Second-Life

I was able to create an account on this website but could not load the viewer on my PC, so I never really got a good glimpse of how it works. From the exposure I gained through others, I would say that I'm not convinced there is much teaching use to this program, for it seems to be more for those interested in creating and expressing themselves through fantasy characters. So maybe it would serve some use in an arts program, yet I can't think of where it would fall. It seems like a sort of video game that allows the user to personalize a character for more realism. Again, this opinion is based on very little insight into the program for I could never get it to work.

Go Green!!!

Drink More Tap!


Glenda and Yohance believe that getting students and staff at the USM Gulf Coasts campuses to drink more tap water would prove to be a worthwhile Go Green cause. Efforts to get consumers to drink more of their local tap is growing around the country, and this is reflected in campaigns such as Tap into the City (2009), which is hosted out of New York City and the national Think Outside the Bottle (2009) campaign which challenges corporate dishonesty in promoting the benefits of drinking bottled water, while stimulating support and less apprehension towards the public water infrastructure. Think Outside the Bottle offers a student guide on its website that describes various actions that students at campuses nationwide are taking to reduce public dependence on bottled water, such as increasing awareness, setting up taste tests challenges and decorating campus water fountains.

Tap Anxiety

Concerns around tap water are understandable; for very few of us pause to think about what we may be drinking, when just needing to satisfy a quick thirst, and especially when we’re home where there are apparent safety nets around us. Yet several contaminants like lead, chlorine, arsenic and the bacterium E. coli can be found streaming directly from our faucets. Often people become unaware of these contaminants until health scares are exposed through media outlets. For this reason many have chosen to drink bottled water as a safe and viable alternative. Bottled water is yet somewhat inexpensive, costing no more than the average soda, and considerably less when purchased in bulk. But before forming a permanent reliance on bottled water, consumers are urged to find out what’s exactly in their local tap water, for water conditions vary regionally. This can be accomplished by obtaining the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), which is a report generated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report shows the condition of all water systems in a local region and is available to customers yearly. Individuals can also conduct personal test for less than $20 in some cases, which provides quick and accurate results for a lot of contaminants as well as the total hardness of the water (Consumer Reports, 2007).

Bottled Water Waste

There is growing alarm around plastic elimination from products such as bottled water, for because of their slow decomposition, plastic water bottles aren't in the best interest of the environment. There is no denying that recycling programs are more commonplace, yet according to the EPA more than 75 percent of water bottles still clog up our landfills. Another issue with bottled water has been the limited regulation in place, whereas the EPA strictly regulates tap water. In essence if bottled water is not filtered properly it can contain some of the same contaminants common to tap water (Collins, 2008). Because of improved filtrations processes and lessening costs, along with governmental oversight, consumers and industries should employ tap water filtration systems to improve upon the longevity of our national resources.

Local Tap Support

The primary purpose towards supporting tap is to ensure that the water supply is properly filtered. This is accomplished through regulation, but can be supplemented by attaching additional filters to the water units. Tap water filtration requires minimum effort and proves to be less costly in the long run while ensuring the customer is getting clean and healthy drinking water. According to a 2007 WebMD article, common filter types include faucet mounted units which can range in price from $20 to $60, counter-top units, ($50 to $300), undersink units ($55 to $350), and reverse-osmosis filters ($160 to $450). Filter features to consider along with costs, is their susceptibility to clogging, the amount of water filtered, plumbing modifications, replacement requirements and maintenance, and the amount of water waste generated. Several under sink and reverse-osmosis models use simple screw-on plumbing connections instead of saddle valves, which require drilling into the cold water supply line, and can leak. Some filters feature electronic emitting signals that conveniently remind the user of the replacement time. A faucet-mounted model, such as the Brita Disposable, avoids filter replacement maintenance for the entire unit can be discarded each year. Some filters possess an activated carbon filter with certifications that guarantee the device would eliminate most water contaminants (Consumer Reports, 2007). Tap water filtration supports resource conservation by lessening the amount of bottled water waste added to the environment.

The water fountain system in the hall of the Jackson County campus did have an Aqua Pure undersink filter attached. This added confidence in the quality of the drinking water. Yet, to persuade others to drink tap more, or refill water bottles using tap, the fountain attachments and bowls of the fountain should be cleaned consistently, for an unsightly appearance deters usage. Replacing spouts regularly would be a worthy maintenance task if individuals will drink from the fountains more. Also as shown from other student efforts, the fountains would probably attract more visits if posters and banners could be attached to nearby walls for visual support. Students can be directed to the fountain systems using campus email distribution when time for promotions is limited.

Another effort at promoting tap would be to encourage students and staff to purchase refillable bottles that could be customized with the college logo. It not only serves as a unique memento from the college experience, but also connects the participant with an ongoing notable cause. If not a campus bottle, individuals can easily purchase their own bottles for sometimes less than a buck at local dollar stores. For those who are even more cautious, there are water bottles that come with their own filters such as the Purity Sports Bottle (Aquasanah2o.com, 2009). These bottles are pricier and the filters can be replaced without tossing the bottle.

And for those diehards who would rather drink water from any other source than the tap, our final proposal is to install water dispensers on opposite sides of the campus halls or buildings. By doing so students, faculty, and staff can rest assured they’re getting crisp, clean and refreshing water. The cost for each dispenser and a five gallon bottle of water is relatively inexpensive. Kentwood dispensers cost roughly around $9.75 and a five gallon bottle of water is $7.49. Water is delivered every two weeks upon settling a monthly invoice, and the service is available at sites such as www.water.com (2009).

Conclusion

An important aspect of persuading more people to drink from the tap is getting the word out about the importance of conserving natural resources. Education is the key, and there is no better place to promote this awareness than from a prominent educational institution such as the University of Southern MS, which is a pivotal part of the Gulf Coast community.

References:

1. Aquasanah2o.com (2009) Retrieved February 17, 2009 from
http://www.aquasanah2o.com/Water-Filters/Purity-Sport-Bottle-Filter-PSB3.html.
2. Collins, C. (March 6, 2008) Go Green: Bottled Water. Retrieved February 11, 2009 from
http://arkansasmatters.com/content/green_is_universal_Fulltext/?cid=66534.
3. Consumerreports.org (May, 2007) Water filters: simple, effective options. Retrieved on

February 11, 2009 from http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-

garden/kitchen/water-filters/water-filters-5-07/overview/0507_filter_ov.htm?

resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=1&searchTerm=water-filters-5-07.
4. Tapintothecity.com (2009) Retrieved on February 17, 2009 from
http://www.tapintothecity.com/tapintothecity/Home.html.
5. Think Outside the Bottle (2009) Retrieved on February 17, 2009 from
http://thinkoutsidethebottle.org/.
6. Water.com (2009) Retrieved February 17, 2009 from www.water.com.
7. Webmd.com (2007) Many tap water filters work well. Retrieved February 11, 2009
from http://www.webmd.com/news/20070409/many-tap-water-filters-work-well?page=2.

IPhone for Campus

After observing the capabilities of the Iphone being used in an campus environment, I would think there are plenty of benefits to distributing this product to incoming freshmen. Freshmen of course, are often new to the college environment, and can get disoriented with registration requirements, selecting the right courses along with course expectations. The Iphone came embedded with socially enhanced functionality, which made it easy for instructors to contact and welcome students in advance and provide course information using instant messaging and chatting formats that today's generation is very comfortable with.
I really like the ability to alert students of campus alarm conditions, announcements, and possible stressed situations for it reminded me of the situation at Virginia Tech, where some students were vulnerable because they were unaware of what was going on. The phone provides internet access, podcasting for school lectures. It also provides the option for students to attend classes in a hybrid format, where classroom interaction is online during certain portions of the school week, along with a single traditional lecture on another day of the week, rather than two periods of lecture.
The one concern that I had pertained to possible theft, for it is the student's lifeline to a degree, and the loss of the phone after a certain period of time could be devasting if it falls into the wrong hands. The thief would not only have to access to personal information for it can transfer information from the student's personal computer, but the thief would also have access to the student's campus experiences.

Technology in Elementary Education

I have been fortunate enough to recently work in the classroom with smaller children, and can not imagine what the teaching experience was like before technology developed into its modern form. Technology is not only visually supporting but there are so many advancements today that can enhance the classroom learning experience for smaller children, in some instances making it easier for the teacher to emphasize areas of importance. I am an adamant supporter of utilizing technology in the classroom, for so often children do not possess the mental maturity to listen to lengthy discussions and the technology provides more hands-on stimulation that sustains their attention better. Also classroom instructional methods can be modified to incorporate tools that are common in the student's communities such as visual gaming, and the use of characters familiar in popular television programming. Many kids share a discomfort with hand-writing but can text rather frequently and easily if given the opportunity for they are so comfortable with the gadgets of technology.

According to an article published in the Journal of Research on Technology in Education, technology can be used to prepare lesson plans and it has strong support form the Department of Education which states that technology makes it less challenging to individualize instructions for students, in particular for a classroom that has students on multiple learning levels. A major obstacle to the use of technology has been the degree of discomfort to some educators in using technology, in particular those less familiar with advancing trends in technology. This can be overcome by committing resources to training, and by obtaining outside contractual support where needed to assist in bringing all students up to the same comprehensive speed (Schmid, 2008).

After considering technology and education, I would like to reflect on my experience in a class lab working with twitter. This is a socially connecting service, which grew in popularity during the 2008 presidential campaign. After working with it, I honestly wasn't sold on it yet, for I am not much for texting just anyone, and people that I converse with it over the web tend to be a different group of individuals from those on my cellular phone, so I see no reason to consolidate these interactions. I think it may be more suitable for those who text a lot of people, from a multitude of social circles, be it school, church, family, work, etc. Yet, I am still open to growing on it for I was slow embracing online banking also.


Schmid, R., Miodrag, N., & Di Francesco, N. (2008, Fall2008). A Human-Computer Partnership:
The Tutor/Child/Computer Triangle Promoting the Acquisition of Early Literacy Skills.
Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 41(1), 63-84. Retrieved February 4, 2009,
from Computer Source database.

1st Concept Mapping

American Music
The concept behind this diagram is to provide a description of several popular styles of American music.

Christian
Christian music has been written during the last two thousand years to express personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise and worship, penitence and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world. Common styles of Christian music include Gospel and Hymns and today's popular artists include Michael Smith and Yolanda Adams.
STYLES
--GOSPEL
--HYMNS
ARTISTS

Rhythm & Blues
Rhythm and blues (also known as R&B) is the name given to a wide-ranging genre of popular music, originally created by African Americans in the late 1940s and early 1950s but which has subsequently had a number of shifts of meaning. Popular R&B artists today include Jill Scott and the Temptations.
STYLES
ARTISTS

ROCK
Rock music — or simply rock — is a loosely defined genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s. There are numerous successful rock artists to include Elton John, The Beatles, and common popular artists today such as Britney Spears.
STYLES
ARTISTS

HIP HOP
Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans. When hip hop music began to emerge, it was based around DJs who created rhythmic beats by looping breaks (smalls portions of songs emphasizing a percussive pattern) on two turntables. This was later accompanied by "rapping" (a rhythmic style of chanting). Many Hip Hop artists today create sounds incorporating a mixture of song vocals and rapping.
STYLES
ARTISTS

COUNTRY
Country music (or Country and Western) is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. It has roots in traditional folk music, Celtic music, gospel music, and old-time music and evolved rapidly in the 1920s. Common styles of country music include blue-grass, country & western styles, and what some might consider contemporary or modern country music. Country is prevalant is many different communities and popular artists include Kenny Rogers and Garth Brooks.
STYLES
ARTISTS
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