PLN7: “Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us”

In the Youtube video “Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us” by Michael Wesch it talks about how we are programing the web even when we don’t know it.  The web has been mad to understand what we are looking for.  Each time we search something it gets smarter by figuring out what we were trying to find.  This matters to me because I am constantly on the web for school and life. For education this effects the way we use the internet for projects and everyday homework.  This effects the world around me because the internet is beginning to be the world around me and many other students and employees.  Every day we use the web we set it up increasingly more for our future.

PLN6

In the Denver post article “Alameda High students going home after lockdown” by Howard Pankratz it says that a school was shut down and evacuated because a student reported seeing someone with a gun in the school.  No gun was ever found and no other students said they saw anyone with a gun.  It made me wonder if the student made the incident up to get out of work or if the threat was real.  

This effects education because it shows how seriously schools take the threat of weapons on the campus even if there is no proof. It effects me because I go to a high school and there has been crimes committed with guns on campuses before.  The world around me is also mainly high school so in the same way the event effects me it also effects the world around me.  I hope with all the safety precautions in schools nothing ever happens to endanger a school’s students.

PLN5: “Footprints in the Digital Age”

In the article “Footprints in the Digital Age” Will Richardson talks about how important our trail that we leave behind on the Internet is.  Having stuff about us on the web can be beneficial or harmful to us.  It is important that it gives a positive look on our life.  It made me reevaluate my work I turn in for this class and generally what I write on the Internet.  

In the world of education our digital footprint can affect what school we go to and how our teachers view us.  If a school was doing research by googling you and they saw all of your accomplishments you would hope they are seeing positive stuff.  If you were a misanthrope and didn't trust others you might not want anything about yourself on the web. 
It also affects the world around us by making it easier than ever to look someone up and know about their whole world.  In the end our digital footprint, positive or negative, can affect our life in many ways.

PLN4

In the blog post “Dear Denver Post-You’re the disappointment” by Karl Fisch, it talks about how the Denver Post is putting to much of a negative spin to returning to school.  The headline from an article about high school football started out by pointing out the disappointment of starting school.  Karl thinks that it sets a bad example for students and Colorado readers and I agree. 

This topic directly relates to how people view education.  He talks a little about how most people are excited to get back to school even if there are parts they don’t love.  It doesn’t really effect our world all that much.

I believe that influential people and media should be more considerate towards schools and what they do.

PLN3: Is Google Making us Stupid?

In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” author Nicholas Carr tries to convince readers that we are loosing interest in literature due to the internet.  This made me wonder if we should or shouldn’t be using the internet.  He says in his article “Immersing myself in a book or a lengthy article used to be easy. My mind would get caught up in the narrative or the turns of the argument, and I’d spend hours strolling through long stretches of prose.”  He goes on to say how more recently he has had a hard time staying focused along with others he has asked.  

The whole article is on how our brains are changing and I have begun to wonder if it is true.  It makes sense that we are provided with whatever we want to know and it has changed the way we live dramatically.  If we really are loosing are reading abilities and getting dumber how do we change it?