Blog post one.

Did You Know?

I thought the movie was very interesting. The movie showed overall how fast things change as time goes by. The facts about India were very interesting to me, they really showed how large the country is compared to the United States. One fact that seemed to surprise me was how many babies were born in India during the time that I was watching the movie. The video gave me the impression of how fast the world is growing and changing.
Another part of the video that I found really interesting was the information about the larger numbers of computer users, and how fast that is growing. The video really did a good job of conveying how fast technology is growing, and also changing. The world is really becoming a smaller place, where oceans, and great distances are no longer able to keep man from communicating with one another.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

I like the cartoon graphics, it reminded me of a cartoon from my childhood. Other than that there was no surprising information to be learned. The video gave the message that back in Mr. Winkle's day there were no computers of any kind, and that in the schools of today they were not being utilized. In one hundred years everything had changed to machines doing everything for us. The story is implying that schools are slow to adapt, and use this new technology. There is also the problem of people not wanting to learn how to use something new and different from what they are used to.
This video shows how these "machines" are in every part of society. The computer and electronic machinery have infiltrated every part of our daily lives. I know for me personally, when I can not use a computer I feel cut off from everything. I am not sure that I agree with the video, I think that computers are being used in the schools, although I am sure that we could be doing a better job. I know they have computers where my children go to school. When I was there age we did not have any computers in the schools at all. With the rate of speed that technology is growing it is hard to imagine what another hundred years will look like. I think it will be amazing what my children will experience.

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

I thought it was a very interesting speech. Mr. Robinson was right about many things. Often the creative things we wish to pursue are discouraged on the basis of you can not make a living doing that. I recently had a art class, and I learned that students who participate in art, also do well in many of their other subjects. And sadly art and music are the first classes to be cut when there are financial troubles. By doing this, we are hurting the students in other areas of their academics as well.
I really liked the story about the lady who was a dancer, and how if she had grown up in the present, she would have been diagnosed with ADD. Just like in the wild their has to be diversity for survival, and in humans we need that as well. Schools need to cultivate our diversity, and different talents. I think Mr. Robinson makes a good point about how as we get older we become afraid of making a mistake, or being wrong. Imagine what a difference there might be in the world if schools actually encouraged creativity instead of stifling it. I think Mr. Robinson was correct, and right on target with his speech.

Vickie Davis: Harness Your Student's Digital Smarts

I really like this teacher's approach to empowering the students. It is so important in this day and time to be knowledgeable about computers. Technology is changing so rapidly that it is important to try and keep up with what is happening. If your not up to speed with what is taking place today you are at a real disadvantage. There are many things that I am unfamiliar with on the computer, which is why I am really glad that I am going to learn some of these things in this class.
The kids of today are so fortunate that they are learning these things at an early age. I think it is just amazing how the internet puts us in touch with any type of information we wish to learn about. Even when you have a symptom of an illness, you can find information on it, where as before you had to go to a doctor to find out what was going on. I also find it fascinating how we can communicate with people from all over the world instantly. I find it a little surprising when I take a class, and my professor does not utilize the internet to communicate information to me. The process of learning can be enriched so much by the use of the computer.