5.08 Free Choice Blog

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Do Bystanders Have a Responsibility to Intervene When There is Trouble?

-          I personally see it as a responsibility for bystanders to intervene when they’re witnessing something terrible happening. If I were in a situation, I’d want someone to help me. Although, it does certainly depend on the type of situation you’re dealing with, for example, there recently was an incident in Texas where a fertilization plant burst into flames, obviously nobody is going to jump inside and try to stop the fire seeing as how that is certain death; eventually the plant exploded and damaged the nearby apartment complex, a middle school, and a nursing home. Some people went to help the seniors out of the nursing school because that’s something that’s in their power.

Do You Spend Too Much Time Preparing for Standardized Tests?

-          I believe that students spend too much time on standardized tests in school. I don’t think they measure a student’s abilities seeing as how a vast majority of students stress over these exams and many people tend not to do so well under stress, and some might be afraid of one test that could possibly determine the rest of their lives. I do think some tests are necessary, or else students wouldn’t feel obligated to learn the materials they have been taught.

What Should We Do to Fight Sexual Violence Against Young Women?

-          I personally am not surprised that these cases happened. Rape is a horrific thing and I can only try to understand the victims of such a horrible crime, but there’s not much we can do to fight against sexual violence against young women. Rape isn’t something predictable and there’s no “How Not to Get Raped” guide so there’s not many possibilities to stop this. A possible solution is education, there’s people all around the world who see women as less than a human and believe that they have the right to do whatever they want to them and if they were to be educated on the subject maybe they’d have a change of heart, but sadly many of these customs are deep-rooted into several cultures. Aside from education, the only other solution I could think of is women carrying around pepper spray.

Do You Ever Feel Guilty About What, or How Much, You Throw Away?

-          I don’t feel guilty about how much I throw away seeing as how I don’t really throw away that much as an individual. On average I throw out a few papers, wrappers, and a few lunch trays per week. I’ll be honest; I don’t really consider recycling much even though I know it’s important. I think the dangerous electronic equipment should be stored or reused instead of being left to cause harm. We can still use most of the technology in these machines so why not just reuse it.

Should Computer Games Be Used for Classroom Instruction?

-          I think it’d be something interesting and something to consider. As it is most students are bored during class, so incorporating games to aid in the teaching of students would probably be a good choice. It’s about what is appropriate. Simply because we have access to the technology doesn’t mean we always have to use it. However, for difficult topics that are difficult to engage students in, or need the assistance of imagery or interaction to achieve learning and stimulate critical thinking, then yes.

Summary:

-          The first article dealt with the issue that many people witness crimes and don’t do anything in their power to stop it. Although many times a bystander intervening could possibly cause him or her to lose their life, people should at least alert the authorities. The second article was about how a vast majority of students dedicate huge amounts of time preparing for standardized exams and how it disrupts their natural schedule. The third article was about what people should do to help stop sexual violence against young women. The fourth article was about how we tend to throw away many things, sometimes things that could go to good use or be recycled. The final article was about the consideration of using computer games to aid with the learning of students in a classroom setting. Many students have problems concentrating in class, especially on topics that they have no particular interests in and how the incorporation of computer games could possibly help stimulate the learning experience.

Organizational Patterns:

-          The authors used compare and contrast and a cause and effect organizational pattern. Compare and contrast to provide different statistics from different years, and cause and effect to address the possible effects if certain measures were taken.

Authors’ Intent:

-          The authors intended to provide their audience with reliable, objective, and relatable topics about what’s currently going on in the world.