Star Trek in our Future!?

As someone who loves technology and the ways it helps our daily lives but I think we are headed into a dark place with technology!  The article link below talks about how students hijacked a drone in New Mexico that DHS was testing.  That part is bad enough, but if you read the article, it talks about these drones eventually being used to deliver pizzas!  I am ok with that, but with fewer jobs available as is, how are we going to survive with drones delivering everything from pizza to groceries.  The only solution that may be available is based on the Star Trek model.  Get rid of currency and work for the betterment of your fellow person.  While I doubt that will ever happen, it could very well be answer to our problem!


http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/hijacking-drone-uav-aircraft-texas-students-prove-hackers/story?id=16699686

Joys and Discomforts part 2

As much as I love technology, no electricity kind of kills the mode when it comes to technology!  So severe storms roll in, takes out the electricity and bam - no class, no computer, nothing!  As educators who may use online learning or the internet in classrooms I think we need to be aware of the conditions, especially weather, when it comes to our students.  We have to be willing to make adjustments and understand that just because we may not have issues, others in our online course may have issues.  Being flexible may just make the day or year for our students when it comes to learning online.

Flipped Classrooms

I think flipped classrooms will gain in popularity as more schools become less afraid of technology and realize that we live in a world where technology is everywhere and with everyone.  I am not saying there will not be changes or modifications to the current set up, but I think education is (should be) on track for big changes over the next few years and think education will look completely different very soon.

The joys and discomforts of technology

I love technology and enjoy using it in new ways, but as I have found out it is not always easy.  I went to do my podcast for Instructional Apps and found the new Camtasia 8 is having an issue and will not allow me record anything!  I now have to scramble and come up with another solution!  The joys of technology can easily be turned into discomforts if you have unexpected issues.

Rethinking instruction

With the increase of technology and the changing student we experience, does instruction and our thoughts about what it looks like need to change? YouTube is one of the most popular sites on the Internet and relies on short, to the point videos. Most of society relies on, short to the point information. Does education need to adjust as well? I know this may upset some, but is the term paper dead, to be replaced by a short video about students learned? Is project based learning, students taking all of their classes at home, and/or something like flipped classrooms the future? Could we see the end of brick and mortar in the very near future?

The Future of Web 2.0 (Web 3.0?)

I have had a busy week with technology this week.  While working on assignments for both classes I am taking, I have interviewed for an administrative position in a new school and attended a conference on technology.  Both discussed using technology and Web 2.0 tools and some I consider Web 3.0.  Sites such as Prezi (www.prezi.com) and Animoto (www.animoto.com) make it extremely easy to create presentations that look lightyears better than PowerPoint.  Also, sites such as Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/) could eventually move people away from sites such as Facebook.  The next few years with EdTech could be very interesting and it would be interesting to see what is taught in the Instructional Apps class in five years compared to today!

I have had enough!!

I know this is not necessarily class related, but it is education related and has connections to KSU.  I am sick and tired of people trying to compare US education to others in the world and always focusing on the negative (see article here for higher education: http://money.msn.com/college-savings/11-worst-public-university-grad-rates).  We need to understand, most other countries send people to a work training school if they do not meet certain tests scores.  This then schew results when compared to our own testing.  When is the country going to realize, kids learn more now then they ever had to years ago.  I am ok with that because times have changed and kids need new skills, but because we are changing what we have to teach, there are growing pains for educators, students, and parents.  Let us not forget where a lot of the supposed "smarter" students of the world come for their higher education....the good 'ol US of A. 

As far as the high drop out schools and schools in general that are mentioned in the above article, if we did not push kids who have no business going to college in the first place, our retention rates would naturally go up.  It is not hard to figure out education, why do we need to make it so complicated?  Not every student is going to college, they will not and cannot make it.  Not because they are not talented or bright, but because not everyone fits college, some are great working on vehicles, some are artists of hair, or (gasp) some need to take out the trash at local establishments. 

Sorry for the rant, and if I had time, I would expand more, but I have to go work on my own college work so I can graduate and use my degree in my career!