Currently, Arizona State University is planning to offer more short classes during the upcoming semester. This means instead of the traditional 15 week course, more classes will be condensed into faster-paced 7 and 1/2 week classes. During the average week more things will be done in a 7 1/2 week course than the 15 week. Personally, I think it's a great idea. ASU believes that it will help student's schedules, which I firmly agree. Having started an English course halfway through the semester, I was able to bring my traditional 15 week classes to high grades without having to worry about the additional course work of an essay heavy class. Plus, the time that I would be in my English class, I used to complete homework for other classes. Students with more options for shorter classes may be able to take more credits within the semester and receive their degree earlier. Also, I believe that some classes would extremely benefit from being able to take the next course within the same semester. For example, English. Some individuals may be able to take English 101 and English 102 within the same semester. This helps them stay with the same concept of writing that is needed. It is difficult when classes can be a year or more apart, as students may forget crucial information. Furthermore, I don't think all classes will ever switch to this format. While there is a huge shift to nontraditional college students, such as online, hybrid, or condensed classes, there will always be the traditional population. Additionally, there will always be classes that need the full 15 weeks to cover necessary concepts. Classes such as General Biology for science majors need all the time they can to cover what it needed for the next course.
However, ASU also argues that financially it will help students as well. Maybe it's different at ASU, but I paid the same for my shorter class as I would have for a traditional 15 week course. Maybe in the long term they make pay less as students pay be able to take more classes in the same semester, but upfront, there seems to be no difference.
Showing posts with label Arizona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arizona. Show all posts
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Entry #3. Slanted Reporting.
Slanted Reporting. The situation in which a reporter presents the facts in a bias way with a distinct underlying message.
"Christian catching hell" is a prime example of this type of reporting. Within the brief news story, the reporter interviews a conservative Christian woman, Cathi Herrod, who had been receiving hateful words towards her conservation positions. Herrod, a prominent member of the Center for Arizona Policy. The reporter glosses over the most hateful aspects of Herrod's conservative position. On the Center for Arizona Policy's webpage, hateful comments towards LGBT members are encouraged. One such page Homosexuality argues that the American Psychological Association (APA) was only persuaded to not encourage conversion therapy for homosexuals due to the, "Strength that pro-homosexual advocates," exerted on the APA. While the reporter may seem to be taking an unbiased view, what she is actually doing is completely different. What NBC12 is essentially telling viewers is that Christians who advocate for extremely harmful conversion therapy and the inequality of LGBT individuals are "oppressed" if people take offense to their words. For the audience, this can tell an LGBT teen or young adult that they're wrong. That what they feel is immoral and they should change. People like Herrod increase the suicide rates for LGBT youth and increase the self-harm rates as well. Herrod and the NBC affiliate should be ashamed of themselves. Herrod for encouraging the inequality of citizens based off of religious beliefs in a country founded on the concept of not having one supreme religion, and NBC12 for making a victim out of the oppressor. Personally, I feel sicken by this report. I remember being youth and feeling wrong about who I was. I remember liking girls and worrying about what people would say. Herrod is a bigot and NBC12 is encouraging her archaic behavior through this segment.
"Christian catching hell" is a prime example of this type of reporting. Within the brief news story, the reporter interviews a conservative Christian woman, Cathi Herrod, who had been receiving hateful words towards her conservation positions. Herrod, a prominent member of the Center for Arizona Policy. The reporter glosses over the most hateful aspects of Herrod's conservative position. On the Center for Arizona Policy's webpage, hateful comments towards LGBT members are encouraged. One such page Homosexuality argues that the American Psychological Association (APA) was only persuaded to not encourage conversion therapy for homosexuals due to the, "Strength that pro-homosexual advocates," exerted on the APA. While the reporter may seem to be taking an unbiased view, what she is actually doing is completely different. What NBC12 is essentially telling viewers is that Christians who advocate for extremely harmful conversion therapy and the inequality of LGBT individuals are "oppressed" if people take offense to their words. For the audience, this can tell an LGBT teen or young adult that they're wrong. That what they feel is immoral and they should change. People like Herrod increase the suicide rates for LGBT youth and increase the self-harm rates as well. Herrod and the NBC affiliate should be ashamed of themselves. Herrod for encouraging the inequality of citizens based off of religious beliefs in a country founded on the concept of not having one supreme religion, and NBC12 for making a victim out of the oppressor. Personally, I feel sicken by this report. I remember being youth and feeling wrong about who I was. I remember liking girls and worrying about what people would say. Herrod is a bigot and NBC12 is encouraging her archaic behavior through this segment.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Entry #2. LDRs.
Distance sucks. First, if I could just teleport anywhere that would be great. Second, I wouldn't have to work about gas prices (although, they'd probably be some fee for teleportation per miles or something...). But as it stands, distance is something that impacts my day to day life. Why is this? Because currently, I am in a long distance relationship (LDR).
I'm lucky though. I knew going into this relationship it was going to be LDR. She was going off to college, I knew that. However, some people aren't that lucky. Circumstances such as school, work, and family can cause regular relationships to become LDRs. LDRs are hard, and, in my opinion, much harder than ones where the couples can see each other often.
My relationship currently (as of 2am this morning actually) has a 2 hour time difference. That makes planning Skype (a video chat service) dates, phone calls, and other relationship aspects really difficult. Additionally, sometimes remembering the 2 hours is a pain in the butt. For example, if I work from 6pm-10pm, it's 8pm-12am (previously 9pm-1am) her time. Plus, there were some days where I wouldn't be getting done with classes until 820 her time, then I would work at 9 her time (6 my time). Sounds confusing? Trust me, I know.
One of the most important things is communication. My girlfriend can't read my body language or my nonverbal communication to know if something is wrong (unless we're on Skype, but even then), so I have to tell her. Additionally, I have to make sure I let her know when I'm going out with friends and whatnot, so we can both prepare before we Skype, whether that's getting ready for bed, or getting homework done.
Right now, my girlfriend and I are 2,450 miles apart (maybe more she's currently on the subway). She goes to Pace University in downtown New York city, and I live in Glendale, Arizona. We're pretty much across the country from each other. But we make it work. Through texting, phone calls, Skype chats, FaceTime, care packages, and LDR couple apps (there's actually one called Avocado), we make this relationship work.
I'm lucky though. I knew going into this relationship it was going to be LDR. She was going off to college, I knew that. However, some people aren't that lucky. Circumstances such as school, work, and family can cause regular relationships to become LDRs. LDRs are hard, and, in my opinion, much harder than ones where the couples can see each other often.
My relationship currently (as of 2am this morning actually) has a 2 hour time difference. That makes planning Skype (a video chat service) dates, phone calls, and other relationship aspects really difficult. Additionally, sometimes remembering the 2 hours is a pain in the butt. For example, if I work from 6pm-10pm, it's 8pm-12am (previously 9pm-1am) her time. Plus, there were some days where I wouldn't be getting done with classes until 820 her time, then I would work at 9 her time (6 my time). Sounds confusing? Trust me, I know.
One of the most important things is communication. My girlfriend can't read my body language or my nonverbal communication to know if something is wrong (unless we're on Skype, but even then), so I have to tell her. Additionally, I have to make sure I let her know when I'm going out with friends and whatnot, so we can both prepare before we Skype, whether that's getting ready for bed, or getting homework done.
Right now, my girlfriend and I are 2,450 miles apart (maybe more she's currently on the subway). She goes to Pace University in downtown New York city, and I live in Glendale, Arizona. We're pretty much across the country from each other. But we make it work. Through texting, phone calls, Skype chats, FaceTime, care packages, and LDR couple apps (there's actually one called Avocado), we make this relationship work.
Me (left) and my girlfriend (right) with the doll I got her before she left
We're cool
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