Terence Armentano - eResume & ePortfolio

I read an interesting op-ed piece in the NY Times today about how web 2.0 has the potential to disrupt Al Qaeda’s use of media to propagate their message and recruit new members. In essence, web 2.0 is all about freedom, access to ideas, and discussion. When an organization, such as Al Qaeda, depends on their ability to suppress freedom and control ideas to succeed, it becomes obvious how the open nature of web 2.0 communities can directly affect those organizations. Imagine the kind of comments people would leave on a video message posted by Osama Bin Laden on YouTube. The group think mentality that dominates terrorism will be infiltrated with other ideas that challenge, (sometimes with 4 letter words), the messages that are being posted. It is no surprise that many of the leading terrorists come from countries where governments try to control or suppress the use of the internet. Here is an excerpt from the article.

It’s also an indication of how a more interactive, empowered online community, particularly in the Arab-Islamic world, may prove to be Al Qaeda’s Achilles’ heel. Anonymity and accessibility, the hallmarks of Web 1.0, provided an ideal platform for Al Qaeda’s radical demagoguery. Social networking, the emerging hallmark of Web 2.0, can unite a fragmented silent majority and help it to find its voice in the face of thuggish opponents, whether they are repressive rulers or extremist Islamic movements.

Unfortunately, the authoritarian governments of the Middle East are doing their best to hobble Web 2.0. By blocking the Internet, they are leaving the field open to Al Qaeda and its recruiters. The American military’s statistics and jihadists’ own online postings show that among the most common countries of origin for foreign fighters in Iraq are Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen. It’s no coincidence that Reporters Without Borders lists Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria as “Internet enemies,” and Libya and Yemen as countries where the Web is “under surveillance.” There is a simple lesson here: unfettered access to a free Internet is not merely a goal to which we should aspire on principle, but also a very practical means of countering Al Qaeda. As users increasingly make themselves heard, the ensuing chaos will not be to everyone’s liking, but it may shake the online edifice of Al Qaeda’s totalitarian ideology.

This is a great video that reveals the changes that the information revolution is having on the world. How is your university or institution adapting to these changes?

Yes, images in a textbook of the beautiful heavens are a nice way to teach about our universe, but give me a comprehensive view of the universe with real satellite images any day. Science teachers of the world; you gotta see Microsoft’s new WorldWide Telescope - a technology that combines feeds from satellites and telescopes all over the world and the heavens, and weaves them together holistically to build a comprehensive view of our universe. The TED video treats the WorldWide Telescope like something completely new, however, it appears to be very similar to the already available Google Sky, which enables you to view images of distant galaxies and nebulae from the Hubble Space Telescope, learn about the movement of the planets and the lifecycle of the stars. The advantage of Google Sky is that it works on any operating system whereas I am not sure that will be the case with Microsoft’s WorldWide Telescope. Either way, I look forward to finding out which one I like better and teachers around the world should do the same.

These innovative technologies will really give students a unique, never before seen perspective, which may inspire some excited discussion in the classroom and even ignite some new motivation in students to look at studying science and technology. Again, we see the online world continue to contribute innovation to education. Just another aspect of University 2.0.

The World Wide Telescope Video

Google Sky Video

This Video is hilarious! Take a break and have a laugh at our techno crazy world.

“Imagine an electronic page for each species of organism on Earth, available everywhere by single access on command.” - Edward O. Wilson

This project is awesome in scope and looks to be be an amazing resource for the field of science and the world at large. It also serves as an example and reminder to institutions of higher education of the potential and power that online collaboration through technologies bring to the field of educating.

Watch the video:

What does Encyclopedia of Life seek to accomplish? What are its objectives?
“Ultimately, the Encyclopedia will serve as an online reference source and database for every one of the 1.8 million species that are named and known on this planet, as well as all those later discovered and described. Encyclopedia of Life will be used as both a teaching and a learning tool, helping scientists, educators, students, and the community at large gain a better understanding of this planet and all who inhabit it.” - View the Site

Are we educating people out of creativity? This video is a must-see for every parent and teacher. Education guru Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. Sir Ken Robinson is author of “Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative,” and a leading expert on innovation in education and business. (Recorded February, 2006 in Monterey, CA.)

“Nicholas Negroponte is former Director of the MIT Media Lab, and founder of the non-profit, One Laptop Per Child, dedicated to making the famed $100 laptop a reality. In this talk, he outlines some of the challenges of getting a $100 laptop produced, and explains why he stepped down as Media Lab director to focus on it full-time, “for the rest of my life.” (Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 18:21)

Here is a short video that describes the topic of mobile learning and more specifically how an ipod can be used as a personal learning device.

The follwing video was brought to my attention by Brian Childs, a friend and editor of the BGSU OD Resource blog. The video is a fast paced journey through the evolution of the Internet and how our use of it has matured. A topic of interest here at TerenceOnline is Web 2.0 in education and this video shows the process of change from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. It is a little tech heavy which might lose some folks, however, I think most will understand the message. Feel free to leave your comments: