In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” by Nicholas Carr he states that the extensive use of Google and the internet is leading to a decline in the attention spans and capacity for deep thinking among individuals in Western society. According to Carr, constant exposure to different digital tools impacts our abilities. Particularly our engagement and attention span with long written content. additionally, he mentions that easy access to online information may contribute to our short attention span and our preference for surface-level information rather than extensive writing. ultimately affecting how we process and comprehend information in the modern era.

I consider myself 100% a victim of Google and the internet. I cannot stand reading lengthy written content, and I don’t remember the last time I read an entire article in just one sitting. I catch myself looking for websites that read the content to me and I take my headphones and prefer to listen while I do something else. My attention span has reached an all-time low and I am not sure how to fix it. Because my first language was not English, I’ve always found reading difficult and I have always said that if a written piece was in Spanish, I would be able to understand and pay way more attention, but now it does not depend on the language and I realize sometimes while reading, I don’t remember what I read just 5 minutes ago.

Most people cannot gather information as they used to anymore due to how easy we have access to look up any question online, this also goes hand in hand with human nature and it is that we seek convenience. but I know for other people who have always liked to read now it’s become in some way harder and as Nicholas Carr mentions “deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle”.

I’ve struggled with school and classes for a long time. There’s always been classes where I never enjoy learning, doing the work, or even just showing up to class. In James Gee highlighted the rigidness of school and how fixed of a system it is. With focuses on just reading letters to sounds, with no attention to social circles and how others may not understand as well just based on the circles they’re in. This is just one of the many ways school remains rigid and restricting. I’d always thought maybe I just don’t enjoy learning, but this isn’t true. I spend my time outside of school constantly learning, whether that’s, training for the Olympics, working in restaurants, or even finding good spots to eat in town. All of these things I do because I enjoy them. But why can’t I enjoy school? I believe the answer lies in the fact that I do enjoy school. But only specific classes that come along. Especially with the way majors are structured, I’m forced to take certain classes. Over the years I feel that I’ve built a resentment for classes that are required and I’m the slightest bit disinterested in. Yes sometimes we have to do hard things, but at some point the amount of classes you’re forced to do adds up and it becomes not worth it anymore. This is also present in video games. But the ability to pick and choose as well as follow genres and games you find familiar and enjoy create a much more enjoyable experience and I find myself coming back and enjoying my time. Maybe I have to change my degree like I would change games in hopes of finding something I enjoy and would come back to.

Dylan Decaille

Bibliographic Entry: Zakir-Hussain, Maryam. “Just Stop Oil Protesters Blocking Road to Buckingham Palace Glue Themselves to the Mall.” The Independent, 3 Mar. 2023, www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/just-stop-oil-buckingham-palace-b2199259.html.

Terminology: Just stop Oil, Activists, Fossil Fuels

Precis: Just Stop Oil protestors were arrested at Buckingham Palace. These protestors glued themselves to the street before Buckingham Palace to raise awareness of climate change. The police officers had to get specialists to squirt a liquid into the hands of the protestors to separate the glue attached to them. The protestors wore orange vests to represent the organization. They reportedly disrupted the peace for 2 hours and 15 minutes. There were at least 40 police officers and 10 officer vehicles. 

Reflection: This article, explains a situation that happened at Buckingham Palace. There were many protestors from Just Stop Oil which is a protest organization that wants to bring climate change awareness and deal with the problem. In my opinion, this is absolutely something that needs to be brought into focus because we do need to take care of our planet, and as a protest, I support Just Stop Oil. However, the way they do it can be questionable and they should think ahead more before some of their actions when protesting. To me I found it surprising they would glue themselves to the ground and not already have something to remove themselves, it was left up to specialists to come in and remove their hands. 

Quotes: “The protesters, who traveled from Scotland, said they felt the need to act after the UK government gave its backing in September to an expansion of oil and gas operations in the North Sea.” 

“Specialist officers used debonding liquid in plastic syringes to free the protesters who had glued themselves to the ground or to each other.”

“The activists started sitting in the road at 8.45am on Monday wearing orange hi-vis jackets and holding Just Stop Oil banners, blocking traffic in both directions – with some of them glued together or to the Tarmac.”

ENG2100: Writing 1 F23

Adapted by Zach Muhlbauer

Original by Mark McBeth

Reflective Annotated Bibliography Directions 

The reflective annotated bibliography works as a research device, having been adapted from  the traditional academic document called an annotated bibliography. While the conventional  form only includes a bibliographic entry and a précis, this adapted annotated bibliography adds a terminology/key word list, a reflection component, and a quotables section. These  additional sections help you as a writer differentiate between “objective” reporting of the  author’s ideas from your “subjective” editorial remarks about the reading (aka, your opinions, speculations, counter-arguments, questions). It also acts as a mnemonic device to help you retain terminologies, key terms and phrases, and an author’s memorable quotes. While  this reflective annotated bibliography could conceivably help you review for exams or store  information for future pieces of research scholarship, you can also use it to help you formulate paragraphs for an essay.

Part 1: Bibliographic Entry: This section gives the publication information: author, date,  title, book or journal, vol., page numbers, print or web. 

“Television Shows That Glamourise Wealth.” London School of Economics and Political Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, 1 Aug. 2018, www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2018/08-Aug-2018/Television-shows-that-glamourise-wealth. 

Part 2: Terminology/Keywords: This section lists keywords that the author uses that indicate a relationship to a disciplinary discourse community. You may also use this section to list unfamiliar vocabulary. Notice the differentiation that I make between  “vocabulary” (general words) and terminology/key terms, which entails vocabulary used within a particular, sometimes specialized discourse community.

Materialistic Media

Anti-welfare

Part 3: Précis: This section articulates an objective summary of the reading. It should only convey  exactly what the author states in the article without including your opinions. (1) It should  state the author’s primary claim and subclaims. What argument does the author want  to assert? (2) It should acknowledge the types of evidence the author uses to support this  claim. What data/facts/evidence does the author use to justify the claims of the article? (3)  It should reveal the interpretations that this author arrives at through the claims and evidence. What point or conclusion does the author surmise? 

The author argues that materialistic media transforms people’s welfare stances from pro to anti. The research finds–through experimentation–that brief exposure to MMM and materialistic reading and television influences attitudes towards welfare. The research also finds that exposure to MMM shapes cognitive and emotional responses which leads to the development of materialistic values and attitudes. The author’s home country of England experienced a decline in welfare support most likely from MMM.

Part 4: Reflection: This section reveals your opinion about what the author has stated. Do you agree or disagree?  What speculations do you want to make about this author’s methods of research? What questions do you  have? What don’t you understand? What other information do you need to look up to better understand  this article? This unconventional section puts forward your ideas. This section should be italicized.

I agree that MMM shapes cognitive and emotional response which leads to the development of materialistic values and attitudes, but the researcher presented nothing convincing enough that MMM changed England, or that MMM turns people against welfare. Most likely the research forgot the presence of cognitive biases e.g. confirmation bias and logical fallacies like failing to recognize epiphenomena. 

Part 5: Quotables: This section directly quotes one to three statements that the author made in the  article that you feel really exemplify its claims or interpretations. Or, you will choose a sentence that you feel the author expressed exceptionally well. Include page number(s) where  you find the quote. Place quotation marks around the chosen phrase and make sure you cite the phrase verbatim. 

“The Apprentice, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and X-Factor are replete with MMMs that are engineered to absorb audiences into the glamorous world of wealth and celebrities and thus have a strong potential to function as cultivators of materialistic values and attitudes.

“Humans are inherently materialistic but also very social and communal. The way this is expressed depends on our culture. If there is more emphasis on materialism as a way to be happy, this makes us more inclined to be selfish and anti-social, and therefore unsympathetic to people less fortunate.

“Results suggest that momentary exposure to and regular consumption of materialistic media messages (MMMs) induces stronger materialism and anti-welfare attitudes.

Du Bois The Comet‘s similarity to Twilight Zone’s episode “Time Enough At Last” chills anyone familiar with both. Stories of irony and satire usually resonate with me especially, but the two aforementioned stories’ poignancy deserves special attention. The Library of Babel followed the Twilight Zone plot very well as protagonists face unlimited information. The idea of getting what one wishes for feels like the most important message in both stories, and its beautifully told. Well done to Du Bois and Twilight Zone.

Part 1: Bibliographic Entry: 

Clark, Meredith D. “DRAG THEM: A Brief Etymology of So-Called “Cancel Culture.”” Communication and the Public, vol. 5, no. 3-4, 16 Oct. 2020, pp. 88–92, journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2057047320961562, https://doi.org/10.1177/2057047320961562.

Part 2: Terminology/Keywords

• Black Twitter
• cancel culture
• Intersectionality
• public sphere
• Twitter

Part 3 Précis:

The author starts off by finding the background of the term “cancel culture” and how the meaning of cancel culture has changed over time. From black oral tradition to now in social media. Once they go over that they identify the problems with “cancel culture.” 

Part 4 Reflection:

I didn’t know that canceled culture could go that far back. I thought it was a term created in the 21st century. Social media plays the main focus on cancel culture, especially Twitter/X. Where I see most celebrities are canceled and predominantly where people discuss it.

Part 5 Quotes:

“For instance, canceling’s analog antecedents— blacklisting and boycotting—are also mediated processes, though limited both in scope and effectiveness by factors of structural power, time, and access to resources.”

“Canceling a person, place, or thing is socially mediated phenomena with origins in queer communities of color”

“Unfortunately, the expansiveness of the internet and its outsize influence on news and entertainment media doesn’t bode well for parsing the nuance of such clamorous conversation.”

“The noise of online harassment, doxxing, and bad-faith piling on that has evolved from the callout, the read, and the drag drowns out Black Twitter’s approach toward demanding accountability in digital spaces”

Kosta Grafanakis

Reflective Annotated Bibliography

Part 1: Bibliographic Entry:

Smith, Rory, et al. “Inside the Saudi Gold Rush.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 July 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/07/13/sports/soccer/saudi-soccer.html. 

Part 2: Terminology/ Keywords:

Sovereign

Gold Rush

Economy

Public Investment Fund

Donations

Agent

2026 World Cup 

Signings

Part 3: Précis:

This article covers the recent uprising of the Saudi Pro-League during the last transfer window. It explains the connections and steps they underwent to obtain these high-profile players. Moreover, it mentions how the Saudi Arabian government also facilitated donations to the teams in order to provide them the capital they needed to sign these players. Saudi Arabia generated a large majority of their wealth through their oil market, however they want this league to grow in sovereignty to represent their country. They have this vision of bringing popularity and attention to their country by also offering extended contracts to their players for three years or more in order to have them represent each of their Saudi Arabian clubs during the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The author uses first hand experiences from Jan Van Winckel, a FIFA Technical Expert on his involvement in this situation. He had received numerous calls from the Saudi Pro League to help them with their goal of forming this Football kingdom. The author concludes by saying that this process has just begun and will continue until the Saudi Arabian Pro League fulfills their goal of becoming the most powerful football league in the world.

Part 4: Reflection:

Based on my reading of this author’s journal, I believe has conducted sufficient research and is very knowledgeable on this topic. I believe he covered it well, and I agree with most of the claims he makes. In my personal opinion, I believe that what the Saudi Pro League is doing is ruining the passion of the game as these men have lost the motivation of succeeding and now are only driven to earn a higher salary. I do not fully understand the details surrounding the Public Investment Fund and how this affects the league. I feel that in order to have a better understanding on this topic I need to conduct an in-depth research of the financial influences of this league. I feel that the author remains unbiased, while also explaining the specifics and fully going into depth of every recent event.

Part 5: Quotables:

“Just as with its interventions in golf, boxing and a host of other sports, the rationale offered by the Saudi 

authorities focused on public health benefits, the need to diversify the country’s economy, a desire to 

help wean it from a reliance on oil.”

“That is probably only the start. Saudi Arabia’s sports ministry has 

reportedly set aside about $800 million to beef up the league’s rosters 

this summer with the aim of making at least 18 high-profile signings.”

“The speed at which the Saudi league has been able to cherry-pick such familiar, if fading, names from Europe’s elite clubs has made the country’s ambition feel like an inevitability. In conversations with two dozen agents, coaches, officials and executives with firsthand experience of Saudi Arabia’s transfer dealings this summer, a very different picture emerged.”

Part 1: Rufrano, M. (2014). “Domed” and Whited Out: Arts Gentrification and the Negotiation of Public Space in Long Island City, NY. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Part 2: Gentrification, Neighborhoods, Long Island City, displacement, social landscape, industrial, wasteland, public art.

Part 3: Queens, New York continues to be celebrated as one of the most ethnically diverse places in the nation. Historically, Long Island City (LIC), Queens was an industrial neighborhood and LIC’s image as an industrial wasteland has deterred developers from targeting LIC in the past. However, in the 1980’s, the city sought to revitalize LIC through the arts–a global strategy for urban renewal. The Long Island City Cultural Alliance (LICCA) is a key actor in LIC’s development and claims to stray from the art-to-gentrification model of urban growth. However, as new residents are lured to LIC by a variety of arts attractions, long-time residents of the neighborhood have been displaced. One of the spaces supported by LICCA is Socrates Sculpture Park–formerly a landfill that has since been transformed into a thriving, globally acknowledged sculpture park. In contrast, “graffiti mecca” 5POINTZ (unaffiliated with LICCA) has recently been sold to develop luxury housing. Socrates Sculpture Park and 5POINTZ, as public art spaces, influence how a neighborhood thinks of itself–its identity, and as shared landmarks, public art also helps to build a sense of community among residents. As such, it is my purpose to analyze the physical, cultural, and social landscape of LIC in order to showcase forms of inclusion and exclusion in LIC’s public arts spaces. I employ a historical analysis of LIC’s infrastructure as well as ethnographic research of both Socrates Sculpture Park and 5POINTZ.

Part 4: I think this article is very important in helping me narrow my research to Long Island City, NYC. I felt a bit lost on where specifically to zoom in, however, this article helps me focus on long island city. This article comes from the perspective of someone who grew up in LIC when it was an industrial neighborhood. They explain in details how they started seeing the changes in the neighborhood and how the gentrification of LIC occurred. It even explains gentrification in other parts of the world as well as specific places that were gentrified exactly like LIC.

Part 5: “As such, the LICCA and The Design Trust for Public Space have made it their mission to develop postindustrial LIC into an arts destination in order to promote cultural tourism and revitalization.”

“In 1950, Mobil Oil spilled 17 million gallons of petroleum into LIC’s groundwater—the largest oil spill in US history at the time.46 Since the 1950’s, major oil spills have occurred on the land and waters in Florida, Texas, New Orleans, and Alaska to name a few”

“The gentrification of LIC is most similar to that of Gateshead, England in that the
regeneration of these waterfront areas were arts-led, and transforming the neighborhood was planned and initiated by public-private partnerships.”

Part 1: Bibliographic entry

Sheila M. Fram, and Ellyn M. Dickmann. “How the School Built Environment Exacerbates Bullying and Peer Harassment.” Children, Youth and Environments, JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.22.1.0227. Accessed 13 Jun. 2022.

Part 2: Terminology/keywords

environment, bullying, harassment, school, peers, behavior, safety problems, violence

Part 3: Precis

The article did a very clear understanding of how frequent behaviors of bullying in school and it affects the school community. The article started off with early research of school environment and brings up the action school took to eliminate social, psychological, and safety problems. It also mentions the effects of poorly designed school spaces that influence certain negative behavior. There was also a hefty amount of data collection and analysis for this article. To summarize it all up the article focuses on the important of school staff training and the designs of building that limit enforcement of bullying and peer harassment.

Part 4: Reflection

I really liked reading this article because of personal experiences. There were certain part of the school where there would be fights or bullying since there was less surveillance in that area. Also regarding staff where if the adults don’t take the initiative to address and take action to resolve the issue of bullying, violence, and peer harassment it reflects on the school and students behavior.

Part 5: Quotables

“There is potential for problems when such movement takes place in
schools in which corridors, stairways, and entrances are poorly designed. “

“In addition, the findings showed a disconnect between school policies
and actual practices as they relate to school safety and crisis situations. A gradual
erosion of enforcing safety policies and maintaining training leading to
inconsistencies in supervision can further intensify issues with bullying and safety”

“It is difficult to monitor students in schools characterized by nooks and crannies,
unsafe and hidden stairwells, vacant parking lots, and dense foliage around
schools. Such unsupervised spaces in and around schools afford students the
opportunity to be truant and to engage in problem behavior”

Part 1: Bibliographic entry

Darrah, Petrina. “Endangered Species: The Devastating Effects of Climate Change.” GVI, GVI, 15 Apr. 2023, www.gviusa.com/blog/smb-endangered-species-the-devastating-effects-of-climate-change/.

Part 2: Terminology

• conservation
• starvation
• ocean acidification
• coral bleaching
• marine ecosystems
• cascading effect
• habitat restoration
• GVI

‌Part 3: Precis

This article highlights the impact of climate change on endangered species, by talking about habitat loss, temperature changes, and disruptions in migratory patterns. Polar bears, penguins, and coral reefs are used as examples in this text to illustrate to us the serious threat. The article also discusses conservation efforts and ideas, including habitat restoration, captive breeding, etc. The article ends by suggesting ways individuals can make a difference. And one way of making that difference as stated in the article is by volunteering with GVI, a global organization focused on wildlife conservation.

Part 4: Reflection

This article shows credibility through several factors. It provides a strong overview of the impact of climate change on endangered species, which is supported by scientific examples and concepts. And providing specific instances and examples adds depth, showing the concept was researched. The article also proposes solutions which is another reason why it is credible. And the reference to GVI, a global organization makes it even more credible since it gives ways to reach them and links to other pages on similar issues.

Part 5: Quotables

“Climate change is also causing ocean acidification and coral bleaching, which is threatening coral reefs and the countless species that depend on them.”

“The impact of climate change on wildlife is already visible around the world. Some of the most iconic and endangered species are facing significant threats due to climate change. “

“International agreements and policies can also help protect endangered species from climate change.”

“The devastating effects of climate change on endangered species are becoming increasingly apparent. The loss of habitats, changes in weather patterns, and other impacts of climate change are having a significant impact on wildlife around the world. However, there are steps that we can take to protect endangered species from extinction. “

Part 1:

Ólafsson, Björn. “Which Animals Are Most Affected by Climate Change, Explained.” Sentient Media, 25 Sept. 2023, sentientmedia.org/animals-affected-by-climate-change/.

Part 2: Terminalogy

• Animal agriculture 
• melting glaciers
• diminished
• thrive
• encroach
• aphids
• industrial fishing
• biodiversity

Part 3: Precis

This article emphasizes the extensive impact of climate change on animals living around the world. By highlighting various species facing extinction or being endangered due to human-induced environmental changes. This article categorizes affected animals so the reader can see how much damage has been done. Farmed animals, Arctic and Antarctic animals, insects, endangered animals, and fish were the topics the article goes over. The article outlines how climate change affects animals from all around the world through habitat loss, reduced food sources, natural disasters, etc. The article stresses the urgency to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate environmental damage.

Part 4: Reflection

Habitat loss and reduced food sources are two of the main issues of climate change and this article goes into depth about both. This article talks about the major regions that climate change is affecting. By providing us with numerical data and links to the information we need I think this website is credible. On top of having links in the article, the website is also provided with ways to contact them and find out more information about how to solve the issue of climate change.

Part 5: Quotables

“The Earth has already started, or is about to start, the Sixth Great Extinction. This is the first Great Extinction caused by one species: humankind. “

“Essentially all animals on Earth are affected by climate change and, due to the massive amounts of known and unknown species on the planet, it is difficult to rank them concretely. “

“Even if a species of animal is capable of surviving higher-temperature heat waves, their food sources may not. “

Part 1: Bibliographic entry

Wix.com Studio. “AI for Creativity” Wix Studio Blog, n.d., https://www.wix.com/studio/blog/ai-for-creativity?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20415922065^153298709486&experiment_id=^^682623789503^&gclid=CjwKCAiApaarBhB7EiwAYiMwqvGcLij659e5HFK3cRTXDDHI3OqFzyZ7mv9qXPHIrCfh52KemuW4wxoCsfkQAvD_BwE.

Part 2: Terminology/keywords

OpenAI, Act One Media, API, Speculative design, Automatic tedious tasks

Part 3: Precis

The article examines the advancement of AI and its capacity to streamline manual tasks for greater efficiency. While acknowledging AI’s convenience, the author cautions against relying solely on AI, emphasizing the potential loss of the human touch in creative works. The author suggests that while exploring the full potential of AI is essential, it should not be the sole tool, and human authenticity should remain a prominent aspect of creative work.

Part 4: Reflection

I agree with the author. While AI is a valuable tool, its application should be strategic, especially for tasks that demand efficiency but not necessarily original or creative input. When crafting original content, it is important to rely on one’s expressions to ensure human authenticity and emotions. Unlike humans, AI lacks emotions, making it essential to preserve the personal touch in creations that require genuine and heartfelt communication.

Part 5: Quotables

“You will find that AI can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you, but nothing is perfect, and many AI systems often deliver wrong answers or bizarre outputs. It will rest on your shoulders how to appropriately package the end product. In short, AI should be used to augment your creativity, not define it.”

 “There will always be a demand for human creativity.”

“Project management, design, graphics, music, art, writing, and more will all be auto-generated with smaller professional teams tinkering to get better outputs from the AI. This will mostly be our trajectory as well.”

Part 1: Bibliographic Entry:

Nabe, Cedric. “Impact of Covid-19 on Cybersecurity.” Deloitte Switzerland, 15 Dec. 2020, www2.deloitte.com/ch/en/pages/risk/articles/impact-covid-cybersecurity.html. 

Part 2: Terminology/Keywords:  

Machine Learning

Hacktivists

Phising Awareness

Ransomware

Data Breach

Part 3: Précis: 

The Covid-19 pandemic has led a shift towards remote work and cybersecurity has become a major concern as there are more risks with remote work. Cyberattacks, including phasing scams, have increased during the pandemic and they have become more sophisticated becoming almost impossible to tell when it is a scam in certain scenarios. COVID-19 scams have led to significant financial losses and this emphasizes the need for cybersecurity measures. Companies need to become more proactive in addressing threats and focusing on how to prevent, detect, and respond to them. The cybersecurity risks have become more heightened after COVID-19’s shift to remote so there should be more precautions and safety that should be taken.

Part 4: Reflection: 

Jobs have become more lenient and have been offering more hybrid positions than they did before COVID-19. Hackers and phishers are become more and more sly as technology becomes more advanced and sometimes it is hard to tell when something is actually a scam and when something is not. Scam messages can come in all sorts of forms of contact like, email, text messages, phone calls, and as technology becomes more advanced it could develop into different methods as well. Cybersecurity should be a major concern especially since work has become more online now so precautions should be taken.

Part 5: Quotables: 

“It appears that many hackers are upping their game, and to capitalize on the new shift by companies to remote working, they have developed new malware to attack and infiltrate systems.”

“Companies that were caught off guard will have to quickly assess their exposure to cyber threats and prioritize initiatives to address their cybersecurity gaps with recommended practice.”

“The increase in remote working calls for a greater focus on cybersecurity, because of the greater exposure to cyber risk.”

Part 1: Bibliographic Entry: 

Fulford, Scott. “Stay Connected for the Latest Books, Ideas, and Special Offers.” Princeton University, The Trustees of Princeton University, press.princeton.edu/ideas/return-to-office-how-covid-19-and-remote-work-reshaped-the-economy. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023. 

Part 2: Terminology/Keywords:  

Labor

Unemployed

Furloughed

Economy

Hybrid

Financial

Part 3: Précis: 

Throughout the article it discuses the ongoing battle over remote work after COVID-19 and how the work dynamics has changed. COVID-19 has definitely created more opportunities in different areas like a career. Building a career or working remotely has definitely become more easier and possible. Before COVID-19 remote work was rare occurrence but the ease of transition to remote work was possible because of existing apps and websites like Zoom, Google Meets, Google Classroom, and etc. These technological advancements allowed people to communicate and collaborate without the physical presence of others. After quarantine was officially lifted the there was resistance to returning back to the office as people often petitioned, ignored mandates, or even left for more flexible opportunities. But now there has been hybrid work that have become more common and employees often work in the office for two to three days a week.

Part 4: Reflection: 

This article really demonstrates how COVID-19 really affected not just people but the economy. The shift from becoming more remote and more adept to technology in our daily lives is very noticeable and people adjusted to the remote work life so much that it was something they still wanted to participate in even after lockdown was lifted. I do think the remote work will last because some people have realized that their job and work doesn’t require coming into the office everyday and can do jobs at their home. I think in fact hybrid jobs will still continue to happen and there may even be an increase in opportunities that allow hybrid positions.

Part 5: Quotables: 

“Some of that newly found economic dynamism comes from remote work’s flexibility and time saved not commuting.”

“Fully remote work even has the potential to reshape regional inequality.”

Part 1 Entry: Sarah Taitz, “Five Things to Know About NSA Mass Surveillance and the Coming Fight in Congress” ACLU, April 11 2023

Part 2: Terminology and Key Terms:

Section 702
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
Warrantless Surveillance
PRISM
Upstream
Constitutional Rights
Fourth Amendment
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
Surveillance State
NSA (National Security Agency)
Reauthorization
Transparency Reports
Supreme Court
Bulk Surveillance

Part 3: Précis: The author discusses the impending expiration of section 702 and the reasons why it shouldn’t be renewed by congress. Section 702 has become a problem for Americans traveling internationally The National Security Agency (NSA) also gets people’s data through Upstream and PRISM. The authors accentuates the potential violation of the first amendment that being the right to privacy. The ACLU supports the removal of section 702 including restrictions on backdoor searches, reducing surveillance, and increasing transparency.

Part 4: Reflection: The article clearly leans towards restricting surveillance on Americans even if they are outside of the country. There is an emphasis on the FBI and how agents can end up going though peoples private data and target them. There are lots of concerns associated with FISA in general and this article does a great job with informing the readers.

Part 5 Quotables:

“One of the most sweeping surveillance statutes ever enacted by Congress is set to expire at the end of this year — creating an important opportunity to rein in America’s sprawling surveillance state.”

“Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act permits the U.S. government to engage in mass, warrantless surveillance of Americans’ international communications, including phone calls, texts, emails, social media messages, and web browsing.”

“The government claims to be pursuing vaguely defined foreign intelligence ‘targets,’ but its targets need not be spies, terrorists, or criminals. They can be virtually any foreigner abroad: journalists, academic researchers, scientists, or businesspeople.”

“As Congress debates the reauthorization of Section 702, it’s vital that we tell our representatives in Congress that we want an end to warrantless mass surveillance.”

Part 1: Bibliographic Entry: 

 SERHAN, Derar, and Farouq ALMEQDAD. “MyMathLab & WebAssign: Students’ Perceptions of Their Use in Mathematics.” ISRES Publishing, 2019. 

Part 2: Terminology/Keywords:  

Web-based systems 

Web-Assign 

MyMathLab 

Math Education 

Paper-pencil homework 

Immediate feedback 

Flexibility 

Part 3: Précis: 

The author compares the results conducted in a study where 2 distinct groups of students utilized the 2 different web-based websites WebAssign and Mymathlab .The purpose of the study was to find out how students feel about these online websites. Some of WebAssign’s positives are that it gives immediate feedback, offers online tutoring while some disadvantages are that it is not easy to find examples as well as no face-to-face feedback. Some advantages of MYMathlab are multiple attempts, many resources like videos and being able to go back to work on it. Some disadvantages are system glitches (right answer but the system does not accept it, no partial credit and not being able to retain the knowledge. 

Part 4: Reflection: 

If the students in the participants class were in 2 different classes did, they both have the same level of difficulty because if one were easier, it would not be a fair case study. The author also states that MyMathLab creates “personalized adaptive study plan” how is that possible if everyone in the class is generated to follow the same schedule? I feel like I could look into a case study that has 2 similar level math classes with but instead of comparing 2 different online sources to compare 1 that uses paper H.W. versus one that uses online H.W to get an accurate result of which method work effectively. 

I feel like some of the disadvantages out way the advantages. Even though the high number of problems is meant for practice, what is the point of answering countless questions if you are getting them wrong only to not retain the information later. Personally, writing things down is going to help me remember them more than clicking on numbers online. And when you know you did everything right but for 1 step, but you cannot figure it out it only frustrates students and demotivates them to complete the work. 

Part 5: Quotables: 

“More studies are needed to explore how to improve students’ experiences with these systems and to further investigate the effects of online homework systems on student achievement and understanding.” 

“WebAssign is a flexible web-based instructional system. It provides learners with immediate feedback on their performance thus allowing them to do more practice in the areas they need most help with.” 

“MyMathLab creates a personalized adaptive study plan based on the collected data targeting each student’s individual strengths and weaknesses.