Kenneth’s School Blog

The definition of a social justice issue is an issue raised because of the lack of fairness over a group of people. The media portrays this and thinks of this just as another way to earn a lot of cash. The media don’t truely care about the issues, but only think of it as a money making scheme.

It has not been difficult at all to find social justice issues. In ever newspaper, at least one social justice issue is revealed somewhere in the pages. Even on the web, it is easy to find articles just by typing up any social justice issue. i.e Euthanasia.

Do you think that the media operates from a moral framework? Give evidence by using your research.

After researching many different articles on Madeleine McCann, I am able to confirm that the media don’t operate from a moral framework. This is because the stories, e.g. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/madeleinemccann/2506154/Madeleine-McCann-Sketch-
shows-first-suspects-movements.html.
This article only has the facts they know and no opinions or values of any body of the media is included.
Another example of this situation is http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/48-Questions-
Kate-McCann-Faced-from-Portugese-Police/Article/200808115070874?lpos=World%2BNews_9&lid=AR
TICLE_15070874_48%2BQuestions%2BKate%2BMcCann%2BFaced%2Bfrom%2BPortugese%2BPolice.
Once again, no beliefs of the media has been put into the article. These two articles I believe are able to justify my answer.

Investigate the two types of sight defect- long-sightedness and short sightedness.
Find the following information:

Long Sightedness
a. what causes the defect
This is normally inherited from your parent’s genes.
b. the symptoms displayed
The symptoms caused are excessive headaches, blinking and red, tearful eyes.
c. propose what sort of lens may be used to correct each vision.
Convex lenses are used to correct the vision.

Short Sightedness
a. what causes the defect
Like long sightedness (hyperopia) this is more likely to occur if it runs in yoru family.
b. the symptoms displayed
Close objects are blurry while ones from far distances aren’t.
c. propose what sort of lens may be used to correct each vision.
Concave lenses are used to correct this vision. This is because the concave lens enlargens the image therefore making it much more easier to see things close up.

1. Describe how optical fibre may be used in medical applications.

Optical fibres are used in a tool called the endoscope. The endoscope contains many thin strands of optical fibres which are then placed inside the patient’s mouth and down to wherever the doctors need to locate and operate. Inside the optical fibres are miniature cameras which show up on a screen the endoscope is linked to. The optical fibres also illuminates the area in close proximity of the fibre , therefore making it much easier to know where to operate.

2. Identify the traditional medical techniques that optical fibres might replace.
Optical fibres can replace the traditional method of putting anaesthetics then cutting open the body or guessing where the infected area might be.

3. Evaluate the benefits of fibre optic technology to medicine.
Optical fibres will make the doctors work for operating the patient more faster and with more accuracy. The patient will feel less painful and not having a mark left somewhere in their body.

• What influences your values about issues relating to your life?

My family and teachers influence my values about issues relating to life. An example of a value would be respect, treating everyone equally. Teachers and my parents would always remind me these following things: respect one another and treat everyone how you want to be treated. Television has also influenced my values. One example of this was a commercial a few years ago, it was about bullying and how it hurt other people. From this commercial, I created another value, “Bullying is bad”.

• Do you ever compare images/values presented by the media to those of the bible? If so why? If not why not?

As an atheist, I do not compare any values present by the media to any passages or scriptures. I do not compare them because I am more or less someone who is most of the time gullible and believes everything I see.

Has this project challenged you to examine your values? Why / Why not

Yes, this project has made me examine my values. This is because as a requirement of the project, we need to critique our news article. On the evaluation section, I need to look at my values and put them on the evaluation. I would not normally look at my values because I do not have the time to think about my values.

In today’s lesson, our class had done the ‘Think, Pair, Share’ activity. This activity requires an individual to list any ideas that appear in their mind when they view the image shown. Then in pairs, discuss each others ideas. After doing so, share your partner’s ideas with another pair and repeat this process for every picture shown.

The actually meanings the pictures referred to was totally different from out views. From the first images, we can see the African people according to our views, poor and homeless. Alongside with the pray Mr Carr read out, we discover that the truth behind the picture is their freedom and happiness. They can do what they want and they don’t feel as if they are poor or missing out on important aspects of life. The other picture, the boy had a PSP and we thought, “Ok, he must be happy because he has a PSP”. The story behind this picture was that he lost his father and his mother is a heroine addict, which makes her unable to look after the little boy. He has moved foster homes many times but he still hopes to have his dad near him.

The final picture shows many people wearing white cone hoods over their heads. This was in fact a festival- like event in Spain celebrated on most Fridays and a happy time for all who attended.  Our class once again jumping into conclusions, thought that this was a group of people who were called the KKK, an evil organisation who killed all black people.

This ‘Think, Pair and Share’ activity I believe will assist PBL vastly and help us to think critically instead of the information and facts being ‘fed’ to us by teachers.

1. Open and read the “How to write a critique” document in the resources menu.
Describe what is a critique.

A critique involves breaking the key points about an article or artwork etc. up and combining them together rather then making final judgements by describing the facts given.

2. Outline the FOUR stages in a critique.

The four stages of a critique include:

• Introduction
• Summary
• Analysis
• Evaulation

The introduction directs the reader ’s attention to the publication and tells you why the issue is important. The summary is about the what, why, how the writer is talking about the issue. In the summary, it is required to give the reader the most important information. The analysis identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the publication providing the reasons why. Gathering up all the positive and negative aspects, you decide the values which are put into the article. This is done in the evaulation section.

3. Can a critique be positive? Discuss.

Critique can be positive. In the evaluation, you could put your positive values about your article or any positive messages you have learnt from the article i.e All well ends well.
4. Critique the accuracy of the following articles:

(I can not complete this section, I am unable to watch these videos.)

Issue 1
1. Name the issue

Tragedy of youth driven to despair by bullying

2. Describe one media account of this issue

Alex is a young boy how has been assaulted on many occasions caused by bullying. He hung himself last Thursday and was found dead on Friday.

3. Where did you get this media account from?

The Daily Telegraph website.

4. Is this media account correct or reliable? Why?

After reading other websites like http://www.bullying.co.uk/feed_archive.aspx, this is certainly correct and had already happened.

5. Where else might you be able to find more information about this issue?

This is a major issue and takes a large amount of space on the Daily Telegraph website. This could have been advertised in many other newspapers including Chinese ones e.g. Sing Tao.

Issue 2

1. Name the issue

Deadbeat Aussie parents hiding in New Zealand

2. Describe one media account of this issue

Many child abusing parents have moved to New Zealand to avoid the Child Support Agency. It has been decided that child abusing parents can not leave Australia until paying the child support debt.

3. Where did you get this media account from?

This is from the Daily Telegraph Website.

4. Is this media account correct or reliable? Why?

Yes, I believe this is a might be a reliable source of information. http://abcnews.go.com/ has this article posted and could be correct.

5. Where else might you be able to find more information about this issue?

The ABC News website has this article.

1. Describe TWO things that you have learnt during this lesson.

I have learnt about how easily the media can manipulate the world. I also have learnt that this project will help me to understand how to avoid getting “tricked” by the media.

2. Identify TWO areas you want to concentrate on during this project that you think need a greater improvement from the last project.

I need to improve my presentation skills as they still need to be polished. I will cooperate with my group and ask for any help that is necessary.

3. Discuss TWO ways in which your group could resolve any disputes during this process.

As long as my group and I are able to complete all our work in the required time, no unnecessary disputes about our work ethic would be made. Any outside disputes should not be taken in classrooms. Therefore these other disputes should be resolved getting an adult’s advice.

1. Has your image of Jesus changed during the project? How or Why not?

Yes, my image of Jesus has changed during the project. This is because of the extra activities that have been happening in conjunction with the project. It has changed my view of who Jesus really is and the way I will present him to the class.

2. What do you feel is the best way to portray an image of Jesus and why?

I feel that the best way to portray Jesus is to use bright colours and symbols to be used as representations. I believe it will look plain just drawing someone as a portrait and should include symbols and bright colours.

3. What have you enjoyed about the project so far and what would you do differently?

The project has been joyous so far, group activities gave us more knowledge about the different art periods. The several interactive activities that have been created acted as templates that could be used later in other presentations. What should be done differently though is the way people work. We should be up to creating our own artworks and not still doing the research.