Researchers have long wondered about whether or not music increases brain activity, having been unable to determine if a certain type of music increases spatial-temporal abilities. My research offers an answer: there is not a certain type of music that makes someone smarter. The music listened to depends on the person. One type of music may affect some by distracting them, while for others it may soothe them. There is not one type of music that increases spatial-temporal abilities, but music certainly does. But when and where can music help?
Music has played an important part in history. Many people think that no important person used music to help them with ideas and problems. I even thought that music didn’t have a significant role in history.
Well, those people are wrong, as am I. Take for example, Thomas Jefferson. He played the violin to help with the construction and editing of the Declaration of Independence. If he couldn't figure out how to word what he had in mind, he would play the violin to clear his thoughts and organize his words.
But that is not all! Even Einstein, the smartest mathematician in the world played the violin to help him solve math problems and equations. If he couldn't figure out the problem, then he would play his violin to relax and organize his thoughts. Einstein himself even said he was so smart because he played the violin. As a friend of Einstein said, "The way Einstein figured out his problems and equations was by improvising on the violin."
So far, violin seems to be the prominent instrument for clearing the mind. But is that the only instrument, and is classical the only type of music? Well, before I can go into what certain type[s] of music and instruments help the most, we need to first uncover what different types of music “require”, if it need be put that way.
First off, rock music. What do we think about rock music? Some say that it is a waste of time, and that it does not have any melody to it at all. Well, rock music originated in the 1950’s by blacks. It’s true, though most people believe that white people created rock music. Blacks created rock, but whites stole the ideas and became rich off of it. John Lennon, of the famous British group, The Beatles, says that “It hurt my heart that they were not as big as they were in the 1950s," he said. "[Chuck] Berry is the greatest influence on earth. So is Bo Diddley, and so is Little Richard. There is not one Mute group on earth that hasn't got their music in them. And that's all I ever listened to. The only White person I ever listened to was [Elvis] Presley on his early music, and he was doing Black music."
So now we know about rock music’s origin. But what about classical? From where does classical music originate? Classical music originated between mid-16th and early 19th centuries. The music is mostly the focus of “classical traditions, formal styles and is technically very complex” (1).Classical music wasn’t even a term per se, until the late 19th century in order to distinguish the period of Bach to the period of Beethoven.
But of all those different types of music, which one makes the most impact? Which one makes you the smartest? Studies show that each music affects people in different ways. A study conducted by the University of California-Irvine about Mozart's music showed that the spatial-temporal abilities of the subjects increased significantly. The students' test scores increased significantly after listening to Mozart immediately before taking the test. The test also showed that the increased spatial-temproal abilities decreased after about an hour. But is Mozart the only music to do this? Well, a study done at ISU on the effects of whether rock'n'roll affects the brain's ability to solve math equations and their understanding of speaking and reading material. The study concluded that rock "interfered with math and verbal, but not reading"(Dahlager 1). So rock is good for reading, but what about classical and jazz? For what are those good? Well, resesrachers say that classical music relaxes people, and for me, I know that it does. Instrumental soundracks are the best for those ever stressful tests. But jazz? One researcher supports the idea that jazz does increase brain activity, but for a short time. Jazz is helpful if you need to write a creative paper. It helps you to bring ideas that you would not normally think about.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Lookie here! An Outline!
Thesis
How many of your school’s music concerts have you attended? One? Two? None at all? Well, according to recent studies, they show that music increases spatial-temporal abilities. That is, to be put in lamens terms, music makes you smarter.
Outline for main paper
- Music in History
1. Jefferson played violin to help with D of I
2. Einstein played violin to help with math problems and equations - Types of music
1. Rock
2. Jazz
3. Classical - Which type of music increases brain activity the most?
1. Studies with Mozart/classical
2. Studies with Rock
3. Studies with classical and jazz - What types of music are best for stressful times?
1. Studying
2. Interviews
3. Writing - Conclusion
1. Main points restated in different words
2. Restate main idea
3. Pose rhetorical question for last hit
A. What if there was no music? Would no one have heard of Mozart or N*SYNC?
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
feedback
Most of the responses I have received have said that I had an overall excellent bibliography. One peer said that it could very well be used as my final copy. I will try to add more information to the ones that have very little summaries. I will also fix the spelling errors. There really wasn't anything anyone found wrong, but I still will analyze it and fix it accordingly.
Monday, November 12, 2007
my bibliography (for now)
- Demorest,Steven M.; Steven J. Morrison. Music Educators Journal, Vol. 87, No. 2, Special Focus: Music and the Brain. (Sep. 2000), pp. 33-39+58.
This article explores some of the research studies that have proposed connections between musical involvement and general inteligence. Morrison and Demorest explored two series of studies in detail. The first series documents a short-term increase in performance on a spatial reasoning task after listening to Mozart, often referrred as "the Mozart Effect". The second series concluded that piano instruction caused preschoolers to improve on a single test or spatial reasoning ability. The research analyzed how long and when the most improvement would occur.
In my paper I will use these studies as my primary source to enforce my point that music does make you smarter, but it depends on how early you have music instruction. For my secondary source I will use questions I have asked students who are musicians and non musicians.
- Janata, P., & Tramo, M. J. (2006, May 9). Music and the Brain. (I. Flatow, Interviewer)
This dicsussion generalizes my topic by just the way music affects the brain. In the discussion, it is asked why certain songs bring back memories. It is a connection in the brain that is activated when it is stimulated. This makes the brain reconnect with memories. That is why therapeutic hypnotists use music to bring back memories if someone suffers from amnesia.
- Dahlager, Jon. Iowa State Daily News. Undefined section. Can Music Make You Smarter? (Sept. 1999), p.1.
This article mainly states that there is not one type of music that makes people smart. Dahlager states that music doesn't make people smart, but smart people listen to music. John Prater states that different music affects different minds. Dahlager then goes on into the notion that music does have an effect on the brain, referencing a 1993 experiment conducted at the Univeristy of California-Irvine. It found that the student's spatial-temporal abilities increased after listening to Mozart. I will use this article as research proving the fact that music does make you smarter, but not necessarily that only Mozart music makes you smarter.
- Lee, Carina. Music Really Does Help Your Brain. (june 2006), http://clearlyexplained.com/news/nature/2006/jun/1N2806_06.html
This article (as the website states) clearly explains how music helps your brain. I will be using this article as research for the basic idea of why music helps brain activity
Friday, November 09, 2007
rough draft bibliography introduction #1
My original idea for this paper was to prove to parents and everyone that music needed to stay in schools, but I couldn't find musch information on that, so I had to alter my topic, so the first main topic for my paper started out as "does music help with academics?" but then evolved to "does music increase brain activity?". I found that this made a more general viewpoint, and I found many more sources with the evolved question. I also found that this covered the major points I wanted to discuss in my paper.
My audience started out as students of sociology/psychology/education/music and sociologists/psychologists/teachers/musicians and parents, but I found that that was too many audience members, and that most of these audience members were not the ones that I really needed to focus on. So I chose to focus on the students. They are more likely to be more open to the idea of using music in the classroom. I also wanted to show how the brain develops and how it differs between musicians and non musicians.
Even as I went through my articles, I found that all of them were saying the same thing. Music does increase the brain size. To quote Carina Lee's article, Music really does help your brain, "Grey matter is the tissue component of the brain where a relatively high proportion of neural activity occurs and many nerve cell nuclei can be found in this region." [btw, the function of grey matter is "to route sensory or motor stimulus to interneurons of the CNS in order to create a response to the stimulus through chemical synapse activity...(Narr, 2006).] That shows that the increase of grey matter does make you smarter, which is caused in part by the music. I am definitely not saying it is the only thing, but it is one of them.
My audience started out as students of sociology/psychology/education/music and sociologists/psychologists/teachers/musicians and parents, but I found that that was too many audience members, and that most of these audience members were not the ones that I really needed to focus on. So I chose to focus on the students. They are more likely to be more open to the idea of using music in the classroom. I also wanted to show how the brain develops and how it differs between musicians and non musicians.
Even as I went through my articles, I found that all of them were saying the same thing. Music does increase the brain size. To quote Carina Lee's article, Music really does help your brain, "Grey matter is the tissue component of the brain where a relatively high proportion of neural activity occurs and many nerve cell nuclei can be found in this region." [btw, the function of grey matter is "to route sensory or motor stimulus to interneurons of the CNS in order to create a response to the stimulus through chemical synapse activity...(Narr, 2006).] That shows that the increase of grey matter does make you smarter, which is caused in part by the music. I am definitely not saying it is the only thing, but it is one of them.
my sources
- http://hs.riverdale.k12.or.us/~dthomso/exhib_03/jasonc/The_Affect_of_Music_on_the_Human_Brain.html
This one is really cool because it is basically my paper, so this is the one that I will be getting most of my information from. I will also be using some of this articles sources as well. (I think this was luck on my part by finding this...im really glad I did because I can use this as a format for my paper, and I can find my sources much easier) - http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1258168
This one helps because it talks about how certain songs trigger memories and why this happens (for as much as we know). This one does not have citations because it was an interview, so I will be taking notes on this and using those notes as points in my paper. Those notes will not be the only points I use, some of them will be used as clarifying information for some other point I made. - http://media.www.iowastatedaily.com/media/storage/paper818/news/1999/09/30/UndefinedSection/Can-Music.Make.You.Smarter-1077044.shtml
This one I find particularly interesting because it starts out with the dorm room example. That just brought me in the article right away. Most people say that it's only classical music that makes the brain increase, but here he is stating that maybe it is any type of music that can make you smarter.
- http://clearlyexplained.com/news/nature/2006/jun/1N2806_06.html
This one states that there is more grey matter in the right hemisphere of the brain and that causes more neuroactivity which in turn makes you smarter.
Monday, November 05, 2007
bibliography...rough draft
- Demorest,Steven M.; Steven J. Morrison. Music Educators Journal, Vol. 87, No. 2, Special Focus: Music and the Brain. (Sep. 2000), pp. 33-39+58.
This article explores some of the research studies that have proposed connections between musical involvement and general inteligence. Morrison and Demorest explored two series of studies in detail. The first series documents a short-term increase in performance on a spatial reasoning task after listening to Mozart, often referrred as "the Mozart Effect". The second series concluded that piano instruction caused preschoolers to improve on a single test or spatial reasoning ability. The research analyzed how long and when the most improvement would occur.
In my paper I will use these studies as my primary source to enforce my point that music does make you smarter, but it depends on how early you have music instruction. For my secondary source I will use questions I have asked students who are musicians and non musicians.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Question: Does music really help improve academic learning?
Primary Sources: surveys of music students, interview teachers for students performance in class, survey nonmusicians of same age group and surface differences.
Secondary Sources: texts of music psychology and the effects music has on the brain, music therapy books may help.
Primary Sources: surveys of music students, interview teachers for students performance in class, survey nonmusicians of same age group and surface differences.
Secondary Sources: texts of music psychology and the effects music has on the brain, music therapy books may help.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
questionnaire for my paper: please do this!
General questions
*1.Name:
*2. Age:
*3.Grade:
Musician questions
4.Instrument:
5.How long been playing
6.continue in music
7.do it because you want to or have to
8.Do you think it helps you in classes or not
9. do you like playing your instrument
10.do you think you are doing well in classes
11.can you divide in your head faster than other people
12.what class do you do the best in
Non-musician questions
13. what do you do for fun
14.how long have you done it (rough estimate: i need a number)
15.when do you do this the most often
16.do you do it when you want or when you want to annoy your parents
17.how well are you doing in your classes
18.what class do you do the best in
19.what can you do that most people cant
20.are there music people in your class
21.if yes to 20, do you think they do better in the class
*These questions are just for me, and I may use the average age group, but no one will know your age, unless you give me permission to use it in my paper.
*1.Name:
*2. Age:
*3.Grade:
Musician questions
4.Instrument:
5.How long been playing
6.continue in music
7.do it because you want to or have to
8.Do you think it helps you in classes or not
9. do you like playing your instrument
10.do you think you are doing well in classes
11.can you divide in your head faster than other people
12.what class do you do the best in
Non-musician questions
13. what do you do for fun
14.how long have you done it (rough estimate: i need a number)
15.when do you do this the most often
16.do you do it when you want or when you want to annoy your parents
17.how well are you doing in your classes
18.what class do you do the best in
19.what can you do that most people cant
20.are there music people in your class
21.if yes to 20, do you think they do better in the class
*These questions are just for me, and I may use the average age group, but no one will know your age, unless you give me permission to use it in my paper.
Friday, October 26, 2007
my role[s] for my paper
I think these roles fit into my topic, because I have to use secondary tests, and the popinions of experts, and my own surveys. If you think you know which one is best, please say so.
The first role I think that best fits is the original field/laboratory researcher.
This is where I will be using the surveys that I wrote, based upon what I asked and my own evlauations on what I saw in classes that I sat in.
The second role I think that fits best is the reviewer of a controversy. Many articles that I read contradicted each other basically from sentence to sentence. Two in particular that I read said the completely opposite things. One said that scientists say that music does not increase brain activity, while the other says that it does. I will be using mainly the articles and results of tests from other experiments done on this topic.
The third role that I think fits best is the advocate in a controversy. My main point will be trying to convince everyone, mostly parents, that music does increase brain activity and that it should stay in the schools. My type of research i will use for this will be surveys taken by students in the schools that have poorly funded music programs.
(As a side note, I will be taking most of my surveys at the two main high schools in my hometown. I have yet to ask permission to do the surveys and sit in the classes, but mainly I have to only ask the school that is not my alma mater. If I cannot do the surveys in these schools, I will just post them on myspace and facebook. Also, I welcome any of you to also take the surveys. This gives me more accurate feedback because you have actually thought about it and you are not anymore directly effected by this. Thanks! :-D)
Here the writer poses a field or laboratory research problem, designs and conducts an experiment or study, and reports the results in scientific format. Library research will be used primarily for the "review of the literature" section.
The first role I think that best fits is the original field/laboratory researcher.
This is where I will be using the surveys that I wrote, based upon what I asked and my own evlauations on what I saw in classes that I sat in.
The second role I think that fits best is the reviewer of a controversy. Many articles that I read contradicted each other basically from sentence to sentence. Two in particular that I read said the completely opposite things. One said that scientists say that music does not increase brain activity, while the other says that it does. I will be using mainly the articles and results of tests from other experiments done on this topic.
The third role that I think fits best is the advocate in a controversy. My main point will be trying to convince everyone, mostly parents, that music does increase brain activity and that it should stay in the schools. My type of research i will use for this will be surveys taken by students in the schools that have poorly funded music programs.
(As a side note, I will be taking most of my surveys at the two main high schools in my hometown. I have yet to ask permission to do the surveys and sit in the classes, but mainly I have to only ask the school that is not my alma mater. If I cannot do the surveys in these schools, I will just post them on myspace and facebook. Also, I welcome any of you to also take the surveys. This gives me more accurate feedback because you have actually thought about it and you are not anymore directly effected by this. Thanks! :-D)
Here the writer poses a field or laboratory research problem, designs and conducts an experiment or study, and reports the results in scientific format. Library research will be used primarily for the "review of the literature" section.
Paper Update
So far I have learned how to research my topic, what to look for so that it is a good source, and how to correctly cite my sources. From my research, I have learned that this topic is really unclear whether music does enhance the brain or does not.
I still need my interviews with students who do participate in music and those who do not. I have posted those questionnaires on my myspace page, as well as sent emails to most of my friends. I think I know most of library research, as my mom is a librarian, so I have spent most of my time in a library. I can find my way through the library, but finding exact sources that cover my topic will probably be the hardest. I think most of my research will come from the internet.
I still need my interviews with students who do participate in music and those who do not. I have posted those questionnaires on my myspace page, as well as sent emails to most of my friends. I think I know most of library research, as my mom is a librarian, so I have spent most of my time in a library. I can find my way through the library, but finding exact sources that cover my topic will probably be the hardest. I think most of my research will come from the internet.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
* Accuracy. If your page lists the author and institution that published the page and provides a way of contacting him/her and . . .
* Authority. If your page lists the author credentials and its domain is preferred (.edu, .gov, .org, or .net), and, . .
* Objectivity. If your page provides accurate information with limited advertising and it is objective in presenting the information, and . . .
* Currency. If your page is current and updated regularly (as stated on the page) and the links (if any) are also up-to-date, and . . .
* Coverage. If you can view the information properly--not limited to fees, browser technology, or software requirement, then . . .
(these two are just from about a half hour of looking-that's all the time I had to look)
Websites for paper:
1. http://www.jstor.org/view/00274321/sp060452/06x2782p/0
2.http://www.jstor.org/view/00043125/sp040373/04x4458l/0
* Authority. If your page lists the author credentials and its domain is preferred (.edu, .gov, .org, or .net), and, . .
* Objectivity. If your page provides accurate information with limited advertising and it is objective in presenting the information, and . . .
* Currency. If your page is current and updated regularly (as stated on the page) and the links (if any) are also up-to-date, and . . .
* Coverage. If you can view the information properly--not limited to fees, browser technology, or software requirement, then . . .
(these two are just from about a half hour of looking-that's all the time I had to look)
Websites for paper:
1. http://www.jstor.org/view/00274321/sp060452/06x2782p/0
2.http://www.jstor.org/view/00043125/sp040373/04x4458l/0
Friday, October 19, 2007
purpose of paper and audience...
Topic: Does music really increase brain activity? and does it help with academics?
Purpose: my main purpose is to really find out if learning/listening to music really increase brain activity and what people think about music in schools. Also, I want to convince people that music is important in schools and also it should be in the schools.
Audience: My main audience would be college students (i.e., music majors, education majors, sociology majors, psychology majors, and neurological majors), sociologists, psychologists, musicians, educators, teachers, and neurologists.
Purpose: my main purpose is to really find out if learning/listening to music really increase brain activity and what people think about music in schools. Also, I want to convince people that music is important in schools and also it should be in the schools.
Audience: My main audience would be college students (i.e., music majors, education majors, sociology majors, psychology majors, and neurological majors), sociologists, psychologists, musicians, educators, teachers, and neurologists.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
questions for paper by field of study
Sociology major:
1. What would each sociological perspective say about this topic? Would they agree? Or disagree? With the topic? Or with each other?
Education Major:
2. If this really does help, should teachers play music in the background, and use songs to help students remember lessons?
Music Major:
3. If this does work, should music students have music playing while they are doing their academic work, or will they be distracted by the beats, counting, and syncopation in the song?
1. What would each sociological perspective say about this topic? Would they agree? Or disagree? With the topic? Or with each other?
Education Major:
2. If this really does help, should teachers play music in the background, and use songs to help students remember lessons?
Music Major:
3. If this does work, should music students have music playing while they are doing their academic work, or will they be distracted by the beats, counting, and syncopation in the song?
response to peer response
I think that badger fan has a point about her playing piano for 10 years and it didn't really do anything. But how would she know if it helped or not? She doesn't know how it would have really been if she hadn't done the piano lessons. I never have had any private lessons, so I really had to try. Maybe this topic is better suited if I try to figure out if music really helps, if you have private lessons or not. If you have private lessons, you have someone telling you what you are doing wrong. If you dont have the lessons, you learn on your own, without help. Maybe THAT is the real deciding factor. Maybe the lessons change something in the brain. I will find out if this really happens by interviewing people who have had lessons and who haven't had lessons who play the same instrument.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Exploring my research topic: music and the effects it has on academic learning: does it really help or not?
Part I: Exploration
1.Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your research project.
My choice of topic is music and the effect it has on children in school. Does it really help students or does it hurt them? Does music really help with learning?
2.What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?
I am a musician and I did better in school when I was listening to music than when I was not listening. I want people who say music is a waste of time and that it doesn’t do any good to anyone to change how they think about this and help with the music program.
3.What opinions do you already hold about this topic?
I think music does help with knowledge. It helped me in math because I used the math in band because of the length of notes and the counting of the beats. It helped me with my basic math which helped me with the harder math as well.
4.What knowledge do you already have about this topic?
I know that scientists say that it does not improve academic learning, but I say differently. It is probably something they have not thought of yet.
5.What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?
I am really curious if this really is true. I want to find ou the real facts, and have scientific proof that it does or does not exist, that it does or does not help with academic learning.
6.Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?
Most of my research will mostly be psychological scientific studies. It makes it very hard because some studies may be false and inaccurate, and other may be complete hoaxes.
7.How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews and/or observations)?
I could probably ask some people that are musicians if they succeeded in school, if someone in middle school learns faster than everyone else because they play an instrument or listen to music while studying. I could also ask the teachers who is doing better in class, and see how far they are ahead based upon if they are the musician or not.
Part II: Focusing
Write an initial claim, or an open-ended question, to guide your research on this topic. Make it specific but exploratory. Remember that a good claim opens up an area of inquiry about a topic; a claim should invite evidence, support, and debate.
Does listening to music and/or playing a musical instrument help with academic achievement?
1.Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your research project.
My choice of topic is music and the effect it has on children in school. Does it really help students or does it hurt them? Does music really help with learning?
2.What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?
I am a musician and I did better in school when I was listening to music than when I was not listening. I want people who say music is a waste of time and that it doesn’t do any good to anyone to change how they think about this and help with the music program.
3.What opinions do you already hold about this topic?
I think music does help with knowledge. It helped me in math because I used the math in band because of the length of notes and the counting of the beats. It helped me with my basic math which helped me with the harder math as well.
4.What knowledge do you already have about this topic?
I know that scientists say that it does not improve academic learning, but I say differently. It is probably something they have not thought of yet.
5.What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?
I am really curious if this really is true. I want to find ou the real facts, and have scientific proof that it does or does not exist, that it does or does not help with academic learning.
6.Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?
Most of my research will mostly be psychological scientific studies. It makes it very hard because some studies may be false and inaccurate, and other may be complete hoaxes.
7.How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews and/or observations)?
I could probably ask some people that are musicians if they succeeded in school, if someone in middle school learns faster than everyone else because they play an instrument or listen to music while studying. I could also ask the teachers who is doing better in class, and see how far they are ahead based upon if they are the musician or not.
Part II: Focusing
Write an initial claim, or an open-ended question, to guide your research on this topic. Make it specific but exploratory. Remember that a good claim opens up an area of inquiry about a topic; a claim should invite evidence, support, and debate.
Does listening to music and/or playing a musical instrument help with academic achievement?
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
links to articles for paper/summary of link
my paper is on music in schools and how it helps with academic learning. basically how music students are proven to learn faster than those who are not music students. Also how music in the classroom helps comprehension and remembering faster.
1. www.jstor.org/view/00274321/sp060416/06x2332h/0
2. www.news.ku.edu/2007/june/28/music.shtml
3. www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/music-education3
4. www.mustcreate.org/global/global8_1_3.shtml
5. http://alumni.yale.edu/aya/blueprint/article.php?id=7
6. www.menc.org/publication/articles/academic/hawaii.htm
7. www.jstor.org/view/00224294/ap060151/06a00040/0
8. http://books.google.com/bookshl=en&lr=&id=pr8KhGm9B3UC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=does+music+really+increase+brain+activity%3F+&ots=WaO1l8rOaJ&sig=bvLSSg1dahUljpYmdEW5 mh4AC8#PPA18,M1
This summary is about the third link.
Marion Diamond states, "According to the National Coalition for Music Education, one third fewer high school students are taking music classes now than fifty years ago". Even though there is no real proof that music enhances child brain development, there is some evidence that it does enhance brain activity. Depending upon how long the student learns a form of music, will detemine how long and how much faster they learn. While listening may not enhance the intellect, playing an instrument can increase "'voluntary attention'...'discipline, care, concentration, and perseverance' ".
Chipongian, Lisa. "Can Music Education Really Enhance Brain Functioning and Academic Learning?" http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/music-education3. Summer 1998. University of Wissconsin-Madison. 29 Sept. 2007.
1. www.jstor.org/view/00274321/sp060416/06x2332h/0
2. www.news.ku.edu/2007/june/28/music.shtml
3. www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/music-education3
4. www.mustcreate.org/global/global8_1_3.shtml
5. http://alumni.yale.edu/aya/blueprint/article.php?id=7
6. www.menc.org/publication/articles/academic/hawaii.htm
7. www.jstor.org/view/00224294/ap060151/06a00040/0
8. http://books.google.com/bookshl=en&lr=&id=pr8KhGm9B3UC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=does+music+really+increase+brain+activity%3F+&ots=WaO1l8rOaJ&sig=bvLSSg1dahUljpYmdEW5 mh4AC8#PPA18,M1
This summary is about the third link.
Marion Diamond states, "According to the National Coalition for Music Education, one third fewer high school students are taking music classes now than fifty years ago". Even though there is no real proof that music enhances child brain development, there is some evidence that it does enhance brain activity. Depending upon how long the student learns a form of music, will detemine how long and how much faster they learn. While listening may not enhance the intellect, playing an instrument can increase "'voluntary attention'...'discipline, care, concentration, and perseverance' ".
Chipongian, Lisa. "Can Music Education Really Enhance Brain Functioning and Academic Learning?" http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/music-education3. Summer 1998. University of Wissconsin-Madison. 29 Sept. 2007
Monday, October 01, 2007
response to ex. 2 (pg. 132)
Are computers helping or hurting the schools? Are they "dumbing down the students"? In "Who Needs Computers?", Clifford Stoll states that in 2101, everyone will be dead. "Almost everyone from the 20th Century will be dead. Most of our children are dead. Our grandkids now run the country, and out great-grandchildren complain about it". What will this mean when this could actually happen? Does this mean that everyone will eventually give up?
I think that everyone will eventually give in and just go with the flow. There will always be that person who won't want the computers in the classroom, and will constanly argue about them being there. NOW I'M NOT SAYING that having them in there is a bad thing, I'm really saying that having them in the classroom can be a good thing, but it depends on the age group that the classrooms have the computers. If you have them in a 5th grade class, the teacher will get nothing done, because they are playing games online all the time. If the computers are in a college classroom, the students will pay attention more, because the college students have th ability to restarin themselves from doing frivilous things on the computer.
WHILE having them in there can be a good thing, why do we need them? I remember in my biology class we would only watch film strips. We didn't need the computers, because in the film strips, you could show the film in whatever order you wanted. BUT SAYING THAT going back to filmstrips only is a bad thing, because in the way technology have improved, people can go at their own pace and not be bored with questions that they know the answer to.
WHAT I AM BASCIALLY TRYING TO SAY is that computers are not a necessity, but can influence how the students learn.
I think that everyone will eventually give in and just go with the flow. There will always be that person who won't want the computers in the classroom, and will constanly argue about them being there. NOW I'M NOT SAYING that having them in there is a bad thing, I'm really saying that having them in the classroom can be a good thing, but it depends on the age group that the classrooms have the computers. If you have them in a 5th grade class, the teacher will get nothing done, because they are playing games online all the time. If the computers are in a college classroom, the students will pay attention more, because the college students have th ability to restarin themselves from doing frivilous things on the computer.
WHILE having them in there can be a good thing, why do we need them? I remember in my biology class we would only watch film strips. We didn't need the computers, because in the film strips, you could show the film in whatever order you wanted. BUT SAYING THAT going back to filmstrips only is a bad thing, because in the way technology have improved, people can go at their own pace and not be bored with questions that they know the answer to.
WHAT I AM BASCIALLY TRYING TO SAY is that computers are not a necessity, but can influence how the students learn.
Friday, September 21, 2007
synthesis
I am going to use the articles "Who Needs Computers?" and "Computers and Technology". I have no real idea about computers in the classroom, but I think that using these will help me understand the issue better.
Are computers helping or hurting the schools? Are they "dumbing down the students"? In "Who Needs Computers?", Clifford Stoll states that in 2101, everyone will be dead. "Almost everyone from the 20th Century will be dead. Most of our children are dead. Our grandkids now run the country, and out great-grandchildren complain about it". What will this mean when this could actually happen? Does this mean that everyone will eventually give up?
I think that everyone will eventually give in and just go with the flow. There will always be that person who won't want the computers in the classroom, and will constanly argue about them being there. Now I'm not saying that having them in there is a bad thing, I'm really saying that having them in the classroom can be a good thing, but it depends on the age group that the classrooms have the computers. If you have them in a 5th grade class, the teacher will get nothing done, because they are playing games online all the time. If the computers are in a college classroom, the students will pay attention more, because the college students have th ability to restarin themselves from doing frivilous things on the computer.
While having them in there can be a good thing, why do we need them? I remember in my biology class we would only watch film strips. We didn't need the computers, because in the film strips, you could show the film in whatever order you wanted. But saying that going back to filmstrips only is a bad thing, because in the way technology have improved, people can go at their own pace and not be bored with questions that they know the answer to.
What I am basically trying to say is that computers are not a necessity, but can influence how the students learn.
Are computers helping or hurting the schools? Are they "dumbing down the students"? In "Who Needs Computers?", Clifford Stoll states that in 2101, everyone will be dead. "Almost everyone from the 20th Century will be dead. Most of our children are dead. Our grandkids now run the country, and out great-grandchildren complain about it". What will this mean when this could actually happen? Does this mean that everyone will eventually give up?
I think that everyone will eventually give in and just go with the flow. There will always be that person who won't want the computers in the classroom, and will constanly argue about them being there. Now I'm not saying that having them in there is a bad thing, I'm really saying that having them in the classroom can be a good thing, but it depends on the age group that the classrooms have the computers. If you have them in a 5th grade class, the teacher will get nothing done, because they are playing games online all the time. If the computers are in a college classroom, the students will pay attention more, because the college students have th ability to restarin themselves from doing frivilous things on the computer.
While having them in there can be a good thing, why do we need them? I remember in my biology class we would only watch film strips. We didn't need the computers, because in the film strips, you could show the film in whatever order you wanted. But saying that going back to filmstrips only is a bad thing, because in the way technology have improved, people can go at their own pace and not be bored with questions that they know the answer to.
What I am basically trying to say is that computers are not a necessity, but can influence how the students learn.
Are computers the right answer??? (combo of two articles)
"Wow!!!!" "Cool!!!" "New computers!!! Now we can work while in class!!! This is so awesome!!!"
Although that having computers in the class have increased the numbers of test scores and parental help, will the students eventually only pretend to work but send emails and instant messages? I know if I had the chance I would do it. So why have the computers in the classroom?
If you need a computer in the class, use a computer lab. I know that I would like to have a laptop to carry with me everywhere so I can do homework, but I know that that wouldn't happen. But would that really help me, as well as other students? Or would they get caught up in what type, style, and programs they had for their computer?
The students would more likely use the computers for entertainment, not education, as Richard Ohmann argues in his article, "Computers and Technology". The teachers most likely would become worried that the students would become so dependent on the computers that they, the students, wouldn't think for themselves anymore. That's what I am worried about. Also, if the teacher loses a lesson because of a computer malfunction, that would ruin the whole class time. So, I say, save the lesson by writing it manually and orally presenting it to the class. Always have three backups to anything important.
So, the use of computers would help, but also decline learning capabilities of future students. Who really knows what will happen? Everyone will just have to wait and see...
Although that having computers in the class have increased the numbers of test scores and parental help, will the students eventually only pretend to work but send emails and instant messages? I know if I had the chance I would do it. So why have the computers in the classroom?
If you need a computer in the class, use a computer lab. I know that I would like to have a laptop to carry with me everywhere so I can do homework, but I know that that wouldn't happen. But would that really help me, as well as other students? Or would they get caught up in what type, style, and programs they had for their computer?
The students would more likely use the computers for entertainment, not education, as Richard Ohmann argues in his article, "Computers and Technology". The teachers most likely would become worried that the students would become so dependent on the computers that they, the students, wouldn't think for themselves anymore. That's what I am worried about. Also, if the teacher loses a lesson because of a computer malfunction, that would ruin the whole class time. So, I say, save the lesson by writing it manually and orally presenting it to the class. Always have three backups to anything important.
So, the use of computers would help, but also decline learning capabilities of future students. Who really knows what will happen? Everyone will just have to wait and see...
class section summaries
I think that the class did an excellent job on summarizing the article. I think each section had it's good points and bad, but overall was very decent. I think that if someone tried to use all those as a paper, it wouldn't sound too well, but each section really cleared up any questions I had with the article.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
why are women supposed to be thin? why are 6 year olds dressed like Britney Spears?
Why are we, women, the way we are?
In the Introduction to Susan Bordo’s article, “The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies,” she states that women are constantly changing their bodies to fit in with society. She quotes a New York Times reporter stating that “It’s now rare in certain social circles to see a woman over the age of 35 with the ability to look angry,” (152) because of botox injections. Women are becoming more susceptible to thinking that they are not pretty anymore, or they are not what men want. For example, the research done in Fiji by Anne Becker, with the islands in 1995 had no reported cases of eating disorders. Three years later, when U.S. and Britain television programs had been broadcasting there, the research reported that 62% of women surveyed admitted to dieting. Now this is interesting, because Fijians favor voluptuous bodies.
So when will people realize that having plastic surgery makes you look very fake and plastic? It shows that either people are too lazy to work or if they are getting a tummy tuck or liposuction, or they don’t realize that someone actually finds the “bump on the nose” attractive. It’s very stereotypical of people to think that they need to look a certain way for people to like them. I myself am not thin or very pretty. But I do have a great personality that will come out on top in the end.
When you look at someone who is very pretty, probably with botox or surgery, when you meet them, after thirty seconds you want to choke them to death because of how dumb they act. Now I’m not saying that all pretty people are dumb. That would be stereotypical of me, and that’s not me. I am not stereotypical. But then again, aren’t we all stereotypical? Don’t we all assume a certain person will act a certain way based on their appearance? And when we see how they really act, aren’t we surprised or amazed?
There are so many ways to determine what is pretty or not, but there really is no definite definition to pretty. What is pretty anyway? Is pretty going to eventually be perfection?
Good question. Perfection. What is perfection? Does anyone know the exact definition? Perfection in someone’s eyes may be completely different than from another’s eyes.
Even as Bordo emphasizes that some mothers are allowing their toddlers to dress up as Britney Spears on Halloween night, those mothers most likely will regret letting their toddlers doing that when their daughters are sixteen years old, sleeping around, and have a child. Many people don’t realize that what children do at a young age can affect their entire lives. For example, Bordo states, “In the world in which our children are growing up, there is a size zero, and it's a status symbol. The chronic dieters have been at it since they were 8 and 9 years old.” Does this show what the media is doing to children?
Celebrities are unconsciously teaching young children that being super-skinny is ok, no matter what you have to do to get there. “Generations raised in the empire of images are both vulnerable and savvy. They snort when magazines periodically proclaim (about once every six months, the same frequency with which they run cover stories about "starving stars") that in the "new" Hollywood one can be ‘sexy at any size.’” Is that really true? How many stars have you seen that are not a single-digit size? I know that there is some, Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott. But the world (the media in particular) needs to know that not everyone can look the same, or afford to change their bodies for cosmetic reasons. I for one am not happy with the way the world works today, but I haven’t the courage to change it. I just hope that someone else does.
In the Introduction to Susan Bordo’s article, “The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies,” she states that women are constantly changing their bodies to fit in with society. She quotes a New York Times reporter stating that “It’s now rare in certain social circles to see a woman over the age of 35 with the ability to look angry,” (152) because of botox injections. Women are becoming more susceptible to thinking that they are not pretty anymore, or they are not what men want. For example, the research done in Fiji by Anne Becker, with the islands in 1995 had no reported cases of eating disorders. Three years later, when U.S. and Britain television programs had been broadcasting there, the research reported that 62% of women surveyed admitted to dieting. Now this is interesting, because Fijians favor voluptuous bodies.
So when will people realize that having plastic surgery makes you look very fake and plastic? It shows that either people are too lazy to work or if they are getting a tummy tuck or liposuction, or they don’t realize that someone actually finds the “bump on the nose” attractive. It’s very stereotypical of people to think that they need to look a certain way for people to like them. I myself am not thin or very pretty. But I do have a great personality that will come out on top in the end.
When you look at someone who is very pretty, probably with botox or surgery, when you meet them, after thirty seconds you want to choke them to death because of how dumb they act. Now I’m not saying that all pretty people are dumb. That would be stereotypical of me, and that’s not me. I am not stereotypical. But then again, aren’t we all stereotypical? Don’t we all assume a certain person will act a certain way based on their appearance? And when we see how they really act, aren’t we surprised or amazed?
There are so many ways to determine what is pretty or not, but there really is no definite definition to pretty. What is pretty anyway? Is pretty going to eventually be perfection?
Good question. Perfection. What is perfection? Does anyone know the exact definition? Perfection in someone’s eyes may be completely different than from another’s eyes.
Even as Bordo emphasizes that some mothers are allowing their toddlers to dress up as Britney Spears on Halloween night, those mothers most likely will regret letting their toddlers doing that when their daughters are sixteen years old, sleeping around, and have a child. Many people don’t realize that what children do at a young age can affect their entire lives. For example, Bordo states, “In the world in which our children are growing up, there is a size zero, and it's a status symbol. The chronic dieters have been at it since they were 8 and 9 years old.” Does this show what the media is doing to children?
Celebrities are unconsciously teaching young children that being super-skinny is ok, no matter what you have to do to get there. “Generations raised in the empire of images are both vulnerable and savvy. They snort when magazines periodically proclaim (about once every six months, the same frequency with which they run cover stories about "starving stars") that in the "new" Hollywood one can be ‘sexy at any size.’” Is that really true? How many stars have you seen that are not a single-digit size? I know that there is some, Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott. But the world (the media in particular) needs to know that not everyone can look the same, or afford to change their bodies for cosmetic reasons. I for one am not happy with the way the world works today, but I haven’t the courage to change it. I just hope that someone else does.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
which side are you on?? part 2 (agree)
In David Zinczenko's article, "Don't Blame The Eater", he states that there are no healthy inexpensive alternatives for fast food. I agree with him. If you take a look down memory lane, how many times have you gone into a McDonald's or fast-food joint? Too many to count? That's what I thought. Every couple of days we don't have a lot of time to make a meal, so where do we go? To the one place that has good, yummy food done in a flash. Most of the customers in fast food joints are teenagers. High school students need the quick fix meal so they can quickly get done with their homework so they can party longer. College students go there because they don't have enough time to do anything, and need something that you can hold in one hand and type with the other.
Even though there are other options, for example, the salad, there are just as many calories in the salad as other food items on the menu. The salad, croutons, dressing, and other toppings add to the calorie count as well.
So, where can you buy INEXPENSIVE and HEALTHY alternatives? I would really like to know.
Even though there are other options, for example, the salad, there are just as many calories in the salad as other food items on the menu. The salad, croutons, dressing, and other toppings add to the calorie count as well.
So, where can you buy INEXPENSIVE and HEALTHY alternatives? I would really like to know.
which side are you on?? part one (disagree)
In David Zinczenko's article, "Don't Blame The Eater", he states that there are no inexpensive alternatives for fast food. I say that there are, and they are even in the fast food restaurant. Take the caesar salad at McDonalds, for example. You don't have to put the dressing on, or even have the chicken on it. If you prefer to have the chicken, get it grilled in natural oils. That cuts down on the calories and the amount of fat from the deep frying. Instead of that diet soda, get juice or water. Water in a glass is FREE people!!
Also, cutting down on the amount of food you eat will also help. Don't go and order a double-quarter-pounder with cheese(740 calories), large fry(570 calories), and super-sized diet Coke(0 calories). That comes in at about 1,310 calories. That's more than half of what the government requires people to have in one day. So, if you go to McDonald's, order the caesar salad, with no dressing, and a glass of water. The total calories of that comes to: 90 calories. That will work fine for anyone.
He also states that it's the companies fault for making the children fat. I say it's partially the companies fault. They sell the greasy food, but it's the parents that bring their young children in and let them decide what they want. If the parents don't allow them to go in, they will not eat there as often, because they will have good eating habits and choose not to eat there. The parents teach their children eating habits. If you teach a child poor eating habits, when they are 25 and have type 2 diabetes, it's harder for them to lose weight. But, if you teach the child healthy options, at 25 they will more likely to lose weight if they are overweight.
An even better option is to go to Subway. They sell food with fresh ingredients, made to order, and without many preservatives. For example, Subway's club salad only has 150 calories. That may be a little more calories than the McDonald's Caesar Salad, but it really is a healthier option, and it only costs about $5.00 at most, and you get to choose what to have on or off it. That's a really cheap way to get a good healthy meal, even if you are on the road.
[for information on McDonald's nutrition information, visit the following website: http://www.mcdonalds.com/app_controller.nutrition.index1.html]
[for information on Subway's nutrition information, visit this site: http://www.subway.com/applications/NutritionInfo/index.aspx ]
Also, cutting down on the amount of food you eat will also help. Don't go and order a double-quarter-pounder with cheese(740 calories), large fry(570 calories), and super-sized diet Coke(0 calories). That comes in at about 1,310 calories. That's more than half of what the government requires people to have in one day. So, if you go to McDonald's, order the caesar salad, with no dressing, and a glass of water. The total calories of that comes to: 90 calories. That will work fine for anyone.
He also states that it's the companies fault for making the children fat. I say it's partially the companies fault. They sell the greasy food, but it's the parents that bring their young children in and let them decide what they want. If the parents don't allow them to go in, they will not eat there as often, because they will have good eating habits and choose not to eat there. The parents teach their children eating habits. If you teach a child poor eating habits, when they are 25 and have type 2 diabetes, it's harder for them to lose weight. But, if you teach the child healthy options, at 25 they will more likely to lose weight if they are overweight.
An even better option is to go to Subway. They sell food with fresh ingredients, made to order, and without many preservatives. For example, Subway's club salad only has 150 calories. That may be a little more calories than the McDonald's Caesar Salad, but it really is a healthier option, and it only costs about $5.00 at most, and you get to choose what to have on or off it. That's a really cheap way to get a good healthy meal, even if you are on the road.
[for information on McDonald's nutrition information, visit the following website: http://www.mcdonalds.com/app_controller.nutrition.index1.html]
[for information on Subway's nutrition information, visit this site: http://www.subway.com/applications/NutritionInfo/index.aspx ]
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
military pay
This blog is about the increase in military pay of 13%. Ms. Cindy Williams, a senior research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was assistant director for national security in the Congressional Budget Office from 1994 to 1997. She states that every member of the Unites States military is getting a 4.8 percent increase in pay, the biggest inflation boost the military has seen in 18 years.
My father was in the Navy for my whole life. He retired in September of 2003. So, this is stating that in almost my whole lifetime, this is the biggest pay raise the military has seen since I was born. That's an amazing fact.
My father was in the Navy for my whole life. He retired in September of 2003. So, this is stating that in almost my whole lifetime, this is the biggest pay raise the military has seen since I was born. That's an amazing fact.
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