I have enjoyed reading the articles in The Digital Divide, they were interesting and entertaining. The four articles I chose to summarize for this assignment were; Nomadicity by Todd Gitlin, Web Squared by Tim O'Reilly and John Battelle, A Dream Come True by Lee Siegel, and The End of Solitude by William Deresiewicz. Each writer provides an original, thought-provoking idea of how technology has and will affect society as we know it.
I did not right away really get the message behind Nomadicity, but after reading it a second time, I understood the point in this article. Nomadicity is the tendency of a person, or group of people, to move with relative frequency and the phrase was coined by a man named Leonard Kleinrock in reference to the need for mobile devices, especially supporting the internet, for people constantly on the move. Todd Gitlin points out the freedom people feel when they have products that allow for mobility, products that are miniaturized or portable. These items are seen to boost societies ability to be self-sufficient. The article talks about the evolution of such products like the mountaineer's backpack to the terrible, yet convenient fanny pack. Also including portable sustenance such as Hershey bar's, the ice-cream cone, or the water bottle. He focuses a lot on the Walkman, and the power being able to listen to music anytime can help you to tune out reality, like being in a "mobile bubble." When this article was written, cell phones were in full force, but mobile broadband and internet access from your cell phone, IPads, IPods, ect. had yet to be introduced. But the article does point out some of the disadvantages of this new found portable freedom. One point the author makes is that most of the time we use these portable electronics for pointless, trivial, and trite purposes. I went without a cell-phone for many years because I felt like it was an electronic leash and this is pointed out in this article as well, that having a cell phone means you can be bothered at anytime by anyone. Also phones and other electronic devices can intrude on other's space and privacy, such as a cell phone ringing during a class, the theater, or a concert. I liked the point that the was made, "we are seeking distractions from distractions," and the final quote, "Where do all these highways go now that we are free?" I would love to read this same article revised with all the technological advances that have been made since it was written.
The article written by Tim O'Reilly and John Battelle, Web Squared, explains the miraculous changes and improvements that the internet has accomplished in a relatively short time and how Web 2.0 could evolve into a way to uncover solutions to the world's more urgent dilemma's if we use the power of the web and take it to another level. This piece describes the web as beginning the same way a baby does, learning and adjusting according to experiences and environment and that the web is now growing up and can do some very impressing things. It talks about collective intelligence which wikipedia, one such source of collective intelligence, defines as shared or group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration and competition of many individuals and appears in consensus decision making in bacteria, animals, and computer networks, This article describes the web as a source for "crowd-sourcing," and claims that it's value far surpasses the contribution of any one individual's submission. They believe that the web and it's applications are getting smarter and that it is just the beginning. Websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia, YouTube, Amazon, and Craigslist have created all new uses and advantages of the internet. Businesses can profit from the internet as well if utilized correctly. This article tells us how the web learns from inferences from a "body of data." Also discussed is the Iphone and other mobile internet devices as well as the use of GPS, it is pretty amazing that our phone can track our movements, tell us what is around us, and direct us where to go. This passage basically describes the unbelievable progress the internet has experienced and the promise of even more wonders to come.
The next writer, Lee Seigel, has a very different view of Web 2.0 and the internet and actually mentions statements written by Tim O'Reilly and John Battelle. The article titled, A Dream Come True, brings to the surface some of the uglier truths about the almighty internet. He specifically attacks the whole idea behind web 2.0 and the idea that promoters applaud it with the hyperbole, "democracy." I thoroughly enjoyed his description of the robotic, automatic style of writing found on the net, Internetese. He used this word while referencing an excerpt from an article written by an advocate of Internet freedom in the matter of copyright law. That same writer, Seigel accuses of confusing the real meaning of democracy with his version, "control through reasoned discourse." Several sites used for attacking people anonymously are brought up along with reminding us that anyone, literally anyone can update or add to a Wikipedia definition. Another website, Assignment Zero, where anyone can file an investigative news article which can be used to slander or attack someone without any proof, or layers of scrutiny, to stop you from saying whatever you want. This article is the opposing view to the aforementioned article, Web Based, and as much as I enjoy my computer and the guilty pleasures it makes so easy to access, I have to agree with this author before I buy into all the "goodness," this smarter internet is going to bring to the world.
The last article I chose was The End of Solitude, and I think it may have been my favorite from this section. This writer is accusing technology of being the killer of solitude. He states that really we are doing it to ourselves, so it is not actually technologies fault per se because we are really doing it to ourselves, but it may be the availability of such things that have created this need to eliminate "alone time," all together. My 12 year old is always talking on the phone, texting someone, playing online, or hanging out with a friend and doing similar activities. This writer states that he asked his students how they felt about being alone and one said they were so afraid of it that they would sit with a friend even if they had work due, another exclaimed, "why would anyone want to be alone?" Solitude is not a bad thing, on the contrary it is actually a very beneficial thing, maybe not all the time, but it can not be healthy to never have it. My favorite quote was at the very end, "those who would find solitude must not be afraid to stand alone." If I never had time to myself, I would lose my mind.... literally!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Popular Culture, It's not all good, where do we draw the line?
Pop culture is described as commercial culture based on popular tastes. The problem is, pop culture has become more and more adventurous and some would even say precarious, as the line between what is too risky for television and movies becomes increasingly blurred. Two other forms of pop culture, music and video games, are becoming problematic as well for reasons that correlate with the harmful effects television and movies have the potential to cause. There are many different types of content found in these popular outlets that are questionable, especially for young children and teenagers. I intend to touch on specific subject matter that I feel is likely already creating unwanted attitudes and mannerisms, but is plausibly going to cause irreparable, long-term, adverse consequences.
Violence is found in just about anyway in which media is manifested. Television includes not only violence performed by professionals, but there is a new type of program that is all the rage, reality television. When watching an action movie with lots of violence and brutality, I think at least for adults, we are able to recognize the fact that this is staged fighting and only contains portrayed disorder. Reality television, however, often shows untrained actors or actresses, or everyday people, duking it out, destroying property, or verbally bashing someone else all to the cheers and delight of the often faithful viewers. These people often appear ignorant, reckless, and with a blatant disregard for the law or any type of authorities. I would say that our youth would only benefit without seeing erratic, thoughtless, vagrants whose only goal is to put on a good show. Music can be a wonderful, literary work that can provide a type of therapy for many people. However, violence in popular music is a quickly growing trend, possibly to keep up with the consumer's demand for this type of song writing. Radio stations edit most curse words and some inappropriate lyrics, but there are still plenty of controversial topics that are left untouched. Video games, I feel, are the primary channel for any and all type of violence and bloodshed to take over the T.V. screen. The fact is, violence has become so common and accepted, that parents will often let their children play games if violence and gore are the only aspects of the game that contain a warning.
www.ocd.pitt.edu/Files/PDF/Parenting/TvAndMovieViolence.pdf is a website published by The University of Pittsburg listing ways and reasons why violence in T.V. and movies can be harmful to children. This website from ABC news, http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/reality-tv-show-violence-real-life-consequences-teen/story?id=13256971#.UJ0Fr8XA9mc, shows how reality show violence can cause real aggressive behaviors in teens and young adults. Science daily.com posted this article, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/05/030505084039.htm, to warn parents regarding the aggressive thoughts and hostile feelings violent lyrics in music can elicit in teenagers and young adults. This article, http://www.ithp.org/articles/violentvideogames.html, gives a very informational and thorough break-down of the negative impact that violent video games can have on almost anyone. This article also gives three good reasons why violent video games have an even greater influence on behavior than movies or television do combined. This website, http://www.lionlamb.org/media_violence.htm, gives an all-inclusive look at violence in the media, including all the previously addressed forms. Check out the video about media violence
The next alarming feature of pop culture can not be described as one specific act. Most avenues of media produce offensive, insulting, and shocking elements for the sake of entertainment. Television programs like Family Guy, Futurama, and South Park have incredibly aberrant and distasteful humor and all three are cartoons. Some adults do like cartoons as well, but these are shows that kids should never watch, yet they are drawn to them because they are cartoons and feature characters that kids would enjoy, even if they don't understand all of the adult themes. Movies such as The Hangover, Jay and Silent Bob, 30 Year Old Virgin, or Kids have some very weighty scenes, some of which may possibly be too much for even an adult making sex, drugs, and outrageous behavior seem cool and attractive. Tosh.0, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Workaholics use terribly offensive, disturbing, and disgusting spectacles for their loyal fans to enjoy. Music, especially genres like hard rock, metal, and rap have some pretty crooked lyrics, some encouraging drugs and alcohol, death and destruction, sex and violence, or dark and depressing messages. In the media of today; stereotypical jokes, woman treated as objects or as if inferior, racial slurs, homophobia, and mocking or ridiculing one's appearance is popular, accepted and widespread.
This article in the Oxford Journal, http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/44/3/229.full, addresses the effects of alcohol advertising and media exposure in adolescents. http://www.ehow.com/about_5304830_psychophysical-effects-music.html, looks at some of the psychological and physical impacts of different genres of music. This blog on yahoo voices discusses some of the prejudices and discrimination found in the media, http://voices.yahoo.com/bias-media-racism-sexism-homophobia-553712.html. The above video's are some examples of the programs I mentioned that some may feel cross the line.
The last aspect of popular culture I would like to address that I think is harmful to people is the portrayal of sex and body image in media. Sex and sexuality is no longer kept in the bedroom and lacks censorship in a lot of ways. Sexual innuendo can be found in most programs, even the more innocent seeming sitcoms or movies. Every genre of music has songs that get down right dirty, often singing in detail what they want to do, intend to do, or what they are doing. Advertisements also try to sell products using sex and sexuality. The problem with most of the people we see in advertisements is that they are not "real." Computers take a regular person, and make them flawless. In fashion and runways, you see women who are very thin and tall and men have the ideal build as well. This idea of beauty is doing a great job of making young girls feel inadequate and can help lead to eating disorders and body image disturbances. It just seems that nothing is sacred anymore, sex is no longer something done between two people who love each other, and the media now defines what is and is not attractive.
There is so many articles and blogs addressing these issues so I will list just a few that I felt had a powerful message. http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=2, this article talks about the lies media tells us about our bodies. http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/29049/InTech-Westernization_the_role_of_mass_media_on_body_image_and_eating_disorders.pdf, this report shows the prevalence of eating disorders related to the media's portrayal of the ideal body type. CBS posted this article claiming that media may be prompting teen sex, http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500368_162-1464262.html.CNN posted an excellent report addressing both body image and sex promotion in the media, check it out at http://articles.cnn.com/2012-03-09/living/living_beauty-media-miss-representation_1_social-media-natural-beauty-jennifer-siebel-newsom?_s=PM:LIVING.
The bottom line is that the media is a powerful thing and can influence people without them even realizing it. Recognizing what is the truth and where it is distorted is the first step to stopping the media from ruling your mind or your emotions. Stay true to yourself, and don't let your kids watch, listen, or read things that could influence them in a negative way. We can beat the media, we just need to know where to draw the line.
Violence is found in just about anyway in which media is manifested. Television includes not only violence performed by professionals, but there is a new type of program that is all the rage, reality television. When watching an action movie with lots of violence and brutality, I think at least for adults, we are able to recognize the fact that this is staged fighting and only contains portrayed disorder. Reality television, however, often shows untrained actors or actresses, or everyday people, duking it out, destroying property, or verbally bashing someone else all to the cheers and delight of the often faithful viewers. These people often appear ignorant, reckless, and with a blatant disregard for the law or any type of authorities. I would say that our youth would only benefit without seeing erratic, thoughtless, vagrants whose only goal is to put on a good show. Music can be a wonderful, literary work that can provide a type of therapy for many people. However, violence in popular music is a quickly growing trend, possibly to keep up with the consumer's demand for this type of song writing. Radio stations edit most curse words and some inappropriate lyrics, but there are still plenty of controversial topics that are left untouched. Video games, I feel, are the primary channel for any and all type of violence and bloodshed to take over the T.V. screen. The fact is, violence has become so common and accepted, that parents will often let their children play games if violence and gore are the only aspects of the game that contain a warning.
The next alarming feature of pop culture can not be described as one specific act. Most avenues of media produce offensive, insulting, and shocking elements for the sake of entertainment. Television programs like Family Guy, Futurama, and South Park have incredibly aberrant and distasteful humor and all three are cartoons. Some adults do like cartoons as well, but these are shows that kids should never watch, yet they are drawn to them because they are cartoons and feature characters that kids would enjoy, even if they don't understand all of the adult themes. Movies such as The Hangover, Jay and Silent Bob, 30 Year Old Virgin, or Kids have some very weighty scenes, some of which may possibly be too much for even an adult making sex, drugs, and outrageous behavior seem cool and attractive. Tosh.0, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Workaholics use terribly offensive, disturbing, and disgusting spectacles for their loyal fans to enjoy. Music, especially genres like hard rock, metal, and rap have some pretty crooked lyrics, some encouraging drugs and alcohol, death and destruction, sex and violence, or dark and depressing messages. In the media of today; stereotypical jokes, woman treated as objects or as if inferior, racial slurs, homophobia, and mocking or ridiculing one's appearance is popular, accepted and widespread.
The last aspect of popular culture I would like to address that I think is harmful to people is the portrayal of sex and body image in media. Sex and sexuality is no longer kept in the bedroom and lacks censorship in a lot of ways. Sexual innuendo can be found in most programs, even the more innocent seeming sitcoms or movies. Every genre of music has songs that get down right dirty, often singing in detail what they want to do, intend to do, or what they are doing. Advertisements also try to sell products using sex and sexuality. The problem with most of the people we see in advertisements is that they are not "real." Computers take a regular person, and make them flawless. In fashion and runways, you see women who are very thin and tall and men have the ideal build as well. This idea of beauty is doing a great job of making young girls feel inadequate and can help lead to eating disorders and body image disturbances. It just seems that nothing is sacred anymore, sex is no longer something done between two people who love each other, and the media now defines what is and is not attractive.
The bottom line is that the media is a powerful thing and can influence people without them even realizing it. Recognizing what is the truth and where it is distorted is the first step to stopping the media from ruling your mind or your emotions. Stay true to yourself, and don't let your kids watch, listen, or read things that could influence them in a negative way. We can beat the media, we just need to know where to draw the line.
Monday, November 5, 2012
My New Nurse Tweeps!
I added three new members to my all important twitter page. I don't use twitter often, but after making the decision to conquer this quest, I may be using it more often. I am currently enrolled in school to further my education in the nursing profession. I have been a licensed practical nurse since 2002, and I am finally getting the opportunity to gain the knowledge necessary to make advancements in my occupation.. The twitter pages I chose to follow were; Registered Nurses(@RNguide), ADVANCEforNurses(@AdvanceNurses), and Nurses Association(@ANANursingWorld). Each page provides different resources and information that will be useful to me in the workplace. I intend to describe the content of each page and why I feel it will be beneficial for me to follow them.
Registered Nurses use their twitter page as a meeting spot for nurses as well as a means to provide information on available jobs and educational offers for their interested followers. One feature that encouraged me to add this page is that it offers links to websites and tips to help nurses obtain free CEU's. CEUs, or continuing education credits, are important to all nurses because we are required to complete the required amount of continuing education credits in order to renew our license . Nurses are responsible for learning and keeping track of new technologies, diseases, and proper techniques for implementing treatments and procedures within our scope of practice. New medications come out all the time as well as the development of side effects not previously documented or recognized. This page has over five thousand followers and really does provide a place to meet other individuals that share your profession as well as recruiters looking to hire for various positions. The last important aspect for me was that it reminds nurses of their need to renew their license, which can save time and a whole lot of unneeded hassle. The website associated with this twitter group is http://RNguide.com.
Advance for Nurses is the twitter link for a very informational website,· http://nursing.advanceweb.com/ . This website has resources for all fields and specialties for every nurse in the healthcare profession. It has articles on new research and developments, includes both national and regional news pertaining to health care, provides new audio and video every couple days on different relative topics, lists events and photos of nurses, gives a rundown of how politics affect health care, and even has surveys and contests for the members of this nursing community. That is just a few of the awesome things included in this website. The tweets that come from this page hit on different aspects of nursing, providing links to new publications on nursing laws and regulations, ways to continue your education, grants available for nurses, new ways to treat prevalent diseases, new medications, recalls and dangerous drugs, opportunities for CEU's, job placement, a quote of the day, and even a nurse's pet gallery. This page will help me keep up with current issues and find out about new treatment options or alternatives that are being implemented. It may even be able to help me find a job after I finish school. This twitter page is loaded full of credible resources and information that will keep me informed and knowledgeable, therefore helping me perform to the best of my abilities.
The final tweep I hooked up with is Nurses Association, whose tweets come from The American Nurses Association which is a national, professional organization that represents all registered nurses in the United States. This very important association has over ten thousand followers on twitter, and I'm sure an abundant amount of followers of their website,http://nursingworld.org/joinana.aspx . The ANA serves the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, helping to protect and promote the rights of nurses in the workplace, presenting nurses with a positive, clear, and realistic picture of what nursing entails, and by lobbying Congress and other regulatory agencies regarding health care issues that affect nurses as well as the general public. The information found on this twitter page is always going to be accurate and can provide links to find out about new laws, regulations, and expected standards of practice. Nurses are only human and therefore they make mistakes just like everyone else. However, if a nurse makes a mistake that causes harm to a patient or the possibility for harm, nurses can not only have their license suspended, restricted, or revoked but may also face legal charges as well. Knowing how to do your job according to the standards set forth by the Nurse Practice Act and the Board of Nursing is the best way to protect yourself from audits,lawsuits or even jail. This is probably the most valuable tweep I added and will use this tool to keep up on relevant topics associated with my career choice! !Tweets from @sealpn83/nursing-tweeps ">Tweeps
Registered Nurses use their twitter page as a meeting spot for nurses as well as a means to provide information on available jobs and educational offers for their interested followers. One feature that encouraged me to add this page is that it offers links to websites and tips to help nurses obtain free CEU's. CEUs, or continuing education credits, are important to all nurses because we are required to complete the required amount of continuing education credits in order to renew our license . Nurses are responsible for learning and keeping track of new technologies, diseases, and proper techniques for implementing treatments and procedures within our scope of practice. New medications come out all the time as well as the development of side effects not previously documented or recognized. This page has over five thousand followers and really does provide a place to meet other individuals that share your profession as well as recruiters looking to hire for various positions. The last important aspect for me was that it reminds nurses of their need to renew their license, which can save time and a whole lot of unneeded hassle. The website associated with this twitter group is http://RNguide.com.
Advance for Nurses is the twitter link for a very informational website,· http://nursing.advanceweb.com/ . This website has resources for all fields and specialties for every nurse in the healthcare profession. It has articles on new research and developments, includes both national and regional news pertaining to health care, provides new audio and video every couple days on different relative topics, lists events and photos of nurses, gives a rundown of how politics affect health care, and even has surveys and contests for the members of this nursing community. That is just a few of the awesome things included in this website. The tweets that come from this page hit on different aspects of nursing, providing links to new publications on nursing laws and regulations, ways to continue your education, grants available for nurses, new ways to treat prevalent diseases, new medications, recalls and dangerous drugs, opportunities for CEU's, job placement, a quote of the day, and even a nurse's pet gallery. This page will help me keep up with current issues and find out about new treatment options or alternatives that are being implemented. It may even be able to help me find a job after I finish school. This twitter page is loaded full of credible resources and information that will keep me informed and knowledgeable, therefore helping me perform to the best of my abilities.
The final tweep I hooked up with is Nurses Association, whose tweets come from The American Nurses Association which is a national, professional organization that represents all registered nurses in the United States. This very important association has over ten thousand followers on twitter, and I'm sure an abundant amount of followers of their website,http://nursingworld.org/joinana.aspx . The ANA serves the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, helping to protect and promote the rights of nurses in the workplace, presenting nurses with a positive, clear, and realistic picture of what nursing entails, and by lobbying Congress and other regulatory agencies regarding health care issues that affect nurses as well as the general public. The information found on this twitter page is always going to be accurate and can provide links to find out about new laws, regulations, and expected standards of practice. Nurses are only human and therefore they make mistakes just like everyone else. However, if a nurse makes a mistake that causes harm to a patient or the possibility for harm, nurses can not only have their license suspended, restricted, or revoked but may also face legal charges as well. Knowing how to do your job according to the standards set forth by the Nurse Practice Act and the Board of Nursing is the best way to protect yourself from audits,lawsuits or even jail. This is probably the most valuable tweep I added and will use this tool to keep up on relevant topics associated with my career choice! !Tweets from @sealpn83/nursing-tweeps ">Tweeps
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
The Digital Divide; Part 2 My Computer and Me
The second section of The Digital Divide was interesting and entertaining. I chose to describe the four articles that I enjoyed the most and could relate to on some level. This part of the book is about social life, personal life, and school and how the world wide web fits into these aspects of life. There is no doubt that the internet has created an entirely new way to communicate with people all over the world and has had a major impact on interpersonal relationships. The irony of reading some of these articles is that some of them were written before many of the technological advances that we know today. I picked the following articles to reflect on and provide my interpretation of; They Call Me Cyberboy, Social Currency, Love Online, and We Can't Ignore the Influence of Digital Technologies.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading They Call Me Cyberboy by Douglas Rushkoff. This article originally published in Time Digital in 1996 is this author's recount of his days as a pioneer to the once unfamiliar, alien land known as the internet. He tells of his belief that during the birth of the world wide web, he was a renegade participating in this technical revolution. He was a part of a new culture with a drive and a mission to pass on the gift of access to the world via "digital enlightenment." He describes this group of internet supporters as "cyberculture," made up of radical Californians with a starry-eyed passion for the net. They preached tolerance above all else and patiently shared their knowledge with anyone willing to learn. But then the inevitable happened, big corporations took over the sanctity of this once "virgin" domain, even after it was shunned and rejected by the same mainstream America that now was claiming it as their own. The author describes the internet as "just another place to do business," after the capture of this once peaceful land by the ever-present Corporate businesses always looking to make a dollar. The writer of this article felt that the internet that he knew and loved prior to this takeover is just in "remission," and hopes that someday his dream of an interactive world would re-appear. In 2012, the interactive world is well realized, but I am not sure if it is the world he hoped for. Communication is just a click away... you just might have to suffer through a couple adds before you get there.
The next article I chose was by the same author of They Call Me Cyberboy, Douglas Rushkoff, is entitled Social Currency. This passage, orginally published in TheFeature.com in 2003, argues that wireless providers are not pursuing what is most desirable to the general public, ways to interact with other people. Instead they are investing in content related upgrades like "multimedia networks" and data with enormous file sizes. The writer claims that the wireless companies are blind to what the consumer really wants, more opportunities for social interactions. He describes excuses to connect or communicate with others as "social currency." He uses the origin of baseball cards as an example as social currency and to society's craving for contact with others. Rushkoff mentions the still camera as a great addition and felt that adding a digital video would be even better. The main idea of this excerpt is that wireless companies will not succeed in effectively selling the content they are investing so much money into because people are more interested in socializing. Now fast forward to the present, and I think that the wireless companies have far surpassed this authors expectations. Not only do cell-phones have internet capabilities, advanced digital video and photos, and numerous ways to communicate with others, but the "content creations" have become more than successful. The creation of apps, gps, games, and so much more are features that some could not live without in a wireless device. When I read this, I realized how different cell phones were even 9 years ago. This passage was well written and logical, but quite obviously he had no way of knowing how amazing and advanced a cell phone's content would eventually become.
Love Online is an excerpt from Fans, Bloggers, and Gamers by Henry Jenkins. This book was written in 2006, but this citation is not a subject that is outdated. Dr. Jenkins tells the story of his son's virtual love affair with a girl he met in a chat room. His son, Henry, met Sarah in an online discussion group and continued to correspond through email. After getting better acquainted, Henry ventured to phone her. Their relationship continued to blossom with online dating and virtual gifts. Sarah had a very protective father that insisted on being able to met any boy that wished to date his daughter. Henry called her father to formally ask for permission to drive the long distance to met him and his daughter. The writer speaks of some obstacles that online relationships present due to the inability to see what someone is saying or observe gestures made by one another. Henry and Sarah were only 15, and despite the fact that they did meet and shared common interests, the relationship eventually ended as most due in this stage of life. The writer reminds us that long-distance communication between lovers is not a new concept. Many lovers have been separated due to some unavoidable circumstance and have communicated their love and endeavors through written words. Though this couple met online, they used every available channel to communicate, even mailing tangible items such as photos. The bottom line though was that they longed see each other face to face. The author points out that the internet can help us find people with similar beliefs and interests and pop culture can provide a way to communicate with someone who may seem very different from you. The purpose of this article is to help us realize that the same ways that people have engaged in a romantic pursuit bring a new intensity to these online born relationships. Technology and media outlets require teens to juggle several different identities; the chat room persona, the online lover, and the mind that occupies their real body. This is a new concept, and it sounds exhausting.
The last article I chose to relate is an entry from The Chronicle of Higher Education published in 2007 and written by Cathy Davidson. The title is We Can't Ignore the Influence of Digital Technologies and it challenges the exclusion of Wikipedia by educators as a source of knowledge. The writer, a member of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Digital Media and Learning Initiative, feels that Wikipedia should not be discredited or dismissed. She argues that "several comparative studies have shown that errors in Wikipedia are not more frequent than those in comparable sources," and those discrepancies can easily be corrected. Davidson describes Wikipedia as "a community devoted to a common good- the life of intellect." She proposes that instead of prohibiting students from using Wikipedia as a source for information, educators should include this website dedicated to collaborative knowledge by studying what it does and research it's sources. The author proposes that the new generations growing up and going to college are intimately familiar with technology. At the time of this article, Davidson started a project to study how digital technologies are reinventing the way people learn, play, and interact with others. Davidson is involved in another project dedicated to exploring how intellectual dissertation changes when it is transferred from written word to network screens. Davidson has a vision of how collaborative, shared, collective, knowledge should be evaluated for potential and as a part of formal education, and use critical thinking skills to either renounce it's use or participate and contribute their own knowledge for the collective good. Davidson admits to using Wikipedia for a quick reference quite often and when stimulated by an entry, she often becomes engrossed in a debate started in the discussion section. Davidson described Wikipedia as "the single most impressive collaborative intellectual tool produced as least since the The Oxford English Dictionary." The message Davidson wishes to convey is that Wikipedia can be used in so many ways for the greater good, it is a way for the whole world to share ideas and collect knowledge as well as openly debate their opinions and finding with anyone who wishes to do so. I related to this article because I too feel that Wikipedia should not be discredited by colleges and universities, there are ways to confirm the information provided and it is an easy way to get a detailed description on almost anything you would like to learn about.
The second section of The Digital Divide was interesting and entertaining. I chose to describe the four articles that I enjoyed the most and could relate to on some level. This part of the book is about social life, personal life, and school and how the world wide web fits into these aspects of life. There is no doubt that the internet has created an entirely new way to communicate with people all over the world and has had a major impact on interpersonal relationships. The irony of reading some of these articles is that some of them were written before many of the technological advances that we know today. I picked the following articles to reflect on and provide my interpretation of; They Call Me Cyberboy, Social Currency, Love Online, and We Can't Ignore the Influence of Digital Technologies.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading They Call Me Cyberboy by Douglas Rushkoff. This article originally published in Time Digital in 1996 is this author's recount of his days as a pioneer to the once unfamiliar, alien land known as the internet. He tells of his belief that during the birth of the world wide web, he was a renegade participating in this technical revolution. He was a part of a new culture with a drive and a mission to pass on the gift of access to the world via "digital enlightenment." He describes this group of internet supporters as "cyberculture," made up of radical Californians with a starry-eyed passion for the net. They preached tolerance above all else and patiently shared their knowledge with anyone willing to learn. But then the inevitable happened, big corporations took over the sanctity of this once "virgin" domain, even after it was shunned and rejected by the same mainstream America that now was claiming it as their own. The author describes the internet as "just another place to do business," after the capture of this once peaceful land by the ever-present Corporate businesses always looking to make a dollar. The writer of this article felt that the internet that he knew and loved prior to this takeover is just in "remission," and hopes that someday his dream of an interactive world would re-appear. In 2012, the interactive world is well realized, but I am not sure if it is the world he hoped for. Communication is just a click away... you just might have to suffer through a couple adds before you get there.
The next article I chose was by the same author of They Call Me Cyberboy, Douglas Rushkoff, is entitled Social Currency. This passage, orginally published in TheFeature.com in 2003, argues that wireless providers are not pursuing what is most desirable to the general public, ways to interact with other people. Instead they are investing in content related upgrades like "multimedia networks" and data with enormous file sizes. The writer claims that the wireless companies are blind to what the consumer really wants, more opportunities for social interactions. He describes excuses to connect or communicate with others as "social currency." He uses the origin of baseball cards as an example as social currency and to society's craving for contact with others. Rushkoff mentions the still camera as a great addition and felt that adding a digital video would be even better. The main idea of this excerpt is that wireless companies will not succeed in effectively selling the content they are investing so much money into because people are more interested in socializing. Now fast forward to the present, and I think that the wireless companies have far surpassed this authors expectations. Not only do cell-phones have internet capabilities, advanced digital video and photos, and numerous ways to communicate with others, but the "content creations" have become more than successful. The creation of apps, gps, games, and so much more are features that some could not live without in a wireless device. When I read this, I realized how different cell phones were even 9 years ago. This passage was well written and logical, but quite obviously he had no way of knowing how amazing and advanced a cell phone's content would eventually become.
Love Online is an excerpt from Fans, Bloggers, and Gamers by Henry Jenkins. This book was written in 2006, but this citation is not a subject that is outdated. Dr. Jenkins tells the story of his son's virtual love affair with a girl he met in a chat room. His son, Henry, met Sarah in an online discussion group and continued to correspond through email. After getting better acquainted, Henry ventured to phone her. Their relationship continued to blossom with online dating and virtual gifts. Sarah had a very protective father that insisted on being able to met any boy that wished to date his daughter. Henry called her father to formally ask for permission to drive the long distance to met him and his daughter. The writer speaks of some obstacles that online relationships present due to the inability to see what someone is saying or observe gestures made by one another. Henry and Sarah were only 15, and despite the fact that they did meet and shared common interests, the relationship eventually ended as most due in this stage of life. The writer reminds us that long-distance communication between lovers is not a new concept. Many lovers have been separated due to some unavoidable circumstance and have communicated their love and endeavors through written words. Though this couple met online, they used every available channel to communicate, even mailing tangible items such as photos. The bottom line though was that they longed see each other face to face. The author points out that the internet can help us find people with similar beliefs and interests and pop culture can provide a way to communicate with someone who may seem very different from you. The purpose of this article is to help us realize that the same ways that people have engaged in a romantic pursuit bring a new intensity to these online born relationships. Technology and media outlets require teens to juggle several different identities; the chat room persona, the online lover, and the mind that occupies their real body. This is a new concept, and it sounds exhausting.
The last article I chose to relate is an entry from The Chronicle of Higher Education published in 2007 and written by Cathy Davidson. The title is We Can't Ignore the Influence of Digital Technologies and it challenges the exclusion of Wikipedia by educators as a source of knowledge. The writer, a member of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Digital Media and Learning Initiative, feels that Wikipedia should not be discredited or dismissed. She argues that "several comparative studies have shown that errors in Wikipedia are not more frequent than those in comparable sources," and those discrepancies can easily be corrected. Davidson describes Wikipedia as "a community devoted to a common good- the life of intellect." She proposes that instead of prohibiting students from using Wikipedia as a source for information, educators should include this website dedicated to collaborative knowledge by studying what it does and research it's sources. The author proposes that the new generations growing up and going to college are intimately familiar with technology. At the time of this article, Davidson started a project to study how digital technologies are reinventing the way people learn, play, and interact with others. Davidson is involved in another project dedicated to exploring how intellectual dissertation changes when it is transferred from written word to network screens. Davidson has a vision of how collaborative, shared, collective, knowledge should be evaluated for potential and as a part of formal education, and use critical thinking skills to either renounce it's use or participate and contribute their own knowledge for the collective good. Davidson admits to using Wikipedia for a quick reference quite often and when stimulated by an entry, she often becomes engrossed in a debate started in the discussion section. Davidson described Wikipedia as "the single most impressive collaborative intellectual tool produced as least since the The Oxford English Dictionary." The message Davidson wishes to convey is that Wikipedia can be used in so many ways for the greater good, it is a way for the whole world to share ideas and collect knowledge as well as openly debate their opinions and finding with anyone who wishes to do so. I related to this article because I too feel that Wikipedia should not be discredited by colleges and universities, there are ways to confirm the information provided and it is an easy way to get a detailed description on almost anything you would like to learn about.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
I Spy With My Google Eye...
Do you get the picture? Using Google to see what I can see
What can I say, I am a google ninja. I use google as my primary search engine as well as my homepage. I started this quest searching for the first image, likely a paper completed for a typing class depicting a historical resignation letter written by Eleanor Roosevelt. The first phrase I used to search using google was "My dear Mrs. Robert." This search produced the same letter written in narrative form on two websites, articles with information about E. Roosevelt, An obituary for Gilbert Roberts, and multiple other sites with the terms used to search for the image in a different context. The first result I came upon was from a Vermont Public Radio website with a narration of a commentary series reporting the winner of the Eleanor Roosevelt Medal and while the information appears credible, it is not at all what I am looking for. In my next search, I narrowed the search to Mrs. Henry Roberts, this produced multiple images of the letter I was searching for including the exact image, found in the first listed result of my search. The image was posted on http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/todays-doc/index.html?dod-date=226 and to my great surprise this is an image of the actual letter Mrs. Roosevelt had written to resign from The Daughter's of The American Revolution after an african-american singer, Marian Anderson, was barred from performing at the Constitution Hall in D.C. I am still unable to determine why the letter is corrected with a 100 and a check mark, making it seem as though it was graded. I felt that this government website dedicated to national archives and historical documents would provide the most accurate information regarding the text's history, origin, and content.
My next search for the image of the "Background Map," proved to be even more successful. Using google's search engine, I searched for "background map from AP newsfeatures showing people arrested and jailed in the U.S." and Walla... the first website listed had the image of the map in question. The website, ://www.virginiamemory.com/online_classroom/shaping_the_constitution/doc/freedom_rides_map describes this map as a Virginia memory, showing the routes used in the Freedom Rides of 1961 also marking the sites where incidence of violence was encounted during the rides. This website describes the purpose behind the rides as a test of a ruling made by the Supreme Court that "non whites" could not be denied service in interstate transportation terminals. Beginning with just 13 riders traveling across the country to test the enforcement of this new ruling eventually grew to more than 400 Freedom Riders, trained to handle the opposition they would likely face during their journeys. This website titled Virginia Memory, The Library of Virginia definitely appears credible, citing the references for the information provided about this historical map as two sections in the Library of Congress websites as well as suggested reading material about the subject from the Oxford University Press and the University of Illinois Press, both very reputable sources for information. The next result was a news report regarding the arrest of 6 people during an anti-deportation rally followed by the homepage for a news website, www.wavy.com. Both of these results are not in anyway related to the map I was searching for but using a very detailed description of the post I was searching for proved effective in finding exactly what I wanted to find.
I ventured on to locate the image of the police report, once again using google, I searched for "actual image of police report from 1955 city of Montgomery J.F. Blake" The first search result once again provided the image I was looking for. The website, http://historicalthinkingmatters.org/rosaparks/0/inquiry/intro/ shows an assigment beginning with a warm-up question asking "Which document is more trustworthy? Why?" Below this challenge is a typed version of the official police report filled out regarding the arrest or Rosa Parks, labeled as the head note written by the arresting officer, citing the city of Montgomery's police department as the source providing the note's information. Next to this report is the image found under this quest's details, an actual image of the police report generated in 1955 when Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1st. This site appears to be credible due to it's purpose of educating participants in history, the notable contributors listed at the bottom of the page, ands it's title as the 2008 winner of The American Historical Association's prize for an outstanding teaching aid. Different sections of this same website, historicalthinkingmatters.org, that provide different information regarding Rosa Parks, take up the next 3 results listed. The next result is the Wikipedia page for James F. Blake. Once again, using as many details as possible to search for something specific produced the desired results after my first attempt at finding them.
The last image we are required to discover for is this assignment is the eighty eighth Congress, House of Representatives of 1964's roll call regarding bill 290-130. My first search via google is "image of roll call from feb 10,1964 for the eighty eighth congress, house of representatives. I was very amused at the first result listed, it was the blog of a former humanities student from July of this year. The next result is for the website congresslink.org, the opening page shows a timeline related to the bills passed by Congress during the Civil Rights movement. I looked around on this site a little and while the bill in question is described I was unable to find the image I was looking for. For my second search, I added the bill number to my original request. The first result was the congresslink. com website I had already explored, second was the same blog post about this assignment, but the third link http://www.thefullwiki.org/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964 has the image I was looking for as well as the description of what this image represents in the collected information regarding the Civil Right's Act of 1964. While Wikipedia is often not accepted as a credible source, however, Wikisource, the free encyclopedia, is able to scan the information contained in it's text to assure the reliability and accuracy of the information they provide. This page cites it's numerous sources, most I am able to identify as credible. Wikisource also provides the content of the bill as well as the members who passed it.
This bill was one of the most important bills Congress ever passed, it outlawed the unequal application of voter registration requirements as well as putting a stop to racial segregation in schools, the workplace, and public places. This was the beginning of a new age, the government passed a bill that not only declared segregation as unlawful, but eventually these laws were able to be protected and enforced by the Federal Government. This bill was first introduced by John F. Kennedy prior to his assassination, was revised to include other important provisions, and Lyndon Johnson (Kennedy's predecessor) promoted the bill and after quite a fight, Johnson signed this bill into law. In essence, the Government finally makes a stand against discrimination and racial inequality, and proclaims that all citizens of this country should be awarded the same rights and be expected to live within the same laws, regardless of race, color, or nationality. I enjoyed discovering the story behind all of the images, especially the last... However, I must say, I got mad search skills!
My next search for the image of the "Background Map," proved to be even more successful. Using google's search engine, I searched for "background map from AP newsfeatures showing people arrested and jailed in the U.S." and Walla... the first website listed had the image of the map in question. The website, ://www.virginiamemory.com/online_classroom/shaping_the_constitution/doc/freedom_rides_map describes this map as a Virginia memory, showing the routes used in the Freedom Rides of 1961 also marking the sites where incidence of violence was encounted during the rides. This website describes the purpose behind the rides as a test of a ruling made by the Supreme Court that "non whites" could not be denied service in interstate transportation terminals. Beginning with just 13 riders traveling across the country to test the enforcement of this new ruling eventually grew to more than 400 Freedom Riders, trained to handle the opposition they would likely face during their journeys. This website titled Virginia Memory, The Library of Virginia definitely appears credible, citing the references for the information provided about this historical map as two sections in the Library of Congress websites as well as suggested reading material about the subject from the Oxford University Press and the University of Illinois Press, both very reputable sources for information. The next result was a news report regarding the arrest of 6 people during an anti-deportation rally followed by the homepage for a news website, www.wavy.com. Both of these results are not in anyway related to the map I was searching for but using a very detailed description of the post I was searching for proved effective in finding exactly what I wanted to find.
I ventured on to locate the image of the police report, once again using google, I searched for "actual image of police report from 1955 city of Montgomery J.F. Blake" The first search result once again provided the image I was looking for. The website, http://historicalthinkingmatters.org/rosaparks/0/inquiry/intro/ shows an assigment beginning with a warm-up question asking "Which document is more trustworthy? Why?" Below this challenge is a typed version of the official police report filled out regarding the arrest or Rosa Parks, labeled as the head note written by the arresting officer, citing the city of Montgomery's police department as the source providing the note's information. Next to this report is the image found under this quest's details, an actual image of the police report generated in 1955 when Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1st. This site appears to be credible due to it's purpose of educating participants in history, the notable contributors listed at the bottom of the page, ands it's title as the 2008 winner of The American Historical Association's prize for an outstanding teaching aid. Different sections of this same website, historicalthinkingmatters.org, that provide different information regarding Rosa Parks, take up the next 3 results listed. The next result is the Wikipedia page for James F. Blake. Once again, using as many details as possible to search for something specific produced the desired results after my first attempt at finding them.
The last image we are required to discover for is this assignment is the eighty eighth Congress, House of Representatives of 1964's roll call regarding bill 290-130. My first search via google is "image of roll call from feb 10,1964 for the eighty eighth congress, house of representatives. I was very amused at the first result listed, it was the blog of a former humanities student from July of this year. The next result is for the website congresslink.org, the opening page shows a timeline related to the bills passed by Congress during the Civil Rights movement. I looked around on this site a little and while the bill in question is described I was unable to find the image I was looking for. For my second search, I added the bill number to my original request. The first result was the congresslink. com website I had already explored, second was the same blog post about this assignment, but the third link http://www.thefullwiki.org/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964 has the image I was looking for as well as the description of what this image represents in the collected information regarding the Civil Right's Act of 1964. While Wikipedia is often not accepted as a credible source, however, Wikisource, the free encyclopedia, is able to scan the information contained in it's text to assure the reliability and accuracy of the information they provide. This page cites it's numerous sources, most I am able to identify as credible. Wikisource also provides the content of the bill as well as the members who passed it.
This bill was one of the most important bills Congress ever passed, it outlawed the unequal application of voter registration requirements as well as putting a stop to racial segregation in schools, the workplace, and public places. This was the beginning of a new age, the government passed a bill that not only declared segregation as unlawful, but eventually these laws were able to be protected and enforced by the Federal Government. This bill was first introduced by John F. Kennedy prior to his assassination, was revised to include other important provisions, and Lyndon Johnson (Kennedy's predecessor) promoted the bill and after quite a fight, Johnson signed this bill into law. In essence, the Government finally makes a stand against discrimination and racial inequality, and proclaims that all citizens of this country should be awarded the same rights and be expected to live within the same laws, regardless of race, color, or nationality. I enjoyed discovering the story behind all of the images, especially the last... However, I must say, I got mad search skills!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Video Games Are Creating An Army Of Adolescent Ninjas And We Are All Doomed 2!
Most of us are well aware of the negative impact video games can have on our children. After reading a fellow student's blog analyzing an article written by a college student named Andrea Norcia entitled The Impact of Video Games on Children, I to wanted to do my own analysis of this article. I have a twelve year old son and have observed for myself several of the negative effects that video games can have on the children who love them. According to an article in The Washington Post website,http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/04/19/AR2009041902350.html, a study conducted in 2009 concluded that videogames can produce symptoms of addiction and that 8.5% of youth ages 8 to 18 exhibit multiple behaviors that indicate an addiction to playing these games. I feel quite sure the number of kids with these signs is much higher than it was three years ago. An article in the New York Times confirms that video games encourage a sedentary lifestyle and addresses the misconception that interactive video games that require movement to play do not actually promote physical activity in gamers and may actually compensate for the extra movement required to play these games by reducing other physical activities. An article written by Dr. Gentile,http://www.pedsforparents.com/articles/2791.shtml, he identifies many health risks, mood and behavior changes, and learning problems videogames have been proven to cause, largely due to the ever-increasing amount of time kids are spending on gaming.There is plenty of evidence of the unwanted, negative impact kids are likely to experience, yet for some reason parents, myself included, continue to buy the systems and games that are slowly poisoning the youth of America.
The article that I chose to analyze is titled, The Impact of Video Games on Children,http://www.pamf.org/preteen/parents/videogames.html, and the main thesis of this article is that playing violent games for extended amounts of time is linked to increase in aggressive or confrontational behaviors as well as contributing to difficulties in school. These changes in mood are attributed to entirely too much play time as well as a lack of discretion when buying or renting games with adult or mature themes. One suggested theory as to the method these behaviors manifest is that videogames are a stimulating and interactive way of learning and often use repetition as a teaching tool. When kids are playing violent video games that require the repetition of violent acts, they may develop aggressive behaviors as a learned pattern.Another proposed reason why children may be susceptible to these disruptive behavior changes is because video games have characters that are created to inspire role identification; giving characters an entire persona and often letting the player pick certain attributes, skills, and certain aspects of the character's appearance. It is not only possible but probable that a child could easily be influenced by a character in a game; imagining himself being the character and behaving like the character. Unfortunately, a lot of the best loved characters appearing in video games are violent whether they are supposed to be thought of as a good guy or the villain.
The author of this article lists a warning that multiple medical associations got together and released a joint statement alerting parents that violence in video games can have a negative impact on children. She also presents results of studies conducted that are relative to her stance as well as other sources that provide evidence supporting her claim that children who spend a lot of time playing video games, especially those intended for mature players, are likely to have changes in attitude and begin to display aggressive tendencies. Even if these changes are not evident, children may also demonstrate an indifference of desensitization to violence, gore, and death. The writer also included tips to help parents manage their children's media usage in hopes of helping parents make informed decisions about what to buy and allow children to watch or play. In addition, this article introduces the rating system used to specify the recommended age group suggested based on the content in the game. Often an innocent looking game can contain suggestive adult themes that could easily be overlooked at first glance. It appears that this article was written to reveal the potential for videogames to create discordant, unfavorable changes in your child's mood or behavior but also gives a general guideline of ways to prevent video games from being dangerous to children who like to play them.
My son's favorite thing to do is play video games and I have had to witness many of the ways video games can negatively influence a child and deeply regret ever allowing them to be available to him. The risk for aggressive behavior is just one of the many changes in mood or behavior that may surface as a result of frequent or regular gaming. When I bought my son his first game system I believed videogames to be harmless, especially if you monitored the games being played and continued to promote physical activities. I had no idea that video games would become a big part of his everyday life. At this point, he feels as though he has absolutely nothing to do if he doesn't have some form of media to entertain him. One of the worst habits my son formed from frequent gaming is the expectation of instant gratification.When playing a game, children have control of the outcomes and is able to push a button and the game instantly produces his desired result. His aversion to practice and learning is very likely as a result of this attitude of entitlement and belief that he should not have to wait for any desired outcome.
An article on Psychology.com,http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ulterior-motives/201001/the-positive-effect-action-video-games-speed-visual-processing, boasts about the positive effect of playing action games. It claim that action games help players develop faster visual processing and are able to quickly make a decision based upon that processed information. This article does, however, recognize that most action games are violent. I feel that the benefit does not come close to the risk. A report on the Colorado State University, website,http://www.news.colostate.edu/Release/5653, states that complete immersion into playing video games helps to create a skill that can help you reduce stress and and even increase a persons overall happiness. The research conducted also recognized that some players can be what is considered addicted ultimately leading to negative consequences. The Boston Globe's website posted an article entitled how video games are good for your brain,http://www.boston.com/ae/games/articles/2009/10/12/how_video_games_are_good_for_the_brain/, that claims they boost mental function, increase visual acuity, and improve short-term memory. The problem with all of these suggested benefits of playing video games is that they don't include the evidence of how kids are affected that lack self control or how easily influenced most children are. Video games may have some positive effects but while children may be able to learn something from these games, they are not likely learning other important skills and may possibly be learning things you would not want them to learn.
I was able to verify that all the information provided in this article was accurate and true. The writer provided adequate evidence to support her claim. I believe, however, that there are many different issues plaguing our children's minds and actions and that it is not just violent video games that are the culprit. The pop culture relevant to this new generation is filled with negativity, sex, violence, sarcasm, and dependence on technology; all of which are influencing the way our children think and act. While I believe this article presents a valid concern, it is just a small fragment of a much bigger picture. The themes found in video games can also be seen in everyday life. We have not yet begun to see how the media has affected the kids of today, who knows what they will be like as adults. For more insight into this problem, check out http://voices.yahoo.com/the-negative-effects-video-games-childrens-behavior-2693214.html?cat=9, http://www.apa.org/research/action/games.aspx, and http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20000424/children-violence-video-games?page=3.
The article that I chose to analyze is titled, The Impact of Video Games on Children,http://www.pamf.org/preteen/parents/videogames.html, and the main thesis of this article is that playing violent games for extended amounts of time is linked to increase in aggressive or confrontational behaviors as well as contributing to difficulties in school. These changes in mood are attributed to entirely too much play time as well as a lack of discretion when buying or renting games with adult or mature themes. One suggested theory as to the method these behaviors manifest is that videogames are a stimulating and interactive way of learning and often use repetition as a teaching tool. When kids are playing violent video games that require the repetition of violent acts, they may develop aggressive behaviors as a learned pattern.Another proposed reason why children may be susceptible to these disruptive behavior changes is because video games have characters that are created to inspire role identification; giving characters an entire persona and often letting the player pick certain attributes, skills, and certain aspects of the character's appearance. It is not only possible but probable that a child could easily be influenced by a character in a game; imagining himself being the character and behaving like the character. Unfortunately, a lot of the best loved characters appearing in video games are violent whether they are supposed to be thought of as a good guy or the villain.
The author of this article lists a warning that multiple medical associations got together and released a joint statement alerting parents that violence in video games can have a negative impact on children. She also presents results of studies conducted that are relative to her stance as well as other sources that provide evidence supporting her claim that children who spend a lot of time playing video games, especially those intended for mature players, are likely to have changes in attitude and begin to display aggressive tendencies. Even if these changes are not evident, children may also demonstrate an indifference of desensitization to violence, gore, and death. The writer also included tips to help parents manage their children's media usage in hopes of helping parents make informed decisions about what to buy and allow children to watch or play. In addition, this article introduces the rating system used to specify the recommended age group suggested based on the content in the game. Often an innocent looking game can contain suggestive adult themes that could easily be overlooked at first glance. It appears that this article was written to reveal the potential for videogames to create discordant, unfavorable changes in your child's mood or behavior but also gives a general guideline of ways to prevent video games from being dangerous to children who like to play them.
My son's favorite thing to do is play video games and I have had to witness many of the ways video games can negatively influence a child and deeply regret ever allowing them to be available to him. The risk for aggressive behavior is just one of the many changes in mood or behavior that may surface as a result of frequent or regular gaming. When I bought my son his first game system I believed videogames to be harmless, especially if you monitored the games being played and continued to promote physical activities. I had no idea that video games would become a big part of his everyday life. At this point, he feels as though he has absolutely nothing to do if he doesn't have some form of media to entertain him. One of the worst habits my son formed from frequent gaming is the expectation of instant gratification.When playing a game, children have control of the outcomes and is able to push a button and the game instantly produces his desired result. His aversion to practice and learning is very likely as a result of this attitude of entitlement and belief that he should not have to wait for any desired outcome.
An article on Psychology.com,http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ulterior-motives/201001/the-positive-effect-action-video-games-speed-visual-processing, boasts about the positive effect of playing action games. It claim that action games help players develop faster visual processing and are able to quickly make a decision based upon that processed information. This article does, however, recognize that most action games are violent. I feel that the benefit does not come close to the risk. A report on the Colorado State University, website,http://www.news.colostate.edu/Release/5653, states that complete immersion into playing video games helps to create a skill that can help you reduce stress and and even increase a persons overall happiness. The research conducted also recognized that some players can be what is considered addicted ultimately leading to negative consequences. The Boston Globe's website posted an article entitled how video games are good for your brain,http://www.boston.com/ae/games/articles/2009/10/12/how_video_games_are_good_for_the_brain/, that claims they boost mental function, increase visual acuity, and improve short-term memory. The problem with all of these suggested benefits of playing video games is that they don't include the evidence of how kids are affected that lack self control or how easily influenced most children are. Video games may have some positive effects but while children may be able to learn something from these games, they are not likely learning other important skills and may possibly be learning things you would not want them to learn.
I was able to verify that all the information provided in this article was accurate and true. The writer provided adequate evidence to support her claim. I believe, however, that there are many different issues plaguing our children's minds and actions and that it is not just violent video games that are the culprit. The pop culture relevant to this new generation is filled with negativity, sex, violence, sarcasm, and dependence on technology; all of which are influencing the way our children think and act. While I believe this article presents a valid concern, it is just a small fragment of a much bigger picture. The themes found in video games can also be seen in everyday life. We have not yet begun to see how the media has affected the kids of today, who knows what they will be like as adults. For more insight into this problem, check out http://voices.yahoo.com/the-negative-effects-video-games-childrens-behavior-2693214.html?cat=9, http://www.apa.org/research/action/games.aspx, and http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20000424/children-violence-video-games?page=3.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
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