Sunday, June 5, 2016

.


Happy Summer!



Sunday, May 8, 2016

S 14 Prepare for Battle


Microsoft Office vs Google Drive



Prepare for battle!  Check these out:






1.  Compare a feature of Microsoft Office and Google Drive where "Google Apps" is the winner.

2.  Compare a feature of Microsoft Office and Google Drive where "Microsoft" is the winner.

READ ALL THE ENTRIES BEFORE YOU  
No credit will be given for any repeat features!  
Make sure your entry is original.






Sunday, May 1, 2016

S 13 Open Source and AI


In 2015 there was an explosion in Artificial Intelligence research and development. Facebook and Google have open-sourced both A.I. software and hardware. Since the iPhone, there have been personal digital assistants that are used in our everyday lives such as Siri, Google NOW, and Cortana. But along with all of this innovation there is controversy on the potential of A.I. and how to stop it if it reaches a point of intelligence higher than humans.


1.  What is "Open Source?"  What does it mean for you?

2.  What do you know about AI?  What does it mean?  What are the implications of its wide spread development?

3.  Read the article.  Link at top.  What parts of the article did you find most interesting?  Why?





Tuesday, April 26, 2016

GenYES and CTSO




GenYES becomes a different experience for everyone.

"GenYES is what you make of it"  
because there are many opportunities and options that you can choose from and there is a strong mission to allow GenYES students leadership opportunities to participate in the organization and content structure of the class and student organization.    


We will be having our end of the year CTSO meeting next week. Your homework this week will be to reflect on this program and offer your input, comment on the events and structure of the class and what you would like to see in the future.  Complete the link below.



GenYES - CTSO Meeting Wednesday 

May 3 ~ After School 2:30 to 4:00
  
Talk all about GenYES • Next Year Plans
New things • Biz Stuff • GenYES Recap
FOOD and FUN!  



Click here:  GenYES Recap Link  





Sunday, April 17, 2016

S12 Office Productivity Technologies

Office, iWork, Drive, and OpenOffice: 

Which office apps are right for you?



1. How would you decide which application is best for your business?  (Personal opinion)

2. Discover an online tool or app to improve any business's operations.   (Research.  No repeats)

Sunday, April 10, 2016

S11 Workforce Robotics


Robotics in the Workforce


Welcome to the robot-based workforce

Firefighting Robots

Or pick your article..

1) Read.  Cite your article.  Comment on what you read.  How are robotics affecting jobs, economics, the future of work or life as we know it?  Is this …  Good? ... Bad?  

2) How does this affect you personally in your future quest for a job or career?  

Monday, April 4, 2016

Sunday, March 27, 2016

S9 Social Media

Weighing in on Social Media



1. Each year more social media platforms are created.  Some become wildly popular.  Which social media sites do you think are cool or have unique features that are trending now?  Or do you dislike the new social media venues?  Like / dislike social media in general?   BEFORE you answer open the link above.  Read.  Then informally cite information that you read* along with your personal opinions. 

2. What is one downside (bad thing) about social media, other than privacy breach?  (Think beyond the obvious answer here)

3. What is one attribute (good thing) about social media, other than just the ability to share events? (Think beyond the obvious answer here)

4. What social media do you engage in?  How often? 


*Note:  Informally cite like this:  From the article "5 Pros and Cons of Social Media in the Classroom"  that I read I discovered ...

Sunday, March 20, 2016

S8 Crowdfunding

Raising money for a Project  

Crowdfunding has changed the way innovators can bring their products to the public by appealing directly to the public for funding. No longer do creators need to beg to huge corporations to fund and back their project. Anyone with an idea has the opportunity to make it a reality.

Kickstarter Tech

Use these ^ links to find technology projects 

1. List your favorite 2 projects with a comment why you liked it. 

2. Now what do you think that inventor would have had to do to get their product to the public before crowdfunding?




Use these ^ links to answer these questions: 

3. What are the benefits to crowdfunding? Any disadvantages? 

4. Should companies like Kickstarter or Indiegogo take percentages of profits from projects on their sites? Why or Why Not?

5. Lastly give your opinion on crowdfunding and its impact on technology. Does it free inventors to use their full creative potential or does it only offer a medium for people to promote stupid projects? (Think Potato Salad Project...if you don't know about this look it up...pretty funny).

Sunday, March 6, 2016

S7 Gamification

Gamificatio

...is a trend of turning tasks like work and school into funner, more immersive experiences by mixing them with gaming and gaming fragments, like levels and achievements

Many people worldwide are fighting for more gamification in places like businesses, schools, companies, and other places.



Read or watch at least two (including Sesame Credit) of these sources:

Then answer these questions:

1) Have you used a program, game or gamified system before? What was your experience?

2) Are there some things that should be gamified?  Never be gamified?  School?

3) Do you see Sesame Credit as something to worry about? Or just an interesting and possibly useful social experiment?  Could this happen in the US?

Sunday, February 21, 2016

S6 - Esports


general-esports-metro-image-2.jpg






Over the past few years, professional e-sports have blown up. 

At this rate, e-sports will eventually be something that everybody just knows about, like football and basketball. 

As this spreads, schools are starting to create e-sports teams for certain games who compete against other schools. At the moment, there are not many schools that do this yet. However, there are many questions that come up when the idea of school e-sports comes up.



1. Should schools even start having e-sports teams? Do you feel like it would be a good addition to school’s extracurricular activities, or should e-sports just remain separated from school?

2. If e-sports are put into schools, should it be the school’s responsibility to pay for the technology and gear for the e-sports team, or the students who participate? Or should the school just provide decent equipment, and the student could bring a better system if they choose to?

3. Should e-sports be treated like other school sports? For example, should there be things like drug tests, needing good grades to participate, different levels like JV/Varsity, etc.? Should people have to try out for the team? Would there be trainers and coaches?


4. Do you feel like e-sports will be put into schools within the next 5 years? If not, do you think it ever will be added?

Sunday, February 14, 2016

S5 Tech Home

Home of the Future


Take a look:

  • 1.  Which companies, do you feel, have the best ideas in the development of high tech homes for the future? Discuss the features that you like the best.
  • 2.  What does the IoT have to do with all this?
  • 3.  How does the main control system work?  Would you build a high tech system in your home?  Why / Why not.   







Sunday, February 7, 2016

S4 Med Tech

Radical Medical Technologies

Below are four topics students submitted for this blog.  I found these particularly compelling to investigate relative to technological advancements, social implications, and ethical controversies.  


This week is a puzzle challenge.  Number your responses 1.2.3.4. 
Match the topic statement to the picture.  
Research the links.  Share a point you read about each topic.
Comment about what you consider the pro's and con's 
or ethical implications of each topic, along with your opinion.


Genetic Literacy Project             Qualcomm's Chips              medGadget             Patients Benefit 



                                                            
Write thoughtful detailed responses based on your research. 
100 Points this week. Everyone completes. Authors will receive blog passes for a different week. 


Sunday, January 31, 2016

S3 Automotive Tech

The Future of Automotive Technology


Cars have gone tech.  Millions of lines of code to program a few functions of autonomous cars. What is your opinion, based on the research you discovered in the links below, on this amazing technology?  Look at all the links.  Delve into the areas that interest you the most.






1.  From the readings or movies that you viewed, what features impressed you the most about this technology?  

2.  This technology has been out for ten years.  Why don't we see more self driving cars on our roads?  What are the problems?

3.  Assuming you had the money and were old enough to drive, would you buy a self driving car?  Explain.


Cite information you viewed from at least three sources above.  Cite specific points you learned about.




Sunday, January 24, 2016

S2 Digital Money


ecommerce-binary-money-dollar.jpg

The Future of Money 

Apple Pay, and Android Pay are the new digital wallets. they are becoming more popular than paper money.



1. How is the flow of money changing? What are the new options for buying things? Provide facts on what you read. What affect will the growth of digital money this have on the world? Your life?

2. What are the benefits and dangers of digital money?

3. Do you use digital money now? How? What if any types of digital, would you consider using?

Sunday, January 10, 2016

S1 New Technologies 2016



Consumer Electronic Show (CES)  is an internationally recognized convention in Las Vegas centered around all things tech.  From car manufacturers to the latest robot invention, CES houses thousands of innovative ideas under one roof.

Several students submitted blog articles about new technologies found at CES.  

QUESTION 1  Of the first three student items listed below, which one do you like best?  TECH A, B, C?  Why?  Would you buy it and use it?


<TECH A. Check out a drone that seats one…..Hey! Did you know these kind of drones even exist? This drone is a brand new piece of tech that will revolutionize Personal Transportation 

This drone has abilities a helicopter wish it had, such as it flies itself to your destination that you choose by google maps.  

It has a comfortable cockpit that Seats One Passenger



<TECH B. LG IS BUILDING a huge lead in the OLED TV market, and with good reason: They’re the only company making them at the moment.  
Look and be amazed: LG OLED TV   What's an OLED TV  


TECH C.> Polaroid came out with a camera known as the SX-70 a while back that instantly printed out photos, now Polaroid has came out with the Polaroid Snap which has the same concept but it’s more advanced. The Polaroid Snap is a digital camera which can print out 1080p photosOpinion    Information



QUESTION 2  Check out: CES Wrap Up.   What technology surprises you?  What do you think of 2016's new technologies overall?  Anything you want to own for yourself?

QUESTION 3 What tech item do you think is stagnant? How would you like to see it improve or advance?

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Happy New Year - Infographics


Happy New Year!

Infographics are visual representations about data and statistics.  

Check them out: Infographics link

Assignment: 

(See my posted example below)

1.  Choose an infographic on a topic that interests you.  Click the "View Image button" to enlarge it.  Copy the link (shortening it is cooler) and share your infographic topic choice and link.

2.  Describe why you chose the topic of your infographic and provide more information about it.  Click the "Visit Page" button to see how the infographic was used in context.  What specific information was the author trying to convey?  Provide a short link to your infographic article.  

(See my example below)