The video Web 2.0 ... The Web is Us/ing Us by Dr. Michael Wesch captures how connected the internet has become that it can link you to other pages but even people. Originally the internet could link you to other pages or websites but as the "machine learned" we have become able to combine websites, connect people and has become able to learn from us. Michael Wesch shows how digital text is better and more linear because it is more organized and has many more resources to connect to. In the video Wesch goes on an adventure through his computer showing all the new things and ways that the machine is learning from us. The web is us and is constantly improving itself through us and with us.
The points made by Michael Wesch in the Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us are correct because today the internet is constantly connecting people but though that is learning from us. One great example of this is Siri a social and web navigator that allows you to do many things to help with your day such as asking a question, finding directions or setting an alarm. Siri is a system that learns from everything she is told which is stored to make "the machine" more intelligent. This shows that is us and using us because it helps us but to gain more knowledge from us that it uses. Now that we can talk to this machine it is able to learn from us and reach out to us in many more ways. Now computers can even detect things though camera like emotions to see how you are or open you phone. Even on the new iPhone your finger print is held on the device which can be used by the machine in many ways when learned. With the new connection in the Web 2.0 makes getting distracted by the internet, like stated in Michael Wesch's article A Vision of Students Today, with new Facebook posts, blogs and YouTube videos always being made the machine has more control over people especially students. The new Web 2.0 is made by us and learning by us but can be used to control us and distract us without thinking about reevaluating our lives, security and identity.
In the article The Case Against High School Sports by Amanda Ripley illustrates how high school sports have more of a focus in high schools which is bad because it is taking a lot of focus away from education which should be a students first priority. Ripley shows how much more the United States focuses on sports than any other country which could be the reason for our low education ranking.In the article Ripley shows Premont High School where school sports are little to nonexistant. Singleton, the superintendent, believes that without sports schools would have more success in education.
Everything that Ripley states in The Case Against High School Sports is true because the article shows the great success that Premont has shown since shutting down sports. Singleton saw how much more calm the school was, “It was calm. There was a level of energy devoted to planning and lessons, to after-school tutoring. I saw such a difference.” a huge boost in grades also came with the closing of sports when 80 percent of students passed their classes nearly 30 percent higher than the previous fall. singleton saw such a change in focus at the school and much more success, “Learning is going on in 99 percent of the classrooms now,” Coach Russell told me, “compared to 2 percent before.” Another amazing thing about shutting down the sports was how much money the school saved to stop from being shut down. Singleton noticed how much money he could save the school to put into education when he did not have to get new bleachers or helmets. When schools spend $1,348 per cheerleader but are only $328 for math instructions they are spending a lot of money on less important areas than they should. Education should be the number one priority of students not sports because this can really affect their grades and attitude.
"Footprints in the Digital Age" an article by Will Richardson illustrates how important it is to have a good profile online because you can be "googled" which can show good or bad things about you. In this day and age it is easy for you to be tracked online and for people all over the world to see things you are doing whether they are good or bad. This new age of technological knowledge can be helpful for students future by showing their blog, twitter or Facebook which can be great resources when used correctly. Will Richardson talks about the fear of his daughters being searched and nothing monumental coming up or that noting shows up at all.
The ideas that Will Richardson states in "Footprints in the The Digital Age" are true because as our world is becoming more technological it is important to have a good online presence. When a future employer is researching your background to find if you would be the right person for the job it is very impressive when you can have a blog of things you have done in school or about the vacation you went on. Like wise when they find your Facebook or Twitter they can see that you are very social and even have a look at what is going on in your life. An online portfolio is another great way to reach out to people. When they can see a video of you catching the football or a video of your debate from debate team they are much more likely to be impressed than when someone gives them a stack of papers. It has become even more important to be online but you must also have a diverse and interesting. If you post about the book that have just read or about special places you may have been that shows that you have deeper background and are more literate online and with people. We also need to be smart with our online profiles because one mistake like, posting a picture drinking underage can hurt your job potential in the future. Today all the time we are leaving digital footprints online for people to follow so we should make them good.
