Chapter 6 - Computer and Network Security

The issue of online voting was discussed in Chapter 6. I can see the many pros of using this technology, but I feel that at this point in time, the cons heavily outweigh the pros. After reading "The Blue Nowhere", I feel like nothing online is safe from people who have a strong desire and knowledge to hack into other people's computers and wreak havoc. It would be too easy for educated hackers to unethically affect the outcome of elections. It's obvious that most of these hackers have no ethical and moral standards that drive their decision making.

Chapter 5 - Privacy

There were many interesting issues brought up in this chapter. One that I was already aware of and scares the heck out of me is the Google Phonebook Service. I suppose it isn't all that different from publishing a phone number and address in a phone book, but just the thought that finding directions to your home by anyone out there is that simple is a little frightening.

The idea of using body scanners to help customers find clothes that best fit their body style sounds awesome to me! I loathe trying on jeans and anything to eliminate that fiasco works for me.

Lastly, the issue of implanting chips into animals sounds like a wonderful idea to me. I know that the issue of imlanting chips into children is very controversial issue and I do understand both sides of this issues. As a mother, I would be willing to sacrifice my child's safety over their privacy, especially younger children. I think this is a practice that will become more popular in the next few years.

Novel #3 Reaction

I just finished reading the Blue Nowhere. What a great book. I loved all of the twists and turns. I guess Gillette was not Shawn after all! I think we are going to continue to see more and more people in the real world that replace human beings with machines. I especially loved the happy ending. I am a sucker for romance!

Technology Article #6 (Module 3)

The article "Technology in Schools: Some Say It Doesn't Compute!" focused on research that makes a stong case against the way technology is being used in schools. Some students complained that because the technology available to them was so slow that it was wasting their time to just sit and wait on connections. Another student discussed his concern with his school district making the decision to spend limited funds on computers instead of textbooks that would be used every day by every student. This is a decision that many schools are currently facing. The article also brought to light health concerns that could face students using technology, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, emissions from older machines, and the sedentary lifestyle that comes from sitting behind a machine.

One good point that the article made was that students try to substitute the Internet for a library, when they don't realize or understand that much of the material on the Internet is incorrect or biased.

I am a strong advocate of technology in schools, but I do understand the concerns mentioned in this article. I think the most important key is how the technology is implemented and used by students and teachers. I don't want to see student's get short changed in core areas such as math or reading because teachers are spending instructional time teaching a software program or technology that will be extinct by the time they graduate from high school!

Technology Article #5 (Module 3)

The article "Virtual High Schools: The High Schools of the Future?" discussed the advantages that distance education can bring to students. One key point of distance education is that it gives all students an equal opportunity to content curriculum and to people with many perspectives. Living in a small, rural community, I can see how this could be a major advantage for our students to have this type of learning available to them. I like the fact that students can move at their own pace. If they are understanding the material and want to proceed, they are not held back by other students who don't understand. Also, if they need to repeat a course, they can do so without being embarrassed. The article mentions the possibilities this type of learning has for dropouts and students who have been expelled.

Kids seem to feel very comfortable with this type of learning. It's a way of life for them. Many of them have been on a computer since they were 5 years old or younger. My three year old loves to play matching games and other fun things on my computer. It's hard for me to imagine what type of technology will be available for her when she is in high school!

Technology Article #4 (Module 3)

The article entitled "The School of the Future" was an interesting article. According to this article, due to technology schools as we know them will no longer exist in the next century. Students will learn at times when it is most convenient for them as schools will be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. A laptop computer will be the student's library, homework, data storage, and connection to the wider world. One key point in this article was that technology with change the emphasis from the "teaching" of kids to the "learning" of kids.

I have focused a lot of my time and attention on at-risk students in my prior master's classes, and these schools of the future seem to be a key to success for these kids. Some students who already have the responsibilities of full-time jobs or children of their own can still get their education via on-line at a time of the day that it is convenient for them. I am excited, but a little anxious to see the changes in store!

Reflection #2 of Novel

I just finished Chapter 18 and this is getting intense! It's hard for me to stop reading once I pick this book up. I did not see it coming when Gillette was actually Shawn. I was also shocked when the principal was the one murdered, not Jamie Turner. Reading this book makes me a little freaked out to even be online! It makes me realize that virtually nothing is private when a hacker is determined to get information they want. I'm learning a few new techno terms to impress my students with this fall!