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The Impact of the Internet on Traditional News Media

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This essay explains the impact of the internet on the traditional conventional media which currently encounters challenges of maintaining its primary role of being the only source of public information. Internet has become a universal news medium and the traditional media is on the receiving end since many people can access to the high speed internet which has become a part of modern life hence making almost everyone a journalist. The argument of this writing is to carefully examine, evaluate and analyze both the positive and negative impacts of the internet based on the creation of information as well as network society on the conventional media.

According to Scherer (2008), Internet has really enhanced communication amongst many people by making it quick and at global scale. It is undeniable that the internet through blogs and many other social media has created a sense of freedom which has enabled expression of thoughts and feelings liberally. On the other hand, traditional media restricts the freedom by making one person to communicate to many after carefully choosing the information while the receivers receive every information got from the media. Additionally, interactivity enhanced by the internet cannot be assumed as it is experienced in the social media such as Facebook and online forums where the public participate and interact through airing their views and asking questions. The social media empowers people to make an option on what to react or participate in through narrowcasting that minimizes interference from others (Chadwick & Howard, 2009).

Moreover, the internet has created a base in which people can acquire information in a most flexible and suitable way thus making the process more fashionable and likable than the traditional media. Ahlers and Hessen (2013), argue that most people globally obtain information from the online resources because of the instant and efficient style associated with the internet. Nevertheless, conventional media resources have really been challenged by online resources and World Wide Web, in fact, in most cases, the traditional media also obtains information from the online resources (Scherer, 2008).

Additionally, rapid development of the internet has really brought information revolution. It is obvious that the internet has made information available everywhere around the world thus reducing the world to a small global village. According to Ahlers & Hessen (2013), people have the capabilities of accessing the latest dimension of any information and even gain superb experience and knowledge which empowers them to be autonomous media producers. Individuals can now upload a video or any information of their own to the rest of the world either on the social media or even YouTube thus changing their self-perception, identity and determining their own destiny.

Ahlers & Hessen (2013), feel that negative and damaging effects of the internet on conventional media are seen to expose the latter to extinction. Internet has proved superior to the traditional media in terms of information media since more people search online news and information. Television is nowadays substituted by computers which most people enjoy and find useful while searching for any information. Introduction of digital television has led to more complex network and even development of HDTV that enables people to watch high quality images via installation of the internet into the television. Moreover, the dominant role of newspaper in reaching a huge populace of audience is no longer in existence.

Chadwick & Howard (2009), online media has made some newspaper to lose their readership and their survival largely depends on their ability to embrace new technology, and maintain their relevancy through restructuring of their organization and content. Online newspapers have become dominant of late because they provide detailed information by including some vital links to the primary source of information after just a click. It is evident that the daily printed newspaper is in great shock and is therefore supposed to conform to the new technological advancement to appeal to the young readers. Perhaps the exploring nature of newspaper will be retained amid the transformations.

Radio is not left out in this case as most of the listeners browse or may be decide to listen to online news thus leading to many journalism crossover experienced. Ahlers & Hessen (2013), argue that the internet provides a base in which one can tune in to previous news or information from the radio which the traditional radio functions cannot do. This makes the internet more reliable and convenient to people who could have not listen to probably an interesting program the previously.

Radio has also been transformed by the internet in such a way that people listen to radio via other forms such as digital radio as well as internet radio. According to Scherer (2008), the internet has enabled online broadcasting which has grabbed ears of many listeners across the world thus providing a superior and efficient alternative to the traditional on air broadcasting. Additionally, the conventional on air broadcasting is limited by signal range thus limiting its spread to a wide geographical area or to a global perspective unlike the online broadcasting that is available everywhere provided there is internet coverage.

Generally internet has become the major source of information to the public due to its flexibility that enables individuals to find it easy sharing and responding to information. Individuals have gained incredible knowledge, experience and independence when it comes to creation of information thus making them more creative in the media environment. Traditional media should adopt and meticulously embrace the new information technology to ensure their existence and eliminate possible extinction. The internet has transformed the media environment in such a way that the needs of the public are met and even contributing to public journalists. Perhaps restructuring the traditional media and introducing regulation on the consumption of the internet media would rescue the conventional media whose content still remains vital.

References

Ahlers, Douglas & Hessen. (2013). Traditional Media in the Digital Age Data about News Habits and Advertiser Spending Lead to a Reassessment of Media’s Prospects And Possibilities. Nieman Foundation. Retrieved From Http://Www.Nieman.Harvard.Edu/Reports/Article/100642/Traditional-Media-In-The-Digital-Age.Aspx

Chadwick, A., & Howard, P. N. (2009). Routledge Handbook of Internet Politics. London: Routledge.

Scherer, Michael. (2008, March, 24). The Internet Effect on News. Time Swampland. Retrieved From Http://Swampland.Time.Com/2008/03/24/The_Internet_Effect_On_News/

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Racism in ‘Get Out’

‘Get Out’ is a critically acclaimed 2017 film directed by Jordan Peele. It is a horror film centered on racial relations and issues in the United States. The film marked Peele’s directorial debut and earned multiple nominations and awards such as Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture at the 90th Academy Awards. Peele explained that one of the main motivations for the film was to expose race issues that most people still sweep under the rug. A perfect example of this is the fact that Obama had been president, which meant that racism was effectively dead. Peele also took aim at white liberals who think that they cannot be racist, minimizing the problem without recognizing their role in it. The film highlights many fears such as racial discrimination that minority groups in America go through, and the film employs various devices such as symbolism and metaphors to address race relations in the country.

Racial profiling is one fear that minorities face every day, shown in the interaction between Chris and the police officer. While on their way to meet Rose’s parents, Chris and Rose hit a deer and they call the police. When the police arrive on the scene, the officer asks Chris for his license even though Rose was the one driving (MovieClips Trailers 0: 45). Interactions between African-American males and the police have been a major part of racial profiling in the country. There have been multiple shootings and fatalities resulting from a simple interaction that quickly escalated, or even from unprovoked assault. Many black men fear approaching or being approached by the police out of fear that they might end up dead for no reason at all. There is some bias within the police force, and ‘Get Out’ highlights this issue in the scene between Chris and the officer. Rose protests, explaining that there is no need to ask Chris for his ID, but unfortunately Chris recognizes that this is what he expects from a police officer.

Another fear that minorities experience is the belittling of their everyday struggles, quite evident in the film. The idea of a post-racial America is one that was widely taunted especially after the US elected its first black president. However, many individuals still experience racial discrimination in their lives, and dismissing these struggles just because the president is a black man is unfortunate. During the party at the Armitage estate, Chris experiences a lot of racial micro-aggressions as everyone tries to prove that they are not racist. A perfect example of this is when Rose’s father said he would vote for Obama a third time. Tiger Woods is also mentioned as a way to show that black men hold powerful positions, and the white liberals accept and praise them. This can be explained as liberal racism, where people try to deflect from real issues by pointing out the positives and distancing themselves from the negatives.

Eyes and cameras are important symbols in exploring racism in the film ‘Get Out.’ The eyes are the organs with which we perceive the outside world and the happenings around us. Chris’ eyes are a major part of his craft as a photographer. When he and Rose go to visit her parents, he takes his camera with him. When he tries to take a photo of Logan who looks familiar to him, he sets off an unexpected reaction. Logan tells him to ‘get out’, a phrase Chris will later come to understand. Cameras and videos have become a crucial part of exposing racial discrimination today, which makes the camera significant in the film. Jim Hudson, a blind art dealer, wants to take over Chris’ body and see through his artistic eyes, which essentially translates to robbing him of Chris of his most important organs. Taking away Chris’ eyes takes away his vision and opportunities, something that minority groups have experienced.

Peele uses metaphors in ‘Get Out’ to highlight how inaction leads to grave consequences with regard to racial issues. Chris lost his mother at a young age and was not there when she passed away. Under hypnosis, Chris admits that he did nothing as his mother suffered. In an interview with the New York Times, Peele explained that the act of watching TV represents inactivity and complacency during critical moments (Zinoman 1). Everyone is aware that there is a serious race issue in the country, but most people would rather sit back and do nothing. Some of the grave consequences include death, exclusion and discrimination of minority groups. The fear of speaking up is because people want to downplay racism and avoid rustling feathers, an approach which will only exacerbate the problem.

In summary, the horror film ‘Get Out’ does an exceptional job of tackling a heavy subject in society today; racism. Peele brings a new perspective of what a horror film looks like and addresses serious topics in the process. There are many symbols and metaphors in the satirical film that enhance the theme of the movie. The movie is particularly relevant today as the country continues to grapple with race issues and a growing awareness of racism. The idea of liberal racism also comes out quite clearly, showing that people can be racist without intending to be, or cause further problems by minimizing the issue. Electing a black president should not be the end of it, every minority individual must be treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve just like any other person.

Works Cited

MovieClips Trailers. “Get Out Official Trailer 1 (2017)” YouTube. 5 October 2017. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzfpyUB60YYZinoman, Jason. “Jordan Peele on a Truly Terrifying Monster: Racism” The New York Times. 16 February 2017. www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/movies/jordan-peele-interview-get-out.html

Racism in Education Field

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Racism in Education Field

How are cultism, peer pressure, corruption and nepotism realities in the education sector differ from racism realities in the education field? It is an inquisitive question that lingers in many people mind and may take longer to come up with the correct facts. There arise distinct differences between the target realities which include cultism, peer pressure, corruption as well as nepotism and the non-target truth, racism in the learning institutions. In many instances, racism is subtle as is precise and challenging to describe compared to the other realities that are significant points of focus when it comes to unethical values in the education forum. The Africa-Americans, Asians and the minority groups in the United States community become the most affected victims when it comes to issues regarding racism. The humiliating reality does not only affect the students but it also significantly impacts the tutors as well as the community at large (Troyna & Williams 2012). In the discussion below, racism reality in the education sector is explained into a profound extent as well as its juxtaposition with the peer pressure, corruption, nepotism, and cultism realities in the same field.

The education sphere is enormous as it involves all the members of the community starting from the students, teachers, parents and guardians, the government as well as the public. At long last, the skills and knowledge acquired by the learners will not only be used for individual benefits but will also be essential in community development and enhancement of social-economic as well as political stability. All of the members mentioned above can be a victim of unethical reality either directly or indirectly, and it significantly hurts. Many refer to racism in the learning institution as unintentional or an unconscious deed that the participant commits unaware (Leonardo, 2013). However, to a to an extreme extent I tend to disagree with it as everyone in the field tends to have cognition hence end up determining the demoralized act through ignorance.

The racial reality has negatively impacted the society as the victims either end up as failures or performing less than their capability. It is a significant source of the achievement gap that hinders many from going for their potential goals at the millennium age. Let us take an example of a black student who is discouraged by her professor who teaches her mathematics that she is not capable of achieving better grades as her white counterparts in the subject. The student will feel inferior as well as have a fear of approaching that particular tutor when she comes to a challenging point when studying the issue and at the end, the manifested failure comes into reality. Why discriminate others while one does not know the potential capability of the other person? Racism reality in school may not be directly portrayed. For example, the tutor may be avoiding to ask the black and minority group student questions assuming that they do not know the answer. Another instance may be the case of tutors knowing the names of all white pupils in a class while he or she does not have the interest of identifying the black and other minority students in the same category. Such a tutor will only be bothered by the success and whereabouts of the whites leaving aside the others to incur low performance in the related course (Ladson-Billings & Tate 2016).

How are the target realities faced in the education sector in the nation? It is inquisitive that the government and the community at significant tries to find the practical solutions now and then. Peer pressure, corruption, nepotism, and cultism are the everyday realities that are faced in the learning institutions where in some sound measures have been put in place while the others are yet. These realities are contradictory with racism in various ways. At first, the target realities are inclusive of all the people involved in the sector sphere which is not the case with racism which only touches the minority and isolated groups to a broad extent. For instance, cultism consists in being a member of a devoted group, and this can be inclusive of every student whether white, black, Asian or from the minority group. Cultism leads to the involvement of the young people to immoral vices such as alcoholism, rape, early sexual activities, burglary and exposure to abuse of illegal substances. It is a direct influence which the participant has to choose of whether taking the oath or not getting involved with the group’s activities. Cultism misconduct depends on the individual cognition, and the case is the same when it comes to peer pressure, nepotism and corruption activities (Harper 2012). Therefore, the contrast between them and racism is vibrant as with racism the victim has no chance to choose as the person is segregated with regards to the skin color, ethnicity or the social status.

When one dictates racism to a victim, it is inevitable for the casualty to reject as it is unintentional and nothing more can be done. For instance, take the example of the act of the government paying the Africa-American, Asian and minority group tutors lower salaries than other white teachers with the same qualification level. It is disgusting and discouraging but nothing can be done out of the fear of being regarded as a troublemaker, and the result will be an act of getting fired. According to the research, the Africa-American, Asian and minority group tutors only takes around ten percent of the tutors in the nation. Therefore, they do not have the majority force in the education sector that may be effective to fight for their equal rights. The best option remains to be keeping silence and secure the job opportunity than talking and getting dismissed. When it comes to the other realities in the education field such as corruption and nepotism, it is evident that the teaching staff of the particular institution join hands, demonstrate and efficiently pass their views to the government agents for significant actions to be put in place in settle the issues.

Who will be the advocate to fight for the rights of the Africa-American, Asian and minority groups in the nation? As seen above the racism reality significantly affects the marginalized group tutors as they incur act of underpayment which is against their will. However, the case is not different in the learning institutions like the black and marginalized groups do not have the freedom of airing their views to the teachers and other institution leaders. The number of African-American and other minority groups students being suspended from schools is high than that of the white students in the same institutions (Grubb & Leonardo 2013). It has been revealed that probability of a white student being dismissed regardless of the fault is three times less than the possibility of a black or minority student being suspended.

For instance, consider the example of the white student who was a witness of a racism reality involving the head of school, a group of white students and a group of black students in the same institution. The principal on his regular duties came across the group of white girls walking along the hallway during the class time, but she alters that they are not supposed to be loitering around at that time. They were left to go on with their concerns with the intervention that they had performed well with high-grade point aggregates. At the same time after walking for a distance, the principal spotted the group of black boys loitering around the dormitories, and they were shattered and ordered to go back to the class immediately. The White student was touched by the principal’s act of racism claiming that there was a possibility of the black boys having higher grade point aggregate than hers. The African-American boys could not argue with the tutor as the next step could be their dismissal from the learning institution. It is a relevant example of how the minority groups and blacks are forced to swallow the painful deeds of racisms in the education sector with no response as well as efforts to fight for equity.

When it comes to the other realities, all the students regardless of their ethnicity has the right and capability of airing their views and making decisions. Taking an example of corrupt school staff, the students, in general, will be considerate in gaining a sound conclusion which can be reporting the case to the institution’s head or another leader. In the fact of peer pressure, ethnicity is not a fierce vice as when it comes to joining the specific group and making them friends is a personal decision whether white, black or belong to the minority group. Therefore, the issues regarding racism are sensitive and a threat to the well-being of significant components of the education field as its root have been dug deep in the society leaving the victims helpless. The participants need to understand that it is by nature and not a personal choice to choose which ethnicity that one belongs to as well as the social status as it will significantly influence them to stop the mischievous conducts or segregation (Gillborn 2016).

Many learning institutions as well as other education-related perpetuates the racist ideology and becomes a threat to their performance and development in general. Integrity differs from one individual to the regarding personal cognition, but the differences are not determined by the race or the social status that one belongs to. It is evident that a significant number of students who performs better in the nation are from the needy families as well as the Africa-Americans and the Asians. This signifies that with conducive learning environment all the students are capable of performing better to their capability levels. Also, when it comes to the tutors and other members of education forum from the black and minority groups their performance is pleasing as in consideration of their experience and skills level, they are capable of delivering services to the same extent as their white counterparts. Therefore, it is depicted that all people are equal and are capable of achieving their goals if postulated to the conducive environments free from the racism that degrades personality as well as demoralizing the victims from putting extra efforts in the involved field.

In alleviating racism as a worker in the education sector, various methods such as educating the teaching staff on the ways to avoid unintended racism, teach students on equity ideologies as well as seeking government’s intervention in improving the salary of the black and minority group teachers as well as their working conditions will be applied. In educating the tutors about racism avoidance techniques, I will put into consideration the three principles which include rigor, relationships and relevance. To start with is relationships. It is an essential element in determining the performance of both the students and the teacher. As a tutor relate friendly with all the students in such a way that they are free to approach and participate in the class sessions. Do not justify or ignore any student regardless of the ethnicity as it will bring embarrassment and later affect the overall performance of the particular student. Also, it is vital to incur some fear to the students in such a way that they will adhere to the instructions given and they will not hesitate to do assignments as well as participating in class (Flintoff et al. 2015). Discipline is a critical factor in their performance, and it is employed to them through punishment as well as guidance and counselling.

The other element vital in teaching is relevance. As a tutor use relevance examples in class and avoid the use of the ones that portray racial segregation and diversity. Significance also enhances better understanding of the point put in place by the students, and they significantly stick in their minds. Furthermore, rigor is an important aspect that depicts that a teacher should demand a lot from himself or herself as he or she requires from the students. If the students fail, their tutor is also at an equal extent part of the failure. Therefore, it is the urge of the teachers to avoid racism as well as other vices that may lead diversity among the students in the class. For instance, group discussion works well towards students’ performance, and with cohesion, in the class, all of them will be active improving the results. Also, tutors should get into close contact with the parents and guardians so that they are capable of informing them about their children’s performance, for instance through phone calls.

Teaching students the ideologies regarding racism is the next step to take in eradicating the reality in education forum. The subjects regarding human ethnicity and equality should be put as general focusses in learning institutions. Tutors have to be significantly used in spreading the importance cohesion and unity among the students regardless the racial bias. The other pace involves seeking government’s intervention in improving the teachers working conditions as well as enhancing their salaries. The government should strengthen equity when it comes to the payment of the teaching staff whether one is white or belongs to the African-American and other minority groups. Salary is the motivation and reward after work hence its increment will improve the tutor’s incentive as well as performance. Finally, the government should ensure that there is a conducive learning environment in the nation regarding the students’ hygiene and security measures. Also, the number of teachers per school should be significant in consideration of the population (Capper 2015).

As discussed above, it is evident that racism is there in the education field and it is much sense that the peer pressure, corruption, nepotism, and cultism realities. Therefore, it is not the government’s role to eradicate this diminishing vice but every community member responsibility as it significantly affects the whole society. In consideration of the discussed techniques of alleviating racism, the reality will be curbed and brought to an end in the nation.

References

Capper, C. A. (2015). The 20th-year anniversary of critical race theory in education: Implications for leading to eliminate racism. Educational Administration Quarterly, 51(5), 791-833.

Flintoff, A., Dowling, F., & Fitzgerald, H. (2015). Working through whiteness, race and (anti) racism in physical education teacher education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 20(5), 559-570.

Gillborn, D. (2016). Critical Race Theory beyond North America: Towards a Trans-Atlantic Dialogue on Racism and Antiracism in Educational Theory and Praxis. In Critical race theory in education (pp. 97-122). Routledge.

Grubb, W. N., & Leonardo, Z. (2013). Education and racism: A primer on issues and dilemmas. Routledge.

Harper, S. R. (2012). Race without racism: How higher education researchers minimize racist institutional norms. The Review of Higher Education, 36(1), 9-29.

Ladson-Billings, G., & Tate IV, W. F. (2016). Toward a critical race theory of education. In Critical race theory in education (pp. 21-41). Routledge.

Leonardo, Z. (2013). Race frameworks: A multidimensional theory of racism and education. Teachers College Press.

Troyna, B., & Williams, J. (2012). Racism, education and the state. Taylor & Francis.

The Impact of the Next Industrial Revolution

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The Impact of the Next Industrial Revolution

Introduction

We are on the verge of another technological uprising set to superficially alter how we work, live, and recount to each other. The scope, complexity, and scale of this transformation will be different from any experience humankind has encountered before. At this point, we are not sure about how the revolution will unfold, but the one thing that is certain is that there will be a broad and incorporated response that involves global stakeholders from classified and public sectors, the academia, and civil society. The First Industrial Revolution mechanized production using steam and water. The second Industrial Revolution employed electricity to develop mass production. The Third revolution capitalized on information technology and electronics to make production automatic. Undoubtedly, the Fourth Industrial Revolution will capitalize on the third industrial revolution of the digital revolution. Digitization has been taken place since mid 20th century. The next Industrial Revolution is characterized by the merging of technologies blurring along digital, physical, and biological spheres. The current transformations that people are experiencing today are a representation of a prolonged third revolution that marks the arrival of the fourth revolution, which is distinct. There is no historical precedent of the speed of the present breakthroughs. Compared to preceding previous revolutions, the fourth one is evolving at an exponential instead of a linear pace. Noteworthy, the fourth revolution is touching on nearly all sectors. The depth and breadth of these changes is a sign of the transformations of systems of governance, production, and management systems. This essay highlights the impact of the next industrial revolution on government, people and businesses.

Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the Government

The more digital, biological, and physical worlds carry on to converging new platforms and technologies will significantly enable citizens to voice their opinions, connect with governments, synchronize efforts and get around the management of public authorities. Similarly, governments will possess new technologies that allow them increased control over the people. This is because the will be increased invasive surveillance systems. Governments will also have more control of digital infrastructure. Governments will be under constant pressure to put aside their current policymaking and public engagement approach because their central policymaking role keeps diminishing because of competition and power decentralization enabled by new technologies.

Ultimately, government systems ability to adapt will decide if they survive or not. Those governments that will prove the capacity to embrace a world filled with disruptive change are the ones who will endure. They will survive if they subject their structures to efficiency and transparency, which will enable them to keep a competitive edge. Those that will not evolve will be faced with increased trouble. This will be particularly true for regulation. Current systems of decision-making and public policy have become better with the second revolution, at a time when decision-makers studied issues and developed necessary response and regulatory frameworks. The entire process was meant to be mechanistic and linear meaning that it strictly follows a top-down strategy. But given the rapid pace of the fourth industrial revolution, the approach is no longer applicable. Regulators and legislators are increasingly facing unprecedented challenges and for the better part, they are proving difficult to cope with. This begs the question of how governments can preserve consumers’ interest while at the same time supporting technological development and innovation (Ragulina, Alekseev, Strizhkina, & Tumanov, 2019). This can be done by following in the footsteps of private sectors of embracing an agile system of governance. This includes responding to business operations and software development more generally. Essentially, regulators should be prepared to commit to continuously adapting to fast-changing new environments and reinventing themselves to truly understand what they are responsible for regulating. To achieve this, regulatory agencies and governments will be required to closely coordinate with civil society and businesses.

Furthermore, the fourth industrial revolution will have an immense impact on both international and national security, affecting the nature and probability of conflict. The history of technological innovation is the same history of international and warfare security and today’s situation is no exception. It is worth noting that modern conflicts touching on states are becoming increasingly hybrid in nature as they involve traditional battle techniques and elements previously linked with non-state actors. The distinction between peace and war, violence and non-violence, combatant and noncombatant is slowly becoming blurred. As digitization continues taking place and new technologies, including biological or autonomous weapons continue taking place, small groups and individuals will continue joining states that have the capacity to form mass harm. Worth noting, the new vulnerability will cause new fears. Consequently, technological advancement will increase the potential of impacting violence, reducing the scale because of newly developed modes of protection.

Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the People.

Furthermore, the fourth industrial revolution will not only impact what we do but also who we are. It will impact people’s identity and the things associated with it including consumption patterns, sense of privacy, ownership notions, the time they dedicate to leisure and career, and how they cultivate skills, push careers, nature relationships and meet new people. The fourth industrial revolution is changing people healthy resulting in a quantified version of self, and very soon, it will result in human augmentation (Skilton & Hovsepian, 2018). Worth noting, the list of the impact of the revolution on people is endless and is bound only by imagination. The question that has crossed the minds of many is whether the uncontrollable integration of technology in people’s lives will diminish some quintessential human capacities like cooperation and compassion. One good example is the relationship that people have with their smartphones. People have become so drawn to these devices that nearly all facets of their lives depend on them. People have become addicted to social media applications such as Instagram and Snapchat. The constant reliance on technology, particularly with regards to social media, deprives people of life’s most significant assets; time to take a step back, reflect and take part in meaningful conversation.

Worth noting, information technology poses a challenge to privacy. People should understand that privacy is very crucial and sharing and that sharing and tracking of information is becoming crucial for new connectivity. In the years that lay ahead, debates to do with critical issues of impact of technology in people’s inner lives owing to data loss will only increase. Similarly, revolutions taking place in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology which are giving new meaning to being human through pushing back today’s threshold of health, life span, capabilities and cognition, will compel people to redefine ethical and moral boundaries.

Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on Businesses.

A common theme for conversations between senior business executives and CEOs is the velocity of disruptions and accelerations of innovation are hard to anticipate and comprehend. Additionally, they agree that these drivers constantly surprise even the most well-informed and best-connected business executives. There is clear evidence across the boards that technologies underpinning the next industrial revolutions will have serious effect on businesses. As regards supply, many companies now realize that incorporating new technologies can develop new ways of serving various existing needs and significantly disrupt current industry value chains. Moreover, disruptions are also coming from innovative and agile competitors have access to limitless global digital innovations for sales, marketing, research, development, and distribution. These competitors have the capacity to oust established incumbents faster than through improving the speed, price, and quality at which value gets delivered. Additionally, major shifts are taking place as regards to demands as consumer engagement, transparency and new consumer behavior patterns continue forcing businesses to change the way they deliver, design, and market products and services. Another key trend that technology is having n businesses is that it has enabled the development of applications that incorporate both supply and demand of products and services (Morrar, Arman, & Mousa, 2017). These platforms thrive on sharing and demand economy. The platforms are easy to use as they use data and smartphones, making them an easy way to convene people. This leads to the creation of new and alternative ways of consuming services and products. Additionally, the platforms have reduced the barriers for individuals and businesses to create wealth, hence altering workers’ professional and personal environments. These new business platforms are multiplying rapidly and transforming into entirely new services that range from travel to massages.

Conclusion

In closing, whether people realize it or not, the world is currently in the middle of a shift from the simple digitization of the third industrial revolution to innovation-based technology, which is the fourth industrial revolution. The next industrial revolution affects nearly all aspects of people’s lives, ranging from management, governance, and business. The next industrial revolution will have effect people, businesses, and governments differently. It is high time companies realize that companies re-examine how businesses do what they do. The bottom line is that businesses leaders should understand that business environments are changing and digitization and technology have everything to do with it.

References

Morrar, R., Arman, H., & Mousa, S. (2017). The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0): A social innovation perspective. Technology Innovation Management Review, 7(11), 12-20.

Ragulina, Y. V., Alekseev, A. N., Strizhkina, I. V., & Tumanov, A. I. (2019). Methodology of criterial evaluation of consequences of the industrial revolution of the 21st century. In Industry 4.0: Industrial Revolution of the 21st Century (pp. 235-244). Springer, Cham.

Skilton, M., & Hovsepian, F. (2018). The 4th industrial revolution. Springer Nature.

The Impact of Using Body Cameras by Law enforcement Officers.

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The Impact of Using Body Cameras by Law enforcement Officers.

Dawes, D., Heegaard, W., Brave, M., Paetow, G., Weston, B., & Ho, J. (2015). Body-Worn Cameras Improve Law Enforcement Officer Report Writing Accuracy. Journal of law enforcement, 4(6).

In this article, Dawes et al. delves into the issue of using the body-worn cameras and its importance in recording an accurate and valid statements. In an era where every move an acts by the law enforcement officers are recorded by the members of public, it is becoming increasingly necessary for the police to have body-worn cameras that they can use to record videos and have the valid evidence against suspect when they come into contact to avoid misreporting from the members of public. This research was conducted by involving several law enforcement officers who recorded different scenarios of their engagement with the members of public and recorded their statements. Evidently, there were some adjustments that they made in their reports after reviewing their video recordings.

The authors of the study are qualified scholars who are often involved in conducting researches that deal with issues affecting the judicial system in the country. Therefore, they are qualified and have the authority to conduct researches on such matters that affect members of the society. This research is also important because it explores the impact that body-worn cameras have on the accuracy of reports recorded by the law enforcement officers. However, the research has some limitation because it may have been subjected to biases as a result of the people who participated on the matter under investigation.

Pelfrey Jr, W. V., & Keener, S. (2016). Police body worn cameras: A mixed method approach assessing perceptions of efficacy. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management.

This journal highlights the efficacy of the body-worn cameras in ensuring that the police do not use excessive force when they are discharging their duties. It also highlights the perception that the police officers have regarding the use of body-worn cameras. The study establishes that the cases of police using excessive force have reduced significantly since the introduction of the body-worn cameras. This is critical in ensuring that the relationship between the police and members of the society is improved. The findings also indicate that the law enforcers have their reservation regarding the use of BWC data.

It is authors are accomplished writers on matters pertaining policy strategies and management. Therefore, they have the authority to conduct research on such important matters which relates to policies in the police force.

Phillips, S. W. (2018). Eyes are not cameras: The importance of integrating perceptual distortions, misinformation, and false memories into the police body camera debate. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 12(1), 91-99.

In this article, Philips discusses the distortion of information that people have had over the years that police who cannot recall all the events that they encounter are rogue police who want to cover up for an incident. The author argues that the eyes of police officers are not cameras and police officers are subject to forgetting some incidences they encounter on the streets. However, the author acknowledges that cameras are important in capturing the reality on the ground but that should not be interpreted to mean that the police cannot execute their mandates without the use of body-worn cameras.

This article is important in demystifying the unusually long-held notion that police who do not recall some of the events they encounter are officers who are covering up for criminals in the streets. The author is a writer who is interested on issues of policing and governance.

Smykla, J. O., Crow, M. S., Crichlow, V. J., & Snyder, J. A. (2016). Police body-worn cameras: Perceptions of law enforcement leadership. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 41(3), 424-443.

American Journal of Criminal Justice is an article that articulates the perception that the leaders of the police in the United States have regarding the body-worn cameras. It also explores the impact that these body-worn cameras have on how the police discharge their duties. According to the authors, the public have a positive perception on the use of body-worn cameras by the law enforcement officers. However, the leaders of the police have a contrary opinion and majority of them think that these cameras influence how the police discharge their responsibilities and may deter them from using necessary force to maintain law and order.

Smykla et al. (2016) are working with the school of criminology and criminal justice system at the Florida Atlantic University. They have a wealth of knowledge in the criminal justice system and they have the authority to research on such a compelling matter to understand the perception of the police leadership on the use of body-worn cameras. This research work is important and can be used as secondary data to further research on the impact of using body-worn cameras by the law enforcement officers. One of the strength of this study is the quality of data collected which affected officers from the three tiers of government in the United States; local, state and federal government.

Voigt, R., Camp, N. P., Prabhakaran, V., Hamilton, W. L., Hetey, R. C., Griffiths, C. M., … & Eberhardt, J. L. (2017). Language from police body camera footage shows racial disparities in officer respect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(25), 6521-6526.

In this article, the researchers conducted a study to establish the level of respect that police officers in the United States accord people from different racial backgrounds when they are communicating with them. In the study, the researchers established that police accord more respect to the white community compared to the people of color. Although body-worn cameras are often intended to aid the police officers in discharging their duties in accordance with the law, the finding of this study is important in reforming the police and ensuring that they treat all citizen equally.

The authors of this article are researchers drawn from different departments at the Stanford University. Some of the researchers are scholars from linguistic department while others work in the department of psychology. Although the findings of this research may be necessary in conducting future researches on the same subject, it has several weaknesses and the method of data collection maybe have been subjected to biases.

Racism in the 21st Century

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Racism in the 21st Century

It sounds sound awkward and disgusting to talk about the existence of racism in America in the 21st century a thing that is believed to have been curbed many years back. How does racism exist while the Negros and other minority groups were granted a civil right in the nation? It is an alarming question, but the fact remains that the direct form of racism was changed into an indirect way where the people of color are granted citizenship in the country but segregation follows up them in all the things they do as well as where they go (Hurston, 1999). It right that the action groups such as white supremacists who directly spread racism are not active but the roots of the entire threat to the society are still prevalent in the state. Today, there is a bounty of racial aggression in the community both in the media and people’s day to day life encounters. According to Claudia Rankine, racial discrimination encounters are astonishing and rampant in everywhere in the society when it comes to workplace, television, online platforms as well as access to public amenities such as school and hospital (Rankine, 2014). The roots of racism are prevalent in American subjecting the people of color into victimization and other offensive scenarios making their livelihood in the nation demanding.

The situation in America today can only be referred as a post-race society where its citizens are a significant testimony to racism at both collective and individual level. Many advocates and policymakers have struggled to address the situation as well as expressing the pain it causes to the souls of these patriotic citizens as they face discrimination in an inhumane manner. The present condition in the modern society is a reflection of what happened during the Jim Crow’s era where the African-American were oppressed and discriminated in a way that it was inevitable to undergo through harsh conditions where they were not granted civil rights as other citizens in the nation. The situation in South America was menacing where supremacist spread white supremacy throughout the country through the Rebel groups. The case today is only different than the segregation is done in a friendly way in the name of legal actions that are unavoidable and plays a significant role in strengthening the roots of racism in the community. With regards to Du Bois in his work “Of the Passing of the First Born,” he depicts that the society is race biased as to the extent that the white was not concerned about what was going on during the tender child’s burial (Du Bois, 2017). They could only say that they are niggers and move on to their business.

The mentioned above facts are clear according to Michelle Alexander’s book “The New Jim Crow” where she talks about the rebirth of a social order system in the United States where the blacks are denied a variety of civil rights resulting to their demotion at the middle-class status and the enormous number being put in custody (Alexander, 2012). It is upsetting that regardless of America celebrating victory over race, a large number of Africa-Americans in the cities are locked behind bars or in a way or the other maltreated with a criminal record of life. Michelle put it that the racial caste in the country has only been redesigned and not ended where the blacks are legally discriminated against the convicted crimes. For instance, today African-Americans are detained in the prisoned for quire offenses that do not deserve such kind of jurisdiction denying them fundamental human and civil rights such as freedom to vote. Also, the legal discrimination is extended to a greater extent where they do not have access to housing, secluded housing, and employment as well as not having the right to benefit from any social amenity.

“The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin is an excellent example of how racism has spread in the society and affects the blacks to the extent of determining where they live, what they do and where they go in the nation (Baldwin, 2013). In his letter, Baldwin advises his nephew to stay strong and tough not to follow the white ways which are upsetting and planned to victimize the Negro’s way of living. Racism in the community has made the blacks residents of the ghetto where they are subjected to poverty and other social injustices such as criminality and poor housing as well as other social facilities. They are dominated by the whites in a way that they cannot have diversification in the society and only have access to limited resources. Baldwin tells the young man never to give up or adhere to the ways of white as he has the capability of enlightening his future together with other Negros to change America into the state that it should be at free from racism and other social evils. According to Zora Hurston in her work “My Most Humiliating Jim Crow Experience,” she is ill-treated in a hospital where the doctor did not serve her in the actual health care rooms but in a secluded cabin where dirty working clothes are kept before laundry. She is served in a manner that depicts that the doctor was not comfortable with her passing time at the hospital as if it could lead to devastating effects on other patients.

As discussed above, the act of people of color being treated as inferior and unacceptable race in the society is revolting, and there is a need for change. The nation’s sovereignty portrays all citizens to have equal civil rights, but the case is different today. In public amenities, backs are discriminated, and into reality, they are contrary given better services like other white people. It is devastating, and the government, as well as the public at the individual level, have to play the role of eradicating the racism as well as its humiliation to enhance national growth and development.

References

Alexander, M. (2012). The new Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness. The New Press.

Baldwin, J. (2013). The fire next time. Vintage.

Du Bois, W. E. B. (2017). Of the Passing of the First-born. American Roots.

Hurston, Z. N. (1999). My most humiliating Jim Crow experience. Worlds of difference: inequality in the aging experience, 296.

Rankine, C. (2014). Citizen: an American lyric. Graywolf Press.

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Racism in the American Justice System

“Is the American justice system racist?” Journalist Shane Smith posed this thought-provoking question to President Obama during his 2015 visit to the FCI El Reno in Oklahoma. The President’s candid reply to this amounted to one word, yes. The America justice system is racist because it punishes people of particular races and ethnicities more than others, and this is a well-documented issue. The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world, with more than 2.3 million people in the country’s local, state and federal prisons. These figures, by themselves, point to a problem in the country’s system. Closer inspection brings out some more concerning issues, such as the fact that the majority of all inmates at federal prisons belong to minority communities such as African-American and Latino backgrounds. The American justice system is racist because it disproportionately targets minority groups, consistently gives them harsher punishments and

The VICE documentary titled ‘Fixing the System’ gives an eye-opening insight into the prison system within the country, and the harmful effects incarceration has on many people. The documentary focuses on different parties within the system, such as politicians, judges, inmates, and the President of the United States. President Obama made history as the first sitting US president to visit a federal prison to discuss various issues in the justice system. The Vice special begins by laying out the history of the War on Drugs that began in the 1980s and its colossal failure. The documentary also sheds light on the mandatory minimum sentencing that is one of the biggest problems, especially with drug offences in the country. Vice does not just focus on the challenges in the justice system; it gives these issues a human face. Some of those interviewed include inmates in prisons and their families, and they get to speak about how incarceration affected their lives. Interviewing politicians from both sides of the political spectrum also supports the idea that the justice system is broken, as former Attorney General Eric Holder, Senator Corey Booker (D), Rand Paul (D) and Mike Lee (R) all testify.

The first reason why the American justice system is racist is because the majority of those incarcerated in the country come from minority groups. In the documentary, Shane Smith explains that 1 in 3 black men are likely to go to prison in their lifetime, while only 1 in 17 white men face the same chances (VICE). These numbers are quite shocking, and they bring to light the reality that minority groups, especially young males, are more likely to be incarcerated than any other group in the country. Currently, 80% of all inmates in federal prisons incarcerated for drug offences are either Latino or black (Bell 164).

Another reason why the American justice system is racist is because of the disproportionate punishments that people of colour receive for similar crimes as their white counterparts. President Obama explains that this is an unfortunate reality for many drug offenders in the country, especially non-violent ones. The country has put in place mandatory minimum sentencing for such offenders, and this means that more and more people get sent to prison each year. Additionally, officials in the justice system such as law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges routinely seek and hand out harsher punishment to people from minority groups, indicating a racial bias in the system. President Obama explains that this is a problem that begins with the broader society, and the justice system is merely a reflection of this. For example, when a black student engages in similar disruptive behaviour as a white student, the black youth is more likely to get suspended than their white counterpart (VICE). The same pattern plays out when the same black youth are also more likely to be arrested, prosecuted and sentenced more stiffly and aggressively than their white counterparts for similar offences.

The American justice system is racist because it affects minority communities more than majority groups in the country. In the documentary, inmates and their families speak of their challenges as a result of incarceration. When a family’s breadwinner gets sent to prison, their family suffers because they cannot afford many of the necessities they need. Such families are often plunged deeper into poverty due to incarceration. Additionally, when a person is released from prions, they have a hard time getting jobs because of their record (Harris &Lieberman 9). There is also much stigma that comes with incarceration; a former inmate will always be viewed as a criminal and a bad influence in their community. Such people fail to reintegrate into the community and may end up getting involved in criminal activity. Many of those sent to prison, especially for non-violent drug crimes might be petty offenders who do not deserve the harsh jail terms that they get and this ends up ruining their lives.

To summarize, the Vice documentary titled ‘Fixing the System’ sheds light on some serious and pertinent issues in the American justice system. Since the war on drugs began, minority groups have been the biggest casualty, and often because of blatant unfairness in the justice system. The justice system can be termed as racist because of the disproportionate number of minorities incarcerated, as well as the consistent harsher sentences that they get. President Obama and other politicians talk about the glaring evidence on the failure of the war on drugs, and the massive cost to inmates, their families and communities. There needs to be reform in the justice system to ensure that all people are treated fairly, and also to address the skyrocketing incarceration rates in the country.

Works Cited

“Vice Special Report: Fixing the System.” VICE. https://video.vice.com/en_us/video/fixing-the-system/584ae51c0226b0e6061f54e0Bell, Marcus. “Criminalization of Blackness: Systemic racism and the reproduction of racial inequality in the US criminal justice system.” Systemic Racism. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2017. 163-183.

Harris, Fredrick C., and Robert C. Lieberman. “Racial inequality after racism: How institutions hold back African Americans.” Foreign Aff. 94 (2015): 9.

RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION

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Racism and Discrimination

While recently, many people can agree that everyone deserves equal opportunity and rights regardless of race, color, and origin; this was not the case as near as three decades ago. The texts and films discussed below in this paper share a common theme, racism, and discrimination. Although discrimination has significantly reduced in recent times, it was more in the periods these books are based. Oppressive rights enacted by the discriminators were aimed to keep certain groups segregated with fewer opportunities. Therefore, this paper will look to discuss instances in the selected reference material that display cases of racism or segregation. By using quotes and relevant illustrations, the article will aim to show when such measures were used and the effects they had on the subjects. Additionally, the paper will demonstrate the harmful effects of these techniques.

Abina and the Important Men is a book based on court records from a West African case. A woman named Abina is wrongful sold into slavery and took her master to court to fight for her freedom. The theme of racism is evident as the book is based on a time when British colonialism in Africa was at its peak. Despite the abolishment of slavery more than thirty years prior, influential British landowners continued to exploit helpless Africans by enslaving them. As Abina attempts to explain her troubles to her lawyer, she says, ‘it was never about being safe. It was about being heard.’ This statement depicts how Abina did not care about her safety. She would instead prefer her message to be heard. The racism was so prevalent that getting physical harm was not an issue for her. Throughout her court cases, she has flashbacks of how she was mistreated. She remembers how ‘they held her down and cut her beads.’ Despite substantial evidence supporting her case, these ‘important men’ still manage to derail her attempts to search for freedom. Unfortunately, she does not lead to winning the case a second time after sheer determination and help from her trusted lawyer. It shows how, despite her apparent innocence, she still could not face a fair trial. It was because the judges of the trial were racist themselves and corrupt. The landowners were powerful; hence the judges were obliged to take heed to their claims. Abina faced a lot of suffering in her journey, at one point being described as someone with no history. She was traumatized by the experience faced, and her only wish was for her story to be known (Getz & Clark, 2016).

Born a Crime is a factual written by a South African, Trevor Noah, born and raised during the apartheid regime. Apartheid laws favored white supremacists and ensured that black communities were slaves and remained weak. Noah was born to a white father and black mother at a time when such marriages were punished by imprisonment. Due to the indiscretion in his birth, Noah’s father neglects him and opts to move in with his second wife. Noah’s mother is forced to hide him from the world, keeping him indoors for the majority of his early life. Noah goes on to say, ‘You separate people into groups and make them hate one another so you can run them all’ to describe the racist measures in place. He also explains how the colonizers ‘forced’ their religion on the South Africans (Noah, 2016). The public-school Noah attends practices segregation as different races did not mingle. His light-skin appearance also puts him in a difficult predicament as he is unable to identify with a specific race. As he grows older, the apartheid regime ends, but the segregation continues. The primary effect on black communities is that they remained in poverty and crime rates soared. For example, Noah describes his grandmother’s area of Soweto as ‘designed to be bombed.’ He also claims the overturning of the apartheid system was called the Bloodless Revolution. It was because ‘very little white blood was spilled’ while ‘black blood ran the streets.’ Noah claims that the system was designed to show that race mixing was not a typical event (Noah, 2016).

For this reason, the regime feared that in case the races interacted more, it would derail their system as the races may help each other grow. Although the conditions faced in these times were often unbearable, Noah believes that they supported the black community lift themselves. An example is the black-market, although illegal, which provided food for many poor households.

Sarah Polley’s documentary called The Stories we Tell investigating her families’ secrets. Polley is born from extramarital affairs her mother, an actress, has with her director. This fact remains a secret to Polley until she realizes a few years after her mother dies. Polley’s mother dies when she is eleven, and she faces discrimination from her siblings at this time. She is segregated and ridiculed by her siblings, as it is evident from a young age that she does not resemble her mother’s husband. She was teased for years without knowing the fact that she was had a different father from her siblings. When she turns eighteen, she decides to discover the truth herself and attempts to uncover the identity of her birth father. Later, she finds her father’s identity as a director who had worked with her mother. As a young girl, the discrimination she faced helps shape her up to the woman she became. Hence, after her mother’s death, she is often lonely as she does not see eye to eye with her siblings. In school, her peers also followed the trend employed by her siblings. However, according to the documentary, she believes that the difficulties she faced played a part in making her character stronger and more resilient (Polley et al., 2013).

In conclusion, the racism and discrimination proved to have similar effects on their subjects. Some of them include lowering self-esteem, increased crime rates, and unequal opportunities to minorities. However, these cases provide a form of motivation to the citizens facing such conditions to be better. It also serves as motivation to the modern-day minority groups on how to deal with similar scenarios. Even though the cases of discrimination are not as evident as back then, they still exist. Therefore, these instances serve as an inspiration for minorities to work harder. Additionally, it shows oppressors to realize the significant consequences of their actions.

References

Getz, T. R., & Clarke, L. (2016). Abina and the important men: A graphic history. Oxford University Press, USA.

Noah, T. (2016). Born a crime: Stories from a South African childhood. Hachette UK.

Polley, S., Lee, A., Polley, M., Gulkin, H., Buchan, S., Buchan, J., … & MacMillan, R. (2013). Stories we tell.

Annotated Bibliography: iBook and Learner Engagement

Student’s name

Institutional affiliation

Topic: The Impact of Utilizing iBooks on Learners’ Academic Engagement and Language Acquisition in ESL Classes for Grade Six

Almekhlafi, A. G. (2021). The effect of E-books on Preservice student teachers’ achievement and perceptions in the United Arab Emirates. Education and Information Technologies, 26(1), 1001-1021.

E-books are slowly taking over as and replacing traditional textbooks in many educational institutions. This research investigated the effect that e-books had on the ability of students to learn technological course content. The research also assesses the perception of teachers on the benefits of books in learning. The study took a quasi-experimental approach. It had two experimental groups and one control group. The first group used an iBook, the second group used the PDF version of the iBook, while the control used a hard copy of the PDF. A questionnaire was later administered at the end of the experiment. The results did not indicate any significant difference in course achievement associated with the kind of book used. However, the students showed a significantly positive attitude toward the usefulness of the e-book than other versions. Abdurrahman Ghaleb Almekhlafi, the author is affiliated with the United Arab Emirates University.

Alzubi, A. A. F. (2021). The Role of Mobile Technologies in Impacting Learner Autonomy in an EFL Context: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT), 11(3), 56-73.

This study examines previous studies carried out on the role of mobile devices in supporting learner autonomy in English as a foreign language. The research uses a meta-analysis approach. It selected studies based on research design, field of study, publication type, and use of technology as the inclusion criteria. Coding sheets were used to analyze the 23 papers. This study revealed that the examined studies were carried out in Europe and Asia and that majority of the studies had both female and male subjects. The analysis revealed that mobile dives played a significant role in boosting learner autonomy in the study of English as a foreign language. Ali Abbas Alzubi is affiliated with Najaran University located in Saudi Arabia.

Azma, P., & AM, N. F. (2018). Preliminary survey: iBooks for engineering subjects in utem. Proceedings of Innovative Teaching and Learning Research Day, 2018, 14.

The 2018 article investigates the perception that students have in regard to digital interactive books and particularly the iPhone and Apple iPad. The methodology employed in this study was that the researchers designed two iBooks, namely the Multimedia Signal Processing and the Mechanical Vibration. The former was used by fourth-year students, while the latter was used by third-year students in the faculty of engineering. Two main factors were considered in the development of the iBooks namely interactivity and design. The findings showed that students tend to excel in engineering fields better when they learn with iBooks. The students also tend to spend more time on the gadgets hence they learn independently. The study was undertaken by Azma P. and Nurul Fajar. Azma P is affiliated with the Center for Advanced Research on Energy and the Universiti Teknial in Melaka Malaysia. Nurul is affiliated with the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the same university.

Elyas, T., & Al-Bogami, B. (2019). The role of the iPad as an instructional tool in optimizing young learners’ achievement in EFL classes in the Saudi context. Arab World English Journal,[Special Issue], 144-162.

This article aimed at probing the role of iPads in boosting language achievement. The research assesses the impact of integrating iPads as instructor tools in the learning of English as foreign language. Language achievement was measured using vocabulary abs reading tests administered before and after the intervention. Qualitative and quantitative data findings indicated that students who used iPads were more engaged and outscored their students in learning English as a foreign language. Basmah Al-Bogami, the author of this article, is affiliated with the King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia where he works in the institute of English language. This article is connected to Alzubi (2021) study because they center around the impact of mobile devices in the learning of English as a foreign language.

Eubanks, J. F., Yeh, H. T., & Tseng, H. (2018). Learning Chinese through a twenty-first-century writing workshop with the integration of mobile technology in a language immersion elementary school. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 31(4), 346-366.

This study assesses whether a technology integrated writing workshop had any notable effect on the attitude and ability in wiring among Chinese second graders. The subjects were part of the language immersion language program. The study involved twenty four students. The workshop incorporated an iPad recording technology, Book Creator Application and iPad camera. The research employed qualitative methods such as observation and pre and post surveys. The results confirmed the assertion that use of iPads decreases writing barriers, as demonstrated in the workshop of the Chinese immersion program. Noteworthy, the attitudes and abilities of the students improved drastically after going through the twenty-first-century writing workshop. The authors of this article have affiliation with major universities, Jia-Fang Eubanks teaches Japanese and Chinese at South High school in Denver. Hungwei Tsemg is an assistant professor at Jacksonville State University in the Department of Educational Resources. Hsin-Te Yeh is afflicted with Metropolitan State University where he works as an associate professor. This study is similar to the studies conducted that show how technology is used to teach English as a second language.

Reinhold, F., Hoch, S., Werner, B., Richter-Gebert, J., & Reiss, K. (2020). Learning fractions with and without educational technology: What matters for high-achieving and low-achieving students?. Learning and Instruction, 65, 101264.

This study compares learning for low and high-achieving students with and without technology. Reinhold et al. came up with a theory-grounded, which was interactive and provided scaffolds in eBooks. They evaluated scaffolds and curriculum but splitting 260 low achievers and 745 high achievers into three categories. The three categories included the curriculum group using paper copy, the scaffolded curriculum group that used ebooks on iPads and the Traditional group that used convectional textbooks. The results indicated that high-achieving students benefited most from the study regardless of whether the curriculum was presented with scaffolds or without. Low achieving students that were using scaffolds were decisive. This suggested that adaptive and interactive scaffolds support the learning of mathematical concepts particularly in low achieving students. Stefan Hoch, one of the authors of this text is the Chair for Geometry and Visualization in Germany and also has affiliations with the Technical University of Munich.

Remón, J., Sebastián, V., Romero, E., & Arauzo, J. (2017). Effect of using smartphones as clickers and tablets as digital whiteboards on students’ engagement and learning. Active Learning in Higher Education, 18(2), 173-187.

This study probes the use of smartphones and tablets in enhancing student engagement and learning. The researchers evaluated and compared traditional and interactive teaching strategies. The traditional strategies combined PowerPoint presentations with the use of blackboard while interactive strategies where lessons were taught using digital materials and activities such as tablets. Outcomes were measured via the question and answer method undertaken during class time and at the end of the term. Findings showed higher outcomes in the interactive lessons than the traditional strategies. The results further indicated that using interactive procedures increased student participation. The article was written by Javier Remon, Jesus Arauzo, Enrique Romero, and Victor Sebastian, who have affiliations with Spain’s University of Zaragoza.

Rivera, C. J., Hudson, M. E., Weiss, S. L., & Zambone, A. (2017). Using multicomponent multimedia shared story intervention with an iPad to teach content picture vocabulary to students with developmental disabilities. Education and Treatment of Children, 40(3), 327-352.

This article centers on the increased use of technology for academic purposes in students with developmental disability. The researchers employed a multiple probe design strategy. They used an iPad to assess a multicomponent multimedia shared story (MSS) intervention to teach three students with developmental disability science vocabulary. The vocabulary was included videos, texts and photographs and was all delivered using iPad. The results indicated that all three students could identify the vocabularies and maintained the knowledge across other stimuli. The conclusion was that iPads facilitated mastery of digital skills. The authors of this article, including Christopher Rivera, Melissa Hudson, Stacy Weiss, Alana Zambone, all had affiliations with East Carolina University. This study can be linked with all other studies mentioned here-in because iPads facilitate mastery of digital skills and improve learning outcomes.

Suharti, D. S. (2018). Utilizing iBooks in teaching EFL reading comprehension. In ELT in Asia in the Digital Era: Global Citizenship and Identity (pp. 553-570). Routledge.

This article is about the use of iBooks in reading and teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This research was a case study and employed qualitative research techniques, including interviews, observation and documents examination. Data was gathered from 32 participants with one of them doubling as a participant-observer. The instructor used an iPad to teach students English. Results indicated that iBooks altered both the teaching and learning experiences. The experience was beneficial as students could read easily and instructors could teach easily. The author of this text, D.S. Suharti has affiliation with Muhammadiyah University of Tengerang in Banten, Indonesia.

Zaitun, Z., Hadi, M. S., & Lestari, D. R. (2021). Using bookwidgets to attract students’ interest in learning English. Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 9(4), 504-511.

Published in 2021, the article is a research regarding the role of bookwidgets in influencing students interest in learning studying English. Bookwidgets is a platform that uses creative learning activities to engage students in teaching material. The platform equips students and teachers with widgets including chromebooks, iPad, iBooks, and Android tablets. This research employed quantitative descriptive research method. Data was collected using surveys. The population of study was students from junior high school. Data was analyzed using Likert statistical analysis. The results indicated that students recorded a 48.1% increase in interest in learning English after being introduced to Bookwidgets. This article was authored by Diah Rahmawati Lestari, Zaitun Zaitun, and Muhammad Sofian Hadi. Muhammad Sofian Hadi is currently a lecturer at the Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta while Diah Rahmawati Lestari is a student at same institution. This study is similar to the study conducted by Azma (2018) on how iBooks influences learning outcomes on engineering students.

HYPERLINK “https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8988-0803” t “_blank”

Racism and research: Case of Tuskegee

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Racism and Research: The Case of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.

Racism and Research was a study conducted by Allan M. Brandt on occurrence of racism when it comes to scientific research using the case of Tuskegee Syphilis as his case study. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study was a study conducted on African-American men to observe the natural occurrence of syphilis on them. The study was carried out by researchers who took 600 black men, 399 with syphilis 201 without and conducted the study without their knowledge. The researchers told the men that their blood was being taken to test for bad blood hence the participants were unaware of what was being really done. The researchers made sure that the 399 men with syphilis remained unaware of possible penicillin treatment so as to continue with their study. The study was conducted for up to 40 years when an Associated Press story exposed what had been going on. Allan M. Brandt is medicine historian and Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University. Allan M. Brandt wrote an article by the name Racism and Research: The Case of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, to show the racial background behind the Tuskegee Syphilis study (Brandt, 2012).

Tuskegee research raised a lot of question whether it was valid or not. Brandt in his research wanted to find out if racism played a role in certain scientific research. The research questions involved in this study included

Did the participants have enough knowledge on the research that was conducted on them?

Was the Public Health Service and Tuskegee Institute justified to conduct the research?

Did racism play a par in these scientific research?

In order to conduct the research, Allan Brandt came up with hypotheses that would have helped him arrive to his findings

H0 The Tuskegee research was justified and ethical and had no impact on African Americans.

H1 The Tuskegee research conducted on young African American men was racist, had an impact on trust between African – Americans and health care providers

In testing the hypothesis, Allan used qualitative research method to gather his data which involved extensive document analysis. This data selection method involved getting all material on the Tuskegee research and compiling them. He also used material from other authors who had weighed in on the matter determining how ethical or unethical the research was. In selecting the participants of the Tuskegee study, Dr. Raymond Vonderlehr assembled men who would be sampled and stated that they were being tested for bad blood a term that was used to describe cases such as syphilis and anemia. They went through thorough examination including x-rays and spinal tab in order to know their incidence of neuro-syphilis. The research had been conducted in good faith as United States Public Health Service had promised the Macon County that they would treat the people who had been infected. Allan also got hold of conversation between Clark and Dr. Vonderlehr that helped out in his research.

The research by Allan Brandt had the following findings; the Tuskegee syphilis study showed that major ethical issues in the medical research field needed to be looked into to avoid the repeat of such a study. One of the key issues of the Tuskegee study was lack of informed consent. The 600 participants of the case had been misled to take part in the research by being lied to that the research was about testing for bad blood but in the real sense it was to check the nature of syphilis among black men. The researchers were supposed to let all their subjects know about all the aspects of the research but since they knew it would greatly affect their willingness to participate, they didn’t inform them.

Another major ethical issue was brought about by the withholding of any form of treatment that could be offered to the 399 black men with syphilis, for the purpose of their research. The 399 syphilis suffering patients were not given welfare consideration since they were not informed of the penicillin treatment. Researchers who took part in the Tuskegee study tried to justify themselves that penicillin was not yet proven to be the best option for curing syphilis since it had negative effects on patients. A group of physicians believed that it was better to deal with the minimal damages of penicillin while another felt the drug would lead to much harm. The claims of the penicillin effect on patients did not justify that subjects should have been given a choice about continuing in the study once penicillin was available.

According to Allan M. Brandt research article, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study occurred at a time when Darwinism gave a new angle for American racism. Some people believed that primitive peoples, could not reach the level of white civilization. Scientists claimed that the African Americans were doomed in the struggle for survival. Cultural diversity is the existent of many ethnic or cultural groups in society. There existed a cultural diversity among the white and African American that led to racism since the white thought of themselves as superiors. The Tuskegee syphilis study was meant to evaluate the natural progression of syphilis in black men because white men believed their syphilis cases were different from those of black men. White Americans thought there were health disparities hence their syphilis would not be the same as that of the African Americans (Tuskegee syphilis experiment).

White Americans had based their superiority from Darwinism which claimed that man evolved from monkeys. Whites thought that the black man was closer to the monkeys in the evolution chain and they were highest. Many scientists then went on to say that African Americans were not likely to survive as time goes by due to evolution. The claims made by the white scientists were wrong for the African American only has more melanin compared to them hence his darkness. Due to the superiority belief that the whites had, they went on to try and enslave the blacks as well as oppress them for they believed they were powerful and more superior to the other race hence the lying in the Tuskegee report to the African Americans and the use of knowledge to their advantage.

Empathy was not shown in the olden days since White Americans saw themselves being more superior. The whites thought that all other races were primitive and did not have a chance in survival. The lack of empathy for other races led to them mistreating them and seeing them as animals rather than humans hence slavery occurred. The Tuskegee study confirms that the researchers who were whites, lacked empathy for the blacks for they conducted the study without their consent and did so for 40 years. Even when a treatment was available, though it had side effects, they did not care to inform their subjects but went on to take blood in the name of bad blood finding. It is due to the notion that the white men created that they are more superior that causes them to have empathy towards other cultures and races.

An African-American patient’s attitude towards a medical research was measured. African American’s mistrust doctors, scientists, and the government due to unethical conduct of previous cases. African Americans are treated poorly than the White Americans hence they have a negative attitude towards researches done by the medical body. In the Tuskegee study, the African Americans could have been pressured to agree to the study or might have not understood what they were getting themselves into. As a result of an attitude towards authoritative figures such as nurses and doctors, they were forced to sign the contracts for agreement.

Future directions that were proposed for the research were recommendations to be put in place on how research could be conducted. Although research may be conducted on a man to save his life or that of others, then participants need to be on the know of what research is being conducted on them and the future implications that the research may have. Racism needs to be dealt with as at times subjects of African Americans get experiments done on them without full knowledge and tend to be treated differently than the white participants, In the case of the Tuskegee Study, it revealed more about the case of racism as compared to a study on syphilis. The study also had an impact on why most African Americans are still wary of health care providers.

The Tuskegee syphilis report has over the years led to a global self-awareness of the public health. The Tuskegee study has led to ethical standards being given much importance such that everyone is given the right to make formal decisions that could change their dignity, justice to be offered to all hence no segregation of a certain group, and also the health of an individual to be given priority. (The Tuskegee Syphilis Study and Its Implications for the 21st Century, 2015) Tuskegee serves as a very good example of unethical practice all over the world for it portrays racism, lack of empathy and a bad attitude towards others.

Reference

Brandt, Allan M. (2012). “Racism and research: The case of the Tuskegee Syphilis study.” The Hastings Center Report 8(6): 21-29.