Opportunity for Advancement

Link to picture HERE

When I was a kid, my family would sometimes play the Atari.  The picture above is from the Atari game Pac-Man.  The graphics were only 2-D and the sounds weren't the full orchestra soundtracks you find on games today.  Over the years it has been fun to watch how games have improved.  Now they have virtual reality headsets you can wear that make you feel like you are actually in the game.

Toys have also improved over the years.  Everyone can now build their own working robots.  LEGO has different robot packs you can buy called MINDSTORMS.  People are able to program the robots and use a phone/tablet app to control them. Amazon has a STEM club; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math toys. With the Amazon STEM club, you join a subscription for once a month, every other month, or every three month and they will send you an age appropriate STEM toy at that frequency (cancel at anytime).

Another "toy" people are using: drones. People are able to fly drones around the sky and take videos and pictures from new perspectives:

Did you see the show they did with drones at the Olympics? Check out the picture below!
There are so many things we can do with new technology!

Find the picture HERE

A little privacy please!

The world is so much more connected than it was in the past due to the internet! There is so much information sharing going on that we sometimes forget how unsafe it can be.  As we become more connected, we are also making ourselves more vulnerable to becoming targets. We sometimes put more trust into technology than we should.

The data market is booming so the more data collection websites can do, the better. Social media websites want more site traffic and don't always have your security in their best interest.  Even when a website has great security measures, they can still be hacked into and information can be stolen.

People who have had bad things happen to them from sharing their information, didn't believe that anything would happen to them, but something did. People have been blackmailed, people have had their identities stolen, people have had money taken, people have had their technology devices taken-over, people have been stalked and even killed.  I just wanted to create this blog post as a friendly reminder to check your online security. 

Check out these links for some great tips to increase your security:

1. Online Privacy in Under 1 Hour: Improve Your Security Fast
2. How to improve your online security and privacy in 10 easy steps

What do you do to keep your stuff safe?  Have you or anyone you know had problems with online security before? Click HERE to leave any comments below.

Barrier - obstacle that keeps you in or out, depending on where you stand

I think most people have heard about the Great Wall of China, but have you heard about the Great Firewall of China? The Great Firewall of China refers to the virtual barrier that China has created for filtering/monitoring internet usage.  They only allow content that is favorable to the communist party and other political views.

China isn't the only country that has strict internet restrictions.  There are other countries who also filter email accounts, use keyword filters, and website blockers (you can find more information about different restrictions HERE).  In some of these countries, people have been punished for the content they have placed on the internet with things like jail time and even death.

Here in the United States, we have very limited censorship.  We are able to access all kinds of content from all over.  We do have some laws that require censorship on things like obscene materials, but most web content is easy enough for us to obtain (you can find some of those laws HERE).  There are, however, internet companies that have a large amount of power over what we are primarily exposed to.  Companies like Google and Facebook can control what content they want us to see; what content shows up first in our searches, feeds, and ads.

Internet censorship can be a good thing, it can protect people from accessing harmful material, but it is important to remember that it is one more way your world is altered and manipulated.  It can distort the way people feel and think about things.

What are your thoughts about internet censorship?  Do you think anything should be done about it? Do you think there will be consequences from it overtime? Click HERE to comment.

One of the best ways to persuade others is by listening to them - Dean Rusk

Take a look at the following pictures below and think about how they can manipulate you to think and feel a certain way about war and soldiers. 

There are people out there who collect data on the things you do, and use it to persuade you and manipulate the way you do things. If you are like me, you have probably noticed your set of keys growing over the years with all the savings cards from every store.  All those special savings cards are tracking your purchases and learning about the way you spend money.   The websites that you visit are saving tracking cookies to your browser to keep track of your interests so they can maximize advertisements.

I recently read another post on the Mind Shift blog about how tech companies like Google, Facebook and YouTube manipulate you (you can find that article HERE).  They are able to apply behavioral techniques and neuroscience to keep your attention.  One of the tactics used is auto-play videos.  When a video auto-plays, you don't have to hit any buttons or make a choice to watch, it happens on its own. Auto-play videos grab your attention better and keep your attention longer by playing other videos. Facebook has created an algorithm for notifications similar to what slot machines use, called variable rewards.  Notifications can be a trigger for a reward response in the brain and the algorithm creates a timing for these notifications that keeps you hooked longer. These big companies have been dumping money into this science; learning the audience and figuring out ways to keep the audience's attention.

What if we used the same science and technology to help teach people important lessons?  Could we use something like 'variable rewards' in a good way?  OR do you think it would be worth it to dump loads of money into other science and technology to help with teaching things people need?  Tell me your thoughts. 

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). 

Click HERE to comment