PLN23

The video “How cognitive surplus will change the world” matters to me because I could possibly contribute to this by making something that is “civic friendly”, to education because education should focus more on this, and to the world because one program showed how much it could impact the world in a good way.  This video was basically about how a small program used in East Africa made out of generosity helped so much, and then slowly became global.  Since I am someone who has the ability to make an impact on the world, I need to do my best to take advantage of my opportunity.  In my opinion, education should focus more on being civic friendly and being able to do things that will help people in rough times.  Education should specifically teach how to get your idea started, and how to use it effectively.  If most students had this skill, they could put it to use and change the world dramatically.  To be truthful, the world is huge.  Some people, including me think about how they could make an impact in the world, because it is so large.  Well if something so small like that program the helped East Africa in the beginning, then anyone can make an impact

PLN22

The article “Education Reform is Re-establishing, Redefining and Retooling” matters to me because I am a student who is going through today’s education process, to education because many people think that education should be done differently, and to the world because how students are educated will affect the world in the future.  “Education Reform is Re-establishing, Redefining and Retooling” was mainly about how education should be directed more to the working world.  The other thinks that schools now are like assembly lines, installing we the students with different tools like math, science, ect.  Because I am a student who is going through today’s education process, I need to be skilled at tools that are used to by the working world like critical thinking, being able to work with others, and to be reliable.  Many people think that some portions of education must be fixed.  I have read many articles about how the education system should be changed.  Since many of the authors of these articles are teachers, school boards and education leaders should talk with people who closely involved in everyday education to try to come up with some solutions.  How students are educated will affect the world because they are the future workers.  Proper education is what will make a positive effect on the world.

PLN21

The video “Changing Education Paradigms” matters to me because I may possibly be involved in a new transformation of education systems, to education because many people agree that the education system should be tweaked a bit, and to the world because the type of education will affect the type of workers that come out of school.  This video was basically about how the education should be modeled differently.  For example, the video said schools are kind of like a factory because the education system organizes by age, not skill and dedication.  Because I may be involved in new education systems, I need to be flexible.  There is a lot of talk about how the United States should have better education because we are the top nation on Earth.  So one thing that the US what do would be to tweak the education system in an attempt to make it more effective.  The type of education also matters to the world because that’s where the future workers are coming from.  So if the education system are effective, most likely so will the workers.

PLN20

The article “Is the New Information Landscape Changing Our Shopping Practices?” is matters to me because I need to learn things that will be helpful to me in the future, to education because schools may need to adjust because of a changing market, and to the world because we are progressing with technology in many elements of life.  This article was mainly about the rise in average cost of items bough online on Black Friday.  This showed that consumers were shopping smartly and getting better deals online.  Since I need to learn things that will be helpful to me in the future, one of those things skills should be shopping online because it is becoming a bigger and bigger part of how companies get profit.  Since schools should adjust to the changing market, they should put in some classes that show you effective ways to shop online.  The world as we know it is progressing, especially through technology.  Technology in schools, entertainment, and lifestyle are all progressing.  We all need to adjust.

PLN19

The article, “Lost in Electronica” matters to me because I am someone who is influenced from video games, to education because many students’ grades drop because of electronic distractions, and to the world because this shows we are becoming more dependent on electronics.  This article was mainly about how people, especially boys, are becoming more into electronics, therefore leading to behavior patterns such as easier boredom.  I am someone who will admit that video games take an effect on me.  Sometimes they distract me from things that are more important like homework and chores.  When the article talks about boredom because of our addiction to electronics, I cannot relate.  Truthfully, I believe that electronics can be a problem, but only if that person cannot handle the freedoms of it.  Once again, this matters to education because when male students get bored we tend to zone out.  This causes possibly missing critical information that may be on a test.  This matters to the world because we did not have this issue 20 or 30 years ago.  There are many positives and negatives about technology, and this issue is a negative.  The bad thing is that there is no realistic way of fixing this problem.

PLN18

The article, “We See This as the Future of Higher Education” by Karl Fisch matters to me because new teaching strategies are being tested and used by many teachers which means I need to be flexible, to education because technology alone may be changing the way students are taught, and to the world because this ongoing revolution of technology is changing the world dramatically.  This article basically stated the good and the bad of teachers lecturing through the internet.  Mr. Fisch himself thinks that education should be taught in a “hybrid” form.  What he means by this is a mix of face to face teaching and internet teaching.  Since new teaching strategies are being brought forth I need to be flexible and be prepared to learn in any way the teacher asks me to learn, whether it be through the internet or face to face.  Technology has a major role in many things, including education.  There is a huge difference in teaching because of technology.  A long time ago, most teachers used chalkboards to teach.  Now, many teachers have projectors or Smartboards.  There are so many new technologies being practiced not only in education, but in the world.  Many businesses are taking risks by using new technology to improve their businesses.  Once again, everything draws to technology.

PLN17

The video “What If” matters to me because I am a student in a time where new technology is coming out at a rapid pace, to education because many people who were involved in education stated current crisis’s about progressing in education technologically, and to the world because this video shows show exponentially technology has grown as a whole.  The video “What If” was about how people predicted many problems that were going to come if students relied on a specific item.  Since I am a student in a world where technology is rapidly expanding, I can either choose to use it as good or bad, which Mr. Fisch discussed.  In the video, there were many examples of doubters who were a part of education.  For example, one made a strong point about students’ dependence on calculators.  He or she said that since we are so dependent on calculators, what happens when we will need them and don’t have access to one.  That argument has pretty much degraded because calculators are now on phones, iPods, computers, ect.  This means that calculators are very easy to access.  When I was watching this video, I was amazed at how much little time generated new technology and also new arguments in the world.  I am curious to see what the argument will be in 50 years or so: “No teleporters on campus!”

PLN16

The article “Qualities of an Effective Teacher (revisited)” matters to me because I, too, also recognize the significance of a great teacher, to education because great education from teachers means a better student, and to the world because the article states the teachers are some of the most powerful people in the world.  This article was mainly about the significance and qualities of a good of a good teacher.  All of the characteristics that the author said were accurate about what is needed to be a good teacher, in my opinion.  To me, knowing that I have a great teacher who I really listen to makes a world of a difference.  I find that the better teacher I have the better grade I get, pretty simple concept.  I also know many students who share that same joy.  In middle school, many students, including me, had worse grades then they do this year.  One reason could be that high school actually counts for something and will follow you the rest of your, but the other could be better teachers.  At AHS I and many other students find that the teachers in general are better quality, than the teachers at middle school.  I thought it was interesting that at the end of the article the author said that teachers are some of the most powerful people in the world.  I have never really thought about this but I have to agree.  Teachers are the ones who are supposed to be people who are helping us become successful in the future, and what we learn and take away from them can impact decisions that we make.

PLN15

The article, “Schools would be great if it weren’t for kids” matters to me because on a lot subjects in school I’m not very eager to learn, to education because the article partly blames our education traditions and systems, and to the world because if most students aren’t willing to learn in school, what will be their reaction when they reach the working world?  This article is about how experts are finding that students aren’t very eager to learn.  It also talked about how there are many different types of motivation for students, whether it be through peer pressure, parents, or teacher intimidation.  Since I personally am not very eager to learn most of the time, sometimes my grades reflect that.  For example, if I am playing a sport and takes up most of my night and I had an off hour during the school to finish my homework and instead I hung out with some friends that would be an example of night being eager to learn.  In the article, the author talked about how our education system in general isn’t promoting student motivation because many teachers teach to “raise students’ test scores”.  And also if a student gets good grades they are rewarded, so it sends the message they that should be getting good grades for rewards, not clearly on their future.  If students aren’t as motivated now, how will they do in the work force?  Some can argue that previous generations did fine, why wouldn’t we?  But the difference is the culture in general.  Many people agree that my generation is the most pressed to be “successful” (as in gating good grades, going to college, even sports) than any other generation in history.  Because of that there is more pressure.  Let’s hope reform is on its way.

PLN14

The article, “You Know This is True” by Will Richardson matters to me because at this moment, grades are what matter most to me in education, to education because I know many kids who also have the same mindset, and to the world because we need more students that want to learn.  This article was about how many students are very willing to learn, they just listen in class and get good grades and that’s that.  What is missing is the “want to learn” part from students.  Our culture in which we live in might play a big role in this because many parents put pressure on their children to ace that test or get a good grade, but leave out the wanting to learn part out.  Even in myself, my main goal in education is to get a good grade in a class.  If I get a good grade in a class, I move on without retaining the information, which is the most important part.  I am not the only one with that idealism.  The majority of my friends and fellow students are the same.  In the world, we need more students who are willing to learn because history has shown that great inventions or ideas have come mostly from curiosity, which many students today are missing.  How we fix this? I don’t know, but I am glad Will Richardson brought this issue up and center.

PLN13

The article, “Googley Advice” matters to me because I want to learn what companies look for in a worker, to education because schools should maybe do a little more to adjust to what business are looking for, and to the world because what this article talks about is what most businesses are looking for.  Basically, this article was about what Google looks for when hiring people, and also what makes great workers, not just in their eyes, but in many other businesses’ as well.  I want to learn what companies look for in a worker, so if I am good at that certain skill, I can show it off.  If I have troubles with a skill that businesses like Google look for, I can work hard to improve, so that I am well-rounded in the business community.  From an education standpoint, schools should try to adjust to what many businesses look for in workers so that they are better equipped with the necessary tools needed to be successful in the working world.  After all, that’s the school’s job isn’t it?  Since most business look for specific skills, the world as a whole should putting huge emphasis on the importance of have these skills.

PLN12

In the article “Do You Believe in Algebra?” it matters to me because I am student who takes math as a class many times a week, to education because I know many fellow students who wonder how Algebra helps them in the real world, and to the world because much of the emphasizes the importance of mathematics.  “Do You Believe in Algebra?” talked about there are very few people who have an advanced degree in some sort of mathematics, something like .03%.  Since I am a student who takes a math class regularly, sometimes I sit in class wondering how this is supposed to help me in the future.  Truthfully, I understand why we learn basic math early on, but on comes trigonometry, and I can’t think of a profession that uses it.  Connecting to education, my fellow students ask the same thing.  I hear at least once a month, “Mr. or Mrs. ___ why do we need to know this?” and usually the teacher has a hard time answering it or he or she just says that it’s in the curriculum and that they are required to teach it.  This matters to the world because the world as a whole emphasizes the importance of mathematics.  I cannot disagree that math is important but I don’t see man articles talking about how there is a shortage of mathematicians in the world because only 0.03% of college graduates have a PhD in math.

PLN11

The video “2020 Vision” matters to me because I am a student, to education because the way education is handled is changing, and to the world because of new business landscapes.  This video was about what Karl Fisch thinks the year 2020 will be like, specifically to education and the world.  Since I am a student, some of the changes the Karl Fisch predicts would have an effect on me.  For example, one thing that was stated in the video was that they would “do away the grades and transcripts all together, moving to a learning exhibition system, routed in the students’ electronic portfolios”.  This is significant because this would change the way my performance would be tracked throughout school.  Another thing that Mr. Fisch predicted was the development of “GoogleCam” which would record a classroom session and upload it onto the internet.  This would be a great help for education in general because if a student misses a day, he or she would be able to find it on the web.  In “2020 Vision” it talked about many new business landscapes, including Google buying Apple.  This would be profound because both of these companies are huge, meaning big changes globally.

PLN10

The post, “A Conversation with My Students”, by Karl Fisch matters to me because I am a student wanting to become a better student, as well as a person, to education because this is a different perspective on what Mr. Fisch bases success on, and thinks that many other teachers should deliver the same message, and this matters to the world because Mr. Fisch thinks that that students in general are getting the wrong message, about how they define success.  This post by Karl Fisch was about how he doesn’t define success with his students by grades and success in school, or even about their labor future sand getting a good job.  He defines success for him as if his students turn out to be good, kind, and caring adults.  This is an interesting concept to me because I have never really thought of teachers as people who should help you build you character.  I have always thought of teachers as people who help you to get information into your brain.  Mr. Fisch takes it to a whole new level.  This shows great commitment and character on his part.  Now the students and I have to play our role.

PLN9

The article “Rigor Redefined” by Tony Wagner, matters to myself because I am a student on my way to becoming a worker, and I need to know what businesses are looking for when they hire young workers, to education because some of the best schools aren’t preparing students to go into the work force properly, and this matters to the world because if workers aren’t properly equipped with the tools to succeed in the global economy, then performances of businesses have a risk of going down.  This article was mainly about how many businesses are seeing a lack in critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, leadership, agility, adaptability, initiative, entrepreneurism, effective oral and written communication, analyzing information, curiosity and imagination.  Knowing what businesses are looking for can really help me be successful because I can show off the skills that I already have that businesses are looking for or I can try to improve on the skills I need to work on.  If some of the best schools are not teaching effectively and preparing there students for the work world, then it can be very harmful to economies all around the world.  This is not coming from a philosopher; this is coming from businesses that are looking to hire US.

PLN8

In the article, "Audit: 49 school districts show signs of financial weakness", by Tim Hoover of the Denver Post, this article matters to me, education, and the world for many reasons.  This article matters to me because I am a student in Colorado and I am in a public school, so I am in a Colorado school district.  The article says that there are 178 school districts in Colorado and 49 of them show financial weakness.  That to me is astounding.  This matters to education obviously because if that many school districts show signs of financial weakness, this my lead to schools cutting back on supplies and helpful resources needed to teach.  Lastly, this article matters to the world because this problem can be connected to the overall U.S. economy and what the condition of it is.  If the U.S. economy isnt doing well, then other countries' economys crumble as well because the United States plays such a big role in the worlds' economy.

PLN7

In the video, "The Machine is Us/ing Us", it matters for many reasons.  First of all it talks about how text isnt just text anymore.  First it was just regular text, then links, and then multimedia like pictures and video and so on.  This matters to me for a couple reasons.  It matters to me because technology is changing so fast that I dont even notice it.  I can really relate to the title.  Sometimes I feel like a machine using technology like the computer.  Another reason why this matters to me is because I am a user of technology and I must pay attention to technology related topics.  This matters to education because it may change the way schools teach in general.  Instead of just writing or typing in general there might be more a use of multimedia like making videos for example.  Finally this matters to the world because we keep advancing in technology as time goes on.  On the video it said that 100 billion web pages are visited each day.  That is astounding in my mind.  After watching this video and really thinking about it, I would have to agree that we are the machine.

PLN6

The article I read was "FBI seeks "flatbill" bandit in the series in the front range", by the Denver Post.  This artice is about how a suspected bandit wearing a flatbill hat, which is the reason he is called the flatbill bandit, comes into many Front Range banks and commits a robberies.  He told a clerk he had a gun.  Also, if he is found, there will be a $2000 reward.  First of all, this matters to me because any bandit is bad not only for me, but for my fellow Coloardans.  This guy needs to  be brought to the authorities as soon as possbile.  This also matters to me because if I somehow see him walking on the street somewhere, I can call the cops and gain $2000.  This isnt likely, but still a possibility.  The reason why it matters to education is because this guy probably needed money and he didnt have the money himself to get what he wanted.  If you get a good education, that could lead to a better job, which leads to more money, so theres no need to rob banks.  This matters to the world because it illustrates how corupt society is today.  To me this seems so regular to me.  When I see news that someone has robbed some banks, I dont think much of it because I am used to it.  This is true for many people also, which is troubling.

PLN5

In Will Richardson's article, "Footprints in the Digital Age", he talked about how networking is the new literacy and how students are trackible through the internet.  He mainly talked about the positives of being so transparent.  For example, he talked about how many people find people who share the same passions or interests and can learn and communicate we eachother.  I think that this also matters in education.  For example, because more and more people use the internet, you can possibly find someone who is studying the same thing as your math class is, you could could work with that person and possible learn from him or her.  A digital footprint definately matters to me.  It matters to me because I am getting older which takes place as time gos by, just like technology will get better and most likely become an even bigger part of our lives.  So in that case, a positive digital footprint is what I am hoping for.  I find this ironic because when this is posted, it will be another digital footprint of mine.  This also matters to the world as a whole because there are over 6 billion people on Earth, and theres a good chance that there are many people who can relate, share, and think the way you or I do.  Imagine if everyone found someone that shared the same likes, interests, and passions and they could learn from eachother, imagine how much smarter the world would be.

PLN4

I read "At least 63 structures burned in fire near Boulder" by Bruce Finley, Yesenia Robles, and Kevin Vaughan, contributors for the Denver Post because this story definately seemed like it matters to me because the fire is in Colorado, the state in which I live in.  It mainly talked about how severe this fire in Boulder is, information about what the fire has done so far, and what some victims have gone through because of this.  This story matters for many reasons, especially for those of us who live in Colorado.  The first reason why it matters is because it affects us because it is huge fire and its not like we are just observers.  For example, if this fire were to happen in a different state, we wouldnt need to be as worried because it wont affect us.  On the other hand, this fire is happening in the state we live in, so it could possible affect us.  There are many ways this could affect us.  The fire could travel to where we live, which is unlikely, but always a possiblility.  A more likely scenerio would be that the smoke could possibly travel from the fire, to where we live.  But there is also a thought the someone that doesnt live near where the fire is happening, and that would be they know someone who has been affected by this fire.  So this fire definately matters for us locals.

PLN3- Is Google Making Us Stupid?

Today I read an article called "Is Google Making Us Stupid?".  The author talked about how he thinks that reading skills in general are going down because of reading off the net.  He also talked about how it also changes the way we think.  In my opinion, this article matters alot to me because I use Google often, along with most people.
There are many things that matter about Google, and it's role in education.  One role Google has in education is Google Docs.  Many schools, including Arapahoe High School are turning to Google Docs.  Another role Google has in education is research.  Since Google is the largest search engine, it has a huge role because many students use to to access information.  Accessing information without a search engine like Google would be hard for many students.
Google has an even bigger role globally.  As I mentioned before, it is the largest search engine in the world, but its not only the largest searh enigine, it's becoming even more.  With more Google items and applications like the Google phone and Google Earth, its becoming ludacris.  Writing this response makes me actually realize how big Google is.  Heck, now it can even be a verb.  For example, you may have heard people say or tell you, "just Google it".
In my opinion, this is both a good and a bad thing.  A good thing because it is so easy to access information you want with the click of a mouse.  But it can also be a bad thing because if Google keeps becoming more powerful with the world information, the company could possibly become corrupted and all that information lies in the wrong hands.

A Vision of Students Today

On my own time and in class I watched a video called "A Vision of Students Today".  The video is about how much education is different from a technology standpoint.  The video points out the good and the bad technology brings out in education.  Many things can be accessed from the internet, such as, images, video, social networks, video, games, and maps.  All of the things technology can bring can be very helpful, but sometimes it gets to a point where technology can be overwhelming.  Since there are so many things to do and access from the internet, it can be distracting.  Most everyone I know has either been distracted while using the computer doing something they are not supposed to be doing, like playing a game or listening to music online, whether it be in class or at home.  I have no doubt this happens to most people, especially people my age, and I am no exception.
A student wrote in the video, "I facebook through most of my classes," and another wrote, "I bring my laptop to class, but im not working on class stuff".  Those statements mean something.  I know many people that text during class.  To be truthful, I dont think as many kids texted in class in the 80s or 90s, as much as kids do now.  You can make the arguement that technology has developed over time thats why more kids text in class.  But in my opinion, technology has made our generation, "the most distracted" if you will.  Truthfully, I do not think there is an easy answer to this problem.  If you think that schools should just make it so that technology isnt allowed on campus, they wouldnt be preparing them for future jobs.
Somthing else that the video mentioned is a growing number of kids in each classroom.  One student wrote, "my average class size is 115".  This can potentially become a problem because if the number of students to teachers ratio gets bigger, that could mean more cheating or distractions because the teacher or teachers cant keep a close eye on every single student.  This also, can potentially become a problem that is hard to be finxed.
For me, this video was a wake up call about how technology is becoming a bigger role in my life and how education is getting more and more difficult as time goes by.