Physics and Technology

Many people in education are now hearing about online education.  It is becoming extremely popular especially at the college level.  There is a site called www.coursera.com that has close to 5 million free online courses, by some of the top colleges and professors in the world.  Physics like math is one of those courses that greatly benefit from these kinds of websites.  Since schools are a place where there are a lot of different minds and perspectives it should be utilized not for everyone to be learning the same thing, but it is a precious opportunity where everyone can be learning from each other.  Physics however especially in its early stages is not a subject that needs much interaction with other people or discussions, the fundamentals can be something that can be learned independently through books or online.  There are great websites such as www.khanacademy.org that have free lectures for students to learn science and math on their own.  People should really take advantage of sites like this where they can learn independently.  By learning online, students can go at their own pace, rewind if they need to, and be able to use the internet as an unlimited resource for any further confusion that they have.

Of course there are many downsides to online education.  There is no teacher or classroom to instill motivation or inspiration.  If you have a question that you are stuck on there is not a professional at your immediate request.  However I feel that independent learning is one of the best ways an individual can learn, and is something that sticks in your memory.  Though I do not believe physics should not be solely be taught online, I believe that more of how it is taught should be happening through the internet.

Physics has 2 sides to it.  The first is more of the theoretical and mathematical side; these are things that can most be learned independently and online.  The second is the science part of it, where experiments are created, and hypotheses are made.  This is the area where schools should focus on, where students can learn to work together and help each other to bring out creativity from the ideas that come from other students.  Much of the precious time that students are together is being wasted by having students learn material that they can be learning on their own. 
Not only in physics, but with all subjects schools need to focus more on using the potential that they hold in the classroom.  Much of the classwork that students are doing should be homework, and the projects and other social activities students do outside the classroom should be done in the classroom where everyone has already gathered up.
Of course these kind of thoughts are a bit extreme and have not yet been well thought out, but I think it is at least worth thinking about.

Technology Autobiography

1. Computer:

I remember receiving my first computer back in 1995 when I was 6 years old.  At that time the major influence it had on me was from computer gaming.  Computer gaming helped me to learn to work with other players, and practice how to accomplish goals that were given to me.  However since that time of 6 years old, computers have influenced me in many ways beyond computer gaming.  Instant messaging, emailing, facebook, and youtube are all a part of my daily life these days.  Without these components my life would be severely differently from what it is now.

Positive influences of Computers:  
- Allows me easy connection to people from all over the world
- Gives me unlimited ways to express myself
- If there is any information or anything I want to find, I feel confident to find it through a computer
- Entertainment can be found in an instant
- Gives me resources to feel equal in the amount of oppertunites that I have
- It feels like everything I need is at my fingertips

Negative influences of Computers:
- At times lose confidence to communicate face to face
- Too many opinions and information don't know what to trust
- Causes a lot of miscommunication
- Creates a lack of genuine relationships
- My mind becomes shaped to the popular culture being advertised

Computers have helped me drastically in the way I learn new information.  Unlike school, with the computer their is an unlimited amount of ways that information can be expressed(video, presentations, facts, etc).  Also with the computer all the information is at your fingertips and could be found the instant you have any kind of desire.  The biggest problem is that the information that is being given is many times biased in some way.


2. Television:

Positive influences of Television:
- Has provided with the latest and most popular information
- Gives a basis for common base that I can share with other people
- Allows itself as a connection for many of my relationships
- Provides many opportunities for information I am seeking
- Am able to receive information that inspires me to act

Negative influences of Television:
- Becomes brainwashed to start thinking the same way everybody else is
- The charming people sharing information manipulates my own thought process
- Many times information is given without much motivation to do anything about it, and become jaded
- The information that is being shared is many times not being shared entirely and am mislead


3. Radio:

Positive Influences of Radio:
- Listen to the songs that help me stay connected with people
- Gives me energy to do the things that I want
- Some songs instill inspiring thoughts

Negative Influences of Radio:
- Conforms me to be listening to the same music and that brainwashes me to live the kind of cultural the social media is trying to influence
- Many of the songs give out information that is just unpleasant and dirty


I feel that many the things I mentioned were quite similar to what the children mentioned in the video.  We both shared about how it could be a creative outlet and how information can be attained rapidly and in many forms.  However the children in the video did not share anything negative about how technology is effecting them..