Written Analysis 5

The theories that best relate to my popular culture of technology in education teachings are beliefs and formulas.   There are many beliefs that education of a child can be improved by enhancing the curriculum by means of utilizing all of the technological advances and tools available for teachers and students.  We all want our children to exceed in their learning abilities and technology can help make that possible.  One method of enhancing learning is for schools to create and integrate innovative tools such as the IPad.  The IPad is one of the most popular tools that can be incorporated into the class instruction for the use of preparing assignments, doing homework, and just being creative with projects.

Before IPads, teachers and students relied on books, pencil and paper as learning tools.  Now, IPads have been placed in schools as educational learning tools.  Technological tools have created a positive impact from students and teachers.  Students are learning many different resources which is enhancing  their learning abilities.  Frankly, I think the students are having fun and being creative which is exactly the type of frame of mind that will help the student excel.

When I first found out that schools were intregrating IPads and other instruments into their classrooms as instructional tools, I didn’t believe that it would work.  Now, I have seen first-hand, how our students are using their imagination and artistic skills to create images and music in their assignments.  The younger generation’s knowledge of technological tools such as iPhones, tablets, IPads, and applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Utube is so far advanced, that it’s no surprise that these tools will have a great impact in education.

Written Anaylsis 4

One concept of formulas that I was able to connect with the technology integration within the educational system is the structure of the curriculum of a class and using that structure to achieve better learning results.  By introducing different teaching strategies, the students’ learning abilities can be enhanced resulting in higher and better scores.  Without using technology to its highest potential, research has found that technologically challenging jobs have declined.  The apparent reason is a result of a conventional education system.  Reports show that students achieve better grades when using technological instruments and software than those who did not.  Technology during instruction is just not about using the IPad or computer for assignments.  It is also about utilizing the mechanisms such as Facebook, Utube, and chat for communication and also the web or internet to find information for projects.  Using all of these tools and more, give the student greater access to knowledge.  Students are learning at school and at home.  As long as the student knows that these tools are just for the purpose of learning, they will use them to their highest potential.  Many schools today have incorporated many other types of technological tools such as the mobile phone and IPods into their lessons, such as the IPod in music class.  Other classes such as science and math are increasingly discovering more and more ways to use technology to their advantage.  For the future, I see a trend of technology that is rapidly increasing.  New innovations are steadily being introduced.  Technology today and in the future is shaping the lives of our children in hopes of creating challenging careers. 

The Loss of Fame: Psychological Implications

This article “The Loss of Fame” discusses the different types of issues that celebrities have to deal with in respects to their fame and the impact these issues can create on one’s self.  It also talks about the loss of fame of the celebrity and how the celebrity deals with that loss.

There are several psychological effects for the price of fame.  The celebrity utilizes his fame to behave in appropriate ways that would be considered breaking the rules, which are the same rules that we as ordinary people must follow.  Because of their status, they expect to be exempt from these rules.  Celebrities must also maintain a certain standard and appearance of themselves that is expected from their peers and fans.  They have to deal with the public’s demand to always do better.  Their private life becomes nonexistent and making friends is not easy since it is hard to identify the person who wants to be a real true friend and one that just wants to be a fan inside the inner circle of the celebrity’s life.  A celebrity’s life is not always the perfect life like we see on television.  There are many myths about celebrities that make us believe they live a high party lifestyle living in this perfect world of theirs.  But in reality, they are just like us, just a little richer.
What happens when they lose their fame?  There are three things that can happen, clinging, reinventing, and downward spiral.  All three of these factors can have dramatic effects to the celebrity but the most devastating one is the downward spiral.  Some celebrities who lose their fame and try very hard to re-gain it only to be unsuccessful cannot cope with this loss.  Many times not having the ability to cope with this loss leads to depression, drugs and even suicide.  An example is Judy Garland who became famous as Dorothy on the Wizard of OZ.  After a successful career in 25 films, her life began to diminish and ultimately, she got involved in drugs and died.  Back to clinging and reinventing, clinging is when the once famous celebrity holds on to a certain character or other factor in his life that made him once famous.  This clinging factor destroys the celebrity’s true identity such as Bob Denver from Gilligan’s island known as Gilligan.   Because he was a part of this film for such a long time and was a film that helped him become famous, people could identify him as Gilligan instead of his real name, Bob Denver.  Reinventing is when the ex-celebrity choses a different path of lifestyle such as a change in career like Shirley Temple did when her fame became extinct.  She became an important figure in politics.
Regardless if you are famous or experienced the loss of fame, the effects can either be wonderful or devastating based on how the celebrity is able to cope with his life.  The authors’ points and analysis of this article make sense to me because it contains valuable information that can help society identify the psychological effects that can impact celebrities.  Too many times, we visualize celebrities living in this beautiful rich perfect life, but in reality, it really is not.

SMALLEY, K. B., , & MCINTOSH, W. D. (2011). The Loss of Fame: Psychological Implications. The Journal of Popular Culture, 44(2), 385-397. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2011.00838.x

Written Analysis 3

Technology advancements and education have come a long way.  Of course it would not be possible without the inventors and educators of now and then.  They are our heroes and celebrities who have discovered that technology is the new method of communication and education in this time of age.  Sometimes I wonder where would we be today if we did not have computers, Ipads, cell phones, etc., that society is so dependent on.

Thanks to the innovators who are our heroes for inventing, constructing and producing such powerful technical devices that we now utilize in our homes, businesses, and schools.  These so called innovators are also referred to the Fathers of Technology.  Some examples of these fathers include Tim Berners-Lee who invented the Web; Vint Cerf, inventor of the Internet, and Bob Metcalfe, inventor of Ethernet.  Although many tried to be the innovator of computers, the only person who truly captured the stored-program computer was Alan Turing in 1945.  So who went on to invent the IPAD?  That would be Steve Jobs, the ultimate hero who has given the schools the opportunity to introduce this powerful tool to students as a learning application.

Of course, let’s not forget the celebrities, who in my point of view are the teachers and our children.  Before teachers were introduced to technology, lessons were planned in the old fashion way with pencil, paper, and chalkboard.  Now, students have the capability to learn using Ipads in the classroom and at home with homework.  In my opinion, a teacher is viewed as a celebrity because she is the one who a parent praises when their child exceeds in school or the one that gets blamed for when a child does not exceed or fails.   A teacher has many responsibilities in which the main priority is to make sure our children get a great education.  On top of her responsibilities, she now has to learn all of the new technological advances and carry on her knowledge to our children.  Our children are also branded as celebrities because often they know more than we do.  They are our teachers at home and most likely at school.  I don’t about you, but my child has taught me more about the usage of cell phones, computers, and applications.

Technology has been become so profound that without it we are lost.   It has become widely used within businesses but most important in schools.  Technology seems to be rapidly growing and everyday newer products are being introduced.  As soon as you get to learn and be comfortable with a new product, another comes along.

Popular Technology in Teaching-Written Analysis 2

            Technology continues to expand in many different ways, such as the use of the IPAD in schools.  Teachers are expected to use these technologies to teach their lesson plans to their students.  The learning abilities of a student are focused and centered on how the teacher is teaching the class.  It is her responsibility to create an environment where the student can learn and utilize their knowledge to their highest potential.  The introduction of computers and IPADS are doing just that.

Some stereotypes of using computers or IPADS to teach include the age of teachers.  The teachers who have seniority have been teaching for a very long time and may refuse to use or learn the computer in order to use them in their teachings.  Some teachers in this category were forced to retire simply because they do not want to change the way they teach.  These teachers are so set in their old teaching methods that learning a new way scares them.

On the other hand, younger teachers prefer to teach using the computers and IPADS.  This generation of teachers grew up knowing how to communicate using computers, IPADS, internet, Facebook, email, etc., and many others types of technological advances.  Schools tend to hire younger teachers to replace the older ones simply because they do not need to be trained in technology.

Another stereotype pertains to students who refuse to learn.  There will always be students who not care to learn whether or not the classroom is using IPADS.  These students will use them to play games or simply abuse them.  Remember, if the student did not have the IPAD, she or he would be using paper and pen to draw and play games instead of paying attention in class and working on their lessons.

Just as there seems to be stereotyping, there are also rituals.  Teachers will always be in competition with each other.  They will always strive to be the better teacher with better student scores.  They will structure their lesson plans in a better way as to integrate them using technology.  Another ritual is the ongoing technological advances.  Teachers will be expected to continuously learn new material through the use of lessons or computers to keep up with the new technological advances.  Because technology is rapidly changing every day, so are the challenges of teachers and students.

 

Popular Technology in Teaching

Popular Technology in Teaching                        

            Technology is the way of the world today.  Things such as computers, cell phones, email, and blogs are a few technological inventions that are controlling the way we communicate and teach today.  In schools, we see that computers and internet are used in day to day curriculum and educational instruction.  Some believe that computers will eventually replace teachers.  I do not foresee this happening.  No matter what happens in technology, we will always need our teachers.  Others believe that the use of computers and other types of technology in schools will have a fatal effect on our children’s minds.  Many believe that teaching is the responsibility of the teacher and that we should consider the conditions affecting our culture and the teaching abilities of our teachers.

            Sometimes it is hard to accept a new way of teaching.  Especially for those teachers who are not experienced in using computers or Ipads.  The enhancement of utilizing computers in classrooms is made possible through hiring of younger teachers who are familiar with the new technological enhances.  The uses of these new technologies are excellent educational tools because it is replacing the pencil and books that is no longer a necessity.

            Teaching and learning is possible when knowledgeable teachers are educated in the educational context of their class that utilize the technological tools.  Computers are not the only tools being utilized in schools today.  Let’s look at graphing calculators.  For those that have ever used a graphing calculator knows exactly how much can be performed in respects to calculations, graphing, and tables.  The use of graphing calculators in math has essentially aided students in performing calculations in less time.  Graphing calculators are a great tool to have and they are inexpensive if bought in bulks.  This is why schools are able to buy so many so that each student is able to be provided with one.  Technology is possible in all schools.  But in order for technology to work, it must be inexpensive and be properly integrated.

Icon Analysis

 

 

 

 

 

My three chosen icons are Sesame Street, Breast Cancer program and NFL.  Sesame Street was and still is an educational program for children to prepare them for pre-school.  The program teaches children the alphabet, numbers, and shapes.  Breast Cancer program is symbolized by a pink ribbon, which advertises the awareness of breast cancer and how we can help fight it.  NFL stands for National Football League.  This league contains the highest professional football teams of the states such as the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys.

 Sesame Street is a program with many different characters such as Ernie and Bert, Big Bird, the Cookie Monster, and Elmo.  These characters along with many others caught the attention of my children as they were growing up.  To get them out of bed in the mornings, all I had to do was tune in to Sesame Street.  It was very educational for my kids and they loved watching it.  I’m glad that it is still a part of public television today.

Breast Cancer is a very serious illness and science is endlessly trying to find a cure.  Because cancer has affected my family, it is important that we as a whole make every effort to help and support the fight for breast cancer.  Wearing the pink ribbon symbol represents your support in campaigning to find a cure to help those individuals that are faced with this terrible disease.

NFL which stands for National Football League is the highest professional league.  I just don’t know what the men in our house would do on Sunday nights or Monday nights and I think now on Thursday nights without their football.  Sometimes, depending on who’s playing, the yelling and hollering that goes on in my living room seems like that there’s 20 guys in the room.  I just don’t get it.  What is so exciting about getting tackled and possibly getting hurt?  I’m not into football at all, but the guys love it and what can I say, only that I’m glad for the extra television set.  NFL, you are a favorite in our home.