Author Archive

new brain cells

(thank you Mike Pickle: https://www.facebook.com/groups/190982954245635/permalink/2110516852292226/)

Mysterious new brain cell found in people

“rosehip neurons,” were found in the uppermost layer of the cortex, which is home to many different types of neurons that inhibit the activity of other neurons.

the set of genes expressed in these inhibitory rosehip neurons doesn’t closely match any previously identified cell in the mouse, suggesting they have no analog in the rodent often used as a model for humans,

The locations of their points of contact on other neurons suggest they’re in a powerful position to put the brakes on other incoming, excitatory signals—by which complex circuits of neurons activate one another throughout the brain.

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more on learning and the brain in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=brain+learning

starter platform for blockchain developers

IBM has been focused on bringing the blockchain to enterprises for years. Earlier this year, the company announced IBM Blockchain Starter Services, Blockchain Acceleration Services and Blockchain Innovation Services.
According to the company, the Blockchain Platform was initially built for institutions working collectively towards mission-critical business goals
Other features include: access to IBM Blockchain Platform Enterprise Plan capabilities, code samples available on GitHub, and Hyperledger Composer open-source technology.

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more on blockchain platforms in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=blockchain+platforms

ethics and AI

Ethik und Künstliche Intelligenz: Die Zeit drängt – wir müssen handeln

8/7/2108 Prof. Dr. theol. habil. Arne Manzeschke

https://www.pcwelt.de/a/ethik-und-ki-die-zeit-draengt-wir-muessen-handeln,3451885

Das Europäische Parlament hat es im vergangenen Jahr ganz drastisch formuliert. Eine neue industrielle Revolution steht an
1954 wurdeUnimate, der erste Industrieroboter , von George Devol entwickelt [1]. Insbesondere in den 1970er Jahren haben viele produzierende Gewerbe eine Roboterisierung ihrer Arbeit erfahren (beispielsweise die Automobil- und Druckindustrie).
Definition eines Industrieroboters in der ISO 8373 (2012) vergegenwärtigt: »Ein Roboter ist ein frei und wieder programmierbarer, multifunktionaler Manipulator mit mindestens drei unabhängigen Achsen, um Materialien, Teile, Werkzeuge oder spezielle Geräte auf programmierten, variablen Bahnen zu bewegen zur Erfüllung der verschiedensten Aufgaben«.

Ethische Überlegungen zu Robotik und Künstlicher Intelligenz

Versucht man sich einen Überblick über die verschiedenen ethischen Probleme zu verschaffen, die mit dem Aufkommen von ›intelligenten‹ und in jeder Hinsicht (Präzision, Geschwindigkeit, Kraft, Kombinatorik und Vernetzung) immer mächtigeren Robotern verbunden sind, so ist es hilfreich, diese Probleme danach zu unterscheiden, ob sie

1. das Vorfeld der Ethik,

2. das bisherige Selbstverständnis menschlicher Subjekte (Anthropologie) oder

3. normative Fragen im Sinne von: »Was sollen wir tun?« betreffen.

Die folgenden Überlegungen geben einen kurzen Aufriss, mit welchen Fragen wir uns jeweils beschäftigen sollten, wie die verschiedenen Fragenkreise zusammenhängen, und woran wir uns in unseren Antworten orientieren können.

Aufgabe der Ethik ist es, solche moralischen Meinungen auf ihre Begründung und Geltung hin zu befragen und so zu einem geschärften ethischen Urteil zu kommen, das idealiter vor der Allgemeinheit moralischer Subjekte verantwortet werden kann und in seiner Umsetzung ein »gelungenes Leben mit und für die Anderen, in gerechten Institutionen« [8] ermöglicht. Das ist eine erste vage Richtungsangabe.

Normative Fragen lassen sich am Ende nur ganz konkret anhand einer bestimmten Situation bearbeiten. Entsprechend liefert die Ethik hier keine pauschalen Urteile wie: »Roboter sind gut/schlecht«, »Künstliche Intelligenz dient dem guten Leben/ist dem guten Leben abträglich«.

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more on Artificial Intelligence in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=artifical+intelligence

Oculus Go vs Lenovo Mirage Solo

https://uploadvr.com/oculus-go-vs-lenovo-mirage-solo-which-is-the-better-buy/

https://www.androidcentral.com/lenovo-mirage-solo-vs-oculus-go

https://www.wareable.com/vr/oculus-go-vs-lenovo-mirage-solo-8201

The Lenovo Mirage Solo Vs. The Oculus Go

http://www.kwwl.com/story/38592024/oculus-go-vs-lenovo-mirage-solo

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3269502/virtual-reality/lenovo-mirage-solo-review.html

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more on VR / AR goggles in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=oculus+Go

virtual labs

Arizona State online biology students getting hands-on experience in virtual labs

James Paterson, Aug. 28, 2018

https://www.educationdive.com/news/arizona-state-online-biology-students-getting-hands-on-experience-in-virtua/531039/

  • Thirty students registered for Arizona State University Online’s general biology course are using ASU-supplied virtual reality (VR) headsets for a variety of required lab exercises
  • The VR equipment, which costs ASU $399 per student, allows learners to complete lab assignments in virtual space using goggles and a controller to maneuver around a simulated lab. Content for the online course was developed and assessed by ASU biology professors and was evaluated this summer. Students also can use their own VR headsets and access the content on their laptops, as 370 other students are doing.
  • A university official told Campus Technology the initiative will help online students have the experiences provided in brick-and-mortar labs as well as new ones that were impossible previously. The effort also will ease a problem on campus with limited lab space.

Similar labs are planned for the University of Texas at San Antonio and McMaster University in Canada, according to a blog post from Google, which partnered with the ed-tech company Labster to create the virtual labs. In addition, virtual labs also are available at eight community colleges in California, offering IT and cybersecurity skills instruction.

About half of colleges have space dedicated to VR, with adoption expected to increase as technology costs go down, according to a recent survey by nonprofit consortium Internet2. The survey found that 18% of institutions have “fully deployed” VR and are increasingly making it available to online students, while half are testing or have not yet deployed the technology.

Colleges are using VR for a variety of purposes, from classroom instruction to admissions recruiting to career training.

In addition, because the use of VR is growing in K–12 education, students will expect to use it in college.

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more on virtual reality in education in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=virtual+reality+education

take a look at OUR VR lab tour:

https://poly.google.com/u/0/view/epydAlXlJSw

introduce AR to classroom

3 Ways to Introduce AR into the Classroom

Some schools invest in technology but never find the right way to teach with it. Here, a school library specialist shares how she turned teachers and students from skeptics into evangelists.

By Susan Sclafani 08/27/18

https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/08/27/3-ways-to-introduce-ar-into-the-classroom.aspx

  • Collaborate to Create Projects
  • Explore New Learning Spaces
  • Empower Students to Express Themselves (and Inspire Others)

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more on AR in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=augmented+reality

Teacher Brand and Digital Reputation

Rise and Shine! How to Boost Your Teacher Brand and Digital Reputation

By Kasey Bell     Apr 5, 2016

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-04-05-rise-and-shine-how-to-boost-your-teacher-brand-and-digital-reputation

Five tips to help you create a personal brand and a positive digital reputation

1. What will they find when they Google you?

2. What is branding?

Your brand is what you represent, the content that you share, your audience, your Personal Learning Network (PLN), and your teaching philosophy. You want your brand to demonstrate that you are trustworthy, and offer quality content, insightful comments, and experience. Your brand tells your audience that what you offer is of value. Together, the elements that create your brand should communicate a distinct, cohesive story. For instance, when you visit any of my social media profiles, you will see a consistent message. The avatar and logo for my website Shake Up Learning are more recognizable than my face, and that’s intentional. That isn’t to say that every brand needs an avatar. But do find a creative way to tell your personal story.

3. Choose the right platforms

There is no right or wrong platform. Choosing where you want to build your online presence depends on the audience that you want to engage. If you want to reach parents and school community stakeholders, Facebook is a strong bet. If you want to reach other educators, Twitter and Pinterest are big winners. The bottom line is that you don’t have to use them all. Find and connect with your audience where your audience resides.

4. Claim your social media real estate

Before you settle on a username, check that it’s available on all of the social media platforms that you want to use—and then keep it consistent. You will lose your audience if you make it hard to find you. Also keep your handle simple and short, and try to avoid special characters. When a new platform arrives, claim your username early even if you aren’t sure that you will maintain a presence there.

5. Optimize your social media profiles

Guy Kawasaki, co-author of The Art of Social Media, khas nearly 1.5 million followers on Twitter alone, and he offers effective social media tips in his book. Here are the basics:

  • Add a picture of your face or logo. Your picture validates who you are. No more eggheads! Using the default egg avatar on Twitter says you don’t have a brand, and doesn’t tell your audience that you are trustworthy.
  • Use your real name. Sure, you can lie, but that isn’t going to help you build a brand and online presence. Many platforms allow you to show your name as well as your handle.
  • Link to your website, blog or About.me page. Don’t have one? Get one! You may not be ready to start a blog, but anyone can easily set up an About.me page—which is like an online resume.
  •  Compose a meaningful bio, which will help others find and follow you. It should describe your experience in the field of education and highlight topics that you follow like Maker EdGoogle Apps, or edtech.
  • Add a cover image. Choose an image that tells your story. Who are you? What do you do that sets you apart? Canva is a graphic design tool that makes creating a cover image easy. It offers ready-made templates in the right size for all of the major social media platforms.
  • Be consistent across all mediums. You want your followers to see the same brand on all of your social media profiles. This also means you shouldn’t change your profile picture every five minutes. Be recognizable.

Tools to build your brand and online presence

  •  About.me: A quick and easy personal homepage that shows your audience who you are and how to connect with you.
  •  Canva: An easy-to-use design tool for creating images, with templates for social media.
  •  Fiverr: A marketplace for services that you can use to commission a logo, avatar, or web design.
  •  Wix: A free website builder.
  •  Weebly: A free website builder.
  •  Buffer: A free web tool for sharing and scheduling content across multiple social media platforms.
  •  Nuzzel: A free web tool that lets you see the content trending among the people you follow.
  •  The Art of Social Media: A guide to creating a compelling social media presence, by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick.
  •  What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube: Tips for preserving your digital reputation, by Erik Qualman.
  •  What Happens on Campus Stays on YouTube: Advice for students on protective their digital reputations, by Erik Qualman.

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more on digital citizenship in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=digital+citizenship

also:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/628252216744698154/
social media cheat sheet and content calendar

human nature cybersecurity

Keynote: Cybersecurity Awareness Is Dead! Long Live Cybersecurity Awareness!

Tuesday, August 21 | 12:05pm – 12:30pm ET |

https://events.educause.edu/special-topic-events/webinar/2018/encore-selections-from-the-educause-security-professionals-conference-2018/agenda/keynote-cybersecurity-awareness-is-dead-long-live-cybersecurity-awareness#_zsJE1Le1_zlSvd65

Far too often, cybersecurity awareness-raising training fails to account for how people learn and proven ways to change behaviors. The cybersecurity community too easily falls into the trap of thinking that “humans are the weakest link.” In this talk, Dr. Jessica Barker will argue that, if humans are the weakest link, then they are our weakest link as an industry. With reference to sociology, psychology, and behavioral economics, as well as lessons from her professional experience, Jessica will discuss why a better understanding of human nature needs to be a greater priority for the cybersecurity community.

Outcomes: Explore how we can apply knowledge from other disciplines to improve cybersecurity awareness-raising training and communications * Understand where the cybersecurity industry can improve with regards to awareness, behavior, and culture * Develop ideas to improve how you communicate cybersecurity messages and conduct awareness-raising training

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more on cybersecurity in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=cybersecurity

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