Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Happy Holidays

As the year ends and you have time off, here are a few websites to look over tech innovations of the last year.

In January we will explore new technologies that will most likely change the way we live.  

Warm wishes this holiday season...  Ms K

 PS Just watched this today: IT hiring next year

 

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Cloud computing

1. What is it?  
2. How are you using it now?  
3. How will this technology affect your future?

Sunday, November 28, 2010

All about the GenYes blog

Over the weeks you have contributed many interesting comments relative to questions  posed, through independent research or suggested readings.

This week you will comment solely on each others posts for any week prior to this week. 


Specifically, your mission is to find 3 postings from different weeks and different people. Identify the topic and people in each:

1.  Find a comment you agree with and describe why you agree.
2.  Find a comment you disagree with and support your counter position.
3.  Find a comment where you learned something or caused you to gain a new perspective.   This could be from a link presented or ideas provided in posts relative to the readings. Share what you gained. 

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

 


Enjoy the week with your family and friends.

No homework!  Cheers, Ms K

(If you want to make up any work this week I will accept it for half credit)




Sunday, November 14, 2010

Tech Tips

Here's a link for Tech Tips:  Daily Tech Tip   

It's just so-so in quality I think.

Your task is to find an EXCELLENT site for Tech Tips.

Your site choice can be a reference for information.  It can be Mac or PC.  It can be breaking news or just cool tech stuff.  It just has to be EXCELLENT...or close to it!  Just ONE site!


No repeat sites! So check out the sites posted before you! 


That's it.  Easy homework!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Stop Motion Photography

Next week we are going to create stop motion movie shorts.

Explore these websites to see various techniques:


Pick 3 of your favorites and comment on each:

  • List the title and web link
  • Describe the mediums that were used: wire, chalk, sticky notes, clay...
  • Describe how you think they did it: what were the technical aspects of production...overhead cameras, lighting, sound...
  • Why did you like it: appealing content, cool idea or creative theme... 

Have fun! 

    Sunday, October 31, 2010

    Future School, Future Life

    The year is 2035.  Your kids are entering high school. What does it look like?

    Read all the questions before beginning.

    1.  Will schools be more modern? Will there be more technology?  Are classes bigger? Virtual classrooms? How has the structure changed?

    2. Are the subjects the same?  Math? English? Science? Social Studies? Art?  Music? How are they different?  Are there books?  Is there still paper?

    3.  Watch about 2 minutes of this video: High School 1968 It's pretty accurate of what high school looked like when I was there.  Skip around a bit and get a feel for it.  We couldn't even fathom using computers at school.  We used encyclopedias for information. We predicted the future would look like this: Jetsons!  It didn't happen that way! But then I could never have even imagined the Internet, cell phones, GPS, ipads, etc.  It's pretty amazing to consider how things have changed during my lifetime. Someday you will be looking back at old videos of your time in high school.  So thoughtfully consider the vast amount of change I presented in this paragraph and predict with great detail what your life will look like in 2035. 


    (Grading Rubric: 1=10pts, 2=10pts, 3=30pts)

    PS I plan on printing this assignment for each of you to take to Year 2035 to chronicle your accuracy!

    Sunday, October 24, 2010

    Invisible Web

    What is this?














    Student:  Uh...Ms K there is no picture.
    MsK: Yes.
    Student:  Well how am I supposed to respond to "What is this?"
    MsK: It's invisible.
    Student: I don't get it.
    MsK: It's about the web.  There is an invisible web.
    Student: Huh?
    MsK: Go discover it.  The invisible web.  You will probably google it.  But wait...does google have an index to ALL the deep web information out there?  Hmmm... maybe not.

    1.  What is the invisible web?  How big is it?
    2.  What are other names for it? 
    3.  What kind of information is buried there and how can you find it?

    Sunday, October 17, 2010

    The Mobile Learner

    To assist in your quest for educational resources for ipods and smart phones this week check out: Mobile Learner

    There are thousands of apps and many are educational.

    1. Look at the 2 poll boxes to the right.  Choose answers.   How do you predict this poll will play out?

    2. Comment on why you think more teachers don't use mobile devices in class.

    3.   OK...now go for it! You have been commissioned to speak at the next teacher staff meeting. Highlight the attributes of ipods/smart phones.  Convince teachers of the potential benefits in using these devices in their classroom.  Consider what their objections might be and comment about how you'd alleviate those concerns.

    Sunday, October 10, 2010

    Internet Giants Collide

    Facebook has exploded in media attention in the past few weeks reaching 500 million users, the release of "The Social Network" movie and a seemingly evolving trend shift from 'informational' to 'social' web searches.

    Read this short paragraph. Notice the date:

    Why Google Should Fear the Social Web

    Google has been an Internet leader for many years.  So what's going on here?

    Facebook vs Google

    Google vs Facebook 

    Facebook's Future Plans

    Google's Future Plans 

     

    This might strike you as a little crazy especially since some of you may not even have a Facebook account!  

    Assignment: 

    Read through all 5 links above before answering the questions.  Most are short!

    1. Do you think Internet use is changing?  Yes or No.  Why?  Cite specific references to the readings (or provide new links) to support your answer. 

    2. How do these buttons factor into all this?

    3. Predict how the graph will look for Google vs Facebook for the next 5 years. (Don't let the one article totally sway you!)

    4. How will this affect YOU in your future use of the web?

    Company blogs: 

    Google

    Facebook


    Sunday, October 3, 2010

    Worrisome Websites!

    Below are 10 strange websites.  But some are stranger than others because a few of the websites below are totally fake! The info is totally wrong and the whole website was designed to fool you!  But...hey you are GenYES you won't be tricked!  Right?  Your task is to determine which ones are real and which are fake.

    Part 1.  Make a list of the sites.  For example:  Fake = 1, 2, 3..  Real= 4, 5, 6..

    NOTE: You can fool your pals here by posting bad information and then re-posting a revised list at a later time!  This assignment is all about foolery! Make sure your final list is the real one though because you will be graded for "right" and "wrong" answers out of the ten websites.

    Part 2.  Give an explanation of how you determined which ones were real and which ones were fake. 

    Part 3.  What is the "lesson" of this assignment?

    The Websites:  

    1.   Giraffe Mania

    2.   Fishcam

    3.   Northwest Tree Octopus 

    4.   Pantagonian Mara

    5.   Safe Cloning

    6.   Leafy Seadragon

    7.   Angora Rabbit

    8.   Pen-Tailed Tree Shrew 

    9.   Floral Body Sculpture 

    10.  Havenworks

    Sunday, September 26, 2010

    Tech Term Story Jumble!


    Below are 40 tech terms that are quite common in various arenas of the tech industry. 

    Your challenge this week is:

    1. Pick 3 terms from the chart below and identify clearly in your own words what they mean.

    1. Write a little story and connect how your 3 terms could work together.  Be as crazy as you like, but your story has to make sense based on the correct definition of your terms.  Have some fun with this! 

    Check the blog entries before you.  Each term can only be used ONCE!

    Click here for clearer image of chart




    Tanner, Ian and Emily... you have all earned a “Free Homework Pass.” Congratulations on doing ALL the levels!  Great Job!  You can use your pass this week or another week this semester.  You must send me an email by the Saturday deadline specifying "I'm using my homework pass" to earn the 50 points. 




    Sunday, September 19, 2010

    Spirit of Discovery


    Fun homework!  Is that possible?

    Hoshi Saga game.  Lots of critical thinking and discovery!
    Here is the workaround if you are at school: Hoshi Saga Safe

    Your task this week is to play the Hoshi Saga game and discover the stars in each row which will open up all the squares with the ? marks.

    Uncover all the ? marks in the first level.  You must also collaborate in this blog with your colleagues by leaving (at least) one hint below about any star box.  You can also submit questions on some of the tough ones if you want!

    Accomplish all the ? marks* and one comment hint in the blog and you are done with this weeks homework!

    Challenge!  If you choose to go on and complete the next levels, the top player will receive a free homework pass for next week!  All homework entries due by Saturday Midnight!  See note below

    Submitting your homework entry: Take a screen shot of your final board. Try to catch the score at the top.  Email it to me.
     
    dkovesdy@pvschools.net

    * (if you fail to complete a row thus leaving a ? mark = -5 points per ? each remaining on your board)

    Have fun!

    PS It used to release new levels when you completed the board.  Now they are separate and actually different too!  So if you want to do the "Challenge!" here are a few more levels:
    Hoshi 2
    Hoshi 3
    Hoshi 4
    Hoshi 5 

    That's it!

    Sunday, September 12, 2010

    Battle of the Bands Conundrum

    Check out the short story of this high school videographer:    Newman's Story

    1.  Do you think she did anything wrong?  Explain.

    2.  Theoretically...what about the money for the sale of the tapes/CD's?  Who should get a cut?
    • School?  
    • Performers? 
    • Metallica? 
    • No one! It all belongs to Newman
    3.  21st Century students have cameras in hands fairly often.  What things should students consider when shooting video to avoid a visit to the principal's office? 

    4.  How does YouTube factor into this discussion?

    5.  ONE WORD ANSWER -> Do you think digital citizenship should be taught in the school curriculum?

    Sunday, September 5, 2010

    The "Physical Web"

    It's the future of the web. It's happening now. You might be using it.  What is it?

    Read this story:
    Physical Web: How Apps Can Move Atoms and Bend Time

    Download and watch this short PowerPoint:
    Physical Web by Shasta Ventures

    Ubercab, Nike+iPod, Webkinz, Gowalla  are four examples of Physical Web applications.

    Your blog entry this week is to pick a physical web application.
    NOTE: You may pick one of the examples above, but no one can duplicate an entry.  So you will have to read the blog entries before you!


    1. Describe a physical web application and how it works relative to this equation:


    2.  Describe how you or someone you know would use it specifically.

    3.  What is your apps potential to grow, expand services over time?  How do you think it will happen?

    As always, please number your comments.

    Sunday, August 29, 2010

    mac vs pc



    A geeks favorite controversy!  Your task this week is to approach it from both angles.  Pick two of the newest comparable products and compare a feature of each.    Be sure to number your responses.   Pick different features for 1 and 2.

    1.  MAC vs pc.  Sell me a new mac based on a wonderful feature that a new pc is inferior.  Specify exact models and OS and fully describe the feature.

    2.  PC vs mac.  Sell me a new pc based on a wonderful feature that a new mac is inferior.  Specify exact models and OS and fully describe the feature.

    Check out this link...
    mac vs pc

    Wednesday, August 25, 2010

    File name formats

    A filename extension is the data to the right of a file name.  This extension tells you properties of the file and often what application it will work with.  Some file extensions only work with certain operating systems.  Read about file name extensions:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filename_extension

    Explore File Names Examples:
    http://www.fileinfo.com/
    http://www.file-extensions.org/


    You will be providing 3 comments.  Please number each one.


    1.  Name a file extension that only works with Windows/Microsoft products. What would be an analogous file for mac? (10 pts)

    2.  Name 2 graphics or image files.  Which ones are the most compatible in most operating systems? What are the reasons you would pick this image file or not pick it? (20 pts)

    3.  Explore the example sites above.   Discover an interesting extension that you've never heard of but think you might use it in the future.  Why does this file interest you and how do you think you will use that app?  (30 pts)

    Sunday, August 15, 2010

    GenYes International



    Visit the GenYes International website and get a sense of the the big picture.  Watch the movie.  Explore the site and read an article or two.  Comment in your own words why this concept for schools is so successful.  How does it impact teachers at SMHS?  What role will you play?