Research Paper

Mary Biviens

WIFYS

Dr. Shannon Mortimore- Smith

4/22/2015

Research Paper

Nowadays most people want a college degree but not everyone is able to pay the price for education. Each year the rise of education cost has been increasing making it harder for students to afford it. The growth of college tuition increases in student debt and leads students t not attend or even drop out of school because college loans do not provide much support. College tuition should find its way to reduce in cost so that more students are able to receive an affordable education. “For America to remain competitive, we must tackle the college affordability crisis head on” (Harkin 1).

My experience transitioning to college was a big step for me in dealing with finances. I had to attend a summer program for me to attend the university that I was applying to. The term in total cost had me to pay nearly four thousand out of pocket because financial aid do not cover summer semesters. Neither of my parents have a job or great credit so it was a struggle for me to find a loan or afford it on my own. Sure there are still resources of scholarships but they are not always promising. I thought I had to drop out because I could not afford it. I do not wish to think of something like that because of the money situation, for anyone to think someone of that on that matter.

Inside of Matt Taibbi’s, The college loan scandal, Taibbis makes a very interesting point claiming the university- tuition system is really exploitative and unfair. His reasons that follow’s this statement are that loans were created to help put low- and middle-income students into universities and also result in colleges remodeling through campus expenses also any other services and curricular activities. As an example, Taibbis talks about a scientist named Alan Collinge. He has graduated with a degree in aerospace engineering and earned a research job working at Caltech. He had asked for a raise and before you knew it Collinge lost his job. He was still in debt from $38,000 by fees, penalties, and accrued interest. As a result he now has to deal with his loans from college which didn’t really land him a promising goal or job.

“Reducing tuition is a noble goal and is one of the primary ways to ensure that the dream of a college education be a reality for more Americans in the days ahead” (Campo 2), is the quote in which Dr. Campo states in his article, Why we need to reduce college tuition. I agree with his statement because I feel that if tuition keeps increasing many students will drop out of college or either decide not to attend because they cannot afford it. “Higher tuition costs are surely driving students away” (Campo 2) but the reason here to why tuition is not reducing is because institutions may have to cut back on features (resources, sports, activities, etc.), reduce costs, and be mostly focused on academics. If quality through entertainment decreases enrollment could develop students to transfer possibly. Small class sizes could leave professors becoming harried towards students who might feel lamented by the situation (Taibbi 2).

Institutions all have made attempts to make the tuition bills more affordable but why haven’t they made a decrease in tuition yet? “-With state budget cuts causing a wide range of dismal conditions including program cutbacks and tuition hikes to make up for last state revenue”(Campo 2). Universities have suggested offering discounts or scholarships among students to help reduce tuition cost. Also, schools turn to endowments and alumni gifts to help cover some bills. Some universities have found solutions to reduce cost by providing “the use of technology” so students could only take online classes.

To offer a solution here that I think could benefit decrease in tuition would be to continue providing loans and scholarships for students but also have the federal government help pay for some of the academic programs  along with it’s school using they’re own money paying for new construction or dropping a few professors. This issue is important because to move on a better society we need to invest our ability to attend college. Anyone who strives for the opportunity to go to school should be able to go and made affordable for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Block, Gene D., et al. “The Debt Crisis In Higher Ed.” Time 10.18 (2012): 44-51. Academic                                            gvhubgbguhuhh Search Complete. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Campo, Carlos. “Why We Need To Reduce College Tuition.” Huffington Post. (2013),       gggggggggggggggWeb. 23 Apr. 2015.

Taibbi, Matt. “The College Loan Scandal.” Rolling Stone 1190 (2013): 34-3. Academic gggggggggggggggSearch Complete. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

           

 

QDW #3: Connected but Alone

Mary Biviens

WIFYS

Dr. Shannon Mortimore- Smith

2/23/2015

Connected but Alone

Sometimes when I am walking down the street and I see someone who I wish not to talk to, I’ll slide my headphones in my ears and listen to music. That way the person will not make an attempt to gain my attention. I catch myself doing that all the time, using my phone as an escape to avoid communication. It seems to work all the time for me. In making this comment I feel not only me but all of us lack true communication skills nowadays because of the use in technology.

“We’re getting used to being alone together” Sherry Turkle tells. What she proclaims here is that this new generation often uses our devices to escape from the real world. We do not surely notice it but sometimes of course we often catch ourselves doing it. Over the years technology has gotten more smart and creative. We are able to send out emails and talk to our friends on social media but some of us has a difficult time making eye contact. The problem with that so is because we have gotten so used to communicate through all types of resources with technology we find it harder to discuss face to face.

I could often agree with this issue because I find it hard to talk in person too. Talking face to face requires me to focus on eye contact, hold my body language properly to stay engaged, also face-to-face conversation deals with a lot of unsystematic speaking which is not my best tendency. We lose our communication skills the more we decide to involve ourselves in technology. I guess the real reason we decide to do this is because face-to-face conversation requires more work and effort whereas using devices to contact someone by email does not. It is so much easier to put thoughts together typing or writing someone.

We usually go to our technology for comfort. When we are alone, we watch movies. When we get bored, we play electronic games. If we’re going through emotions, we’ll put up a status on Facebook or tweet about it on Twitter. Turkle says “That feeling that no one is listening to me wants us to spend more time with machines”.

Machines all have types of sources that could benefit and entertain us rather than people can. We look up directions/ locations, we shop, we watch TV, we search information, we play music, and most importantly it gives us the opportunity to stay in contact with others. But do we? Yes, but not as we should. We have become indolent to talking to people and along the way we lost how to communicate. Our technology can provide solutions to us and that is why we turn to it.

When Turkle acknowledges that “Technology appears to us most where we are most vulnerable” she emphasizes that “We are designing technology that will give us the illusion of companionship without the demand of friendship. We turn to technology to help us feel connected in ways we can comfortably control”. During her research with the use of technology she has discovered that a woman was comfortable using a robot for her amity. She noticed that the woman had felt feelings and comfort with the robot even though we humans take on those types of traits.

I feel that we have all lost one another because of the needs we want every day. It is not hard to tell that everyone in our generation depends on themselves and isolate themselves from others and I feel the reason here is technology. Because we distance ourselves, it is difficult for us to want to help others and care for them. What we only care about is our needs and the needs that we want has a way on expanding more brilliant than before. When our needs make us lazy in doing things, such as SIRI (iPhone Navigator) finding us a nearby café, everything we do becomes being lazy and that’s all that we soon to know. The effort we had once before is not there anymore because technology is raising us.

QDW #2: Ecology of the Mind

Mary Biviens

WIFYS

Dr. Shannon Mortimore- Smith

2/19/2015

Ecology of the Mind

            In the article Ecology of the Mind, the author Kalle Lasn states “In the last couple generations, we have largely abandoned the natural world, immersing ourselves in virtual realms”. I assumed what the author is trying to say is that we do not embrace the world how we should. Instead we are blinded by the walls of everlasting technology. Our obsession with technology has obstructed our ability to engage in the natural world because using it effects our brains to the new material that keeps continuing.

            I agree with Lasn’s argument because I see this every day. I, myself is even involved. I feel the need to go for a run while playing music, studying while watching TV. and surfing the media if I am with family and friends. My example speaks for mostly everyone in this generation. It is like we do not recognize silence anymore. We’ve basically gained to depend on it.

“Other’s say that heavy internet use leads to addictions and depression and that the digital revolution may be rewiring our brains in unhealthy ways”. The advantage American child between the ages of 8-18 spends about seven and a half hours a day using some sort of electronic device. We are too busy having fun with technology that we don’t decide to randomly pick up a book and read something that could be interesting or healthy for our brains. Humanity is slowing but surely shifting and we are suffering from the uncontrollable epidemic of our new nature.

The way I see it technology was an opportunity rather than a curse that I have never began to realize until now. The development through technology became better and tempting to have. It causes people to want and want, that is what we are used to now. Wanting the will to be aware and joined into the media. This creates stress if not being involved but it also creates stress if you still happened to be. The breakdown of community, the insecurity of social roles, the stresses of modernity and globalization are all the main causes of how you may gain addictions or depressions.

The last quote of Ecology of the Mind that I decide to discuss about is “In a cleaner, quieter mental environment, we may find our mood calming and depression lifting”. Before technology was a general aspect in life, there were less arguments, divorces, and etc.. The less we become involved in technology the less we create more problems for ourselves. Technology has a way to control our minds and leaves us lost to think for ourselves. If we just leave it alone for a moment we are able to think bolder and wiser.

I think this quote relates to me because when I am trying to do work or an assignment, it is hard for me to discuss deeper thoughts because I am more focused on finishing my work just to watch Netflix. The distractions leaves my mind unclear. Quieter mental environment basically means that you shouldn’t have any thoughts but important or meaningful ones. Something that could help you improve on yourself rather than harming your brain by something you think is not harmful to it.

If Lasn and Bauerlein were both in a room discussing about this topic, I believe the main point they would talk about among this discussion would be that they both feel that technology has controlled our generation. That it will be a never ending cycle unless we find ways to not engage in the media or net all the time. Lasn might disagree that we’ve become dumb rather just rewired in our brains. If we develop to try into further knowledge and development, we could be smarter than we think in preparing for the near future.

 

QDW #1: Dumbest Generation

Mary Biviens

WIFYS

Dr. Shannon Mortimore- Smith

2/19/2015

The Dumbest Generation

Mark Bauerlien, author of the article ‘The Dumbest Generation’, tends to believe that nowadays we people grow up not attempting to actually seek knowledge. That technology has a way with making us lazy, “tinkering our brains, remapping the neural circuitry, and reprogramming our memory”. It once took us days to find research on a topic and now the internet is designed to help you find material in a matter of minutes. Bauerlein acknowledges that “the much-ballyhooed advantages of this brave new world have not only failed to materialize—they’ve actually made us dumber”.

A media theorist called Marchall McLuhan also agrees that technology has a way of shaping our minds making it harder to comprehend and store information through our own thoughts. The effect that the net has on us is the way they distribute it. Our minds decide to trust the information given to us and we report from that unknowingly. Maryanne Wolf, a developmental psychologists at Tufts University also tells about how, “Our ability to interpret text, to make the rich mental connections that form when we read deeply and without distraction, remains largely disengaged”. In making this comment, Wolf is basically saying that we fell off of trying to gain knowledge because of the use of technology is more compelling and allows us to think less.

In a study from the University College London have observed a research program. Scholars have examined the behavior of visitors using two research sites that provided “access to journal articles, eBooks, and other sources of written information”. They report that the people using the sites have found a development a form of skimming activity. Through the process in which the visitors had to find research they would typically read at least one or two pages of an article or bounce out on to a different without ever going back to the article to actually read it

My overall opinion towards these statements are that we are vulnerable towards the use of technology because they make our lives easier and entertaining. We have forgot about the importance of actually gaining new material by going a further mile to learn something new. With relying on spellcheck we don’t know how to spell. We cut ourselves off from the world not because we found Dan earlier way of going by things. We’ve became lazy but we need to turn that attitude around if we want to remain successful.

Argument #3

Mary Biviens

WIFYS

Dr. Shannon Mortimore-Smith

2/17/2015

As I was watching the mini documentary, 30 days, it tells about a Morman mother who has to stay in a household for a month with a two male couple/parents to examine the issue for the gay community (GLBTQ) to adopt. The big agreement here is that Katie , the mother visiting the family, feels as though it is wrong and it is not tradition for modern family values. That growing up in that type of environment will leave children unhappy and confused. Dennis and Tom Patrick, the male couple,  is fighting for same sex parenting among adoption and that it should be restricted and put under state law. The opposite argument however feels as though as long as their families are stable and if their children are loved, why should sexual orientation matter. The gay community is fighting for the rights to adopt children and to put them in their homes for love and care.

Katie, believes that it is wrong to adopt because of what she and god thinks is right she claims. She wants this law, to ban gay adoption approved because it not only affects her “very only moral fiber” but others who agree with her as well. I do not think her argument is very compelling due to the fact that she just only says this prior to her beliefs. It should not matter how children are being raised unless children are being brought into safe homes. Any other parent whether it’s a homosexual family have rights on how they should raise their family correctly and others don’t interfere and I feel this issue should not be a big deal.

Dennis and Tom have a problem with the attempts to ban gay adoption. They feel that it isn’t right and fair for them to stomp on their toes. They state that what they’re doing shouldn’t be law enforced and that children, in my opinion, is that people who feel gay adoption is wrong should view gay adoption in a whole new way. What they should pay attention to is that children are happy having a family rather than in adoption homes without someone to actually care for. I feel that is what is really important!

Reflection #2

Mary Biviens

WIFYS

Section 2

4/9/15

As I was watching the video “Killing Us Softly 4” by Jean Kilbourne, she has stated many arguments but her main goal to get across was that advertising has a control to have us think a certain way. “Only 8% of an ad’s message is received by the conscious mind. The rest is worked and reworked deep within the recesses of the brain” says Rance Crain, Former Senior Editor from Advertising Age. She tells how it gets to us quick and subconscious, with cumulatively. Advertisements can find ways to effect woman’s self-esteem and can have men view woman ideally. Increases advertising by selling sex.

Kilbourne’s main focus was to advocate the respect for advertising. “They tell us who we are and how we should be” she mentions. To convince us to look and act like the ideal male or female in society. When really that is almost impossible. That is why they are able to sell and sell their products to us coming to reach that it still isn’t enough. Consumption never stops. I agree to what she implies. Types of advertisement’s can lead woman in view of being a whore or virgin (sexual). However, men are mostly viewed as successful (business like) or masculine (alcohol or tough). That being said, because they are supposedly the dominant figure there could be thoughts within themselves to act violent.

From 1997 to 2007 cosmetic procedures increased to 457% among woman, Botox and laser procedures increased to 754% throughout a year and so did overall surgeries, having percentage increase 114%. We could prevent such ways of thinking by being profound and global. By showing advertisement to view people as citizens rather than consumers. All people deserve to live authentic chosen lives.

Journal #5

Mary Biviens

WIFYS

Dr. Shannon Mortimore-Smith

2/17/2015

Adapting to my Identity

My name is Mary Louise Biviens. Throughout my life I have never been very fond of the name. I hated it! I felt like it was to unique or too original for me. I had to hear the song Mary had a little lamb all my life, it was annoying. Thinking about it balls me up. I know that people don’t mean to tease me about it but after a while you’ll get tired too.  My middle name, oh gosh, where do I begin? First of all, I never even knew how to spell Louise until I was 11 years old when I finally saw my birth certificate for the first time. My mom only told me what my middle name was. I would always spell it differently every time I had to write it down. It was not too many times anyways because I barely acknowledged it. The only good I get from my last name is that I can tell people that it’s French. Even though I’m not French I feel as though that would add brownie points for me and I won’t get picked on. I could name the top three reasons why I hate my last name: 1) It was my birth father’s name whom I never meet before and my mother claims he disowned me, 2) It was a challenge for me to connect the words in cursive which made me not like my signature very much, and 3) It sounds ugly and anyone I come across either spells it or says it wrong, which I feel is a bit annoying as well.

I would not say that my first name was all bad, just the songs I would have to hear relating to it. But other than that, it’s an old name. I told my mother this and she did not like that I embraced it. She told me that I was named after my grandmother who had passed away two months before my birth. This made me realize that I should feel like my name is important. My name was holding significance from another soul. I learned to embrace my first name and began making fun nicknames with it to love it even more; such as Marebear, M-Bones, MaryBerry, etc.. I come from a family with simple names, my sisters names are Amanda, Catherine, Ashley, Jennifer, Sylvia, Stephanie, and Jasmine. We all come from a bad neighborhood and she says that goal to give us our names were to take us places. If I were to have a name like Shanequa competing to get a job with just the same qualifications on my resume as a lady named Mary and there was only one position available left, Mary would most likely be called in for the interview before me. I feel like that’s a good advantage to have for someone like me. I need to put in determination but my name would just be a plus.

My middle name never did hold a close place in my heart to share with the world. I always felt embarrassed with this name. I just always think, I am so lucky it’s my middle and not my first. Filling out job, college, or even doctor applications, I never put down my middle name. If I needed to, all they would get is the initial. In elementary school once one student knew my middle name, I was ruined after that. Everyone teased me for it and I was embarrassed. They knew how to easily get on me about that and how bad I didn’t like it. So basically that only made matters worse. Eventually, when I hit middle school the jokes died down and most people forgot about my middle name. To this day I don’t tell people my middle name because I feel I’ll always get teased for it.

You may think that my last name is not really all that bad but to me it is. I would tell people that my last name is Jackson instead of my original one because Jackson is my adopted father last name. I don’t see him as my adopted father, he’s my real father to me and so that gives me an excuse that that’s my last name. I feel there’s no harm in saying that because I’m basically not lying. Growing up I have always had to correct people on how to say my last name. Once at my current job, my boss would always spell my first and last name wrong. It was Marie Bivens on my payroll, Marry on my name tag, and Marry Bivins for when I had to clock in on the cash register. Now this is a true story, you would have thought he did this on purpose because I have corrected him many times. He said he did not care and that I had to deal with it but I was worried that the bank would not let me cash my check. Since I had to tell him to correct my name and he still forget many times later, I feel as though he did not respect me enough. I just wish my last name was not so difficult to people because then I wouldn’t have to go through this. My last name is usually spelled as ‘Bivens’ so that’s why people often spell it wrong even if my name is sitting right in front of them. Its pronounced as BIV’-ens but when people see it and read it aloud they say it as BIV’-ee-ens. My mom was mad at me when I told her that I was just going to address my last name as Bivens to make it simpler for others and myself. She hated that idea. I still don’t like my last name but I still find ways to cope with it. I’ll tell people to call me Bivv for short.

Everyone is born with a certain name for a reason. I have learned that throughout my life. My mother named me for a reason because she knew I deserved this name. I feel as though when people have children they are excited and honored to give their child a name. Before, I hadn’t thought of it like that and I took my name for granted. I should feel proud. I now embrace my name because I got to understand what it means. My name means someone who has ambition, who is determined, mindful, trustworthy, dependable, beautiful, and has dreams and goals set out for herself. Could I be all these things if my name were to be different? Probably, but I would never know and never attempt to try because I feel as though my name plays a major part in my identity. I can say that I love my name now because I love who I am and who I’m becoming. I don’t wish to be anyone other than myself. I am Mary Louise Biviens and I can only be me and no one else.