User:Vtaylor/CIS 50 Introduction to Computers, Data Processing, and Applications/Winter 2012/Final project D

CIS 50 Introduction to Computers, Data Processing, and Applications

Winter 2012

Final project - Group D
Week 1: Introductions and Personal Learning IT Career Profiles: This article serves as a great introduction to the class and the topic of Information Systems by exploring various jobs in Information Technology. Rather than abstract concepts or ideas, the link gives the actual, real-world information. It lists the different parts of IT each job focuses on, the type of work it entails, and the skills and expertise required for each one. The language is simple enough to understand, even for a novice of Information Systems, but the details are valuable to anybody interested in technology field.

Technical Industry: The bounds of the "Technology Industry" can be a confusing concept because they are so unclear. This link explains how there is no one clear definition of technology industry; instead, each company or group has their own idea of what the technological components of their industry are. Because technology is so wide-reaching and has so many applications, it can be used in many different ways. What is most useful about this article is that it does not just give an introduction to technology fields. It also has numerous links to specific college education and degree programs for these topics. The reader should be careful to note, however, that the website is geared towards promoting these programs. It is important to keep biases in mind when trying to gather information. Week 2: Information and Systems  "Communications: This link describes the basics of data communication in computers. The first few paragraphs give a general introduction to how data travels, where it goes, and why it is important. The especially nice thing about this article is that, after the overview, the author delves deeper into the subject. For readers who feel comfortable with more complex computer systems, or those who wish to expand their knowledge they can read further on. The author does a good job of making the material easy to understand. By using diagrams and examples, the terms and concepts become less intimidating.""Globalization: Globalization is the interconnectedness and interdependence across the globe. Thanks to technology, globalization is becoming increasingly prevalent. To understand the impact of Information Systems, understanding globalization is key. Many of the discoveries and innovations happening in the modern world are results of increase communication between individuals in different parts of the world. Phone calls, instant messaging, even video chats with people in different cities and even countries are things we take for granted, but were once thought to be impossible. As technology allows us to become closer to one another, our social, political, and economic identities are becoming intertwined. This article gives an interesting and in-depth look at globalization through its history and various critiques on it. In the end, the author lets the reader decide, given the information presented, how they choose to perceive globalization."

Week 3: Hardware 

How Do Computer Chips Work?: Videos are always a welcome break from reading articles. I think a video is especially useful for understanding how computer chips because it gives the viewer a visual understanding of what computer chips and computers look like, therefore helping them understand how they work. This video shows how information and energy travel through different chips in the computer to eventually reach the targeted destination. The information is provided is simplified but still accurate and helpful. The best part of this video is how the user gets to see the physical hardware of each part of the computer and, thus, gets to see all of the different ways and places computer chips are used. Silicon Valley History: The Silicon Valley is considered the world’s capital for technological development. This article gives a comprehensive history of the region, in regards to discoveries and innovation in computers and information systems. Through graphs and diagrams it explains everything from the diverse population to the top companies present and their expenses. This link is the perfect way to give the reader an idea of what Silicon Valley is like, even if they have never been to California! I think knowing what is going on in Silicon Valley will help readers understand the atmosphere of the technology industry and how innovation happens. There is a lot more to computers than the stereotypical nerds sitting in front of computers all day!

Week 4: Control  Teach Yourself Programming in Ten Years: I find this link particularly fascinating because it provides an alternative, but valuable, view of computer programming. College classes, self-teaching books, even AP classes claim that they can teach someone computer programming in months, weeks, even days. I have bought many books and CDs in the hopes that these claims may come true, but to no avail. Even after a year of undergraduate college courses in Computer Science, I cannot claim that I have learned “programming”. What I have learned, though, is that there are many more facets of programming that I could have ever imagined. This article suggests that, instead of trying to “learn” programming using shortcuts, somebody who truly wants to become a programmer should plan to practice for ten years. This claim may sound ridiculous, but the author backs his claim with research, literature, and personal experience. He offers his own method of learning programs which focuses on practice and problem solving. This article is a great read for anyone looking into programming, but also anybody who wants to become proficient in something new. Creative Commons: This is the About page for Creative Commons. Creative Commons is a service that aims to promote universal access to information and research on the internet. As their mission statement explains, "Creative Commons develops, supports, and stewards legal and technical infrastructure that maximizes digital creativity, sharing, and innovation." The link helps answer questions about legal controls on the internet, including things like copyrights and regulations. It gives the reader an idea of what restrictions exist on the internet. It also gives the reader a look into an ideology of what the internet should be like, according to some people. I think that the social aspect of the internet and information systems is unique and I like that this page allows the student to explore one side of it.

Week 5: Systems Development Process  "System End of Life; We choose this article because it was very helpful in providing a real example of how a company takes the final step in the life cycle of a system and end it. The way in which a system is ended is highly dependent upon what type of system one wants to retire. One can retire software or hardware and for each one there are policies to follow. The policies here are from Hitachi and range from withdrawal from the market to withdrawal from sale and finally the cancellation of any production. After reading this article one has holistic image of what the entire life cycle looks like. (Keywords Discussion)."

"Why is Cost-Benefit Analysis Important in Systems Design?; Discussion; When building a system there are many elements to consider but what is the best way to consider them without leaving any out? We felt that this article goes over what is a cost benefit analysis and how it helps in designing a system. This analysis will allow for the personnel, equipment, supplies, overheads and consultant's to be considered at every step of the life cycle. Similarly, when working in any other project like the final project for this class or the individual life cycle project one can apply what was offered on this type of analysis for best results." Week 6: Project Management, Research and Collaboration  "Engineering Design Process; Discussion; An essential part of working on an information system is first understand that there are processes to creating each part of the system. We agreed that the engineering process as shown on this page was great in providing details for all the parts of the processes and emphasizes their importance in a clear manner. For someone who has not been introduced to the engineering process the break down on this link plus the further links provided will allow for a clear understanding of the process which then can be applied to the information system design." "Collaboration; When working in teams, specially teams that are located in different places around the world communication is essential to allow for great collaboration. This site is great to see the different types of collaboration tools that are available for free! Tools like redliner, kablink, socialtext and more. All are tools that allow for documents to be uploaded, corrected by the team and allow for clear communication in the process, also they allow for file sharing without dealing with emails and other limitations.(Keyword Discussion)." Week 7: Management Systems  "Enterprise Systems; Discussion; This power point presentation is about what enterprise systems is, what are its pros's an con's, and how it is related to information systems. Our team agreed that the author did a great job at breaking every aspect of the enterprise system and providing definitions in a language that is easy to understand. Additionally, it provides an example of where this type of system is applied and how it will best benefit a company. After going through this presentation a student will leave with a better idea of what enterprise system is and how they can apply it to their systems project.""Transaction Processing; This site is very powerful because it has an example of an essential part of an enterprise system, a transaction subsystem. As a team we felt that this site patiently went over what a transaction is, what issues one can expect when building the transaction application, what are the basic concepts involving the transaction system, what type of technology is used to manage it and more. After reading it one can clearly see where this type of system will be beneficial and how best to and how best to build and manage it. (Keyword Discussion)" Week 8: Production Control  "Johnny automatic mechanical man.svg-Aware Robots; Discussion; This video is a TED talk about a group building self aware robots. As a group, we really enjoyed this source because we all really liked the TED talk videos and this one on self-aware robots was very interesting. Robots that have the ability to be cognizant of themselves is both exciting and a little scary.""Etoys; Programming For All? Discussion; The reason we agreed on this reference as a group was because all three of us agreed that students and kids should have more exposure to computer programming and computer systems in general in order to 1. enhance their problem solving and critical thinking skills, and 2. educate kids on technology trends and programming so that they will be able to keep up and compete with other nations that are growing and advancing at a faster rate than us." Week 9: Anytime, Anywhere  "Gps.svg-locator; Discussion; As a group, we thought this website was great because of the fact that it was interactive. We thought this source was very relevant because it is an example of how advancing technology and information systems are now at the point where they can point out an individuals location (which will cause some concern over privacy issues).""Virtual Teachers OutPerform; Additional Research; We liked this article on how virtual learning can help students learn and grow and according to this article, may also lead some students to outperform students in traditional classrooms. Two of my own personal concerns with this are 1. how these students may be losing out on the social aspects of traditional school, and 2. do all kids have equal access to virtual learning or is this yet another aspect of advancing technology that widens the digital divide?IPad.svg" Week 10: Technology Advances and Trends  "Digital Divide As a group, the three of us are all concerned about the grouping gap between the have's and the have-not's when it comes to technology. This resource was chosen because it points out how low income families will not be able to participate in an increasingly more technologically advanced society as others because do not have internet access. Because more services are becoming more viral, this will leave these families without the same conveniences that modern technology affords families that can access the internet.""The Social Media Revolution 2012; Discussion; The three of us liked this resource because it shows a newer perspective of social networking and the rapid pace at which social networking is growing. This will completely shifts the way society will communicate and gain information which may also lead to shifts in both the political and economic worlds, which is very interesting. It is important to realize that social media is not a fad but a revolution in the way we communication and gain information."

Individual Portions
Kiran Palla's Individual Portion

Week 1: Introductions and Personal Learning  "VARK Learning Test; Selected Media; Helps you find the best learning style for you""IT Career Profiles; Discussion; Outlines basics of various IT professions""To Cloud or Not to Cloud; Discussion; Article on the benefits and drawbacks of Cloud Computing, a relatively new phenomena""Improving Security on the Cloud; Discussion; A response article that focuses on how security can be made better""Types of Information Systems; Additional Research; Describes the three major types of information systems""" Week 2: Information and Systems  "Even Big Companies are Vulnerable; Discussion; Discusses how large companies with sensitive user information are in danger of being hacked""Globalization; Discussion; Interesting perspective on how the world is becoming increasingly interconnected""Facebook Privacy; Discussion; Article about how Facebook tracks users even after they leave the site""How to Protect Yourself (on Facebook); Additional Research; Follow-up article on how to protect one's privacy while using Facebook""Artificial Intelligence Basic Questions; Discussion; General FAQ about Artificial Intelligence answered by a Stanford professional""" Week 3: Hardware  "How Do Computer Chips Work?; Additional Research; A video that shows how information is sent through computer chips""Android Market; Additional Research; List of the top downloaded free applications on the Android market, provides an interesting insight into apps and social trends (continuously updated)""Silicon Valley History; Discussion; A history of the Silicon Valley, the heart of technological innovation""Energy Center Information System; Discussion; Diagram of how information travels through energy information systems""Technology in Libya; Discussion; A real world example of how information systems are being used in revolutionary ways""" Week 4: Control  "About Page for Creative Commons; Discussion; Describes what Creative Commons is (community of people who promote free exchange of information and ideas)""Dyslexia Simulation; Selected Media; Simulation of what people with Dyslexia experience""The Future of User Interface; Discussion; Explains where user interface design is headed""Teach Yourself Programming in Ten Years; Discussion; Opinion piece about the merits of never 'finishing' your programming learning""List of Categorical Programming Languages; Additional Research; Lists programming languages based on their focus or purpose""" Week 5: Systems Development Process  "Why is Cost-Benefit Analysis Important in Systems Design?; Discussion; Explains cost-benefit analysis in the context of system design""How We Prototype; Discussion; Website that describes how to prototype website structure""Software Engineer Job Description; Discussion; Job description for Software Engineer detailing skills and expertise needed""Computer Science Game Programming; Additional Research; Video about systems development in video game programming""Ten Recession-Proof IT Careers; Discussion; List of careers in IT that have a bright outlook""" Week 6: Project Management, Research and Collaboration  "NASA Engineering Process; Discussion; A NASA page describing the engineering process in steps""10 Unsung Collaboration Tools; Discussion; Website that describes unknown free collaboration tools""Project Management Timeline; Discussion; A timeline to help managing and leading projects""JSTOR; Discussion; A link to a useful research resource through which users can search through numerous databases with information on different subjects""Top 10 Trends in Business Analysis for 2012; Additional Research; List of business analysis trends gaining popularity and relevance""" Week 7: Management Systems  "Enterprise Systems; Discussion; A slideshow presentation about how enterprise systems are related to information systems""Stellar Customer Service; Discussion; Article that lists basic tips to improve customer service""Research: Automated Customer Service; Additional Research; Discusses the growing popularity of automated customer service""Transaction Processing System; Discussion; Explains the functions of the transaction processing""Marketing v. Sales; Discussion; Article about the difference between marketing and sales""" Week 8: Production Control  "Resources to Help Teach Programming; Additional Research; A list of 36 resources to help teach children programming""Self-Aware Robots; Discussion; This video is a TED talk about a group building self aware robots""How Autonomous Vehicles Work; Discussion; Article with diagrams that explain how autonomous vehicles work""Introduction to Control Systems; Discussion; An article about controls systems and how to use them""How the Predator Drone Works; Discussion; An article about the Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle used in war.""" Week 9: Anytime, Anywhere  "Geolocation 101; Discussion; An article that explores geolocation, how it works, and how it affects one's privacy""Entertainment Has Gone Mobile; Discussion; Discusses a survey that suggests users spend more and more of their media time on mobile devices""Virtual Teachers Outperform; Additional Research; An article about how virtual education is helping children and adults""Interpol's Website Suffers 'Anonymous Cyber-Attack'; Discussion; Describes how Interpol's website was hacked by the group 'Anonymous'""Geolocator; Discussion; This website will use geolocation to track the actual location of the user""" Week 10: Technology Advances and Trends  "Cell Phones and the Environment; Discussion; This article talks about how cell phones affects the environment, from the process of making cell phones to using them""Future of Technology 2009; Selected Media; This video, though old, gives an interesting look at how technology is affecting the future""The Social Media Revolution 2012; Discussion; A response video to the earlier one posted, offers a new perspective on social networking""Can a $35 computer teach kids to code?; Discussion; Article about the Rasberry Pi computer, a minuscule computer which aims to help teach children coding""Insatiable Demand for Streaming Video; Discussion; This article talks about the incredible demand for streaming movies and TV shows"""

Jennifer Sanders' Individual Portion

Week 1: Introductions and Personal Learning  "Technical Industry; Information Systems Website Discussion; I chose this reference because it has to do with illustrating how society has become and is continually becoming more dependent on technology. This is an issue that I have mixed feelings about because on the one hand, technology makes tasks so much easier, faster, and more efficient but at the same time, we lose certain survival skills like actually knowing somebody’s phone number (what if one forgot their phone and had to call their parent? If they do not know their parent’s number, they are out of luck) and become much more of a spoon-fed nation. I think the question of relying too much on technology and how this affects society is very interesting and will continuously be examined as technology continues to advance""IS For Disabilities; Information Systems Website Discussion; I chose this reference because I think it is important to be informed about information systems that individuals with disabilities can use. I believe that just because an individual may have a disability, they should have the same access to information systems. I liked this reference because the simulations give us a sense of empathy which can help change how individuals with disabilities access information.""Interactive TV Control; Information Systems Website Discussion; I chose this reference because I thought a remote control with the ability to be interactive was really interesting. I know that I do not like losing my remote control and having a remote that responds to voice commands and gestures could save me a lot of time. I think this is another great example of rapidly evolving technology""Future Information Management; Information Systems Website Discussion; chose this reference because it talks about where we are with information systems and where information systems are going. I think understanding the history of information systems, where information systems are now, and based on this where information systems are going.""Cloud Computing; Additional Research; I chose this reference on cloud computing because it seemed like every one of my peers knew what Cloud Computing was and I was completely lost. Actually using a wikipedia search to read up on what cloud computing was really helped my understanding and I was able to follow the rest of the peer discussion""" Week 2: Information and Systems  "Globalization; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because I think it is really interesting how the globalization and delocalization of business are results of sophisticated information systems. This resource is awesome because it points out how the more access there is to information systems, the less governments can control information and the distribution of information.""Artificial Intelligence; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because it talks about how information systems are responsible for Artificial Intelligence and how advanced technology often times requires artificial intelligence (like Siri)""GPS; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because while I have a GPS and I think it is amazing, I did not actually understand how it worked; this link helps explains how the receivers work.""Communications; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because it helped me to understand how information is “communicated” through a variety of means and how better communication channels lead to better delivery of information or data.""NBA Stats; Discussion; I chose this reference because this was one of the first references that gave me more of a clue of what an information system was. I had been over thinking this particular discussion topic and was getting frustrated because I could not figure out an information system, but this reference made me see that an information system is any systems that provides information!""" Week 3: Hardware  "Birth of the Computer; Visual Lectures Discussion; I chose this reference because I wanted to know more about the beginnings of computers. I was also intrigued that the speaker was an historian speaking about technology""Steve Jobs; Visual Lectures Discussion; I chose this reference because I love Steve Jobs and wanted to learn more about his influence on technology and how he inspired such things as iPods, iPhones, iPads, etc. I really enjoyed this video because it is very inspirational.""Networks; Hardware Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because it explains what computer networks are—basically it is a bunch of computers that are interconnected and share resources. I like this article because it is easy to understand and promotes my knowledge of computer networks.""After Silicon; Hardware Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because I thought is was extremely interesting that the shrinking of transistors “enables smaller, faster, and more powerful hardware,” however, there comes a point where a transistor cannot get any smaller. This is a great article because it theorizes what the next steps may be in the future of hardware, such as 3D chips""Online Attacks; Visual Lectures Discussion; I chose this reference because I find cyber attacks interesting and wanted to know how or why a particular individual or company may be more susceptible to cyber attacks than others. I did not know much about cyber attacks, and this article explains the three types of online attacks: criminals for money, 2. Activists protesting, or 3. Government control of citizens. I learned that these are the main types of online attacks.""" Week 4: Control  "Creative Commons; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because before this assignment, I had no clue what creative commons were or what they had to do with information systems. I really liked the fact that creative commons try to enable individuals to have “universal access to research, education, and culture” free from copy write regulations""Rapid Development; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because, just like creative commons, I had no idea what rapid development was and how it pertained to this course. This reference taught me how RAD I used to design new software with faster rates. I also like that this reference points out why individuals may what to use RAD.""Project management; Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because it helped me to better understand what goes into managing projects like time frames and objectives of a project. This helped when getting together to collaborate for the final project.""Disabilities Simulations; Disabilities and Accessibility Discussion; I chose this reference because I really like disabilities simulations. I believe references like this allow us to empathize with individuals who have learning disabilities. I also chose this reference to show how technology can be used to help individuals with learning disabilities, instead of hindering these individuals.""WikiEducator; WikiEducator Functions Discussion; I chose this reference because we are creating our own wiki educator sites to post our Lifecycle information. I had no idea I oculd make my own wiki page and use it as my own information system. I like that this site allows individuals to keep records of changes and constantly edit their page""" Week 5: Systems Development Process  "Alternate solution; Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because I really like the idea of giving a shout-out to the little guy. I think it is great that there are other operating systems that individuals can choose to use, especially if these smaller, less familiar operating systems could be more useful to some people. I think it is important to point out alternatives so that not one or two companies control operating systems.""System End of Life;Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because the Lifecycle has seriously been the most difficult thing for me throughout this class. This reference helped me to understand what goes into ending the life of an information system and helped me get a better understanding of the Lifecycle.""IT Jobs; Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because I thought it was a very helpful site for my peers who want to go into IT careers. I believes IT jobs will be pretty secure jobs because technology will only continue to shift, change, and advance and people will be needed to fill these positions.""Maintenance; Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because I think it is important to know what is going to go in to maintaining a system. Being able to adjust and enhance a system is very important to keeping that system up-to-date and relevant""IT Certification; Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because like the site for IT Jobs, I think knowing what it takes to become IT certified is crucial. Knowing the criteria for getting certified will help people take the right classes and learn the correct information in order to get certified.""" Week 6: Project Management, Research and Collaboration  "Collaboration; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because we as students are actually in the process of collaborating to finish our final projects. I particularly liked this reference on collaboration because of the description is gives of the types of collaboration applications and how they can be used""Design Review; Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because it is interesting that engineers use similar steps in reviewing their designs that teachers use in reviewing their lesson plans: understanding the need, brainstorming, design selection, plan, creation, improvement. I like that this shows similarities between design process and lesson planning process.""Project Management; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because it helped me understand what is involved in the management of a project such as clear communication. I like that this reference points out problems of project management so that individuals can see what not to do.""Research; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because as a student and teacher of history, research is a huge part of my life. I LOVE that this reference is on the history of research. I think that is so cool! I appreciate the fact that this points out steps to take in acquiring relevant data.""Milestone; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because I had no idea what milestones were, in regards to computers and information systems. I like that this reference included traits of what makes project milestones affective and that these milestones help map out a project.""" Week 7: Management Systems  "Blackboard; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because I used to use Blackboard and it I like that is can be used to enhance learning. I like that Blackboard is more effective because they are continuously trying better ways to enhance education. I also like that this is a different example of technology used in higher education right now (like Catalyst).""Transaction Processing; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because it really helped enhance my understanding of how the system works. In some assignments, I have no clue what some of the keywords are so actually learning the definition works well for me so that I have some base knowledge of the subject BEFORE reading an article about the subject.""Enterprise System; Keyword Discussion; I chose this slide show reference on enterprise systems because I always enjoy when information is given through a variety of mediums, not just reading articles. This slide show kept me engaged and illustrated how an enterprise system is an information system which may also be used in business. I also really appreciated essential vocabulary, which really helps scaffold this new knowledge""Customer Service; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because I used to work in the customer service department of Costco and had a hard time with some of the questions people would ask. I know that the customer is always right, but it was not always easy to have that attitude. I like the fact that this article points out that there is a section for Frequently Asked Questions for a reason: these are the most frequently asked questions and your question is probably in there. I think this is an example of how people rely too much on being spoon-fed information without trying to find information and answers themselves.""Oracle; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because I had no idea what Oracle was before this assignment so this reference really helped me to gain an understanding of this computer hardware company. I like that this reference had a timeline which shows the history of Oracle.""" Week 8: Production Control  "Self-Aware Machines; Keywords Discussion; I chose this reference because it was one of the keywords I found most interesting. I had no idea what “self-aware” machines were, I figured they were machine that were aware of their capabilities and faults (obviously). The thing I like most about this reference was that is broken down into terms that most people can understand.""Sixth Sense; Information Systems Video Discussion; chose this reference because I really found TED talk to be one of the most influential and great resources related to this course. I like this resource on sixth-sense because it deals with the integration of technology into our daily lives (i.e. creating a balance between human nature and technology). The idea behind this is accessing information instantly while using motion and visual cues""Drone IS; Information Systems Video Discussion; I chose this reference because it is a video that has to do with civilian drones. This has to do with how drones that can be used to target bad guys, but can also be used to take advantage of this technology by capturing news and events themselves without information first being skewed by medium bias, much like how news and video are now being shot through iPhones. The drone would add to this new form of visual information by providing aerial views.""Etoys; Programming For All? Discussion; I chose this reference because I felt like it inspired a great discussion kids and computer programming. Whether or not kids should be required to learn computer programming at a younger age is very relevant to continuously advancing technology and the fact that the United States is falling behind other countries. Having students learn computer programming is one step the United States can take in bridging the gap between more technologically advanced/in-tune countries and ourselves. I thought the discussion triggered by the Etoys link brought up some great questions about ethics and guidelines that should be followed when teaching young kids about computer programming (using advanced technology for GOOD, not to lead cyber attacks). Another reason I chose this reference was because it also dealt with how computer programming can help students learn problems solving skills and critical thinking—two important skills that will help students throughout their lives. I really enjoyed this discussion because I felt there were so many aspects and questions that had been asked and that needed to be asked in regards to kids learning computer programming.""Control Systems; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because it helped me understand what a control system was. I really liked this site because it shows all of the different parts of a control system that is easily understandable. One of the best parts of this site were the awesome simulations.""" Week 9: Anytime, Anywhere  "Geo-location; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because I had no idea what “geo-location” was before the beginning of Week 8’s discussion. One of the reasons I felt like this was one of the most important references of the course was because is explained how geo-location works and how particular devices were able to point out an individuals whereabouts. While privacy is an issue here, it is neat how a GPS system or a mobile device can locate a person’s whereabouts.""Cyber Attack; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because of the very brief, yet succinct definition it gives a “cyber attack.” Although I knew that cyber attacks did happen, I believed that I my information was not valuable enough for someone to want to come in and steal. However, I liked this article because of the brief description of what a cyber attack was, which at this point for me, was sufficient information; this article is important because it shows how a hacker can go into a secured file unnoticed.""Mobile Technology; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because while I have a mobile device, I only know the ability of my own mobile device. I like that this article talks about what mobile devices are and the benefits of mobile devices. It helps shed light on how mobile technology can make life easier and gives examples of this.""Entertainment; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because it illustrates how mobile phones are not just used as convenient devices to call people “anywhere, anytime,” they are now used as email and entertainment devices and how we have moved away from wanting larger screens to smaller screens (with better definition). I personally have used my phone to play games while waiting in a waiting room, whereas before I would have picked up a magazine or newspaper. I feel this article is very important because it shows us moving away from more physically tangible news/entertainment sources to one-touch mobile devices that may either help or hinder the advancement of our society.""Cyber Attack; Keyword Discussion; I chose this reference because it was on a topic I had chosen: cyber attacks. The reason I chose this article was because most of my peers, including myself, chose more specific articles dealing with cyber attacks. This resource was much more straight forward when describing what cyber attacks are and how they can be used against people regarding their personal information (and corruption/destroying vital information).""" Week 10: Technology Advances and Trends  "Environment; Selected Media; I chose this reference because it illustrates how lifecycles can have a huge impact on the environment. This article specifically talks about mobile devices and how individuals can go about decreasing the impact of their cell devices on the environment. This article is very important because it shows how the things we chose to do can be beneficial but can also be overused and create negative side effects. I loved that a peer pointed out that “just like your article The Story of Stuff explains what is happening in each stage of the production process and how it is killing the world we live on.”""Public-ness; Discussion; I chose this reference because I figured it had to do with advancing technology making our lives less private and more public but I was not sure. I really like how advanced technology makes my life easier but I try to keep some semblance on privacy. However, this article completely changed my opinion about privacy. While I believe privacy is very important, I liked how this article points out that the web should be more publically open because an open society means a better society, “our mission is to make the world more open and connected.” I really liked this completely different spin on privacy issues and pointing out the benefits of a more open web.""Wearable Computers; Discussion; I chose this reference because once again, I had no idea what this concept was. I figured it had to do with technology and computers that could be worn by individuals. I liked that this reference had a video and explained how wearable computers will give individuals even more convenient access to the internet. This reference talks about Apple and Google getting into wearable computers.""Digital Divide; Discussion; I chose this reference because I am always interesting in articles that touch of social issues such as gaps between the have’s and have-not’s. I liked how this reference pointed out how families that have low incomes will not be able to participate in an increasingly more technologically advanced society as others because do not have internet access. Because more services are becoming more viral, this will leave these families without the same conveniences that modern technology affords families that can access the internet.""Second Life; Discussion; I chose this reference because I am not very familiar with second life and did not know that people literally lived in virtual worlds, their “second life” worlds. I think it is very interesting that now people are beginning to organize in the same way they would in the real world. However, I think individuals who live more in their second life worlds than in the real world may not have the same social skills they would have if they participated in face to face contact."""

Ana Castro's Individual Portion

Week 1: Introductions and Personal Learning  "Knowing your brain color; Selected Media; Knowing what side of your brain you are the strongest helps in understanding what skills you all ready posses and what you can work on given your brain 'color'.""Vark a guide to learning styles; Selected Media; Knowing what is the best way to learn in a classroom or another learning environment is very useful. After taking the questionnaire I had a better understanding of my learning strengths and areas for growth.""Role of Information Systems an application; Discussion; The article is a great example of where an information system is applied and where it could be applied within the health care system.""The Digital Explosion; Discussion; This article focuses on the impact that the digital explosion has had on people starting from the self and our relationship to the rest of the world.""Information Systems for Beginners; Discussion; This site is very helpful to students who are getting introduced to information technology. It goes over the different types of information systems, how a data base works,role of information management system and more. It is a great overview of what will cover throughout the course.""" Week 2: Information and Systems  "What is Data and Information?; Selected Media; Chapter 2 of this book goes over how to transform data into information. It is a great place to obtain your foundation behind data. The chapter was clear and provided great analogies.""Data Communications; Discussion; This article provides great explanation of what is data communication. It is complimentary with the above article because this goes over the applications of data.""Globalization; Discussion; The Stanford article examines the notion of globalization from a perspective of technology as well as its impact on humanity. It provides a great insight to the meaning of closeness.""Examples of Artificial Intelligence; Discussion; Article focuses on providing examples of information systems dealing with artificial intelligence. More specifically the top 10 AI games out there that have been the most influential.""Basic Computer Knowledge; Discussion; This site provides a great intro to how computers work. When I read it, it helped me better understand areas about computers that I was not so sure before. It is a great site to refresh ones mind and introduce students to computers.""" Week 3: Hardware  "TED talk regarding wireless data from light bulbs; Additional Research;This video by Harald Hass presents the notion of providing consumers with wireless access via light bulbs. This is a great video to show student what can be done with all the basics of data and hardware.""Telecommunications; Discussion; What tools and mechanisms have been used to transfer data? This article foes over the principle of telecommunications the foundation of communication in today's world.""Presentation about Telecommunications; Additional Research; This power point highlights the concepts behind telecommunications and it helped me further understand its role and fundamentals.""History of the Semiconductor; Discussion; Computers would not have been the same if not for the creation of the semiconductor. This article provides a the great history behind it and its impact on the computer world.""Transistors, pushing the limits; This video goes over the production of a new type of transistor. Transistors are essential to producing better faster devices. The video was very insightful into the manufacturing world of transistors.""" Week 4: Control  "Distractibility Simulation; Selected Media; The simulation I choose provides the users with an insight to what it is to be on a site with a disability like distractibiliy. It leaves the user with a better understanding of the need to have accessible sites.""Programming Language; Discussion; This wiki article was very helpful in breaking down what a programming language was and all the different types available.""Computer Programming; Discussion; This site provides links to explore the basics of programming such as Boolean logic, C programming and more. Having the different links on the same site made it easy to navigate and learn.""Control Systems; Discussion; This wiki page goes over the role of control systems and how it has evolved over the years. This page helped me get an over all idea of what control system was and its more specific components.""Software; Selected Media; This articles was very helpful in learning the role of software and its differences with hardware. Additionally, it provided its history and different applications.""" Week 5: Systems Development Process  "System Development Lifecycle; Discussion;This link provides a break down to what is a system’s lifecycle ranging from the inception of the idea to its retirement. Additionally, it provides an introduction to the different types of ways that one can develop their system.""System Lifecycle Framework; Discussion; An arrangement of methods are presented in this document. The types of development approaches ranged from waterfall, prototyping, incremental, framework, RAD and so on. Their basic principles are discussed along with their strengths and weaknesses.""Computer and Information Systems Manager a Career; Discussion; There are many types of careers that revolve around information systems, one of them is and information systems manager. This article provides an example of what knowledge a computer and information systems manager needs to know and what, who and how she/he need to manage it.""Developmental Approaches a presentation; Discussion; The PowerPoint elaborates on the different types of approaches to types of development processes. Unlike other documents, this presentation summarizes the major points of each developmental approach by breaking down the material in simple, concise and straightforward manner.""Prototyping; Discussion; Prototyping is one of the types of developmental approaches. By reading this article, one gets information about what is software prototyping, when it should be used, who should use it, what are its benefits and potential risks. Having an example of a specific developmental process is very helpful because one does not have to scroll to find other methods.""" Week 6: Project Management, Research and Collaboration  "How to manage a software project; Discussion; Knowing how to manage the processes is essential when creating an information system. This wikibook focuses on introducing tools to help manage a software project""Product Development; Discussion; Developing a product is a very detailed process that needs to follow a strict process along with good managerial skills. This wiki page provides great examples of the steps and skill need it to develop a product.""Engineering Design Process; Discussion; An essential part of working on an information system is first understand that there are processes to creating each part of the system. The engineering process as shown on this wiki page details the different parts of the processes and emphasizes their importance.""When to consider Project Management?; Discussion; Projects can be large or small some companies might or might not have the tools or people need it to have their project be properly managed.This link provides great tips for companies to decide when it will be the best situation to hire a project manager.""Milestones; Discussion; This is more a like a check list of a productive project. It is very useful to compare to any project and be used as a guide for milestones.""" Week 7: Management Systems  "A field Guide to Learning Management Systems; Discussion; This PDF file provides fundamental definitions for Management Systems. Additionally it goes over different examples were management is applied and the best way to approach different systems.""Enterprise Sysems; Discussion; The power point presentation was very helpful in going over the main points of Enterprise systems and how they would function in a real life scenario.""Types of Decision Support Systems;Discussion; This site goes over the types of support systems available such as the ones based on support, nature of decision situation and number of users. The fact that was power point presentation was very helpful because the main points were highlighted.""Support Systems; Discussion; This tech talk titled Operational &amp; Business Support Systems by Elisabeth Rainge is a short talk regarding the different types of operation and business support systems more specifically the ones that apply to her work environment. It gives the listeners an insight into an application of the the different types of systems available.""Business Support System; Discussion; The wiki article works in conjunction with the above article because this page goes over the general ideas behind business support systems while the above one is an actual example.""" Week 8: Production Control  "Project Management; One of the aspect in information systems that persist in being able to manage a project. This is why having this link served as a reminder for how to manage production control""Automation; Discussion; This wiki page discusses the history of automation and its application. It is a great place to start to have a general introduction to automation and business.""An Introduction to Control Systems; Discussion; The article was very useful, it covered questions such as why we need control systems, what they are, and how they are created.""Self Aware Robots; Discussion; This video was a great video. It introduced me to the first robot that was attempting to understand itself. The authors discussion was insightful and inspirational.""Reasons to Automate; Discussion; This site provided information about when it would be a good time to automate and it went over the types of automation available along with the different field that need automation.""" Week 9: Anytime, Anywhere  "World Wide Web; Discussion; Knowing the fundamentals behind what allows anytime anywhere technology is essential. This article allows for a clear understanding the origins of the the www. that we see every where on line.""Internet; Discussion; This wiki page similarly to the link above provides fundamental information regarding the internet. Many people confuse the internet with the world wide web this article made the differences clear with explanations of their origins and applications.""Mobile Computing; Additional Research; The article goes over the history of mobile computing and the technology that has allowed for it to become mobile. Things like smartphones, ipad's and wireless access has allowed for the boom of mobile computing. The article does a great job at introducing the subject.""Geolocating; Discussion; This article provides very detailed information about what geolocating is and how it is being used in today's mobile computing society and global economy.""VoIP; Discussion; Before VoIp people were restricted to having a land line or pay extra for a line with their cell phone company. This article goes over what VoIP, its benefits and its impact on the world of mobile computing.""" Week 10: Technology Advances and Trends  "Clean Tech; Discussion; Of the biggest trends in technology has been clean technology. After many years of damaging the environment the new trend is to save the environment with the creating of environmentally friendly technology. This article goes over the different types of clean technology and its future direction.""Future Skills; Selected Media; This article goes over the future skills we as current students need to have if we want to survive the Tech Future. It is a great guide and I would recommend it to any current student.""Digital Divide; Discussion; This article I liked because it clearly covers the issue of digital divide in this day and age. It brought the issues directly without hesitation and the impact that the speed of the internet has on those in the part of the have-not's.""The Secret Life of Our Cell Phones; Discussion; Great article bringing to life the life cycle of ones cell phone. From its creation to the moment we decide to replace it with the latest iPhone. Awesome insight into the environmental impacts.""Quantum Computing; Discussion;This article covers a different type of computing, quantum computing which for many has just been a dream. The article is great at explaining what quantum computing is and the impact that it would have in processing information."