Facebook!!!!

Okay, I'm taking this as a standpoint of a person who knows very little about the business side of networking. So as a business colleague I would be really upset if Mark Zuckerberg stole the idea of Facebook. Ironically, if I understood the beginning of the article correctly Mark was working on the site because a girl hurt his feelings and he was looking for revenge through the internet, but pairing people up with animals. Wow... this guy created Facebook. The socially awkward genius, simple broke through is kinks and problems and smoothed out the processes to make Facebook what it is today.

Socailly Networked Classroom

Well it's quite clear that we cannot disagree with many concepts in the beginning chapters. But I find 2 things more interesting than most: 1. I seem to very "old-school" when reading this 2. I really find it interesting how technology can be projected into a classroom.

THOU IS OLD-SCHOOL! There are somethings I do that I need a paper trail for. My best example is reading. I need to be able to hold books, articles, and be able to physically highlight and write notes in the margins. Moving a mouse around and typing keys just doesn't work for me. I'm still pro-flashcards when studying.

As I skimmed through Kist's book after reading the first chapter I really liked his ideas of how to incorporate technology into the classroom. It is all too clear that technology is everywhere, and it is only a matter of time that it forces itself into our classrooms. Why not embrace it? Although I never had to blog, or create a professional Facebook in high school, technology/ multi-modal aspects of learning were brought into high school. My biggest example is when were taken to the Cincinnati Contemporary Art Museum. Then afterward we had to create our own contemporary art that meant something to us. Many students around in self-made videos and music, paintings, or sculptures they created.

Last semester was a high point in technology for me in technology in the classroom. Waking up and meeting at 7:45 am (with is extremely early for me right now) we got to talk to other education majors from Cyprus. It was pretty awesome learning about their lifestyle.

Lost in Little Brother

Alright, when I started this book I was really enjoying it. I loved to suspense and mystery of the future. The fact that this was based to be in the immediate future, to where the new Xbox system is a huge factor in Marcus's revolution against the American government. There are certain things about this novel that would make it very hard for me to use in a classroom as a solo assignment.(Meaning that students could not choose another book to read.) Most importantly, is the fact that the technology is so advanced the book seems really far-fetched. Also as the the American government system works, I really don't think democrats or republicans would let surveillance of that magnitude take place, especially within the schools. I think students who really enjoyed politics, history, or computers would love this book. I'd definitely keep it in my class library as an option, or even try to use it as a parallel novel to Orwell's 1984 as a class project.

The Beauty of Technology!

So basically... don't steal a huge white bus with thousands of dollars with of music equipment in it. Also, to tie alone with the multi-modal aspects, don't leave your phone at a bar with a text in its memory that says "I'm about to steal the bus." It's amazing what we can do with technology now:

Crime investigation.
Filling sensations.
Word initialization.
Giving donations.
Announcing class cancellations.
Finding locations.
Party invitations.
Emoticon animation.

Internet Evolution (Vanity Fair)

Although this article was really long, I thought it was awesome! I really liked how the concept of the internet had so much potential but yet no one wanted to touch it. AT&T were even rooting against the engineers!

"When you put a computer in the hands of a human, the interaction between them becomes much greater than the individual parts." This theory is true for so much more than just computers. In the matter of students and knowledge/learning how the interaction between the two becomes so much greater rather than the student or knowledge on their own.

"And he pretty much instantly made a budget change within his agency and took a million dollars away from one of his other offices and gave it to me to get started.It took about 20 minutes." Would this happen now? Would someone have enough confidence to put in into a project that had so many reasons to fail? I think that the sound economy a few decades ago is a good reason why this took off to well. With the economy it is today, philanthropists would be a bit more skeptical.

"1969 was quite a year. Man on the moon. Woodstock. Mets won the World Series. Charles Manson starts killing these people here in Los Angeles. And the Internet was born. Well, the first four everyone know about." I love this I think this is hilarious. Today, people use the internet for something. But most people don't think abut the moon, or Woodstock, Charles Manson or the World Series (unless it's baseball season.)

Snow Day Swiftie

So because of the snow day, I've taken it upon myself to indulge in Taylor Swift songs on guitar. Now you need to understand: I LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT! And my friends would say that is a huge understatement. Yes, people hate her and think she can't sing. But that girl knows how to write, which is a main reason why I love her so much. She can take the smallest instant, and write a 4 minute song about it. She's so amazing, and she doesn't even realize it.

Not lost in LOST

So over the weekend, Nate got me into watching LOST. This. Show. Is. Insane. I'm almost done with season one, and I love how everyone on the show seems to be running from something. Their "lost" in their own worlds. There are always unanswered questions from their pasts, their present and future.

I love Hurley. His little bits of comic relief are what eases the tension to the show. As of right now I hate Sawyer. He's a prick, selfish but yet also insecure with things. So maybe that is slight hope that he is a normal human being with feelings somewhere deep down. I've realized I would not be alive no more than five minutes in the Koren culture. I love Siehb's (spelling may be wrong) loyalty.

I really like how the show begins to break certain sterotypes Americans have set on a caste of people. Doctors cannot save everyone. Iraqis can be the heroes. Dark haired beauties sometimes don't need saving.

So far, I am impressed.... and addicted.