Negative Nancy vs Positive Polly

I never got a cell phone until after I was an adult, and that cell phone flipped open and had no cameras, apps, or fancy ringtones.  There are many times I look back on my cellphone-less childhood and wish we could go back to those simpler times.  But why? Yes there were some great things about that time, but there were also some negatives.  Yes there are some negative things about all the easy access technology now, but there are also a lot of positives! 

There are so many possibilities with the technology we have today!

Let's starts with some of the negatives of technology today:

• It is distracting: think about how much time is wasted looking up things that don't matter (cat memes fall in this category- I am sorry but it is true, people use to live full happy lives without cat memes) , or scrolling through feeds full of nonsense (what are we ever really looking for in those anyway). 
• Privacy: people can easily find and use information on you and your family.   When you go on vacation, your friends and your co-workers can bug you on your cell phone. 
• People's jobs are replaced by machinery. 
• We become dependent on technology.  I am sure we have all worked somewhere where the internet went down or a computer wasn't working properly; when that happens, it is hard to do anything. 
• The possibility of more miscommunication due to lack of social cues.
• Cyber bullying, Scams, Identity Theft, etc. 

What about some of the positives: 

• Disneyland (it's a big one for me).  That place is downright magical thanks to so much awesome technology. 
• It is easier and faster than ever to connect with family and friends from all distances (if you are into that sort of thing). 
• If you are a parent like me, technology can be a life saver when you use it to distract your kids so you can get a little homework done. 
• We save money and trees by going paperless.
• Technology can speed up manufacturing and human efficiency.  We are now able to look at data and make quick an accurate calculations. We are able to organize data in different ways, store it and share it with the click of a button.   
• We have been able to create new tech jobs. 
• Technology is able to fit different people with different needs. Programs can adapt to a wide range of learners.
• Unlimited usable knowledge at your fingertips; learn how to change your flat tire, CPR instructions, GPS directions, Kahn Academy tutoring videos for your next test, etc. 

What do you think are some of the positives and negatives of technology? Leave your comments below. 

The other reason doing homework helps you to not be an Idiot

 The picture on the left is a picture that was sent to a guy with experience in photoshop; they included instructions above the photo.  The picture on the right is what was he sent back. 

Photo from James Fridman

Photo from James Fridman

Photo from Here

 It is pretty obvious that the above photos have been photoshopped, but what about the picture below...

Picture from HERE

Or the pictures at this website:

https://digitalsynopsis.com/design/before-and-after-photoshop-pictures/

We live in an altered world.  What we see is not always reality.  Pictures and videos are no longer concrete evidence.  

Photo from Here

If you don't have enough background information, on the subject and the technology, it is easy to be mislead.  

This picture is from a study on Mind Shift Blog 

       

The internet is so full of amazing opportunities to learn and grow,  but we need to make sure that we  aren't falling into the trap of a false reality.   It is important for parents, teachers and really everyone to be aware of the latest technology so we  can detect the falsehood out there and help guide the younger generations through it.

I recently read an article on the Mind Shift Blog that talked about how learning critical thinking skills helps people combat misinformation and different ways these critical thinking skills can be taught.  What's significant about that is, blogs like that are a tool we can use to keep up on things that are relevant in our fast changing lives today.  We can build up our Personal Learning Network (PLN)  to be inspired, keep up with trends, join a community, and learn new skills that we can use everyday.  

Click on the links above highlighted in light blue for the Mind Shift Blog or PLN for more information. Click HERE to comment.   

While learning CPR Chuck Norris actually brought the practice dummy to life.

We had an assignment to look at other blogs and observe what we thought made a good post and I think humor and fun are the very things that keeps me engaged and interested more than anything.  Adult learning can be rather dry at times but when people make use of humor, it can make just about anything enjoyable. The internet is crawling with a plethora of fun stuff!  

Lets make use out of all the fun resources that are out there and enjoy life and learning!  There are so many videos out there that can help you emphasize a lesson or even just grab the attention of your students from their "wool gathering". There are memes for so many things; if you can't find one that applies to what you are teaching, make one.  You can even just use funny pictures that you find.  Below I have found some pictures from Tadao Cern, where they blow air on people's faces.  There are so many comments that you could ad to these faces for fun; leave any you think of in the comments section below. 

1. Trying to impress my crush be like...

2. "Yep, that's a door"

3.  Lesson one: turn off the circuit breaker.

4. "Man, that one was sour!"

5.  It's all fun and games until someone get possessed by demons

6. Not everyone thinks I am funny, but these people sure do :)

In case you were wondering why the 'wind in face' pictures...
The other day it was super windy and being my chocoholic self, I was eating a twix while walking outside.  I walked by two instructors that I work with in the College of Technology just after taking a bite and they both said 'Hi' to me and I had Twix caramel whipping all around my face in the wind.  It made me laugh so I decided to look up 'wind in face' pictures.
Pictures and Video from Tadao Cern
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I Have My Reasons

Hello! My name is April and you can find out a little more about me on the "About Me" page on this blog.  I have started this blog for my Instructional Technology class where we will be learning about different tech tools that can be used for adult learning.  I plan to share my experience with you  as well as some humor and real human experiences.  I am hoping to learn some really neat things that I can use and pass on to other people.  I also hope to make this a fun and educational adventure as well.   You are welcome to make comments in the comments section below the posts or you can go to the "Contact Me" page and send me private comments (you can remain annonymous or include contact information if you wish for me to contact you). 

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