tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2379788497116014326.post1915950664100269741..comments2023-03-21T04:04:59.360-05:00Comments on Nickolas Sullivan's EDM310 Class Blog: Blog Assignment 3Nickolas Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14009559443921839264noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2379788497116014326.post-69933637546251909782011-02-10T13:25:21.279-06:002011-02-10T13:25:21.279-06:00Are we getting into cybernetics here and biomodica...Are we getting into cybernetics here and biomodications? If so there are already people who install subdermal technology, RFID and things of that nature. I've actually written multiple reports of things of that nature but seem to have lost my sources. There was even a gentleman with his house and car keys frequencies implanted into his hands. <a href="http://www.digitalidnews.com/2010/06/07/rfid-implants-the-key-to-our-future" rel="nofollow">That's thinking out of the box</a>!<br />We already live in the tech age, I'm not going to argue with that. I read tech news all the time and look up DIY projects constantly. I was actually looking for the plans for a homemade touchscreen graphing calculator with bluetooth and wifi I know I saw a few months ago. I'll come back to that though, there is a point to mentioning it.<br /> I have an internal struggle going on currently though; with this class, what we are covering, and my personal views. Little things that are bothering me, I've actually been discussing it with friends over the past two days. <br /> I love this class and don't get me wrong on that. I love the idea, the implementation, and especially the assignments. However, one of the points of the class is almost mocking it's biggest folly: <i>not everyone is tech</i>. I grew up on a computer, working with people on them, using them in the classroom, being on message boards and chatrooms, so I'm kind of used to this environment. I am used to discussing things online, getting comments on my blog and responding to them, but not everyone in the class is. I feel this is isolating them and having them lose out on something that could really benefit them. They aren't taking part in the debate because they simply don't know how in the digital world.<br /> I had a very huge debate with a friend of mine last night after I was talking about comments for kids last night. He read my comments, has been reading this blog, reads my facebook, personal blog, and is active in my life. We talked about the pros and cons of this class and I wish I could have recorded it but it happened over at his house, then continued on facebook, and culminated to skype. Here what he sees as the biggest problem with the class. Those who are not used to this type of communication aren't going to explore, they'll stay in their comfort zone. They'll stay closed off from other peoples opinions in class that they would catch if we were discussing it person. For people of the digital age like us, it's great! We're going to not only read the blogs we're assigned to comment on but at least sample from the other classes and get huge perspective on every issue. If you can integrate it's great, if you can't it's worse.<br /> I can't really type more because I'm actually about to head to the lab but I'll get back to the teaching without tech thing later.Nickolas Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14009559443921839264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2379788497116014326.post-71792748301579356792011-02-10T12:54:42.710-06:002011-02-10T12:54:42.710-06:00"...we have teachers that sometimes seem to w..."...we have teachers that sometimes seem to want to be there less than the students which only makes their classes worse." How unfortunate! But you are correct! No apology necessary for your rants. I do it myself!<br /><br />So how <i>do</i> we bring about change in the educational system. Especially if teachers do not want to learn something new?<br /><br />I am carrying on a debate with one EDM310 student who contends that we should be able to teach without technology. She is not the only one, but she is willing to try and make a case for her position. Yesterday there was an article in USAToday about the latest test of Watson, the machine being groomed to pass the Turing Test and be declared as intelligent as a human. In the article Ray Kurzweil contends that we will merge with the "smart" computers, making ourselves smarter in the process. The article reports: "I'm kind of merged with this already (Kurzweil holds up his cellphone). I don't go anywhere without it. And it gives me access to all of human knowledge with a few keystrokes." And yet some argue we would be better off without our links "to all of human knowledge." Amazing, isn't it!<br /><br />You can embed Gary's counter into your blog. I have done that on the Class Blog. An ever present reminder....John Hadley Strangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17484977903995419205noreply@blogger.com