the wonderful, magical nordic trak

Goals

2007-11-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

Today I need to find a supporting article for a new part of my topic that I just found. ARGH! Ok. I also need to write. Write a lot. Write a strong body for my paper. End of story.

Exploratory Draft

2007-11-19T12:03:00.001-08:00

Does an autism epidemic exist in the United States? What does this mean for society, and how should we respond?

Recently, there has been plenty of coverage in the media regarding the existence of an autism “epidemic” in the United States of America today. Time magazine has proclaimed the existence of this epidemic on its front page, and National Public Radio has hosted talk shows discussing the ever-increasing numbers of autistic children in public schools. However, although this autism epidemic has become a battleground of fiery debates, the debaters can almost always agree on one thing: there has, in fact, been a noticeable upsurge in the numbers of autism diagnoses in the United States within the last ten years. But the problem is really so much more complex than just numbers and statistics. First, even though researchers everywhere agree upon the fact that autism diagnoses have risen in number, they constantly disagree as to whether or not this signals a full-blown epidemic. Second, even if an autism epidemic truly does exist, no one knows for certain what its causes may be. And third, complicating matters even further, if an epidemic does, in fact, exist, there will be severe implications that may very well change everything about the way society responds to autism.

The primary question then must be this: do the increases in autism diagnoses require the designation of “epidemic”? This seems like such a bold claim. In order to investigate this problem, it is necessary to first portray an accurate picture of the current state of autism and move then to examine the upsurges in autism diagnoses and their implications…

Annotated Bibliography Peer Review Results

2007-11-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

The feedback I received from the peer review workshop were pretty consistent. In order to improve my annotated bibliography, I need to:

1. Break my sources down into categories- this should be easy enough, as most of my sources pertain to one of my two research questions specifically.

2. Reformat my annotated bibliography to include headings, correct citation format, and fix layout issues.

3. Also find at least one more source that directly backs up my primary claims.

Annotated Bibliography Entry #3

2007-11-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

Steuernagel, Trudy. “Increases in Identified Cases of Autism Spectrum Disorders.” Journal of Disability Policy Studies 16 (2005): 138-146. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Elmhurst College Lib. 31 Oct. 2007 .

Kent State University’s Trudy Steuernagel, PhD, enters into a discussion regarding the so-called autism “epidemic” and its implications for the United States’ disability policy. The article offers insight into why autism has evolved into a policy issue, as well as how federal and local governments craft disability policy and the United States’ governments’ actual ability to engineer disability policy to keep up with the rising identified cases of autism spectrum disorders.

This article will be most helpful in my discussion of the autism epidemic. As this rise in autism diagnoses is in direct correlation with the placement of more autistic children in public school special education programs, this information is quite relevant to my research question.

Annotated Bibliography Entry #2

2007-11-06T14:58:00.000-08:00

Tincani, Matt. “Beyond Consumer Advocacy: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Effective Instruction, and Public Schools.” Intervention in School and Clinic 43 (2007):47-51. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Elmhurst College Lib. 31 Oct. 2007 .

In this article, Matt Tincani, PhD of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas notes the conflicts that public schools face when implementing autism interventions, including legal issues, parental and professional values and ideologies, and resources. However, while these issues cannot always be avoided, they can be directly addressed. Tincani stresses the importance of team-designed interventions that take into consideration the aforementioned conflicts. This way, students with autism spectrum disorders can benefit from the most appropriate interventions for them.

I will use this article in my research project to show that while there are many ways of effectively instructing autistic students in a public school setting, it is perhaps most important that special education teachers work together to assess their school’s resources as well as necessary interventions to ensure proper instruction for the children.

Annotated Bibliography Entry #1

2007-11-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

Lerman, Dorothea C. et al. “Preparing Teachers in Evidence-Based Practices for Young Children with Autism.” School Psychology Review 33 (2004): 510-526. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Elmhurst College Lib. 29 Oct. 2007

This study from Dorothea Lerman and a team of researchers from Louisiana State University proposed that many special education teachers in public schools are unprepared to satisfactorily instruct autistic students. Many public schools do not have the resources or information required to update their teaching strategies to accommodate recent autism research findings. Thus, Lerman and her researchers designed a comprehensive summer program for public school special education teachers. This program would teach them several recently-developed teaching skills and also allow them to work directly with one or two autistic children in a classroom setting. The team evaluated the participating teachers’ sessions with the children and collected data in order to judge the success of the program. When the program was finished, the team’s data showed improved responses and better communication from the children in the classroom.

I plan to use the results of this study to show how autistic children would benefit from having better-prepared teachers that are more in-tune with their specific needs.

Revised Research Question

2007-10-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

What do experts have to say regarding:

1. The rise in autism diagnoses?

2. The current state of special education programs in public schools?

3. Whether or not educators are prepared enough to teach specifically autistic students? This includes if special education teachers are currently implementing the proper techniques to teach autistic children, as well as if they are continually modifying their methodology to fit with recent research findings regarding autism.

Then, I will draw a conclusion of my own from expert opinion and fact regarding the best plan of action to ensure autistic students and their educators the best possible learning environment/experience.

Progress Report

2007-10-26T11:02:00.001-07:00

So far, I have been investigating my topic.

1. I checked out three reference books on autism spectrum disorders at the Elmhurst Public Library.

2. I searched for possible electronic sources on Wikipedia.

3. I spoke with Dr. William Hirstein in person about my topic. I will be meeting with him again next week and will be recording what he has to say about autistic students. He referred me to two books on the nature of autistic students' disabilities as well as gave me the results of a study that he did on the topic.

I have a lot of references, but not a lot of solid facts yet. However, I have learned that one of an autistic child's disabilities can be the "inability to read people's minds," meaning that he or she is sometimes unable to infer the real meaning of another person's communication. This could have wide social implications in my research, and is something that I am going to look into more.

I want, for next week, to get a transcript from NPR's "Schools Strive to Meet Needs of Autistic Students," as well as start organizing my references and gathering specific bits of data from each one.

Electronic Sources

2007-10-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

National Public Radio: Schools Strive to Meet Needs of Autistic Children

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=13826763

Time: Is the Autism Epidemic a Myth?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576829,00.html

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Autism Fact Sheet

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm

Sources and Keywords

2007-10-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Primary Sources:

Interview: Dr. William Hirstein, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Philosophy Department Chair at Elmhurst College.

Broadcast: Larry Abramson. Schools Strive to Meet Needs of Autistic Students. National Public Radio.

Secondary Sources:

Frith, Uta. Autism: Explaining the Enigma. 2nd ed. Malden, MA; Oxford, UK; Melbourne,
Australia, Berlin, Germany: Blackwell Publishing, 2003.

Lathe, Richard. Autism, Brain, and Environment. London, UK; Philadelphia, PA: Jessica
Kingsley Publishers, 2006.

Waltz, Mitzi. Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Understanding the Diagnosis & Getting Help. 2nd ed. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly & Associates, Inc., 2002.

Keywords:

1. Autism + Education
2. Autism + Public Schools
3. Autism Treatment
4. Controversies in Autism
5. Autism Epidemic

Purpose and Audience

2007-10-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

Topic:

1. What is essential for people to know about autistic children’s abilities and disabilities? Is there an autism epidemic? If so, what are its causes?

2. What methods are teachers currently using to teach kids with autism? How should educators approach teaching autistic children? Should autistic children be taught individually, away from their peers, or should they be taught in the same classroom as other kids their age? What then should curriculum for autistic kids involve?

Audience:

Primary- College special education majors, special education teachers, therapists.

Secondary- Parents and families of autistic children.

Purpose:

I want to inform my audience of the issue, but mostly I want to propose a specific plan of action regarding how to resolve the problems surrounding autism.

Questions for My Topic

2007-10-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

1. What are the natures of an autistic child's learning disabilities?

2. How are educators currently responding to these challenges in public schools?

3. Is it better for autistic children to be taught in the same classrooms as their normal peers, or should they be schooled in a different setting?

4. What methods should be implemented to create a better learning environment for both normal children and autistic ones in the classroom?

Research Paper Exploration

2007-10-15T11:56:00.001-07:00

Exploration

I plan to focus on how educators should approach teaching autistic kids in public schools and classroom settings.
I have known a few autistic kids and parents of autistic children, and the traditional methods of teaching don’t apply to teaching children with autism, so something needs to change within the educational system.
I think autistic kids need to have an equal shot at a quality education just like other kids.
I know that some people believe that autistic kids will be too disruptive in the classroom and want them in classes away from “normal” kids, and I want to confront that conception.
I want to know the nature of autistic children’s disabilities and how to best approach them; I really know nothing about autism and want to know more.
Probably within some of the medical and psychological fields but I will probably also use educational resources, because I’m sure that this issue has already come to light. As far as I know, they approach autism by looking at its causes, the issues it creates in classroom settings, and how to solve those problems.
I suppose I could speak with people from the college who are active educating people with mental disabilities like autism (if not autism directly) and get their opinions on the topic.

Focusing

What is the best way for educators to teach students with autism in a public classroom setting?

Sources and Response

2007-10-02T23:11:00.000-07:00

Sources:
Bush, George. Securing the Homeland Strengthening the Nation. 2001. Google Scholar.

Mitrano, Tracy. “Civil Privacy and National Security: A Three-Dimensional View”. EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 38, no. 6 (November/December 2003): 52-62. Google Scholar.

Jaeger, Paul T.; Bertot, John Carlo; McClure, Charles R. “The impact of the USA Patriot Act on collection and analysis of personal information under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act”. Government Information Quarterly 20 (2003): 295-314. Google Scholar.

In “Civil Privacy and National Security: A Three-Dimensional View,” Tracy Mitrano makes several claims regarding the USA-PATRIOT Act of 2001. She first notes that this act, while controversial, is certainly not the first instance of legislation in history that violates our government’s checks and balances. She likens the act to other civil privacy, national security, and immigration legislation, which in the past only proved to be temporary solutions in times of crisis in the United States. Her main point is that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it, and that while no one knows what new legislation the future will bring, we all must be aware of our rights when it comes to our personal information.

Mitrano has some good points but I disagree with the solution she suggests. The USA-PATRIOT Act not only tramples civil rights, but also gives the Executive Branch of our government too much power. I concede that immediately after 9/11, the act may have been a good temporary move to catch members of Al Qaida within the United States, but now that we are no longer on the defensive but rather on the offensive against terror, we need to reevaluate our legislation. In reality, the USA-PATRIOT Act must be thrown out, and this must be done quickly. Sitting around and simply “being informed” will not solve the problem. We need to directly push our congressmen and women to attack the USA-PATRIOT Act and restore the U.S.A.’s checks and balances as well as civil rights.

Metacommentary Revision

2007-09-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Computers and technology continually change the way we look at the world each and every day, and this is especially true for the most technologically aware demographic on earth: kids. In this current age, computers have advanced and become so user-friendly that the question is no longer whether or not computers can help children learn, but rather exactly how they can. We need to learn how to better implement computers and technology within the educational mainstream.

In a paper titled, “Video Games and the Future of Learning,” David Shaffer and others from the Wisconsin Center for Education Research answered this question by offering bluntly that the future of education lies in the distraction that teachers hate most of all: video games. They contest that epistemic video games have so much potential for learning that we are not taking advantage of because when students play games, they are required to take in the information it provides and learn how to function within the game’s system itself. They further suggest that teachers must overcome their perceptions of video games as, “move beyond the rhetoric of games as violent-serial-killer-inspiring-timewasters and address the range of learning opportunities that games present” (Shaffer et al, 2005, pg. 10). Now, this is not to say that teachers should just plop their students down in front of a tv set and just use games as their primary curriculum. Shaffer and his team suggest instead that teachers should start to use epistemic games to further engage their students. In the activity that games provide, students can further explore the worlds of academic study that are vital to their educations.

Similarly, another article called, “Computers and Technology,” by Richard Ohmann demonstrates that educators have a misperception regarding technology, but instead of just speaking of video games, he suggests that this misperception extends further past video games and into ignorance about computers themselves. He states that market forces control education and its curriculum, and schools administering harsh testing and classes that only prepare them for jobs are proof of this (Ohmann, 2002, pg. 3-4). Yes, at first this sounds like another radical's outcry against the man, but above all, Ohmann's logic rings true.

Indeed, a change education’s standard methodology is needed to provide for students an education that will enrich their minds on a deeper level. Unfortunately, this burden rests with already overworked teachers. However, educators need to view their task at hand in a more harshly critical light. They are responsible for equipping the next generation of students with the intellectual tools they need to function in society, and teachers should not just be using technology to simply shortcut their work. Students need not only to know how to use job-related skills that they are currently getting from their use of technology in school, but how to think in newer ways than in previous generations. Epistemic video games, technology and computers can definitely aid with this aspect and have massive potential for educational purposes, but not if educators continue to use computers to create mindless office-workers for tomorrow.

Computers and Technology Synthesis

2007-09-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Computers and technology continually change the way we look at the world each and every day, and this is especially true for the most technologically aware demographic on earth: kids. In this current age, computers have advanced and become so user-friendly that the question is no longer whether or not computers can help children learn, but rather exactly how they can.

In a paper titled, “Video Games and the Future of Learning,” David Shaffer and others from the Wisconsin Center for Education Research answered this question by offering bluntly that the future of education lies in the distraction that teachers hate most of all: video games. They contest that epistemic video games have so much potential for learning that we are not taking advantage of because when students play games, they are required to take in the information it provides and learn how to function within the game’s system itself. They further suggest that teachers must overcome their perceptions of video games as, “move beyond the rhetoric of games as violent-serial-killer-inspiring-timewasters and address the range of learning opportunities that games present” (Shaffer et al, 2005, pg. 10). In the activity that games provide, students can further explore the worlds of academic study that are vital to education.

Similarly, another article called, “Computers and Technology,” by Richard Ohmann demonstrates that educators have a misperception regarding technology, but instead of just speaking of video games, he suggests that this misperception extends further past video games and into ignorance about computers themselves. He states that market forces control education and its curriculum, and schools administering harsh testing and classes that only prepare them for jobs are proof of this (Ohmann, 2002, pg. 3-4). Indeed, a change education’s standard methodology is needed to provide for students an education that will enrich their minds on a deeper level.

Educators need to view their task at hand in a more harshly critical light. They are responsible for equipping the next generation with the intellectual tools they need to function in society, and should not be using technology to simply shortcut their work. Students need not only to know how to use job-related skills that they are currently getting from their use of technology in school, but how to think in newer ways than in previous generations. Epistemic video games, technology and computers can definitely aid with this aspect and have massive potential for educational purposes, but not if educators continue to use computers to create mindless office-workers for tomorrow.

Plan for Synthesis

2007-09-21T12:07:00.001-07:00

I. Computer games CAN help students learn (“Video Games…”).

A. Summarize main points of article.

1. Epistemic games and how they relate to education

2. Why epistemic games have such potential for learning.

B. Why isn’t this actually being implemented right now?

C. Computers ARE changing society and our way of life, but are they changing it, particularly the way we view education, in positive ways?

II. The way computers are currently used and marketed hinders limits students’ ability to learn (“Computers and …”).

A. Main points.

B. Relate to “Video Games…” and why this is an impossible suggestion at this point in time.

III. How do we fix it?

Do away with “No child left behind” and replace it with new education legislation that places less emphasis on standardized testing and employment preparation; Pull in both Ohmann’s arguments about market forces.
Adopt a new paradigm for the education system, one that works with business but does not simply feed it fresh, decent labor.

Responses to Reading

2007-09-21T10:05:00.000-07:00

I think the class did a pretty good job of getting at the main arguments of the article, “Video Games and the Future of Learning,” but I also think that the summary was too basic and ended up kind of dumbing down the specific arguments a little bit. That might be, of course, because we only were supposed to have a few sentences detailing our sections, but I still found the summary unconvincing. Referencing some of the actual supporting cases (games, examples) that they talked about in the article could have helped in that regard.

In “Computers and Technology,” Richard Ohmann attacks the current ideas regarding technology within the context of education. He urges that those people who cite test score improvements in schools with newly rewired computer and technology systems are not seeing the bigger picture; these schools are clearly the minority. Although the computers are present in most schools in large numbers, Ohmann states that they “are not we1l integrated into curriculum and pedagogy; and when integrated, are often used to prepare for standardized tests or for other kinds of drills” (2002, pg. 3). What Ohmann is suggesting is that schools should be trying to engage and teach their students through the usage of computers, but are unable to do so because of the large amount of pressure from education legislators and bureaucrats for their students to succeed.

And why is that pressure there in the first place? Ohmann answers the question by pointing out education’s close relationship with the business world. Schools, public and private, have really turned into vast marketplaces in themselves: they buy large quantities of materials (computers, for example) and “sell” degrees and credits, are based around preparing students to work in business, and therefore, must bow to the market forces that are at work in today’s world (2002, pgs. 4-5). It is hard to imagine how our once pure education system could have become so absorbed in the capitalist machine, but with the facts before us, we must recognize that Ohmann isn’t just another radical yelling from his soapbox: what he is saying is true. Businesses have a high demand for workers who can perform to exact specifications, and what are standardized tests and technology classes in schools doing but delivering exactly that? Computer and technology skills may be vital to workers in the future, but they encourage a shallower level of understanding, one that is controlled by markets and trade and business. But if we want to fix that and give students an education that will actually encourage them to think in new, exciting ways, we might just have do away with computers altogether.

Summaries of Page 38

2007-09-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Summary 1
Why is it that when teenagers want a cheap, convenient meal, the first place they drive to is a McDonald’s? Why do they drop by a Dairy Queen to satiate their late-night sweet tooth? Teens constantly want things better, faster, and cheaper, so it only makes sense that they run to fast food chains to ease their hunger pangs. Unfortunately, in doing so, they entirely disregard their nutritional health, and this has led to massive increases in the number of teenage obesity cases in America today.
But what other options are available to teens looking for a quick, inexpensive meal? In his essay “Don’t Blame the Eater,” David Zinczenko argues that the fault for teen obesity lies with the fast food companies because they serve food that is nutritionally unsound without providing customers with any other options. He admits that he himself gave into the allures of calorie-filled fast food as a teenager, and he insists that his lack of other affordable and healthy options made him obese.
However, contrary to what Zinczenko claims, nearly everyone in the world is aware that eating too much fast food is bad for you. Ever seen the recent documentary “Super Size Me”? It highlighted how eating at McDonald’s too frequently has extremely negative effects on a person’s health. So Zinczenko cannot argue that consumers are unaware of how nutritionally bad fast food is for you. But most of all, Zinczenko fails to realize that there are healthy and inexpensive alternatives to greasy fast food. For a meal, how about Subway? Subway provides many sandwiches that are low-fat or even fat-free, all of which can be served on whole-grain bread. What if you just need a snack? Stop by the produce section of your neighborhood grocery store and pick up some apples or a bag of grapes. There are, in fact, cheap options for a teenager to get healthy food if you are willing to look in the right places.

Summary 2
Today’s teens are addicted. “Addicted to what?” you may ask. Video games? Horror movies? Text messaging? Not quite. It’s the fast food nation. It is McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, and KFC; more specifically, cheap, greasy, calorie-laden fast food. This addiction to cholesterol and fat has given birth to the widespread problem of youthful obesity in America, and if you walk down the street in any given U.S. city, you will see for yourself that childhood portliness is nearly out of control. But who should shoulder the blame for teenage obesity, and what can be done to stop it?
Good question. David Zinczenko’s essay “Don’t Blame the Eater” points out that fast food chains themselves are not providing enough nutritional information about their food to consumers. Therefore, he proposes that suing companies like McDonald’s and Burger King for not putting nutritional warning labels on their products may actually help consumers make better-educated decisions about what they eat. Lawsuits, in Zinczenko’s opinion, are the stuff that is needed to solve the problem of teenage obesity and make fast food providers give consumers what they want: information about what exactly they are eating and also healthier alternatives to the unhealthy food that they currently provide.
Of course, products offered for sale and their repercussions are definitely the responsibility of the companies who provide them, so it’s logical to place the blame for teenage protuberance on fast food providers. However, I contend that lawsuits are not the best way to go about improving today’s fast food society. A simple demand for healthier alternatives to greasy burgers and fries from the masses is a more logical alternative, since fast food companies will more willingly supply products that have high demand.

In Response to the Internet

2007-09-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

http://goinside.com/00/9/good.html

Here's a pretty good example of an argument that addresses a "they say." By the third paragraph, Saugstad has established that some philosophers view abstract questions that philosophy answers incorrectly. He states that they disregard the fact that philosophical questions' answers must somehow relate to society in general so they may be applied to our lives, and spends most of the article detailing why he disagrees and why this is an important point to make. He presents the views of others so he can show how they are fallible and that helps him prove his point better.

http://mubie-philosophy.blogspot.com/2006/06/thinking-about-thinking.html

Here is a less "they say"-focused argument. Yes, the purpose is different, but, nonetheless, the writer is presenting an argument about thought processes and therefore should probably be presenting opposing viewpoints along with her opinions. However, she only really gives advice as to what to do or not to do when writing and thinking. Without the explicit "they say," it is harder to comprehend how well she understands her argument and why it even matters at all. I suppose the "they say" is implied, because she does make it obvious that she thinks people need to do certain things to improve their thought processes, but, even then, even one direct "they say" statement would help define her position better.

Caffeine and the Human Female

2007-09-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

September 3, 2007
If ever there was an idea custom-made for a Jay Leno monologue, this was it: New study reveals that caffeine may act as an aphrodisiac for women. That’s interesting. Isn’t that sort of similar to comparing a cup of coffee or an energy drink to a candlelit dinner or a long walk on the beach? Since there’s a Starbuck’s on nearly every street corner in America, it’s almost frightening to think of every woman who walks out of one with a latte in hand as a ticking sex bomb. I suppose this new bit of insight reinforces a more chemically-based view of sexual relationships, but whatever happened to the traditional idea that the key to a girl’s heart is romantics? Does this new discovery mean that men worldwide have been wasting their time dating and trying to woo women all these years?
Well, no. The study involved injecting female lab rats with differently-sized doses of caffeine, and then observing their reactions. As it turned out, females with larger doses of caffeine in their system were quicker and more motivated to locate and mate with more male rats in the time they were studied (WebMd). However, whether or not this concept applies to human females has yet to be determined, and it’s probably better that it stay that way for now. I happen to sympathize with the more romantic view of the world, and perhaps that’s because I don’t much care for the idea that if my girlfriend drinks a cappuccino that she will want to run off and find another mate. But if the study’s results do turn out to be relevant for humans sometime in the future, then guys, I think you’d be better off taking all your dates to Starbucks.