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. 

W-R Wikipedia Page Findings

• "Serves students in ninth through twelfth grades"  seventh through twelfth 
• No tennis team 
• No golf team 
• "Principal - Dr. Sue DeNobile" Mr. Russell Petrocelli
• "Wood-Ridge High School" Wood-Ridge Jr/Sr High School
• No cross country team
• "Enrollment: 358" it has increased to 391
• We don't make a school newspaper anymore
• Picture is outdated

4/8 Weekly Tech Article

Take a Ride on a Virtual Reality Roller Coaster

• The new virtual reality roller coaster combines the concept of the steel track and VR technology.
• Before boarding the coaster, riders put on a VR headset without any idea of what's coming up.
• Riders will experience HD imagery and 360 degree virtual views while riding the coaster.
• This new roller coaster is making a debut at nine Six Flags amusement parks, which include Texas, Georgia, California, Missouri, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York and Montreal.
• The VR technology gives riders the effect of being in another world.
• At Six Flags Texas, people who board the new "Superman: Krypton  Virtual Reality Coaster" will experience what its like to be in the comic-book world of Metropolis. 
• Video

3/24 Weekly Tech Article

FBI May Have Found A Way Into Terrorist's iPhone

• The San Bernandino court hearing between the Department of Justice and Apple that was scheduled for Tuesday was postponed. 
• The DOJ requested to postpone it after they said they may have found another way into the iPhone.
• Federal investigators want to break into the phone, so they were pressuring Apple to create a special software that would let them bypass security features. 
• Apple denied their request, saying that it would allow them to break into any iPhone.
• Now that the FBI has found a new method of gaining access to the phone, they said they may no longer need Apple's assistance and they will report the results to the judge by April 5. 
• They have not provided any information yet of how they will get into the phone. 

3/18 Weekly Tech Article

Nike Unveils Auto-Lacing Sneaker

• Nike unveiled a new sneaker that has self-tying adaptive laces, called the HyperAdapt 1.0
• How does it work? When you step into the shoe, your heel will activate a sensor that automatically tightens the laces
• There are two buttons on the side that can tighten and loosen it
• They based the shoes off of the character Marty McFly's self-tying shoes from the movie "Back to the Future" 
• Nike said the HyperAdapt makes use of a more technical, sport version of automatic tying 
• The HyperAdapt is aimed to give athletes the ability to quickly tighten or loosen their shoes until they have the perfect fit
• Pricing information for the shoes is not yet available

Do Now 3/14

I walked outside one afternoon, and greeted my neighbor. When I greeted him, he didn't even hear or see me. It's as if I was invisible. I walked back inside my house to get something, and I noticed that when I walked past the mirror, there was no reflection. "Whoa," I thought to myself. "I'm actually invisible!" 

It was the perfect moment to do a good deed. I always wanted to do a good deed, however I wanted to remain anonymous and never wanted to be mentioned in the local paper or news. Therefore, I could perform my good deed and go unrecognized. I decided to go around to a couple homeless people leaving some money and food for them. I hoped that they would put the money to good use. It gave me a great feeling to be able to help the needy, and I would definitely consider doing something generous again sometime.

3/11 Weekly Tech Article

Apple Could Reveal Mini iPhone 5SE On March 21

• Apple is said to be hosting an event on March 21 where they'll be revealing some new gadgets. 
• They are widely expected to be revealing the new iPhone 5SE.
• This new iPhone will be about the same size as the iPhone 5s, but include some of the same features as the newest iPhone 6 and 6s. 
• There have been reports that they will also be revealing a smaller iPad Pro, new Apple watch bands, and software updates. 
• The iPhone 5s is currently the last four-inch iPhone on the market, and Wall Street Analysts believe a lot of people have stayed with the 5s because of its smaller size.
• The iPhone 7 is also expected to release this fall.

3/4 Weekly Tech Article

Apple Patent Hints That iPhone 7 EarPods Could Be Wireless

• Apple was granted a patent for new headphones. 
• These new headphones will be able to connect to an iPhone wirelessly but can also be plugged in. 
• The patent shows a set of headphones that require a cord to plug into the headphone jack, then that cord can be separated and wirelessly transmit the signal. 
• Many people assume the headphones could connect wirelessly through Bluetooth.
• There have been recent rumors about the iPhone 7 which say that the phone will no longer include a headphone jack.
• These rumors may prove to be true because of the new headphones design.
• Apple last introduced new headphones in 2012, so this will be a big upgrade.

Educational Technology and Copyright Law

In today's world of technology, any type of media is copyrighted. Copyright is a law that ensures your piece of work belongs to you and no one can steal your idea. However, there are exceptions to using the copyrighted work, such as the fair use policy. Students and teachers are allowed to use copyrighted works for educational purposes. But, some types of media, such as images, can be licensed. Licensed images do not fall under the fair use policy, and if you're planning to use a licensed image, use it according to what the license says. Therefore, most images and media can be used for classroom purposes.

2/26 Weekly Tech Article

MasterCard Launching Selfie Payments 

• The MasterCard credit card company announced that they will be adding two more methods to confirm payments - face recognition and fingerprint. 
• Facial and fingerprint scans are much safer than passwords since many customers use easy to guess passwords. 
• Customers who want to try facial recognition will have to download a special MasterCard app that lets them take a photo each time they make an online purchase.
• The customer's face or fingerprint is scanned to verify that they're not a hacker or thief and it tells users to blink when taking the photo to make sure it's not a previously taken photo. 
• MasterCard is also planning to introduce other ways of confirming purchases, such as monitoring the customer's heartbeat and voice recognition. 

Do Now 2/22

I agree with Apple's position on the San Bernardino case letter. I feel that they are doing their best to protect the privacy and safety of their customers. They have every reason to deny the FBI a new iOS system that bypasses several security features, because that would allow any iPhone to be unlocked. Apple feels that is their job to protect the privacy and personal information of their customers, and I agree with them. Although the FBI may have good intentions, Apple just wants to do the best they can to be able to protect the American citizens' right to privacy.

2/19 Weekly Tech Article

This Flexible Prototype Is a Glimpse at Your Future Phone

• A new flexible prototype was made to show how the future phones will work.
• Researchers from Queen's University Human Media Lab created a device with a 720p LG Display Flexible OLED touch screen with bend sensors and haptic feedback motors.
• The phone responds to physical gestures by the way its bent and twisted. 
• When the phone is bent down on the right, pages of a book can flip from right to left. 
• The team presented the prototype at the Conference on Tangible Embedded and Embodied Interaction.
• Provides a look at what the first flexible phones are going to look like. 

2/12 Weekly Tech Article

Hoboken Residents Are Fighting A Seawall That Would Protect Their Homes From Total Devastation

• After Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the city of Hoboken, NJ was completely devastated and flooded. 
• Now, a seawall has been designed to prevent that from happening again.
• A Department of Housing and Urban Development initiative is working to flood-proof the entire NYC Metropolitan area.
• The Office of Metropolitan Architecture drew up a plan for Hoboken that includes barriers to prevent flooding and a series of pumps to drain the city.
• The state received a $230 million grant to implement the seawall plan. 
• However, some Hoboken residents are not so fond of the plan. 

http://gizmodo.com/hoboken-residents-are-fighting-a-seawall-that-would-pro-1758618928

Web 2.0: Multimedia Blog Posting

          This year, I am taking US History 1. My teacher is Mrs. Gaven. When class first started, I expected to learn more about the development of the United States. I knew the class was going to be much more different than world history, which is what I took last year. I expected to be learning about history focused in the U.S. this year, rather than throughout the world.

          So far, I have learned about the foundation of our country. We reviewed the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We also learned about the period after the Civil War when we tried to restore our country, known as Reconstruction. We also learned about the Industrial Age, urbanization, and immigration. Overall, we have learned about the very beginning of our country, all the way to the history of the 1900s.
          My teacher's grading policy is comprised of summative assessments, performance based assessments, classwork, homework, and participation. Summative assessments are worth 40% of a marking
period grade, performance based assessments are worth 40%, classwork 10%, and homework 10%. One interesting aspect of the class was our project about the Constitution. We were required to make a campaign video in groups about our position on an issue related to the Constitution. My group and I did the death penalty and why it should be outlawed within all states.
          Lastly, technology is used throughout the class a lot. We use Google Classroom for many of our assignments. I find it to be easier and more useful. For example, we used the Chromebooks in class yesterday and did a classwork assignment using Classroom. We also use it for homework assignments. When we do homework questions, I just type my answers on the document and turn it in. I like doing it that way because it's easy and I don't have to waste ink printing anything out. Therefore, technology makes everything so much easier.

Click here  to access her website.
Click here to access the online textbook.

Welcome Post

Hello, welcome to my Web 2.0 blog! My name is Alyssa, and I am currently a sophomore in high school. My favorite sport is soccer. This summer, I will be practicing for soccer once the preseason starts. I also plan on getting a part-time job during the summer because I will be turning 16. I want to do my 6 hours in a driving school once I turn 16 too so that I can get a permit. I'm planning on saving for a car and college when I get a job. Therefore, my summer will be a busy one for me because I have a lot to start planning for.