Monday, 20 October 2008
Friday, 10 October 2008
1.2 Life in the information age. Activity 1: Tool man
John could use the followig ICT devices to improve the efficieny of his work:
PDA
GPS
Laptop
Software
Mobile phone
Internet
A PDA could be useful to John as he currently carries around a large diary, an adress book, a large road atlas and numerous A-Zs. If John bought a PDA he could store all this information on it, and wouldn't need to bring so much into work.
A GPS could completely remove the need for a large road atlas, again reducing the amount of equipment. The GPS would be easier to read than the road atlas, so it would help John be more puntual as he would be able to find his clients easier.
A laptop would improve Johns productivity as he should be able to access his sales catalogue online. This has another major advantage over carrying the catalogue, as the online version can be updated easier, so John wouldn't need to recieve the latest edition every time he wants to have a look at the latest price lists and order forms.
Having a mobile phone would save John money, as he doesn't have to constantly use pay phones. Also he doesn't have to carry around a large amount of small coins with him which would make his life a lot more convenient.
Internet access would assist John as it enables him to send / recieve e mails to customers, also he can check his website at any time.
The main disadvantage of all this technology is weather John has the ability to use them. It is obvious John hasn't used any of this technology before, and learning to use them would take a considerable amount of time.
PDA
GPS
Laptop
Software
Mobile phone
Internet
A PDA could be useful to John as he currently carries around a large diary, an adress book, a large road atlas and numerous A-Zs. If John bought a PDA he could store all this information on it, and wouldn't need to bring so much into work.
A GPS could completely remove the need for a large road atlas, again reducing the amount of equipment. The GPS would be easier to read than the road atlas, so it would help John be more puntual as he would be able to find his clients easier.
A laptop would improve Johns productivity as he should be able to access his sales catalogue online. This has another major advantage over carrying the catalogue, as the online version can be updated easier, so John wouldn't need to recieve the latest edition every time he wants to have a look at the latest price lists and order forms.
Having a mobile phone would save John money, as he doesn't have to constantly use pay phones. Also he doesn't have to carry around a large amount of small coins with him which would make his life a lot more convenient.
Internet access would assist John as it enables him to send / recieve e mails to customers, also he can check his website at any time.
The main disadvantage of all this technology is weather John has the ability to use them. It is obvious John hasn't used any of this technology before, and learning to use them would take a considerable amount of time.
Friday, 3 October 2008
Activity 20: Investigate downloading goods and services.
In a small group create a list of the different types of items that you and your families have downloaded from the internet. Create a list of reasons of why you did this rather than buying the physical goods. Compile a list of problems you have had with any aspect of downloading and consuming online files. Write these reflections in your blog.
List of downloads.
1) Dragon Force - Ultrabeatdown (Album) - Downloaded from itunes store.
2) Code Geass R2 - Episode 1-18 (Anime) - Torrent downloaded from Mininova.
3) The Orange Box (Game) - Downloaded from Steam.
4) C-cleaner (Application) - Downloaded from http://www.filehippo.com/
5) Heroes (Video stream) - Downloaded from bbciplayer.
In the last month I have downloaded various things, just some of those things are listed above. I chose to download an album and a game because it saves me from physically getting up and going to the shops. It is much more convenient to download them.
I chose to download "Code Geass R2 - Episode 1-18" not only because it is more convenient than buying it, but mainly because each episode of this anime is not availble in the UK until months after the Japanese realease. Somtimes some episodes of Japanese anime anime aren't actually legally available in the UK, this is extremely frustrating and can force fans into illegal downloads as many of them aren't willing to wait months for a single episode, or willing to stream whole series' of youtube.
Stephen chose to download C-cleaner from FileHippo as it is a very useful application, FileHippo isn't actually available in the shops as it can be legally be downloaded for free. So why would you want to go to the shops?
Simon watched Heros online by streaming it using the bbc iplayer, this service is extremely helpful as it gives people who have missed a certain program the chance to watch it when ever they have the time. I suppose the physical alternative would be to buy the DVD box set, which could be considerd quite an expensive thing to do every time you miss a TV show. Trying to catch the episode the next time it is on, is too much of an inconvenience.
In conclusion, downloading is an extremely useful service as it can save anybody a lot of time, it is often cheaper to buy something online too. One possible problem my friend faced while trying to download a game online is; he experienced a very slow upload/download rate, and it took him several hours to download a certain game of the steam website. Would it have been faster if he bought it in the shops?
List of downloads.
1) Dragon Force - Ultrabeatdown (Album) - Downloaded from itunes store.
2) Code Geass R2 - Episode 1-18 (Anime) - Torrent downloaded from Mininova.
3) The Orange Box (Game) - Downloaded from Steam.
4) C-cleaner (Application) - Downloaded from http://www.filehippo.com/
5) Heroes (Video stream) - Downloaded from bbciplayer.
In the last month I have downloaded various things, just some of those things are listed above. I chose to download an album and a game because it saves me from physically getting up and going to the shops. It is much more convenient to download them.
I chose to download "Code Geass R2 - Episode 1-18" not only because it is more convenient than buying it, but mainly because each episode of this anime is not availble in the UK until months after the Japanese realease. Somtimes some episodes of Japanese anime anime aren't actually legally available in the UK, this is extremely frustrating and can force fans into illegal downloads as many of them aren't willing to wait months for a single episode, or willing to stream whole series' of youtube.
Stephen chose to download C-cleaner from FileHippo as it is a very useful application, FileHippo isn't actually available in the shops as it can be legally be downloaded for free. So why would you want to go to the shops?
Simon watched Heros online by streaming it using the bbc iplayer, this service is extremely helpful as it gives people who have missed a certain program the chance to watch it when ever they have the time. I suppose the physical alternative would be to buy the DVD box set, which could be considerd quite an expensive thing to do every time you miss a TV show. Trying to catch the episode the next time it is on, is too much of an inconvenience.
In conclusion, downloading is an extremely useful service as it can save anybody a lot of time, it is often cheaper to buy something online too. One possible problem my friend faced while trying to download a game online is; he experienced a very slow upload/download rate, and it took him several hours to download a certain game of the steam website. Would it have been faster if he bought it in the shops?
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Activity 21: Online entertainment.
List all the online technologies you have used in the last three months. Consider the purpose of the tecnnology, who it is targeted at, to what extent it is being enhanced by being online, what are the current limitations and, overall, to what extent it fulfils its potential. Write this up in your blog.
List of online technologies.
1) PC Online gaming.
2) itunes.
3) Video streams.
Online gaming is an extremely fast growing industry, its purpose is to provide entertainment for all ages. Video games stimulate the brain, and can create a realistic virtual experience like no other. Now technology has made it possible to play these games online, against other players across the world. Part of the huge success of video games has to do with its huge target audience. Gaming isn't just restricted to children, or adults, but is something that is aimed at everybody, with games that appeal to different age groups. Gaming is enhanced by being online as it can give a game a whole new dimension. A game that was boring after all the challenges complete, and all the achivements earned, has just gained endless hours of playability by having an online mode. Online gaming is still stifled by the various connection speeds of different users, this can sometimes cause the online experience to be laggy. Overall, video games are a very popular and fun form of online entertainment.
itunes & itunes store - something any internet user can't be without, as the music industry is now so huge due to its extremely big fan base. Again, itunes doesn't really have a target audience, as anyone who likes any genre of music and has a computer would be interested in itunes. itunes is enhanced enormously by being online, because of the addition of the itunes store. This allows anyone with the internet to buy music online, and listen to it on their itunes. One limitation to itunes is: sometimes it is difficult to find a certain song you want to buy from the itunes store, this could force you into buying this certain song else where. However itunes is still one of the most frequently used forms of online entertainment and is invaluable to any internet user.
Video steams are something I very often. Whether I want to catch up on some missed television, or just relax and watch something on youtube, video streams are a great form entertainment. Like online gaming and itunes, the scope of video streams is amazing. Anybody can search for a particular topic or television program they like on a video streaming website (such as youtube) and watch the video for free online. However the fact that it is free online is not the only enhancement, it also saves the journey of going out to watch or rent a particularly movie or television series. A downside to online video streaming is the fact that a slow internet speed can cause the stream to take a very long time, whereas if you simply bought the DVD, you wouldn't have to wait as long. Seeing as this isn't a problem for most people with decent or fast speed internet, video streaming fulfils its potential very well.
List of online technologies.
1) PC Online gaming.
2) itunes.
3) Video streams.
Online gaming is an extremely fast growing industry, its purpose is to provide entertainment for all ages. Video games stimulate the brain, and can create a realistic virtual experience like no other. Now technology has made it possible to play these games online, against other players across the world. Part of the huge success of video games has to do with its huge target audience. Gaming isn't just restricted to children, or adults, but is something that is aimed at everybody, with games that appeal to different age groups. Gaming is enhanced by being online as it can give a game a whole new dimension. A game that was boring after all the challenges complete, and all the achivements earned, has just gained endless hours of playability by having an online mode. Online gaming is still stifled by the various connection speeds of different users, this can sometimes cause the online experience to be laggy. Overall, video games are a very popular and fun form of online entertainment.
itunes & itunes store - something any internet user can't be without, as the music industry is now so huge due to its extremely big fan base. Again, itunes doesn't really have a target audience, as anyone who likes any genre of music and has a computer would be interested in itunes. itunes is enhanced enormously by being online, because of the addition of the itunes store. This allows anyone with the internet to buy music online, and listen to it on their itunes. One limitation to itunes is: sometimes it is difficult to find a certain song you want to buy from the itunes store, this could force you into buying this certain song else where. However itunes is still one of the most frequently used forms of online entertainment and is invaluable to any internet user.
Video steams are something I very often. Whether I want to catch up on some missed television, or just relax and watch something on youtube, video streams are a great form entertainment. Like online gaming and itunes, the scope of video streams is amazing. Anybody can search for a particular topic or television program they like on a video streaming website (such as youtube) and watch the video for free online. However the fact that it is free online is not the only enhancement, it also saves the journey of going out to watch or rent a particularly movie or television series. A downside to online video streaming is the fact that a slow internet speed can cause the stream to take a very long time, whereas if you simply bought the DVD, you wouldn't have to wait as long. Seeing as this isn't a problem for most people with decent or fast speed internet, video streaming fulfils its potential very well.
Activity 15: Use a simulation.
Visit NetFrog, which is an online simulation of the disection of a frog, and blog the site.
Evaluate it against its purpose of practicing before disecting, or using the site instead of actually disecting the frog. What general lessons does it teach you about online simulations in education?
For activity 15 I visited NetFrog, I looked at the pictures and watched the videos, the videos were organised in five sections: "Introduction", "Preparation", "Skin incisions", "Muscle incisions", "Internal organs". This made it much easier to navigate through the site.
After clicking on these sections, there are several detailed steps that explain what to do, these steps are written side-by-side annotated pictures that illustrate the procedure. The text combined with the pictures make it very easy to see what is going on so you can later on replicate the procedure accurately. There is also a video at the end of each of the five sections, the video very clearly shows you what to do as it is being narrated every step of the way, you can also pause or rewind that tape at any time, so it is quite literally impossible to make a mistake.
I think that NetFrog is an excellent website for a novice disector to watch before doing, as it is very clear and makes use of several educational techniques - such as text, annotated pictures and videos - to teach the disection of a frog. This site is also a very good substitute for disecting a real frog as it teaches you where to disect the frog and more importantly, how to disect it. NetFrog also gives an in-depth look at the anatomy of the frog, which uses the annotated pictures mentioned earlier. After watching NetFrog, i've found myself with very little need to go out and actually disect a frog. I would say the only disadvantage to using NetFrog as opposed to actually disecting a frog is, when looking at pictures or watching videos online, you aren't actually free to do what you want with the frog, you can't inspect the internal organs of your own and your vision is restricted to what is shown in the video. (No matter how detailed it is)
Evaluate it against its purpose of practicing before disecting, or using the site instead of actually disecting the frog. What general lessons does it teach you about online simulations in education?
For activity 15 I visited NetFrog, I looked at the pictures and watched the videos, the videos were organised in five sections: "Introduction", "Preparation", "Skin incisions", "Muscle incisions", "Internal organs". This made it much easier to navigate through the site.
After clicking on these sections, there are several detailed steps that explain what to do, these steps are written side-by-side annotated pictures that illustrate the procedure. The text combined with the pictures make it very easy to see what is going on so you can later on replicate the procedure accurately. There is also a video at the end of each of the five sections, the video very clearly shows you what to do as it is being narrated every step of the way, you can also pause or rewind that tape at any time, so it is quite literally impossible to make a mistake.
I think that NetFrog is an excellent website for a novice disector to watch before doing, as it is very clear and makes use of several educational techniques - such as text, annotated pictures and videos - to teach the disection of a frog. This site is also a very good substitute for disecting a real frog as it teaches you where to disect the frog and more importantly, how to disect it. NetFrog also gives an in-depth look at the anatomy of the frog, which uses the annotated pictures mentioned earlier. After watching NetFrog, i've found myself with very little need to go out and actually disect a frog. I would say the only disadvantage to using NetFrog as opposed to actually disecting a frog is, when looking at pictures or watching videos online, you aren't actually free to do what you want with the frog, you can't inspect the internal organs of your own and your vision is restricted to what is shown in the video. (No matter how detailed it is)
Monday, 29 September 2008
Activity 12: Visit eBay
Visit eBay. Then write a short document in your blog on what are its major purposes, who is the target audience, how the auction process works, how well it fulfils these purposes, and what are the benefits of and limitation of this service. Explain why it is so successful as a shopping model.
eBay is an online auction and shopping website, the purpose of eBay is to be a convenient and cheep method for people and businesses to buy and sell goods and services. eBay is not only aimed at older people who aren't physically able to go out and buy goods at a supermarket, but is aimed at anyone who is looking for a more convenient way of shopping.
The auction process is very simple to use, you can buy an item by searching for it in the search box, and you'll pay that price, Or you can bid for an item. It fulfils its purpose very well as its very convenient, easy to use and good value for money.
The benefits of using eBay is firstly, the fact that you don't have to make a trip to the supermarket to purchase you goods and services, secondly, it's easier to buy everything you need to, as you can simply search for what you need to buy, rather than looking for them in a supermarket. There is also a list of all the items you have previously browsed, for extra convenience. Also, pretty much everything you need is on this website, in reality you would have to go too several shops in order to buy certain items.
A limitation to eBay would be the fact that you can't actually see and feel the item you want to purchase, you are just given a picture and sometimes the dimensions of the item. Also you have to pay for postage which can sometimes be quite a lot, and will take a few days to arrive, whereas if you bought something in a shop you could take it home right away. This is, however a small price to pay for the convenience that is online shopping.
Overall eBay is a very successful company because it's easy to use, very convenient and good value for money.
eBay is an online auction and shopping website, the purpose of eBay is to be a convenient and cheep method for people and businesses to buy and sell goods and services. eBay is not only aimed at older people who aren't physically able to go out and buy goods at a supermarket, but is aimed at anyone who is looking for a more convenient way of shopping.
The auction process is very simple to use, you can buy an item by searching for it in the search box, and you'll pay that price, Or you can bid for an item. It fulfils its purpose very well as its very convenient, easy to use and good value for money.
The benefits of using eBay is firstly, the fact that you don't have to make a trip to the supermarket to purchase you goods and services, secondly, it's easier to buy everything you need to, as you can simply search for what you need to buy, rather than looking for them in a supermarket. There is also a list of all the items you have previously browsed, for extra convenience. Also, pretty much everything you need is on this website, in reality you would have to go too several shops in order to buy certain items.
A limitation to eBay would be the fact that you can't actually see and feel the item you want to purchase, you are just given a picture and sometimes the dimensions of the item. Also you have to pay for postage which can sometimes be quite a lot, and will take a few days to arrive, whereas if you bought something in a shop you could take it home right away. This is, however a small price to pay for the convenience that is online shopping.
Overall eBay is a very successful company because it's easy to use, very convenient and good value for money.
Thursday, 25 September 2008
Activity 14 Expore learning objects and simulations
Visit the science museum's Making the Modern World - learning modules site which is designed to help A-level and vocational students. Find your way from 'Stories Timeline' to 'personal computers and information networks' and follow this through to the stories on PCs, the internet, the dot com gold rush ect.
Blog the site. Evaluate the site against its purpose. What lessons does it teach us about online education?
http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk
makingthemodernworld.org.uk is a very useful website, the site has five main sections; Stories timeline, Icons of invention, Every daylife, Guided tours, Learning modules.
Stories timeline gives an in-depth list of stories about science and innovation from the years 1750 to 2000. It shows how 'our lives are shaped by the things we make, invent and use.'
The next section (Icons of invention) has large collection of the biggest innovations that have changed the world we live in. There are three sections; Science, Technology and Medicine. In these sections are very detailed explanations of some of the museums most prized treasures. Also, the sub-categories, make it very easy to digest the information.
"Everyday life" talks about how almost everything we have today came from invention, and how "technology is woven through our daily lives at home, at work or at play." This section displays over 400 everyday articles manufactured between 1750 and today. Just one of the invention featured in this section is the sewing machine. Estate agent: Marilyn Haynes-Smith recalls how sewing machines have shaped her family's life for generations. Other inventions include the Light weight shovel and the non-dripping tea pot.
The next section is both fun and informative, it allows you to take online guided tours of the museum where you get a chance to follow stories and paths linked across time. There are several tours, some of them include; Tour 8: "Working in the modern world", Tour 2: "Women making the modern world" and Tour 6: "Living in the modern world"
The final section is called "Learning modules" and is packed with demonstrations, activities and rich media experiences. The modules are also structures around A level subjects including general studies but designed for use by everyone. This section is again split into categories. History, Psychology and Biology.
In conclusion, this site is very useful for anybody seeking information about the Inventions that have shaped the lives we live today, and is invaluable to any A levels student no matter what subjects they are taking, as all subjects use of have been influenced by technology featured on the website. For example, the computer. How could every day activities be as easy as they are now, without computers? makingthemodernworld.org.uk is not only informative and easy to understand, but it is also easy to use as everything is split into sub-sections which means you can focus your learning more on a certain subject. On the whole, this site has been very helpful to me because of the information it provides and the way it provides it. :D
Blog the site. Evaluate the site against its purpose. What lessons does it teach us about online education?
http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk
makingthemodernworld.org.uk is a very useful website, the site has five main sections; Stories timeline, Icons of invention, Every daylife, Guided tours, Learning modules.
Stories timeline gives an in-depth list of stories about science and innovation from the years 1750 to 2000. It shows how 'our lives are shaped by the things we make, invent and use.'
The next section (Icons of invention) has large collection of the biggest innovations that have changed the world we live in. There are three sections; Science, Technology and Medicine. In these sections are very detailed explanations of some of the museums most prized treasures. Also, the sub-categories, make it very easy to digest the information.
"Everyday life" talks about how almost everything we have today came from invention, and how "technology is woven through our daily lives at home, at work or at play." This section displays over 400 everyday articles manufactured between 1750 and today. Just one of the invention featured in this section is the sewing machine. Estate agent: Marilyn Haynes-Smith recalls how sewing machines have shaped her family's life for generations. Other inventions include the Light weight shovel and the non-dripping tea pot.
The next section is both fun and informative, it allows you to take online guided tours of the museum where you get a chance to follow stories and paths linked across time. There are several tours, some of them include; Tour 8: "Working in the modern world", Tour 2: "Women making the modern world" and Tour 6: "Living in the modern world"
The final section is called "Learning modules" and is packed with demonstrations, activities and rich media experiences. The modules are also structures around A level subjects including general studies but designed for use by everyone. This section is again split into categories. History, Psychology and Biology.
In conclusion, this site is very useful for anybody seeking information about the Inventions that have shaped the lives we live today, and is invaluable to any A levels student no matter what subjects they are taking, as all subjects use of have been influenced by technology featured on the website. For example, the computer. How could every day activities be as easy as they are now, without computers? makingthemodernworld.org.uk is not only informative and easy to understand, but it is also easy to use as everything is split into sub-sections which means you can focus your learning more on a certain subject. On the whole, this site has been very helpful to me because of the information it provides and the way it provides it. :D
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