week 8- summary

Harmony Dashut
http://notebase.wordpress.com/2011/10/22/week-7-operating-systems-and-domain-names/#comment-5 

Meng Meng
http://silivimoon.blogspot.com/2011/10/input-output.html?showComment=1319760130158#c4424722616912480320

Xiaopei Feng
http://amy-feng.blogspot.com/2011/09/week3spreadsheet-essentials.html#comments 

My entrepreneurial idea  was generally on to help students save money on buying heavy textbooks, and rely on their laptops or computers and do studying at home. Because technology is growing and the usage of laptops and computers are more and more popular to students and others, this can be a better way to help education and bring a new meaning to education. Usually the costs for each book  can cost hundreds, and brings stress to students and parents because the chance of using the textbook again is slim. I brought up many ideas and detail information on what the ITP can do for students and for teachers. This program gave many options to students whether they are visual, or auditory learners. This can also help connect with classmates and professor easily by searching up which class you are in.

I thought the Blog review i found was very interesting and made me realize that i was not the only one thinking about this plan. The blogger even had a non profit organization to gain funds for this idea. I agreed to everything he has mentioned from students wasting so much money to how this idea can bring much better ways for students to learn and understand education. I hope to see that this idea can grow soon or in the next generation and show people that studying does not only need to be buying an expensive textbook and by end of the semester you end up not using it.

This idea was gradually evolved through realizing HOW many people study. In some cases, i brought this idea up by the way how i studied as well. I noticed that there are people who have to take hours and days taking up the information before the day of the test. So as i thought of why people learn in certain ways, i brought the idea of visual and auditory learners. Because there are students that highlights, and know by sight and colors, this way it can help students to use this option in ITP. For auditory learners, they also have the option of converting it to mp3 and listen as they study. Also, after seeing some people who can only rely on group studies, that brought up the idea of web chat in their homes.

My experience with this project made me realize how much textbooks were affecting some students. Sometimes, as schools have dates before returns, some students misses the dates and aren't able to return their $300.00 book that got because they dropped the course. This can somewhat be unfair and all they end up doing is wasting the money. This project also made me learn about the ways how some students study. Just sitting down with their books open doesn't mean that they will not go on their computer and stay on facebook for 3 hours. Instead, having this program on their computer can be much more efficient for students.

week 7- Networks

One of the reasons why ITP makes it seem so useful is by the help of our networks. Because our networks have the ability to handle so much, sending back and forth,  it is able to allow ITP more convenient for the users. There are protocols such as PoP (Post Office Protocols) and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol). They are meant for emails to bring back to the servers, and this method in a way is needed for ITP. As students still have the usage of sending emails to class mates, we would need these protocols to be in task.

Another way to improve this method is to add the option to have WCG (web chat with groups) of students for a study session. Final weeks can be the most difficult time to find space and time to study. And for those who are able to study with groups, or even have questions for the professor, they can easily open up their web cam and have a instant conversation/ question time. So instead of needing to ask your friends what their screen name/ user name is, you can look into the folder of your class and will be able to find all the students in your class. Because you are able to chat with them, why not web cam. You can have the option to chat, web cam, and also add more people in your web cam study group. This way, you know that people are more reliable being on their computers so you can talk to them even when they are home.

This method can also be used, in case professors were not able to show up, they can have a lecture session with students easily with WCG. This can be reliable in ways so that students are able to communicate with their classmates. Because even in the business world, people have professional meetings through the use of web cam, this can be one way to help students to be productive with any questions that needs to be answered.

week 6- professional blogger review

iTextbooks? Continuing the dream – a commentary by Dean Florez, President of 20 Million Minds Foundation

http://collegeopentextbooks.org/blog/

I found it surprising that this blog was very similar to my entrepreneurial idea. Dean Florez mentions that technology within the society is growing and from having ipods, iphones and ipads, the next thing we need is itextbooks! "Today we have the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, but what we really need is the iTextbook—and it should cost students under $30." Realistically, i think this is possible. Just time and agreement is needed. There are already e-books and kindle for simple books and novels, why not textbooks? If this idea can be accomplished within the next few years, i think the meaning of studying and education can be a whole lot different in a better way.

This is similar to my idea expect that mine was to use it through our computers. He may use this idea through using ipads and portable devices. He is also having a non profit organization to lower costs for textbooks. He found out that carrying and buying textbooks is becoming over rated. Students are paying too much for a single textbook, and now he is trying to find a new way to reduce that and make things easier. "About 20 Million Minds Foundation: 20MM Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to greatly reducing textbook costs"

I wasn't positive if anyone else would have an idea like mine. But if this really can get passed on and in the future to have portable textbooks through our computers or ipads, i think it would make profit and much better usage for students. I thought it was also a good idea for Dean to have a non profit organization to raise the fund for reducing textbook for students like us. This can be a very big accomplishment in the future and definitely would want to see it happen.

week 5- bits and byes

ITP's program has an auditory option for those of you who are more of an auditory learner and also for those that are disable and can only hear. The textbook allows you to convert them into MP3 so that you can listen them repeatedly and learn the subject of the program. This can be helpful in many cases. Being able to remember by just listening can be beneficial to many people and not only students.  

ITP has brought options for visual and even auditory learners. Just by downloading and converting the chapters into MP3 and listening to your chapters, can allow students to not only rely on taking their laptops but in a small mp3 device. This can change the view of education and for anyone that is from disable learners to any one that prefers to learn by listening.

Was absent and had to skip class? Usually professors go through chapter lectures and slides. You can still have the benefit to download the lecture to your Mp3 and have the chance to go over it by yourself. This can allow students to rely on their ITP program for anything, anywhere. Starting from mp3 devices and even some phones are being able to have mp3 music/ audio downloaded. This can have almost everyone carry this device anywhere and take this as an opportunity to learn and share.

week 4- input/ output

     ITP (installing textbook in PC) can provide students a better way to focus in school and decrease the amount of stress when one is studying. This can give students the ability to have confidence in their studying, knowing what ITP can provide. From the programs that are only beneficial to the students can be far more helpful even to the future. As technology grows, ITP would only develop better and become more efficient towards not only students, but for everyone. 

     Instead of needing to flip through pages that you are you finding, you can select it right away with the "point and go" option. This option would take you to the page of the subject or anything contained with the word you selected. Also, the program SBW (search by word) can be similar to ctrl + f to find specific words, but in ITP it is slightly different. This would bring what the word means and all the information of the subject that is in the textbook. This way, you do not need to take time looking through paragraphs in your textbook.
      ITP can also sponsor their program to Google (week 4 lecture) so that their next generation search engines will have audio and video automated by having many voice samples developed. This way, Google could develop this method faster and also have benefits given to ITP. Benefits can be such as, adding Google search engine to ITP where students can search on google for any given reason while they are studying. 
 

week 3- hardware

To add on with ITP (installing textbook in PC) functions, you would use a CD to download the program as a hardware. This can keep it more stable for students to look through their computer to do any school related work. Being able to download a CD hardware of your textbook can only give benefit for students of not carrying a heavy book, but just your laptop with you.

                ITP also has the function to multitask. By taking practice tests on textbook based materials can prepare students for class. Not only this, but this allows students to search up information through ITP and makes it easier and convenient. ITP best option would be “explanation for dummies” which provides an easier summary for students to understand the hard materials that are clarified in the text. You can go to this option and copy and paste a paragraph, or sentence. This way, it is helpful for any students to be more clarified of what they are reading.

                There is also a “Read a loud” option for ITP. For those of you that’s able to memorize by reading aloud, this can be very useful. You can have the option to read aloud through the mic and text would highlight as you read along. This can provide students to focus and only focus on what they are doing by preventing distractions. By following along, they are only focused on reading aloud and the text that is followed. While the texts are also highlighting, you can stop anytime and take notes, or you can have the non-stop option which alerts you to keep reading until end of the chapter.  

week 2- social media

    There are always vocabulary terms, and with the installation of textbooks on pc’s can give students to study through vocabulary tests by chapters online, instead of needing to make flashcards. There are always those important parts or paragraphs in your textbooks that you’d want to highlight. Instead you can do it on your computer and separately take notes as you read on the screen. You can also take the advantage of computer being able to save files and save notes as your professor teaches lectures. You can then go home and do your homework with knowing that you have your textbook in your computer. You can search and find key terms that you are looking for!

    Connection also is an important aspect, so in this case, social networks for advertising can be one. Facebook is a social network that many people have for business, friends and etc (Week 2 lecture). Because users spend more time on social websites, it can give more opportunity for people to see the idea of installing textbooks on your computer. A social network Twitter is also beneficial being used for finding and connecting with people with the same interest.  

     Soon enough, it can be easier for students to not carry heavy textbooks. You can rely on your pc to save information and can change your study habit for the better. Otherwise, trusting your book and memory cannot be so guaranteed when it comes to school work and tests. Students can have this opportunity and help them to be more organized. Organization is one of the key points in school work and this idea can help them by the help of pc’s and laptops.

Week 1- general computing

    My entrepreneurial idea will be coming from my experience at school from the past week. I noticed that each individual is in responsible of buying text books for their classes. I visit the book store and I hear people whining and complaining how the books are overpriced. Some books cannot be sold back either, so in this case, they will be holding onto a textbook that they will probably not open after class are done end of this semester. So why can’t there be an easier way out?

    Technology is growing, and the number of students having a mobile computer or a personal computer you can carry from place to place is becoming common (week 1 lecture). In this case, my idea will be to have textbooks a way to be installed in our computers. Only thing to buy is a program that will be able to transfer the information in the textbook, to the computer. This way, it would save more money and make it more convenient not only for students, but teachers also. Students can save money, and professors can also have an easier way to have lecture in class.

    When it comes to tests, taking notes or homework assignments, this idea can be very helpful. Students can take practice tests, quizzes and also different resources by the help of personal computers. Because text books can also be heavy, personal laptops are light weight and can be supportive for students to carry. As technology grows, everyone will eventually be required to have personal computers. This way, it can help students to save money and become more encouraging in their studies.