Spring Break!

No homework this week!  Enjoy the time off!

If you want to earn a BLOG PASS to use any time over this final fourth quarter, have some fun watching this movie and answering the two questions below!

How was this done?  How would you do it with your friends?

(S10) Virtual Reality

A Virtual Age


Virtual Reality has many uses and may become a major part of our society in the future? What do you think?

Six ways VR will change the world.

7 Ways virtual reality will change the world.

Why VR will compete with the real world.

How virtual reality will change the workplace.

1. We looked at VR last year, but there have been many advancements.  And hey, we haven't said "Occulus Rift" in a while!  So, what did you find in the articles above?  What's cool today about this technology? Discover and share only one aspect that impressed you.  (No repeat ideas please)

2. Name a pro and con to this emerging technology.

3. What's the difference between VR, AR and IR?

(S9) Tablets vs. Textbooks

Digital or Physical?

In today’s digital world, many things are transitioning into an electronic or    online format, which is somewhat controversial. Check out: Tablets vs. Textbooks

1. What is a pro and a con for reading online?  

2. Do you prefer to read a paper or online book?  Why?

3.  If you were running a school what would be your plan for textbooks and electronics...

(S8) Video Entertainment

This week, as a final transition about video gaming (obviously a popular subject in your blog submissions) we will explore how trending interests in video entertainment industry are changing, based on the habits of your generation.

The author of this blog challenges us to explore the popularity of "video game watching" vs actually playing.   I'm going to challenge you with a bit more.

The purchase of Twitch by Amazon for close to a billion dollars speaks volumes about this popular activity.  Many of you indicated last week you've visited or know quite a bit about Twitch and other similar game viewing sites.   Your debate last week was very divided about eSports too!

So let's consider what is really happening here.   Is entertainment shifting?   Many of you said "Sports like football will never be replaced by video gaming."   Video gaming was not a contender five years ago and now look at the packed stadiums.  

This is why people watch people playing video games 

  

Why would anyone want to watch people play video games?

1.  What do you think of what you read in the links above?

2.  Do you watch others play video games?  Which ones?  Why?   If not, why not?  

3.  How do you spend your leisure time?  Take a look at the chart below.  Consider how you spent your fun time in the last month or so (outside of sleep, eat, work, school)  And mentally circle or choose the top five things that occupy your time.   
What are they?  List the ideas in the boxes that appeal the most to you, and if you can, list them in order of importance to you.  If you chose "something else" describe it.   

4.  Which area (Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue)  do you predict your peers will be the strongest in?  Which area are you?   

(S7) eSports

   

The Future of eSports

According to Riot Games eSports manager Nick Allen (speaking to Gamespot), after a long back and forth with the government, the U.S. finally now recognizes eSports players as professional athletes, and will grant them visas under that identifier.”

This is their post  ~Forbes

When asked to comment on Amazon’s $1 billion deal to buy video game streaming site Twitch, ESPN President John Skipper didn’t mince words when it came to offering his appraisal of the form of entertainment dubbed ‘eSports.’   “It’s not a sport — it’s a competition. Chess is a competition. Checkers is a competition,” said Skipper in remarks Thursday at the Code/Media Series: New York conference. “Mostly, I’m interested in doing real sports.”

~John Skipper  This is their report

                

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1. What do you think? Are eSports a real sport?

2. Do you think eSports might take over Championship basketball or Monday Night Football in terms of popularity?  Do eSports deserve a place in the Olympics?  (Consider what you / your friends do; watch sports or play video games)

3. What is the streaming site Twitch all about?

4. If you were able to be a part of an eSports team would you take that chance, why or why not?  What team would you be on?

More research to help you answer!

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(S6) Video Games

    

Many of us spend countless hours playing video games with fancy HD visuals, multi button controllers, online capabilities, and 3D graphics. But, there was a time were all these common features were concepts beyond imagination.

The history of video gaming spans all the way back to the 1940’s, long befor Pong was invented. Take a look that this timeline of the vast history of the concept of virtual gaming.
1. What did you find the most interesting in the timeline? Why?

2. Do you think video games have had an affect on technology in general? Or perhaps the entertainment industry? How? Why video games succeed..

3. Have you played Zynga games? What other video/mobile games charge for powerups, game items or other perks that you know of?  Check out the links below. Comment on your discoveries.

Clash of Clans Cumulative Costs 
(Use the calculator! Yikes!)

Candy Crush Addicts

How much does it cost to play League?

4. How else do developers charge for video games, if not in the play? Are there any games that are truly free? How would this be possible?  

Note: Whether you play video games or not, they have a big influence on society and the economics of this industry is astounding. Next week we'll explore platforms and social considerations.

(S5) Technological Enhancements?

Last week we explored Biological Technologies designed to assist humans who lost a part of their bodies due to health, warfare or accident.   In essence, technology to make one "whole" again.

More often technological advancements focus on changing and enhancing our lives.

This week consider if technology is (possibly) making us super human or less human?  You decide.

PART 1.  

Discover and evaluate the 4 technologies.  PUT YOUR ANSWERS: HERE

PART 2. 

By using numbers only, discuss how these technologies have something in common.  Consider...  if they differ in terms of "Technological Enhancements" or altering the body technologically to be more or less human.  Do these make you go faster, be stronger, smarter or are they just fun?  Would it be fair to own this technology if you were competing or taking a test?   Would you want any of these items?  Discuss...

You should only answer PART 2 below.  Do PART 1 using the link above.     

Thoughtfully reflect and have some fun with this.

(S4) Advancements in Biomedical Technologies

Technology. Robotics. Medicine. 

In the past the loss of an arm or leg would be the end of a person’s life or cripple them for life. Well over 1500 men and women in the military have lost limbs due to IEDs in wars and combat.

Do you know what biomedical engineering is? It is actually a very great thing that is being researched to help those who lost limbs or are incredibly sick. The research has already found a way to recreate cells.

Five movies. About 30 minutes for all. Watch them. Get all the perspectives.

• Living beyond Limits
• Mechanical Arm controlled by Thought  
• Meet Les Baugh
• Wounded Warriors
• Biomedical Engineering Career Options

1.  Comment on the possibilities of bioengineering technologies, what's going on now and what's in store for the future?

2.  Has your emotional response to seeing amputees changed in the past weeks?  Comment on seeing the WW football game, if you went, and what you emotionally felt through the movies above.  

3.  Technology.  Robotics.  Medicine.  Changing lives.   What did you learn about the technology of all this?  Would you consider a career in this medical tech field?  

(S3) Hacking

The Next Generation of Hacking

Fortresses of code may becoming the most important defenses of a country.  

As the world begins to be controlled by the algorithms of computers, everything from phones, pipelines, and power stations could possibly fall prey to a new type of hacking that has emerged; cyber-physical hacking.

1. Utilities at Risk for Cyber Attacks 

2. Homeland Security

3. Debatewise: Hacking can be justisfied 

4. Hacking is Childs Play

5. Mysterious Turkey Pipeline explosion  
6. Latest Government Cyber security Bill

1. Based on what you read from selecting at least two of the six article links above, what problems can you foresee with cyber-physical hacking in the future? (Identify the link numbers you chose and what you got from them)

2. Do you believe that hacking will become the next frontier for wars? If so, how? If not, why?

3. What did you take away from the presentation by Dan Petro?  

4. So overall, how does the whole topic of hacking affect you personally?

(S2) Anonymous Browsers

 
             Tor Overview

             Tor Wiki



Tor keeps users anonymous online, so that nothing can track you through the actual network. With Tor, you can access anything, even if it is banned for the country you live in, and not be tracked.

1.  Check out the links above.  Investigate some links on each site.  In your own words, what is Tor?  Who uses it and why?  

2.  List a few Pros and Cons of this environment.

3.  Would you ever find yourself using it?  Why / Why not?

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This Friday we will have Dan Petro visit us again.  Very exciting!

This is OPTIONAL - not part of homework: Check out CactusCon and this!