Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Thoughts on Technology, Culture, and IT Careers

Joey - Teacher for WISE Camp '07 - Penn State University

About Me - Two Truths and a Lie (Try to guess which one is not true!)

  • I am a graduate student at Penn State.
  • I am seven feet tall.
  • I enjoy playing guitar.
About me: I love to play guitars with my friends, especially the electric bass guitar। I like to play sports, especially tennis and American football. My hobbies include playing video games, chatting online with friends using AOL instant messenger, and playing games. What do you enjoy doing? Tell us about yourself on your weblog!

My Thoughts on Life in America and American Culture: America is a very big place - there are many different kinds of people of various ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, colors. The most popular sports are baseball, American football, basketball, and ice hockey. High school classes usually start around 9 am and end at 4 pm. Most people eat pizza, hamburgers, steak, pork chops, sandwiches, bread, potatoes, pasta, and salad for lunch or dinner, and drink coffee, tea, Coke, juice, or water with their meals. For fun, most high school students visit the shopping mall, movie theater, or go to parties. What is life like for you? We'd love to know. Write about your culture on your blog!

My Thoughts on What Technologies I Use: I use my cell phone every day, mainly for keeping in touch with friends. I use my laptop every day for class work and for fun (chatting with people, surfing the web). I write in a weblog on the Internet and also stay connected to my friends using social networking websites. I drive my car about fifteen miles every day. Sometimes I ride my bicycle. I use a microwave to cook my food. Sometimes I play video games and watch television. When a special occasion occurs, I use my digital camera to take photos. Other more boring technologies that I depend on include my pencil and paper, my planner to keep track of meetings and appointments, toilet paper, my watch, refrigerator, etc. What technologies do you use and how much do you use them? Please tell us!


My Favorite Technologies that I Use:
My computer and video games, because I can stay in touch with my friends and they are entertaining. What are your favorite technologies that you use?


My Most Important Technologies:
My cell phone, my computer, my car, toilet paper, and my microwave. I use these every day and can't imagine life without them. What are your most important technologies?


Thoughts on Technology in America:
Technology is everywhere, even if people don't realize it. Besides cell phones, computers, and televisions, there are many "invisible" technologies that are very important. There are databases that help big stores manage their products, wireless Internet networks, technology in farms, hospitals and schools.. even chairs and doors -- were carefully designed and shape the way we live. Everyone talks about how technology makes life easier and how it impacts people, but people don't often realize that there are a lot of people who make many decisions that shape the technology. Technology shapes experiences and these experiences can be better or worse. How about for India? Tell us your thoughts on technology in India!


Technology and My Career:
I am a graduate student and I do research on learning technologies. For example, I study video games and students can learn from video games.


A cool video on Web 2.0 - the Future of the Internet!