Week -3 The Sudden Explosion of E-Books and E-Book Readers

The reflection of the Week

   I want to start the reflection of this week by asking a question myself “Am I an e-reader?” My answer for the question is “No I am not”. I think I am a traditional reader maybe because of the fact that I was born in 80s. However, I would like to use a kindle while travelling to save more places in my bag and time, carry digital books easily and read them.

   The story has begun thousands and thousands years ago. In time, we used leathers, leafs, papyrus, stones, papers to write and read books and now digital devices have been created.  It is obvious that you may not have to depend on libraries, time or place with having a kindle and we can think we are more flexible and free. On the other hand, if you use a kindle, you have to consider the batteries of devices, different formats of e-books, limited availability of e-books, various software and hardware for e-books, etc… Do you still think you are so flexible and free? I think only things that we depend on change and we will continue to depend on different objects. 

The example of the Week

   We had two quest speakers in this week. One of them was Priya Nihalani, director of Research at GYLO. They created an application, Statistic 1, that has been converted into an Apple so that students have a chance to see simulations, graphics, and pictures on the screen of apple. She also stated this device with statistic 1 made the students motivated more and then succeed.

The quote of the Week

 “Reading on the Kindle is easy in bed, in direct sunlight, and on public transit—I can hang on to a subway strap with one hand and click the "next page" button with the other. The Kindle is much lighter than hardcover books and makes packing for vacation more pleasurable.” Alice E. Marwick, doctoral candidate in media, culture, and communication, New York University. I think she explains the advantages of a kindle very well

 The Picture of the Week

I created a picture to demonstrate how books evolute in time and I want to ask what is the next after digital devices. I hope you like the picture.

Week 2- Digital Literacy Skills

The Reflection of the Week:

    This week, we had a nice debate about whether internet is useful or not, which provided different thoughts from different perfectives regarding virtual world. The classes divided into three groups to debate and they talked about the advantages and disadvantages of web. I think the thoughts of Clay Shirky impact on me.Let me share some points what I like from this class.

    Clay Shirky says we should spend our time by using internet to help and support humanity instead of sitting in front of the television and watching advertisements more than 100 million hours. Shirky also says the internet revolution has just only begun. I agree with his idea. My reason to be agree with him comes from historical and sociological events. If we look at the history, first we will see people lived alone. After than people needed to be live together to help and support each other and they founded villages, cities, countries and civilizations. Internet is also kind a world, virtual world. People will use more this virtual world to help and support each other with feels come from human nature. Curiosity of people also will be a driving force to make people engage in the activities of virtual worlds. (Please read the example of the week.) However, we should be aware of that internet can bring good or bad things depend on how and what purposes we use internet. I think everybody heart some criminal and illegal activities on the web.

The example of the Week: 

Last night, I was in group 3, (Clay Shirky).  I just want to share some examples that Shirky gives in his talk to illustrate the benefits of social network, which made me surprised. He talks about the earthquake occurred in China in 2009.

Did you know The BBC got their first news of the earthquake from Twitter?

Did you know Twitter announced the existence of the earthquake before the US Geological Survey for anybody to read?

Did you know within half a day donations sites were created and huge donations were made from around the world?

The quote of the Week:   

  

    Clark points out how internet makes people organize by saying “The power of organizing without organizations.” People gathering for some purposes, for instance to support a candidate in elections, on the web are able to use internet effectively and make a significant change. I   think internet is going to be the biggest organization in the world.

The picture of the Week:

This graphic represents the 21st century learning skills including four types of literacy, life and career skills, learning and innovation skills, information, media, and technology skills, core subject and 21 st century themes. It seems to me that we are going to learn  in real life more than in classroom in 21 st century.

Week-1 Neo Millennial/Web 2.0 Learners

The Reflection of  the Week 

Do you want to learn anywhere and anytime? Would you like get education beyond the boundaries of four walls? Are you bored with textbooks and do you want more exciting devices such as e-books, iPhone, kindle, etc. If your answer for these kinds of questions is YES, welcome to Web 2.0 technologies. Times change. Technologies change. Students change. So does education. (Oblinger, D. G. 2008) And we are running from teacher center- learning to student-center learning with using new technologies.

Nowadays, developing web and emerging technologies make students more curios to discover new technologies and the more they learn with web tech, the more they will be social. Also web 2.0 Technologies offer a virtual world in which today’s learner can create blogs, web sites that provide them to share ideas, thoughts, information, photos, videos, etc. That learners are in communication and interaction each other makes possible to learn together, be creative and built a collective intelligence. How much can we be successful to integrate and adapt into our education systems? I believe this course will help me understand what web technologies are and how they can be used effectively in education.

The example of the Week:  

Wikipedia is first example of this course. I think everybody knows Wikipedia and uses it. Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia created by its users, which includes four millions articles available in different languages its users. It is really great resource but don’t forget everything may not be true in this encyclopedia.

The quote of the week:  

“Nobody knows everything but everybody knows something.” and “We are smarter than me “I love these quotes because they stress the importance of collective intelligence, collaboration, and communication.

The picture of the week:

This picture belongs to Dr. Bonk, which expresses the world is more open with Web technology. I can say web technologies make the world smaller. I hope you enjoy this picture.