Scratch

Scratch is a simple video game creating application for your computer. It was created by MIT students and you learn simple concepts of commands and movement needed to create a video game. Scratch game creations seem simple and easy to the foreign eye but I have experienced the challenges of Scratch.

 My game is simply not functional. I have struggled for hours with scratch and i have concluded that i will not be a video game designer in my life. Scratch is a great beginner design program and will help you realize the amount of interest you have in computer game design. Scratch is a great learning experience and I recommend giving it a try. Try not to get frustrated with the challenge, I know I did.

David Perry

David discusses the influences that video games have and will have on us in the future. I find the creation of such life like games remarkable. I constantly question how these seemingly real images are created. Video games are a great form of entertainment and allow many people to express their artistic minds in creating or playing these games. I am bothered with the fact that to some, video games might be more meaningful than actual life. This brings about some concern in my mind that some people's most expressive and emotional times in life could be in a virtual world that only exists if they want it to.
The video with the student's opinion startle me. I understand the correlation he makes between emotions felt while watching a movie and the future of gaming, but why does one want experience such emotional aspects of life via video games. It is understandable to image how great these games will be but a game can only be as good as a real life experience to back it up. The same with movies, where a part that makes you sad or happy usually has a personal experience to back it up. So what if some become so dependent on the emotions created in video games that these are the only feeling they truly understand?
The best part of the student's opinion video is at the end when he is contemplating reality vs. video game world. He states, " We must stay aware of what our games are teaching us and how they leave us feeling when we finally do unplug." This part is what I think should be more importantly expressed in David's talk. At the end he talks about his 17 month old daughter and how he hopes she loves Video games as much as he does. My question is what would the big deal be if she didn't. Along with the majority of the world (i think),I find actual life experiences more meaningful. It makes sense to want to pass your passion on to your children but if your passion revolves around things like sports and fighting why not experience those in real life rather than on a television screen?

The death of creativity?

In the Riz Khan interview with Sir Ken Robinson, we find discussion of curriculum around the world and how most of it is focused on the basics of mathematics and sciences. Although these subjects have very significant roles, I agree with Sir Ken in his saying that we must institute other forms of expressive learning for the creative mind.
Towards the end of the second half of Sir Ken's interview he states, "There isn't just one way to think, there isn't just one way to communicate." which I believe is the basis of all his judgements. This statement leads us to acknowledge that not every person is the same and not all are going to succeed at the same things. This is very obvious but just because we are not all having success in the same area does not mean that we are not brilliant in our own ways. I could go on for paragraphs about Sir Ken's innovative mind set but I would rather like to show my personal experience with this changing educational outlook.
Where I currently attend high school I can actually see many of Sir Ken's ideas in action. Compared to the public high schools in the area, I believe we put them to shame. We provide almost every aspect of art and music you could imagine. Along with creating art and music classes that are required for credits in order to graduate. Although we do not have a required dance class we do have a dance club or specifically a step team. If that club is not suitable for you, your sure to find a way to express yourself with your body on the athletic fields where you are required to play a sport or stay active in some way each season. If sports aren't your thing you can get exemption by participating in the performing arts.
All of these options are so great but nothing without personal bonds by teachers and coaches. Sir Ken mentioned that the most important part of learning are the teachers. Whether a good or bad influence they will dramatically change your experience and your ability to be as creative and expressive as possible. I have found by speaking with other piers in different schools that my school is possibly the best in fostering the kind of friendship or teacher-student relationship that Sir Ken talks about. Overall i am pleased to have watched Sir Ken's interview and see that I am part of a school that is trying to move in the right directions for optimal education success.

We Think

This video revolves around the concept of sharing. It's such a simple idea that we learn in the earliest stages of life but this type of sharing is on a much larger scale. The video is called We Think and generates this idea that mass innovation comes from communities or basically comes from sharing.
It seems odd to share your ideas whether brilliant or not with others. What if your idea was fantastic and would make millions, would you still want to share it? Personally this concept of tell all what you know seems non beneficial. The video claims that with this changing technological world we will be what we share rather than what we own. During this time of change, the video claims that those who share will not need commission for their ideas but just recognition. Will recognition be enough?

Shift Happens

After watching the video Shift Happens on youtube, my biggest question was how can we prevent this. Obviously not prevent or stop any technological advancements of the future but basically how can we keep the United States in the loop.

Much of the video is frightening for an American teenager. To stop and think of the possibility of other nations being more intelligent and powerful than we are, if they aren't already, is almost overwhelming to comprehend. We grow up thinking we are the best and now we are going to be England of the 21st century, refering to the comparison made in the video.

Probably the most eye opening fact of the video is that as a nation we are spending 140 million dollars on Nintendo research and barely spending half that on education. Bringing me to the next biggest question, If we will be working with tools that don't exist yet how do we prepare? What's the point of learning things in our freshman year at college if those things will be obselete and unnecessary to have a successful career in life?

These questions are tough to answer and the only thing we can do is stay open-minded. We must be ready to change and learn at any point in our lives not just in high school. We need to be students our whole lives and learn how to operate these computers that are predicted to exceed the computation power of a human brain in the year 2013.

Writing vs. Actual Writing

In the article Writing, Technology, and Teens, we look at how electronic communication effects a teens school work. With many survey's displaying wide ranges of data, we can basically conclude that most teens text and/or Instant Message. The main debate is whether this new age of communication is effecting the writing of teens today and ultimately going to bring down the basic structure of the English language. The article states that "60 % of teens do not think of these electronic texts as writing," I happen to agree with this percentage of youth and feel that an occasional mishaps in writing is no big deal and ultimately will have no affect on the structure of writing.

Web 2.0 Group 2 Call

For anyone who thinks they're a leader or an organizer of masses you are nothing without Group to Call. If you want to send out a message on literally any kind of communication device check out this website. It is an automated messaging service that will call, text, or email all of your contacts. Whether your reaching out to your entire office or just trying to have a reunion of friends, Group 2 Call is what to use.

What is a good blog

A good blog consists of originality. If looking for a blog on hockey topics you don't want to sift through common articles to find something unique. Anyone can put forth a google search in order to come up with general statistics but for example in order to have a hockey blog be successful it must be creative and maybe personal. Find what you truly like about hockey and write about it. Make sure your writing about something not commonly found on ESPN.com or NHL.com. Write about your experience with hockey and what you would like to read from other hockey bloggers. Always keep the reaction of others in your mind. Whether a good or bad reaction, it must be a significant one in order to catch ones attention.

Photo source: karenthecroccy's photostream on flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenthecroccy/487586349/

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. I'm in class right now with two other students. We will be providing you help with computer applications online through our blogs. Hopefully we can be useful and guide you through many online processes in the upcoming weeks. Thanks for giving me your time.