Sunday, December 2, 2012

Students Take Over!

Last blog of the year by MsK!  

The next blog will be yours!



1.  Review all the blogs from this year.  Comment below on your favorite and why you chose it.  (No don't do Thanksgiving or other freebies!)  Follow blog rules for this question.  (50 Points)


2.  Write the blog for next year!  Go here.  It's all yours now.   (100 Points)



Sunday, November 25, 2012

New Technology

This week you will be presenting some new and innovative technologies to use in the classroom.

Check out some new technologies developing in the world today.




1.  After investigating all three sites, comment on the two or three ideas that impress you the most.  Try not to repeat a previous post.

2.  What are your ideas to inspire teachers to use more technology in their teaching?

Note: Don't confuse new technologies with gadgets.  We'll explore cool gadgets next month (just in time for holiday shopping).  Pick the topics you discuss this week based on "making a difference' in life in some manner.

Sunday, November 18, 2012


Happy Holidays Everyone!

Take the week off from homework and enjoy family time!

I am thankful ...  for you!  (See below)

Comments optional!  

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Social Networking in School

What if the administrators of our school district unblocked all the social networking sites to everyone at school?



Read the questions below, but before you answer, do a little research, read through a few of the links and cite your references.  Consider all the people at school involved:  Students, teachers and administrators.  

•  Case for social media in school         
•  When do students and teachers cross the line?
•  Online Social Networking
•  Social Media: The Bully's Playground
•  Facebook for preteens, a bad idea?
•  55 Fun Infographics about Social Networking



1.  What could be the advantages or benefits of opening up all social network sites at school?  

2.  What could be the bad effects or dangers of this decision?  

3.   How could teachers use social networking in their classrooms? 
(YOU are GenYES be creative!) 

4.  Simple Yes or no!  (Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages to open up social networking?)



Sunday, November 4, 2012

Election Tech

1.  From the poll to the top right, choose an issue or consider an alternative, that you feel would be one of your top priorities in selecting a President.  

Discuss below why you feel it's most important.


2.  Where do you get information about the election?  TV?  Internet?  Twitter?  Facebook?  Radio?  Parents?  Friends?  Which sources do you feel are the most reliable, unbiased or true?


3.   How have advancements in technology changed elections?   Infographic




REMEMBER to bring items for the food drive! 


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Tablet War Time!

It's inevitable.  With the release of the new Kindle HD a few weeks ago, the ipad mini and the upcoming Surface tablet, it's time for a Tablet War!  So which one would you pick?

Asus Padphone

Blackberry Playbook

Kindle Fire HD

ipad mini
ipad 3

Nexus 7

Surface


1.  Decide which one you personally feel is the best.  Be fair,  review them all.  What criteria do you think is most important in selecting this type of digital device?  Price / Value?  Design? OS? Sync with other devices?  Popularity?  Functions?  Size? Available apps?  School / Work use?  Fun factor?  Pick one device and defend it.  

2.  Go attack someone else's choice!  Battle on!

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Fix a problem. Win an award.


Another exciting year for the James Dyson Award - 501 projects but only one winner.  James Dyson is reviewing the top 15 projects and will announce the international winner and two runners-up on the 8th of November. 
               JAMES DYSON WEBSITE

1.  Go to the website and look at the top 15 finalists. YOU pick the winner and two runners-up*! 

2.  What are the James Dyson Awards and why, as GenYES students, are we researching these?

3.  How do the US entries compare to the rest of the world?  Were any of them your pick? 

4.  To YOU, what are the most important aspects of developing a new technology?  How much money it can make?  Benefiting others?  Expanding communication?  Fixing a problem? Changing the way we work, play, compute, travel, learn?   Or....?  Was this part of your criteria for picking winners?


Sunday, October 14, 2012

All About Google

The fourth QUAD group finished their unit on Google search functions this week.   So for this weeks blog, let's check it out some fun stuff about Google.

Explore the links below.  Then select TWO of the links from 1-5 to report on.  Find something cool that you discovered, perhaps in a sublink or a product or a story, about something you didn't previously know about google, on each site.   Be sure to read other student comments before you.  As always,  if you repeat a comment, you won't receive points for your post.  Have some fun with this.


Sunday, October 7, 2012

Business Tech


In the third part of our focus on QUAD Project topics we are exploring business.  Specifically, business technology.

Watch the Bloomberg Tech Movie 

1.  What do you think of the predictions discussed in this movie? How might they affect you in your choice of a career?  Or how would you speculate technology affects other occupations?


http://www.businessweek.com/technology





2.  From the tab menu at the top of the page, either stay on the Technology tab or select another category.    Find an article that interests you and read it.   Give a summary of what you read and a personal opinion about what you learned.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Programming

Should kids learn to code in Grade School?



1.  Click on Mind/Shift.  Read the short article.  Share below your general thoughts or feelings on what you read.  

2.  Consider this: do you think that learning to write code might become as important as learning to write an essay in school?   Why or why not?  

 3.  Click on any offsite link on the page.  What did you select?   What did you discover? 

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Gamification


Part 1:  List 2 choices for games to purchase from Amazon for the media center.  Provide the name of your game followed by the Amazon links for each.  Remember be appropriate, no FPS, no games that are M/ T /Violence, no, no playstation because we don't have one!  Only 2 games!  What your favs for this type of play for XBox or wii? 


Part 2:  Finish the discussion on Gamification by going to the Assignment Website.   Answer the 2  questions there and submit.




Sunday, September 16, 2012

There's an APP for that...

There are millions of APPS out there!




1.  APPS ... just really what ARE APPS?

2.  On what devices do you use them?  About how many have you downloaded?

3.  How many have you paid for?

4.  Which 5 APPS do you think are the best?  Why?  Set up your answer like this:
             1.
             2.
             3.
             4.
             5.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Big Data in Your Blood

What is this? 
And why should you care about how it might change your life?
  1. So what is it?
  2. After reading the entire article, consider first, is this a good advance in technological progress for you personally?  For your health?  For your participation in sports?  For the potential of raising a family?  
  3. After reading the entire article, quote a line that jumps out to you and comment on the benefits or detriment to society this might cause.
  4. Explore one of the links in the article.  Comment on what you discovered.

Before you comment... reread the instructions for this blog.  Many of you are skimpy on your writing.  Please be mindful grades here on out will expect you to; 1) write in complete sentences after thoughtfully considering what you read and 2) write a significant amount defending your position.   


Sunday, September 2, 2012

Wireless Wonders

Is Your Life Mobile?

We walk, talk and sleep with our phones. But are we more—or less—connected?

Read the article

Take the GenYES Poll
(I will display poll results of all your answers from all our classes next week.)

Visit TIME's Poll Results


Predict / comment below on how you think our answers will compare with the world.  What observations from looking at the TIME Poll surprised you?

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Creative Searching


1. Go to WDYL websearch by Google and type in technology.  Look around.  Describe something you learned.  Do not repeat anyone else's post, if you do, you will lose half of your points on this question. YIKES!  Be sure to read previous posts!  (20)

2. Go to WDYL websearch and type in your own topic.  What did you pick? What did you learn? (20)

3. How useful is this? (10)




Sunday, August 19, 2012

CTE • AMPLITUDE • YOU




Here you are in GenYES and this week you will be sharing your awesomeness!


1.  Describe in detail what YOU will be doing for the CTE visit on Wednesday.


2.  Read what other people are doing.  Comment on their post.  Offer a suggestion, word or two of encouragement, philosophical saying, compliment... you get the idea.  Who's post did you comment on?


That's it.  Really.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

CTE and GenYES

Exploring CTE - Career & Technology Education

GenYES is a fairly new addition to the Information Technology section of CTE at both the state and district level.

Take a look at these statements from the Arizona CTE Website:

Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs prepare students to enter the workforce with the academic and vocational skills needed to compete successfully in the job market. CTE courses typically include competency-based learning.

Our Vision: Ensure a dynamic workforce by fully developing every student’s career and academic potential.

Our Mission: Prepare Arizona students for workforce success and continuous learning.

1.  Briefly, in two sentences, explain how one of these statements might relate to your experience in GenYES.  Please comment on only one section, be original and not duplicate any other students response.

2.  Open the Arizona CTE Website and click on the Student Organizations Link.  Members from our GenYES group will be part of one of these organizations.  Which one do you think?  Why?

3.  Now open the PV CTE Website.  Find the page that has GenYES on it.  It's hard to find it huh?!  We don't have much of a presence here... yet!  So we need to change that!  What information did you find there?  And what information do you think we should provide to the webmaster of this site?

Friday, June 15, 2012

Summer Technology



Shock!  Someone is actually reading this?!!



Nice job checking in over the summer!   And because you had the moxie to do this... there's a bonus*!


All you have to do is report on cool new tech!  New macbooks?  Microsoft is buying Nokia?  There's a new bendable Gorilla glass?  Siri is coming to ipads?  Anything else?  


1.  What's new and exciting in the world of technology this summer?
2.  How will it directly affect you?
3.  How might it affect others in the world?
4.  Good points vs bad points.
5.  Provide a short link


*What's in it for you?  Just double points and a week off from blog homework in August!  This is providing of course, your report is good.  As always, follow the blog rules.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The end is near....

Last blog of the season!

Here are two cool tasks:

1. Post a question that you feel is tech worthy for the final.  Make it a good one and you will get extra credit for the test!  Be sure to look at the questions at the end of the day so you can be ready for the ones I pick for the final!  Hey... this is true GenYES stuff you helping .... me....the teacher !

2.  Also, take a look at other peoples posts over this semester.  There will be a contest to guess who's is who!






Beau!  Way to go Beau!






Cheers!  Thanks for the memories.... MsK :)

Sunday, May 6, 2012

(S13) Cell Phones 2012

                                       


Part 1 :  What is the best cell phone?  Why?


Part 2 : Comment on (at least) 3 other posts of phones that are NOT your choice.  Defend your phone!


LET THE PHONE WARS BEGIN....

Sunday, April 29, 2012

(S12) Robots!


 You guys pick cool topics to blog about. Robots this week...

1.  Visit this website and learn about these robots odd uses: POPSCI  

2. Think about the article and list some uses of these robots besides the ones on the website.

3.  Find another odd example of robotics and tell why you liked it.   Tons of Robot Links! Provide a link (short link) of the one you liked in your example.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

(S11) Laptop Design

If you were a laptop designer and wanted to appeal more towards teenagers how would you incorporate more kid friendly technology or designs into the laptop?



Websites:







Review all three websites above and pick your favorite laptop design.  Reference which website.   Describe in detail the perfect laptop in your opinion, either by using the existing design models, modifying or creating a new design.



Tuesday, April 17, 2012

(S10*) Technology today..... what about tomorrow?

15 Technologies in use today... 
that my newborn son won't use

1. Do you agree with the authors predictions, from the linked article above, about all the listed items? Which ones do you disagree with?

2. How many of these items have you already stopped using?

3. Think of another tech item or concept not on the list that might disappear in the next few years.

There was a cool picture that apparently was pushing out an error message that stopped this blog from loading in pvlearners. Hence you didn't see the blog and hence there is now no picture.




Tuesday, April 10, 2012

(S9) Tech Shoes!

Capturing Electricity with a Shoe

Check out the link: Popsi - Shoe


1. In your own words, how does this work? How does the shoe generate electricity?

2. What other uses could come out from this technology? Or, what might this allow someone to do while “On-the-Go”?

3. They generate about 36 kW/h which is about $3.60 in electricity Do you think the electricity you collect could be sold? What are the possibilities?

4. Random related thought...

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Week Off


Enjoy a week off from Blog Homework!




Sunday, March 11, 2012

(S8) Lion vs Win8

The old mac vs PC debate has gotten a bit more complicated with the popularity of mobile devices using variations of these and new operating systems.

Apple is streamlining it's product offerings as a result of ipad/iphone trends. Tablets have soared in sales.

Many claim that "Mac is becoming more like PC and PC is becoming more like mac.
1. Do you agree? Disagree? Explain your reasoning.

2. Review Win8. What's cool? What's not?

3. What are the coolest things about Lion that launched? What don't you like about it.

4. What is the primary computing device that YOU use the most?

5. Do you think that mobile devices will completely replace desktop machines?


(S7) Gadgets


You guys really like gadgets! I've combined two student blog ideas for this weeks blog.

Find 3 of your favorite gadgets from some of the sites below. Describe why you picked each one and how you think it would improve our lives.


Please use this format:

1 Gadget .... is cool because... it would benefit or improve my life because...
2 Gadget .... is cool because... it would benefit or improve my life because...
3 Gadget .... is cool because... it would benefit or improve my life because...

* We are going to vote on the best submission of gadgets. Free Blog Pass to the winner. Ms K :)


Sunday, February 26, 2012

(S6) Concepts

There are concepts for just about everything imaginable, from cars to computers, even with guns! Here is your assignment:

1. Find a concept, any concept! Tell about it. Provide links. (shortened link of course)

2. Explain why it should be become mass produced!

3. Random thoughts about the concept?


(PS From MsK: I'm not sure what this student was thinking here and I didn't edit their idea at all except to add that cool pic....so we'll see where this takes us...)

(S5) Social Networking


1. How does social networking affect your life?

2. What social networks do you think could enhance your school experience? How?

3. What are some trending, new social networks? Good/Bad? Why?

4. Check out some obscure social networking sites. Pick one you've never heard of and comment on it's potential for the benefit of certain groups.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Dissertation Survey

Call for Participation in Study on Online Video Games


Hi, my name is Jeannette Shaffer and I am a graduate student at George Mason University in Virginia.


As a gamer, I have become interested in how gamers help one another, challenge one another, and work collaboratively to complete a mission when playing video games online. I began wondering why doesn’t this happen in school with learning and especially with educational games?

As part of my studies, I am doing research to learn more about the tools high school students use to communicate when playing online and offline video games. Through this research, I hope to gather information that will help with the design of educational games, to make these more interesting and useful for high school students.

I have developed a survey to gather information about students’ use of these online and offline tools. To participate in this survey, you must be 13 – 18 years old, enrolled in high school, and an online gamer. The survey is anonymous so no personal identifying information is collected from you, and will only take about 15 minutes to complete.


To access the survey click here: Gaming Social Preferences Survey:


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7T2R59W

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.


Assignment GenYES Students:

After taking the survey please comment below on your thoughts regarding this survey either about; the quality of questions asked, what questions you would ask or why someone would conduct this kind of research. Perhaps you have other comments about all this, go for it.


Sunday, February 12, 2012

(S4) GenYES


1 To you, what is GenYES?

2 What are you doing to get the most out of each day in class?

3 Name two things you wish you could do more of in class (yes...appropriate!)

4. What do you personally contribute to the betterment of our GenYES class? What mark or influence are you leaving on this class?

Sunday, January 29, 2012

(S3) Looking backward at Forward Thinking



Here's a link from 2001 Mac Forum right after the ipod was first released:

Read through a lot of the comments. They are funny. Remember it's 2001

Now take a close look at these: Apple Progress Charts (Click on the image to enlarge)

1. What happened? It appeared the public did not like the device. Yet it took off. Why, do you think? Analyse the data closely.

2. The chart info is about a year old, but how does Apple compare with other tech markets?

3. What other tech company do you believe has a substantial or greater (?) impact on American life?

Sunday, January 22, 2012

(S2) S.O.P.A.



VS





This is perfect timing for this student's entry, considering this weeks recent news and events.
The 'people of the Internet' voiced opinions loud and clear about SOPA and PIPA.
Do you have the total picture?
Read through ALL 5 SHORT articles below before commenting.
Find information on your own, to support your thinking.

(OK.. the wiki is not short but you get the idea pretty quick)

1. What are bills like SOPA and PIPA trying to accomplish?
2. What is good about all this?
3. What is bad about all this?
4. What are your solutions?

Sunday, January 15, 2012

(S1) Music

1. Click on the Music title and take survey

2. Have you discovered Google Music? If not, research it. How does it compare to itunes?

3. Comment on Spotify and Mog. Which do you think is better? If you use one, how? List devices, free or premium account, do you sync all your playlists, use bluetooth, etc..?

4. What else is out there? Pandora... rdio...rhapsody... ? Are there better options than listed above?


Thursday, January 12, 2012

Internet News


Something significant happened to the Internet today. What is it?


1. What factors are involved? Cost? Use? Search Engines? Pros? Cons?

Find something unique to say with each blog post to earn credit.