Skip to main content

Home/ technology in education PK-20/ Group items tagged harmful

Rss Feed Group items tagged

celinafdz

Technology in the Classroom: Helpful or Harmful? | Education.com - 2 views

  • An interactive game is more engaging than a book, so technology often promotes more practice and review in areas requiring memorization, such as spelling, math and geography. This frees up time in the classroom so educators can focus on skills like problem solving, character development and critical thinking.
    • celinafdz
       
      Good way to provide intervention to a small group that is struggling on a specific skill. Allow those that mastered the skill to have a "personalized experience" with technology while the teacher intervenes with others. 
  • educational technology extends the school day for kids who will happily play multiplication games or review grammar on computer programs.
  • it seems like kids should be finding it easier than ever to succeed in school. However, as more classrooms invest in the latest technology, test scores remain the same, bringing its effectiveness into questio
    • celinafdz
       
      How often should digital classrooms incorporate technology into the lesson when you have a standardized test that is paper based? Won't students become too dependent on technology that it will affect their test scores? 
  •  
    Even if the test is paper based, I don't think incorporating technology into the lesson could be detrimental. As long as the instructor uses the technology to supplement his/her instruction to better get material across to students, then they are fine.
Stephen Simon

Lawmakers: Terrorists May Tap Same Web 2.0 Tools as Military - Scientific American - 4 views

  • The Congressional Research Service (CSR) recently released a report warning that enemies may be using the same Web-based, collaborative technology to prepare for future strikes that the U.S. uses to train soldiers and gather intelligence.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      In 2009, over 7,000 terrorist sites were active. Terrorist also have used social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to target prospective recruits.
    • eeverett3
       
      I believe we have to assume that worldwide, people are learning to use and adapt technology for their own purposes. The military is correct to be looking at how to protect American assets from hacking. Recent events (i.e. the Black Friday incident) show that our credit card purchases are certainly not safe!
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      The Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab has used Twitter to recruit U.S. youths especially in the state of Minnesota.
    • Stephen Simon
       
      That our enemies use the same tools as we do should come no more a surprise than the new Chinese jet fighter looks almost identical to our F-35. A foundational premise of the US cyber-command recognizes that the next battlefield is digital. It is there we will meet some faction of the enemy.
    • Don Martin
       
      Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites can be a very effective tool for communication as well as a channel for harm. We have used Facebook as a base for a discussion community for the students and faculty in the our allied health programs here at El Centro as well as the surgical technology program I headed at Collin College. It gives the students an opportunity to communicate with each other and their instructors in an orderly asynchronous manner (much better than e-mail. Unfortunately it requires that someone be responsible to monitor the chatter. Sometimes information is conveyed that is inappropriate or it is communicated in an inappropriate manner.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      You are right in regards to Twitter and Facebook as effective tools of communication but many times we have seen everything from students, teachers, parents, etc. who upload inappropriate pictures or comments and then face the negative consequences.
    • Olivia Basham
       
      Seems to me like this is to be expected and even advantageous. I mean a) terrorists are usually only effective if they are smart and it would be stupid for them to not take advantage of all forms of communication and recruitment available to them, and b) since these site are often not well secured and are well know by our own intelligence community it actually helps all peace-loving governments if terrorists DO use them as it makes their plans and colleagues more vulnerable to observation and counterintelligence. I find sites like Facebook and Twitter to be the low hanging fruit of communication and we should be lucky that terrorists aren't using more sophisticated methods more often.
  • The CRS reports that the U.S. military plans to build a virtual world called Sentient Worldwide Simulation that would include highly detailed digital renderings of different real-life cities worldwide, much the same way the Second Life virtual world is filled with banks, stores and other landmarks that give a more realistic feel.
  • The goal is to use it, among other things, to help train medics and National Guard members to respond during emergencies.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      Three years ago the Department of Defense decided to establish 10 Homeland Response Force Units known as HRFs in order to focus on Chemical, Biological, Radiological,Nuclear and High Explosive (CBRNE) incidents due to natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
    • eeverett3
       
      As I am reading this, I am thinking about how advanced VR simulations have become and how can we use this in education? The obvious cost savings on teachers, materials, etc would be phenominal if we had a virtual chemistry lab, physics lab, etc. Then I searched virtual chemistry lab and found several websites with just that!
    • Eric Folks
       
      I see VR contributing to the ability of technology to blur the line between digital and real, but I don't believe VR will have to have the "V" in it for very much longer. Let me explain. There are many tools that blend digital and real. In the last two weeks I've read stories on two of them: this one highlights how smartphones can be controlled by human gestures (http://goo.gl/zzexlT), and this one, the capability of some modern game systems to be also controlled by gestures (http://goo.gl/C0viR8). In both cases our physical reality is helping shape and form a digital reality. Then consider Aurasma (www.aurasma.com/), a site that enables users to associate digital "overlays" over real life images, or "triggers." This technology enables us to bring the digital into reali life. We cannot know what will happen, but my guess is that digital immersion via VR is less likely to take off as quickly as digital integration into real life. When they come up with a VR machine that can replicate smells, tastes and micro sensations like the wind or water against my skin, I may have to reconsider this prediction!
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • For the past three years the Pentagon has also been testing the potential of virtual reality in treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. In essence, therapists immerse victims in a virtual world complete with visual and sound effects that recreate the source of their fears and flashbacks from Iraq, Afghanistan and other war zones, according to Defense Update, an online site that covers military issues.
    • eeverett3
       
      PTSD is such an interesting application for virtual reality.
    • Stephen Simon
       
      Us VR as a tool for exposure therapy is an excellent application of the technology. It is interesting that researcher combines smells with the tool.
    • Olivia Basham
       
      Exposure therapy has changed many peoples' lives. Never before has the concept of "facing your fear" seemed more possible as virtual realty allows individuals to work through deeply rooted and even quite rational psychological responses in a safe and controlled environment. If people can overcome a fear of flying using VR, (http://www.vrphobia.com/Clinical/Fears/flying.htm) why not veterans using the same simulations uses to train new soldiers before entering the battle field? In fact, I would be interesting to see a study that investigated if soldiers who have had extensive VR simulation training BEFORE going to war zones experienced more or less (or the same) instances of PTSD.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      The goal is to help veterans with PTSD in reducing their anxiety and fear. Virtual reality can be programmed to help combat veterans confront feared situations.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20131110/NEWS/131119944 The above link details how Virtual Reality is offered at the University of Central Florida for veterans who suffer with PTSD. The Department of Defense awarded UCF a $5.1 million grant to offer the treatment.
    • Eric Folks
       
      Jose this is an interesting application of virtual reality technology. I see real value in using it as a form of therapy for PTSD (and there's certainmly a need!), but any virtual world based on the real world used for military applications makes me a bit uneasy. I guess this is a lot like those Germans throwing the Google Street View van out of their neighborhood a few years back...sometimes there is TMI with technology. Honestly, I'm not sure that I trust either the military or Google with anything approaching real-time satellite feeds (which is what we're approaching) for "training purposes." It approaches the surveillence state I hope we never have to face as a society.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      With the recent scandal of Eric Snowden's leak of classified information about the global surveillance by the NSA, I understand the concern when the military or any other agency wants to use Virtual Reality but there are good benefits. For example, some units use the virtual reality system EST 2000 where soldiers are able to work on markmanship skills, collective squad level training and judgmental use of force scenarios.
    • Don Martin
       
      The potential for education applications for VR are staggering. We are already beginning to use VR in the health sciences, nursing and medical education settings. There are a number of VR simulations for surgery that can be used by medical students, interns and residents as well as for nursing and surgical technology students. In the area of robotics surgery VR is often used to train surgeons how to use the system before they attempt it for the real. VR is also being used to explore procedures and treatment options to map out approaches and to anticipate patient reactions to various treatments. Unfortunately the technology is still very cumbersome, expensive and sometimes wrong in very surprising ways.
  •  
    Unfortunately this is the sad reality of today's technology. There will always be those that find ways to twist new technologies created for the good of humanity into weapons. I can see how web 2.0 and virtual worlds could be used by terrorists. For example, people could theoretically communicate on collaboration networks, meet on Second Life, and ultimately finance an operation using internet currency such as bitcoins.
  • ...3 more comments...
  •  
    When I first read this article, I was skeptical as to how effective Virtual Realty would be in treating PTSD. I just don't understand how reliving a traumatizing experience over and over makes it less bearable. Well according to an article I found, it seems to work. According to the Journal Cybertherapy and Rehabilitation, virtual reality exposure therapy has shown a 66 to 90 success rate. That is impressive. My only question would be what are the side effects of exposure to this type of therapy. http://www.thedailybeast.com/the-hero-project/articles/2013/09/26/virtual-reality-video-games-may-be-the-best-treatment-for-ptsd.html
  •  
    I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Of course, all these tools that we use for education are certainly out there and available to others who can use it in other ways.
  •  
    One of many ways terrorists are using to plan attacks.
  •  
    It is scary to think that Web 2.0 tools that are supposed to be safe and helpful are being used by terrorists. After the Target hack during Black Friday, I have been very scared to use my card there. I got a new bank card and changed my pin, even though I wasn't one that was "affected" , because it made me feel a little more secure. Apparently it can happen everywhere. As far as the virtual reality therapy, I found an article that mentions several ways how it helps and the first one is how it helps with PTSD. Even though this type of therapy may not work for everyone, it certainly is a step in the right direction. http://io9.com/5288859/7-virtual-reality-technologies-that-actually-work http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-virtual-reality-therapy-fo/
  •  
    This article lists how terrorists can use the web to wage war. It's good to see that people are also using the internet to fight back. This article is from the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. http://www.unodc.org/documents/frontpage/Use_of_Internet_for_Terrorist_Purposes.pdf This video discusses how terrorists are using twitter while attacking a mall. http://usat.ly/1fbIP8D
Benjamin Caulder

15 Rules of Netiquette for Online Discussion Boards [INFOGRAPHIC] | Online Education Bl... - 12 views

    • Benjamin Caulder
       
      Cannot highlight text in an infographic :). I prticularly like this "bullet" (not in bullet form). Tone is absolutely one of the hardest things to communicate and only great writers communicate accurately every time, and they do after many many edits and re-writes. Being overly polite is the best course of action. Personaly, I alomost lost a dear friend because she didn't understand my sarcasm in a Facebook post. It was the last time I tired to be sarcastic online.
    • Lucretia Human
       
      When I talk to my sons, especilaly when they are in college, I always call them if I ask them something of importance. Their text can lie, their voice, pitch and tone never could!
    • hillaryparrish
       
      Ben, I am sure that I do not follow this rule very well and need to work on it! When I speak, I use a lot of voice inflection so people understand my intentions. I have even noticed that when speaking on Collaborate, tone does not transfer well there either, and I have been misunderstood. However, it is funny because sometimes I will write and re-write an email worried that someone will take me the wrong way. I never mean harm. For example, with someone that has unfair working conditions, I naturally have the tone, "Bless your heart." But, it is not always taken that way! I do wonder if it is a cultural thing?
    • Benjamin Caulder
       
      Long replies, or posts, are not detrimental. They just aren't read. Giving away quite a bit here, but this is my confession. In previous classes that had discussion questions or boards, I rarely read posts over 200 words. That may seem rediculous, but I have prefer posts that get the heart of the matter quickly and effectively as apposed to excessive posts. Therefore, this is a great point to keep in mind.
    • Lucretia Human
       
      Ben, Unfortunately I have been in classes that have a minimum requirement of words written! I have a class right now that has a 250-500 word minimum requirement on almost every initial post! So all I do is read and write!
    • hillaryparrish
       
      Ben, As Lu mentioned, I too, have been in classes that required a certain number of words. I enjoy writing, and sometimes, to be clear as I mentioned in the above post, I require a few more words! Not only do I want to be understood, but I want to fulfill the requirements of my classes. If it means I do extra research, give more of my opinion, or write more, I do!
    • Benjamin Caulder
       
      Nothing in our society erodes people's confidence in someone else's intelligence as quickly as bad grammar and poor spelling. There are, of course, exceptions... like when the whole tone of the DB is very casual or is filled with a certain vernacular or jargon. On the whole, a few seconds of editing is always worth it.
    • Lucretia Human
       
      Ben, I am very guilty of not using spell check as often as I should in discussion boards. It is nice when the discussion forum platform underlines misspellings and at least you can correct spelling.
    • hillaryparrish
       
      Ben, This reminds me of students who translate their texting speech to formal typing. Unfortunately, I used to spell well, but now I have used spell check way too much. I agree that unless the forum is casual, words should be spelled correctly.
  • ...1 more annotation...
    • Benjamin Caulder
       
      These do not appear to be in a heirarchical order. It would seem to be a fun and natural class activity to order them rank of importance. My top 5, in order, are: 1. #4 2. #9 3. #2 4. #15 5. #7 What are you top 5?
    • Lucretia Human
       
      Intersting Ben! First let me apologize if I have been sarcastic in anyway to you over the course of this program, becauseI tend to be. My top 5 are: #9 #5 #2 #11 #15
  •  
    Nice infographic of 15 good rules all discussion board posters should follow.
  •  
    From touro.edu, Touro College on Long Island. These 15 tips are not overly complex, but they do get the heart of best practices for online postings. Point in fact, if all of our face to face interaction mirrored these 15 rules, our society as a whole would be changed for the better.
1 - 3 of 3
Showing 20 items per page