Tech Tool Evaluation

Sam's link: http://slotted.co/ 

3 thing I like about Slotted: 

• I like that you can paste an email into the slotted sheet so invitees can easily RSVP and sign up for bringing what is needed. This way they don't have to log onto to Slotted when you tell them you're having a party, they can have the "sheet" at hand as soon as you email them. 
• I really like the fact that when you click "slot me" on a public sheet, the person has to identify themselves so you know who they are. This way you can be sure they aren't creepers just signing up for your party. :) 
• I like that on the complex sheet you can put times (i.e. 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm) so that people can know what time to come. Sometimes when having a party that's not always clear, and you might have to make changes for times or things to bring, and this helps everyone know when to come. 

3 things I didn't like about Slotted: 

• I didn't like the "nudge" button. If you're having a party and you want people to volunteer to bring items, you should let them click the slot me button on their own free will. If you nudge someone to say "hey, you haven't volunteered to bring anything yet" it's kind of rude, because you're inviting them to your party and they don't have to bring anything. 
• One bad thing about Spotted is that you have to sign up to create a sheet, so you have to go through more trouble if you want to make one for an event. 
• I also don't like that the number of invites is limited, so might not be able to invite everyone you want to to an event. 

Yootack's link: https://www.desmos.com/ 

3 things I liked about Desmos: 

• I love the fact that this is an online graphing calculator, so you can use it for homework and you don't have to pay for the program, or pay for your own graphing calculator either! 
• You can make not only graphs on this tool but you can make art by putting in different equations. 
• Desmos can easily identify the types of math tools you are trying to type out on the computer. I tried it and the program easily came up with the buttons that are on a normal graphing calculator. 

3 things I didn't like about Desmos: 

• One thing that's bad about this is that if you're in school in your math teacher doesn't allow you to use electronic devices in class you can't use this program to get work done. 
• I would improve this by making it an app so you could easily pull it up on an ipod or ipad or iphone so you could do homework if you didn't have internet. 
• I would also improve it so the program could let you save your graph using websites other than desmos and Google. (i.e. yahoo, hotmail, facebook, etc) 

Internet Safety

     I know that internet safety should be applied to email, Facebook  chat sites, and all other internet sources you use. It is easy for someone to hack you or trick you into believing they are someone they're not. Staying cautious is something that should always be considered while on the internet. 

My Questions: 
1. How do I keep people from hacking my Facebook? 
2. What are some good programs for internet safety? 
3. What are some interesting internet safety facts? 

http://safeandsavvy.f-secure.com/2010/12/28/protect-your-facebook/ 
This link gives tips on how to keep people from hacking your Facebook. Some of the tips are: to use a long password and not let the browser remember it, to be careful the links you click because they could lead to sites with viruses, to update your internet security, and to always log out. From this website I also found good links that led to programs for internet safety: 
http://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/free-tools  
This "health check" website scans your computer to see if your anti-virus, anti-spyware, and software is up to date. It also makes sure your documents and photographs are backed up and notifies you of security updates. There is also an online scanner that notifies you and gets rid of the viruses, and a mobile phone app that protects your phone if it gets stolen. 

• Internet stalkers can use a small amount of information from you and then contact your friends and family to learn more. (creepy) 
• 27% of children have met a stranger on the internet, and 7% of that have met a stranger from online in real life.  
• 47% of teens don't care about people using their personal information.   
• 69% of teens receive personal messages from people they don't know and don't tell an adult about it. 
• In the population of teens on social networking sites, 61% post the name of their city or town, 49% post their school's name, 29% post their email, and 29% post their last name. 
• Females are more likely to post personal information (such as photos and videos) online than males. 

     This topic connects to my life because I go on Facebook and Gmail and other websites everyday, and I need to make sure I stay safe. I will use the Facebook tips from now on to protect my account, because I know many people who have gotten hacked. I will also look into the "health check" to protect my computer further. 

1 question I still have about internet safety is: of the people who meet online strangers in real life, how many of those strangers are dangerous?    

College Exploration in Naviance Link

2 colleges that interest me right now: University of Tennessee and William and Mary
2 colleges I will now consider: University of Florida and University of Georgia

	UT	William and Mary	UF	UGA
English department	have a bachelors, masters, and doctorate degree for English	have a bachelors and masters degree for English	have a masters degree for English	offers certificate, bachelors, and masters degree for English
cost	$25,238	$35,409	$26,873	$26,601
scholarships	offer scholarships	scholar- ships are offered	offer scholarships but not huge ones	scholarships are offered
good location	in a "great college town"	in a "great college town"	in a "great college town"	in a "great college town"
size	30,300 students	8,000 students	49,827 students	34,677 students
Room and Board cost	$8,480	$8,772	$8,800	$8,708
Extracurricular Activities	it has organizations I want	it has all organizations I want	don't have organizations I want	has all organizations I want

My GPA is a 3.5.
GPA's needed to get into...
UT: not provided
UF: not provided
William and Mary: 3.17
UGA: not provided

I've learned that there are many colleges available for my needs and that I should keep my options open. I also need to keep my GPA up, and continue working hard throughout my whole high school year if I want to achieve a scholarship to any of these schools. I need to be competitive and strive for the best if I want to achieve being an honors applicant to these schools. I also need to pick an extracurricular activity and stick with it because that looks good on college applications.

Google 20% Day #4

I was not here that class, and I was excused.

Google 20% Day 3

Goals: (Today I only have one goal because I want to apply what I learned last class to a new creation.) 
1. To create a more advanced and professional-type building than the ones I've been making. I will build this using the new skills I learned last class.  
     I have completed my building and pool, and it looks much better than the other buildings I have been trying to make. The inside of my house is carpeted and painted. The windows are see-through, the outside is stone, and the roof is red metal. The (underground) pool is surrounded by a wooden fence and the inside is water. This has been my most successful architectural attempt while using Google Sketchup. 

 

     Above are pictures of the structures I made. The pool is underneath the house for reasons unknown, so I call it the "underground pool." The skills I learned last class certainly helped during the process of modeling this class. I understand Sketchup much better now. 

     Next Google Day I would like to look at structures other people have made through the Sketchup website, and hopefully get some tips from looking at these structures. Looking at other people's works can help me brainstorm for what I want to create next. 

Google 20% Day #2

Goals for today: 
1. Based on my experimenting, see if the the information the articles gave about Sketchup, (architecture, able to but it on Google Maps, geometry, learning, easy to use, etc.) are true.  
I think this tool works best for architecture, because its main function is creating buildings. And it is possible for you to add a location for your building on Google Maps. It could be used for geometry as well. You can make circles, squares, lines, and arcs, and hexagons. You can also free draw or use lines to make other polygons Sketchup doesn't make. Using the tape measure you can measure how long the sides of your shape are. This is very useful. It is fairly easy to use, but takes a while to figure everything out.  
2. Find information on how to better use Sketchup, because I don't completely understand everything. 
 http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Google-SketchUp - This link was very useful. When I downloaded Sketchup I didn't really search how to use it, I just started experimenting. This link showed me a few things I didn't know. For example, to rotate the viewing screen you click the center mouse button. Also, you can make 2D shapes. This is helpful for geometry. The most helpful information was to make windows appear like they are actually windows you click the "translucent" option. The whole time I was experimenting I got frustrated because I couldn't make the windows any color but white. Now I understand. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqtw9R__0gk - This is a video on the basics of Google Sketchup. From this video I discovered that you can only make video games if you have the full version of Sketchup. Also, you can draw a shape on the ground and then use the push/pull button to make the rectangle 3D! You can then draw shapes on the building and push or pull them to have other shapes extending from the building. Ctrl Z can undo. You can move the building in different angles. You can look at buildings made by other people and you can upload your own building. 
3. Research how it was developed and created, who created it, etc. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Sketchup#Initial_development - This article gave me information on the production of Google Sketchup. It was created in a company called Last Software by 2 men, Brad Schell and Joe Esch. They co-founded it in 1999. Google took over Last Software in 2006, which includes their Sketchup program. Google Sketchup 6 was released in 2007. In 2008 version 7 was released, and in 2010 version 8. Each one had more and more functions and improvements.    

Today I learned how to better use Sketchup so that next time I want to create something with it, it will look more realistic and professional. I also learned a little about the production of Sketchup. but it was hard to find links on the creation process. 

Next Google 20% day I want to work on making a building that's more realistic and has more detail then the buildings I have been making.   

Mural.ly

http://beta.mural.ly/

Steps: 
1. I went to the website and logged in with Twitter. I clicked what type of Mural I wanted and watched the video that showed me how to drag links, pictures, and videos to the Mural. 
2. To add pictures to your Mural, you click your image and drag it to the tab that says Mural.ly. To make the image larger you click the arrow. To move it around you can drag it. 
3. To add links to your Mural, you go to the link you want to add, click the white paper sheet button beside the link, and drag it to the tap that says Mural.ly. When you release the link, it will turn into a picture of the website. 
4. You can click on the ready-made textboxes to write information. To change the color of your text you click the plus button, which gives many options that differ depending on whether you clicking it for a textbook, link, or picture.  To change the color you click edit, and color, size, and other editing options will appear. 
5. If you want to drag multiple link, pictures, or information to your Mural you just click and hold the Ctrl button. 
6. To the side of the Mural there is a tool bar that gives background options, stickers, textboxes, shapes, and more. 
7. If you wish to delete and object, you click the plus button and an option to delete shows up. 
8. When you are finished you can take a picture of your Mural by clicking the button beside the M on the top left hand corner. 

Above is a picture of the Mural I made! It includes pictures, textboxes, stickers, and links. 

     I think this is a great tool for other students! It's like on online poster, (I would compare it to Glogster) and if any student ever had a project this would be a great tool! They could fill it with information while adding visual images and links with even more information. It would be great for presenting, or if you just want a creative way of doing your homework! I would recommend this tool to anyone because it's very easy and quick to learn about.  

DIGITAL NATION

When you look at what the professors are saying, they think the students are not absorbing the information because they are so distracted by the internet. And a professor even gave an easy test, and he said the mean was a 75% grade. 
 The students think they can multitask very well. I think the students think they can multitask better than they actually can. Because when you have distractions all around you while you're studying, you're not actually studying. 
The video said students spend 50 hours a week on electronic devices. I do not think all students spend that much time on the internet, but it's scary that those statistics are out there. 
When a doctor took a picture of your brain while on Google  and it showed more thinking than your brain while reading a book. But apparently the doctor doesn't necessarily know which one means you're learning more. I would think you would learn more while reading a book.  
The video showed a story of a boy who played computer games up to 7 hours a day, and it said in a year he dropped from the top half in school to the bottom half. His mom thought it was because of his computer. I agree with his mom, because if you spend all your time on the computer, and don't do your work, you can't do well in school. 
The vice principle said that you can teach children to sit in their seats and be quiet but that won't be necessary in the future. He said there won't be jobs in the future without technology. And he said students should do their homework online and have classes online. I don't agree with this at all. I think there are so many classes where you can learn a ton with only a little technology. (i.e. powerpoints) And there are so many jobs where you don't need technology. And when there are statistics showing that students spend too much online and schools promote using everything online, it just makes things worse. 
Professors said that students write in short paragraphs, because they stop after a paragraph and go on facebook or their phones. I agree that students will be working on something and then start thinking about things on the internet and feel like they have to check it. 
I do not agree that print took away something from the world, because it was one of the most influential inventions in the world. (the printing press) 
I agree that the element of fantasy in videogames give you this world that you can dissolve into. But it 's not necessarily a good thing. Because if you don't exactly like school and love videogames then you can spend hours playing to escape your drama or troubles at school. 
Companies use second life to have conferences, and the creator of second life has meeting in second life when his colleagues are a few feet away from him. I think this is terrible. Why would you go online when the people you need to talk with are 3 feet away? And if you need to have a meeting with people from other countries you should go on skype or have a phone call! In my opinion you shouldn't mix computer games with work. 


   

The Cloud

At the moment, I know nothing about the Cloud, what is is, what is does, or anything. 
I wonder what it is, and what it does? 
Why is it called the Cloud? 
When was Cloud Computing Created? 

Links I used for information: 
http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/what-cloud-computing-really-means-031
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-computing.htm
http://www.rackspace.com/cloud/what_is_cloud_computing/

• Apparently the Cloud is a metaphor for the internet, and when combined with computing it means getting "bigger and fuzzier." Other people say that anything you use with this resource is "in the cloud." 
• Cloud Computing is a software that has all the programs a person needs for their job on one application. 
• The only thing a computer needs to run the Cloud system is interface software. 
• Yahoo, Gmail, and Hotmail use Cloud computing! The storage in your email doesn't belong to the computer, it's part of the service's computer Cloud. 
• You can have public or private clouds depending on what you want to pay for. 
• The idea for a software like Cloud Computing has been around since the 1960s. It has been being improved and worked on for many years. There is no certain date it was established, but 2006, 2008, and 2011 were a few years that had major turning points on the Cloud Computing Software. 

     This system seems like it's very useful and applies to most computers, and I use computers all the time! I also have a Gmail, and the information I read said that Gmail uses the Cloud system. My emails and information from Gmail is saved onto the Cloud the system instead of onto my computer. This is something that I never knew. :)  

I still wonder what other applications or systems on the computer use Cloud. I also wonder how many people use it, and if it is an affordable good software to use. (If it is, I think it should be advertised more because I have never heard of it, and when I asked fellow students they had never heard of it either.) 

  

Picture Links: 
http://www.google.com.co/imgres?imgurl=http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/cloud-computing-1.gif&imgrefurl=http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-computing.htm&h=400&w=400&sz=46&tbnid=4IWl1835KYmgIM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=87&zoom=1&usg=__rurMTEkIUgmnMRaniRovYFERm_k=&docid=gHBbfWfERnz7tM&sa=X&ei=rH1kUILnKob88QTHuIDABQ&ved=0CD0Q9QEwAw&dur=250
http://www.google.com.co/imgres?imgurl=http://smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cloud-computing-kitchen-sink.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2011/09/wait-what-is-cloud-computing.html/&h=399&w=559&sz=71&tbnid=-acVYu-bXypddM:&tbnh=79&tbnw=110&zoom=1&usg=__1cWyX5gWrlzwniJOANd0wLqETrM=&docid=z85LWHChcB-FKM&sa=X&ei=rH1kUILnKob88QTHuIDABQ&ved=0CEAQ9QEwBA&dur=3033

Google 20% Day 1

My three goals I will try to accomplish today: 
1. To download Google Sketchup. (Accomplished) 
2. To go on Google Sketchup and experiment to see what can be done on it. 
I spent a long time experimenting on Google Sketchup. It is such a cool tool!! I enjoyed playing around on the app. It took a while to get used to and some things are hard to understand, but the more you use it the more you understand it. After I had gotten used to all of the buttons and functions on the app, I made a rectangular 3D bright building with walls on the outside of bright pink and walls on the inside of bright turquoise. 
This is the link I used to download Sketchup: 
http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/download/index2.html
3. Based on my experimenting, see if the the information the articles gave about Sketchup, (architecture, able to but it on Google Maps, geometry, learning, easy to use, etc.) are true. 


*One things I learned this class was how to use Sketchup. It is a very fun and useful tool that I might download and use at home. It can create buildings, measure the building, put textures of what material you want the building to made out of, and much more. It was a good class. :) 

Google 20%

     For my Google 20% project, I would like to research and learn about Google Sketchup. I want to create 3D models, and see how it can help game makers create video game designs. It will also be very cool to see how you can set up something you made on Sketchup into Google Earth. I want to find out if it's easy to use and create. The website also says it can help teaching Geometry, and can be used for other classes. I want to find out if it is a good tool for students to learn from and teachers to teach from. 
     When I present this project, I think I will use the actual Google Sketchup app to show everyone in class how to use it. I will show them how to create the 3D models, make video game designs, and make all the other topics I said I wanted to learn about. If they have questions I will try to answer them based off of what I learned. This will teach the students how to use the tool. After I showed them they could use it for homework or just for fun. It will be a good learning experience for everyone! 
:) 
   

LINK

C/C website