Blended Learning

What is Blended Learning?

In essence blended learning is when students learn through in class instruction, online instruction and some element of control a student has over such things as pace, path or time. 

But why talk about blended learning? 

Well the majority of this assignment involved the use of blended learning. A major example would be the task of creating a blog and learning how to customize it and how to post things. I'm not going to lie it was a bit of a learning curve for me, once I understood how it worked however I was able to make the blog appear for the most part how I envisioned it. Another component of blended learning came from the need to research things in order to gain information for our posts, such as the history of Twitter and how it works. An interesting component came about when we were asked to discuss the future of the internet, given what I had learned in class and online through discussions I was able to formulate a post without having to do any extra research, this would be a prime example of a benefit from blended learning. 

The Future of the Internet

"The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow."

-Bill Gates

What will become obsolete in the future? 

As I look upon my desk I see how many devices I own that connect to the internet and that is only in my room. What about my house? I decided to take an inventory of all the devices that I have in my house that connect to the internet. I am an only child who lives with their parents in the west end, I have always had technology surrounding me and I took it for granted.

Devices that Connect to the Internet in my Home:

• 4 laptops
• 3 tablets
• 3 smartphones
• 2 apple tv devices
• 2 cameras that connect to wifi
• 1 desktop computer
• 2 printers that connect through wifi

This appears to be a lot of devices that connect to the internet but there could be so many more such as; a thermostat that can be controlled through your phone, lights, garage doors, house locks, window coverings, and even a refrigerator. So what devices do I have in my house currently that will become obsolete in the future?  

1. A home phone

I believe that very soon having a home phone will be a thing of the past. Every member of my family has a cell phone and the only calls we receive on our home phone/landline are from telemarketers. The only issue that arises is that we don't have another means to connect to the Internet other than the telephone line.

2. Desktop Computers

I believe that the lack of portability will render most desktop computers obsolete for the average consumer. I'm sure they will still be used for busnises and gamers and for some other reasons but the closest I will come to a desktop computer will be a monitor I can plug my laptop into. 

3. Satellite TV Receivers

If there were one thing that costs a lot and is never used in my house that would be our satellite television subscription. Ever since we purchesed apple TV we no longer watch satellite TV, it is much more convenient to stream content. As streaming services increase in popularity the number of people watching regular television goes down. I know for a fact that when I move out there is no way I'm going to pay for a monthly television subscription when I can stream everything I need, and I'm quite sure I'm not the only one in my generation to feel the same way. 

The Internet in 10 Years

In ten years time I think that the Internet will be very much the same as it is today, I think there will be an emphasis on social networking, community building and information. What I think is going to change are the devices in which we access the internet on, such as smart watches and cell phones, as these things develop so too will the internet change in order to accommodate our rapid and ever present desire to be constantly connected online.

Twitter

Twitter

Twitter is a social networking platform that allows users to send "tweets" as well as read other peoples "tweets". A "tweet" is a message that is restricted to 140 characters in length.  

Part of my Twitter Feed

Twitter for the most part does not seem to be in the market to replace existing social media platforms but rather to add another dimension to how people communicate. It was originally designed as an internet version of SMS but it became much more than that. I believe that Twitter is a great way to share important news quickly to lots of people as well as to send updates, it's fast, easy, and it's instant. Of course the ability to send information instantly can lead to the spreading of misinformation  and not only does misinformation spread online but it spreads quickly, there is even a website dedicated to tracking the trustworthiness of Twitter stories (http://twittertrails.com). An example of misinformation that was spread in the last 6 months on Twitter was the issue surrounding information about the Ebola outbreak, there were many tweets stating that Ebola could be passed on through air, food, and water or that it was running rampant (http://time.com/3479254/ebola-social-media/). Situations like this can cause mass panic and can lead to serious issues outside of the Internet. Twitter is very different from blogging, first and foremost would be its imposed character limit, I'm quite sure a blog would be difficult to use if you were restricted to so few words. Secondly Twitter is much more of a social networking site rather than a creative outlet or place for detailed information as most blogs are. I believe that having a blog and a Twitter account could be quite useful as one could easily share blog posts on Twitter, get ideas and feedback from their followers and promote themselves and their blog in an easy 140 characters or less. 

Blogging in the Year 2015

As someone who has grown up with the Internet I have stumbled across many blogs throughout the years. Although I don’t have any specific blogs I follow or check on a regular basis for new content I do see the usefulness they have as part of the Internet. I examined 3 blogs that covered very different material, a makeup blog, a cooking blog, and a style and home blog.

Makeup Blog

Style and Home Blog 

Food Blog

Blogging is a way for people to share content they have created using an easy to use platform.Unlike most websites it allows for a simple to use interface in which users can customize to their preferences, another difference is the reader and creator interaction. The ability to create a blog also allows users to get their ideas out there in a well-formatted manner, unfortunately this can lead to false information appearing to be credible as anyone can create a blog and write about whatever they wish.

Nom Nom Paleo

The food blog I explored “Nom Nom Paleo”, is a blog dedicated to sharing recipes created by a mom who discovered her love of cooking healthy Paleo meals and wanted to share them with the world. This is an incredibly useful blog as it combines the recipes, pictures, and commentary like a website would but has the added feature of readers to ask questions about the recipes, share their experiences with cooking it, and talk about any changes they may have made to it as to help others who may be cooking it.

Pink Peonies 

The fashion blog I explored “Pink Peonies”, is a blog dedicated to sharing daily outfits, accessories, skincare products, decorating tips and more. The woman who runs the blog is a jewelry designer who started the blog initially to show and sell her jewelry but as time went on it became a fully-fledged style and home blog. Style blogs are immensely popular and can be big sources of income for some who have popular blogs and do product reviews as well as  generate income from ads on the blog itself. 

Lisa Eldridge

The makeup blog I explored “Lisa Eldridge”, is a blog dedicated to makeup artistry and the products themselves. The creator of the blog is a makeup artist who decided to share tips, create tutorials, and review products for those who are interested in makeup. People can make requests, ask questions about products and even share their own looks.

How good is Blogger?

Blogger has an easy to use interface with pre made templates and simple customization tools. I however did find it quite restricting as many things I wanted to do regarding formatting and layout were not possible. It is however free and great for those getting started or for those who prefer the simplicity of it.