The two faces of Wikipedia

An editorial is an opinion piece written by the senior editorial staff. I found interesting this article that talks about Wikipedia and how it's changed since its born in 2001.

My teachers told me to be careful to use Wikipedia as information source because everybody can edit it and the information could be incorrect or wrong. Therefore, most of them don't allow me to work on it, while others make me use it just as a starting point of my researches.

I've never thought about what was exactly Wikipedia; I just saw it as a reliable information source. Now, thanks to this article, I understand that it's important to have quickly information which, however, could be incorrect. Therefore, it's something useful to use carefully. 

A brighter future: five ideas that will change solar energy

Nowadays technology is improving quickly and the industry involved in researches in renewable energy created new technologies in the range of solar energy. Panel that never lose their focus: Their self-tracking solar concentrators can change their reflectivity depending on the direction of incoming sunlight. Therefore, they provide much more electricity than any other kind of panel. New solar panels from old car batteries: Old car batteries are being converted into long-lasting solar panels by researchers at MIT. Lead from a single car battery could produce enough solar panels to provide power for 30 households. The new color of clean energy: Lead from a single car battery could produce enough solar panels to provide power for 30 households.  Solar power with a view: A new solar concentrator has been developed which can be placed over windows to create solar energy. The solar harvesting system uses small organic molecules which absorb specific non-visible wavelengths such as ultraviolet and near infrared. Solar cells that keep their cool: Solar cells can easily reach temperatures as high as 55 degrees Celsius. Some scientists at Stanford University have developed a glass that can redirect any infrared radiation which causes heat, preventing the solar cells from heating up.

                                       

Web 2.0 Multimedia Blog Pre-Posting

                              

This year I chose to take Biotechnology at the Wood-Ridge High School because it's the only scientific class I hadn't taken in Italy yet. Mr. Colarusso teaches there. He studied Biology and Education at Kean University, Rider College and the University of Rhode Island. He has also a passion for music, in fact actually he teaches Biology, Biotechnology and Genetics and he's also the musical director of our Drama and Musical.

Before I joined the class, I wasn't sure of what I was going to do and what was exactly Biotechnology. However, I wanted to try something new concerning sciences, and at first it was difficult for me because I didn't understand what the teacher said. Just after a couple of days I began learning about DNA, drugs, and the meaning of Biotechnology (What is Biotechnology?).

                                               

The course is not like the ones in Italy. Here the teacher, in addition to explaining concepts, let us work by ourselves and make us do many group projects. That's cool but also difficult for me because I cannot interact with them efficiently. My English is not good yet and the technical terms are hard to say and to understand. We usually use computers for the projects and scientific instruments for the experiments. 

Here's the Grading Policy:

• Tests 40%
• Homework/Participation 10%
• Laboratory Reports/Projects 25%
• Quizzes 15%
• Informal Assessments 10% 

Mr. Colarusso Home Page

Educational Technology and Copyright 

Law

The article talks about the Copyright Law, when it's applied, and how to respect it without getting in trouble. Copyright is applied in almost all cases concerning the works of authorship which include literary, written, dramatic, artistic, musical and certain other types of works. 

It protects author's idea from anybody wanting to use it for own intent without the agreement with authors, even if the work is just a doodle. But it's not always protected. It's possible to reproduce in copies for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research. These are not infringement of copyright.

3D Robotics IRIS+

3D Robotics IRIS+ drone goes hands-free with Follow Me technology

GoPro Cameras are used all around the world by lovers of extreme sports, and the web is nowadays full of videos filmed by free-ride skiers and bikers with a GoPro on their helmet doing the craziest tricks to raise their popularity. But now the art of filming extreme personal videos has increased its potentiality thanks to IRIS+, the new technological product of 3D Robotics.
IRIS+ is a personal drone that's able to fly with remote control or autonomously with Mac, PC, Linux or Android device. It's a robot that automatically fly itself where you tell it to go, or you can make it do that manually using the controller. But the innovation consists in the 3PV Follow Me mode: just carrying a GPS enabled Android device, the IRIS+ can easily fllow and film you, capturing sweeping videos from a perspective unlike any other.