Are we losing our minds?

I read the article from Wired Magazine, "Clive Thompson on Human Memory and the Outboard Brain." I feel he is making some claims without looking at the entire scenario. He claims that because of the Internet, we now longer are can remember as much as our elders. Some of his claims are I think have other correlations however that can account for the statistics which came up. Thompson says, "When Robertson asked his subjects to tell them a relative's birth date, 87 percent of respondents over age 50 could recite it, while less than 40 percent of those under 30 could do so." In our day, the popularity of online calenders and Palm Pilots have eradicated the need to put dates like this to memory. At the touch of a button, we can find out this information. I don't think that it is that we cant remember the facts, I just think that since we don't need to remember it, we don't put the time into trying. Thompson also says that, "And when he asked them their own phone number, fully one-third of the youngsters drew a blank." With the way cell phones are made, we no longer have to enter in the actual phone number of who we want to call, often times we have phone books within our cell phones which store the numbers for us. So unlike our elders who had to repetitively enter in phone numbers, we just don't have the repetition practice they did. I'm not saying that we aren't getting lazy, I'm just saying that we should look at the other factors involved before we make claims saying our memory is withering.

Dog Olympics

So I was walking my dogs today at the City Park off from Mulberry and I came across the Dog Olympics! Okay, so I was pretty excited. They had all these different events including speed, agility, and special trick competitions. We stopped to watch this competition to see which dog could stay the longest. Some of these pups were impressive, perhaps I am just biased because I have beagles and listening is not in their vocabulary. These dogs were able to stay with treats being waved in front of them, and the judges trying their best to distract them. I don't think my dogs would have lasted longer than about 2 seconds with the attention span that they have! It was a pretty cool event though, so if you have a well behaved dog, you should think about it next year, if nothing else, it was cool to watch all of the other dogs. Oh and here is a picture of Jake, I can't brag about one and not the other!

10 Criteria for a good website

1. Be sure to edit what you your website - Having grammatical and spelling errors is not only annoying to read but also loses the credibility of your website. It's not that hard to read over what you have written, and it makes a big difference to the readers.

2. Add pictures and figures in moderation- Graphics make websites more entertaining and often can add to the general message of what you are writing, but when you are making a website, you have to take into consideration how long it will take the average computer to download the image. If a reader has to wait too long, they won't stick around to read what you have to say.

3. Know your audience- It is difficult to read an article or about a subject when the vocabulary is over your head. It is also not credible to be reading about an academic subject and see incidences of slang throughout the text. When creating a website, be sure to cater the voice and vocabulary of the writing to the audience.

4. Make it user friendly- If a reader can easily jump from page to page and read about what they are interested in, they are more likely to explore the website. The use of links and proper organization encourages readers to further explore and keep them from getting bored.

5. Use appropriate text- Crazy fonts are great for getting the reader's attention, but if you are writing a 10 page essay, in order for a reader to get through it, the text needs to be easy on the eyes. An understanding of the purpose of the webpage will aid in the selection of text to best suit the reader.

6. Keep it short!- Readers tend to like to skim through long pages of text. If you want your point to get across, you need to keep your writing short and to the point. Another strategy is to bullet your text. This allows the reader to be able to pick out the most important points.

7. Extra Links- It is important to give your readers the ability to learn more about the subject. By providing a list of extra references, you not only increase your credibilty but you are also more likely to keep your readers happy.

8. Use attractive colors- If it is hard to look at, it will probably be hard to read from. Be sure to use colors that go well together and do not strain the eyes to look at. You also may want to consider what you want the mood of the webpage to be. This will decide whether you want brighter colors, or a more toned down scheme.

9. Be sure to have a focus to your site- It is important to have a reason for making the website. whether it is for research purposes or just for fun, being able to portray the purpose of the site is important. It is also important to stick to that subject so that you don't lose the interest of your readers.

10. Let your readers know who the author is- I am not saying to give out your personal information, but if an author takes credit for his/her work, the reader is more likely to believe that what is being said is credible.

Examples:
Good Website- Yahoo.com : This website is easy to navigate and gives links to various subjects. There are pictures to entice the readers and all of the articles are credited to an author.
Bad Website- http://www.angelfire.com/super/badwebs/ : This website basically shows you how mistakes can go wrong. It is hard to read, the graphics are distracting, and they use motion that makes it hard to focus.

My Boys

I have 2 pups! They are named Charlie and Jake. This is Charlie when he was a 2 pound puppy. I think getting my dogs was the best thing I have done for my college career. People may think that having a pet merely weighs you down and that you will not be able to concentrate on school, but I think it is the contrary. They are like me two little best friends. When I come home they are so excited to see me, it makes me forget about my day whether or not it was a good one. They don't care what's going on in the outside world, they just want to be pet and sit on my lap all night. Even when I have to stay up studying, they won't leave my side until I am finished. They are able to relieve all of my stresses and frankly I think they are the only reason why I have been able to stay sane throughout my college years. They even have a role in keeping me active. They love to go on hikes and be outside playing. Perhaps the best part of them is that they are a great distraction. Not necessarily to the point where I am unsuccessful with my classes, but more to keep me happy and not always thinking about school. I guess I am trying to say that I love my pups, and wouldn't change anything about them.

Free Write for Personal Essay

I think it is interesting the way that crime has changed shape with the use of the internet. I think I already wrote all I had to say at this time. One of the most interesting topics to me is how people can be manipulated into thinking someone is who they aren’t. they can pretend to be a friend or even change their gender or age to match what they think would be able to trick their victim. Then they can convince them to go and meet them somewhere or even just decide to stalk them at that point once they have enough personal information about them. I have actually read a couple of books where online crime is the main event. Someone is kidnapped and then the book centers around trying to recover that person. I would look through old news articles and other specific examples to use and some of my sources. I also think it would be good to include ways that our society is trying to combat these criminals.

5 Things

1. Be sure your font choice fits the purpose of the paper or web page. It would be unprofessional to use funky characters in a research paper, and would make it difficult to read.
2. Don't plagiarize, its not cool, and not to mention illegal.
3. Make sure to edit your pages. Seeing typos and misspellings drastically lowers the credibility of the page and may take away from the focus.
4. Use colors that are not only easy on the eyes, but fit in the mood of what you are trying to portray. If somebody can't see the words because of the color choices, they are going to have a hard time enjoying what you had to say, and they may not even read it in the first place.
5. Images can be used as great accents to web pages. It is boring to look only at text. Just keep in mind not to overdo it and take away from the focus of the page.

My Rant For The Day

Okay, so when I take my dogs on hikes, I am expected to pick up whatever they may leave behind and cart it with me to the end of the trail, which sometimes doesn't even have a trash can. But what have I noticed on the trails lately? Horse poop. What's up with that. My 20 pound dog, which I can be fined for not cleaning up after, makes far less of a mess than a horse. I have never seen a horseback rider clean up after themselves and frankly I am sick of it. One pile can take over the entire width of the trail and I'm sorry but stepping in it is not pleasant. So if your going to ride your horse on a public trail, please clean up after yourself.

TV Links Baby!

So I found the website TV Links about a year ago, and frankly it is awesome! I am not sure how it has stayed active for so long, considering I can't imagine how much about it is illegal, but I'm not complaining. I have been able to see movies which are still in the theaters! I do feel a little bad about not financially supporting the entertainment industry in America, but hey, I'm a college student, aren't we supposed to be thrifty?

Life Without Computers

So I was imagining life if we didn't have computers, and honestly, it would suck. First of all, one of my jobs wouldn't exist! I work in a computer lab on campus and lets face it, there would be no use for the labs if they didn't have computers in them. Without computers, the ease of our lifestyle would be shot. I am able to communicate with members of my family, friends across the country, and even my professors without having to make an appointment through email. Not only does it save money, but I can respond to people at my own convenience. I even just checked my bank accounts. If we didn't have computers, I would have to drive down to Colorado Springs to do anything with my bank account and that would really be a pain and would probably force me to find a new bank. I think I could live without the social sites such as facebook and myspace, but the rest of the programs on computers have become ingrained in my life.

9/10/07 Questions

What are your general thoughts about the use of technology in education—plagiarism, computers in the classroom, hybrid or online classes, e-reserves, online discussion forums, email, etc? What concerns you about it, what do you find useful?
I think that technology in the classroom is a positive thing. With the way society is headed, if education did not gear towards its technological resources, students coming out of the educational systems would be at a severe disadvantage. In K-12 classrooms, I believe that computer use should be monitored and regulated. Kids are still learning and may not understand what would be appropriate online. On the college level, I believe it should be up to students to use their time wisely. They are paying for their education and if they decide to waste it by reading their email in class that is their own choice. I also think that it is good to see discussion forums and online classes within the college campus. If we have the technology to do so, then why not. Now people who work in the day can take courses online during their free time and 200 people courses can hold discussions where students aren't afraid to think their mind. I am concerned about privacy issues, but I feel if people are educated about how they use the Internet, that should be able to be controlled.

What changes have you noticed in the use of technology in education in the past five years?

I think the biggest change in technology is the resources for research. Instead of having to go to the library to find information, there are thousands of websites and databases at the mere click of a mouse. It makes the information more readily available and increases the ease of access. As long as you can identify valid information from what is unreliable, you can do an entire research assignment without opening a book.

What is expected of you as a CSU student in terms of computer literacy, (if we define it as “the knowledge and ability a person has to use computers and technology efficiently”)? What do you have to be able to do with computers and technology in order to be successful in your education?

At CSU being able to use the Internet is a must. Professors rely on RamCT to assign homework and even give tests and quizzes. Students come into the university expected to understand how to use and access these programs. Typed assignments are also a must. No longer is it acceptable to turn in a hand written paper. If you do not own a computer, you are supposed to understand how to use the computers on campus. Classes also often communicate important information through email. Basically, if you do not know how to use a computer, it will be difficult to succeed at CSU.

Based on what is expected of you, develop a set of criteria for computer literacy, specifically what a university student needs to know and be able to do upon entering college and/or the work force.

• How to use email
• How to use the basic Microsoft Office Applications (or a similar program)
• How to navigate the university's website
• How to use the Internet to find resources of information
• How to type
  

In terms of the criteria you’ve developed: is this type of computer literacy something we should teach at the high school or university level, or is it up to students to learn on their own?

I believe that these criteria should be taught throughout school. Most of them are taught at a young age either through default, seeing a family member doing it, or in a specific class. By the time students reach high school, most all of them can type, email, and find resources online. I think this is something that is learned by being in our society and our university assumes once we come to their school, these skills are already acquired.

Is it important to try and narrow the "Digital Divide" (accessibility and usability)? Are you concerned about this issue? Why or why not? If so, how can we narrow the divide? Does the "Digital Divide" affect you or anyone you know? In what ways, specifically?

I think with the way society depends on the Internet and technology, it is important to narrow the digital divide. I think that offering free courses to people who may not understand how to use technology would be helpful, and since they don't have to pay for them, they would be more likely to attend and then catch up with the rest of society. I think it is an important issue, otherwise people who do not grow up with the same access to technology may not be able to be successful members of society. I know that my that my parents and grandparents are affected. Trying to teach my grandmother to use instant messenger is a nightmare. Although this isn't necessary for her to survive, it is merely an example of how people who are used to their old ways, have a hard time adapting to the advances of technology. My parents have come a long way in the years. They used to have problems emailing, or checking their bank statements online. Today, since they have adapted to technology and made an effort to be a part of the community, they can use the Internet with ease.

In "Societal Implications and Ethical Choices" David and Jean Farkas argue that "[s]lowly, and in ways we cannot predict, the Internet is changing literacy—how we read, write, and in some ways, how we think" and go on to suggest two possible outcomes:

1. From the perspective of Douglas Rushkoff who "looks to future generations who are better able to synthesize knowledge from many sources and who are more successful in dealing with complexity and change" (118)

OR
2. "Because the non-linear nature of the Web accustoms us to navigate freely among short chunks of information, the Web may further the erosion of essential literacies. Already we are a restless culture that is increasingly pervaded by the summary and sound bite. If large numbers of people become unwilling to read or even listen to lengthy explanations and arguments, how will society as a whole carry out complex affairs…"? (118)

Which do you think is more likely? Why? What have you read, observed or experienced that makes you so sure?

I think that the first scenarios is more likely. Just because or reading materials are generally virtual instead of on paper, doesn't make us illiterate. Instead, I believe it does in fact better prepare us for change. Over the past few years, more and more programs have come out the have taken the place of the previous. Whether it be for typing, university databases, or even social networking, our generation has had to adapt to the "new" many times. I feel that we understand things are changing and aren't afraid to adapt to the future. Our generation knows that it is coming and because of that is ready to embrace it.

Reading Log

"Think Before You Share" by: Brock Read
"Facing the Facebook" by: Michael J. Bugeja
"The Decline and Fall of the Private Self" by: Carlin Flora

Summary: These articles look at the privacy issues which have aroused from certain Internet sites and blogging. Whether it is students being caught by police from facebook photos, to a young girl being abducted and killed after being an active blogger, the way people are using the Internet is posing various risks to their well being.

Response: You always hear about how dangerous the Internet is but until individual stories actually hit home, I don't think people actually realize of the risks that they are taking. I remember my parents were the ones who taught me not to go into chat rooms, and not to put my personal information on the Internet. Perhaps their warnings are what have kept me away from the "social Internet" web sites. I don't have a myspace, and I check facebook maybe once a month to keep up with my friends who have gone to schools out of state. I definitely wouldn't call myself a regular though. Don't get me wrong, I feel terrible for the people who are victims, but did they not know the risks they were taking when they phone number on the Internet? Why didn't their parents teach them how dangerous it really is?
The idea of facebook acting as a "big brother," however detrimental, is to be expected. People may not have realized it at first, but it is a public site, meaning anybody can look at it. I know that I don't post any pictures or conversations which may cause employers to look down upon me. Frankly, I think it is a risk, it is public, and the people who get caught for doing illegal things because of it, or who may not get a job because of their secret lives, shouldn't be complaining about it. It's a gamble. In Las Vegas they don't give you your money back when you don't win. You made that bet knowing that things may not turn out in your favor and because of that you have to face the consequences. Now I think police should have better things to do then cruise through facebook for the latest party, but at the same time, if you don't want to get caught, don't incriminate yourself on a public site.

Reading Log

"Are College Students Techno Idiots?" by Paul D. Thacker

"Techno idiots, huh? Then we have our work cut out for us" by Christopher Dawson
"Digital Divide" from Wikipedia

Summary: These articles talk about how the young adults of today may have the ease of using the internet, but they lack the ability to use it wisely. Thacker's article shows actual studies which have been done to show that high schoolers and recent grads are unable to pass an information and communication literacy examination

Response: Being a young adult myself, I can agree that we don't always know what is legitimate and how to find reputable sources for different areas of research. I think the reason this problem exists is because of our education system. When we were in elementary school, we were still using the card catalog and the classes that are supposed to teach us how to find information were geared toward the library. As we aged and the technology advanced, teachers assumed we knew how to find information since all of their previous classes had been able to do so with the information that was available, a library. Now that the internet was more popular, we were unfamiliar with how to access valid information, but since the teachers we had had never before had to teach it how to find information, they were not about to start. So our generation had to learn on the fly. Of course we use Google. It is fast and convenient, and hey, isn't that the motto of our new world. Most of the time what is useful websites comes up on the first hits of a search, otherwise they wouldn't be so popular. So its not fair to knock us for using the websites that are most popular and often have the most legitimate information. We do what we can on the internet. Our generation was the one who transitioned with the technology, and even though technology still advances, the younger generations are taught in grade school how to properly use these resources. So give us a break, we do the best we can.

CSU FOOTBALL!!!!

So I went to the football game this weekend, and frankly I think we look pretty good. Look at the performance of our defense, in the past you could have counted on major breakdowns in the fundamentals leading to lopsided and preventable loses. Yet against the number 10 team in the nation with at least one definite Heisman candidate, the Bears had fewer total yards and first downs than the Rams. Kyle Bell was his reliable self accruing 100+ yards in a demoralizing ground attack. Another point of contention, Caleb Haney demonstrated another remarkable performance. Yes, he made mistakes, but he is still recovering from last year when he had to hoe the road alone. Our receiving core continues to outperform expectations derived from their diminutive size. We have lost two close games, each one more the result of bad timing than anything else. What does the future look like? If they maintain their current level of competitiveness I foresee tough games at TCU, BYU, and Wyoming, but the possibility of going undefeated the rest of the season. It's a shame about Kory Sperry but I look forward to seeing him dominate next year. Good Job Boys!

Crazy Connections

People talk about the internet as a communication tool. Many articles we have read talk about how harmful the internet is on society, but I see it differently. For the past couple of years my brother has been in Iraq. Of course he is never able to call and writing letters is not only expensive but takes time which he doesn't have. With tools like email and instant messengers, I am able to talk to him a couple times a week. We can have an actual conversation with one another. Now I'm sure everything we say is monitored, but thats ok because I still get to talk to him. Who knew that one day you could talk to someone on the otherside of the world instantly, and for free!

Reading Log

"Technomania" by: Steven Levy
February 27, 1995

Summary: Levy looks at the new advances in technology and presents some of the controversies which may arise over censorship and monitoring.

Response: I enjoyed reading Levy's article. Instead of just raving about how horrible the internet is or how people are crazy to think of what it might evolve into, he looks merely at the facts and points out some of the controversies that may arise. Levy brings up privacy as an issue. Is it better to watch what people are doing and be able to catch terrorists and kidnappers or to give people their privacy. I can see where people become afraid of the government playing big brother on the internet, but at the same time, i would rather them know who I email if that can save the life of a few kids who wont be kidnapped by a predator they were able to just catch. Levy also brings up the issue of censorship. I feel if the government were to do this then it would be an infringement on freedom of speech. People should be mature enough to censor what they look at and read on the internet. Just because somebody puts it into cyberspace, doesn't mean you have to read it. Levy did a good job on this article. It was thought out and seemed well researched. It was a nice change from the articles of people who just rant about their opinion on the internet.

Reading Log

"The Internet? Bah!" by: Clifford Stoll
February 27, 1995

Summary: In this article, Stoll discredits the internet and makes claims that it will never become what other internet enthusiasts have claimed.

Response: Reading an article written 12 years ago is quite humorous. Stoll makes claims saying the internet will never be a part of a classroom, and online shopping is just blasphemy and will never work. Apparently he hadn't seen Ebay at that time. Not to mention you can earn entire college degrees without stepping into a classroom because of the advances in the internet. Stoll says, "Computers and networks isolate us from one another." On the contrary, people from all over the world now have means to communicate with one another. There are chat rooms and other posting sites where people can talk to one another and even form relationships. A friend of mine met a girl over the internet from Argentina, and ended up marrying her. Not to say that all internet relationships end up this way and that there is not risk involved, but so many doors have been opened by the internet. While reading this it seems that everything he was saying would not happen, in fact did. I makes you think twice about what the internet is predicted to do in the future. What is impossible now, may be reality in 10 years.

Reading Log

"We Are the Web" by: Kevin Kelly
August 2005

Summary: In Kevin Kelly's article he takes the reader through history and basically outlines how the web evolves. He then predicts what the web will be in the year 2015 based upon the changes he has seen it make.

Response: Kelly does a good job showing how the internet has become today what people 30 years ago thought was impossible. It is amazing to think that some guys idea to hyper link different pages together has evolved into a everyday necessity for most. The idea proposed by Kelly which outlines how the computer will become "better" than the human brain is a scary concept. To think that a machine may in fact do our thinking for us seems like a scene out of a science fiction movie. Movies like Gattaca, and I Robot depict worlds in which technology has run a muck over our lives. It may seem impossible to have computers as brain enhancers, but when you take a closer look at where history is evolving us, it is not all to impossible. I just hope our world knows when to stop.