Our On-Line Identities...

Stacy Snyder found out the hard way that what we post on-line may have far reaching effects. Only one day away from receiving her Education degree, she found out that teaching would now be out of her reach. Read the story here.

What do you think? Should schools and employers be snooping around the web looking for information on individuals? As an employer, to what extent would you go to check out prospective employees. What lessons should we all learn from Stacy's misfortune?

On another note, what extra responsibility (if any) do teachers have as role models in the community? Should teachers have to live up to higher standards in their personal life than other professionals?

Reach out and Touch Someone...

Business and governments in western society can no longer play in our own sandbox. The changing competitive nature of the global environment provides both challenges and opportunities for growth.

As a business or government leader, how has your company or government changed in the last ten years? What types of new challenges and opportunities do you see emerging in the next ten?

As educators, what role should global, student-based collaborative projects play in your classroom? How is this helping to prepare our kids to be effective and productive global citizens?

The Need for Speed...

The development of broad-band, high-speed Internet has provided many opportunities for growth in terms of both employment and entertainment. But just how limited are the opportunities?

Read this story about 150 new jobs that are coming, most of which will be made available to people working from home via hi-speed Internet. How disadvantaged are those people who do not have the same services available in their communities? What role should government play in ensuring high-speed is available to every home.

What happens when a whole community loses this service. One Navajo nation in the US runs that risk today, after bureaucratic wrangling threatens to hijack high-speed Internet service. Read the article.

What types of challenges would this community face after losing the Internet? Provide examples of economic, social and educational opportunities that are not available now (if your community does not have high-speed access) or would be lost (if you currently have it) if service was discontinued.

The death of paper...?

As paper becomes increasingly expensive and environment concerns grow, many have suggested that we move to digital environments. However, it seems that in many cases computers have simply allowed us to utilize more paper.

Can we realistically look at paper-free workplaces and schools? Do you see a day without paper texts and records? What about personal use? Could you see the day when you pick up an e-book for casual reading?

Filtering the Net...

The Internet is a valuable resource, but it also has many pitfalls.

As an example, many employees and students are distracted by social networking sites, while others use these sites to work, teach and learn.

This provides a problem for schools and employers – to balance the positives and negatives. What types of websites should be blocked within schools and businesses?

Keeping Up With The Kids...

The world is changing so rapidly. The information landscape is shifting like the Saharan sands, and many are finding it difficult to navigate through the storm.

Is it possible to be a good teacher or businessperson without using technology?

Can a teacher serve his/her students in the best way possible without using technology? Does a business in the 21st century have to utilize the web?

Or do the realities of today’s students and consumers demand that teachers and business' accept and embrace technology in their environment?

Our kids, our communities and the "World Wild Web"

While the accessibility to information holds much promise in creating a global community and allow us to learn from each other, it also holds much danger. From on-line predators to cyberbullying, it has opened up a whole new landscape of digital peril.

Just what do our young people know? What do they need to know? What types of risky behavior are you seeing with our youth?

What roles do school administrations, teachers, parents and communities have to play in keeping our children and our communities safe??

Is Downloading Music Appropriate?

The advent of the Internet has made the sharing of information so much easier. This includes digital information like music and movies. Many people have taken advantage of this to share music and video without paying for it.

Is this appropriate, let alone legal? What should we be doing to educate our kids in this matter? Is it even possible to stop? Should we care?

Assistive Technology vs Enabling Technology?

Technology has helped many people lead successful lives - people who might otherwise have been subjected to a lower quality of life.

Newer technologies have even begun to assist people who do not have specific challenges. Some might argue that this is causing a tremendous dependency on the technology, to the point where people resist learning traditional skills - seeing them as unnecessary.

How much technology is too much? At what poing does technology cease to be assistive and instead become enabling? How can we use technology for it's tremendous benefits, yet maintain traditional skills. Or should we be more prepared to move past traditional skills in reading and writing and look to technology to do more of the basic tasks for us?

Are we "real" on-line?

More and more people are spending an increasing amount of time connecting with others in on-line environments. Virtual spaces are becoming more and more realistic, and our kids would rather text than call.

Other's have found that the identities they create in cyberspace have proved to have negative consequences on their life.

Are our on-line identities relevant to who we are off-line?

Is on-line even a REAL place?

Are we Alone?

Our kids love to chat on-line...mostly because it seems like they are away from prying adult eyes. But just how "alone" are they?

Do you feel like the Internet is private? Who do you think can / is watching us?

Post # 1: Is technology a necessary evil?

Technology is embraced by some who see it as a panacea for creating a global environment that liberates and democratizes. Others see technology as an evil that permeates our culture with filth and is fraught with dangers. Where does the truth lie? Is technology a necessary evil or a powerful tool for positive social change? Talk about this from your own experiences? What do you see in the community around you?

Welcome

Welcome to ED 3862!

During the course of the next few weeks we will have the opportunity to learn together as we discuss the challenges and opportunities created by technology as we work, play and learn in the 21st century.