Final final exam questions 1MA/1

Hey guys. I'm putting these up a couple of days before sending them to the committee. Let me know if you see any mistakes or anything. LAST CHANCE! 

1. Politics and Society

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/us/a-federal-budget-crisis-months-in-the-planning.html?_r=0

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/19406-the-folly-of-empire

http://blogs.reuters.com/india-expertzone/2011/03/02/chinese-investment-in-us-2-trln-and-counting/

1. What is Obamacare, its purpose, and why it's so controversial?

2. What are some reasons given for why the US political system may be failing?

3. Why could America default on its debt and what could be some of the results if it did?

4. Explain what gerrymandering is and its consequences.

5. Can you compare the US to any historical empires?

6. Who do politicians seem to be acting for?

7. How does a system with under 10% survive?

2. Personal Relations

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/09/social-media-internet-porn-teenage-girls

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/mens-lives/201310/ashley-madison-affair-cheating-site

http://www.nextavenue.org/blog/why-your-childhood-crucial-how-youll-age?

1. Has sexting replaced old-fashioned love letters?

2. How have relationships between teens changed in the age of the Internet?

3. Why do people cheat on their partners?

4. What are the stereotypes surrounding cheating women?

5. Do you believe childhood influences one's older life? How?

6. Discuss any different types of parent-child relationships you know.

7. What stereotypes of parent-child relationships do you know?

3. Lifestyle

http://killermartinis.kinja.com/why-i-make-terrible-decisions-or-poverty-thoughts-1450123558

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/millennials-stress_b_2718986.html

http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/01/sitting-is-the-smoking-of-our-generation/

http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/07/texting-exes-social-media-generation.html

1. What different kinds of lifestyle do you know?

2. What factors determine our life choices?

3. Do you believe that your generation is more stressed than previous ones?

4. Why has it been said that sitting is the smoking of our generation?

5. Has technology made it more difficult to make a break from the past? If so, how?

6. What are the elements of a healthy lifestyle?

7. Does one's wealth influence their relationships?

4. Travel and Tourism

http://www.guernicamag.com/features/escape-to-alcatraz/

http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-tourism.htm

1. What is Dark Tourism?

2. What are the motivations and reasons for visiting such places?

3. Would you ever choose to take such a trip? If so, which would you choose and why?

4. Do you think it's educational for children to visit Dark Tourism locations?

5. Discuss the pros and cons of space tourism.

6. Discuss the pros and cons of the commercialization of space.

7. Will space tourism ever become more available to average people and if so, when?

8. Would you like to travel to space?

5. Science and Technology

https://medium.com/p/62d7434aa118

http://www.wired.com/design/2014/01/will-influential-ui-design-minority-report/

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/07/scott-simon-tweeting-death.html?src=longreads

http://theconversation.com/the-linguistic-clues-that-reveal-your-true-twitter-identity-20457

1. What technologies have been featured in movies that then later became part of our lives?

2. How have social networking sites influenced your life?

3. To what extent has technology influenced your life?

4. What consequences may wearable technology have on our lives?

5. What kind of technologies are predicted to become or you'd like to see become a part of our lives?

6. What is trolling and the disinhibition effect?

7. How is our online behavior influenced by our perception of anonymity?

6. Media

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/02/kyiv-ukraine-protests-disaster-porn-103721.html#.UwnYpNsju1E

http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/06/10/the-backfire-effect/

http://rt.com/op-edge/about-liz-wahl-media-wars-126/

http://billmoyers.com/2013/03/25/the-day-that-tv-news-died/

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2013/02/25/surprise-women-are-still-under-represented-in-media/

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/08/redress-ethnic-minority-representation-media

1. What is disaster porn and what is the attraction?

2. Should women be better represented in the media? Why/Why not?

3. Is the media in need of affirmative action programs and should they be instituted?

4. What is the backfire effect? Can you provide an example?

5. Is there censorship in the media? If so describe how it works, if not explain what happened to Phil Donahue.

6. What are the negative consequences of concentration of media ownership?

7. How do you think the media influences young people's lives and opinions?

7. Ethics

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201305/confessions-sociopath?src=longreads

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/the-whistle-blowers-quandary.html

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/06/11/in-nsa-leak-case-a-whistle-blower-or-a-criminal/whistle-blowers-deserve-protection-not-prison

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/opinion/friedman-blowing-a-whistle.html?ref=whistleblowers

http://prospect.org/article/cia-and-moral-sunk-costs-torture-program

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/04/11/224085/cias-use-of-harsh-interrogation.html

1. What are some of the potential causes of sociopathy?

2. Is it easy to recognize a sociopath?

3. How does a sociopath function in society?

4. What does it mean to be a whistleblower?

5. Is torture ever justifiable?

6. Why do people disagree about whether or not whistleblowers are heroes?

7. Why would Edward Snowden seek refuge in Russia?

8. Education

http://nymag.com/news/features/anti-testing-2013-12/

http://www.dallasobserver.com/2013-11-14/news/creationists-last-stand-at-the-state-board-of-education/full/?src=longreads

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/pm-lee--psle-will-be-%E2%80%98scored-differently%E2%80%99--places-to-be-reserved-for-pri-1-141915493.html

1. What are some of the benefits of higher education for society?

2. What are the major reasons cited by first year American university students for attending college?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of standardized testing?

4. Should religious education be obligatory in school?

5. Who should decide what goes into school curricula and textbooks?

6. Should creationism be taught instead of Darwinism? Is there any room for compromise?

7. Is it necessary to test children after every grade? At what age is it reasonable to introduce it?

9. Art and Culture

http://www.cultivatingculture.com/2013/10/31/contemporary-cultural-questions-how-will-technology-continue-to-influence-art/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2514104/How-iPad-art-inspired-76-year-old-David-Hockney.html

http://jezebel.com/instagram-deletes-designers-account-because-of-her-pub-1447051995

1. On what basis should school art classes be assessed and why?

2. What are the possible consequences of removing art and music classes from school curricula?

3. How has technology influenced art?

4. What do you think of performance art? Can you give some examples?

5. What's art? How do you decide what is and isn't art?

6. What's the relation between the creation of a piece of art and the final outcome?

7. Can social protest be art or not?

Final final exam questions 1MA/2

Hey guys. I'm putting this up a couple of days before sending it to the committee. Please let me know if you see any mistakes or anything. LAST CHANCE!

Note - I think I had some of the questions mixed up from 1MA/1, please ensure this list is correct!

ORAL EXAM QUESTIONS 2013/14: GROUP 1MA/2. Teacher: Shane Nahumko

1. Politics and Society

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/us/a-federal-budget-crisis-months-in-the-planning.html?_r=0

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/19406-the-folly-of-empire

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/10/russell-brand-on-revolution

1. What is Obamacare, its purpose, and why it's so controversial?

2. What are some reasons given for why the US political system may be failing?

3. What is the purpose of spin doctors and why are they useful to politicians.?

4. Explain what gerrymandering is and its consequences.

5. Can you compare the US to any historical empires?

6. In whose interest do politicians seem to be acting for?

7. How does a system with under 10% support survive?

2. Personal Relations – Friends/Friendship

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/09/social-media-internet-porn-teenage-girls

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/mens-lives/201310/ashley-madison-affair-cheating-site

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jan/22/the-loneliness-epidemic

1. Has sexting replaced old-fashioned love letters?

2. How have relationships between teens changed in the age of the Internet?

3. Why do people cheat on their partners and is it ever justifiable?

4. What are the stereotypes surrounding cheating women?

5. Are people more lonely now than in the past?

6. What should be done about the loneliness epidemic?

7. Is loneliness only a problem of the elderly or does it affect all age groups?

3. Lifestyle

http://killermartinis.kinja.com/why-i-make-terrible-decisions-or-poverty-thoughts-1450123558

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/24/britains-oldest-fitness-instructor-probably

http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/01/sitting-is-the-smoking-of-our-generation/

http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/07/texting-exes-social-media-generation.html

1. Does technology have an influence on our relationships with our exes?

2. Does money have a bearing on lifestyle choices?

3. Does one's wealth influence their relationships?

4. What are the elements of a healthy lifestyle?

5. Do you believe that your generation is more stressed than previous ones?

6. Do business meetings have to necessarily entail sitting in the office?

4. Travel and Tourism

http://www.guernicamag.com/features/escape-to-alcatraz/

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/travel/03Cover.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

1. What is Dark Tourism?

2. What are some of the motivations or reasons for visiting such places?

3. What are the consequences and outcomes of dark tourism for the places visited?

4. Do you think it's educational for children to visit dark tourism locations?

5. "Some countries open up, others shut down. And some countries have yet to earn their place on the traveler's map." What do you make of this quote?

6. What are the circumstances that make a region particularly dangerous or unpopular among regular tourists?

7. Why is the rewarding feeling of travel only achievable from the perspective of looking back? What do travelers feel at the time of their trip?

5. Science and Technology

https://medium.com/p/62d7434aa118

http://www.wired.com/design/2014/01/will-influential-ui-design-minority-report/

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/07/scott-simon-tweeting-death.html?src=longreads

1. What technologies have been featured in movies that have become or may become a part of our lives?

2. How has the boundary between our public and private lives become blurred by social networking sites?

3. To what extent has technology influenced your life?

4. What are some of the negative consequences of wearable technology?

5. What kind of technologies are predicted to become or you'd like to see become a part of our lives?

6. "Necessity is the mother of all inventions" - Does this proverb apply to today's technology?

6. Media

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/02/kyiv-ukraine-protests-disaster-porn-103721.html#.UwnYpNsju1E

http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/06/10/the-backfire-effect/

http://rt.com/op-edge/about-liz-wahl-media-wars-126/

http://billmoyers.com/2013/03/25/the-day-that-tv-news-died/

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2013/02/25/surprise-women-are-still-under-represented-in-media/

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/08/redress-ethnic-minority-representation-media

1. Is the image of any particular event presented in the same way in the media all over the world?

2. What media sources do you trust for getting information?

3. What are the negative consequences of concentration of media ownership?

4. How do you think the media influences people's lives and opinions?

5. Do Disney movies set a bad example for young girls?

6. Are women objectified in the media?

7. What is the backfire effect and could you give an example?

7. Ethics

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201305/confessions-sociopath?src=longreads

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/the-whistle-blowers-quandary.html

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/06/11/in-nsa-leak-case-a-whistle-blower-or-a-criminal/whistle-blowers-deserve-protection-not-prison

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/opinion/friedman-blowing-a-whistle.html?ref=whistleblowers

http://prospect.org/article/cia-and-moral-sunk-costs-torture-program

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/04/11/224085/cias-use-of-harsh-interrogation.html

1. Should sociopaths be forced to get treatment?

2. What are some of the causes of sociopathy?

3. How do you recognize a sociopath?

4. Is torture ever justifiable?

5. Do you see yourself as more a moral absolutist or consequentialist?

6. Would you bend your moral beliefs if someone close to you was in mortal danger?

7. Is whistleblowing morally right or is it wrong?

8. Education

http://nymag.com/news/features/anti-testing-2013-12/

http://www.dallasobserver.com/2013-11-14/news/creationists-last-stand-at-the-state-board-of-education/full/?src=longreads

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/derek-bok-on-policymakers--misconceptions-of-the-role-of-higher-learning#J4s8H6WkUWr0wQfV.99

1. Is standardized testing a valid way of measuring young students' progress?

2. Who should decide about book contents/school curricula?

3. Does religion have a place in the classroom?

4. How do you feel about Singapore's system of streaming student at an early age?

5. Is the role of higher education to create employees or creative thinkers?

6. Are university quotas a good idea?

9. Art and Culture

http://www.boston.com/yourcampus/news/wellesley/2014/02/realistic_statue_of_man_in_his_underwear_at_wellesley_college_sparks_controversy.html

http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development

1. On what basis should art classes be assessed and why?

2. Do you consider yourself an artistic person?

3. Can anyone be an artist?

4. What is your definition of art and what are the basic functions of art?

5. Can street art be considered genuine art?

6. Should art classes be removed from school curriculums? If so, what are some possible consequences, if not what benefits could they provide?

7. Should art serve a social purpose?

Extra articles

Ethics #7, Snowden/Russia - http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-officials-scrambling-to-nab-snowden-hoped-he-would-take-a-wrong-step-he-didnt/2014/06/14/057a1ed2-f1ae-11e3-bf76-447a5df6411f_story.html?hpid=z1

Education/Standardized testing - http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/28_03/edit2283.shtml

Lifestyle/Millenials - http://www.upworthy.com/i-want-to-understand-why-all-these-millennials-are-so-lazy-but-i-cant-seem-to-find-the-lazy-ones?c=ufb2

Lifestyle/Sitting - http://nymag.com/health/bestdoctors/2014/sitting-down-2014-6/ 

Politics/Obamacare - http://documentarystorm.com/sicko/

Politics/system failing - http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/07/the-13-reasons-washington-is-failing/

Politics #6/politicians - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/call-time-congressional-fundraising_n_2427291.html

Politics #6 - http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/04/04/think-money-doesnt-matter-in-elections-this-chart-says-youre-wrong/

Politics/responsiveness - http://billmoyers.com/2014/04/21/government-protection-racket-for-the-1-percent/

Politics/ #3 1MA/2 spin doctors - http://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jan/16/naomi-klein-branding-obama-america

Politics #3 1MA/1 debt - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqvKjsIxT_8

Politics/ #4 gerrymandering - http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-december-10-2013/american-horrible-story---gerrymandering 

Politics #7 - http://www.gallup.com/poll/165809/congressional-approval-sinks-record-low.aspx

More - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mky11UJb9AY

Technology/future tech - http://www.lasvegassun.com/vegasdeluxe/2014/jan/07/ces-2014-gadgets-sony-valve-lg-4k/

1MA/1 Final Exam Questions - Will be updated

Politics

1. What is Obamacare, its purpose, and why it's so controversial?
2. What are some reasons given for why the US political system may be failing?
3. Why could America default on its debt and what could be some of the results if it did?
4. Explain what gerrymandering is and its consequences.
5. Can you compare the US to any historical empires?
6. Who do politicians seem to be acting for?
7. How does a system with under 10% survive?

Personal Relations

1. Has sexting replaced old-fashioned love letters?
2. How have relationships between teens changed in the age of the Internet?
3. Why do people cheat on their partners?
4. What are the stereotypes surrounding cheating women?
5. Do you believe childhood influences one's older life? How?
6. Discuss any different types of parent-child relationships you know.
7. What stereotypes of parent-child relationships do you know?

Lifestyle

1. What different kinds of lifestyle do you know?
2. What factors determine our life choices?
3. Do you believe that your generation is more stressed than previous ones?
4. Why has it been said that sitting is the smoking of our generation?
5. Has technology made it more difficult to make a break from the past? If so, how?
6. What are the elements of a healthy lifestyle?
7. Does one's wealth influence their relationships?

Travel and Tourism

1. What is Dark Tourism?
2. What are the motivations and reasons for visiting such places?
3. Would you ever choose to take such a trip? If so, which would you choose and why?
4. Do you think it's educational for children to visit Dark Tourism locations?
5. Discuss the pros and cons of space tourism.
6. Discuss the pros and cons of the commercialization of space.
7. Will space tourism ever become more available to average people and if so, when?
8. Would you like to travel to space?

Technology

1. What technologies have been featured in movies that then later became part of our lives?
2. How have social networking sites influenced your life?
3. To what extent has technology influenced your life?
4. What consequences may wearable technology have on our lives?
5. What kind of technologies are predicted to become or you'd like to see become a part of our lives?
6. What is trolling and the disinhibition effect?
7. How is our online behavior influenced by our perception of anonymity?

Media

1. What is disaster porn and what is the attraction?
2. Should women be better represented in the media? Why/Why not?
3. Is the media in need of affirmative action programs and should they be instituted?
4. What is the backfire effect? Can you provide an example?
5. Is there censorship in the media? If so describe how it works, if not explain what happened to Phil Donahue.
6. What are the negative consequences of concentration of media ownership?
7. How do you think the media influences young people's lives and opinions?

Ethics

1. What are some of the potential causes of sociopathy?
2. Is it easy to recognize a sociopath?
3. How does a sociopath function in society?
4. What does it mean to be a whistleblower?
5. Is torture ever justifiable?
6. Why do people disagree about whether or not whistleblowers are heroes?
7. Why would Edward Snowden seek refuge in Russia?

Education

1. What are some of the benefits of higher education for society?
2. What are the major reasons cited by first year American university students for attending college?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of standardized testing?
4. Should religious education be obligatory in school?
5. Who should decide what goes into school curricula and textbooks?
6. Should creationism be taught instead of Darwinism? Is there any room for compromise?
7. Is it necessary to test children after every grade? At what age is it reasonable to introduce it? 

Art and Culture

1. On what basis should school art classes be assessed and why?
2. What are the possible consequences of removing art and music classes from school curricula?
3. How has technology influenced art?
4. What do you think of performance art? Can you give some examples?
5. What's art? How do you decide what is and isn't art?
6. What's the relation between the creation of a piece of art and the final outcome?
7. Can social protest be art or not?

1MA/2 Final Exam Questions - Will be updated

1MA/2

Politics

1. What is Obamacare, its purpose, and why it's so controversial?
2. What are some reasons given for why the US political system may be failing?
3. What is the purpose of spin doctors and why are they useful to politicians.?
4. Explain what gerrymandering is and its consequences.
5. Can you compare the US to any historical empires?
6. In whose interest do politicians seem to be acting for?
7. How does a system with under 10% support survive?

Personal Relations

1. Has sexting replaced old-fashioned love letters?
2. How have relationships between teens changed in the age of the Internet?
3. Why do people cheat on their partners and is it ever justifiable?
4. What are the stereotypes surrounding cheating women?
5. Are people more lonely now than in the past?
6. What should be done about the loneliness epidemic?
7. Is loneliness only a problem of the elderly or does it affect all age groups?

Lifestyle

1. Does technology have an influence on our relationships with our exes?

2. Does money have a bearing on lifestyle choices?

3. Does one's wealth influence their relationships?

4. What are the elements of a healthy lifestyle?

5. Do you believe that your generation is more stressed than previous ones?

6. Do business meetings have to necessarily entail sitting in the office?

Tourism

1. What is Dark Tourism?
2. What are some of the motivations or reasons for visiting such places?
3. What are the consequences and outcomes of dark tourism for the places visited?
4. Do you think it's educational for children to visit dark tourism locations?
5. "Some countries open up, others shut down. And some countries have yet to earn their place on the traveler's map." What do you make of this quote?
6. What are the circumstances that make a region particularly dangerous or unpopular among regular tourists?
7. Why is the rewarding feeling of travel only achievable from the perspective of looking back? What do travelers feel at the time of their trip?

Technology

1. What technologies have been featured in movies that have become or may become a part of our lives?
2. How has the boundary between our public and private lives become blurred by social networking sites?
3. To what extent has technology influenced your life?
4. What are some of the negative consequences of wearable technology?
5. What kind of technologies are predicted to become or you'd like to see become a part of our lives?
6. "Necessity is the mother of all inventions" - Does this proverb apply to today's technology?

Media

1. Is the image of any particular event presented in the same way in the media all over the world?
2. What media sources do you trust for getting information?
3. What are the negative consequences of concentration of media ownership?
4. How do you think the media influences people's lives and opinions?
5. Do Disney movies set a bad example for young girls?
6. Are women objectified in the media?
7. What is the backfire effect and could you give an example?

Ethics

1. Should sociopaths be forced to get treatment?
2. What are some of the causes of sociopathy?
3. How do you recognize a sociopath?
4. Is torture ever justifiable?
5. Do you see yourself as more a moral absolutist or consequentialist?
6. Would you bend your moral beliefs if someone close to you was in mortal danger?
7. Is whistleblowing morally right or is it wrong?

Education

1. Is standardized testing a valid way of measuring young students' progress?
2. Who should decide about book contents/school curricula?
3. Does religion have a place in the classroom?
4. How do you feel about Singapore's system of streaming student at an early age?
5. Is the role of higher education to create employees or creative thinkers?
6. Are university quotas a good idea?

Art and Culture

1. On what basis should art classes be assessed and why?
2. Do you consider yourself an artistic person?
3. Can anyone be an artist?
4. What is your definition of art and what are the basic functions of art?
5. Can street art be considered genuine art?
6. Should art classes be removed from school curriculums? If so, what are some possible consequences, if not what benefits could they provide?
7. Should art serve a social purpose?

Art and Culture Final Exam Questions

1MA/2

1. On what basis should art classes be assessed and why?
2. Do you consider yourself an artistic person?
3. Can anyone be an artist?
4. What is your definition of art and what are the basic functions of art?
5. Can street art be considered genuine art?
6. Should art classes be removed from school curriculums? If so, what are some possible consequences, if not what benefits could they provide?
7. Should art serve a social purpose?

1MA/1

1. On what basis should art classes be assessed and why?
2. What are the possible consequences of removing art and music classes from school curriculums?
3. How has technology influenced art?
4. What do you think of performance art? Can you give some examples?
5. What's art? How do you decide what is and isn't art?
6. What's the relation between the creation of a piece of art and the final outcome?
7. Will digitized art soon be preferred to more tradional works of art?
8. Can social protest be art or not?

Art and Culture 2

Hey guys, in the spirit of better late than never, here are your articles:

1MA/1 - http://jezebel.com/instagram-deletes-designers-account-because-of-her-pub-1447051995

1MA/2 - http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development

Art and Culture

Hey everyone. When you've decided on an article to focus on next week, please send it to me and I'll put it up here. In addition to your presentation (which should be around half the class, I'd like you all to start looking at all the final exam questions and to come up with suggestions for alterations/eliminations/additions. Please try to come up with a replacement if you want to delete something...

1MA/2 article - http://www.boston.com/yourcampus/news/wellesley/2014/02/realistic_statue_of_man_in_his_underwear_at_wellesley_college_sparks_controversy.html

1MA/1 articles - http://www.cultivatingculture.com/2013/10/31/contemporary-cultural-questions-how-will-technology-continue-to-influence-art/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2514104/How-iPad-art-inspired-76-year-old-David-Hockney.html

Lifestyle final exam questions

Hey guys. Here are the lifestyle questions for both classes. Do me a favor and look at both and decide which you'd like to add and swap. Ideally we should have about seven for each.

1MA/2

1. Does technology have an influence on our relationships with our exes?

2. Does money have a bearing on lifestyle choices?

3. Does one's wealth influence their relationships?

4. What are the elements of a healthy lifestyle?

5. Do you believe that your generation is more stressed than previous ones?

6. Do business meetings have to necessarily entail sitting in the office?

1MA/1
1. What different kinds of lifestyle do you know?
2. What factors determine our life choices?
3. Do you believe that your generation is more stressed than previous ones?
4. Why has it been said that sitting is the smoking of our generation?
5. Has technology made it more difficult to make a break from the past? If so, how?

Education final exam questions

Here are the education questions discussed in class. Please have a look at both classes questions as we can mix and match between or even just come up with completely new ones (1MA/2 in particular).

1MA/2
1. Is standardized testing a valid way of measuring young students' progress?
2. Who should decide about book contents/school curricula?
3. Does religion have a place in the classroom?
4. How do you feel about Singapore's system of streaming student at an early age?
5. Is the role of higher education to create employees or creative thinkers?
6. Are university quotas a good idea?

1MA/1
1. What are some of the benefits of higher education for society?
2. What are the major reasons cited by first year American university students for attending college?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of standardized testing?
4. Should religious education be obligatory in school?
5. Can you discuss some of the American governments educational initiatives over the last decade?
6. Should creationism be taught instead of Darwinism? Is there any room for compromise?
7. Is it necessary to test children after every grade? At what age is it reasonable to introduce it?

Education 3

Hey guys, different articles for the 2 classes:
1MA/2 - http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/derek-bok-on-policymakers--misconceptions-of-the-role-of-higher-learning#J4s8H6WkUWr0wQfV.99
1MA/1 - https://sg.news.yahoo.com/pm-lee--psle-will-be-%E2%80%98scored-differently%E2%80%99--places-to-be-reserved-for-pri-1-141915493.html

As mentioned I'd like you guys to be not only prepared to make exam questions for education but also for lifestyle and to give some feedback on all the questions, so please, have a look. See you Tuesday (or maybe Friday at Troche Kultury!)

Education II

Hey guys,

First, here's your article for Tuesday:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2013-11-14/news/creationists-last-stand-at-the-state-board-of-education/full/?src=longreads

Next, I took a look at the university schedule and it looks like we have classes all the way until June 15th. Please correct me if I'm wrong, I got the info from here:
http://international.amu.edu.pl/home/home/calendar

If this is in fact true that means we have 6 classes left and therefore lots of time to do 2 more on education and then 2 on Arts and Culture and still have 2 classes to practice final exam questions. Please think about what the classes are going to look like for those Arts and Culture classes; if you prefer to do your presentation on education, you need to let me know this Tuesday. See you all then.

Education

Hey guys. A little different for this week. Of course there's an article for you to read: http://nymag.com/news/features/anti-testing-2013-12/

However, I'd also like you to read this Polish article so you can explain it to me!
http://wyborcza.pl/magazyn/1,137770,15785276,Polska__fabryka_korposzczurow.html?fb_action_ids=10202362660480939&fb_action_types=og.likes
Do watch the last video!

See you Tuesday!

Ethics - Final Exam Questions

1MA/2

1. Should sociopaths be forced to get treatment?
2. What are some of the causes of sociopathy?
3. How do you recognize a sociopath?
4. Is torture ever justifiable?
5. Do you see yourself as more a moral absolutist or consequentialist?
6. Would you bend your moral beliefs if someone close to you was in mortal danger?
7. Is whistleblowing morally right or is it wrong?

1MA/1

1. What are some of the potential causes of sociopathy?
2. Is it easy to recognize a sociopath?
3. How does a sociopath function in society?
4. What does it mean to be a whistleblower?
5. Is torture ever justifiable?
6. Why do people disagree about whether or not whistleblowers are heroes?
7. Why would Edward Snowden seek refuge in Russia?

Ethics 3

Hey everyone. Sorry for the late posting, but I've been informed that I will most likely be observed this week so I need you to read something before class. If you could take a look at these two articles as well as be prepared to discuss final exam questions for the ethics topic I'd appreciate it. See you Tuesday.

http://prospect.org/article/cia-and-moral-sunk-costs-torture-program

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/04/11/224085/cias-use-of-harsh-interrogation.html

Oh, and maybe this, in case you didn't read anything about it, or, more likely, it wasn't even reported in the Polish press - http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/the-hidden-history-of-the-cias-prison-in-poland/2014/01/23/b77f6ea2-7c6f-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html

Ethics II

Hey guys, I'd like you to read three short articles for Tuesday's class:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/the-whistle-blowers-quandary.html http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/06/11/in-nsa-leak-case-a-whistle-blower-or-a-criminal/whistle-blowers-deserve-protection-not-prison
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/opinion/friedman-blowing-a-whistle.html?ref=whistleblowers
The last one is fro the mustache of wisdom himself so be careful.

If you've never seen Collateral Murder, it's not a bad idea if you've got the time - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0
Or read something like this - http://roarmag.org/2014/04/collateral-murder-the-conscience-of-chelsea-manning/


  

Ethics

As discussed when we met last, we're skipping the Business and Finance section as the class will be preparing the Art and Culture lessons. Than means this week it's Ethics. Here's your article: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201305/confessions-sociopath?src=longreads

Mock Exams

Hey guys. First here's a nice little read about the staging of the RT resignation. Remember 'neocon' is shorthand for people who prefer to control the world with bombs (as opposed to neoliberals who control through debt). - https://www.truthdig.com/report/item/how_cold_war-hungry_neocons_stage_managed_liz_wahls_resignation_20140319

Anyway, on to bigger and better things. This Tuesday will be mock exams for both classes beginning at 9:45. My suggestion is for 1MA/2s to go first, so please be there a bit early. Feel free to arrange amongst yourselves on the order you all appear. Below, I'll put the names of students I'm expecting along with the topic you will be asked. If you want to change topics or if you will be absent, please let me know. Below the list I'll repost the exam questions where you'll notice, as Aneta pointed out, we seem to be missing Lifestyle questions. Can we work on that together please? Plus let me know if you see any mistakes or have suggestions for question changes.

(Apologies for any spelling errors, trying to read off the list)

Katarzyna Kupczak - Technology (1MA/1)
Hubert Pyrek - Politics
Marek Kupkowski - Media
Katarzyna Wolrowska - Relationships
Martyna Magier - Travel

Krysia Kulak - Technology
Jakub Dekier - Politics
Joanna Cieslak - Relationships
Michal Rogowski - Media
Iza Michniewska - Personal Relations
Aneta Wawrowska - Tourism

Politics (both classes)

1. What is Obamacare and what is its purpose?
2. Why is Obamacare so controversial?
3. What are some reasons given for why the US political system is failing?
4. Why could America default on its debt and what could be some of the results if it did?
5. Explain either the term gerrymandering or fillibuster and what their consequences are.
6. Can you compare the US to any historical empires?
7. Who do politicians seem to be acting for?
8. How does a system with 5% support survive?
9. Is Tanner's theory of societal collapse relevant in any way today?

Personal Relations

1MA/1

1. Has sexting replaced old-fashioned love letters?
2. How have relationships between teens changed in the age of the Internet?
3. Why do people cheat on their partners?
4. What are the stereotypes surrounding cheating women?
5. Do you believe childhood influences one's older life? How?
6. Discuss any different types of parent-child relationships you know.
7. What stereotypes of parent-child relationships do you know?

1MA/2

1. Has sexting replaced old-fashioned love letters?
2. How have relationships between teens changed in the age of the Internet?
3. Why do people cheat on their partners?
4. What are the stereotypes surrounding cheating women?
5. Is cheating ever justifiable?
6. Are people more lonely now than in the past?
7. What should be done about the loneliness epidemic?
8. Loneliness versus lonely. Young and old   (I can't remember how we worded this one exactly).  

Tourism

1MA/1

1. What is Dark Tourism?
2. What are the motivations and reasons for visiting such places?
3. Would you ever choose to take such a trip? If so, which would you choose and why?
4. Do you think it's educational for children to visit Dark Tourism locations?
5. Discuss the pros and cons of space tourism.
6. Discuss the pros and cons of the commercialization of space.
7. Will space tourism ever become more available to average people and if so, when?
8. Would you like to travel to space?

1MA/2

1. What is Dark Tourism?
2. What are some of the motivations or reasons for visiting such places?
3. What are the consequences and outcomes of dark tourism for the places visited and people visiting?
4. Do you think it's educational for children to visit dark tourism locations?
5. "Some countries open up, others shut down. And some countries have yet to earn their place on the traveler's map." What do you make of this quote?
6. What are the circumstances that make a region particularly dangerous or unpopular among regular tourists?
7. Why is the rewarding feeling of travel only achievable from the perspective of looking back? What do travelers feel at the time of their trip?

Technology

1MA/1

1. What technologies have been featured in movies that have become or may become a part of our lives?
2. How have social networking sites influenced your life?
3. To what extent has technology influenced your life?
4. What consequences may wearable technology have on our lives?
5. What kind of technologies are predicted to become or you'd like to see become a part of our lives?
6. What is trolling and the disinhibition effect?
7. How is our online behavior influenced by our perception of anonymity?
8. discuss some egregiously morbid sings of our times.

1MA/2

1. What technologies have been featured in movies that have become or may become a part of our lives?
2. How has the boundary between our public and private lives become blurred by social networking sites?
3. To what extent has technology influenced your life?
4. What are some of the negative consequences of wearable technology?
5. What kind of technologies are predicted to become or you'd like to see become a part of our lives? 

Media

1MA/1

1. What is disaster porn and what is the attraction?
2. Should women be better represented in the media? Why/Why not?
3. Is the media in need of affirmative action programs and should they be instituted?
4. What is the backfire effect? Can you provide an example?
5. Is there censorship in the media? If so describe how it works, if not explain what happened to Phil Donahue.
6. What are the negative consequences of concentration of media ownership?
7. How do you think the media influences young people's lives and opinions?

1MA/2

1. Is the image of one particular event presented in the same way in the media all over the world?
2. Is the mainstream media a reliable source of information?
3. What are the negative consequences of concentration of media ownership?
4. Compare and contrast the experience of Phil Donahue and Liz Wahl.
5. How do you think the media influences young people's lives and opinions?
6. Do Disney movies set a bad example for young girls?
7. Are women objectified in the media?
8. What is the blowback effect and give an example?