TED Community » Rhonda Likins

More About Me

I'm passionate about

First and foremost, learning the Turkish language and my future career in design. These two are the most important aspects of my life and potentially my role in the future.

Talk to me about

Languages, language learning,Cultures of your country, Ottoman Empire, Tukish tea, coffee, and culture. Ancient cultural histories of the Middle East, Greece. graphic design, art, mythology.

Comments

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• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Where can I go to sign up for a course? Where is the starting line?

  Aug 2 2012: Cool Im actually a fan of Ken Robinson's talks on creativity and how the world education system needs changing to fit modern times. His talk about changing education paradigms was very eye opening. I actually talk about him as well in the afore mentioned blog post about self paced online education. The post was about revealing how it seems kids are learning better from watching YouTube videos than in the actual class rooms.
  
  And I agree, this Corusera sounds really great, I just wish I had known of them in 2010 instead of enrolling in the online course I did :X
• +3

  A comment on Talk: Sherry Turkle: Connected, but alone?

  Aug 2 2012: A very good topic that more need to be aware of and that needs to be changed. maybe time to replace the mobile phones with plain old wrist watches. Really why do people feel the need to risk the dangers of making a call or texting while driving? If you're at work, Do you REALLY need to check your e-mail right this second? And by the way, I am speaking as someone who does use a mobile phone, however I really almost never use the text feature on my phone. And I don't care who is calling, if I am driving, I let it ring. I got rid of my FB account and refuse to ever get on Twitter.
  
  I spent two years isolating myself and had only an online social life in chat rooms and online games. And it hurt my social interaction skills and if anything was causing me to be more of an introvert than I had been before, and Im in my 30s. Now Im trying to make up that time by actually going out and meeting people face to face and talking in real time. I want to make real friends to go out and do things with, and chat with.
  
  And I die a little inside every time I see a child being kept "distracted" by a cartoon playing on an iPad or NoteBook,so they don't throw a tantrum while waiting at a doctors office for example. I think we're loosing sight of what it means to desire social interaction and letting machines be surrogate companions. Our fascination with this technology is changing society. Im sure there are a number of TedTalks about this, such as the talk by Amber Case. It just astonishes me how so many people are just going along with this.

• A reply on Conversation: Where can I go to sign up for a course? Where is the starting line?

  Aug 2 2012: Its online and its not-for-profit. I'll grant that KhanAcadamy doesn't seem to have much in the way of certified professors rather relying on a few subject specialists among a ton of software engineers.
  
  And my concern was not about the difference between a degree and this certificate from Coursera, so much as to if businesses will recognize it for possible candidates for hire.

• A comment on Conversation: Where can I go to sign up for a course? Where is the starting line?

  Aug 1 2012: I wrote about online education in my blog recently and mentioned Salman Khan's Khan Acadamy. Its basically the same premise. (And he even did a TedTalk about it in 2011) I am all for free education . But it may also mean that many business corporations everywhere, will have to change their requirements for hire or they eliminate the thousands of potentially prime candidates for hire because they require that MBA or BA is something. They would have to determine if the "certificate" you get for completing one of these online courses will or will not be recognized. Speaking as someone who spent 5 years in college from High school, and couldn't find any work in my desired graphic design field, I am a little jaded. Id hate to put in the time for these courses and not be hired because my degree wasn't from a "credible" University.

• A comment on Talk: Malte Spitz: Your phone company is watching

  Jul 28 2012: Chris Barlow has a good point. Its kind of scary. Monitoring like that seems to have the unfortunate potential to be only a stone's throw from control. Though didn't he say this was going on in China? And speaking of Egypt, why else would the it's government lock down the internet. Well of course we all know now it was the attempt to suppress the ability to influence other people in other locations. And we all know how well that worked out.
  
  So maybe not so much as a way to control the way we use the products, but they might use the data to specifically target you as a demographic of one person. And you figure if they are tracking where you regularly go, they can target you with radio ads for example of businesses in your areas of interest, that are along your usual rout. But then we'd know that the phone company is selling that data don't you think?
• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Do you have a Facebook account? If yes, why? If no, why not?

  Jul 22 2012: If someone has to work on the weekends, they really couldn't care less you're "just so happy cause it's Friday" so you really did NOT need to post that to your updates.
  
  I suppose I would be in the classification of not having one, even though I used to. Because I don't use it anymore and don't see myself ever going back. And it was because of stupid update like that. I agree with Tatjana and think too many people use FB as a kind of substitute for real face-to-face friendships. And I also agree that some people are putting way too much credence into it. I've read where in some cases, material from FB is admissible in court for like divorce proceedings.
  
  I used to socialize a lot online, though rather than through FB, my thing was MMOs, then later chat sites. And that harmed my ability to socialize in-person. Thankfully in 2010 I gave all that up and began a new education and a new passion in Turkish language learning. So now when I socialize on the net, Its as a tool for career networking and towards my education. And Im actually going out now and trying to make up for that lost time and seek out people locally who share my interests.
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  A comment on Conversation: How does the use of the internet as a means of communication affect our ability to form relationships?

  Jul 22 2012: It's certainly made the world a much smaller place. Fritzie brings up some good points.The web has allowed me to meet people who are in countries that I may never have the chance to go to. But I think I have experienced the down side as well which I am trying to remedy now. And that was how it may have hindered my social face-to-face skills somewhat. By that I mean when you're hidden in anonymity you don't worry about the visual image you portray.
  
  Little over two years ago there was a span of my life where my only interactions with anyone was online. I secluded myself from the outside world. I made "acquaintances" in other states and countries over the net but as there was not the chance for that personal bonding, there was probably no way I could go so far as to call them friends. And in doing so, neglected potential true friendships locally. However in 2010, I gave up the gaming and chat sites and turned my focus on learning. I began to study the Turkish language, and began an online Graphic Design course. So I still use the internet but now it is a tool to network to people in many places, and for learning. And I am going out more, meeting people locally, seeking people with the same interests.
  
  So moral is, the internet is fine in moderation, just don't neglect or take for granted the close, face to face personal friendships/relationships you may have.