In our technologically advancing and competitive society it has become a necessity for higher education. Online learning has become increasingly popular especially over the last 5 years. In fact, a survey completed the fall semester, 2006 shows that about 20% of America’s students were enrolled in at least one course online.
Many institutions feel that their online curricula are equivalent to or better than their traditional courses. The students are able to learn in a way that suits their own needs, which encourages more comprehension and retention of material. Also, students who may not have been outgoing enough to engage in the classroom setting are actually interacting with peers and feeling more comfortable in the online environment, which helps to build their self confidence, therefore helping to build their interpersonal skills.
Online learning has become more popular with the baby boomers as well. This age range of adults is coming upon retirement age. A large percentage of them actually plan stay in the workforce beyond their retirement. This forces a greater need for continued education to compete with the younger adults fresh out of college with a greater knowledge of technology thus a competitive advantage.
A common misconception is that older adults are unwilling to learn. Contrary to popular belief, older adults actually have a greater willingness to learn than younger employees (Githens, 2007). Distance education provides more flexibility than traditional classroom setting and gives access to a vast array of material and information.
Distance education is helpful to the colleges and universities as well. Many have overcrowding issues as well as facility demands. The commute for the faculty and students is lessened, which helps with parking issues and facility maintenance. Institutions can also increase their service area. With the courses being taught online it is possible for a student residing in California to obtain a quality education from a university in Maine.
Not only does it allow students, regardless of their geographic location to receive an education, online learning also allows for someone to easily juggle family and school. Those students returning to college later in life can work at their own pace and have the flexibility they would not be given at the on-campus setting.
Teachers will need to maintain and continue their education as well. With the advancement in technology and the increased popularity of distance education it will be necessary for the educators to be fluent with the online environment they are teaching in, especially the software they use to interact with their students. Now educators have access to a greater depth of graduate-level coursework than they may have had in other professional development settings (George, 2007).
Overall, distance education is an effective means of receiving a quality education. In a 2006 National Survey of Student Engagement study, it was found that online students feel they were more engaged than their classroom counterparts. Given this information and the convenience of online courses it is no wonder the experts predict a continued growth in enrollment.
References
George, M. (2007, November). Online-learning communities. MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools.
14 (6), 14-17. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from Academic Search Complete.
Githens, R. (Winter, 2007). Older adults and e-learning: Opportunities and barriers. Quarterly
Review of Distance Education. 8 (4), 329-338. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from Academic
Search Complete.
Assignment 1-3 Article Analysis
My chosen article was entitled “Don’t Ask me, I’m Just a Girl”: Feminism, Female Identity, and The Simpsons, written by Matthew Henry. This article was a very long but interestingly insightful on the way the mass media has viewed and projected women over time.
The author begins by giving a history of The Simpsons. The animated sitcom premiered in December 1989 and is currently in it’s 19 season. It is the longest running animated situation comedy in history. The writers of the show tend to address issues that are currently a topic in the media. The adult themes of the show are relevant to both men and women and are concerned with the relationships they have with each other and how they interact as a family unit. The show is also highly driven by political issues.
The show is so popular and recognizable that President Bush, Sr. actually discussed it at a 1992 convention of the National Religious Broadcasters. He stated that: “We need a nation closer to The Waltons than The Simpsons”. This statement proves the authors point that we as a society are easily influenced by the images that are placed on television. The Waltons are seen as the idealized family where the father works hard, has all the answers, and takes care of the family. While the mother does her motherly duties in the home, and the children get good grades in school, stay out of trouble, and always mind their parents. The Simpsons, on the other hand is viewed completely the opposite. Homer (the father) is a simple man who really isn’t all that smart, he is always making politically incorrect comments, and really doesn’t understand how to take care of his family. Marge (the mother) is simple herself, in that she tends to be a bit naive to Homer’s ignorance, she occasionally has to go out into the world and get odd jobs in order to help support her family. Bart is the families black sheep because he is always getting into mischief. Lisa’s character is a very liberal, confident young lady who is very intelligent (more so than most residents of their town), and is generally the moral voice of the show. Maggie is the youngest of the three children and is just a baby but is still a vital character to the show.
What Bush failed to see in his statement is that these were only media constructed images of family and community realities. The Simpsons leans more towards highlighting real issues of society. There is almost always a positive message at the end of the show. Generally someone always learns a strong life lesson. Because of the way that mainstream mass media depicts a woman’s proper place and roles in culture, there seems to be some confusion in many women today. They are torn between very traditional stereotypical roles of who and what they should be.
The author highlights Marge, Lisa, and Marge’s twin sister Selma. He discusses how The Simpsons has gained popularity in American culture and is one of the most celebrated and recognizable icons today. It depicts the traditional family in American culture and explores the influence upon highly politicized issues in contemporary society. The article explores how the show engages the politics of feminist movement and articulates a feminist sensibility with its satire.
I believe the author wrote the article for the intended female audience. One who is interested in the feminist view that is placed on the female characters of the show and their “intended place” in society. As I stated before this article was rather lengthy but was well organized and gave numerous examples of situations and entire episode descriptions where women’s issues were specifically addressed.
The author also discusses specific episodes of the show that deal with the potential infidelity of both Marge and Homer, the choice made by Selma of motherhood as a single parent, Marge being a stressed out overworked and underpaid housewife, Marge becoming a police officer, which is typically seen as a male career, and finally Lisa battling the Malibu Stacey (similar to Barbie) doll. All of these episodes have a message for women. A message of choice. They all relay to the female audience that we are equal, we do have rights, and if we stand up for those rights we can achieve anything.
I found it interesting that all of the episodes mentioned in Matthew Henry’s article were written and mostly produced by men. It proves that these men are also aware of the current state and view of women and their rights. They are able to transcend current issues and the way they are viewed to a mass audience.
Though our society still tends to be a patriarchal one, women have come a long way since the first wave of the feminist movement. We are gaining more rights everyday and have become much closer to having equality than ever before. The Simpsons offers viewers a complex combination of strength and weakness to male dominance and patriarchal structures.
REFERENCES
HENRY, M. (2007). “Don't Ask me, I'm Just a Girl”: Feminism, Female Identity, and The Simpsons. Retrieve Jul 7, 2008 from The Journal of Popular Culture, 40(2), 272-303.
The author begins by giving a history of The Simpsons. The animated sitcom premiered in December 1989 and is currently in it’s 19 season. It is the longest running animated situation comedy in history. The writers of the show tend to address issues that are currently a topic in the media. The adult themes of the show are relevant to both men and women and are concerned with the relationships they have with each other and how they interact as a family unit. The show is also highly driven by political issues.
The show is so popular and recognizable that President Bush, Sr. actually discussed it at a 1992 convention of the National Religious Broadcasters. He stated that: “We need a nation closer to The Waltons than The Simpsons”. This statement proves the authors point that we as a society are easily influenced by the images that are placed on television. The Waltons are seen as the idealized family where the father works hard, has all the answers, and takes care of the family. While the mother does her motherly duties in the home, and the children get good grades in school, stay out of trouble, and always mind their parents. The Simpsons, on the other hand is viewed completely the opposite. Homer (the father) is a simple man who really isn’t all that smart, he is always making politically incorrect comments, and really doesn’t understand how to take care of his family. Marge (the mother) is simple herself, in that she tends to be a bit naive to Homer’s ignorance, she occasionally has to go out into the world and get odd jobs in order to help support her family. Bart is the families black sheep because he is always getting into mischief. Lisa’s character is a very liberal, confident young lady who is very intelligent (more so than most residents of their town), and is generally the moral voice of the show. Maggie is the youngest of the three children and is just a baby but is still a vital character to the show.
What Bush failed to see in his statement is that these were only media constructed images of family and community realities. The Simpsons leans more towards highlighting real issues of society. There is almost always a positive message at the end of the show. Generally someone always learns a strong life lesson. Because of the way that mainstream mass media depicts a woman’s proper place and roles in culture, there seems to be some confusion in many women today. They are torn between very traditional stereotypical roles of who and what they should be.
The author highlights Marge, Lisa, and Marge’s twin sister Selma. He discusses how The Simpsons has gained popularity in American culture and is one of the most celebrated and recognizable icons today. It depicts the traditional family in American culture and explores the influence upon highly politicized issues in contemporary society. The article explores how the show engages the politics of feminist movement and articulates a feminist sensibility with its satire.
I believe the author wrote the article for the intended female audience. One who is interested in the feminist view that is placed on the female characters of the show and their “intended place” in society. As I stated before this article was rather lengthy but was well organized and gave numerous examples of situations and entire episode descriptions where women’s issues were specifically addressed.
The author also discusses specific episodes of the show that deal with the potential infidelity of both Marge and Homer, the choice made by Selma of motherhood as a single parent, Marge being a stressed out overworked and underpaid housewife, Marge becoming a police officer, which is typically seen as a male career, and finally Lisa battling the Malibu Stacey (similar to Barbie) doll. All of these episodes have a message for women. A message of choice. They all relay to the female audience that we are equal, we do have rights, and if we stand up for those rights we can achieve anything.
I found it interesting that all of the episodes mentioned in Matthew Henry’s article were written and mostly produced by men. It proves that these men are also aware of the current state and view of women and their rights. They are able to transcend current issues and the way they are viewed to a mass audience.
Though our society still tends to be a patriarchal one, women have come a long way since the first wave of the feminist movement. We are gaining more rights everyday and have become much closer to having equality than ever before. The Simpsons offers viewers a complex combination of strength and weakness to male dominance and patriarchal structures.
REFERENCES
HENRY, M. (2007). “Don't Ask me, I'm Just a Girl”: Feminism, Female Identity, and The Simpsons. Retrieve Jul 7, 2008 from The Journal of Popular Culture, 40(2), 272-303.
Weekly Written Analysis Assignment 4-1
On November 24, 1971 Dan Cooper boarded a Northwest Boeing 727 headed from Portland, OR to Seattle, WA and proceeded to his seat number 18C. After take off the man handed a note to a young attractive flight attendant. Assuming it was his phone number or hotel room number she slipped it into her pocket and didn’t give it another thought. Moments later the man waved her in close and said, “Miss you better look at that note. I have a bomb”. The flight attendant looked at the note which informed her that he was planning to hijack the plane and would use his bomb if necessary. Quickly to flight attendant alerted the captain of the jet. Word eventually made it to the president of Northwest Airlines, who instructed the crew to do just as the man requested
Dan Cooper’s requests were 4 parachutes (2 for his back and 2 emergency chest chutes) and $200,000 in unmarked $20 bills. While the FBI scrambled to meet Dan Cooper’s requests the jet circled Puget Sound waiting to land. The FBI gathered the requested items and photographed all 10,000 $20 bills. The pilot landed the jet and was instructed to taxi to a remote section of the landing strip where the passengers and flight attendants were released and the exchange was made.
Dan Cooper ordered the pilot to put the hijacked jet back into the sky. He specified how fast and at what altitude the jet should fly. Seemingly knowledgeable about flying and skydiving, Cooper opened the aft stairs on the jet and jumped only 35 minutes after the craft left the ground. Since the crew was ordered into the cockpit and threatened with a bomb detonation if they opened the door, that was the last time anyone has seen or heard from the hijacker.
Though the FBI had military aircraft following the 727 they were unable to spot Cooper jumping from the jet due to the weather conditions. An area of Washington was closed off and a manhunt was launched but there was no sign of him or his loot.
Due to a reporting error by a local news anchor Dan Cooper became known to the public as D.B. Cooper. This name is believed by the FBI to be as well recognized as Jack the Ripper.
Because of D. B. Cooper the copycat criminals that followed, the FAA implemented more strict airport security and regulations. The Cooper vane is a mechanical wedge that prevents the rear stairway of an aircraft from being lowered in flight. This device was named after and made standard on aircrafts because of Cooper’s crime.
There are still speculations as to the whereabouts of D.B. Cooper and his loot. Other than $5880 found on the banks of the Columbia River by an eight year old boy, none of the money has surfaced. This infamous crime has spawned books, movies, and periodicals speculating what actually happened. I wonder if we will ever actually find out if this was the most brilliant crime of our time or if D. B. Cooper’s remains will eventually turn up and we will realize it wasn’t really smart at all!
Read more:
Krajicek, D. (n.d.) D. B. Cooper The Legendary Skyjacker. Retrieved on July 22, 2008 from:
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/scams/DB_Cooper/index.html
D. B. Cooper (2008) Retrieved July 22, 2008 from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper
Weekly Written Analysis Assignment 3-1
On April 2, 2007 Harmonix (developer of Guitar Hero) announced Rock Band an interactive video game where video game fans and music lovers can interact with music like never before. Rock Band was released for Playstation and Xbox the holiday season of 2007. It includes a guitar, set of drums, and a microphone. You can actually form a band a go on tour. The song list is pretty awesome! Songs from some of the biggest artists of all time like Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and Bon Jovi just to mention a few.
My kids and I saved up for months for this game. It was a great experience for all of us. When the kids would do chores instead of giving them the cash I would add their money to our “Rock Band fund”. After about 5 months they saved up about $100. We knew that we still had a ways to go as the average retail price (depending on gaming system) is about $170. I got lucky and found it for the Playstation II at Wal-Mart for $100. The kids were so stoked! We got it about 3 weeks ago and have been having a blast playing it. My son (10) usually plays the drums, my daughter (7) thinks she’s a pop star so she takes the mic, and I play the guitar. They are definitely better than I am but its fun practicing and at least attempting to get as good as they are!
I think this type of game is brilliant. Not only does it give the kids a fun way to learn rhythm, and hand eye coordination, it also gives our family something that we can all have fun doing together.
If you have an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 you can actually download additional songs for a minimal charge. Today Harmonix releases Track Pack (volume 1). This disc will contain 20 songs that were previously downloadable songs for the PS3 and Xbox 360. You can bet that we will start saving to buy that next!
My kids and I saved up for months for this game. It was a great experience for all of us. When the kids would do chores instead of giving them the cash I would add their money to our “Rock Band fund”. After about 5 months they saved up about $100. We knew that we still had a ways to go as the average retail price (depending on gaming system) is about $170. I got lucky and found it for the Playstation II at Wal-Mart for $100. The kids were so stoked! We got it about 3 weeks ago and have been having a blast playing it. My son (10) usually plays the drums, my daughter (7) thinks she’s a pop star so she takes the mic, and I play the guitar. They are definitely better than I am but its fun practicing and at least attempting to get as good as they are!
I think this type of game is brilliant. Not only does it give the kids a fun way to learn rhythm, and hand eye coordination, it also gives our family something that we can all have fun doing together.
If you have an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 you can actually download additional songs for a minimal charge. Today Harmonix releases Track Pack (volume 1). This disc will contain 20 songs that were previously downloadable songs for the PS3 and Xbox 360. You can bet that we will start saving to buy that next!
Assignment 2-1
Earlier this year boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya announced his retirement. His exit strategy was comprised of three fights beginning in May, 2008 and the final fight being sometime in December.
His first fight was against prior 130-pound champ Steve Forbes. Though this “tune-up” fight was criticized by members of the boxing world, it was one that Oscar felt necessary. Most of the tickets to this fight were priced between $10-$20 and was scheduled on HBO’s “preview weekend” so that even those who didn’t subscribe to HBO would be able to view. He felt it was his way of saying thank you to his loyal fans, who in the past have shelled out upwards $60 just to watch his bouts on pay per view. As expected De La Hoya won this fight by split decision.
Oscar’s next fight was to be a re-match against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. De La Hoya lost his previous fight against Mayweather in a decision. He was attempting to re-stake his claim on the junior middleweight title. De La Hoya’s strategy was abruptly halted on June 2, 2008 when Mayweather, Jr. announced his retirement. It is yet to be announced who will take Mayweather’s place. This has put a crunch on De La Hoya’s plan. His third fight against Miguel Cotto is still on schedule for December, 2008.
Regardless of his failing strategy for his own retirement from the sport, De La Hoya remains one of the most followed fighters of all time. His pleasant personality and extremely good looks have made him one of the most recognizable athletes today. De La Hoya has generated more money for the sport than any other fighter in history.
Even though De La Hoya plans to retire at the end of this year from the sport he will remain around for a long time to come. He is the founder of Golden Boy Promotions, a combat sport promotional firm as well as the owner of The Ring magazine. He has also just written an autobiography entitled "America's Son". Oscar has been around boxing his entire life and has a vast knowledge. I personally hope he succeeds in all he does.
His first fight was against prior 130-pound champ Steve Forbes. Though this “tune-up” fight was criticized by members of the boxing world, it was one that Oscar felt necessary. Most of the tickets to this fight were priced between $10-$20 and was scheduled on HBO’s “preview weekend” so that even those who didn’t subscribe to HBO would be able to view. He felt it was his way of saying thank you to his loyal fans, who in the past have shelled out upwards $60 just to watch his bouts on pay per view. As expected De La Hoya won this fight by split decision.
Oscar’s next fight was to be a re-match against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. De La Hoya lost his previous fight against Mayweather in a decision. He was attempting to re-stake his claim on the junior middleweight title. De La Hoya’s strategy was abruptly halted on June 2, 2008 when Mayweather, Jr. announced his retirement. It is yet to be announced who will take Mayweather’s place. This has put a crunch on De La Hoya’s plan. His third fight against Miguel Cotto is still on schedule for December, 2008.
Regardless of his failing strategy for his own retirement from the sport, De La Hoya remains one of the most followed fighters of all time. His pleasant personality and extremely good looks have made him one of the most recognizable athletes today. De La Hoya has generated more money for the sport than any other fighter in history.
Even though De La Hoya plans to retire at the end of this year from the sport he will remain around for a long time to come. He is the founder of Golden Boy Promotions, a combat sport promotional firm as well as the owner of The Ring magazine. He has also just written an autobiography entitled "America's Son". Oscar has been around boxing his entire life and has a vast knowledge. I personally hope he succeeds in all he does.
Assignment 2-2 Icon Analysis
There are so many icons that come to mind when you really think about it. We have a very influential society. I have chosen three to discuss for this assignment: Madonna, The Beatles, and Shrek.
Madonna is a singer-songwriter, model, actress, record producer, and millionaire 400 times over. She has been dubbed: the "Queen of Pop" by the media. Madonna has sold over 200 million albums worldwide. Of her $400 million worth, she has donated upwards of $20 million to various children's charities. I believe her to be an icon because of her influence over the music industry. Many of her albums have been controversial but that did not stop her from being inducted into the Rock n'Roll hall of fame this year. Personally, Madonna is one of my favorite artists of all time.
The Beatles were a pop and rock group from England in the '60's and early '70's. They were a group of young men in their 20's who were trend-setters from the gate. Their clothing, hair, and style swept the world. The Beatles are the best selling musical group in the history of pop music. According to Rolling Stone Magazine (2004) the Beatles' innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960's and their influence on pop culture is still evident today.
Shrek is a fictional character from (in my opinion) some of the greatest children's movies of all time. He is a peace loving Ogre who lives in a swamp. Shrek tells a story in his movies that beauty isn't only skin deep. He sends a message to young children that no matter what you look like on the outside, everyone is worthy of love and deserves a chance to be seen for who they are. Shrek has appeared in promotional adds for such industry giants as M & M's and Wal-Mart. He also appears in an advertisement for the Department of Health and Human Services encouraging children to engage in physical activity. I believe Shrek to be an icon because of his notoriety among Americans and their children. In a very comedic and entertaining way he sends a positive message to our youth. I am sure he will be around for many years to come.
Assignment 1-4
With the recent spike in gasoline prices, Americans’ are left to look for alternative ways to save at the pump. Hybrid vehicles may just be the way to go. Their recent popularity has me wondering if the up front costs of these vehicles are worth the long-run savings.
A hybrid vehicle as defined by Wikipedia is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to propel the vehicle. Most often the vehicle’s power is generated from the gasoline engine, but it uses an electric engine when climbing hills or accelerating. The electric motor recharges itself with the forward momentum so there is no need for an external battery supply.
The national average for one gallon of gasoline today is $4.11 (www.aaa.com). Based on an investigative report from Consumer Reports (September 2006), gasoline will rise to almost $6.00 per gallon by 2011. That makes hybrid vehicles seem more enticing to me.
Major auto makers such as General Motors, Ford, and Toyota have been introducing new hybrid cars and SUV’s to the market each year since 2004. In recent studies some models have proven to be between $1800-$3800 less to run over a 5 year period than a single vehicles (Consumer Reports, 2006) as well as get about 10-20 additional miles to every gallon.
The US government is also currently offering ecoAUTO rebates of up to $2000 towards the purchase on most 2008 hybrid models.
There are still many hybrid vehicles, however, that have a premium price tag that will never provide a cost savings to their owner. If you wish to purchase one of these cost saving vehicles, you should definitely do your homework. Find out which vehicles actually save the most and make an educated decision.
View these sites for more information:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/resource-center/fuel-economy/high-cost-of-hybrid-vehicles-406/overview/index.htm
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/transportation/hybrid.html
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/
Assignment 1-2
Pop Culture is everything that surrounds us from the programs that we watch on television, to the latest fashions, the foods we eat, and the way we communicate with one another. Pop Culture influences our thoughts, actions, and emotions.
Popular Culture is relevant in the business environment in a sense of how we deal with our customers and how businesses elect to market their products and services.
I have chosen the television show American Idol as my artifact. I would guess that it is the highest rated reality type show on television today. Ryan, randy, Paula, and Simon are household names. I believe this show changed the way the music industry recruits new talent.
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