theaparsons-blog

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MDD410 Reflective Essay

What did I learn during my time taking the MDD410 class at DeVry University?  As I think back to where I was when I started taking this class to where I am today, I can’t say there is too much of a difference.  That said, I definitely did learn a few things that I will be able to take with me into the future.

 This was actually my second attempt at this course.  It wasn’t that it was so hard, I’ve just run into some struggles in my life lately and needed to drop out of the class the last time around. This time around, I also tried to drop the course due to the current world situation and the problems that it has brought into my life in the way of finances and no longer being able to afford to finish my degree.  

At the beginning of the course I didn’t have too many expectations as to what I would learn.  I became overwhelmed during the first week with the lab assignment. I remember the anxiety it brought me last time, not knowing if I was doing it right.  This alone started me off on the wrong foot.  As I submitted my first assignment, I hoped I had done it right and was pleased to get my grade back!

 As I said, I actually did learn a few things in this course that I plan to use in both my personal and professional life.  On a personal level, I learned to just believe in myself and my abilities and not to get so worked up about things I do not think I understand. On an ability level, I learned how to create a fun Google Map, how to create blog posts and use Tumblr, where to look for information on how to stay up on new technology and how to create an interactive game in Google Drive.

What helped me learn and view things in a different way was by the research that I had to do to complete the lab assignments as well as the discussion topics. Many of the topics I found very relevant to our current world situation and how technology and advancements have the ability to affect us both positively and negatively.

My key takeaway from this course is that it’s best not to get overwhelmed by tasks.  While some may seem complicated, they might not be.  Another takeaway is that even simple advancements in technology have the potential to be utilized in a different way than it’s intended purpose. 

To summarize, while my expectations were not very high for this course nor the assignments, I actually did learn things about myself and the tasks that I will be able to use for personal and professional purposes.  While I struggled with this course on a personal level for personal reasons, the topics were interesting and will be useful in times to come.  

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Video Streaming

- Software/Hardware Name – Instead of a software or hardware, I’m going to discuss online video streaming.  There are a multitude of options for watching tv shows, movies and how-to videos online.

- Trend to Come – While online video streaming was also becoming highly popular in our previous lives, it’s even more popular given our current living situations in 2020. The only way we are able to see movies and learn things is by watching videos online. There are so many options for video streaming services – Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ to name a few, and as far as how-to’s there isn’t much you can’t learn from YouTube and Linda.com is good for technology learning.

- My Thoughts on the Technology – As far as increased involvement, I may get more involved. All of my friends have Netflix so I’m curious, but I already use YouTube quite a bit and as far as TV shows, I only have a few that I actually watch. Though I think this is an area of growth for our world right now and will likely continue.

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Fad or Trend?

The terms fad and trend are common in our language. When I think of a fad I instantly think of fad diets, and when I think of a trend I think of trendy clothes. So what exactly is a fad and a trend?  Are they the same or different?  How does that apply to technology?

According to Karl Kapp at Training Industry, fads and trends can be identified by the reason they were created.  For example, he states that trends are created to solve a problem whereas fads are created just because and a reason is made to use them.  Another way to tell the difference is by the usability, if it is a lot or minimal.  Karl also thinks the amount of time that they are around makes a difference, and this is pretty common knowledge in how to tell.

According to Techspot, a big technology fad was Netbooks that were quickly replaced by Apple products and I’m thinking now Chromebooks as well. Though Chromebooks seem slightly similar in my opinion and I wonder if they will have the same fate as those before them.

As discussed by Karl Kapp at Training Industry, one of the trends that continues to expand is mobile/distance learning, and happens to be the most popular method of learning given our current circumstances with the Coronavirus quarantine. What was created years ago to fill a void for non-traditional students (like myself) has turned in to the only way that any student can receive an education in 2020.

References

https://trainingindustry.com/magazine/issue/distinguishing-fad-from-trend/

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-ways-of-telling-a-trend-from-a-fad

https://www.techspot.com/article/1321-tech-fads/

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Resources for Keeping Current on Emerging Technology

Upon researching the best ways to stay current with emerging technology trends, I stumbled upon a LOT of suggestions ranging from physically doing your own research, having your team members do research, testing products, reading news sources, to mobile apps and websites.  After making a rather large paper list whilst doing my research, I narrowed it down to the five resources that are feasable for just about anyone that is interested in learning more.

1. Social Media - Just about everyone we know uses social media. It’s where many of us get our current information as businesses introduce new products and news sources put out information. Some common ones are Facebook (www.facebook.com) and Twitter (www.twitter.com). Here is one technology that I discovered on Facebook on the American Society of Engineers page - Shark Robotics, The Colossus, a robotic machine that assists first responders when the environment might be unsafe. To learn more, watch the video found here: https://www.facebook.com/ASME.org/videos/449243422678941/

2.  Flipboard – www.flipboard.com This is available as an app as well. On the homepage the cofounder and CEO states that it was “founded as one place to find the stories for your day, bringing together your favorite news sources with social content, to give a deep view into everything from political issues to technology trends to travel inspiration.” One emerging technology I discovered there was a baby monitor that Google has patented that will help monitor baby hear rates.

3. Traditional News Outlets – www.nytimes.com There are a multitude of news outlets that have stood the test of time, I’ll focus on The New York Times.  While it tends to swing a little too far to the left for my political stance, it can be a resource to find technology news. There are a lot of sections that you can choose from, Tech being one. On this site I learned about an app that Facebook is rolling out for playing games called Facebook Gaming.

4. CNET – www.cnet.com This has been a resource that I’ve used for years for trustworthy information in the technology world for news and reviews. One of the articles I found here was about Wi-Fi6E, a 6GHz band that I didn’t even know existed.

5. Shopping – This one is a little harder to link to because I’m including both brick and mortar shopping as well as online. One store that tends to have a lot of tech items would be Best Buy (www.bestbuy.com) where you can shop for all of your technology needs. You can also read reviews of the items. So while I don’t have a technology discovery specifically from here, just walking into the store or jumping on the website will show you the different technologies available to the every day shopper.