The Venture to a Type I Civilizantion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI6vANpHhOA

I thought this was a very interesting video - I even posted the link on my facebook. Michio Kaku estimates that we will have acheived Type I status in about 100 years. Do I think he's right? No, I don't. I think it's possible for us to attain that kind of control and that kind of planetary power, but I think that humans will have destroyed the planet before we can. We can't even convince people to recycle, let alone convince them to rely on solar power.

To attain Type I status, the world would have to come together, and work together to achieve this common goal. However, there are large groups of people who do not accept anyone but themselves. Kaku mentions terrorists as one of these groups of people. If the goal of one group is to destroy another group, the world will never be able to come together.

I wish I thought this were possible. Just the simple idea of the world working together for a common goal is exciting, let alone ending up in outer space!

I think what will probably happen is someone will destroy the basis of our civilization with a weapon of mass desctruction, and before we've had time to adjust to solar energy, we won't have connectedness enough to even control the temperature inside our houses, let alone planetary phenomenae.

Virtual Classroom

"This semester you have been exposed to a new method of teaching and learning. Online learning is quite different from the regular classroom. The future of education is going to be even more different.Vitrual Leanring is the newest and wildest method of attending schools. Virtual learning is when you sit your home, or anywhere else, and attend class. You simply put on some glasses and...BAM! You are sitting in the classroom. It seems like you are there...but you are not.What do you think of this option?"

I love this option. I think that online learning is the best possible thing going. I'm so glad it's possible to have class without having to go to a class. If online learning weren't available so many people, like myself wouldn't be able to attend college, because people have to go to work to pay bills. It's nice - the fact that you can do homework in your pajamas and at your own pace. I suppose some students work better with other students, in groups. If that's the case, everyone has the option of meeting and working together. There are also apparently online class discussions, so asking your teacher questions is no difficult task. And a virtual classroom would be even greater. Again, you could stay in your pajamas, but I'm sure your avatar wouldn't. Online learning is becoming popular everywhere, and I can't wait to see the day where people attend class meetings in a virtual classroom!

Nanobots 2

"In the last chapter we discussed how nanobots can help the medical profession. Now, we will examine a different use for them. What it the nanobots could make you smarter? Faster? Stronger? If the nanobots can fix your body why can't they make it better? Say you want to be stronger. The nanobots can build more muscle for you. They can make you taller or cause your to loose wait. You could program the machines to keep your body looking and working in just about in way. What to be a professional ball player? That will be $10,000 and an injection. They could also be used to increase your intelligence by simulating your brain. In fact, some believe that some day we may implant knowledge in your brain. Want to learn CIS100? Simply take this pill.What do you think of using nanobots this way and would you do it?"

I didn't agree that we should use nanobots for medicine and I don't think we should use them to improve the human body. I think it's unnatural and wrong. When someone works hard to become a ballplayer, they've made a great accomplishment. Same for when someone loses weight, or works out to gain big muscles.

If this this kind of technology were put into place, inevitably everyone would use them to make themselves taller, stronger or thinner, it would be all fake and people would all look the same! Humans being different is part of our appeal. Our differences, in a funny way are what make us come together. Everyone looks the way they do and has the abilities they have because of our genes, because it happens naturally, and that's the way it should be!

Even though there are parts and characteristics of my body that I would change, I would NOT use nanobots to change or improve them. I'd rather lose weight myself and have the satisfaction of completing a goal!

Nanobots

"Currently medical science is working on developing very small computers called nanobots to repair damage to the human body. If successful, nanobots will repair your body on a cellular level. This menas if you broke your arm a doctor could give you an injection of nanites to sew your bones and tissues up. Your arms could be healed in days not months!All sorts of medical issues could be corrected though their use. They could repair your body from the inside. Doctors could use the nanites to "see" inside your body and give them directions on how to fix it. After their job is done they would turn off and be passed out of your system as waste.What is your opinon of this type of medicine?"

This technological advancement scares me. I don't like the thought of it at all. First of all, I feel that the world's massive overpopulation is due to modern medicine. Women don't die from childbirth anymore and premature babies can live, and even be healthy. People don't even die from AIDS anymore, assuming they take medication. Pretty soon, we'll have cured cancer, then where will natural selection have gone?

It makes me wonder how much more risky people will be. If the breaking of a limb is not debilitating, why drive safely? If taking drugs and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can be fixed so easily, why take care of yourself? It seems also like medicine like this will make it possible for people to live much longer, which just isn't natural. Peope are meant to live about 80-90 years, then die. People dying less and living longer, all while babies are still born and basically made to live would most certainly give way to even greater overpopulation. At the rate at which we're destroying the planet now, it would only be destroyed faster with more and more people.

I do not agree with this type of medicine and I hope it never happens!

"Will that be cash or charge today?" "No, today, I'll pay with my finger."

"In the last 100 years we have moved away from using checks, dollars, or coins to pay for goods. Each day people use debit and credit cards to make purchases from store and on the Internet. It has been suggested that in the not so far future we may use anatomical means to make secure purchases. This means a computer may scan your eye, fingerprints, voice, use some other method of dertermining your identity. This means you will never carry a wallet or purse again. Your salary will be sent to your bank electonicly and purchases will be made by simply waving your hand at wall.What do you think about this method of purchasing goods?"

I'm interested to see this advancement of technology. I'm not the least bit offended by the scanning of my eye or the scanning of my fingertip paying for my groceries. I'm excited about it actually. I believe we're close to something like that. My paychecks are direct deposited, so I never even receive a paper check or even a stub. And I never use cash, I always use my debit card. It wouldn't be that big of a step to simply scan my hand. It seems like it would make it that much more difficult for someone to steal money, and it would probably be quicker to check out at the register. I'm curious about where reciepts would go. Certainly with this type of technology we can develop some way to stop using paper and keep the trees!

I think it does bring up some good questions, though. What if I want to send someone to buy something for me, but I want to pay for it? I can't very well just let him borrow my finger. What if I want to lend a friend some of my money? Would we still have gift cards, or would they be completely eliminated? (That would be a bummer, I'm horrible at gift shopping.) Can you have more than one bank account with just one finger? How would we specify which account we want debited? There are definitely some bumps in the road to check-less, credit/debit-less, cash-less pay. I'll be first to try if it ever happens, though.

Personal Info Everywhere.

"Pretty soon just about every scrap of personal data will be stored on a computer and available via by the Internet. How do you feel about this? Describe the benefits and the dangers of having your information stored this way."

It's true, we're close. As a matter of fact, Americans do have pretty much all of their lives on a computer. Government agencies, the IRS for example, has all individuals' wage and tax information as we speak. I called the IRS one year about my taxes (waited on hold for 30 minutes, I don't recommend it), and to verify I was in fact who I said I was, they were asking me questions about my past that even I had forgotten. They knew where I worked in 2002, they knew my previous addresses, etc. Our banking and bill payment information is almost always available online. To pay a bill, just visit the website, log in and fill out your payment information. When a police officer pulls you over, you give him your license and he punches the information into his computer. These are advantages, obviously. The fact that a police officer can quickly learn whether you're a wanted criminal and the fact that the IRS has organized information to more speedily assist their callers are extremely advantageous. Can you imagine the paperwork that the IRS must have dealt with before computers? Granted, more jobs would be available, but everything runs so much more smoothly now.

That brings up the other perspective - the negative side. Apart from the fact that there are many less office clerks in the world since the development of this technology, having all one's information on a computer somewhere can be extremely dangerous. Many people have hacking capablities and that makes everyone's personal information vulnerable. As a matter of fact identity theft is a common problem these days. Everyone's extremely private information like birthdays, social security numbers, credit card numbers is available to many more people, right there on a computer

All in all, I think life on a computer is a good thing. The development of computers and the internet has made day to day life much easier and simpler. I think that we need to continue to develop ways to keep it private, because that is something on everyone's mind.

Digital Native

I am a digital native. I use my laptop, smart phone and iPod every day. I began using computers in Kindergarten at school and got my own computer at home when I was in fourth grade. I have grown up as technology has developed and I wouldn't know what to do without my technological gadgets.

Education is moving in the right direction as far as adjusting for this younger generation. Many college degrees can be completed entirely online, without the students ever having to step into a classroom. Even in high school, English papers have to be typed and printed from a computer, after those assignments have been researched on databases online. Many schools all over the country require teachers to use technology as part of the learning process, like showing videos, and using smartboards.

If leaders in education continue to realize the gap in generations, education will appropriately adjust.

OOH Careers

I've considered some careers, all of which are dependent on technology.

Veterinarian - Obviously working in the medical field requires intimate knowledge of new technology, from the computer software billing program in the office to improved ultrasound machines. The ability to understand computers and be able to adapt to new technology as it comes out is pertinent.

Veterinary Technician - While this occupation requires less education, it still requires a high level of knowledge of technology because it will take place in a laboratory. Any new advancement in technology could make your job easier.

We Think

re: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiP79vYsfbo

This is an interesting video discussing Leadbeater's book "We Think". The book talks about the incredible difference between the 20th and 21st centuries - The fact that people of the 21st century have instant access to incredible amounts of knowledge, and that that knowledge gives power.

The video asks some interesting and really important questions about what can and should be done with this information. Questions like "Are we safe sharing?" and "How can we make a living when we share everything?" are though provoking. With this new technology, we do need to change our definitions of trust. Since our communities have changed so much with the expansion of the availability of the Internet, we need to adapt. We need to take note of some other comments made in the video, like "You are what you share."

This video should help people of the older generation understand the vast differences in society in such a short span of time, and should help anyone appreciate the massive amount of information at our fingertips, and how easily we can attain and share knowledge. It will also probably encourage anyone to read the book "We Think" by Charles Leadbeater.

We Think

21st Century Learning Matters: Response

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L2XwWq4_BY

"How would I change education to address the needs of students?"

The video states clearly that education as we saw it for the 20th century must change for that of the 21st. It even says, "[in the 20th century] a mastery of the three 'R's could get you pretty far in life. That era is gone." It poses some very interesting questions like, "What are the essential skills and knowledge for the 21st century?" "What needs to be learned?" and "How will it be learned?" These are powerful questions for educators and students alike - questions that need to be answered.

There are several ways to prepare students for learning in the 21st century, some of which were stated in the video. First of all, educators, administrators and policy-makers themselves need to "possess and employ those skills [they] hope to instill in.. children." Teachers having knowledge of new technology will prepare them for teaching with that new technology, which is the next step in adjusting education for the future. Teachers need to use computers in the classroom, assign homework and post grades online. All of these are small steps to take to help children become accustomed to the latest technology. Also, students need to be aware of how important it is to be prepared for the the future. They should learn the facts from the video, like "In five years, a super computer will have more processing power than the human brain."

Changing education and developing new ideas for education today are extremely important. Technology is developing so fast, students need to be prepared. All of these are ways I would change education, to be sure to prepare students for their future.

CIS 100 - Shift Happens Video Response

In response to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHhVWCXmuzE I was asked
"What is your impression of the video's content and how do you think it will affect you?"

The video gives a lot to think about. It seems like as soon as we hit the 21st century, technology has been advancing faster than we can adapt. We need to start planning ahead by teaching our children as early as possible how to live in this new world. The only way for us to do that is to be aware ourselves, and learn as much as we can about new technology as it develops, and by encouraging our educators to use this new technology in the classroom.
Hearing this new perspective, I'm more aware that learning as much as possible about, say, computers is incredibly important. How many jobs require me to be computer literate? How many professions are completely based on computer knowledge? And what about my children? They'll be required to know even more about computers and technology than I am, since technology is developing at an exponential rate.
Honestly, I started using computers in Kindergarten. But this video has given me a new respect for this class. It's obvious it's a required course- it will help me in the future, which is the entire purpose of my attending college.