Blog Post 4

Don't Teach Your Kids This. Please?
     Sarcastic as can be. I figured that out, after re-reading it. Dr. McLeod uses sarcasm to stress the importance of teaching kids today about the technology of today, that will advance them tomorrow.
     I agreed with most points Dr. McLeod made, and feel that we will "cripple" our children if we do not expose them to technology. Sure, some people use technology to do harm, but it is the parents' job to instill values into their children and stress that the Internet, as well as technology, is a necessary tool, and should not be used to harm others.

iSchool
     The iSchool initiative supports the transition from traditional teaching to virtual learning. If the financial statistics presented at the end of the video are accurate, I would be for the iSchool transition. Not only would the iSchool help alleviate the cost per student, it would also help students. It would help students by relieving them of heavy book bags, not to mention give them more access to more resources. 
     However, I am at a concern with physical communication. To communicate via e-mail, or even instant chat is very convenient, but nothing can beat PHYSICAL human interaction. I would consider myself to be an intelligent and very resourceful individual, but when I do not understand something, the only thing to help me is physical contact with someone more knowledgeable. Sure, the multitude of apps available could ensure endless means of resources, but sometimes it takes someone who can relate to you and present things on an entirely new scale.

     So maybe I am not 100% for the iSchool, but I certainly would not oppose it. Technology is going well beyond what I can imagine, even replacing things once familiar, like learning. I'm not saying that this form of technological advancement can do more harm than good, but I do feel that it isn't quite time to eliminate teachers.

The Lost Generation
     When I began to watch this video I was blown away by some of the comments made in the video. How can someone tell their kids that they are not the most important thing in their life? If my mother was to have ever told me that, I don't think I'd be near as happy as I am today. Not to mention, the fact that in the future environmental destruction will be the cultural norm is absurd. As the video went on, I was relieved to find that it was just a technique the creator used to draw the viewer in. I found it creative how the creator reversed the video and it spelled out a more genuine and appealing message. Very Clever!!!
     I must profess that I feel very fortunate to have grown up in a home where I had both parents present. Neither of my parents were previously married, and I am glad they have passed the value of marriage on to me. I  can only pray that I am as fortunate to give my kids, if I am so lucky to have (in the future) the same life my parents had given me.


Virtual Choir
     This was so cool! Everyone knows that the Internet makes all sorts of things possible, but who really thinks of the actual things it does. Sure, I know it can bring people together from around the world, play audio, stream videos. I never once thought of incorporating all of the above at once!