The Technology Take-over: Are gadgets changing the way we think?

BRISTOL, R.I. __ The voices of Roger Williams University students raised in dispute and agreement with  author, Nicholas Carr during his visit Monday. His acclaimed novels, New York Times bestseller “The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains,” and his recent work “The Glass Cage: Automation and Us” both take a critical look at the way technology has shifted human behavior and capabilities.

“More and more, we allow the gadget to choose what we think about and how we think,” Carr said.

This is a side effect that Carr points out is a factor for individuals of all income levels. The prominence of technologies in households is consistent regardless of whether or not the family can afford to eat.

He points out that any innovation, whether recent, or long ago, has an impact on the human way of life. Especially with the rise of smart technologies that constantly engage its users, Carr noticed a strong shift in attention span and focus ability.

“I was having trouble tuning out and exercising my ability to focus,” he said.

Carr has dedicated his career to bring awareness to this concept which he sees as an increasing issue of society. He explains that the Internet is a great resource as an information-rich environment but that it also creates an interruption-rich environment that has forced the brain to constantly shift focus. Instead of retaining long term knowledge, it has grown common to simply scan for multiple answers and instant stimulus that ultimately cause cognitive overload and never reach long term memory.

Many RWU students disputed this point, saying that the Internet is a constant aid that provides more information than is imaginable with a press of a button.

“We can’t train ourselves to retain information without paying attention to it,” Carr said. “I think you’re wrong if you think that there’s nothing lost with more adaptations. Adaptations can make us shallow thinkers.”

He explained the trade-off that comes with constant reliance on innovation. He argues that adapting to the ability to shift focus easier means that we lose out on the value of what comes from retaining information. The tools that function to make tasks easier come with the cost of weakening mindful knowledge, critical thinking, imagination and reflection.

“It is the act of deep thought that is valuable, but the net discourages this,” said Carr. “We lose the control of our own thoughts and the control of our own working minds.”

RI Faces Major Gap in Wellness

There are a few common symbols that come to mind when we think about Newport, Rhode Island. It’s a place known for its beaches that roll up against the scenic cliff walk lined with historic mansions of old money. But, just two blocks down from this wealthy area of town there lives the Salvation Army and families unable to support themselves without aid from the government.

Most are likely to associate Newport with wealth without even considering the other side of the city’s population.  Over the next few weeks my team and I will be addressing the wellness gap in Newport where 20 percent of the population lives under the poverty rate.

In a city associated with extravagant lifestyles, many depend on local food pantry’s and Section 8 Housing for meals and shelter.

The mission of this news segment is to gain perspective on the quality of life people on welfare are given access to. What foods are offered in their food kitchens? And is Rhode Island doing enough to assist the struggling side of it’s population t to lead healthy lives?

The Price of Wellness on Welfare

Via VancouverFoodbank Flickr

Between health education and wellness campaigns that promote eating right and engaging in physical activity, Americans are constantly encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles. But living healthy comes with a price, and there is a large population that simply can not afford it.

Especially in Rhode Island, where 13.6 percent of the population lives under the poverty level, families have little control over what is served on their dinner tables. These households eat what they can afford and too often the options are not exactly nutritious.

There is little room to be picky for those who live on welfare, where the opportunity to be able to eat right lies in the hands of the soup kitchens and food stamp providers.

FDA Overlooks Supplement Safety

Within the past two decades, society has become increasingly health conscious. Now, more than ever, working out, eating right, and talking vitamins or other dietary supplements on a daily basis has become a popular lifestyle. This all may seem like a positive movement, but a recent investigation has found that the regulation of supplements is flawed and consumers are easily deceived by product labels.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, half of American adults take a daily dietary supplement. Since the Food and Drug Administration Act of 1938, you would think that by now Americans would be able to trust the labels of pills and other goods they are consuming, but the recent investigation done by the New York State attorney general has shown that even the largest retail stores including GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart, contain misleading products on their shelves.

DNA testing of dozens of medical herbal supplements show that products that contain nothing more than powdered rice, asparagus, houseplants and garlic powder. The deceit of these product labels are not just a waste of money, but they can also cause dangerous risk to those with allergies. One such gluten free supplement was tested and shown to contain wheat.

How have these misleading products made it onto the shelves of some of the top drug providers? It will probably be shocking for many to learn that with the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act supplements became exempt from strict FDA testing and approval process.

This means that Americans have been consuming daily health supplements that have been passed solely by the “honor code” relationship between the FDA and big companies. What makes this worse? Actions are not taken to investigate particular supplements until after serious circumstances arise.

Immigrant Parents Gain Confidence Through Learning

Immigrant parents and refugee families in Providence find opportunity to learn English and gain general education through classes with the Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island.

The Dorcas Institute began in 2012 when the InternationalInstitute of Rhode Island merged with the Dorcas Place Adult and Family Literacy Center to become one working effort to improve the lives of low-income families through refugee resettlement, immigrant services and classroom experience.

Pleasant View Elementary School is one of four full-service community schools in Providence which opens its doors to parents who engage in  free evening classes .

The Family Literacy class offered here helps immigrant adults become more involved parents through lessons in English and practical knowledge. In a recent 5:00 class at Pleasant View Elementary School,  instructor Yomely Marte taught her class what it meant to make a contract. The class also practiced speaking in the progressive tense.

Karen Gudmondsson, 38, is one student in the Family Literacy class who moved to the United States from Bolivia. She has children in Providence public schools who she hopes to be able to work alongside to assist with homework and get more involved with extracurricular programs. 

Many adult immigrants experience disconnects within their families where the child has higher literacy in English. Parents use homework time with their children as an opportunity to practice English and take on the role of a guiding figure for their sons and daughters.

Other services offered through the Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island are basic education classes which prepare adults to receive their GED and give individuals confidence to attend college. Career classes are also available for adults who seek skills for the working world.

Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island joins the community school partnership alongside the YMCA, Capital Good Fund and Providence Public Schools with efforts to improve the quality of life for immigrant and refugee families in Rhode Island.

Rolling Stone Fails to get Full Story on Alleged UVA Gang Rape

A story published last month in Rolling Stone on an alleged gang rape at the University of Virginia has been put under public scrutiny as many of the story details are questioned for accuracy.

The article, titled “A Rape on Campus,” told the story of UVA student, Jackie, who attended a fraternity party at Phi Kappa Psi where she claimed to have been brought into a room and raped consecutively by seven men.

It was shortly after the story’s release on November 19 that spectators noticed that Sabrina Rubin Erdely, the writer of the story, had only gotten one side of the story. The Washington Post  put the details of the incident under investigation once the fraternity issued a rebutting statement against the accuracy of stories events.

“We have no knowledge of these alleged acts being committed at our house or by our members. Anyone who commits any form of sexual assault, wherever or whenever, should be identified and brought to justice,”  says one of the statements released by the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi.

Upon further investigation with the  Charlotte Police Department, the validity of the Rolling Stone article weakened. In the story, rape victim Jackie, supposedly met the boy at her job as a lifeguard. The fraternity’s records were reviewed from 2012 when the alleged gang rape took place. In the records where members list their job employment, there was no note that any of the members were lifeguards.

The fraternity also denied that there was even a party on the night described in the story. More specifically, the fraternity disclosed that by law, pledging and initiation periods can only take place in the spring.

When pushed for an explanation as to why Rolling Stone did not confront Phi Kappa Psi about the claims made by Jacky about the gang rape, the publication responded:

“Because of the sensitive nature of Jackie’s story, we decided to honor her request not to contact the man she claimed orchestrated the attack on her nor any of the men she claimed participated in the attack for fear of retaliation against her.” 

Rolling Stone magazine released an apology for solely trusting the voice of Jackie as they realize that there may have been some discrepancies made about the party at Phi Kappa Psi and the sexual assault. Jackie stands by her story.

Though the accuracy of Jackie’s story is not clear, it is hoped that this incident does not in any way harm the reputation of victims of sexual assault. Even if this particular story is not true, attacks like these are real and present on college campuses everywhere. It should be taken seriously.

 

Student Coverage of 2014 Election with Hawk the Vote

Student journalists of Roger Williams University broke news  with live coverage from candidate headquarters 

It was an exciting evening as Roger Williams University’s Hawk the Vote covered the action of the 2014 Midterm Election night. The student journalists of this organization manage to brake news with live reporting at candidate headquarters. Reporting through Skype on Windows tablets, Hawk the Vote made a statement of utilizing simple electronics to cover news. With the use of digital reporting and in-studio discussion, Hawk the Vote succeeded in 2.5 hours of live coverage.

In between call-ins from the field, Hawk the Vote had constant flow of discussion on various election topics. Monitors in the studio included Public Relations professor, Hume Johnson and former journalist from the Providence Journal, Jennifer Jordan. Toward the second half of the night’s coverage Dean Robert Eisinger of the Feinstein College of Arts & Science took over on set as he took calls from
the journalists in the field and tracked the results of the polls.

 

Student Amanda Keane broke news at Gina Raimondo headquarters at The Biltmore Hotel in Providence as she confirmed Raimondo’s win for governor of Rhode Island as well as results of the rest of Rhode Island races. The coverage was live on WQRI 88.3 and streamed over the internet on the Hawk The Vote web site.

STEAM Education in Rhode Island

STEAM takes the attention of school educators and public officials as Rhode Island looks for ways to improve test scores and student interest in the fields of math and sciences.STEAM stands for the integration of science and technology interpreted through engineering and the arts, all with a baseline of mathematical elements. School systems begin to bring attention to STEAM  within the classroom at a young age as to spark interest in math and science for the minds of the future. College students also join the role of STEAM educators by participating in mentor programs such as ACE, where peers in the fields of architecture, construction and engineering act as guides for high school students.

Rhode Island Gubernatorial Candidates Debate at Roger Williams University

Roger Williams University hosted gubernatorial debate Tuesday night. Students and members of the public gathered in the university’s Field House to watch the debate which was aired through ABC6 . Gubernatorial candidates, Allan Fung, Gina Raimondo and Rober Healey joined this night, only one week before election night, to voice their plans on public concerns involving taxes, student loans, STEAM education, the legalization of marijuana, Rhode Island sustainability and much more.

Improvement in Rhode Island Starts with STEAM

BRISTOL, R.I.__ Records from 2009-2013 show that test scores are falling in the departments of math and science in Rhode Island.  But it’s not just Rhode Island, studies show that the nation-wide interest in entering the field of math and sciences have dropped to below 30 percent for students. Avelina Espinosa, the Co-Director of the New England Understanding of Science and an associate professor of biology at Roger Williams University thinks that the betterment of Rhode Island education and opportunities starts with STEAM.

“There is no way we can have a lead worldwide, or even nation wide unless we train our students in the STEM fields,” said Espinosa at the RWU Hawk the Vote science panel Wednesday night.

STEAM refers to the education of science and technology through engineering and the arts, all of which is based off of mathematics. Espinosa says that in order to improve the curriculum for STEAM, the state must find a way to train professors new methods of integrating the sciences with lessons in humanities.

“What could be better than ‘us,’ the adult generation, trying to make [students] do stuff, is to see if we can get cohort of college students of different disciplines to combine with professors at universities to train high school teachers and high school students.” said Espinosa.

Espinosa used the example of utilizing mathematicians to help teach students how to represent art in a mathematical equation. The use of 3D printers is also a great opportunity to integrate the fields of arts and sciences.

Espinosa believes that it is in Rhode Island’s interest to take on a governor who will work to improve the STEAM curriculum. She capitalizes that political leaders need to do more than just support STEAM though, they need to work to put forth a plan that could make changes within the education system.

“One of the problems I have with proposals is that they lack detail,” she says. “I would like to see more how. We should do more STEAM cells, perfect. But, how? Who?”