Angel of Death

Angel of Death

            The Holocaust was a horrible time in history where Germany methodically exterminated approximately six million Jews. By the end of World War 2, it is estimated that two out of three European Jews died (The Holocaust). Many of these would perish at the hands of Dr. Josef Mengele in Auschwitz’s death camp. Mengele was one of several doctors working at Germany’s concentration camps, but he never treated the sick or wounded, but instead performed inhumane experiments on Jewish people who were brought to Auschwitz earning him the nickname “Angel of Death” (Angel of Death).

            Josef Mengele was born March 16, 1911 to a well-to-do family. Before joining the Nazi party, he studied philosophy at Munich and medicine at Frankfort University earning a doctorate by age 24 (Angel of Death). He joined the Nazi party in 1937 followed by the SS in 1938. While fighting in World War II, he was wounded at the Russian front in 1942 and declared to be unfit for active duty. It was at this time that he volunteered to be assigned to a concentration camp. He was sent to Auschwitz where he spent his time performing lethal experiments (Among the most infamous). In 1945, when the war ended, he escaped the Allies by posing as a simple solder and working as a farmhand (Pavia).

            During the twenty-one months that Mengele worked in Auschwitz, he was the principal supplier for the gas chamber and the crematoria (Angel of Death). He continued his interest in genetics by performing many experiments on the prisoners that were brought there. These included both physical and psychological, many performed without the use of anesthesia. He would intentionally infect the prisoners with diseases and would document how things progressed, and would end by autopsying them. While he carried out genetic experiments on many prisoners, his preference was twins (Mengele’s twins). All the documentation that Mengele kept on his lethal “scientific” experiments where secreted away before the war ended and shipped to the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute (Angel of Death). Unfortunately, all of these records were destroyed by Dr. Von Verschuer (Angel of Death).

            When Auschwitz was released from German occupancy, Mengele and other officers had already left the camp (Minster). He posed as farmhand before fleeing to South America in 1949 with the assistance of his father’s wealth and power. While Mengele was in South America, he lived under many aliases moving from country to country, preferring to keep to rural towns where he continued his interest in medicine, specifically genetics (Angel of Death). He is thought to have posed as a vet during the 1960’s in the small town of Candido where a large number of twins were born between 1960 and 1975, most who have blue eyes and blond hair (Mengele’s twins). There is also evidence that he treated women with new types of drugs whom he assisted during their pregnancies. He spoke about artificial insemination in humans and claimed he could produce male twins in cows (Did the Nazis). While Mengele was in South America, continuing his interest in medicine, he also continued writing diaries documenting his travels, and thoughts regarding politics, science and humanity (Mengele diaries). After his death in 1979, some 31 notebooks were recovered, auctioned and were donated to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel (Mengele’s diaries sold).

            While there is no official documentation regarding the atrocities that were carried out at Auschwitz by Mengele and other SS officers, there are numerous survivors who have given testimony to what they endured and witnessed. Quite a few of these survivors have suffered from health issues because of Mengele’s “scientific” experimentation. In addition, there are many who are still angry some sixty plus years later because of their barbaric treatment and loss of their family members.  

 

Works Cited

“Among the most infamous of Nazi war criminals was Dr. Josef Mengele.” First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life 191 (2009): 66. Academic One File.       Web. 30 Apr. 2014.

Angel of Death, Josef Mengele. Web 3 May 2014.

             http:///www.auschwitz.dk/mengle.htm.

The Holocuast, Crimes, Heroes and Villains. Web. 3 May 2014. http://auschwitz.dk/#.

“Mengele’s diaries sold—to an American Jew.” World War II Nov-Dec. 2011: 15. Academic One File. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.

“Mengele’s twins.” History Today 59.3 (2009): 9. Academic One File. Web. 30 Apr.           2014.

Minster, Christopher. “Josef Mengele, Nazi War Criminal.” Web. 3 May 2014.             http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/thehistoryofargentina/p/Josef-Mengele- Nazi-War-Criminal.htm?p=1

Minster, Christopher. “Ten Facts About Josef Mengele, The Auschwitz “Angel of   Death”.” Web. 3 May 2014. http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/thehistoryofargentina/tp/Ten-Facts-         About-Josef-Mengele.htm

 

Pavia, Will. “Mengele diaries tell of journey from horror into hiding.” Times [London,         England] 20 July 2011: 28. Academic One File. Web. 30. 2014.

Journal 8 - ENC 1102

Although I was very stressed out about this class on the first day, I have come to enjoy the course layout and the requirements that were expected of the students. I really enjoyed the various videos we have watched, and found many of them to be extremely educational. In addition to the videos, having the peer critique sessions prior to turning in our essays gave new insight for me when finalizing my essays. I think the biggest fear that I had in this class was the blogs, but after the first couple of posts, this also turned into a fascinating factor. I liked being able to read extra essays than the ones that I did during the critique sessions, which is how I would do my blog comment requirements. I also enjoyed reading the short journal entries which covered our initial thoughts about each video and the various ideas that each of my classmates presented. Overall, I would recommend this class to others needing ENC 1102.

Charter Schools

Charter Schools

          What is a Charter School? How is a Charter School different from traditional schools? How can traditional schools be improved to compete with the performance of Charter Schools? The answer to these questions and more may be what is needed to improve the public school system across the Nation.

          A Charter School is an independently run public school, both elementary and secondary, that has been freed from the rules and regulations in regards to curriculum guidelines that all public schools are required to follow (NEA). Because they are not required to follow the same guidelines as traditional schools, charter schools are held to a higher level of accountability (CA Charters). Charter schools are required to establish their mission, goals, methods of assessment and the ways in which they will measure success in a contract with the District (CA Charters). Charter schools are federally funded, just as traditional schools are, but most seek grants, donations and do fundraising to pay for their programs (CA Charters).

While charter schools are federally funded, they receive less per student than traditional schools. Also, they are privately organized, meaning that a group and/or organization are the main sponsors of the school. These sponsors are the creative minds behind the schools standards and decide which set of courses that will be used for instruction. Because Charter schools are not required to follow the same curriculum as traditional schools, they customarily take on a more rigorous program using different learning systems (CA Charter). This freedom from regulation allows charter schools to develop new and innovative teaching techniques (NEA). In addition to the difference in teaching and curriculum, charter schools develop a strong affiliation between parents, teachers and students (Public Charter). While many public schools also have this same relationship through PTA’s and PTSA’s, this membership and parental involvement with the public school system tends to dwindle as students progress from elementary to secondary schools.

There is a charter school in Arizona, BASIS, which has been ranked as the sixth best high school in the United States by Newsweek magazine (Kronholz). Their rugged academics are attracting students who admit they became bored with traditional schools. Students declare that there is an incredible amount of homework that they are required to do, but they push each other to succeed and acknowledge that it is “cool to be smart” (Kronholz). There is no tenure for the teachers at BASIS, but they do receive annual bonuses for student performance.

The heart of the charter school is that public schools should be held responsible for student education (Public Charters). They are closing the achievement gap and raising the bar of what is possible and what should be expected in the public school system (Public Charters). Businesses hold themselves to international standards, why not the public school system (Kronholz)? “The need for knowledge is in everybody. You just need to wake it up.” (Kronholz)

While many believe the charter schools are the best public schools available for students, there are others who would disagree. There is documentation that shows that only one in five charter schools can get remarkable results and the data that was presented in the movie “Waiting for Superman” was glorified and not completely accurate (Ravitch). While there are outstanding charter schools, there are also superb public schools. Privatizing the public school system is not the solution to improving poor performing schools.

 

Works Cited

California Charter Schools Association.

http://www.calcharters.org/understanding/what-are-charter-schools.html. Web 21 Apr. 2014.

Kronholz, June. “Hi scores at basis charter schools.” Education Next 14.1 (2014): 30+. 

Academic OneFile. Web 21 Apr. 2014.

National Education Association. http://www.nea/org/charter. Web 21 Apr. 2014

Ravitch, Diane. “The Myth of Charter Schools.” 13 Jan. 2011. Web 21 Apr. 2014.

What Are Public Charter Schools?

http://www.publiccharters.org/get-the-facts/public-charter-schools/ Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

 

Journal - Waiting for Superman

Waiting for “Superman”

This was a very interesting and informative movie regarding the school system across the United States.  I became an employee of the Duval County Public School system when my youngest daughter was in First grade.  Being such, I have seen firsthand some of the things that were portrayed in the video.  I think one of the worst is the fact that it is next to impossible to fire a bad teacher because of tenure and/or the Union.  I thought the way it was portrayed, the lemon dance, was pretty funny and very accurate.   A principal can surplus a bad teacher, but because of tenure and the union, that teacher is placed with another school.  The movie showed a district in New York that has what has been labeled the “Rubber Room” where bad teachers are assigned until the district is able to complete their termination papers which is said to take an average of 3 years.  I do not think that Duval has such a thing, but have seen teachers assigned to a school where they were not assigned classes or any other duties.  Another thing that I found informative was the Charter schools.  I actually learned something in regards to them.  I truly had a completely different idea of about these types of schools and would like to learn more about those in the Duval School District.

Body Image - Miss Representation

Body Image and the Media

            If one is to believe the Media and their portrayal of what the average woman looks like, then why are there so many women with eating disorders? Why does everyone, especially women have such a bad body image? What is the average, healthy size of a woman? In order to help women change their mindsets, one must look into these answers and more.

            We currently live in a world where the media portrays people as fake instead of real. The media uses photo shopping in advertising that portrays unrealistic images of models. Most models are underweight, but the media glamorizes them to the point that this is what one should achieve to be attractive (Woman). There are many magazines that use computer-modified compilations of models that are not realistic (Rader Programs). These modified images have such a negative impact on individuals giving the wrong impression of body image that is further enhanced by the fact that one is bombarded with thousands of ads on a daily basis. The media has enhanced a body size that is inaccurate and unhealthy (Woman). Everyone needs to be aware that it is impossible to look like the models in magazines, because that is not what the models look like either. The photo has been airbrushed and enhanced with computer graphics.         

With the barrage of thousands of ads daily, it is any wonder that eating disorders are a problem that plagues millions of people. These include both men and women of all age groups. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders of the millions of people suffering from eating disorders, only one out of ten will seek professional treatment (Don’t sweat). These disorders include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating (Don’t sweat). In addition to eating disorders, there are documented cases of self-mutilation (cutting) that has been linked to body image. In Miss Representation, one girl interviewed told of a younger sister physically hurting herself because she does not look the way others think she should and that she also gets bullied. Advertising is a million dollar business and their philosophy is that if they can make you feel bad about yourself, then they can sell you a product to fix your flaws (“Miss Representation).

From an early age, individuals are overwhelmed with the idea that one must be thin to be happy and successful (Rader Programs). The average model is 5’11” and weighs about 117 pounds, but the average woman is 5’4” and weighs 140 pounds. In addition, the average woman is a size 14, but many retailers cater to those who are smaller. It is estimated that half of the women in America wear a size 14 or larger (Rader Programs). Approximately ten years ago, so-called plus size models averaged between sizes 12 to 18. Now the average size of the plus size model ranges from size six to a 14. If the average woman is a size 14, how much does this contribute to the body image problem? In all fairness, magazine editors need to include models with more diverse body types not just the ones whose ribs are showing (Wilson).

Women and girls can rise above the falsehoods that the media tries to make them believe is the truth about how one should look, but they also must be willing to try (Miss Representation).  Women should always take pride in themselves as human beings by walking tall and proud.  Women have an obligation to themselves to be happy and healthy.

 

 

Works Cited

“Don’t sweat the photoshopping: Students promote positive self-perception in a world

of false media images.” UWIRE Text 26 Feb. 2014: 1. Academic OneFile. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Miller, Joel. “Ad Media: Media and Body Image.”

http://www.admedia.com/media-and-body-image.php. 7 Apr. 2014

“Miss Representation.” UWIRE Text 5 Feb. 2014: 1. Academic OneFile. Web 7 Apr.

            2014.

Our Bodies Ourselves: Health Resource Center. 2005, Boston Women’s Health Book

Collective. http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=2.

2 Apr. 2014

Rader Programs: Media Influence.

http://www.raderprograms.com/causes-statistics/media-eating-distorders.html.

7 Apr. 2014.

Wilson, Eric. “The Triump of the Size 12’s.” New York Times 14 Jan. 2010: E1(L).

Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.

Woman, Body Image, and the Media: Body Perception Among Young Adults.

            http://womenbodyimagemedia.weebly.com/body-perception.html 7 Apr. 2014.

 

 

Miss Representation

Miss Representation was a documentary detailing how the media influences women and girls with their self body image and how it affects our daily lives. Additionally, it documents the low number of women in leadership roles in companies and politics. The statistics that were presented were astounding. You can see how the media distorts how a woman looks by reading any magazine or watching TV. While I knew about photo shopping of images regarding facial features, I was very surprised to see that it is also done on the body (i.e. making models thinner and/or bustier). How do we fight this battle to change the way that the media portrays women when you have movies and TV shows that portray women as nothing more than a sex symbol?  The music industry is not any better. Besides many songs with down grading lyrics towards women, there are the music videos that have women wearing next to nothing and shaking everything they got for entertainment purposes. There was a young girl in the documentary who told of her sister cutting herself because of how she perceived her body image. It was her way of dealing with the emotional pain that she was unable to verbalize to others. That really saddened me that a young girl would do something so destructive to herself because of how the media has distorted everyone’s view on how women should look.

Dumpster Diving

Dumpster Diving

          “Dive! Living off America’s Waste” is a film that was created by Jeremy Seifert and some of his friends that details the amount of eatable waste that the grocery stores in his area of California throw away. Food waste appears to be a major issue across America where almost 100 billion pounds of food is wasted (Freegan). In addition to the United States, there are documented stories from “Global to the Edmonton Journal” that this is a problem in Canada also (Evans). It is estimated that more than half of the food that is produced in Canada winds up in a landfill (Evans). There is a new movement of individuals who scavenge for food from dumpsters. In the past, the individuals who would dumpster dive were the less fortunate or the homeless. Today there is a new generation of individuals who can be found dumpster diving who are not classified as less fortunate, nor are they homeless. They have labeled themselves as “Freegans.”

          What is a “Freegan”? The word freegan comes from a blend of free and vegan, but not all freegans are vegans. Freegans are usually a community of individuals who are anti-consumerism, and are trying to make a political statement about the wastefulness of society (Freegans). These individuals are not about being cheap or living off the waste of society. They are trying to make an impact and change people’s habits to the point that dumpster diving would no longer be possible (Kolowich). Another philosophical belief that freegans practice is called “couch surfing.” Through their group association, they are willing lend a couch, or another place to rest, to those in need or who may be traveling (Freegan).    

Dumpster diving has been a phenomenon for more than a decade. One individual, Julian Evans from Canada, began her dives in 2002 while residing in a “punk house” (Evans). The individuals who reside in this community house all live off of food that has been retrieved from dumpsters. While Evans’ mother worries about her health eating food from a dumpster, she was able to convince her mom to join her one night when she went to a local chocolate factory. What they retrieved was a bounty of sugary delights, many of which were her mother’s favorites. Another individual from Canada, Quincy Brandt, calls himself a seasoned trash forager who has over five years experience dumpster diving (Tibbetts). Brandt regularly meets with many of his friends on a weekly basis to dine on their dumpster diving rewards. These may range from king crab legs, fancy cheeses, dark chocolate, frozen hors d’oeuvres and pizza to fruits and vegetables (Tibbetts).

          One more person who practices dumpster diving, Jordan Myers, does not classify himself as a freegan but does believe in their viewpoint and values with regards to anti-consumerism (Freegans). Myers volunteers his time with a group called “Food Not Bombs” who help the less fortunate in Columbus (Freegans). This organization provides scheduled trash tours at night when businesses are closed. They bring their collection back to the foundation and prepare a potluck meal where the dumpster divers sit down and eat with the needy getting to know them (Freegan).  

          There are many downfalls to dumpster diving. Besides the health issue and the safety of the food itself, dumpsters are known to have bacteria and some companies spray their dumpsters with pesticides both of which can contaminate the food. Another hazard involves climbing in and out of the dumpsters, and the risk of being cut from sharp objects, i.e. nails, knives and/or glass that may be in the dumpster. While the perils involved in dumpster diving may seem too great to take a chance, it is obvious that others disagree by the numerous accounts that have been portrayed by the media. Freegans maintain that with the use of protective clothing and the proper handling of all food, washing and fully cooking, they have never been sick from their bounties (Tibbetts).  

           

           

Works Cited

Evans, Julian. "Dumpster diving with mom." Broken Pencil Apr. 2013: 8.

Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

"Freegans salvage food dumpster diving." UWIRE Text 24 Jan. 2011. Academic OneFile.

 Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Kolowich, Steve. "Princeton Student Finds Passion in Garbage." The Chronicle of Higher

 Education 55.24 (2009). Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Tibbetts, Janice. "Freegans risk the hazards of dumpster diving." CMAJ:

Canadian Medical Association Journal 16 Apr. 2013: E281+. Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

 

 

 

Journal 5

Dive: Living off America’s Waste

            I first heard about dumpster diving about 8 years ago on a news story, I believe it was 20/20. At the time that I saw the documentary, I thought that it was something really gross and I did not pay close attention to the segment. When I think about digging in a dumpster for food, I envision homeless or destitute individuals, not middle class people. What really amazed me in this documentary is the amount of eatable food that is wasted from grocery stores. I was further surprised when none of the grocery corporations would talk on or off camera about the amount of food that their stores just throw away. There are at least one or more soup kitchens in most cities that would appreciate receiving this discarded food to help feed the needy. This fact was proven in the documentary when Jeremy Seifert made arrangements to collect and donate the food that was to be disposed of during the holidays. This prevented the food being thrown into a dumpster and the shelter was very appreciative of having extra food to provide the needy. I do not know why there is not some type of support system in place where soon to perish food is not donated to a homeless shelter. This brings a question to mind, “How often do grocery stores dispose of eatable food?”

Global Warming

Christine Bizier

Professor Kelly Warren

ENC1102

March 4, 2014

Global Warming

                What is “Global Warming”? What are the major causes of it? What effect does it have on mankind’s daily life now and for the future? More important, is there anything that can be done to reduce or stop it? This is a subject that has been a topic of discussion and argument for decades now. While scientists have been studying this phenomenon for many years, in 2005 Al Gore started teaching interested parties around the globe through lectures and a documentary titled “An Inconvenient Truth” about global warming, its effects and what the future may hold for the world. While there are many who argue that this is not something that we need to be concerned about it is hard not to look at the reports, graphs and other data and not wonder if we can change the course we are headed.

                The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines global warming as the recent increase in the world's atmospheric and oceanic temperatures that are believed to be caused by the increase of certain gases (such as carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere, also known as the greenhouse effect. In other words, when the sun’s rays hit the earth, some of its energy is absorbed by the ground and water masses which help to warm the earth, but not all of this energy gets absorbed. The energy that is not absorbed is reflected back into the atmosphere. With the increase of Carbon Dioxide and other pollutants in the atmosphere instead of the reflected energy leaving earth, it is once again reflected back which is the greenhouse effect and what is causing global warming (Strickland). If the reflected energy from the sun is not able to leave earth’s atmosphere, the earth will continue to increase in temperature, the ocean will also continue to get warmer, which will melt glaciers and other ice masses.

                If we look further into the greenhouse effect, we find that it is a naturally occurring phenomenon which makes the earth the perfect place for mankind to live. There are several types of gases that make up the atmosphere. These include Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous oxide and Methane gas. Each of these gases plays a role in the environment. The amount of these gases in the atmosphere has been increasing at an alarming rate since the Industrial Revolution (Strickland). The worst business is the fossil-fuel industry (McKibben). These businesses are allowed to deposit their waste; carbon dioxide, free of charge which we now know is increasing the temperature of the world, as well as, acidifying the ocean (McKibben). While these companies are the biggest supplier of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere, they are not the sole contributor. Everyone should work to decrease their own carbon footprint in the world. While this may only be a small reduction by an individual if everyone made the effort to reduce, reuse and recycle it would have a huge impact on the world (Hedquist).

There are several things that an individual can do to reduce his or her carbon footprint, which in turn, could help slow global warming. These include, but are not limited to, reducing your consumption of energy. We can accomplish this by turning electrical devices off when leaving a room and/or the house; adjusting the thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer when the house is unoccupied; lower your water consumption by using low flow applications and not running the spigot when brushing teeth or washing dishes. These two go hand in hand with laundry or dishes. If the washing machine or dishwasher is only used when there is a full load, it will save both water and energy. Buy energy efficient appliances and light bulbs. Reduce, reuse and recycle to reduce landfills, which are a large contributor of methane gas; and plant trees (Hedquist).

If nothing is done to reduce the amount of gases that the world is pumping into the atmosphere in an attempt to reduce global warming, we will be facing many changes that will affect the earth’s climate.  If the temperature continues to rise, we may be faced with an alteration in the composition of all land masses. While some areas may receive larger amounts of rainfall, others will suffer from drought which in turn may create new desserts (Strickland). In addition, there will be numerous fatalities due to heat stroke and starvation (Strickland). If water temperatures continue to rise there may be a melting of glaciers, and other ice masses, which will increase the level of the ocean causing flooding of low-lying areas.   

 

Works Cited

Hedquist, Chelsea. 10 Steps Mankind Can Take to Save the Environment.

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/steps-mankind-can-take-to-save-the-environment.htm. Web. 01-MARCH 2014.

McKibben, Bill. “Global Warming’s Terrrifying New Math”. Rolling Stone. August 2, 2012. Web. 01

MARCH 2014

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. m-w.com. Web. 3 MAR 2014.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/global%20warming

Strickland, Jonathan and Grabianowksi, Ed. How Global Warming Works. A Discovery Company. Web.

01 MAR 2014

Journal 4 - An Inconvenient Truth

An Inconvenient Truth

I found this documentary about Global Warming very fascinating and eye opening. I will be the first to admit that this was the last thing I was concerned with 8, 10, 20 years ago. I think I was in my late 20’s when I first heard anything regarding global warming, and I was one of the ones who thought that this would not happen in my lifetime. I was vaguely aware of the issues with the ozone layer caused by aerosols and Freon, and when these products were banned. I also remember having to have our auto emissions checked to renew our car tags in the 80’s and 90’s, but really did not understand the issue with carbon build up in the atmosphere before watching this film. Gore had a graph that showed several countries and where they were with improving their automobiles and the US was the worst. This has been a pet peeve of mine that new cars available have not improved much since the 80’s in regards to fuel economy. I would be interested to know how the numbers are since this documentary was made. Have the numbers continued to increase at the rate Gore predicted, have they slowed down some, or better yet, have they declined some. How can we reduce our carbon impact, both individually and as a country? What impact does recycling have?

Digital Nation

Christine Bizier

Professor Kelly Warren

ENC 1102

February 18, 2014

Technology in Education

          No one can deny that we are now living in a Digital Nation. You can see people using some form of technology everywhere you go. We are bombarded with hi-tech stimulation from birth. Almost all infant toys have some form of electronic stimuli, be it lights or sound. So why would we not continue to use this new technology in the education of children? If we can keep all children interested in learning by allowing them to learn from games, could this possibly help out deteriorating testing scores and increase the graduation rates? With the average student between the ages of 12 and 17 playing some form of digital game (Schaffhauser) weekly, if not daily, it may prove beneficial to incorporate learning into games. If we can provide the right curriculum for students to learn from gaming, this might be what schools need to revive the desire to learn, keep students motivated while in school, lower the dropout rates and increase graduation rates.

          Educational games have been around for decades, and with the boom of technology, especially mobile devices, the demand for “digital learning games” (Molnar) has increased. Currently, the major marketplace for educational games is parents with young children while a smaller percentage is with the school system. The biggest barriers to educational games in a classroom setting are the cost, even though teachers who have used digital games have found that they are effective with low performing students (Molnar). While the cost prevents most schools from incorporating digital learning, consumers are spending approximately $21 billion annually on digital games, and nearly half of American households have one or more games systems (Schaffhauser).

          In a research study conducted in 2006 by the “Federation of American Scientists” (Clark) their preliminary results found that students learning through digital games showed a higher cognitive competency over traditional instructional conditions. In addition, they compared game designs and found that enhanced designed games had a greater learning curve over simple basic games. While games appear to provide a new way to educate children, the development of effective educational games, is very complicated task. This, in turn, underscores the importance of game design when games are going to be used as an educational device. Besides games providing a different learning environment, they have the potential to motivate learning by challenging the player to level up or get a better score. This desire to advance from level to level is what gets players absorbed with a game. They also provide a social learning platform (Phillips), by allowing players to compete with each other, as well as, assist a struggling player.

          Quest to Learn is a school located in New York who has taken on the concept of learning from gaming.  Their whole curriculum is based on educational computer games. They have a full time game designer as part of the faculty, who works to incorporate the requirements needed for all subjects and lessons. The school opened their doors in 2009 for their first group of students in the sixth grade, and in 2012 they had their first class of ninth graders. Their belief is that through gaming students will be able to solve problems. They do not use the standard grading system of A’s, B’s and C’s but instead use “game-like levels – novice, apprentice, and expert” (Sutter). At Quest, the students become explorers inside of a game where they are to complete an assignment. Once a mission has been completed, another begins. It is an ongoing learning cycle that keeps the students motivated. Quest supports a completely new way of thinking (Sutter). In standardized state testing, the students at Quest have outperformed their peers in conventional schools.

          While many think that this is the direction that schools should be moving towards, there are those who disagree and believe that we should continue to educate children by using strict discipline and lectures. By teaching through repetition, we can continue to educate all children.

          With the advancement of technology and the fact that most households use some form of this technology, i.e. cell phones, tablets, and/or computers, and many children playing games on these devices, it only makes sense that we develop some form of education via digital media. With the incorporation of digital gaming in a school’s curriculum, this might be the teaching tool that will keep all students involved and excited about learning.

 

Works Cited

Clark, Tanner-Smith and Killingsworth. Digital Games for Learning: A Systematic Review         and Meta-Analysis. SRI International. May 2013. Web 16 Feb. 2014.

Molnar, Michele, and Sean Cavanagh. "Consumer Demand for Digital Learning Games,   Simulations Growing Worldwide; But level of interest in K-12 lags behind."        Education Week 18 Sept. 2013: 12. Academic OneFile. Web. 17 Feb. 2014

Phillips, Vicki and Zoran Popovic. “More than child’s play: games have potential learning          and assessment tools: we have the technology, experience and understanding to       engineer simulations and games that are assessments for learning (formative        assessments), assessments of learning (summative assessments), and potentially        even assessments as learning tools.” Phi Delta Kappan 94.2 (2012):26+.    Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.

Schaffhauser, Dian. Will Gaming Save Education, or Just Waste Time? The Journal.        August 2013. Web 2/16/2014

 Sutter, John D. Gaming Reality. CNN New York. Web. 2/16/2014.

     http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/08/tech/gaming.series/teachers.html

Journal 3 - Digital Nation

          There was so much information to take in on the film “Digital Nation” that I really did not know where to begin. There were several things that caught my attention while watching. The multi-tasking segment where they did test studies with MIT students was very surprising. As a data entry clerk, I tend to do this myself while at work. I usually have four to five different screens open on my computer, as well as, answering phones, having students, teachers and/or parents coming into my office, it makes me wonder if some of the tasks I am working on might be suffering because they do not have my undivided attention. Another thing that really caught my attention is the gaming sequence. Although I have not gone into an online game with other players, I do consider myself to be an avid gamer, especially quest type games. There have even been a few days that I have played all day long trying to beat the game. The final area that I found really fascinating dealt with education. Although I am not a teacher, I have worked in the school system for 20 years, and I am working towards a degree in education. I would like to learn more about the schools that are using technology as the basis of their curriculum and how they compare to the standardized curriculum that has been used for decades. This brings a question to mind, “Because the state based testing has been changed from pencil and paper to computers, will these schools have better testing results?”

June 16, 1961

June 16, 1961

            Researching the New York Times Archives for events that happened on June 16, 1961, I found many interesting topics that I wanted to write about, but none of the issues that caught my interest included at least three references. The only subjects that had three or more references included government and sports.

            The sporting highlights include several golf classics, as well as, numerous tennis matches. There were no football games either pro or collegiate, nor were there any basketball games. Although there were no football games, there was a quick mention that the Titan’s signed three players to their team. There were two International Soccer games one played in Italy, and the other played in Montreal.  In addition to these sports, there was one National Collegiate baseball game.

            The golf tournaments included both amateur and professional games. New Jersey State held two separate annually celebrated tournaments. The men’s tournament for amateurs was in Bloomfield, NJ, where they celebrated their sixtieth event and women’s Metropolitan Golf Association was in Montclair, NJ, where they celebrated their fifty-eighth championship that year. There was one other amateur golf championship held in Turnberry, Scotland, where an American Airman was able to move into the quarterfinals (Morrow). The final golfing event was a US Open championship in Birmingham, MI at the Oakland Hills Country Club. This golf course, nicknamed “The Monster”, is the most terrorizing course that golf can offer, and it lived up to it at this event (Arthur).

            There were several different tennis matches held, and they ranged from Intercollegiate to Championship games for both men and women. The Brooklyn men’s championship held their quarter finals at the Knickerbocker Field Club located in Brooklyn, NY while the Kent women’s championship games were in Beckenham, England in which two Australians defeated the top American women. There were also matches held at Wimbledon in Bristol, England for both men and women, where Australia’s top player, Rod Laver, announced that, “he was ready to turn professional if he won the English title at Wimbledon” (Howard).

Works Cited

By, ARTHUR D. "Sports of the Times." New York Times (1923-Current file): 39. Jun 16 1961.

      ProQuest. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.

"HOWARD BOWS IN TENNIS." New York Times (1923-Current file): 38. Jun 16 1961. ProQuest. Web.

      9 Feb. 2014 .

"Morrow Wins Twice and is Only American Left in British Amateur." New York Times (1923-Current

      file): 39. Jun 16 1961. ProQuest. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.

Gallery Showing

Christine Bizier

Professor Kelly Warren

ENC1102

January 28, 2014

Gallery Showing

          As a parent of a Photography Art Major, with a minor in art history, I have learned to love student art shows.  While I can usually find beauty in any photograph, I tend to like those whose subject matter are of nature the most. These include both Mother Nature and Human nature. The medium used in the printing of a photograph, deciding whether to use color or black and white, can also influence the viewers feel of a picture.  “A truly good photograph tells a story. It should connect to the reader. That’s all there is to it really. Things like composition, focus, color, lighting and subject matter are all in a sense just fashionable. But the photos that tell stories are timeless.”― Leslie Dean Brown.

          Sunsets have always held a special place in my heart. While anyone can take a picture of a sunset, to truly master this art requires time and patience. Stephen Hunter’s “Savusavu Sunset-Fiji” has managed to do this feat. The sun setting behind the silhouette of the tree, along with the combination of the colors of the setting sun with the evening clouds, which are reflecting off the water, made this the first photograph that caught my eye. Sunsets tend to be very soothing and bring a sense of calm to the viewer. The beautiful colors that a sunset provides are nature’s way of saying goodbye at the end of a day. The golden hues that blend themselves into orange and red, cast their colors beautifully over the ocean’s surface. While the sun has not completely set, you can still see the slight darkening of the night sky. These colors from the night sky are also reflected in the ocean’s surface, as well as in the depiction of the edge of the horizon.

          Another intriguing form of nature that I find fascinating is fog. There is usually something mysterious that fog brings to a photograph that tends to make them seem timeless in nature. One more photograph by Stephen Hunter “Morning Mystery” was a second picture that I found very captivating. It makes the viewer wonder where and when the photograph was taken. Was this the beginning or the ending of the day? Was this the type of picture the photographer was trying to get? Or perhaps the moment was something completely unexpected. The mystery of the picture was increased by the use of black and white photography. The picture was taken from the ground and looking high up in an attempt to see the sky. And while we cannot see the sky through the fog, we are able to see rays from the sun shining down through the haze the fog has provided. The combination of the fog and the sun’s rays has help to remove the texture from the trees which provided the photographer to once again use silhouettes in his finished picture. The use of silhouettes in fog, mist or haze provides the viewer with the ability to look at the complete picture instead of one specific object.

          The beauty of a new born baby melts my heart. The photograph by Savannah Dobbs, “Daddy’s Little Girl”, brought a huge smile to my face. You can almost feel the love and protection that the newborn father has towards his little girl. The size of the fathers hand in contrast to the baby’s head shows how delicate and fragile a newborns life is. The picture also gives one the feel that this father is strengthening the bond between father and daughter as he gentle kisses her. While you cannot see the father completely, one can just imagine that he has closed his eyes when the picture was taken. I found this to be a great example of black and white photography. While the color version might be just as beautiful, I believe that the use of black and white photography helps to soften the features of the subjects by providing contrast and shadows which helps to bring a timelessness to this picture.

          While I found all of the photographs in the gallery showing interesting, I was completely drawn to those that portrayed nature over the ones that illustrated abstract images. The warm and vibrant colors of the sunset warmed my heart, as well as the father and daughter photograph. I also feel that the works would have been more compelling if they had been larger to view and if they were framed.

         

Journal entry 1 – Topic:  My ENC 1101 experience.

 

What are my thoughts about ENC 1101?  I took ENC 1101 so long ago (in the fall of 2006) that I do not remember much about it.  I returned to school in 2005 when my youngest daughter was a senior in high school working towards a degree in education.  In the spring of 2008, my husband was diagnosed with Cancer and I took time off from my education to care for him.  After he passed away, it took me over a year to get myself together enough to return to school.  This past summer I got my feet wet by taking Spanish 1.  After two terms of Spanish, I can honestly say “No hablo español”. 

Because of the huge gap between my courses, I feel like I am a beginner all over again and that I have no strengths to use in this class.  It is my hope that what I learned is still somewhere within my grasp and that I will be able to utilize these memories to produce quality papers.  I do know that I need to relearn MLA and to properly use this format.