Entry#10--The Role of Technology in Education and Learning

I recently received an email that went into great detail about using artificial intelligence or AI to assist with writing and cautioned/warned against using such tools to write for them. This really made me think because I've never been a huge fan of AI and I've never used apps such as Chat GPT for personal use, much less for academia. I know that AI can be used as a tool to assist for things such as grammar and/or spell checking but it seems like a slippery slope and the lines can easily be blurred into using it for writing, solving math and science related problems or just having AI do the work for you. Artificial intelligence is just the latest example of advancements in technology and their role in education and learning. 

Arguably one of the greatest advancements for education within my life, the release of personal use computers and home internet have opened countless options and possibilities when it comes to learning. If there's something you want to learn, the odds are overwhelming that you can find a website or videos online that will show you how to do it. In addition to that, schools for people of all ages have been given the ability to communicate with their peers or teachers and do their coursework outside of school. The ability to do coursework outside of school resonates greatly with me, as I work full time and it's virtually the only way I am able to complete coursework and continue to work and provide for my family at the same time. 

The advances in technology are not without fault, as their have been many drawbacks associated with technology: such as the use of Chat GPT I've already mentioned. While it was most likely intended as a tool to aid with any-and-all things, it's now a huge concern within education, with people continuing to use to cheat and do their work for them. Unfortunately this isn't the only issue with technology in education. Technology is still prone to failure and device issues or internet outages can be beyond detrimental to those who do their coursework at home. There's also little to no social interaction when doing online classes and those much needed social skills are not conditioned when not used as often, which could eventually lead to awkwardness or anxiety when interacting in school or eventually at a job. Lastly, some students need additional guidance and while doing coursework online may add convenience, there's a real possibility of an insufficient learning experience when not taught in a classroom. 

tldr list of pros and cons in technology

Pros

    - endless resources for learning 

    - easily communicate with teachers and students

    - able to study or take classes wherever you have a computer and internet access

    - prepares students for real life expectations after school

Cons

    - makes it easier or more likely to cheat

    - technology is known to fail at times(internet issues and such)

    - less interaction in person (social skills)

    - potential for insufficient learning for students who may need in classroom guidance

This list is by no means all inclusive, these are just some of the things that came to mind when I thought of technology in education. I'm sure other people have had or are familiar with other positive aspects or negative issues within this topic and I'd be interested in hearing other perspectives on it. 

Entry#9--Fast Food Comic

 

I found this comic when searching for information about fast food. It's incredibly simple but speaks volumes, at least to me. This is exactly how I feel when it comes to dieting. I recently went on a diet after watching the Fresh documentary and looking into fast food. I've been trying to eat healthier and avoid preprocessed foods and fast food altogether. However, that has not been the case. I went to the store and purchased everything I thought I would need to accomplish that goal but it hasn't quite clicked yet. 

One of the biggest problems when it came to the amount of fast food I purchase is time. I don't always have a lot of free time and fast food has been immensely helpful when it came to combating that issue. That issue became most apparent when my work week started and I hadn't prepared any meals for my lunches. This resulted in purchasing food for my lunches and while I tried to be somewhat healthy, I feel as though there's only so much that can be done to mitigate that.

Back to the comic at hand, that was basically me as I ate lunch this week at work. I wasn't eating pizza but I did have Chipotle and Salad and Go. Basically the same things I would eat before I tried dieting but I sat there eating it anyway, and the only thing that had changed was that I was thinking I shouldn't be eating it. 😭

click here for link to comic

Entry#8--Eating Healthy Vs Fast Food

After watching the Fresh documentary, I've been actively thinking more about the food I consume. Not exactly on the level of the documentary but I easily identified a nasty habit I have, and I'm sure many other do too. I consume way too much fast food. On average, the American household consumes fast food 2-3 times a week and that's a spot on statistic for me.

Luckily for me, there's two options that are immediately apparent and seem rather easy to implement.

Preparing more meals at home!

This first option seems rather obvious but it's the best remedy available. 

Unfortunately, this can be easier said than done. One of the main appeals to fast food is how easy it is for the consumer. No need to purchase a meal from the store, cook it and clean up after yourself. Not to mention that most fast food places have options that are cheaper than preparing food at home. 

However, typical fast food options are abhorrent to your health. They are low on nutrients and high in sodium and calories. A typical meal may meet or even exceed your daily intake limits! 

Making healthier selections when dining out or getting fast food!

Dining out is virtually inevitable. So what can be done to make fast food healthier? 

Avoiding fried foods, soda and excess amounts of dressings and sauces can reduce the amount of calories and sodium in the food from these restaurants. Most of them have online menus showing their nutritional values and that can go a long way towards making healthier, informed choices.

All of this comes to mind and seems specifically relevant when I got dinner tonight. I decided to go with one of my regular options, Chipotle. I usually go with this because it's close by, quick, mostly affordable and seems healthy. But is it actually healthy? After doing some quick searches online, (here) I found that it can be but my go to entree is not. 😢

Luckily that link makes some great recommendations for adjusting my current meal to a healthier alternative for when I do eat Chipotle. It's worth noting that this isn't exclusive for Chipotle, there's online resources that are just a Google search away for any fast food option and I would highly recommend giving it a try next time you're getting fast food. 

Entry#7--Fresh

I recently watched a documentary called Fresh, a documentary that explores issues within America's food system. The documentary features farmers, activists and entrepreneurs who are looking to change the system and find a more sustainable way to provide access to fresh and healthy food to everyone in the country. 

I did some looking around and it looks like it can be viewed for free with ads here.

I found this documentary particularly compelling, as I've never given much thought about America's food system. And I think that's the great thing about this documentary, as their target audience is presumably people who are unaware of just how big of an issue this currently is and will become. If you're like me, you haven't given much thought to where your food comes from and how sustainable the system that provides your food is. I was left wondering about the foods I currently consume, their nutritious value, possible contaminants and whether they'd be around in the near or distant future. 

Fresh pulls no punches as it opens with rather captivating dialogue a farmer previously had with a former roommate in college, "Americans fear only one thing. Inconvenience." This line really made me think. The more I thought about it, I realized how true it was. We tend to want everything now and we want it to be as easy as possible. Because of this, we tend not to think about important issues like where our food comes from and how it's made. 

The very next scene shows a modern farm and sets the tone for issues or concerns with how they currently operate, as it shows people literally throwing baskets full of chicks on the floor. During this, the owners are being interviewed and it seems clear that they think what they're doing is good for chickens but they don't even know what's in the feed and why it causes them to grow faster than they would naturally. 

This sets the tone for what modern farming has become, a factory farm. A literal assembly line for raising animals as quickly and efficiently as possible, that borders the line of ethic and moral boundaries when it comes to raising animals on a farm. This paradigm of industrialization is unsustainable and the monocultures, growing too much of the same animal in one area, are potential sanitation and pollution issues now and even more so, in the future. Sadly, this system accounts for around 80% of farms that were currently operating at the time of this documentary. 

So what can be done to remedy this issue?

Well, those farmers, activists and entrepreneurs I mentioned at the beginning of this post are trying to do just that. Instead of their farms operating as a factory farm, they've decided to run their farms differently. Instead, they mimic nature and treat the animals for what they are. They let them do what they would normally do in nature, moving from place to place and eating they're normal herbivore diet. This allows them to stay healthy and parasite free. 

In addition to farm conditions, the government needs to subsidize more funds for the growth of fresh and healthy produce. These organically grown foods may cost more than their industrialized counterparts but they're also worth more. The industrialized foods have been expunged of their nutrients. Once more funds are subsidized for farming, everybody needs access to these healthier and safer foods too. 

Overall, I think it's a very important topic and this documentary definitely made me think. Unfortunately, despite the importance of this topic and the release of the documentary in 2009, it would seem not much has changed. The odds are stacked against anyone trying to change the system and it could be a long time, if at all, before we see real change when it comes to the American food system. 

Entry#6--FNAF Movie

Spooky season (Halloween) is over and near the end of last month, marked the release of the Five Nights at Freddy's movie. This normally wouldn't be my cup of tea and I could have lived the rest of my life happy, having never seen it. However, I have two children who begged to see it and alas, last Friday was spent taking them to see this movie. 

I was originally hesitant to take them to see the movie for two reasons. The first being the PG-13 rating the movie received. My two boys aren't that age yet and I had some concerns about the content in the movie being too graphic or scary for them. The second reason, and I'll admit it sounds selfish, was whether or not I'd enjoy the film or be miserable for a few hours. 

I have played through most of the games in the series with my children and they never seemed too bothered by any of the content they saw in the games. The original was not meant for kids but the aesthetic of animatronics and a pizzeria seemed to be of some allure to a younger audience. I was surprised and mildly relieved when we arrived at the movies and there were actually a fair amount of kids around the same age, who were also seeing the movie. It was of some solace that other parents made the same decision I did, and that the movie wasn't' going to be too scary for them. Or at least it wouldn't be too scary for just my kids. 😅

Without giving too much away and avoiding any spoilers, I am happy to say that both of my children enjoyed the movie and to a lesser extent, I did too. The creators of the movie did a good job making a horror film that used the story for the original game and books and managed to implement them in a way that wasn't too graphic or scary for an inevitably younger audience who would be watching. The characters from the game looked great on the big screen and it felt very similar to playing the game. The gore and graphic parts from a typical horror film happened off camera, for the most part, which was great for kids but could be a disappointment for adults watching the film. 

Here's a basic takeaway for the film from my perspective:

The Good

Not too scary for kids or people who don't like horror

Avoids most gore and unnecessary violence

Story is faithful to the video game series

Great for existing fans of the series

                                                                         The Bad

Story can be mediocre if you've only seen the movie

Missing many classic horror elements for adults

        

Hope this helps if you're thinking about seeing it for any reason, let me know what you thought of the movie!

Entry#5--Mayhem

 

To my knowledge, this is the first Allstate commercial for the Mayhem ads and by far my favorite. The author of this ad does a great job making an ad that takes an actual situation that could happen and makes it humorous. The target audience would be for anyone who drives and has insurance. The author wants their audience to see this and realize this could happen to them and if they choose Allstate, they would be protected in this scenario. 

The ad starts with Mayhem driving a bright pink SUV and receiving a text from their friend, which clearly upsets them. Signaled by the phone being thrown into the backseat. The situation quickly escalates and he hits a parked car and drives off. The last thing you see is them driving away. The advertisement is designed to show how easily this could happen to anyone and how you can better protect yourself if it does happen. 

These ads are funny because the target audience can find them relatable because they describe a realistic situation that could happen but having a grown man portray a teenage girl makes the situation feel less dramatic and intense than it normally would be. The ad is designed to make the audience laugh but at the same time, it can make them think and act. And by act, I mean purchase insurance through Allstate.

Entry#4--Spider-Man 2: Electric Boogaloo

Spider-Man 2 was released on the PS5 just two days ago and I'm here to provide you with a spoiler free review based on my experience. Which is about halfway through the game at this point. (..probably)

I'm a huge fan of Spider-Man in general and was greatly anticipating the release of this game. I had very high expectations going into it and I have to say, so far, this game has been absolutely amazing. It took everything great about the first game and improved upon it. The combat is enjoyable and never feels repetitive, the story has been fun and engaging and it's loaded with hours of additional missions and Easter eggs that'll make it easily worth your money. 

                            No context Spider-Man Meme that's relevant to the game, I swear.

I went all in and purchased the collector's edition of the game because it came with statue of Peter Parker and Miles Morales fighting Venom. I was hesitant at first, based on the price tag. But now that I have it, I'm so glad I did. It's a beautiful display piece standing at 19" tall and looks great with other Marvel statues I own. (I'm sure it looks great by itself too) 

                                           This picture doesn't actually do it enough justice.

I definitely recommend getting this game, though I would have to recommend playing the first two if you haven't already. Curious what other people think of the game, so let me know!