Mr. Salgado

  Image Source: Numerical Algorithms Group Have you noticed how TikTok and other social media platforms know exactly our likes, dislikes and mental state? How does it do it? Well, through an algorithm. An algorithm is as simple as a set of instructions, a math equation, or as complex as an efficient code that a computer uses to follow commands. Social media companies use that information to send us targeted media. The  Wall Street Journal  in 2022 investigated how TikTok tracks users interests. It created 100 bot accounts and assigned each bot different interest, which were not disclosed to the app. We would not be surprised if TikTok decided which videos to show on "for your page" by tracking likes, follows, and shares. Yet, the Wall Street Journal discovered that the algorithm only needs to know how long we spend watching a video and less than 40 minutes of total usage to know all of our interests and mental state. It is both amazing and scary that an application can learn

At my the last institute day I found interesting how the members of the math department interacted with each other. During one activity the presenter asked us to interact with someone we normally have very little contact with. As I looked around I noticed some teachers searched out people that worked at a different c ampus and had little contact with. There were others, including myself, that stayed in our comfort zone. This had me thinking about how our personality traits impact our participation in learning communities. This experience led me to take the following personality tests: 16 Personalities ,  Personality Type Indicator , and  Fivethirtyeight . Results All three personality test indicated that I am openminded, flexible, and have an adaptable approach to life. Even thought an introvert, when I get comfortable I make a good friend. The test suggest I am warm, friendly, caring, and able to pickup on unspoken feelings. After socializing with others I need alone time to recharge.

  photo taken by author Hello, my name is Enrique Salgado. This is my 11th year teaching high school math and my 6th year teaching it in Spanish. Teaching math in Spanish was challenging at first. When it was first proposed to me I thought that it would be a simple transition as I am a native Spanish speaker. I was wrong. It took a lot of work and time to learn how to teach both language and math. At the same time I had to learn the academic math vocabulary in Spanish and the different math notations used in Latin America. The transition was made easier by creating a learning community with my students. I can proudly say that I learned a lot from my students. Now, I never want to teach a math class that is not bilingual. I am open to learning and experiencing new things. In this class I look forward to learning about the uses of social media and emerging technologies in the classroom from all my classmates.  My usage of social media is limited to Facebook. I used to be more active on