User:LMObeso

I am currently enrolled in CIS2 summer course at De Anza College. I'm taking two summer courses in addition to working full time. I'm working toward achieving a second bachelors degree in Mathematics.

= Midterm =

For the midterm project I selected the topic of Achieving universal primary education. There are many ways that technology can assist in this goal and people are taking advantage of technology to begin to solve this problem. One entrepreneur built his whole company around creating community centers with computer labs so that children could have access to technology from a young age and begin learning the skills necessary to compete in a high-tech world. He brought technology to countries where he believed its use would let people and businesses become more productive and increase profits coming in. By both enhancing the knowledge of young people and increasing productivity in adults, ENOVA hopes to create a brighter future for rural Mexico, where technology is sparse.

In other areas, people are using mobile phone technology to spread education. Since many mobile phones can be purchased cheaply and paid for on a month-to-month service plan, this makes it easier to spread knowledge through the use of apps. Although mLearning has not been able to increase the education of new topics, it has shown a valuable resource in improving access to education in many Asian cities. This is a much easier way to provide lessons than creating whole computer labs which can be a timely and expensive process.

1. Introductions
http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_on_how_technology_evolves

Kevin Kelly discusses how technology evolves like species in biology. His main point is that technology is now a tool to enhance our evolution and culture. Once our culture evolves, we as human beings will be able to create better technology. So they go hand in hand in what he calls the “infinite game;” a game which strives to keep going and not just to end in a win or lose situation.

http://blog.octanner.com/leadership/7-characteristics-of-great-leaders

This article is very interesting in that it points out simple things that separate leaders from the average person. It focuses on things that seem easy to achive, such as taking personal responsibility, but which may prove difficult in action. Many people are afraid that there will be repercussions for admitting they messed up, but I have known people who are like this and people tend to respect them for admitting their faults and moving forward to fix things.

*** http://fortune.com/2015/02/25/5-jobs-that-robots-already-are-taking/

This article points out something that may concern many. Technology has primarily taken blue-collar jobs and consolidated them so htat one machine can handle the jobs of many. If this begins to take over white collar jobs this may cause a shift in our work force and our economy. Now it appears that in order to survive well you need a college degree, but if technology is taking over many of these entry level and mid level jobs, it may become necessary to gain an veen more advanced degree soon.

2. Privacy and Freedom of Speech
*** http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2222827/android-users-privacy-put-at-risk-by-apps-collecting-unnecessary-data

This article was very interesting because it shows just how much information an app can get from your phone. We are in an age where Smart phones are present everywhere and as some students commented; we don’t usually check the agreements about what information to share. Although most apps use this information based on what we do (using a phone’s camera to add a picture to Instagram) it is scary to think that some apps can be manipulating and using information on our phone without our knowledge.

http://teachthought.com/technology/11-tips-for-students-tomanage-their-digital-footprints/

I found this useful as an adult. There were a few things that I didn’t know about, like alternative search engines that protect your search history. Although many of these are common sense, it is easy to forget to check your privacy settings for each new account you set up. It is always good to have reminders of all the different ways we leave a footprint online.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2031908/the-5-biggest-online-privacy-threats-of-2013.html

This article brings up a lot of issues that many internet users are unaware, or minimally aware of. It is nice that they also provide information of steps the government is trying to take to protect our privacy. If we are well informed of policies in the making, we can support them and help to protect our information from being misused.

3. Intellectual Property
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/575938/us-sides-oracle-java-copyright-dispute-google/

Oracle won in a battle versus Google about whether API, the coding system used to create Java for mobile applications could be copyrighted. This lead to Google being limited in their use of the code used for Java. Google argues that this will inhibit a lot of progress for certain technology, but the ruling was upheld that API can be copyrighted to protect the Java technology under Oracle. Since much of the internet technology was created in an open-source environment this is a big change.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurenorsini/2015/06/19/how-marvels-amazon-deal-will-stifle-comic-book-piracy/

Amazon and Marvel have taken smart steps toward eliminating their comic piracy problem. By finding an easier way to give comic book readers access to new editions quickly, and without having to pay a premium, they hope to reduce the amount of pirated PDFs of popular comics. Since most people respect the creators of comics, they are willing to pay for the works, but don’t want to wait long for the newest available comics. This is similar to what many TV and movie services like Netflix are doing to provide videos to users and reduce illegally loaded copies.

*** http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2012/07/22/in-china-why-piracy-is-here-to-stay/

I think it is very interesting how the article makes the connection between piracy regulations and the cultural differences between the US and China. China has a group oriented culture, whereas the US is more individualistic. So it makes sense that by offering what are considered equal programs, DVDs, and other products at a price that everyone can afford, it goes along with Chinese culture and how people are raised. Being the one person who has exclusive access to an expensive program is not valued. There are good and bad to this way of thinking. Everyone has a better shot at access to the same information, however, this means that the creators may not be compensated accurately for their work on a project. ☁

4. Crime
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-five-computer-crimes-protect/

This site gives information on the top cyber crimes committed and ways to help prevent them. The top five are malware, identity theft, cyberstalking, child pornography, and spam. Each of these provides a unique set of problems from minor irritation to fear for one’s personal safety wherever they go. It is helpful to remember the ways we can minimize our risks for the most common crimes committed over the internet.

*** https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2015/07/08/tax-fraudster-who-hacked-accounting-firms-pleads-guilty-in-us-court/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nakedsecurity+(Naked+Security+-+Sophos

What happens when the companies entrusted to maintain our records is hacked by a professional? This is what happened to four accounting firms who file many tax forms, leading to multiple tax frauds attempted by the hacker. This is a scary thought, though luckily the perpetrator was caught. However, when these incidents happen it allows a company to improve its systems and practices for protexting their information and ours. This is why we need “ethical hackers” in the world to help major companies find these holes before someone malicious does any harm.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aarp-and-google-offer-top-5-tips-to-prevent-cybercrime-300111556.html

These are some simple tips to help you avoid cyber crimes from affecting you. By learning more, we are able to make it difficult for these criminals to make profits. The more you make them work, the less likely they are to pursue your personal information. After all, many of them are criminals in order to make a quick and easy dollar. The main points are to make sure you know who it is you are providing personal information to by ensuring that emails or sites are not scams created to phish your information, and taking extra steps to make it difficult to breach your information. I think it is interesting that this was targeted for 50 year olds and over since they lacked exposure to the internet from a young age, and may be more vulnerable. I agree that this information should be divulged in schools as well as to older users in order to protect those who may not expect an attack online.

5. Employment Education and Entertainment
*** http://dailygenius.com/re-imagining-work-how-can-we-be-more-engaged-more-productive-and-happier/

When I watched this video it really resonated with me on the issues of productivity in the workplace. He promotes the use of technology and states that dependence on a physical work site causes inefficiencies, overworking, and unhappiness in employees. Even the way that we use technology now to work remotely causes people to work excessively in order to make up for the perception that other co-workers may have that if you aren’t in office, then you aren’t really working. Technology however, provides ample opportunities to not work while physically at work, as well as allowing remote workers to work too much. By giving people the freedom to work where they are comfortable, employees not only become happier, but are able to flex their creativity and become more productive without wasting extra time.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/stem-k-8-engineering

This article points out how simple it can be to start introducing STEM lessons into classes at a younger age. Simply problems that can be solved, like how to keep a heavy door propped open, can lead to projects. It also emphasizes the fact that scientists and engineers often fail while trying to come up with solutions, so these kids will run into failed attempts along the way. That is simply part of the process to improve technology and a good lesson to learn at a young age to improve perseverance. This is another reason why we need more qualified and energetic teachers, as well as parent volunteers and teacher aids. These lessons can be messy and labor intensive and require someone willing and able to do the work. If teachers are overburdened with too many students, it becomes impossible to really enforce STEM type lessons. I would hope that promoting this type of education would encourage new teachers to join a school and bring their energy and excitement.

http://www.districtadministration.com/article/how-build-and-sustain-culture-stem-teaching-and-learning

This article shows the importance of backing from the school district and even major companies that believe in STEM teaching in order to make it happen. By having the support, the school can open up pathways for young children to potential careers and interests. They also emphasize that STEM is not something you do when there is spare time in the day, it is a continuous method of teaching that is driven by the students, questions, and them figuring out problems in their own way. This would be very helpful in the long run for students entering college and later the work force. These are all skills that people need in most jobs, even if they aren’t science, technology or engineering. The school in this article also believes in helping teachers to become STEM teachers, by providing training and helping them to use this style of teaching regularly in the classroom.

6 . Midterm
*** http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9568850/Khan-Academy-The-man-who-wants-to-teach-the-world.html

This is an excellent example of using technology that is already widely available for free and using it to the advantage of many. Some of these videos are even distributed in rural areas of developing countries where primary education is not always a definite. He focuses not only on the material at hand and breaking it down in an easy-to-understand format, but on making children truly engage with and enjoy the subjects. He believes in catering to the students’ needs in terms of learning and how the gain knowledge best.

http://gettingsmart.com/2012/11/30-of-the-best-educational-ipad-games-kids-edition/

This article also focuses on getting education to children in a format they will enjoy. I recall while in elementary school doing games similar to math ninja and being disappointed when I did poorly, and striving to do better. If games can do that for math concepts, then why not use them? I think it’s great that there is a good variety of programs in different topics for children to learn while playing. This not only helps their understanding of concepts, but also some visual-spatial skills needed to play games on screen.

http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/794/1487

Mobile phone facilitated learning is being utilized in rural areas of Asia to increase the access to education through mLearning. mLearning programs were initiated in six locations and measures were taken in educational outcomes of two areas: improving access and promoting new learning. It seems that mobile phones can be utilized to increase the access to current way of learning, but not in learning new materials. Since many phones can be activated inexpensively on month-to-month contracts, this allows access without the burden of an expensive plan. Also, individuals and companies alike can donate used phones to countries to help increase access and take away the cost of purchasing or even renting a phone.

7. Evaluating and Controlling Technology
*** http://www.edutopia.org/blog/digital-divide-technology-internet-access-mary-beth-hertz

This addresses the issue of the evolving digital divide. Now the internet is so widely available, but it is a matter of how people access it that creates an issue. People of privilege tend t own computers and have broadband access, versus people of lower income, in rural areas, etc., tend to only have cell phones or gaming systems to access internet. By merely having access to a computer, people can take web courses or apply for jobs, and improve their lives, which is difficult to do over a smart phone. The author mentions the old notion of bookmobiles that were used to give all children access to libraries and literature, and of possibly creating similar places for technology now.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/69744400/googles-deep-mind-artificial-intelligence-research-could-replace-the-it-helpdesk

Google is creating AI that can serve as an IT helpdesk attendant and give philosophical advice. It uses complex algorithms to dig up information from documented previous experiences in order to solve many IT problems – and with great accuracy. This is another example of white collar jobs being taken over by technology.

http://andrewmcafee.org/2010/12/control-technology-choice-not-technology-use/

This is a good point about the fact that corporations should be limiting what technology they utilize, and not how the employees use it. A good example would be a company using both Macs and PCs, where it is hard to transfer data between the different programs. Someone will have to download special software or open source programs in order to translate from Mac to PC or PC to Mac language. This creates a barrier between the different work groups. However, if someone were using Excel and knew how to add extensive data manipulations and calculations to create a tool that may be utilized for many, then why stop them

8. Risks, Failures, and Responsibilities
http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=39341

3D printers are an up and coming technology that is becoming more popular everyday. It has leaked into personal and hobbyist use, as well as more high tech advanced uses. Scientists are working on ways to create viable organs and tissues that can be transplanted into humans with organ needs. Since there is a definite market for healthy organs, and few options available, this seems like a great idea. They are still working on getting the organs to implant phase, but may be able to use the current versions created for research of diseases and their affects on organs in the mean time. This may take away some of the risks of organ transplant that come from possible diseases in the organs and carefully matching blood types.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeana-lee-tahnk/neat-products-for-teachin_b_7138030.html

This list of new games and programs available to help kids learn coding basics is proof that learning code can be broken down into simple terms. Many adults never thought about coding until high school or college, and it is a very difficult concept to learn. Since it is, in essence, another language, it makes sense that introducing children to code would make it easier to sink in. Children acquire new languages best when introduced before the age of 5, and it seems that computer code is no different. There are a variety of fun, colorful games, aimed at both boys and girls, in order to further introduce STEM education into homes.

*** http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suren-ramasubbu/things-to-think-about-dur_b_7697118.html

June is now National Internet Safety Month, which brings up the issue of how people are doing about maintaining their internet safety. Many people believe they are doing enough to keep themselves secure online, but the numbers show a different story. If adults aren’t concerned about online safety, then they aren’t teaching their children important information to be aware of when online. Children and teens don’t understand the implications of over-sharing on the internet and that it could lead to irritating outcomes or even serious crimes being perpetrated against them. The point is to make ourselves more aware and take the necessary steps. Many campaigns have begun to make people stop and realize how they could be putting themselves at risk. The article ends with a series of simple steps we can all take to secure ourselves, our families, and especially youth while online.

9. Anytime, Anywhere
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2014/07/30/94864/offshoring-work-is-taking-a-toll-on-the-u-s-economy/

The U.S. is increasingly sending jobs overseas for cheaper prices, and it is effecting our economy and employment rates. There are even tax incentives to move production overseas. The government may need to begin creating incentives for bringing jobs back in order to balance our economy. Wages for these jobs are being decreased in order to try and compete with offshore wages, which affects the blue-collar laborers.

http://www.technologyreview.com/review/533406/what-are-moocs-good-for/

MOOCs make education more available and more affordable for students. However, there is a high drop-out and incompletion rate, which may be credited to students simply browsing for a course that will interest them. Some liken it to books in a library; you check one out and read a few pages, and if the subject is not what you expected or not as interesting as you’d hoped, you return it without completing. At least there is no loss of money for something you were unsure about. The statistics sparks the debate as to whether MOOCs are worthwhile or not, however some students merely want to learn a few things and stop viewing lessons after they have reached their goal. MOOCs have the ability to allow education for significantly decreased price, as well as the opportunity to change education and how we view it. There are good and bad to this new system and it will take time to determine its merits.

*** http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/08/how-mobile-technology-created-a-workforce-that-never-stops-working/

I have seen this in practice at my job. Employees are constantly connected to their work email and all the stresses from work, even when they leave the office. This can add up doubly when someone is out of the office on a business trip, dealing with those issues, while trying to also tackle issues that came up back at the office. For those who work remotely, a laptop provides a complete work station with capabilities to start early and end your day early, or continue working. The problem is that your 8 hours may not coincide with coworkers 8 hours, so when an urgent email comes up well past the end of your work day, you feel obligated to answer. This creates an issue with an employee’s work/life balance, and can tipple into the work-heavy side. Between smaller laptops and tablets, and increasing programs that provide the same experience on a smaller platform, work is easier than ever to access from home.

10. Technology Advances, Social Trends
*** http://thetechawards.thetech.org/laureates/worldreader

I think this will make a great impact because they are using current technology to increase education. By allowing these students to have more access to books and information, they could potentially go on to higher education and help to create the next generation of technology. This also uses inexpensive resources for a big outcome. Especially in areas where there are very few books, and those that are around are often worn and falling apart, this allows students access to newer and better books. I think that this has the most impact because youth determine our futures. The next generations will form society and make it whatever it will be.

http://thetechawards.thetech.org/laureates/source-international

This provides technology for rural areas to check for contaminants in the air and water around them. This will help lower income and 3rd world countries with limited access to technology, by providing a chance to improve their health. Many of these health issues were due to the businesses that thrived in these areas, such as mining. The people of these areas were unaware of what was causing so many illnesses, until they had access to proof, through information and education on water testing. The people are able to see that the major companies in their area were lying about contaminating their areas and causing many illnesses.

http://www.themarysue.com/e3-2015-games-with-female-playable-characters/

I liked this article just for the fact that this has been underrepresented in video games. Strong female leads that aren’t over-sexualized have been few and far between for a long time. It is good to see more strong females in games and not a woman in need of being saved. Hopefully these games could inspire girls not only to play more video games, but to become interested in gaming and high-tech culture and careers. In addition video games have been shown to improve visual-spatial skills, which may also help gamers into a path of science and technology.