17 MsK's Last Blog!

Your task this week is to breeze through blogs in this forum from the past few years.  

Pick 3 that stick out in your mind.   

They could be topics that interest you, topics that got the best responses or made you think or creative tech ideas.   List the topic and why you chose it.  

Example:

1.)  2013 - Internet of Things.  This topic really intrigued me.   I never thought of technology as being so interconnected and all encompassing.  It was scary and I learned something here.

2.)  2012 - Social Networking in School.  I was doing research for admins and was excited to open this topic up for an opportunity for kids to be heard about this topic. It shocked me in what some of the kids wrote.  I thought they would be 'all for' networking at school, but most were not.  I respect the right for all to express their thoughts though and it gives me perspective.  But I hated some answers.

3.) 2012 - James Dyson award.   Great things people are doing out there all over the world.  I hope someone picks this perhaps as their blog topic because we should look at this site every year or something like it. Technology is not always about cool gadgets or ways to connect, but about improving life.

P.S.   Word count = 155 (Nice job MsK)

The blog next week will be one of yours!  I'm officially turning this over to you!

16 Future Technologies: 2014

What do you think?

What "Future Technologies" 

do you think will impact our lives this new year?

News for 2014 - Technology

New Tech - Pick 2014, open, research and report

Predictions for 2014

Technology Predictions: Smarter Cities, Bigger Games

1. Open and explore ALL of the links above.
2. Select 3 items that impress you relative to "Future Technologies." Pick items that you are personally interested in or that you believe will change peoples lifestyle or work.
3. Do NOT pick all your items from the same link.  
4. Do NOT pick all the same items as other kids.  Be original.  
5. You may a find new technology from a site not listed above, if you like.  (Just be sure to site your source)   

This assignment expects you to thoroughly research, explore and consider the specs, the possibilities, usefulness and application of these new technologies.

Previous, unacceptable responses have been deleted by the administrator.  (me!) 

Write intelligent, thoughtful answers.  

15 Amazing Race Project & Final

It is likely you will need to complete part of your race outside of class time.  

Your homework for the rest of the 2013 will be devoted to this project.  

Have fun! 

Amazing Race Link

Amazing Race Directions

Final Sites

Remember, teams that check in first

 for each leg of the race, 

may receive a blog pass to use next year! 

14 Project Proposals

When the time comes in GenYES, to build hardware projects, it is often the most challenging, but fun portion of learning technology.

Computer hardware changes dramatically and just about the time
you have mastered "the next best thing" a new "thing" comes along.

Think about it.  Did you even know what a ipad was when you were in grade school?  Nope, because it didn't exist.  (Well mainstream anyway)  Now microcontrollers,  app development and coding to the masses are the hot new trends.

So to be in the mix with new developments, consider the versatility of microcontrollers relative to personal computers.

We are going to form teams, shop for parts and develop projects for the spring.  Do some significant research.

Open each website below.  Think outside the box....

1. PC Popularity
2. How to build a computer from scratch
3. BUY* computer parts:  CDW  or  Troxell
4. Arduino Projects
5. MakerShed Arduino Projects
6. BUY* Arduino Parts: Yourduino

*PVUSD contracted sites.  You may only buy parts from these options.

TASK:
PART 1
Visit all 5 website links above.  Number your blog 1-6.  Write one statement about each site.  Your statement could be about an item you'd be interested in doing if you find something you like.  Or something you learned, like what an IDE or SATA drive is.  Or what is a better processor AMD/Intel? Or what an arduino can do.  (For 3 and 6, consider and identify one part that you might actually buy specifically for a project and price it out.)

PART 2
Find your own project.  Find a site link on a hardware project, that you would find interesting and that would be useful for the school. Price it out using PVUSD contracted sites.  You can put your group together and put this info on your project proposal together do it here: Proposal  If you are doing a project by yourself, use the same form.

PART 3
Get ready to have your blog entry projected on board for class discussion.

We will discuss this on Monday and Tuesday and you will have time to work on this blog.  Your comments and research will be part of classroom discussion.   Project proposals on Wednesday.

100 points.  Do a good job!

13 Searching Google

In the next few weeks you will be embarking on an Amazing Race 

You will journey around the world via the Internet.

Take some time this week to become an "Internet Search Sleuth"

1.  Discover a cool way to search information with Google, that's a bit more advanced than just hitting the search button and share your findings.  Explore the links below.  Consider what search skills you might need to be successful on your Amazing Race Adventure.  Be original.  (Read student entries before yours.  If you repeat another persons tip, you will not receive credit.)

2.  Consider why it is so important to know how to search information effectively? Other than the Race,  how will developing advanced search skills help you in school?  Career?

3.  What other search engines are there out there?  Why would you use them?  How do they compare to Google?  Do you personally use any of them more than Google?

Google Tips & Tricks

Google Search Videos

Google Tips

Other Search Engines

(Don't even think of copying and pasting anything from these sites! 

Please post your ideas in your own words!)

Presentation Week

Use this time this week to create awesome presentations

On Screen Presentation Programs:

Five Best Windows Screen Recording 

Quicktime Screencast recording  (Mac)

IMPRESS FOR SUCCESS!

(Yeah Impress US!)

12 Cloud Storage

Cloud Storage Face-off!

What's in the news for 

DropBox

Google Drive

Sky Drive

1. What are the features, good/bad points of each method of digital storage? READ the links above and compare and contrast the reviews.

2. What do you use to store, transfer or share your papers, pictures, movies, files?

3. What other ideas are out there for managing your "digital stuff?"

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?