In-Class Blog 2/27

Different Kinds of Evidence

1. Primary sources focuses more on firsthand information and allows for individual opinion/facts to be expressed. Secondary sources express more of society or a big group's opinion.
2. When one is using testimony to appeal to logos, pathos, or ethos one has the power to manipulate and exaggerate their story to appeal to the rhetorical strategy of their choice.
3. This is helpful because it puts students who attend a similar institution in the same category and helps them relate with other students instead of isolating them.
4. Anecdotal is reliable to an extent. you can talk about your story all you want but it will not be enough to persuade the audience. At one point you will need proof or another type of evidence to support your claim.
5. Facts: samples, survey, and statistics can be taken from larger classes and smaller classes and juxtaposed to prove that larger classes decrease student engagement and satisfaction. Comparison/analogy: Students' performance in larger and smaller classes can be compared between the two. Anecdotal Evidence: A person can share a personal experience from when they attended both types of class sizes. Testimony: An interview with someone

Organizing a Proposal Argument

1. Students do not require extra additional resources to ensure rhetorical brilliance but it is essential that they have a solid foundation in rhetoric in order to be successful.

WP#2 Part 3 Blog Due 2/26

Depression among college freshman is a major issue that needs to be brought out of the shadows and made known among society. The transition between high school and college and from home to living with a stranger in a dorm is not always a smooth one. Depression can be caused by many factors. Homesickness, in my opinion, is one of the major causes. Living in a dorm and interacting with strangers all the time can bring about a feeling of nothingness and absence. Another main cause for despondency amid first year students is balancing one’s social life with school. By this I mean trying to meet new people and establishing connections while having a solid performance in school. The pressure with doing both can get the best of us sometimes, whether we like it or not. In addition, another cause for depression is culture shock. The college environment is unlike any other, and if you come from a small town or another country you will be in for a big surprise. I definitely noticed it, and I am sure many other freshmen also did. Depression has many causes and greatly affects undergraduate students.

            I have experienced a little bit of unhappiness myself during my time here, and I firmly believe that if my Community Assistant and Peer Mentor were trained to address this matter I would be comfortable going to them for advice and consolation. For many, it is much easier to open up to people who are around their same age, which is why I believe not very many college students seek assistance from the counseling department at Health Services. Because Community Assistants and Peer Mentors literally live a few feet away from us it would be so much more convenient and accessible for us dorm residents to go to them whenever we see necessary if they had the proper training and certification.  

Since Residential Hall Association is involved in managing university housing, they would serve as my ideal audience for my proposal. RHA is deeply involved with student life at the dormitories so they would understand how big of an impact this would have on first year students here at Arizona State University. Their purpose is to improve the overall experience for college freshman and adding this service would only have even more of a positive impact on dorm residents.

In the past there have been suicides here on campus and it is simply unacceptable that suicide after suicide there are not further precautions and concerns being taken into account. I cannot imagine being a parent of an ASU student receiving a phone call saying my child has caused self-inflicted injuries because of depression. What would that say about Arizona State University as an educational institution? I love my school and I am happy to be attending here, and I would like to see everyone else around me also cheerful and optimistic. After all, college is a major stepping stone in life and if ASU can do something as simple as providing guidance to Community Assistants as to how to deal with their resident’s depression there is no reason why they should not take action.

WP #2 Part 2 Blog Due 2/26

     Depression is something that is very common among society, and even more prevalent in a college setting, especially in a large institution like Arizona State University. Community Assistants, Peer Mentors, and dorm residents are all here for the same purpose- attend school and adjust to college, all while developing a strong relationship in the dorm community. Because the issue I am addressing pertains to college freshman living in the dormitories on campus, the ideal audience for my proposal would be Residential Hall Association. As stated on their website, RHA is “student-run organization here on campus. We seek to create the greatest residential experience here on the Tempe campus. Every resident is a member of RHA. We are here for all 7,000 residents, and provide for them through our four pillars: Leadership Development, Advocacy, Programming, and Regional Involvement” (“What Is RHA?”). 

     RHA is in charge with a great part concerning student housing on campus, so if anyone, they are the go-to organization when it comes to bringing forth this issue. Once the issue has been brought to the attention of Residential Hall Association, they would know where to go from there. Residential Hall Association is also in charge of selecting Community Assistants and Peer Mentors, which is extremely helpful, as they would be familiar with the duties of a CA and what can be done concerning college depression. 

WORKS CITED

 
"What Is RHA?" ASU RHA. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.

WP#2 Part 1-Blog Due 2/26

One of the main things we, as a society, aim towards is furthering our education by attending a post-secondary institution. There are several aspects that come along with this process: there are applications and scholarships to be filled out, colleges and universities to be visiting, and finally selecting the ideal school for you and ultimately attending it. Wherever that school may be located, one thing is for certain- one will endure an abounding amount of new experiences. One of the main and most difficult experiences a college student will encounter throughout their journey through college is depression.

At one point, perhaps during the first month of school or finals week, college students will go through a phase of despondency, especially as freshman. As stated in the scientific journal “Depression and Related Problems in University Students” by researchers Field, Diego, Pelaez, Deeds, and Delgado, “The incidence of depression in university students is not only increasing in foreign countries but also in the U.S. In a 2005 national survey of college counseling center directors, 86% reported an increase in severe psychological problems including depression (Gallagher et al, 2005). This increasing incidence is problematic given that Major Depression Disorder in adulthood has its first onset during or shortly before college age (Kessler et al, 2005) (Field et al. 194). Not only does Major Depression Disorder begin displaying its symptoms in people in their late teens and early twenties, that also happens to be the approximate ages people move out from home to attend college. As stated in Maclean’s Canadian news magazine, “In preliminary findings from an unpublished study involving several U.S. schools, Cornell psychologist Janis Whitlock found 7.5 per cent of students who started university with no history of mental illness developed some symptoms. About five per cent who did have a previous history of mental illness saw symptoms increase while at university. She says, ‘there's probably never been a more complicated time to be growing up than right now’” (Lunau). The studies show it, we have experienced it, the problem is apparent; depression is prevalent among college freshman.

Perhaps a closer look at the causes of college depression will help us better understand the issue and what can be done about it. Moving from the comfort of your home and adjusting to a foreign city and living in a diminutive dormitory unquestionably has an impact mentally and physically. For some, this transition is easier than for others. Based on my personal experience at Arizona State University and the interactions I have had with other freshman during my time attending this institution, I have received mixed responses. However, I have noticed that a large part of the freshman population has experienced homesickness at one point or another since their move to Tempe. Because the move is so recent and our life is changing so rapidly, I believe depression affects college freshman the most.

Furthermore, another cause for college depression is culture shock. In addition to being homesick, college culture is different than everything else out there in the world. Upon my arrival to ASU I was astounded as to how, in a sense, college students are secluded from the rest of society. As mentioned in a research paper in the scientific journal Education for Health: Change in Learning & Practice, “Students living in university residences everywhere experience frail living conditions, being away from their homes and families, due to the stress of studies and absence of readily available guidance for academic and non-academic problems” (Shaikh and Deschamps vol. 19). In addition to Shaikh and Deschamps’ observations, college students face the pressure of developing a social life and being accepted among everyone else, all while doing well in school. With all of these burdens one cannot help but break at one point. Being in college is difficult, and being able to handle everything is even more laborious.

Depression brings about nothing but bad repercussions, as it is detrimental to our health and, in some cases, may even cause death. Moreover, depression causes sleep disturbances. If a student is not getting the ideal amount of sleep a day it will eventually affect his or her performance in school, in addition to mood swings and a poor diet. Also proven in Education for Health: Change in Learning & Practice, “Isolation, fatigue, stress, depression, and difficulties in coping with day-to-day problems are frequent notions associated with student populations. Lack of balanced diet is often related to difficulty in managing time and finances while living in university residences (Shaikh and Deschamps vol. 19). This is not the way to start college, and much less the way for someone to be living their life.

To my knowledge, Arizona State University has taken matters into their own hands to help solve and eradicate this issue. There are counseling services offered at Health Services in each of the four campuses, along with medication and psychotherapy sessions. In addition to counseling, Arizona State University offers a vast amount of student activities and clubs that students may choose to become involved in. While these courtesies are greatly appreciated and helpful to an extent, not very many people actually take advantage of these services. Many times freshman are not very familiar with the campus, they do not know counseling is even offered, or they simply cannot afford it.

There are multiple solutions to prevent and diminish depression among college freshman. One solution would be to advertise the amenities Health Services has to offer a little more. A good way to do that would be to send a massive email to new coming freshman and post informative posters around the dormitories. Another possible solution could be that ASU could sponsor counselors about twice a month to come to the lounges at the dorms and students could have a session with them at no cost. However, the solution that I believe would be the most effective would be to train Community Assistants in counseling and how to deal with depression. From personal experience, I feel much more comfortable talking to someone around my age about my problems and dilemmas rather than an adult. If Community Assistants were qualified to deal with these types of issues I believe this would dramatically decrease the amount of college depression among college freshman at Arizona State University. 

Works Cited 

JEANNETTE DELGADO, et al. "Depression And Related Problems In University Students." College          Student Journal 46.1 (2012): 193-202. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Feb. 2013.

 "THE BROKEN GENERATION. (Cover Story)." Maclean's 125.35 (2012): 54-58. Academic       Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.

 Shaikh, Babar, and Jean-Pierre Deschamps. "Life In A University Residence: Issues,               Concerns And Responses." Education For Health: Change In Learning & Practice (Taylor     & Francis Ltd) 19.1 (2006): 43-51. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Feb. 2013.

WP# 2 Proposal Idea

My proposal idea is to raise awareness as to the gap in school funding between the high school I attended and the rest of the high schools around the state that are granted more money. This gap in funding has several reprecussions and ultimately affects the students who attend this school when they go on to attend a post-secondary institution, as we are at a disadvantage.

In-Class Response to Buffington's 'When Teachers Aren't Nice: bell hooks and Feminist Pedagogy' (CONTINUED)

QUESTIONS
3. Does feminist teaching have a different effect/impact on female versus male students?
4. Do you believe feminist teaching makes a classroom more real?
5. Because female instructors have a special power, does this make females better teachers?

QUOTES
" In short, we can't turn the classroom into a classwomb. And we shouldn't even try." (5)
" I won't go so far as to say I'm never nice in class, or to pretend that my students are all afraid of me. But I will say,with bell hooks, that power and authority do belong in the feminist classroom. That conflict and struggle are vital parts of revolutionary feminist pedagogy." (12)


From the moment I attended my first university lecture I noticed an extensive difference between my high school teachers and university professors. In high school I established strong connections with my teachers and got to know them considerably well. However, now that I am in college I feel like I am not as comfortable communicating with my instructors. I think this is a result of large class sizes and professors' availability. Coming from a high school with a student body of 1,100, it is definitely intimidating to ask a question or make a comment in a class with 450 students. Going back to the bonds between my high school teachers and myself, they tended to make themselves available A LOT. Of course, this is nearly impossible for a university professor to do, as their schedules are much more straining than back in high school. As a student, this change has been a little bit of a challenge, for it has been somewhat of a culture shock as well. As my freshman year begins winding down, I am forcing myself to this deal with this difference and get used to it as soon as possible.

Looking from Multiple Perspectives

STEP ONE: IDENTIFYING STAKEHOLDERS: In order to write a successful proposal, you need to you need to examine multiple perspectives: you’ll want to represent as many people’s interests as possible as you describe your problem and solution, and you’ll want to understand your resisting audience’s inclinations as you pitch your solution.

For the following arguments, identify different people who are involved in the issue,  people who are directly impacted by the problem posed, people who officiate the policies involved, people who have legitimate concerns or investments in the conversation, or other kinds of stakeholders. 

·      McKemy Junior High must reconsider its decision to cut music programs.

a. students and music teachers

b. school board and McKemy Junior High principal

c. State government

* ASU’s dry campus policy is injurious to the students and should be amended.

a. ASU students and their parents

b. local authority

c. school board

* I propose that the ASU adopts a stricter campus security in order to keep vagrants and other potentially dangerous individuals off the school grounds.

a. students and their parents

b. school board/people in charge of budgeting and distribution of funds

c.Tempe and ASU Police

STEP TWO: Develop Context: how do these stakeholders interact with one another? Do they have the same interests, attitudes, or ideas? What do they agree on and what do they disagree on? Pick one of the debates from the first page and develop a profile for each stakeholder: what are their commonly held values, objectives, or beliefs? What kinds of information or experiences get factored into their decisions?

#1 ASU students and their parent's main priorities are to receive an education and safety. If campus security were to increase, that would probably mean that tuition would rise. This would definitely affect their decisions. If tuition would have to increase, students and their parents would perhaps discuss alternative ways to increase personal safety.

#2 The school board's mission is to make ASU an ideal institution that everyone wants to attend. When deciding what college/university to attend, safety plays a huge role. Increasing ASU's security would mean increasing the university's budget or cut funding from other programs and areas. Depending on how important the school board sees safety versus other projects and programs, this could decide whether increasing safety would be the best way to spend the school's funds.

#3 Tempe and ASU Police's mission is to maintain a safe environment and take active action to keep control and conserve peace at ASU and around the community. An increase in ASU security would be beneficial to the police departments, as this would create new jobs. Because this would benefit the students of ASU and the police department, I think this proposal would be taken seriously.

STEP THREE: Research: What would be the best method to represent or address these perspectives in a proposal essay?

#1 The best method to address this proposal would be to meet with the school's president and go from there, as to where this proposal should be directed for it to be considered.

#2 If the school board were to address this concern and make this proposal, they would probably send a letter to the state's department of education explaining the situation and the benefits if the department of education took action.

#3 Because increasing security would create jobs and expand the police department, I believe Tempe Police would be the ones who bring this proposal to the table by describing how both organizations would benefit if this proposal were to go into effect.