that are creative and get the attention of the user. Whether the plot is in a game, commercial, or movie the only way the medium will be successful is if people are entertained.

This article I found does a good job of explaining how video games can teach children. It discusses how even children with ADHD who typically have a difficult time paying attention are able to play these games without distraction. Games offer something that normal teaching doesn't. Kids can read the screen which has directions for them which improves their reading ability.

Week 13- Distance Education

In class today we discussed distance education. Distance education is using technology to instruct and educate information to students who are not physically on site at the school. Whether a student is taking all of their classes online, or just one, 96 percent of schools offer online classes. Distance learning can be done through many different types of mediums, some of which include; mail, CD-ROM, the internet either synchronously or asynchronously, TV, radio, or nowadays even through one's phone! There are three categories of Distance education; online, where the student and teacher interact solely through the internet. Blended, which involve both in-class assignments and instruction as well as technology based instruction. The last is virtual, which all student services are done online through the internet. As with any system, there are pros and cons to distance learning. Some of the advantages are that the courses are online so it makes learning flexible and easy to fit in ones schedule, you can work at your own pace, and if the class you are taking already deals with technology, working through an online system helps to enhance your learning of the material. Some disadvantages are that one must have the right technology to access the instruction, their are security issues that may be concerns, and the student must be motivated to work on the material because they are not going to class to remind them to do their work. Virtual schools are an offshoot of distance learning the only difference is that the student is able and in some cases must be in contact with their instructor via phone to take oral quizzes, ask questions, and make sure they fully understand the material.

As a telecommunication major, distance learning does not so much relate to my field career wise but there is some online classes that I can take now that relate. one of the classes that is offered online that is offered in conjunction with my major is online storytelling. This is a class that shows students how to use the internet to enhance and convey a story whether it be through blogs, or other online media. While there is an actual class that I am supposed to go to I assume that there will be a lot of online instruction and homework. This type of learning environment would probably be a blended learning environment.

This video I found is a news report on virtual schools becoming more popular. In the video it discusses the advantages of virtual school. It also talks about how the virtual school provides the textbooks and supplies needed for school.


In addition to the video, this website provides a good list of advantages and disadvantages of virtual school not mentioned in the powerpoint slides. Some of these include giving the students the freedom to express their opinions where they may be shy in an actual class and having to depend on the computer to answer question may be frustrating because the teacher may take awhile to get back to the user with the answer.

Week 12- Professional Web Presence

This week in class we discussed having a professional web presence. Having a web presence means to have a site on the internet run by a user which is dedicated to a particular subject. In today's society, almost everyone has a web presence...Facebook. Facebook is a social web presence that holds personal information by the user including photos, links, likes, dislikes, videos, etc. However, if one is applying for a job and the potential employer searches for the applicants name and all that comes up is the facebook page, they will not be able to see the users professional work that they have created in a polished format. In addition the facebook page may contain negative photos or comments that may deter the employer from offering the job. Therefore, creating a high quality looking web presence dedicated to ones professional abilities and work would be very beneficial for an applicant. The employer could then adequately judge the applicant on the necessary qualification for the job and not just on ones social network. On the web presence the user can have all the work they have created, their resume, and what they are looking for in a job.

Having a professional web presence is imperative as a telecommunication major. Because most of the work that I would be creating for an employer to see would be videos, handing in just a resume in paper form would not adequately showcase my talents. By having a web presence I could be able to upload videos I have created or worked on so others could view it. Also, instead of handing employers multiple DVDs with my videos burned on them, they could just view my site and see all my work in one place. I could also edit my web page so that it make me look more favorable to a potential employer. This would set me apart from others who don't have a professional web presence.

I found a website the lists 6 reasons to have a web presence. In it, the author explains that by having a web presence allows one to keep up with growing and changing trends, keeps communication going between the business and it's costumers, expands creativity, helps increase exposure to a much larger audience, It is relatively inexpensive, and that people will always be using the internet. In todays age everyone is connected to the web all the time so it is important to know that the internet is not a trend that will die out anytime soon. This video I found also does a good job of explaining why even business that one would think would not need a web presence, such as a dentist, should have one.

Week 11 Open Source Software

This week, we learned about open source software. Two examples discussed in class of open source software include Gimp(which is a substitute for Photoshop) and Audacity(which records music). Open source software is essentially free software that anyone can use. Once you have downloaded to software the user can then change the source codes which are public to fit his/her specific needs. Once you have the software how you like it, the user is then free to distribute his/her version to others. Other examples of open source software include Linux created by Linus Torvalds or OpenOffice.

In the telecommunication field, open source software would be very helpful to someone just starting up. In order to get a job one has to have portfolio of things to show their potential employer. However, there are many programs that one in my field may need that are expensive, like Adobe Photoshop. In order to use these programs someone who lacks the necessary funds can use these cheaper alternatives like Gimp to get the job done. Unfortunately, there are some programs, like Final Cut Pro, that there is not a good open source substitute which are very important in my field for editing videos and such.

Two websites I found that would be useful to one looking for open source software alternatives for their computer are:

Open source software for Windows

Open source software for Macs

Some of the applications such as Mozilla firefox(which I use) are the same for both computers, however certain programs for some functions such as instant messageing are different. I will probably be checking this list out for new programs I can adapt and place on my computer so that I do not have to pay big bucks for the same application.

Week 10 Concept Map-additional post

Here is my concept map for social tools in the telecommunication field. Click to enlarge.

Week 10 Learning Theories & Critical Thinking

This week in class we learned about learning theories and ways to use technology to help foster different learning styles.

Learning theories were created to help describe how both people and animals learn. There are three frameworks which learning theories are built upon. The first is behaviorism. Behaviorism deals with cause and effect, the subject sees or experiences the behavior and learns about its repercussions. Internally the subject than begins to associate the behavior with the effect. Two subtypes of behaviorism are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is where a subject learns to respond to a seemingly unrelated or neutral stimulus. For example, people playing a sport know to stop when a whistle is blown because they associate the whistle with a foul. Operant conditioning is using consequences to shape the behavior. Components of operant conditioning are reinforcement both positive(receiving a reward after the desired response) and negative(removing an unfavorable stimulus after the desired behavior). Another component is punishment which is designed to decrease a behavior. Positive punishment is implementing an unfavorable stimulus in response to the undesired behavior. Negative punishment is taking away a positive stimulus after the undesired behavior is shown. Last extinction which offers no rewards/punishments after an action so the action gradually goes away.

Information process theories deals with the internal processes rather than external behaviors. This theory states that the mind has 3 memory stores that register, process, retrieve and store information. One can retain information better by: rehearsal (repeating the information over and over in order to keep it in our working memory), organizing( where we "chunk" information into groups, like a phone number), elaboration(giving examples to clarify info), imagry(recreating an experience in our mind), and schema(which is our concepts of the world and we relate these concepts back to the info).

The last theory is constructivism. Constructivism is using our experiences to gain knowledge that is meaningful and relates to us. Some problems with the constructive learning style is that the skills learn may not be useful in the real world, some kids may not have the previous experiences needed to learn the new info ,and a teacher can not verify a students skill level. However, technology, like powerpoint, is helping the constructive learning style to become more practical by making learning more creative and meaningful, and letting students think about how they are learning.

Ultimately it depends upon the material you are teaching to choose what type of learning style is best.

As a telecommunication major, the constructivist learning theory is probably most related to my major. By creating movies/videos, we are trying to use the video format to help the audience relate or give the audience an experience (fictional or not) to convey the meaning in the movie. For example, in an advertisment we may want to convince the audience that brand A of an air freshener is better than brand B. To do this we might create a creative video that shows that brand B freshener does not get rid of the smell while brand A works so well that the consumer doesn't even notice the dog has gone to the bathroom in the room.

Different Learning Styles. This article talks about the learning styles we discussed in class as well as others such as cognitive learning theory. It also gives examples of ways to use the different styles of learning and goes over adults and others ways they learn and how some people are visual, sensual, intuitive, or active learners.

Week 9- Cloud Computing

This week in class we looked at cloud computing and examples of it including Google Docs and bookmarking with Delicious.

Cloud computing in essentially using the storing material that you may normallykeep on your computers hard-drive on a "cloud" which has unlimited capacity. You work with this material, you must use the internet to get to it. Instead of paying for more servers which take time to hook up to power your work, cloud computing instantly hooks up as many servers you need to function. Some advantages of using cloud computing is that you only have to pay for what you're using. You also don't need high tech and costly computer to fun applications on since you are using the cloud to run them. you can also access any of the information on the cloud anywhere you are on any computer as long as it has internet. Some disadvantages are that occasionally the servers may go down and you may lose information if you don't have it backed up. Cloud computing may not be completely secure. If the internet connection is not working or is slow, it will be impossible or very difficult to access your work.

Cloud computing would be helpful in the telecommunication field. Tools such as google docs would help with collaborative projects which is a big part of my field. You may have to work with people who live in other states or even countries, so being able to all edit the same document/script on the computer and have the changes made show up on everyone's computer saves a lot of time and confusion. Also as a telecomm. major I will probably have a lot of videos and applications on my computer that take up a lot of space and slow down its performance. By using cloud computing, I can store video and run applications on the cloud which keeps my computer free to run at a high performance. I would just want to make sure I have my material stored on the cloud backed up somewhere else....just in case.

The video I found explains cloud computing and even compares it to Web 2.0 which we learned earlier in the semester. It also discuss cloud computing in terms of software as a service and hardware as a service as well as giving examples of each. It goes on to discuss how cloud computing can help smaller companies who don't have as much money to spend on expensive computers and applications. The guy narrating the video is a little funny in the way he talks to the camera, but if you can get pass that then the video is really informative.

Music-Podcast

Week 8- The Sound of...Podcasting

This week we learned about Podcasting.

Podcasts are media files, such as text, audio, video, etc. that can be played on the computer or downloaded to MP3 players. Users typically subscribe to a Podcast channel and download the content to their computers. Additionally, once subscribed if new updates are added to the podcast channel the material is automatically downloaded to the subscribers computer. Since its inception, podcasts have become easier to use and thus more popular.

We also learned how podcasting is being used in the educational setting. Duke University gave iPods to a incoming class and on those iPods were podcasts of orientation. Also lectures can be downloaded on them so one can listen to it multiple times. Podcasts would help students catch up or stay on track if they were out sick for an extended period of time. Teachers could also assign students to create their own podcasts which would help them learn and become familiar with the material and to learn how to effectively communicate the material. Studies have shown the podcasts have dramatically helped in learning another language.

However, there are some drawbacks, one must get permission to use a certain content before one incorporates it into the lecture, some material may be inappropriate for students because anyone can put anything on a podcast. Teachers must be taught how to record their lectures and turn them into mp3s. Students or even teachers may not have access to the equipment needed to listen or create podcasts as well as enough space on their hard drive to support all the mp3's they have to download. Additionally, some students are not auditory learners, they need to see the content, whether in text form or through graphs, in order to really comprehend the material.

While audio podcasts may not be very useful in the telecommunication field, video podcast are. One can upload their videos for others all over the world to see. Although, using audio podcasts is a little similar in that once the material is recorded, one should go back and edit the material. As a telecom production major, we have to edit our video and audio material all the time. When the levels of audio are to low we have to go in and raise them in a program such as final cut. We also have to make sure that when recording or in the editing phase that there is no outside noise to distract the listener from the important message we are trying to get across.

This video I found on Youtube breaks podcasting down in simple terms. It covers what it is, why it is popular, and how easy it is to use. It shows how traditional media, is time dependent -where one has to watch and listen to a show at a certain time whereas podcasting erases the time element and makes listening to your favorite shows easy to do anytime and anywhere.

Week 7- Digital Technologies

In class this week we learned about digital technologies.

In today's society more and more of technology is becoming digitalized. However not too long ago analog technology was all that was available to us. Information given to us in analog form is a copy of the information and can be electronic, chemically induced, magnetic, or vibration sensitive. Digital on the other hand, is taking the original material and converting it into binary code(1's and 0's). Digital technology has become handy in many areas, including photography and video.

Digital photography uses a device called a Charged Coupling Device which converts image being capture into numerical data by capturing light. The more pricey camera which have better resolution have a larger CCD than a small point and shoot. However the better the resolution means having more pixels which means that the image you captured will take up more room wherever you decide to store it on your computer or memory card. There are many advantages though, remember when you had to develop the film to see if your picture came out okay? Well with digital photography one can immediately view what they have shot, there are no developing charges, manipulating the image is easier, and at a low resolution, you can store a lot of information.
Digital video is described in the powerpoint as electronic storage of moving images using numerical data. By using the numeric system, one can easily take the video shot straight from the camera and begin editing. If more space is needed, videos can be compressed. This means that certain information in the video, like color, motion, etc. is removed. Unfortunately, when this occurs the video losses quality.
PDA's or Personal Digital Assistants have a multitude of functions, but act as a small computer, phone, organizer, of data storage device. PDA's can help access the internet from a variety of locations, collect and graph real world data, etc.

We also learned about Podcasts which are digital media, audio, or video files that are released periodically and different audio file formats such as uncompressed, lossy, and lossless compression.

As a telecommunication major we have to be up to date on all the newest digital technologies. We had to learn all about CCD's, resolution, pixels, and compression in class. We also record digital video only on an analog medium, tape. This means that when editing, we have to go through the whole tape(log and capture) and can not just jump around and choose to edit shots in the middle of the tape. Back in the day when analog was used, it had to be processed in a dark room so not to disturb the video that was captured on it because the film was light sensitive. Digital has certainly made things in my field a lot easier and faster.

The first article I found gives a little more detail to the difference between analog and digital and how analog is a continuous stream of information while digital breaks up the information.

Digital vs. Analog

The second article is interesting because it compares digital and analog in terms of audio. It discusses how analog and digital have affected recordings of songs. The article uses examples of classic vinyl records and how you can hear noise in the analog recordings.

Music-Digital vs Analog

2nd Blog Check Start -Week 6- Visual Literacy and Digital Storytelling

This week we learned about visual literacy as well as digital storytelling.

We learned that in order to be visually literate one must first know the basic elements of visual communication. Some of these elements include: dots, lines, shapes, direction, value, hue, saturation, texture, etc. The article discussed how even cave paintings, while today we may see them as primitive, held a special cultural and significant meaning to the artist who painted them. These painting encouraged visual literacy because although there were no words to read, one could infer what the artist was trying to say through understanding the symbols. Over time these paintings and symbols gradually turned into the alphabet as we know it today.

Digital storytelling is similar to visual literacy only it uses "computer based tools" to convey a story. With the computers help, one can use videos, music, text, etc. to help bring their stories to life instead of the traditional way of still images and voice. There are some similarities between digital storytelling and the traditional way however, both tend to focus on one specific subject and come from one point of view. Any subject can be told thorough this media, whether it be educational, such as a history story, or just for fun, like an old fable. Digital storytelling has been very popular in the education setting. It draws the kids out from their passive textbook and into a world where they can actively learn. When using digital storytelling to educate the videos tend to be around 2-10 minutes. Any shorter and one can't convey the message, however too long and the child may lose interest.

Digital storytelling is very much related to telecommunications. Telling a story or message is exactly what my major is about. Whether it's creating a public service announcement or a movie, I would be using the same elements like text, point of view, video, and music to convey a message. The only real difference would be that sometimes the videos I make may be longer than 10 minutes.

The video I found uses digital storytelling (video/images/clips) to explain what digital storytelling is and how it can be a learning aid in a classroom.

Week 5 - Media & Information Literacy

In this weeks assignment we learned about visual literacy.

Visual literacy is being able to recognize commands in the form of pictures(visual encoding) and interpret what actions to take based on those images(visual decoding). For example, if you see a picture of a dog with a red line through it outside a restaurant, one can interpret it to mean that dogs are not allowed inside the building. It is interesting to see how much we use visual literacy in our daily lives! Driving almost entirely depends on it with all the different signs that mean certain things.

Visual literacy is important if I were to use my telecommunication degree to produce videos, tv shows, or films.It is a very big taboo to have a character explain to the audience things in the show. Therefore visual literacy is needed so the audience can follow along and not be confused at why a character is doing what they are doing. For example, instead of a character saying to another character " I have to be careful around this cliff cause rocks could fall on me" I could just film a close up of the falling rocks sign and the audience would be able to interpret the meaning.

In this video, the message that is discussed is that visual literacy is very important in interpreting advertising, signs, etc. It shows that while images may relate in content, the interpretation of those images may be totally different. It provides many examples where visual literacy is needed. It even goes on to suggest that not only do different visual images affect our interpretation of them, but the cultural context in which we are exposed to them, the medium they are shown in, etc.

Week 4- Designing Instructional Media

This week in class we discussed designing instructional media.

There are four main points to keep in mind when creating media, such as powerpoints, that are intended to educate. The first point is contrast. Contrast deals with the brightness of text against its background. It is good to use a dark background with lighter text or vice-versa. However, when using colors it is important to keep them consistent throughout the presentation. The second point is repetition. By repeating the same font types, bullets, and boarders the viewer can focus just on the content being taught and not get distracted by the different stylistic changes in the presentation. Alignment can also be a major factor, if the alignment is off(not in the standard left to right), then the readers have to use their cognitive abilities to decipher the text and will not fully comprehend it. Finally, proximity is also a key factor. Associations between related things should be in the same area where they are not too far apart but not too close together. It is also good to keep the number of words on the page down. Just use the key facts.

When it comes to using graphics, one should not interrupt the text to use decorative graphics that don't enhance the learning process. It is important not to over use animations and transitions between slides on PowerPoints that may be distracting as well as having backgrounds that are very busy. I also learned that there is a natural path that the eyes follow which is starts in the left middle of a graphic and circles around. So the important information should be place at the beginning of the arc first.

At the end of your presentation, it is good to sum everything up and perhaps conduct follow up activities that drive home the lessons that you taught.

While I do not think that I will be giving presentations on a regular basis like a teacher might, there will probably be some times where I, as a telecommunication teacher, may have to pitch an idea I've had to an executive and want him to remember me out of the other presenters he is going to listen to. It was interesting to learn that while PowerPoint applications give you multitudes of templates, bullets, etc. The best way to get information across is by keeping it simple and just using the key facts.

The video below gives a humorous approach to how NOT to use a PowerPoint. It covers many of the topics that we learned.



The next video is a more serious approach to effective instructional media that really focuses on the content of the presentation and not as much the slides itself. It also provides extra tips like instead of putting your main/biggest point on the bottom of the slide, it is better to put them at the top where the audience will most likely read and see it.

Week 4- Copyright Law & Plagiarism (Extra Post)

In this weeks lesson, we also learned about copyright. Copyright, designated by the symbol to the left, gives the creator of visual works control over when and where his/her art is used. These types of work includes text, videos, pictures, etc. If the work is used without the creators expressed permission, plagiarism, then a heavy fine is placed on the violator. However, copyright does not include, slogans, names, common knowledge, or any other non tangible work. Eventually copyrighted material can be used freely once it reaches public domain. Public domain takes effect 70 years after the creator of the work has passed and the copyright was not renewed. Nonetheless, some materials that are copyrighted may be used within limits for educational purposes.
With the advent of Web 2.0, a new kind of copyright has been created called Creative Commons. This allows the creator to share their work with others and allow it to be altered as long as credit to the original author is given.

How is copyright related to telecommunications? Well all material that is created by the user whether it be in the form of a video or screenplay should be copyrighted. It is easy to write a story or make a video that you think is original only to find out that someone has already copyrighted it and that if you publish it or share it with anyone you are in violation. In specifically the movie industry, there is an ever-growing issue with piracy. Piracy is a violation of copyright. With the advent of technology it is easy to burn movies and shows to a blank disk and distribute them/sell them to others. This severely hurts the motion picture industry and so they are rallying for stricter anti-piracy laws. It also not only hurts the creator of the work that has been pirated, but also those who worked on the film. Why would people pay to see a movie when they can watch it online or on a bootleg copy for free? All the hard work and money put into making a film is wasted because it does not make any profits upon its release.

This is a link that does a good job of giving teachers tips on how to prevent plagiarism and why it occurs. It goes into intentional and unintentional plagiarism and even how plagiarism in view in more collective cultures. These days it seems hard not to plagiarize someones ideas because a lot of students believe that their ideas are not as eloquent as those found on the internet and so they like to copy in hopes of getting a better grade. It is also easy to research something and them when you go to write about it use the authors words thinking that you came up with them. It is very important teach students to always cite their sources so they get into the habit of doing it.
Why Students Plagiarize

Week 3- WebTechnology

In class this week we went over what Web 2.0 is.



Web 2.0 first began in 2004 and is a new type of interactive media on the internet. It allows users from all over the world to customize and share content with other users. It allows users to be more active in their involvement on the web by adding their own insights instead of passively reading what is given to them. This customization has led to the development of social networking sites such as; facebook, myspace, blogs, etc. It has allowed people all over the world to connect, whether it be for social, personal, or work related reasons. We also explored different applications using the Web 2.0 technology. These application are very diverse, ranging from creating your won music with others to cooking, and everything in between.

Using Web 2.0 technology would be very helpful in telecommunications! It would allow me to post my videos online and have user feedback on them . It would also help be find people in my area (and around the world) interested in the same things I am and have them help me out when I am creating films or projects. It would also help me to see what others are creating and the new ideas and technology being used. It might help inspire me to see others' work and encourage me to take risks in my own projects.

This video I found does a good job of showcasing Web 2.0. It shows many different aspects and sites that use the Web 2.0 features and explains how the content is controlled by many and not just one person. In fact YouTube, the site where the video is posted, is a Web 2.0 application that allows others to comment on the videos. So if you like the video you can either leave a comment on YouTube, or on this blog which allows comments with Web 2.0 too!

Week 2- Educational Technology

This week in class we learned about the development of the internet and Macintosh computers.

The mililtary began testing out the ARP Anet to link different military bases at differnt locations and still be able to communicate. Gradually this connection moved into universities, and eventually in 1989, the World Wide Web was introduce by Tim Berners-Lee. We also learned some internet vocabulary such as the URL, Web Browsers, etc. In addition to that, different communication types were discussed, such as, Asynchronous Communication, which sends and receives information not in real time (ex. list-serves, and bulletin boards) versus Synchronous Communication which allows two or more people to connect in real time(ex. chat rooms and instant messaging).

Being a PC user all my life, it was interesting to learn the Mac computer created by Apple. It was (I'm not going to lie) a little difficult as well with having things in different places, such as having the dock at the bottom of the screen and using the finder window. We also were asked to watch Frontline: Growing up Online a video from PBS. It was interesting to see how the internet has changed the way people communicate. With facebook, e-mail, and instant messaging, we no longer need face-to-face interaction anymore. The internet has also become a place for kids to express themselves in video blogs (Vlogs), photos of themselves, etc. However, with all the good that the internet brings, the video does a good job of showing the negative side effects. These range from cyber bullying to sites that show how to commit suicide.

Well, in terms of my major of telecommunication the internet is essential. It is a place to publish any videos that you have created and allows others to see them. This can be extremely helpful in terms of possible getting your work out there for the right people to see. We also use Final cut Pro in editing out videos for school. This program can only be done on a Macintosh so it is essential that I learn as much as I can about them.

I choose this video because I think it explains one of the new problems with kids on the internet. People forget that a lot of the time what they post on the internet can be seen by others all over the world. Even on sites that are popular, such as Facebook, people are looking at photos of the users. While some people looking at the photos may be predators, now some companies look at their job applicants facebook to see what kind of person they are. Do they like to party? Are there a lot of photos of the person drinking? Is this the kind of person they want to represent their company?

Week 1 - Course Intro

The first week in class we learned what exactly Education in Technology was about. Educational Technology relates to using modern technologies such as computers, PowerPoint, etc. to help promote learning.

Using technology in the education setting is helpful because it can help relate information learned to a more concrete source. It also makes learning more flexible in terms of different learning styles. For example, some people are visual learners and seeing a chart on a PowerPoint slide may help them. Distance learning has grown because people who have circumstances and cannot physically go to school are able to get a degree online. It can also help prepare one to enter the professional working world with the 21st century skills necessary to succeed.
However, while technology does help in some aspects of learning, there are still factors that hinder the learning process. Environmental issues, such as a loud classroom may disrupt some students. One's personal filters such as your values or religious beliefs may cause a disruption in learning. For example if you believe in the Creation theory, you might not be able to accept/understand the theory of evolution. Psychological factors that are unique to each student can hurt learning, such as if one had a death in the family they may not be able to concentrate. Technology is also very expensive and may not be available to all people. Also, technology is ever growing and improving so what one learns today may be obsolete in a couple of years.

As a telecommunication major on the production track technology is very important to me for not only my field but also in the classroom learning about my field. In class we use technology everyday, we use video cameras and have to record what we shoot on tapes. Once we have everything we need recorded on those tapes, we need to edit. In the editing lab I have to using programs on the computer to cut footage, insert graphics and text, and to burn the final version to a DVD. Because Technology is ever changing and I will probably always be editing footage on a computer, I will always have to up to date on the newest programs available.

In this youtube video, the narrator explains how there are three different phases of technology that can be used to help educate. The first phase is the the most basic: it is having the teacher use a computer to teach the children from a PowerPoint or other information source. The second phase having the student find information through online searching. The final phase is having the student essentially involved in all aspects of learning. The student in not just turning in the homework, but they can publish their work on the web, can review their peers submissions and likewise have others comment on their work. With all this technological involvement it is likely that the students understanding of the material is better than if they were just passively turning in an assignment and getting the grade back.