Swiss School

Notes

• SUMAS is a sustainability school in Switzerland.
• Created to teach ways of sustainability and manage it.
• The European nations have created a consumption tracker.
• They encourage people to watch how much they consume and what types of products they use.
• European commission has created a mark, put on items that are green, and healthy for the environment.
• An Inconvenient Truth is about a journey to inform people on what is happening around the world.
• Al Gore talks about the devastation that has happened and will continue to happen if it is not addressed.
• The Solarimpulse guys took a flight from California to Phoenix, Arizona without any fuel.
• They created a plane that would fly off of solar panels on the top of the plane. 

Starbucks' sustainability

     Starbucks has done many things to reinvent the world and helped protect it. Greener stores, recycling, reusable cups, and direct help with the coffee farms are all part of their plans. They plan their buildings on being conservative. Energy and water are conserved by the way the building is built. Also they tend to use recycled materials and conservative strategies of building. The stores all have recycling areas and promote recycling as well as reusing. Goals were set by Starbucks to increase recycling and reducing waste. The standard Starbucks cup has had 10% of recycled cup in it since 2006. The hot-cup sleeve was reinvented in 2012. It is now called the EarthSleeve because it uses less raw materials. They also encourage using mugs and other such reusable cups. Starbucks also has many programs for funding projects in 3rd world countries. They encourage support around the world because they are a multinational corporation. The new stores have also started to promote a greener community and started making people become aware. Starbucks has set out on a mission to change the world, which they've set a great example for communities, other corporations, and even the average people themselves.

Growing Up Online

DID NOT surprise me.

1. Kids abuse the internet
2. Peoples lives are on their computer
3. Guys make gaming caves and will play for hours
4. Schools have updated and are using technology
5. Kids on their phones texting non-stop
6. The use of sparknotes.
7. Students will know how to use the internet a lot better than teachers or parents.
8. Plagiarism and use of online information was being used for papers. 
9. Cyberbullying.
10. Fights breaking out over things that happened on the internet.
11. conversations through the internet.
12. Information spreads quickly
13. Social networking completely changes the idea of safety.
14. The internet created a large generation gap.
15. People will meet others online, thinking they will be friends because of common interests.
16. Some people will have withdraws from technology.

DID surprise me and why.

1. Internet safety isn't very advanced. I thought it was widely taught and known.
2. How many people actually do video blogs and how weird they can be. Internet videos are spread and viewed all around the world so it is surprising knowing that people will actually put life details on their videos.
3. ADD and ADHD growth. All of these new things can distract kids.
4. There are websites to detect plagiarism. I didn't know how a paper can be found as plagiarism through a website.
5. People fake their lives through the internet. They'll write completely different things about them to change themselves.
6. Fake identity. Some will be a completely different person online.
7. Trouble from schools over things online. I didn't know principles had jurisdiction over students online lives.
8. Parents are afraid that their good kids are different online. Parents usually aren't that smart when it comes to the internet or even judging their kids.
9. Online predators. I didn't know how grave internet stalking could end up.
10. Parents are over cautious with the internet. I think parents should be cautious and give awareness, but not over exaggeration. 
11. The internet has boosted the thoughts of things such as anorexia.
12. People will be stupid enough to video an illegal think like under age drinking.
13. There is a website that can teach a person how to commit suicide.
14. People can influence and help you decide to commit suicide through the internet.
15. Cheating has been linked to the internet. The internet gives fast information that can be used at a moments notice when kids need it.

Changed about technology since this video.

1. Facebook has had many updates.
2. people still use myspace.
3. Cell phones have updated
4. ipods were really thick then.
5. Youtube changed
6. Internet stalking
7. kids then were very closed and private with their status'.
8. Kids have been solicited to sexual things.
9. Laptops
10. Games have advanced in graphics and overall play.
11. chat rooms
12. People used desktops more often then the use of laptops
13. schools have updated their computers
14. Apple is a leading technology company
15. Softwares have updated
16. Using the internet to help with homework and papers is recommended instead of considered cheating.

Technology Paragraph

      I think the section over technology abuse and over using technological items interested me the most. It was very true and many people are connected to the internet without even noticing. Some people can keep going for days on the internet. Internet addiction is actually very serious and people can have major withdrawls. Being without a device after being submerged into all of these types of things can really mess a person up.


     I sometimes will be attached to my phone or my xbox for hours on end without even thinking of being over attached. I think the best part of being online is staying connected. You can identify yourself with friends and news and entertain yourself. Also, you can message each other through the internet. Staying up to date with news is a key part of my life and all the new tools I can use for school are important.


     I think that parents should monitor the things that their kid does, but not to a severity. Such as being friends on facebook and monitoring how much they use the internet and phones, but having a password and reading their texts are an abuse of personal space. Some parents take it too far and will be way too aggressive. The perfect combination would be to check their life, yet don't intervene with their social life. Also, parents should trust their kids and inform them on the activities that happen online.

GAFE

Google maps and Google earth.
Difference
Google maps is an online service powered by Google, while Google earth is downloadable. Earth will provide easier navigation and movement. Earth also has higher quality photos and street view capability. Not to mention the 3-D building views on Google Earth. Google Earth can also allow you to measure distances, write lines, and import your own data. The main difference that I can see between Google Earth and Maps is the fact that on earth, you can go out of earth. Google maps and earth both use the same imagery system and are usually used for the same purpose, directions.
How to use.
Google maps.

• You can use your mouse to navigate around by holding on to the map and moving, or by using the arrows in the top left corner of the map. 
• You can scroll in by using the mouse scroll or by using the scroll bar on the left side of the map.
• Also, you can search a place in the search bar at the top of the page.
• References to that place will be located on the left of the screen. 
• When you search something a pin will pop up on the map.
• You can also mark a spot or create a map if you are logged into a Google account.
• If you right click on a pin then you can zoom in by pressing the zoom in button.
• This is more accurate than trying to zoom in yourself.
• You can also look at street view by dragging the little man on top of the zoom in bar to a street.
• Then click on him and you can drag around and view the street. And the pedestrians or other cars that  happened to be in the photo.
• You can also change the view from map to satellite by clicking on the map button on the right hand corner. Or check traffic, weather or photos that have been tagged on the map.

Google Earth.

• Google earth functions mostly the same as Google maps.
• When searching something in the search bar, it will automatically zoom you to that place really quick.
• Earth has a button that when pressed it will show the sun and where it is in that exact moment in relation to earth. You can also change the time of day to see where it would be hours before.
• On the top you'll see various functions like the sun, pin, and others.
• Including the sky, moon, and mars function.
• It will give you a view of the stars, or the spots that people have landed on the moon, or even mars.
• Google Earth is very detailed.
• If you click on the moon function, then it can show you the moon, the maps used on the apollo missions, the landing sites, watch videos of each landing, and links to each apollo mission.
• The 3-D will create a 3-D environment for you to see. Whether it has been photographed or not.
• If it was photographed then it will load to a real 3-D and photographed view. It is very clear.

We could use them for searching places in the world for geography or create a trip like some classes do. Also we could use them for facts on things like the moon or where the sun will be at 5 AM in Toronto.

Google 20% project (the presentation)

http://prezi.com/5gyskkxsdwvk/

Link to my final presentation.

Google Day #2

3 goals

• Find an average salary for being NBA commisioner
• Find the jobs needed to be taken before reaching commissioner status
• Find the objectives needed to be excepted into Columbia University or University of Texas

What I found

• It has been found that the average salary of NBA commissioner is around $20-23 million a year
• Adam Silver (the next NBA commissioner in 2014 when David Stern retires) went through many jobs before becoming the next commissioner
• In 1992 when Adam Silver began he started as special assistant to the commissioner.
• Then, NBA chief of staff, Senior Vice President of NBA entertainment, Then President of NBA entertainment.
• Right now he is Deputy commissioner.
• Silver also produced multiple movies such as Like Mike, Year of the Yao, and Michael Jordan to the max.
• To become commissioner I must then get on the NBA board of governers.
• The board consists of 5 people that vote on if the commissioners predececer is right for the job.
• Columbia University looks at the workload of a student, interests and family, quality of noncurricular things, character, if the person is right for the area, and recommendations to consider the candidate.
• An average of above 2100 in SAT and 30 in ACT are required
• Also a 3.8 minimum GPA is needed for Columbia University

Links 

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/GPA-SAT-ACT-Graphs/ss/columbia-admission-gpa-sat-act.htm

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=8106

http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/apply/first-year/holistic

Next class

I plan on learning more about Columbia University and about starting an internship or an assistant job at the NBA headquarters in New York.

Google day 1

3 goals

• Find out what I should study to become NBA commissioner.
• Find out what colleges offer these courses.
• What exactly is the job description of NBA commissioner.

Job description

• Lawyer: must know all legal rights for things such as financial negotiations, NBA television, radio, and website rights, and head of the marketing department, like merchandise and sales promotions.
• Ambassador to the NBA: visit other countries and promote basketball around the world.
• Advisor/referee: The commissioner needs to hand down fines and solves disputes throughout the league and also defending the officiating in the NBA.
• Speaker: the commissioner also must address any problems throughout the NBA. That means talking to the media.
• Basketball fanatic: He must know what is going on whether in a game or know the history and some facts about the NBA, such as the LA lakers have the longest winning streak in NBA history at 33. Or that Wilt Chamberlain has scored the most points in a game for 1 person at 100.

Courses to study

• Business law
• Patent law
• Public interest law

My favorite 5 colleges that offer business law (in order of smart rank)

• Yale University (1)
• Harvard (2)
• Columbia University (4)
• Georgetown University (14)
• University of Texas at Austin (15)
• Ohio State University (39) (kevin asked me to add this)

Links

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5208225_nba-commissioner-job-description.html
http://law-school.findthebest.com/d/c/Business-Law

Today I learned
Today I learned what my responsibility would be if I became the NBA commissioner. Also I learned and chose a major I wish to take; Business law. Then searched some universities. My favorite is Columbia and after that UT.
Next class
I want to learn what minors I could take and what jobs could I have leading up to NBA commissioner.

Amazon Project.

Tech tool used:   bitstrips.com

COPA and FERPA

What I know.

• I know nothing.
• No, really, I have no clue what these are.

Questions?

• What does COPA and FERPA stand for?
• What does each do?
• How does COPA and FERPA have to do with the internet?

Learned stuff.

• COPA: Child Online Protection Act/COPPA: Childrens online privacy Protection Act
• Passed in 1998
• Imposing a two-year prison sentence or a fine of up to $200,000 for someone who posts something indecent about a child.
• The term "child" refers to anyone under 13.
• Gaining information of a child or posting information or photos of a child are illegal under COPA.
• FERPA: Federal Educational Records Privacy Act/Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
• Federal Educational Records Privacy Act of 1974
• FERPA refers to educational rights. Such as allowing a student to see their academic records and only the student and a guardian.
• Basically FERPA keeps student records secret like doctor patient confidentiality, but with student and educators.

Connecting.
COPA and FERPA are laws of the U.S. so technically if I live in Colombia, then they don't affect me. However, they protect the rights of children from being exploited or taken advantage of over the internet. These laws keep information withheld between a person and they keep weird online people from taking a child's information and from a person putting something indecent to a child online. I am older than 13 so another law like COPA would probably affect me. FERPA makes sure my records are kept into my family and not out everywhere for everyone to see.

Last Question?

• Are these laws kept in affect or enforced today or are they just generalizations that people know?

LINKS that i had used in the making of all these typed words and other things...

• http://www.ftc.gov/ogc/coppa1.htm
•  http://civilliberty.about.com/od/freespeech/p/copa1998.htm
•  http://epic.org/privacy/education/ferpa.htm 
•  http://www.edtechteam.com/cue2011/legal

Design project day 5

3.Reflection

-What was the biggest problem you encountered? How did you solve it?

The cannon had difficulty launching. We decided to make it a flick cannon to make the accuracy better. Also because of the time-restraint it was hard to complete the project fully. We worked extra fast and completed the project as much as we could.

-When did you get your biggest "AH HA" idea? What was it?

When we decided to make the cannon a flick cannon instead of a slingshot mechanism. We had 30 minutes left and kevin had his ah ha moment with the cannon.

-Who in your group resisted new ideas the most and why?

Armando resisted a lot of the ideas. He just didn't think our ideas were any good when they ended up being quite good.

-What doubts did YOU have about the project and how did you overcome those doubts?

If we would finish in time and the game came together well. We worked fast and efficiently and it fit together very well.

-Who in your group played "devil's advocate" (a person who questions everything, even good ideas) and how did that help the process?

Kevin and Austin were both the "devils adcocate". We both quistened if our ideas would come together and agreed on the best way to put it together.

-What did you learn about yourself, teamwork, and the design process?

We learned that with the right people in a group we can finish everything.

Design Project Day 3

CHOOSE PHASE

1. It fits all of our criteria except the part of difficulty. It is a little more difficult then we thought it would be.
2. The parts we are keeping are our theme, war zone, size, colors, the simple things like that.
3. We are going to change the firing mechanism and the return system to reset the game. Also we are going to add a coin slot on a free game. Our firing mechanism will then be changed from a rubber band to a kid flicking the ball.

IMPLEMENT PHASE

1. First we need the firing area, the war zone area, the box or game area/land, then the reset mechanism, coin slot, then lastly the design and appealing part of it.

• Armando-design, assembely
• Austin-shooting, reset mechanism, assembly
• Kevin-shooting, reset mechanism, assembly

1. Camo design, duct tape, string, markers, jello. 

• Austin-duct tape
• Armando-Camo design, markers
• Kevin-string, celebratory cupcakes 

Design-Project day 1

Group Awesome

Austin Alvarez
Armando Lugo
Kevin Beloney

Define Phase
Middle school boys
medium

5 aspects to making a game successful

1. simplicity
2. addicting-ness
3. color
4. comedic
5. For some, stupidity

Research Phase
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJWF-nyZFvk
This link had a pinball machine in it.
It was simple, yet looked like a great pinball machine.
Although the flippers were made poorly so the boy barely could hit the ball with them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5D_UjRb8u4
This was a skeeball game.
It was usable and the balls came back to you like an actual skeeball game.
The part where the scores were could have been elevated higher and he could have used different balls for it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRq955hPWxM
Whack-a-mole machine.
This game is always fun and addictive to everyone who plays.
Unfortunately it was human powered which makes the game harder because you know there is a kid trying to cheat you by going to fast or something.
Ideation Phase
Games
paper football
temple run
car chase game
paper rugby
claw game
tank shooting game

Tank Shooting game

fun things about it

1. addicting
2. war themed
3. military
4. practical game
5. attention grabber

What can go wrong

1. Kids don't understand how to play
2. gun doesn't work
3. brakes
4. won't reset

Avoid

1. Draw directions
2. be 100% sure cannon shoots
3. build with extra duct tape
4. build reset mechanism perfectly

Virtual Field Tripp

The Woodlands, Texas
http://www.glogster.com/dw3miami/project-glog-by-dw3miami/g-6l03g5h8s3br7eo7lcr05a0

FINAL PRESENTATION

Here is my amazing final project that took lot's of ingenuity and some incredibleness. 

http://portal.sliderocket.com/CWUSW/4C1F680A-C3A1-48F3-9D11-E4B31E789CE3