Say What?

shoot me now

2007-11-28T11:59:00.001-08:00

Although unpopular today, segregation within education was the norm of society until 1951. In the years preceding that time, the NAACP had tried to achieve desegregated schools, initially starting with the “separate but equal” motto of Plessy v. Ferguson. Plessy v. Ferguson held that as long as the separate facilities for the separate races were "equal," the segregation did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment. The NAACP fought for equality in teaching facilities, transportation, and salaries, with which they were very successful. Victories at the graduate school level inspired African Americans to fight for total equality. This led to the uproar of Brown v. Board. In 1951, a class action suit was filed against the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. African American citizens found it unfair that their children were not allowed to attend the elementary school located seven blocks from their homes, just because it was for “whites only”. Rather, they had to walk six blocks to a bus stop that took them to school a mile away. After an intense deliberation, the court ruled in favor of the Board of Education, on the basis of “separate but equal”.

I got this written in class today. I need to find a book source. I also need to get more written tonight.

Outliiiine

2007-11-19T11:50:00.000-08:00

Thesis: Despite attempts at integration, there is still segregation in education

1) Introduction

2) History of Segregation in Education

a) a)Brown vs. Board

b) b)"The Strange History of School Desegregation” article

3) Struggle for Integration in everyday life

a) a)Ideally, Segregation not favored

i) Although, favored by some

4) Attempts at integration in school settings

a) a)Held back by social and economic reasons, not all intentional

5) Segregation within integration in high school settings

a) a)Reasons

b b)Survey results

6) Conclusion

Revising Plan for Annottated Bibliography

2007-11-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

In order to improve my paper I need to:
-Make my point clearer.
-Make my category headings clearer and more meaningful. (completed)
-Find more credible sources.
-Reread my paper and find all of these spelling errors my classmates seem to have found.

intro -- kinda forgot my flash drive

2007-11-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

Introduction: The main research question that guides this research project is: Why is there still segregation in today’s society? I am writing this research paper for education and history majors. These sources will probably surprise them because, taken together, the sources I have consulted so far on my research topic reveal that yes, there is still segregation in our society, but that maybe segregation isn't exactly a bad thing. My sources prove that some groups flourish when segregated and that segregation is a choice of many. Most people, especially those students who fight for equality, believe segregation is not the answer to anything, but the journal articles I’ve read so far suggest that segregation might actually help society, rather than hinder it.

This is a surprising claim, even to me. Along with many others, I have always thought that as a well-developed country, desegregation was best for us, and that integration meant equal schooling opportunities. Contrarily, the journals and article that I have read argue that until early in the 20th century significant numbers of African Americans, if not the majority, supported the existence of separate schools. The body of my research paper will explain the beginnings of desegregation in schools; discuss the effects of it in the 21^st century; and argue the point that segregation might be the right answer to good education. The conclusion will focus on a quick review of the pros and cons of segregation. I will try to open the minds of society and prove that desegregation isn’t always best.

The Beginnings of a Research Paper

2007-11-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pros and Cons of Desegregation

Mizell, Linda. Reflections of a ‘Deseg Baby’. Rethinking Schools Online. Vol. 18, 3. 2004.

The author of this article is arguing that although there is desegregation, and there has been for awhile, education is still struggling. She questions whether society would’ve been better off had there been equal rights but separate schools. Mizell’s first-hand experience provides great information about the pros and cons of segregation. I will use the information from this article to prove that maybe segregation within desegregation could possibly be by choice.

Sources

2007-10-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Question: Are desegregated high schools actually desegregated?

Sources:
-Primary Sources: Conduct a survey to be filled out by high school students about their school.
-Secondary Sources: Online journals, encyclopedias, and books will all provide strong sources for my paper.

Roles for Research Questions

2007-10-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

Role Focus: Analytical or Synthesizer?

Ways to Distinguish:
-Do I view this as a problem or a controversy?
-Do I have mainly primary sources or secondary sources?
-Does the topic carry on a critical conversation?

Questions for my paper:
-What are some ways to develop authentic integration?
-Do subjects feel like they are part of a desegregated community?
-What problems hinder society from being completely integrated?

Research Progress Report

2007-10-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

So far I have learned that there are different opinions on the idea of desegregating schools. I'm still deciding whether to focus more on high schools or colleges and universities, both have their own issues. I have also learned that a lot of sites are opinion based, which is helpful, in a way, but not academic.

Desegregation is a term that has rendered many different articles. Desegregation in schools narrows the search down, but the chance is then higher that I will get an article that is not available via the internet, at least not without paying. Also, First school desegregation and survey questions about desegregation

Next week, I plan to look up more information that will help me decide whether I want to write about high schools or colleges and universities. The idea of desegregation in the military is also a possibility. I need to keep my audience in mind when looking for these sources.

I also plan to create a survey for students for my first-hand research.

Audience and Purpose

2007-10-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

After discussing my topic in front of the entire class I've come up with the following:

Audience -- College students, particularly education majors
Future teachers

Purpose -- Convince people and Argue that there is still segregation in schools, although some schools overtly claim that they are desegregated.
Illustrate using examples from Jena 6 and other cases.

3 Questions to Refine My Topic

2007-10-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

-- Is segregation, in schools and out, still a problem of today's society?

-- What were the reasons behind the initial idea to desegregate schools?

-- Were there societal or academic improvements because of this integration in schools?

Desegregation in Schools -- Research Topic

2007-10-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

Part I: Exploration

1. Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your research project.

-- The effects on students, and others, after desegregation in schools.

2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?

-- I have always gone to very diverse schools and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Plus, if schools were segregated, where would I go, being biracial?

3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?

-- I feel everyone has the right to get the same education.

4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic?

-- I know a little bit about the Brown v. Board case, and plan to use it in the paper.

5. What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?

-- I want to know how people really felt about the desegregation, especially in schools, and how it affected their lives.

6. Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?

-- I expect to do most of my research within history books and historical websites. I feel that history approaches this topic objectively and will give a fair account of how everything really happened.

7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews and/or observations)?

-- I could observe and/or interview here at school how people feel about going to school in a diverse community. This will show long term effects of the desegregation.

Part II: Focusing

Write an initial claim, or an open-ended question, to guide your research on this topic. Make it specific but exploratory. Remember that a good claim opens up an area of inquiry about a topic; a claim should invite evidence, support, and debate.

-- How has desegregation in schools affected our country?

Synthesis Paper Links and Summary "Do Smoking Bands Reduce Smoking?"

2007-10-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

Changes of Attitudes and Patronage Behaviors in Response to Smoke-Free Bar Law
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/reprint/93/4/611

Effects of Workplace Smoking Bans on Cigarette Consumption
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/reprint/80/2/178

Association Between Household and Workplace Smoking Restrictions and Adolescent Smoking
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/284/6/717

Do Workplace Smoking Bans Reduce Smoking?
http://www.jstor.org/view/00028282/ap000012/00a00040/0

Summary of Effects of Workplace Smoking Bans on Cigarette Consumption

A study was done in Australia, among Public Service workers, the largest employee group in the country, to see the effects of a smoking ban. The introduction of the ban was announced
over a year before its implementation deadline and was followed by publicity, pre-deadline phasing in of restrictions at some worksites, and availability of programs to help smokers stop smoking or to control their consumption. Knowing of this upcoming smoking ban, the workers were surveyed two to four weeks before the ban and again five to six months after the ban. The results were surprising. While there was a decrease in smokers, it was found that there was a small percentage of people who were non-smokers before the ban, and had reported becoming smokers in the last survey. The researchers admit that the evidence for effects of workplace bans on smoking cessation is mixed and that the reduction in prevalence may be no greater than the spontaneous rate of smoking cessation. After reading this article, I understand the decrease in smokers because of the lack of time in which to smoke.

Borland, R., Chapman, S., Owen, N., Hill, D. (1990). Effects of Workplace Smoking Bans on Cigarette Consumption. American Journal of Public Health, 80, No. 2. Retrieved October 3, 2007, from http://www.ajph.org/cgi/reprint/80/2/178

Goodbye Pen and Paper, Hello Technology (Revised with Metacommentary)

2007-09-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

We are becoming a technology-based society, encouraged by even the President, himself. But is this really what is best for our students? Today, every school is equipped with a computer lab, or two, at the very least. Some have even went as far as going “all-laptop” where every student has their own laptop for their educational use. Years ago, teaching was based on learning facts and having the ability to recite them back at a later date. Fast forward to the present, and you will see that everything is technology based. Consider schools, for example. They are currently in a transformation from text books and chalkboards to more interactive ways of thinking by using software integration. Some say that this new way of learning is more beneficial because what you learn coincides with everyday activities as opposed to the general learning in schools. The most comforting fact is that books are not totally extinct…yet.

Continue into the future one hundred years from today. All of this present technology is preparing us for the future, right? Not according to Clifford Stoll. In his article, Who Needs Computers?, Stoll argues that the jobs we have today will still be needed one hundred years from now. While it is true that whether it is a “dentist, truck driver, ballet dancer, salesperson, or schoolteacher” (47), technology is not needed to be at the top in any of these fields, the authors of Video Games and Learning will argue a separate point. In this present article, the authors’ argument is not that one needs technology in order to perform a task for a job, but that it will help one learn to do their job better. Learning strategies at a young age, in terms of a video game, help children get a sense of a real job is like. These findings challenge the common thought of many that video games are just a waste of time. Although, at one time, technology in our future may have seemed of concern to only those planning to work with computers, the authors of Video Games and Learning show that this new technology will help any profession in the future.

Whereas researchers used to believe books, paper, and a pen were the most effective ways of learning, new studies show that technology might actually be the best for our future. In short, soon students will be taught by computers rather than teachers, all homework will be done online, and novels and magazines will be issued through e-mail. The world is changing and we are all a part of it.

Goodbye Pen and Paper, Hello Technology (Revised)

2007-09-23T20:49:00.001-07:00

We are becoming a technology-based society, encouraged by even the President, himself. But is this really what is best for our students? Today, every school is equipped with a computer lab, or two, at the very least. Some have even went as far as going “all-laptop” where every student has their own laptop for their educational use. Years ago, teaching was based on learning facts and having the ability to recite them back at a later date. Fast forward to the present, and you will see that everything is technology based. Schools are currently in a transformation from fact fetish to more interactive ways of thinking by using software integration. Some say that this new way of learning is more beneficial because what you learn coincides with everyday activities as opposed to the general learning in schools. The most comforting fact is that books are not totally extinct…yet.

Continue into the future one hundred years from today. All of this present technology is preparing us for the future, right? Not according to Clifford Stoll. In his article, Who Needs Computers?, Stoll argues that the jobs we have today will still be needed one hundred years from now. While it is true that whether it is a “dentist, truck driver, ballet dancer, salesperson, or schoolteacher” (47), technology is not needed to be at the top in any of these fields, the authors of Video Games and Learning will argue a separate point. In this present article, the authors’ argument is not that one needs technology in order to perform a task for a job, but that it will help one to learn to do their job better. Learning strategies at a young age, in terms of a video game, help children get a sense of a real job is like. These findings challenge the common thought of many that video games are just a waste of time. Although, at one time, technology in our future may have seemed of concern to only those planning to work with computers, the authors of Video Games and Learning show that this new technology will help any profession in the future.

Whereas researchers used to believe books, paper, and a pen were the most effective ways of learning, new studies show that technology might actually be the best for our future. Soon, students will be taught by computers rather than teachers, all homework will be done online, and novels and magazines will be issued through e-mail. The world is changing and we are all a part of it.

Outline for Synthesis

2007-09-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Pen and Paper, Hello Technology

Synthesis: We are becoming a technology-based society, encouraged by even the President, himself. But is this really what is best for our students?

a) 100 years ago vs. 100 years from now

a. Is there really a need for technology?

b. Do we really benefit from technology?

b) Real world Situations, Jobs and Video Games and Learning

a. Helping or Hindering?

c) Losing Social Skills

d) Which way is best?

Wired

2007-09-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

When one thinks of a classroom, he imagines any number of students sitting at desks, rigorously writing, copying notes from the board in the front of the room. Or at least that's the way it used to be. Now, students are equipped with their own laptops which allow them to take notes with a few simple taps at the keyboard. In his essay, “Computers and Technology,” Richard Ohmann issues a caution to schools and universities interested in investing in new technology. Computers provide a communication tool for students to contact their professors for assignments and projects, but it can also hinder verbal communication. Also, computers provide easier ways for students to plagarize others' work. This article proves that there are both pros and cons to using computers in the classroom.

I agree with Ohmann's writing. It is very easy for me to relate to this article because my junior year I transferred to a school that was beginning its second year as an "All Laptop High School", as they liked to be called. I will agree that it made contacting my teachers very easy and research even easier, but it wasn't all good. My school would block sites, such as Facebook, Myspace, and the different messengers, but we always found ways around them. A single scrap of paper could make its way around an entire class with a series of numbers guaranteed to get you on Meebo, a site that allows you to get on every type of messenger possible. Also, sites like Ebay and other stores were not blocked so online shopping was always a possibility. It wasn't all bad either, though.My history book was installed on my computer so that was one less book I had to carry. I took notes on my laptop, which made going back a locating notes very easy, because I could save them in their own folders. When it comes down to it, I feel that computers in the classroom are, overall, a good idea.

Same Article, Different Views

2007-09-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

When Zinczenko says that there are no healthy alternatives to fast-food available, I have to disagree. In his article, he claims that one will see more than 13,000 McDonald's while driving down a thoroughfare but what about Subway? There are Subways every couple of blocks, and it is definitely a healthier alternative than McDonald's. Some may argue that the calories still build up, but that is all dependent upon the customer. The customer needs to be conscientious in his decisions or ANY restaurant and become unhealthy.
Another alternative to unhealthy fast-food restaurants is to grab something healthy from home before you leave the house. This may take a little more work, but it is the easiest way to control one's calorie intake. Although Zinczenko firmly believes the blame should be put on the restaurants, i believe it is solely the responsibility of one's self, or their parents, to make sure they are eating right.

********************************************************************

I see where Zinczenko is coming from when he blames fast-food companies for this country's rise in obesity. Even fast-food restaurants that serve salads or claim to have a "healthy menu" hide the fact that these items really aren't that healthy. Although I feel that fast-food companies are to be blamed, I don't agree that bringing a lawsuit against the company is the right solution. Again, i feel that, ultimately, it is the responsibility of one's self or their parents to watch what is being consumed. There will always be an alternative to fast-food restaurants, whether it be healthy restaurants or buying food from a grocery store. A question that arises here is will suing the company really make a difference? i feel that even if menus change, people will still opt for the unhealthy choices. We need to make better choices as humans and care for our health.

Superferry -- proof of a "They Say"

2007-09-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070903/OPINION02/709030305/1104

In this letter, Nancy Miller, the author, is arguing a ruling that a judge set in place that puts a restraining order on the Superferry in Hawaii. She shows her opposition to the "they say" in her initial sentence: "Firstly I do not agree with the judge..." Miller believes the ruling was put in place for unfair reasons. The judge feels the Superferry is a "burden of environmental assessment", while Miller argues that jets that leak fuel and large barges carrying a load of cars have the same effect on the environment. Miller ends her argument with a great point saying, "Please don't stop your neighbor's cousin from coming to visit. Why do you welcome thousands of cruise ship passengers with hula dancing and flower lei and marketing ploys encouraging exploration of the Islands, but not welcome your neighbor?"