Gabcast! Podcast #3: Benefits of taking ballet #1
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Kids Online
Children spending too much time online has been a hot topic ever since I began middle school. I remember the days of AOL Instant Messenger and other forms of internet chatting being the way young people wasted time on the internet. My own mother would limit me to 2 hours a night or less, arguing that if she didn't limit me than I'd never get my homework done. Today there is so much more out there on the Internet. With Facebook, Twitter, iTunes, Hulu, etc. on the Web people are learning to multitask or collaborate with the interactive Internet. Even right now as I'm typing I am listening to Pandora Radio on the Web.
It's strange to think that within the span of 8-6 years the Internet has expanded to this point. The problem is that the more the Internet and/or media expands, the more people disconnect themselves from the real world. I can confidently say this after reflecting on how I spend my own day and seeing how my friends spend theirs. On average, my friends spend 3 hours on Facebook, 2 hours on Skype, 20 minutes on Blackboard, 3 hours on Hulu, and 6 hours listening to iTunes. Though much of this is done while multitasking, much of the day has gone while we're all on the Web. With the trend of connecting on the Internet rising and the rate of obesity, depression, and poor grades in school rising, it is obvious that there is a connection. Everyone is disconnecting themselves from the real world and living their lives via the Internet. Yes, the Internet can be helpful, but it also leads to disconnecting families. You can even see it on T.V. Shows from back in the day before computers and cell phones show kids spending their time playing sports or being active with a group of kids. Now when you watch T.V., there is always the little boy playing computer games, the daughter text or talking on her cell, the father watching T.V., and the mother working on the computer. The families don't even eat dinner together or eat with the television off. I think that the rise in technology has destroyed the family dynamic.
The article in the Times reflects my feelings towards kids and the growing use of technology. Sure when I was 10 all I wanted to do was chat on AIM, but I'm so glad that my parents limited me. I was able to go out for sports teams and be active, meeting friends, instead of wasting my day on the computer. It has really paid off in the long run, for example, branching out in college. My generation has social skills that the generation after us won't get because of how dependent they are on the Internet.
The reality, the amount of time children spend online or on their phones is dangerous and unhealthy.
It's strange to think that within the span of 8-6 years the Internet has expanded to this point. The problem is that the more the Internet and/or media expands, the more people disconnect themselves from the real world. I can confidently say this after reflecting on how I spend my own day and seeing how my friends spend theirs. On average, my friends spend 3 hours on Facebook, 2 hours on Skype, 20 minutes on Blackboard, 3 hours on Hulu, and 6 hours listening to iTunes. Though much of this is done while multitasking, much of the day has gone while we're all on the Web. With the trend of connecting on the Internet rising and the rate of obesity, depression, and poor grades in school rising, it is obvious that there is a connection. Everyone is disconnecting themselves from the real world and living their lives via the Internet. Yes, the Internet can be helpful, but it also leads to disconnecting families. You can even see it on T.V. Shows from back in the day before computers and cell phones show kids spending their time playing sports or being active with a group of kids. Now when you watch T.V., there is always the little boy playing computer games, the daughter text or talking on her cell, the father watching T.V., and the mother working on the computer. The families don't even eat dinner together or eat with the television off. I think that the rise in technology has destroyed the family dynamic.
The article in the Times reflects my feelings towards kids and the growing use of technology. Sure when I was 10 all I wanted to do was chat on AIM, but I'm so glad that my parents limited me. I was able to go out for sports teams and be active, meeting friends, instead of wasting my day on the computer. It has really paid off in the long run, for example, branching out in college. My generation has social skills that the generation after us won't get because of how dependent they are on the Internet.
The reality, the amount of time children spend online or on their phones is dangerous and unhealthy.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Online Privacy
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, privacy is being apart from other groups or people or in seclusion. It is independence from unwanted infringement. Within my life, privacy is very important. I come from a close family who always wants to be in others’ business. It is hard to have private thoughts or conversations, which makes us close but comical. Online is where I am the most cautious with my privacy. Even on my Facebook I don’t allow strangers to see my page, only my picture. I tend to use fake or similar information online unless I am making a purchase or online banking. Even then I make sure that there is an https: and not an http: present to make sure it is a secure connection. My preteen cousin has no sense of privacy whatsoever. On her Facebook (which I still think she is too young to have) she posts everything about herself. She has no realization of the dangers of doing that. When I talked to her about it she shrugged me off so I think in time she will understand where I am coming from. The only time she is concerned with privacy is when she asks her mom if she can order something online. Anytime a website asks for a credit card number she exits the window. Other than that, my preteen cousin exposes sensitive information about her and her family on Facebook and other websites.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Literacy in the 21st Century
Literacy is an important aspect in the 21st Century, and actually throughout American history in general. It used to be that only white, literate men could vote, which is very similar to today’s world. In the 21st Century, it is hard for illiterate people to participate in society. Of course, the way we define literate today is quite different from the way it was defined in history. Today, to be literate, a person has to be savvy with not just reading, but with technology too. Technology is everywhere in 21st Century society; it is in the workplace, schools, and homes. For a member of society to be productive, they must be literate with the technology as well as basic math and reading skills. Jobs are determined by how literate a person is with certain technology, students’ educations depend on being literate with certain technology, and even leisurely activities depend on being technologically literate. A progressive society and literacy go hand in hand, always have, and always will. It is important for individuals to be literate in order to survive in the 21st Century, and not just with reading anymore. If a person is not literate, they get left in the dust of society.
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