Assignment 1: Web Resources

1) Copyright Issues with Internet Use
netmanners.com
This site addresses copy right issues online and specifically enforces that information found online is not public simply because it is online. Laws do indeed exist to ensure that credit it given where deserved and someone cannot speak another's word as his own. Netmanners.com discusses seven particular misconceptions held by interent users to convey lawful information. I learned that giving credit is not enough and it is necessary to contact the author for permission to use their work for your own public purposes. I also did not know that emails are automatically copyrighted and no one can post of private email to a public space without permission.

copyright.gov
This governmental website provides detailed information about specific copyright laws. Constitutional sections are cited and legal jargon is transposed to common terms. Infringement is defined to be any copies, public reproduction or display of an author's work done by anyone but the author. Interestingly, Section 107 of the law exempts criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research from standard infringement punishment. This site also explains what an author should do if his/her work has been wrongfully copied and furthur details sections of the law.

2) Equity Issues
avln.org
This website, by Ray Ostrander, specifically addresses equity within computer classes. The discussion points out that girls and colored students tend to be neglected in technological education settings. This inequality is due to a culture that identifies white males as most successful with technology. Attitudes like this can effect the way teachers treat other students and create negative feelings toward computer use within the child. By treating girls and coloreds as if they are second best, they will begin to belive that this is true and could severely impact the demographics of technologically advanced indivuiduals in the future.

ncrel.org
The main issue discussed in this website is equal availability of technological resources to all students. To ensure equal access, funding must be disbursed appropriately. The National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering are cited as supporters of the technological movement to "promote educational opportunities for all students". Technology can bring the same online opportunities and resources to all students, assuming schools can afford the technology in the first place; technology can bring resources and virtual applications to students that would cost much more in reality. Equity between schools with diverse economic statuses is essential to prevent a widening of the existing achievement gap.

3) Cultural Issues
fctd.info
This website for The Family Center on Technology and Disbility provides many articles on cultural issues realted to technolgy. I read one about ethnic minority populations' experiences with assistive technology. The most common issue between these different minority groups was the language barrier. Lack of information and funding was also an issue and many minorities would be considered to be living in poverty. Another factor for technological issues with ethnic groups was distrust of the unknown communities and fearing to ask for help.

notesandsketches.co.uk
This website talks about past cultures and what we currenly know about them. An aspect of past culture we analyze is their technolgy, even if the ancient people did not have accesss to what we consider technological innovations curerntly, they still made use of different ways to build, travel, and live. For example, we find historic examples of castles, pyrimids, weapons, and homesteads. Different cooking mechanisms were developed and farming soon took hold, a huge revelation which without we would not exist as we do today. Technology in the past was much simpler but a more basic and natural way to be in-tuned with the world around you that I think we lack as a society today.

4) Health Issues
http://heheli.com/business/top-4-health-problems-caused-by-computer-use/
Hehelo.com lists  the top four health issues caused by computer use: eye disease, bad posture, hurting hands and computer stress injuries. Regarding eye health, the site suggests looking away from the screen occasionally to prevent strain from starring. Computer use could also be linked to glaucoma. Bad posture can develop from prolonged computer use and posture has a huge effect on neck, back, and overall health. they suggest sitting with elbows bent at 90 degrees with a straight back. Hurting hands can happen after long days on a computer; carple tunnel has happened often to frequent computer users. Lastly, stress from sitting in a fixed spot or stress from technological malfunctions can increase chance of heart disease. All of this said, I wonder if we should be introducing computers to children at such a young age while their bodies are still developing.

http://www.healthy.net/scr/condition.aspx?ConditionId=327
Healthy.net provides links to all different sites and articles for different computer health issues. I chose to read about proper typing technique. Aching shoulders and cramped hands are often a result of long hours typing. With such repetitive activities, our brain tends to tense our bodies in preparation for the next keystroke so it is important to conciously relax your shoulder, arm, and hand muscles. We also develop the tendency to hold out breath in these situations so focusing on regular, slow deep breaths can combat the tension and enduce relaxation while computing.