Social Engineering

Social Engineering

What is it???

According to www.social-engineer.org

Social Engineering is:

• a blend of science, psychology and art
• any act that influences a person to take an action that may or may not be in their best interest
• not always negative

What look for???

According to www.tripwire.com the following are common attacks:

1. Phishing - most common, incorporate fear and a sense of urgency
2. Pretexting - create fabricated scenario with goal of gaining personal information
3. Baiting - promise of an item or good that may entice the victim
4. Tailgating - “piggybacking” - following and employee into a restricted area
5. Quid Pro Quo - promise a benefit in exchange for information

How to Protect Yourself

According to www.webroot.com the following are good techniques

• Slow down
• Research the facts
• Reject request for help or offers
• Don’t let a link control where you landBeware of downloads
• Do not open suspicious emails
• Set your spam filters high
• Secure your computing device

On Demand Learning

The Phenomenon of On Demand Learning

Application #1: Desmos

Desmos is a graphing calculator that can be used on any device.

Some features include:

• Graphing Linear, Quadratic and Exponential Equations
• Variable sliders to quickly manipulate the graph
• Set min and max values
• Pre-made lessons and assignments
• Can utilize a classroom code to monitor your students progress
• Import pictures to the background to mimic graphs
• Can create multiple coloured graphs
• Connects with your gmail account

Application #2: Remind

Communication tool for teachers and students (or teams, clubs, group). I have used this app for the past 3 years with great success.

Some features include:

• Instant communication with students, parents, or any group
• No phone numbers are used or visible by either party
• Send quick reminders for homework, due dates, game times, ect.
• Can attach files and pictures
• Scheduling capabilities

Application #3: Kahoot

A Kahoot is a collection of questions on specific topics. Created by teachers, students, business-people and social users, they are asked in real-time, to an unlimited number of “players”, creating a social, fun and game-like learning environment.

Features:

• Create unlimited amount of quizzes
• Share with others
• Can be private or public
• Unlimited users can participate
• Can find a large resource bank of topics
• Stats can be imported into a spreadsheet

Here is a link to one of my Kahoots on "Famous Slogans"

The Business Model CANVAS

The Business Model CANVAS

If you are teaching any type of business class, the Canvas Model is an excellent tool for students and business people alike to assist with organizing ideas and actions. In a nut shell, Wikipedia describes the "Business Model Canvas is a strategic management and lean startup template for developing new or documenting existing business models. It is a visual chart with elements describing a firm's or product's value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances."

An example of the Canvas Business Model

Some Benefits of using the Canvas Model:

1. Focus - narrows done ideas to make them manageable
2. Speed and Agility - It is just as easy to change as it is to create the model
3. Common Language - It is transparent to all who look at the Canvas
4. Value Proposition - It is centered on the key factor that drives the business

Some Great Resources:

Content - Description of the nine parts of the Canvas Model

Strategyzer - print material and books related to Canvas

Canvanizer - online tool with a yearly subcription

bmFiddle - free online tool

Forbes - Article on Canvas

Youtube - Tutorial Videos

Are their other applications to the Canvas Model? Maybe Science, Math....
Please post your thoughts.

App Review: Explee

Tech Tool Review:

Explee is the application that allows you to create powerful and efficient animated video. The whiteboard style called “whiteboard animation” or “video scribing“ is an efficient way to simply explain an idea, a project or a complex notion.

Some features include:

• A wide variety of clipart
• Ability to upload clipart
• Different looking font
• Animation and transitions
• A selection of music
• Ability to upload music
• Voice over option

Nothings for free. Costs???

• Educational 1 year subscriptions is $30 which allows you to create your videos and the option to upload them!!!
• Their is also a School plan option which is $30 a student. With this plan, you can share videos and teachers have the ability to manage their classroom through a dashboard.

Educational Applications:

• Introductory videos to a new topic
• Explanations of key concepts
• Advertisements (Business side of me)
• Reaching the audio/visual learners

Is it difficult to use??

NO!! This application must be one of the easiest tool I have used in a while. It is a drag-n-drop and does not take much time to create. If our have an idea or plan ready convert to a video it is a smooth transition. Check out the following video I did on the 4 P's of Marketing. It took me about 50 minutes to create, 5 minutes to download, and 5 minutes to upload to youtube for a grand total of one hour!! This was my first time using it!!

Sharks Tank and Dragons Den

For those not familiar with the shows (according to wikipedia);

Dragons' Den is a Canadian reality television format featuring entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas in order to secure investment finance from a panel of venture capitalists. Dragons Den is currently in season 13.

Shark Tank is an American reality television series that premiered August 9, 2009, on ABC. The show is a franchise of the international format Dragons' Den, which originated in Japan in 2001. Shark Tank shows aspiring entrepreneur-contestants make business presentations to a panel of "shark" investors, who then choose whether or not to invest. Shark Tank is currently in season 7.

For the past 5 years, I have incorporated both shows into the curriculum for all my business classes. Some example activities my students have participated in are:

• "Compare and Contrast" - students watch an episode and compare a contrast between a successful and unsuccessful pitch.
• "What would you do?" - students watch the entrepreneurs pitch and before the Dragons or Sharks begin, we have a class discussion on what we would do if we were the investors.
• Youthrive - my entrepreneur class participates in a venture project with the University of Windsor
• Class or School  Dragons Den - students compete in a Dragons Den style competition against classmates

The following is a list of learning skills that students can obtain by watching these two shows!!
Minus the barrage of insults from Kevin O'Leary!!

Communication Skills:

• Presentation Skills - how the entrepreneurs present their idea or product/service
• Negotiation Skills - between Sharks/Dragons and the entrepreneurs
• Idea Generator - stimulates new ideas and applications from the pitches

Business Concepts:
Each pitch highlights important business concepts like:

• Sales, Sales Forecasts, Cash flow & Margins
• Distribution & Supply Chain
• Differentiation, Copyrights & Patents
• Market Niche, Social and Traditional Marketing
• Royalties, Debt & Equity

Personal Growth:

• Inspirational - pitches that involve helping a community or those in need
• Motivation - the student edition episode highlights young budding entrepreneurs
• Excitement - encourages students to share their ideas