I have to admit that Alison in Wonderland video was both trippy and better than what I am going to be able to do. Secondly, I will answer the easy question: Of course I have never made a mash up or remix. I am electronically challenged. And I have also never heard about mash up culture, but here I go…

I will start off by saying I am the biggest advocate of self learning. Learning is a pursuit of knowledge, and it has to be something you chase after yourself. It can not be forced upon you. I love physics and most of what I have learned has been outside of the classroom. The article makes a good point about learning being physical, relevant, and hands on…but I do not think that it has to be. I think much can be taken away from observation and solely mental endeavors.

I think one of the best points made is “School doesn’t encourage breaking the law”. Advancement and innovation will never happen if people don’t step outside of the box and challenge what they have been taught. We are turned into sheep, and we follow and act as a heard…. afraid to step out of line.

As for teachers, the article seems to ask questions that are not that relevant in my opinion. The questions being asked are bland and political, the questions that should be being asked are: 1. Why do you teach? 2. Do you feel passionate about what you teach? and 3. What is the most important thing to you about teaching?

The article talks about the tools and technology teachers do and should be using, and earlier talks about taking it to the next level and being more creative and also more technology friendly. I do not think technology needs to creep into the classroom much more than it has, the human element is what needs to be revitalized, and teachers need to open up the flood gates for the fountain of knowledge to flow to all those who have the thirst for it.

In Dr. Mashup the author makes the interesting connection between mashups and digital “3rd parties”. The whole internet seems to have mashed up information into a giant chow with any and all flavors one seeks to focus their taste on. The internet’s most beautiful treasure is the ability to freely share information. Vast amounts. And the idea that something can be thought of as unoriginal because someone else may have finished what another started is sickening. Isaac Newton stood on the shoulders of giants, and so has every scientist since him. Would you call their work uncreative? It is absurd to think that something should have to be a solo effort for it to be deamed creative!

No I do not Not NOT believe that mashups are an assault on originality. It gives us the potential to feed off each other and do things that one person alone could not do physically or mentally. I think the article did well to offer suggestions on how to make the internet more “free” and accessible. Taking down some of the stricter copyrights and restrictions. Lastly, I think it is a huge stretch to say that Yahoo!’s Pipes are the greatest thing to happen to the internet. I think the idea of a search engine such as google might take the cake for that one. Or even one of the runner ups would be better…maybe youtube, facebook, or digitalmichaelrobo. Kidding of course on that last one, but seriously that was a little alarming to hear and it is maybe because we take what we already have for granted. I agree that educational institutions are beginning to embrace this interactive technology such as Pipes, but I do not think that technology is necessary for human thought and understanding to advance. Learning is something the humans will have to put on their shoulders, not the computers.

If we can let go of our greed and pride we may be able to accomplish some amazing things, but if we demand a certain amount of praise to be awarded to achievement than we will all be sitting around waiting for our pat on the back.