RSS Discussion Questions

Why did you select the sites you subscribed to? 

1. I selected the sites because I am familiar with them and rely on them for news.
2. 
   
3. Was it easy to find feeds and to subscribe to them?
4. Yes, it was very easy.
5. 
   
6. Which sites were your favorites?
7. My favorite sites were ESPN and TMZ.
8. 
   
9. What else can you use RSS feeds for?
10. You can use RSS feeds to find out the latest news quickly and get updates from your favorite sites. 
11. 
    
12. How likely are you to continue to use RSS feeds in the future?
13. I may not use RSS feeds in the future because I can already get information quickly. 

5/20 Tech Article

Skintrack Turns Your Entire Forearm Into a Smartwatch Touchpad

• Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have found a way to extend the Smartwatch into a touchpad on your forearm
• Its called the SkinTrack system, and consists of a custom ring and a set of electrodes built into a smartwatch strap
• The ring sends an electrical signal that's picked up by the watch band's electrodes, tracking the ring's location as you move
• The system can follow your finger even if you're just hovering over it, and it knows when you're pressing on your skin
• It can recognize gestures, track your finger, and register taps
• It still works even with your sleeve down

5/6 Tech Article

Embrace Your Inner DJ With McDonald's McTrax Placemat

• McDonald's Netherlands has introduced the McTrax placemat
• The placemat is specially designed to be able to connect to your smartphone and make music
• Using your hands and the buttons on the mat, you can connect your phone and record your own voice snippets
• You can also use prerecorded loops to create beats
• The mat supports both iOS and Android devices

Gandhi Do Now

Gandhi once said "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." If you want to see a change in the world for the better, you must contribute the change yourself. To help make the world a better place, you must recognize the problems and try to find a solution. For example, when I see a homeless person on the street in the cold, it gives me a desire to help them out and give them something to keep them warm. Of course, you can't help every single homeless person in the world, but one good deed could change someone's life forever.

4/22 Tech Article

Microsoft Stops Making Xbox 360

• It's been a little over a decade since the Xbox 360 first reached shelves. 
• Microsoft now decided to stop making it.
• They said the problems of a decade-old product are starting to creep up and it's not worth keeping the console around.
• From now on, Microsoft is all about the Xbox One.
• Falling Xbox One prices reduced the motivation to get an Xbox 360.
• The 360 was Microsoft's most successful console to date, so it will be missed. 

4/15 Weekly Tech Article

FCC Wants to Stop Prisoners From Making Phone Calls

• Prisoners aren't allowed to have cell phones, but they still make their way behind bars.
• Cell phones in jail allows prisoners to deal drugs, run illegal businesses, and even organize murders. 
• To stop this problem, the FCC is pushing to limit prisoners' access to cell phones.
• In 2013, the FCC recommended implementing technology to prevent prisoners from making phone calls. 
• One incident occurred in Georgia when a woman was texted images of her incarcerated boyfriend being strangled. The inmate that was strangling him texted her saying he would only stop if she sent him $300.
• In 2010, Captain Robert Lee Johnson, a former prison guard, was shot six times by a gunman hired by an inmate via a cell phone. 
• The FCC proposed a limited access network and is considering forcing wireless companies to block service for smuggled cell phones in prisons. 

Wiki Dissection & JM

1. What is the purpose of this Wiki? The purpose of this Wiki is to discuss disruptive innovations in the classroom.
2. When was the last post? October 26, 2006 
3. How was this Wiki created/designed? By creating a new post on k12wiki, then adding information to the page.
4. What would you add to this particular wiki? I would add newer technology to the list. For example I would replace handhelds with cell phones. 
5. What did you learn after reading this wiki? I learned what disruptive technology means. 
6. If you had to create a Wiki with a team, what would be the specific topic (s)? The San Bernandino case with the FBI and Apple. 
7. How can Wikis be used in the classroom or in education? Wikis can be used in the classroom so teachers can refer to it for info.