We are so dependent on our cellphones, and they increasingly perform more and more functions for us. They are essentially an extension of our brain. When I was younger I had many phone numbers memorized, I could easily pick up a phone and dial my friends number with no problems. Now I can't dial anyone's number without using my contact directory on my cell phone. Instead of me remembering the numbers, the phone does that function for me.
I also don't have to remember many other things, instead of storing it in my brain I just type it into my extended brain, my iPhone. Remembering things has never been easier. If I need to be reminded of something I just go to the reminder app and I'm reminded to do it.
From the time I was in Jr. High up until my mission I would use something called an alarm clock to wake me up in the morning. After time my alarm clock was replaced by an iHome which allowed my music to wake me up. Now my cell phone has replaced the use of an alarm clock and I no longer have to lug an alarm clock with me if I'm going to need to be woken up in the morning.
I love taking pictures and documenting my life that way. I used to have to take a camera around with me. I got an iPhone and haven't touched my camera ever since. The photos are just as good as if I used my digital camera, and I can easily show people my pictures right on my phone rather than showing them a photo album that I would have had to lug around.
The smart phone has also replaced things such as our daily planners and palm pilots. Our phones are basicall our life lines, without them it would be very hard to function. We check our email, browse, the web, and we can talk to pretty much anyone we desire all around the world.
We are currently trying to even replace our wallets with our smartphones using NFC chips in our sim cards that allow us to use our credit cards just by presenting our phone.
We used to battle about which computer was superior, or what operating system was better than the other. I think that today's battle is which smartphone is better, which phone should I buy, who makes the best smartphone that will fulfill all of my needs.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Education: An Annotated Bibliography
I have been researching the use of technology in the classroom. In doing so I have visit several blogs, websites, and also have interviewed peers that are currently teaching in the classroom in order to gather the most current and best information available.
Kari Kotter, 2012: I use a document camera with mine and I love it! I like how the students can see the same worksheet they have. I'm not trying to explain where they should be, I can actually show them.
She is a teacher and has helped me to understand how useful some technologies such as tablets, e-readers, and smart projectors are used in the classroom.
Gillian Cheney, 2012: The E-readers work wonders with the students. I worked in a special education classroom with them and the students loved them. They struggle reading words, but understand words when they hear them so they all enjoy "reading" or listening to the books.
Gillian has worked with the e-readers in the classroom for a while, especially in the special education sector. She has great insights as to how the e-readers are affecting the learning process.
Jill Barnes, 2012: I could see tablets being a distraction in the learning process because there is so much you can do on it, the student will be too focused on that rather than what's going on in the classroom.
Kari Kotter, 2012: I use a document camera with mine and I love it! I like how the students can see the same worksheet they have. I'm not trying to explain where they should be, I can actually show them.
She is a teacher and has helped me to understand how useful some technologies such as tablets, e-readers, and smart projectors are used in the classroom.
Gillian Cheney, 2012: The E-readers work wonders with the students. I worked in a special education classroom with them and the students loved them. They struggle reading words, but understand words when they hear them so they all enjoy "reading" or listening to the books.
Gillian has worked with the e-readers in the classroom for a while, especially in the special education sector. She has great insights as to how the e-readers are affecting the learning process.
Jill Barnes, 2012: I could see tablets being a distraction in the learning process because there is so much you can do on it, the student will be too focused on that rather than what's going on in the classroom.
Jill has good insights on how tablets have had a negative impact on the teaching process. It was good to get some opposing views on tablets in the classroom.
ipadinschools.com, 2012: “There is not a ton of debate about whether this is a direction the schools are heading,” said Annette Alpern, assistant superintendent of instructional services at the Redondo Beach Unified School District. “The question is more: How quickly will the future arrive?”
This website is designed specifically for discussing the use of iPad in schools. It has a lot of relevant information and helps to address alot of the questions that I have had while researching the topic.
Marc J. Rosenberg, 2011:
Well positioned to take advantage of the K-12 eLearning explosion, tablet design takes us beyond online courses, simulations and games with sophisticated learning objectives in mind. Don’t be disdainful of video games; rather, look at the complexity of the decision-making and cognitive challenges they present. Done right, they can be powerful educational tools.
This guys seems really knowledgeable on the subject, and his article has been useful to me while compiling my thought and ideas.
Vineet Madan, 2011:
Though tablets are a recent phenomenon, many students in high school and college have been using smartphones for years, and are already well-acquainted with touchscreen technology. Because they’ve become so accustomed to using these devices, students are increasingly expecting to use them in the classroom setting. When classrooms don’t implement what has now become “everyday” technology, we’re doing students a disservice.
This website has some good insights as to why we should be implementing tablets in the classroom.
My Views on iPad in College Education
I think a lot about the future, and if the future of education involves the use of tablets in the classroom. They are nifty devices that have a lot of benefits, and can really make things more interactive for the student. They also have many other pro's and cons that make them a very useful device in the teaching process.
About a year ago I bought an iPad with the intent of using it with school. I was very impressed with it and what it was capable of doing. I liked how fast and zippy it was, and how easy it was to do simple tasks that would take a bit longer on the computer. It also helped me to keep my media more organized and in one place. I have really enjoyed my iPad.
I started to use my iPad at school immediately. I quickly learned that although it was a great gadget, it was hard for me to be as efficient with my school work if I relied solely on my iPad and did not use the laptop as well. The first obstacle I encountered was typing, it is very hard to type as fast on a glass screen. To resole this I bought myself a physical keyboard. Problem solved.
The next issue I encountered was multitasking. On my laptop I have many windows open and I am constantly switching between them and sometimes I need to have multiple windows open and be viewing them at the same time. I can't do this on my iPad, and really the only time this is inconvenient is when I am doing a research paper and need to be using the internet constantly.
What I really like the iPad for is studying. I use it to study my notes because it is portable and can keep all of my notes in one location. It's also easy to use when I am taking notes in class and from a book.
About a year ago I bought an iPad with the intent of using it with school. I was very impressed with it and what it was capable of doing. I liked how fast and zippy it was, and how easy it was to do simple tasks that would take a bit longer on the computer. It also helped me to keep my media more organized and in one place. I have really enjoyed my iPad.
I started to use my iPad at school immediately. I quickly learned that although it was a great gadget, it was hard for me to be as efficient with my school work if I relied solely on my iPad and did not use the laptop as well. The first obstacle I encountered was typing, it is very hard to type as fast on a glass screen. To resole this I bought myself a physical keyboard. Problem solved.
The next issue I encountered was multitasking. On my laptop I have many windows open and I am constantly switching between them and sometimes I need to have multiple windows open and be viewing them at the same time. I can't do this on my iPad, and really the only time this is inconvenient is when I am doing a research paper and need to be using the internet constantly.
What I really like the iPad for is studying. I use it to study my notes because it is portable and can keep all of my notes in one location. It's also easy to use when I am taking notes in class and from a book.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Talking With Teachers
I used part of my time last week to talk to teachers about the technology they are currently using in their classrooms. This allowed me to get a deeper insight into how things really are, and how things are going while incorporating specific devices into the classroom setting.
I learned that most teachers are very passionate about the technology used in the classroom. They all agreed though that there has to be a good balance between the technology being used and how it is being used. One teacher said, "I believe that technology has a place in the classroom and that it can help students achieve so much. However, I don't feel like technology should take over the classroom. It's a great tool to help students, but it's not the only tool."
While doing the interviews I learned of another gadget that I didn't know what being used, the "document projector." This gadget has a camera which projects the document, which is placed directly below it, on a projection screen, allowing students to see an exact copy of the document which the teacher is presenting. This has been very useful in the classroom because it eliminates the need for the teacher to create overhead slides, instead they can use the original document and the students can easily see it.
I learned that most teachers are very passionate about the technology used in the classroom. They all agreed though that there has to be a good balance between the technology being used and how it is being used. One teacher said, "I believe that technology has a place in the classroom and that it can help students achieve so much. However, I don't feel like technology should take over the classroom. It's a great tool to help students, but it's not the only tool."
While doing the interviews I learned of another gadget that I didn't know what being used, the "document projector." This gadget has a camera which projects the document, which is placed directly below it, on a projection screen, allowing students to see an exact copy of the document which the teacher is presenting. This has been very useful in the classroom because it eliminates the need for the teacher to create overhead slides, instead they can use the original document and the students can easily see it.
When
discussing the use of document projector in the classroom a teacher said, “I
use a document projector and I love it! I like how the students can see the
same worksheet they have. I’m not trying to explain where they should be, I can
actually show them.”
Another thing that I learned while talking with the teachers is another way that e-readers are being used in the classroom. Another
advantage of the e-reader device is its capability to audibly read the books to
the students, which helps them to figure out words that they otherwise would
not be able to pronounce on their own. In an interview with a teacher that
currently uses e-readers in the classroom I asked her opinion on the use of
them and she responded as follows, “The e-readers work wonders with the
students. I work in a special education classroom with them and the students
love them. They struggle reading words, but understand words when they hear
them so they all enjoy listening to the books.”
I'm excited to see what else I can learn while on my search for information on technology in the classroom.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The Use of Technology in Education
My group is Education, so we have been thinking about the philosophy of education, as well as the technological mediums that have had great impacts on how students are being taught in the classroom. The following are some of the ideas that we have some far:
-Smart Boards
-Projectors
-Laptops
-Tablets
-E-readers and E-books
-Heart monitors in Gym Classes
-Online Syllabi and Course Websites
I believe that technology, when implemented properly, can be extremely useful in the education process. Many times they are implemented incorrecty and instead of becoming something useful it backfires and becomes a distraction to the students. A lot of the devices, such as laptops, being implemented in the education process have access to internet and have caused the students to be paying attention to other things instead of what they should be focusing on in the classroom. Although a great device, it is a huge distraction if not implemented properly with the right controls that limit the distractions.
When technology is implemented in the learning process it is crucial that it is implemented properly so that it does not become a detraction to the learning process. This is something that may be difficult to do in a lot of circumstances, but it is definitely something that is attainable. Many schools implement a firewall that restrict access to the internet on the student's laptop until the teacher authorizes the computer to access it at appropriate times. Many different other controls can be put in place to help limit the distractions.
What are your thoughts on other technologies that are being implemented in the classroom, or other ways that we can limit the distractioned use of these mediums?
-Smart Boards
-Projectors
-Laptops
-Tablets
-E-readers and E-books
-Heart monitors in Gym Classes
-Online Syllabi and Course Websites
I believe that technology, when implemented properly, can be extremely useful in the education process. Many times they are implemented incorrecty and instead of becoming something useful it backfires and becomes a distraction to the students. A lot of the devices, such as laptops, being implemented in the education process have access to internet and have caused the students to be paying attention to other things instead of what they should be focusing on in the classroom. Although a great device, it is a huge distraction if not implemented properly with the right controls that limit the distractions.
When technology is implemented in the learning process it is crucial that it is implemented properly so that it does not become a detraction to the learning process. This is something that may be difficult to do in a lot of circumstances, but it is definitely something that is attainable. Many schools implement a firewall that restrict access to the internet on the student's laptop until the teacher authorizes the computer to access it at appropriate times. Many different other controls can be put in place to help limit the distractions.
What are your thoughts on other technologies that are being implemented in the classroom, or other ways that we can limit the distractioned use of these mediums?
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
iPad 3/HD/2S and Consumption
The new iPad is going to be announced tomorrow. The rumor mill is rolling with all sorts of rumors, all of which are unknown to be true until the official announcement from Apple tomorrow. The one feature that should drastically affect the consumption of mobile content is the introduction of 4G LTE to the iPad.
Currently, the iPad runs off of a 3G connection, which can get max speeds of 1 MB/second. The current connection does not allow for lag-free streaming of HD video content and has been a concern for a while as far as speed goes using the internet on the iPad. Lately, movies have been available to stream in HD and at the current 3G connection the iPad has not been able to stream these movies too well, unless connected to a local wifi network. The 4G LTE is theoretically capable of handling speeds at 42 MB/second... A LOT faster and not even comparable to the old 3G technology.
Because Apple currently is the market leader in the tablet industry, 4G LTE would drastically affect online content consumption. Users will be able to stream content at faster speeds without having to worry about a terrible connection that will slow them down. This will increase the amount of HD content being streamed off of the internet, and with higher demand providers such as Netflix and Amazon will probably be able to attain new licensing rights to increase the amount of online content available to subscribers. Consumption is going to skyrocket.
Currently, the iPad runs off of a 3G connection, which can get max speeds of 1 MB/second. The current connection does not allow for lag-free streaming of HD video content and has been a concern for a while as far as speed goes using the internet on the iPad. Lately, movies have been available to stream in HD and at the current 3G connection the iPad has not been able to stream these movies too well, unless connected to a local wifi network. The 4G LTE is theoretically capable of handling speeds at 42 MB/second... A LOT faster and not even comparable to the old 3G technology.
Because Apple currently is the market leader in the tablet industry, 4G LTE would drastically affect online content consumption. Users will be able to stream content at faster speeds without having to worry about a terrible connection that will slow them down. This will increase the amount of HD content being streamed off of the internet, and with higher demand providers such as Netflix and Amazon will probably be able to attain new licensing rights to increase the amount of online content available to subscribers. Consumption is going to skyrocket.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
My Review on Windows 8
So I woke up in the morning and learned that Windows 8 was available for download, so I spent my afternoon putting it on my computer. I was pretty anxious to see how it compared to Windows 7. I was shocked to learn after installation that Windows 8 is a completely different experience.
No Start Menu
The first thing that you notice on Windows 8 is the elimination of the Start Menu. I thought that it was kind of odd because I am quite used to clicking on that windows button and loading up a list of all of the programs on my computer. The windows bar is still there so you can easily place icons on it to quick launch them, but that's only if you are in "Desktop Mode", which you don't use as often in Windows 8. You are probably wondering what they use instead of a desktop. The answer is "action tiles."
Action Tiles
When you hit the windows key on your keyboard, instead of a start menu launching you get "Smart Tiles". Each tile is a different color, and by clicking on it you initiate a specific app that is installed on your computer.... yes, apps. Windows 8 uses apps for most of the things that you do on your computer, while still allowing you to use programs, so it is merging together the tablet interface with that of the pc.
I really like the action tiles. It was kind of difficult at first, not to launch apps, but to learn how to change the settings on the computer because it is quite different. I quickly figured things out though and I have been overall content with the new look and feel of Windows 8 and the action tiles.
The Good
What I like about this operating system is how it integrates your social media into the operating system. This makes it possible for you to chat with all of your friends off of Facebook and MSN Messenger simply thru an app, and it will notify you when you get a message from someone. It also allows you to see your friends status updates and pretty much get information off of their wall without ever even visiting facebook.
I like how it is designed for both the pc and the tablet. This way they can have just one operating system that works seamlessly between the two. This will make buying apps and other stuff a lot easier process because you can use them both on your computer and your tablet.
The Bad
What I don't like is how there are still a lot of bugs in the system. My E-mail app doesn't work at all, so I have been unable to check my email using it. Also, it has issues sometimes loading all of my Facebook contacts into the chat app so I don't usually know if my friends are online or not.
No Start Menu
The first thing that you notice on Windows 8 is the elimination of the Start Menu. I thought that it was kind of odd because I am quite used to clicking on that windows button and loading up a list of all of the programs on my computer. The windows bar is still there so you can easily place icons on it to quick launch them, but that's only if you are in "Desktop Mode", which you don't use as often in Windows 8. You are probably wondering what they use instead of a desktop. The answer is "action tiles."
Action Tiles
When you hit the windows key on your keyboard, instead of a start menu launching you get "Smart Tiles". Each tile is a different color, and by clicking on it you initiate a specific app that is installed on your computer.... yes, apps. Windows 8 uses apps for most of the things that you do on your computer, while still allowing you to use programs, so it is merging together the tablet interface with that of the pc.
I really like the action tiles. It was kind of difficult at first, not to launch apps, but to learn how to change the settings on the computer because it is quite different. I quickly figured things out though and I have been overall content with the new look and feel of Windows 8 and the action tiles.
The Good
What I like about this operating system is how it integrates your social media into the operating system. This makes it possible for you to chat with all of your friends off of Facebook and MSN Messenger simply thru an app, and it will notify you when you get a message from someone. It also allows you to see your friends status updates and pretty much get information off of their wall without ever even visiting facebook.
I like how it is designed for both the pc and the tablet. This way they can have just one operating system that works seamlessly between the two. This will make buying apps and other stuff a lot easier process because you can use them both on your computer and your tablet.
The Bad
What I don't like is how there are still a lot of bugs in the system. My E-mail app doesn't work at all, so I have been unable to check my email using it. Also, it has issues sometimes loading all of my Facebook contacts into the chat app so I don't usually know if my friends are online or not.
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