Google Day #1

3 goals for the day

1. What career is good for me?
2. What classes does Duke offer?
3. What are the benefits of studying in Duke?

Links with description of why they are useful to your goals

  

1. What Career is right for me:

http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/mmdi/questionnaire/

I took a couple of test to see what I would be good at. At the end, I did not get clear results. Right now I feel like I need direction, since I don't know what would suit me best. I am not looking for something in specific, though I like physiology a lot. I was hoping my results matched  to something concerning human understanding. 

2.What classes does Duke offer?

http://admissions.duke.edu/education/majors

Here I can see the careers and classes that Duke has to offer. Seeing the classes can help me choose something I like. This university offers physiology, something I am very interested in (enjoy though I could be flexible to other careers). 

3.What are the benefits of studying in Duke?

http://admissions.duke.edu/ask

My cousin is studying in Duke. She is always talking about how great it is and that she is really happy. 

Duke offers summer programs. This would be a good idea to get to know the campus and university better. 

Duke enriches its students emotionally, socially and mentally. 

Due to the campus and areas of study, Duke is an inspiring setting in which students can express themselves and be different/special.

Dukes admissions are very low. Though I love this university, and being from Colombia gives me positive points, it is almost unrealistic to be accepted. 

Duke also looks not only at exams, but also at GPA's considering the fact that some schools count GPA scores differently than others. Due to the "enrichment" of the campus, Duke as well as other university looks for people that are different and can stand out.

OTHER INFO:

 ""We recommend four years of English and at least three years of mathematics, natural science, foreign language and social studies. We also encourage you to enroll in advanced-level work in as many of these areas as possible. We generally expect students to enroll in five academic courses per year, and if a student does not take four years in a particular subject area, it should be replaced with an academic course of equal rigor. If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering, calculus is required before you enroll. We also strongly recommend, but do not require, that you have taken physics."

(http://admissions.duke.edu/ask)

I should be planning my classes and focus on taking as many as I can to be prepared. This can also help me to be prepared for other universities in the future that might want a area of thinking that is more concrete and formed due to these classes.

One thing that you want to learn next Google day

Next time I will explore my area of interest and see what other universities have to offer me. 

I would also like to take another test for "person type" to see what suits me. 

Virtualization

-Topic name: Virtualization

-What you know  about the topic before your research:

• Sims is a virtual world
• You can have virtual profiles on the internet
• Virtual is something that is not in shape (you cannot touch it)

-What you wonder or questions you have about the topic before researching (at least 2):

1. What is virtualization
2. How does the use of virtualization affect people around the world. 

-Links to where you found the most useful information (at least 2, NOT Wikipedia, although you can use it to help you)

• to create a virtual version of a device or resource, such as a server, storage device, network or even an operating system where the framework divides the resource into one or more execution environments. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/V/virtualization.html
• This link talkes about how industries should convert into virtual world because it would have a larger impact on more people. http://www.itworld.com/nls_windowsserver050411
• This link might seem as very unreliable (for dummies) though it really sais, in simple worlds, why virtualization is important for saving money, energy, and space. http://www.dummies.com/store/product/Virtualization-For-Dummies.productCd-0470148314.html
• http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/several-ways-to-explain-virtualization-to-a-non-techie-person/ These are analogies on what virtualizaion is, to get your mind around it. This page is for non tech people, who are just understanding a basic overview.  

-Bullet list of things you learned about the topic (at least 5)

• Analogy taken from http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/several-ways-to-explain-virtualization-to-a-non-techie-person/Imagine you are a parent of four teenage daughters. All your life you have wanted to provide your daughters with their very own “resources,” like their own bedrooms, their own bathrooms, their own computers, their own clothes, etc., but you just could not afford to do it.What if I could tell you how to give them all everything they wanted and they really believed that they each had their own bedrooms and bathrooms, but in reality you only had to build one bedroom and one bathroom? You would be well within your budget, your daughters would be very happy, and you would not be using space, materials and money to build all those separate rooms. 

This is an analogy taken from the same webpage, where you can see the idea por virtualization in a more precise way.  

In the past, the server was a like a very expensive hotel. It was the worst kind of hotel. It only had one big room and only one person could stay there. However, all employees, whether they were the CEO or copy-boy, had to stay there if they were away on business.

This is like the guest operating system being installed to a physical server. Half the time the occupant is out doing other things, asleep, or just lying on the bed surfing up and down the channels looking for the type of channels his wife wouldn’t let him have at home. This is like when Linux or Windows is idling and only using 5% – 10% of CPU or memory. It became considered too costly to build such hotels and filling them with one occupant was very wasteful – because they consume heat, water and power – and most of the time the single occupant either wasn’t there or was asleep!

So someone had the idea of a better hotel, one which was divided into a series of different rooms. Each could be different sizes and offer different qualities of service. It didn’t matter what one guest did in one room, as it could not affect others. This hotel had really thick sound insulation so you couldn’t hear the wedding party downstairs or the newlyweds doing newlywed things next door.

On the top floor beyond the bridal suite, were the penthouse suites which were reserved for the high rollers, specifically for Mr. Exchange, Miss, SQL and Mrs. SAP – but in other floors the rooms were barely large enough to swing a small furry animal – this is where Mr. DHCP and Dr. DNS resided. The old hotel was so expensive only people like Howard Hughes could afford a room there – but this new, more efficient, hotel cost the same to build and maintain – and everyone could find a room that was suitable for their needs – from the odd billionaire to the business man on an overnight stay before catching a flight. It also meant we had to build fewer hotels.

The other thing we discovered was when Mr. Exchange or Miss SQL weren’t around or sleeping – as they were consuming less resources – their resources could be divvied out to the residents in the hotel to improve their experience. It would be easier to get that table in the fancy restaurant, and it was quicker to get served in the bar. Finally, the old hotel model died a swift and untimely death when the economy fell off the end of a cliff. It became increasingly regarded as a luxury no company could afford. The Hotel Virtualization model ruled the roost because it offered the most flexible model of accommodating guest operating systems with their wildly different resource demands.

•  People can do something virtual and gain money as well as time. Since it is easy to access and understand, it can satisfy many peoples needs
• The using of virtualization involves less resources for the same or better result. 

Definition of VIRTUAL

1

: being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted <a virtual dictator>

2

: of, relating to, or using virtual memory

3

: of, relating to, or being a hypothetical particle whose existence is inferred from indirect evidence <virtual photons>— compare real 3

4

: being on or simulated on a computer or computer network<print or virtual books> <a virtual keyboard>: as

a : occurring or existing primarily online <a virtual library><virtual shopping>

b : of, relating to, or existing within a virtual reality <a virtualworld> <a virtual tour>

-A short summary of how this topic connects/relates to you or your life

Virtualization is a big part of my life, as well as the wold in general. We are constanty connected to different servers, all composed by virtual influences. Propaganda on the interntet is a large part that happens while we are connected. We are affected by this even in a way that we dont know. Stimulation  on the internet can lead you to a larger personal development (positive or negative). 

-Questions you still have (at least 1)

IS THERE A WAY TO HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF THIS?

I don't feel I understand this idea completely. 

Design project-day 5

TO DO-day 5LEARN phase3. On your blog, reflect on the following questions 

-What was the biggest problem you encountered? How did you solve it?One of the biggest problems we had was the day of building the game, we had to work really had since our model was complicated to make. We had to figure out how to re create the ducks as well as the water. At the end we improvised and made the water with some blue paper and the ducks with lots of creativity! -When did you get your biggest "AH HA" idea? What was it?The best idea stared at the begging, when we planned the math involved in the game. I thought it gave the game a deeper meaning and a fun way to learn problems. The children would be interested not only in the prize, but also in the problems that they had to solve.  -Who in your group resisted new ideas the most and why?The person who resisted more was me. I had an initial idea of the fishing booth with another shape and the idea of the problems differed  Throughout the process, I changed the game the other members wanted to do and at the end, the game was almost as my initial idea. -What doubts did YOU have about the project and how did you overcome those doubts?I had lots of doubts about this project. One of them was the making of the game. Since the model was very complicated to make, we planned to get together in one house. At the end, we could not do it. We came to class with the fear that we would not be able to finish it in time, but at the end we did and had a wonderful product. -Who in your group played "devil's advocate" (a person who questions everything, even good ideas) and how did that help the process?-I was the devils advocate because I had several doubts about the plan we had done. Lots of things did not make sense to me (not realistic). One of them was to put water in the box. I did not know how that would be possible in the first place. Only the filling of the box would be very heavy to carry and the presentation would be a mess. This made the game change and at the end we replaced the water for paper. -What did you learn about yourself, teamwork, and the design process?
What I leared about myself is that I can really work better under pressure. I did not know that (I did not feel comfortable). The learning process done in class helped me on the non-pressure. In the day of the creation of the project there was a lot to do and I think I produced in one hour what normally I would have done in 2. Team work made everything easier. I liked my group and we all coped with each other all the time. I think this affected the good product at the end (we all were friends and gave lots of effort on it).

Amazon CWW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT8-Ftcc798

TO DO-Day 3

TO DO-Day 3

Open a new blog post. Title it "Design project-day 3". Label it "Technology Topics" AND "Technology Skills"

CHOOSE phase (15 minutes)

1. Review your description of your user from DEFINE phase (day 1) and what makes a game fun for that group.

"2. Choose an idea and lists all the things about this idea that makes it fun/good for the group who will play it.-Mathematical pond:This is a very good idea because:-It is a mini pond that has fake plastic fish in it with hoops in the top. The fishing pole will be a stick with a small paper clip that fishes the hooks. Then if they fish something, it will have an addition problem and if they solve it they get a proze (we dont know what the prices will be yet.)-Colorful-We will make it girly.-Fun to play."

-Do these descriptions match your game...why or why not? (on blog)

This descriptions parlty match my game because it is still a mathematical pond, and it will teach the kids math. The fish were changed to ducks. The prize will be candy. Though the game changed, I think it will be really fun for the kids. 

2. What are the most powerful ideas in your model that you want to keep? (on blog)

The most powerful idea in my model is the mathematics involved. If I would have had a game like this at that age, I think I would know math a lot better. 

3. What are the things you can leave off to simplify the game? (on blog)

IMPLEMENT phase (10 minutes)

Make a build plan

I think that even though the math is important, we have to rethink the problems and equations to match our young audience. 

1. What needs to be done to make the model, step by step, who will do each? (on blog)

I think that we sould meet in a house or after school to complete it because it is a very complicated model to do. 

Beatriz:ducks, paper clips

Luciana: candy

Camila: plastic box

Daniela:Cartulina (plateada, azul mas colores grandes), decorations, fish decorations (acuario)

2. What supplies do you need besides cardboard, tape, scissors? Who will bring those? (on blog)

Plastic box, decorations, fish tank decore, toys etc

Design Project day 2

TO DO-Day 2

 Open a new blog post. Title it "Design project-day 2". Label it "Technology Topics" AND "Technology Skills"

PROTOTYPE phase (60 minutes-1/2, 15 minutes 3/4))

1. Look at the drawings from each person in your group and discuss strengths and weaknesses of each (on blog)

    -Decide which model has the most strengths (on blog): 

Camilas has the strongest idea

    -Decide on the details from the other models that you will include (on blog): 

We will have to make it a square

    -Decide what might need to be added or taken away from the model in #1 (on blog)

2. Make a mini model of your idea that works (photo on blog)

3. Share it with the class (along with who your "users" are and why this would be fun for that group.

4. Write down feedback (on blog) that you get from classmates

    -What was good: the idea, fun, as a prize

    -What should you consider changing?

instead of having water, put it into a container or make the water paper balls

Design project-day 1

GROUP: Daniela Cepeda, Camila Preciado, Beatriz Pena, Luciana

• DEFINE PHASE (about 15 minutes)

1.GAME FOR: Primary Girls

2. DIFFICULTY OF GAME: Easy

3. Brainstorm ideas about what makes a game fun or successful (at least 5...should be more):

-Have a winner

-Have rules

-Not boring colors

-Easy to understand

-Have a prize

• RESEARCH  PHASE (about 15 minutes)

1. EACH member of the group will now go to their own computer and watch 3 videos of other games that have been made at home by people. -and for EACH tell what you thought was good/fun about the game 

    -and what you think can be improved:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0hyIrc7Tdo

  This game was very cool. This quy made a pond with card board and card board fish for young knid. It is easy to make and you can also teach kids different skills like math (multiplication, division  add and subtract etc). What we could improve is to make it more arcadish. 

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P03PeFuywg&NR=1&feature=endscreen

This is a very easy to make game also. This has a little ramp where you through a ball and it has to go through two little wholes. This seems nice for girls if we paint it with fun colors and work on it a little more, to include prizes. 

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d-30NB_Rf0

This is a nice idea too! It is similar to the one above though we could make it not one box, instead put two together to create a distance between the person and the wholes, that way they would take a longer time to get it right. 

   

• IDEATION PHASE (about 30 minutes)

Ideation Phase: 

1. Brainstorm ideas for your game (make sure to keep in mind your target group and what you think makes a game fun)-Mathematical Pond- Miniature Basket ball-Mini beanbag launching

2. Choose an idea and lists all the things about this idea that makes it fun/good for the group who will play it.-Mathematical pond:This is a very good idea because:-It is a mini pond that has fake plastic fish in it with hoops in the top. The fishing pole will be a stick with a small paper clip that fishes the hooks. Then if they fish something, it will have an addition problem and if they solve it they get a proze (we dont know what the prices will be yet.)-Colorful-We will make it girly.-Fun to play.

3. Make a list of things that you think could go wrong with your idea and how you can avoid those-The game could fall apart so we need to make it carefuly.-The game could be dull, so we need to add more ideas to it.-The game could spill, so we need to put a lot of tape inside so it does not leak. 

1. Get back together with your group and tell them about the games you saw, what was good/fun and what could be improved

2. Brainstorm ideas for your game (make sure to keep in mind your target group and what you think makes a game fun)

3. Choose an idea and lists all the things about this idea that makes it fun/good for the group who will play it.

4. Make a list of things that you think could go wrong with your idea and how you can avoid those