3.1 Read: About The Future
3.1 Topic Development
"The Future" is an enormous topic and needs to be narrowed down. First you are going to explore some ideas before you choose a topic on which you will become a "content expert".
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Open your learning guide for unit 3 and follow the directions below to complete Assignment 3.1: Topic Exploration. |
1. Google It: Often our first action is to put our question into Google. For specific research there are better options, but for exploring a topic give it a whirl. Type in the question "What Does the Future Look Like?"
a. Google will make predictions as you type (called autocomplete). Follow this link to learn about AUTOCOMPLETE and answer the questions in your learning guide for Part A.
b. Choose two topics that turned up in autocomplete. Write these down on your worksheet for Part B. Notice if yours were the same as the one above or not.
c. Use the description in the snippet below the search result to determine if the item is worth opening to find narrower topics to explore. Pick four websites, paste the URL and browse the site to list narrower topics that interest you. Write these down on your worksheet for Part C. Below is an example:
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UrL: https://www.ted.com/playlists/85/what_does_the_future_look_like |
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Topics: human development, cyborg, reliance on technology, future of planet, aging, farming and computers, brain power, transportation |
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Url: |
Note: When you open the website you (like the example) you may decide to just skim the content or listen or read more in-depth depending on what interests you.
d. Sometimes it helps to think in categories to generate ideas. For example, from the topics above two categories to further explore could be transportation and health.
Use the Jasmine Directory which is organized in topics to click on topics and subtopics and browse results to create a list of 5 new categories you haven't mentioned. Write these down on your worksheet for Part D.
e. There are many websites built for content curation which are a good place to go for topics and sub-topics in an area. Try one of these sites: Type in the word future OR use one of your more general topics from above like "future of planet" or "future of human body" etc. more general topic like and make a list of 5 lists that interest you. Write these down on your worksheet for Part E.
Pinterest Note: account required
After all this you should hopefully have a good idea for a topic that is neither to broad or too specific, and that has something to do with what the future will look like and what will be your role.
If so you are ready to become a content curator!