Internet Explorer 6-Boo!

Reading the article "YouTube Puts Another Nail in IE 6 Coffin" reminded me of when we were in class together a couple of weeks ago and warned not to use Internet Explorer if we wanted to use Google Docs. This article told about how now not only issues with Google Docs are hopefully discouraging people from using Internet Explorer 6, but also YouTube will no longer fully support and work as well with this very outdated browser.  I feel like many people out there don't realize the importance of a high-performing browser, or even that there can be a difference in Internet experience based on what browser is used. I first learned about how much of a difference a browser can make when I was an undergrad student at CMU and worked at the library reference desk.  We were trained to troubleshoot patrons' computer issues, and oftentimes we helped them do what they needed to do just by suggesting that they try a different browser.  Even today I occasionally give this same tip to my students, who are surprised when this simple change sometimes fixes their problem.  Anyway, I think it is good more people are becoming aware that better browsers are available to them besides Internet Explorer 6. Hopefully they will take Google's cues to stop using it.

Ageism in the Workplace

I read an interesting article from the Read Write Web about ageism in the workforce in the IT field. It is unfortunate that prospective workers get judged by their age, and sometimes people assume because they are older, they might not do as good of a job, especially in this field where everything is always new and rapidly changing. The article even pointed to research that was suprising to me, which showed how old age of those working in information technology is assoicated with a smaller salary and less benefits.  It is sad that older people sometimes get discriminated against solely because of their age, despite their capabilities, knowledge, and qualificaitons.  In contrast, the article brought up another interesting point, saying that ageism likes this doesn't play out as much in the business world. It said that, oftentimes, entrepuenurs who become quite successful are older (40s+).

Reading this article made me think about whether I see ageism in my field. I do not see many ways that older teachers are discriminated against in any way that would reflect monetary loss.... I mean not really. I suppose some might argue that if older teachers are encouraged to retire with some special type of buy-out plan, then that could be considered ageist, but I think it's kind of a stretch to say that. Or if a younger teacher gets hired over an older teacher. But this might be for several reasons besides age, like financial reasons. Less experienced candidates with minimal degrees would be cheaper to hire than veteran teachers with advanced degrees.  Younger teachers might be perceived as having a broader skills-set within certains areas (like technology), philosophy shaped by modern research, and more enthusiasm for their subject area, but this should not just be assumed. Nor should it be assumed that older teachers do not possess those same skills and qualities.  I guess there is definitely potential for ageism in education, but I do not see it a whole lot.  Maybe that's because I am younger and don't notice. Hmmm.

Gowalla

I learned what Gowalla is tonight, and it sounds kind of fun.  I just read the article "Gowalla is the Anti-Farmville" from my Read/Write Web Feed.  The "Farmville" part of the title caught my eye, because although I hardly know what Farmville is, I am constantly annoyed by it.  I hate when I receive facebook notifications that tell me about something someone did on Farmville, or when my feed is full of Farmville news. Sometimes I do feel like the people that spend so much time on this facebook application need to get a life, a point to which the article alluded.  Apparently Gowalla is like Farmville in that it is a game played within a social network site setting, but unlike Farmville, it actually involves going out and about in the real world. Apparently participants in this game earn "badges" for visiting different real-life locations, kind of like stamps in a passport. Apparently there are other games similiar Gowalla out there, like one called Foursquare. I didn't know these types of games existed, but I definitely like the way they encourage people to be active.

Assignment for 5th and 6th Hour Algebra 1-A Students:

Hello 5th and 6th hour!

As you work through the Study Guide for the Chapter 5 test, you are bound to come across some problems that you might need some extra help with.

I would like everyone to submit at least ONE comment to this blog post. To do this, click the "comments" link at the end of this posting, and type your comment into the comment box. You will also have to complete a word verification step for security purposes.

For your comment, you may choose to either...

A) Ask a specific question about a problem on the the Study Guide

OR

B) Respond to someone else's question with advice



If you choose option A)

• Start by first inserting this heading at the top of your posting: Put the word "HELP", then a comma, then put the question number you would like assistance with. For example, "HELP, #4". 
• Explain what you understand about the problem.  Tell what you have already done or think would be an appropriate first step or first few steps to do.
• Ask your specific question or questions about the problem / explain where you are stuck.
• Sign by putting your FIRST AND LAST INITIAL and hour at the bottom. I will know who you are because I do not have any students in a given hour with the same exact pair of initials. It is fine if you recognize the initials of a classmate, but please help maintain privacy by not addressing anyone by their name or putting your own name.

If you choose option B)

• Start by first inserting this heading at the top of your posting: Put the word "ADVICE", then a comma, then put the question number you are providing assistance for. For example, "ADVICE, #4". 
• Correct any inaccurate ideas or incorrect initial steps taken conveyed by the person asking for help.  Be sure to explain why the person was not correct, and explain how your idea is more correct /makes more sense.
• You may either provide a hint like by giving them the first step, or explain what you did to solve the entire problem. 
• Make sure you explain your thinking, do NOT just tell everyone your answer!
• You do not have to answer a question from a student who is in the same hour as you.
• Sign by putting your FIRST AND LAST INITIAL and hour at the bottom. I will know who you are because I do not have any students in a given hour with the same exact pair of initials. It is fine if you recognize the initials of a classmate, but please help maintain privacy by not addressing anyone by their name or putting your own name. 
 

Good luck, and please email me if you have any questions!

Reforming Mathematics Education: Goal should be understanding prob. and stats, not calculus.

For the first time today I came across TED's website. I did not know what TED was beforehand. Here is a brief description from their website:

"TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design."

As a math teacher, I am always getting the question, "When are we ever going to use this stuff?" Sometimes it is not easy to answer, because oftentimes, they are not.  This short video below shows a speaker, mathematics professor Arthur Benjamin, give his two cents about the direction in which we SHOULD be headed in math education.  He says our math curriculum today is heavily based on arithmetic and algebra, and is it is all leading towards calculus.  He acknowledges the value of understanding calculus to a few particular fields, like "math, science, engineering, economics..", but thinks that it is silly that in k-12 education we focus on the end goal being calculus. He believes, and I agree, that instead of there being an emphasis on teaching math skills that lead to calculus, the focus should be on probability and statistics. This is the type of math can be helpful and relevant to everybody. Check it out! I find it inspiring!

Wish all airports had free Wi-Fi

I do not fly very often; usually it just seems to be once every couple of years. The last time I flew was when I visited a friend who teaches in Utah on mid-winter break last year.  Since I don't fly very often, I don't know the ins and outs of lots of airports, but something I read in blog I just came across, Building a Smarter Planet, reminded me of a frustration I had at DTW when I was last flying out of there in Feb. of 2009.  I came across this blog, by the way, because there was a link to it from a ReadWrite Web article that came up in my reader, which was called, "Airports, Prisoners & Hospital Patients: Today's Top Stories on Internet of Things".

The blog posting to which I was led that reminded me of my frustrating airport situation was titled,  It's Time for Better Technology in Airports.  I remember when I was flying out of DTW last February I brought my laptop along.  Like I said, I do not fly very often, so I was surprised when I was pulled out my laptop to try to kill time in the airport and realized that you had to pay to use the wi-fi. This was super annoying to me, and I did not want to pay.  As I looked around at people, I noticed many people of the other people who were waiting were engrossed in their phones. These people must use the Internet on their phones. I was the old school person who did not check my email or facebook from my phone (I still don't access the Internet from my phone).  So I had to sit there pretty bored, as I had been planning on being entertained by surfing the web on my own laptop.

The posting I read, however, was not venting about how annoying it is that some airports charge for wi-fi.  This blog author was instead complaining about the poor quality of technology used in airports' "baggage handling and security checkpoints".  I thought it was ironic when he mentioned that DTW has the highest customer satisfaction ratings when compared to other large airports.  Haha. I guess perhaps people don't mind so much having to pay to get online.  Or maybe wi-fi accesst is free now at DTW, although it wasn't a year ago. Or maybe most people don't really care, because they can get mobile web on their smart phones. That is probably the likely explanation.

Tech. Conferences for those in the Business World

For people in the business world looking to learn more how to use the Internet to their advantage, there are several conferences being held all over the world, according to the "ReadWrite Web Events Guide". As I was perusing my Google reader looking for something at least semi-interesting to discuss for a blog post, this caught my eye. Conferences are taking place in the upcoming months at various cities in the United States, as well as one in England, one in Australia, and one in New Zeland. They seem to be centered on topics such as using social networking, incorporating latest technologies (like augmented reality), getting others to invest in your company, and in general, developing web-based adverstising and communcation strategies.

One thing that I thought was pretty nifty about this events guide was how there is a link next to each event that says "Google Calendar". People can just click this to add the event to their Google calendar. I did not even know that there was a Google calendar, but it does not surprise me.  I enjoy using iCal on my mac, but I'll have to check out the capabilities of Google's calendar too, just out of curiousity.