11 Technology Leader

Who is the world's technology leader?

This is a very broad question so before you answer consider what qualifiers you are going to use.  Would your answer consider which country has the best tech innovations?  Which country uses the most technology?  Or which population spends the most money on tech?  
Or who develops or manufactures the most technology for the rest of the world?   

Do some research before you answer and cite your references.  

Your sources should be fairly new! (like 2013)

Support your thinking.

10 Project Check

You are starting week 3 on your  Fall Tech Project area.  This is about a third or almost halfway to the end.  How are you doing?

1.  Pick the statement that best describes how well it's going.  Discuss your struggles and successes.

A.  I'm ahead of schedule.  I've finished week three, completed/almost completed all the work and updated my website.
B.  I'm starting Week 3 work, completed/almost completed all the work, begun loading info on my site.
C.  I'm falling behind but I think I could catch up this week
D.  I'm way behind


2.  How can you better manage your time or stay on task?  What are distractions from finishing your project?

3.  What do you have to gain by finishing your project?  (Think big here) The keyword here is You.

9 Blended Learning

Does it blend?

7 reasons for Blended Learning

What is Blended Learning?

1.  Assume it's your first day on the job.  Any job.  How do you imagine you will learn how to do that job?  How would you get good at it?

2. Say you want to be able to "Fly a Hot Air Balloon*" by next summer.  What would be your plan to make this happen?  

3.  What is blended learning?  What would be the advantage of this learning method in high school?

8. Educational Simulations

Explore the site:  Games for Change

1.  In your own words, what did you discover about this organization?  What seems to be their philosophy? Goals? Projects? Are they successful? What is your opinion of what they are attempting to do?  Research all the tabs and get a real sense of this company. 

2.  Pick a game to play.  Check first that no one before your blog post has chosen it.  There are 135 games.  (If you replicate a previous choice you won't receive credit for this question!)  Play the game all the way through until you feel you've accomplished all you can.  Evaluate the quality of the game and what you learned.  

7. Macbook Pro

This week Shadow Mountain teachers received a new Macbook Pro.   It will be important for you as service techs to know all you can about the operation, applications and management of data for these devices.

Read through the sites until you learn something new!

GenYES Period 6 Tutorial Site
GenYES Period 7 Tutorial Site 
Macbook Pro Support Site
Macbook Specs


1.  List an informative tip, trick or cool thing about the Macbook Pro.   Please DO NOT REPEAT any tip before yours.  While you're reading all the tips,  you will be learning all kinds of cool stuff.

2.  OK so imagine you are at the GenYES bar.  Describe in detail how you are an amazing leader, tech support agent and professional...

3.  Sign up to man the GenYES Bar: Here.  Pick your time slots. Your choice: 1 or 2 slots.  This is time you will be available to serve teachers with their new macbooks when needed.  Write: Done for this blog answer after you sign up for your slots!

Easy blog this week huh?

6. Internet of Things

The future has arrived and it will be run by our devices.  

Explore.   Look at all of these resource links:

Explainer: The Internet of Things (Interactive)

Internet of Things: (5 Short Movies)

Internet of Things (Movie)

Internet of Everything (Cisco's concept) Blog stories

Internet of Things: Many Stories

1. What is the IoT?  How is it expected to expand by 2020?  How will it affect our lives personally?

2.  Discuss the benefits of IoT either globally or citywide.  Possibly consider waste, resources, efficiency or time.

3.  How is information communicated M2M?  What are RFID's?  What other ways do devices connect  with each other?  

Be thoughtful and comprehensive.  This is your future we're talking about...

5. Reality Redefined

Augmented Reality (AR) vs. Virtual Reality (VR).  

What's the difference?

Lots of examples: Website Images

How stuff works: Augmented Reality

YouTube: Virtual Reality 

1. Explain, in your own words, what these emerging technologies are all about.  What are the differences, benefits or detriments they might have in our future lifestyle? 

2. Choose and describe an AR device/program/app.

3. Select and describe a VR device/program/app.

Don't duplicate any examples.  Find your own!  

4. Tracking Technologies

Electronic Tracking.   Good?   Bad?

Tracking technology is widespread and growing. Read and explore each of these 3 tracking technologies:

Pocketfinder 
Black Boxes in Cars Standard by 2014
Attention Shoppers! Retailers are Tracking You!

What is good about each type of tracking unit?  

What is bad?

Be thoughtful in what the future implications of these technologies might be.

3. Leadership

1. What qualities make a good leader?

2.  As Student Tech Leaders of the Shadow Campus, 
how do you perceive your role?

3.  What is SkillsUSA and how might this organization 
help you become a good leader?

4. What types of technology needs on this campus, would you guess will be requested in the next few weeks, or months from teachers, staff or fellow students?  In other words .... take a guess on what potential jobs you will be asked to help with or lead in, as a GenYES Student.  

➜ Remember to always number your responses ...

2. Website Design

This week as you create (or improve) your portfolio websites, spend some time and consider the design elements.

Many of these sites linked below are made with flash, Photoshop or other sophisticated software, but you can replicate many of the design ideas and layout using google (pvlearners) sites.

The idea here is to spark more creativity into your sites!

1. Evaluate the design in some of the worst websites.  Pick one and describe why you think it's awful.  Did you find any in their list you actually liked?  Yikes! 

2. Take a look at some award winning websites.  Really look around!  Pick one or two sites and describe why you like it and if (or how) you might integrate some of the ideas you saw into your site.  

     100 Websites with Outstanding Artistic Design 

     Very Nice Sites 

3.  What do you want your site to say about you?  

PLEASE NUMBER each of your responses in your comments.  Don't forget to login using your pvlearners account.