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.