Monday, June 1, 2015
TWIF Flattener #3 - Work Flow Software
Use one of the current events sources linked at http://svhs-hwc-fall2015.blogspot.com/2015/06/approved-sources-for-twif-current.html to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Friedman's assertion that work flow software was a "flattener." Your comment should include the title of the news article, a link to the article, and a summary of the article including an explanation of how the article relates to this point. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
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Title: Experts Debate: Will Computers Edge People Out Of Entire Careers?
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.npr.org/2015/06/03/411660176/experts-debate-whether-computers-will-edge-people-out-of-entire-careers
Summary:
In the modern world, computers are advancing all the time, and already many have taken the jobs that people used to be hired for. This brings up the worrisome thoughts of computers controlling the future economy and doing the work that we used to do, thus decreasing the availability of open jobs. In the near future (~20 to 40 years) experts believe that manual labor and service jobs such as truck drivers and cashiers will start to diminish rather quickly as self driving cars and computers take care of product delivery and monetary exchanges. Mr.Autor, an MIT economics professor believes that there will be plenty of human jobs available in the future because he predicts a decline in the currently rapid advancement in computer technology. On the other hand, Mr.Kestenbaum, an expert on the subject of economics strongly believes quite the opposite, that computers will overtake many jobs through advancing software and technology. Even in current times, computers have the capability to replace the likes of truck drivers, cashiers, and several other jobs occupied by millions of Americans, but would greatly harm many workers in these fields. Therefore, the thought of computers seizing millions of future jobs can be unsettling because in many aspects, they are faster, smarter, and more efficient that a human worker.
Relevance of article:
In TWIF Friedman talks about the rise of work flow software, or new computer software that allows people to complete tasks more easily and efficiently than ever before. Rather than having to write information by hand, it can be typed online with ease, allowing for faster completion of tasks and less bulky storage. Due to the introduction of online companies such as Paypal, transactions can be made online, allowing for businessmen to sort out deals and payments without going through the trouble of commuting and meeting in person. Right now, there definitely are computers that have taken jobs from human employees, but by mid to late 21st century it is very likely that computers will have taken many more jobs from Americans, resulting in a more technologically focused economy. This change in our economy is relevant to Friedman's explanations of work flow software because he believes in the power and efficiency of technology, and the vast amount of tasks that computers are capable of completing.
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ReplyDeleteTitle: NASA Zooms In On Pluto, For Closest Views Yet
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/07/14/422840586/nasa-zooms-in-on-pluto-for-closest-views-yet
Summary:
There have been recently new images of Pluto taken by a NASA probe that updates us about the size of this dwarf planet. This probe traveled over 3 billion miles to send the photos back to Earth. The launch of this probe occurred in January of 2006 and now just reached the dwarf. There were images released of the planet and its large moon.
This directly relates to Friedmans workflow software because the probe was able to take its own pictures and send them back to the earth without any human assistance. This helps to strengthen the idea that this flattened the globe and in this case, the Galaxy, since it allowed us to connect with somewhere else that would not have been previously available.
Title: Is Google's Free Software A Good Deal For Educators?
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/08/26/341943780/is-googles-free-software-a-good-deal-for-educators
In the third flattener, Friedman discusses a lot about work flow at Wild Brain, a high tech animation studio in San Francisco. Wild Brain uses modern technology to collaborate between their people working in all different parts of the world. Since everyone is located in different time zones, someone is working on a project 24/7. They conduct and share all of their work on the Internet using a VPN (virtual private network) that is configured on every person's computer.
This article talks about Google and the rise of the "paperless classroom." This includes class discussions, moving assignments, providing feedback, and online exams. Google recently launched their new app: Google Classroom. Classroom enables teachers to manage their classroom at their fingertips. He or she can upload any class materials, whether they are documents, sound files, videos, or pictures. The teacher can also post homework assignments to the class news feed and can instantly check who has or has not turned in their assignments. Google's educational apps allow for more to be learned in a single class period since students can collaborate on projects at home from separate devices. This article shows that modern day classroom workflow is very similar to the workflow at companies like Wild Brain. This is just one of the many examples of how the classroom is being flattened along with the rest of the world.
Title: New School Technology for Class and the Quad
ReplyDeleteLink: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/13/technology/personaltech/new-school-technology-for-class-and-the-quad.html?ref=personaltech
Summary:
This is a list that includes the newest advances in technology that can be useful in and outside the classroom. The list goes from headphones to a fitbit, which are all very useful in this new world of technology. In Work Flow Software, Friedman discusses how technology is constantly changing and advancing and so is the software. It connects with the source because this shows new technology that will be useful to all ages.