This article ties in nicely to what we were discussing about technology and the times changing:

"everything from garden products to bathroom appliances will be controlled by the touch of a smartphone. Without setting foot in the door, a person headed home could turn off the security system and turn on the shower, and begin preheating the oven"

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/20/technology/building-toward-the-home-of-tomorrow.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20140120&_r=0

A Model and a Programmer

An interesting combination - Read about Lyndsey Scott, a model for Prada and Victoria's Secret, who spends her spare time building mobile apps... http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/20/tech/web/lyndsey-scott-model-coder/

Government...Shutting down now

And we are back online!

Did you try going to any site that wasn't available due to the government shutdown? I did! 

Why were some sites online and some offline?

Read this: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/government-shutdown-federal-websites-shut-down-98098.html

A New Semester...A New Beginning

I'm very excited for our new semester and especially to hear your ideas about integrating blogs and twitter into the classroom.  Feel free to post comments on my blog and twitter page throughout the semester. 

Tweeting During a Lecture..To do or not to do?

This week we are going to be having an online discussion using Twitter.  We will discuss the below article about tweeting during a lecture.  Would tweeting in class be distracting or actually helpful to foster in-class learning.  I'm debating whether I should incorporate in-class tweeting next semester.  I'm leaning towards yes.  I'd love your opinions/advice on what you think. 

http://dailyorange.com/2013/02/barillari-classroom-technology-effective-when-used-as-additional-tool/

Aaron Swartz

I am saddened by suicide of one so young and with so much potential to do even more in his lifetime.  This week was the funeral of Aaron Swartz.  At only 26, Aaron had accomplished more than most people his age by helping with the creation of RSS and Reddit. 

One of the later topics we will be discussing this semester is Legal and Ethical Issues.  There are many things we do that may not be legal (downloading music, movies, etc.).  The question of legal issues and having free access on the internet was taken to a whole new extreme and I am interested to hear your opinion (both in class and virtually). 

Aaron Swartz believed in open access of knowledge on the internet.  In 2011 Aaron was arrested for downloading millions of journal articles from JSTOR in order to make it publicly available.  The possibility of up to 35 years in prison was too much and this caused him to take his own life.

If someone does something wrong, or more accurately illegal, what are appropriate punishments that can be taken to discourage others, but that are still fair?

I know this discussion is a little early, but since the topic came out now, feel free to post comments! 

Some references you guys can look at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/14/technology/aaron-swartz-a-data-crusader-and-now-a-cause.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&smid=tw-nytimes&partner=rss&emc=rss

http://www.suntimes.com/business/17594002-420/aaron-swartz-memorialized-at-service.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Swartz

Welcome to Adler's Tech Thoughts!

This blog is for a course at Northeastern Illinois University.  My students and I will follow each other and discuss the latest news articles in technology.