Thursday, March 12, 2020

Can Undocumented Immigrants Go to College

Can Undocumented Immigrants Go to College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips During my undergraduate years at Stanford and in my first job after graduation, I counseled a number of undocumented high school students. Many undocumented students incorrectly assume that they’re not allowed to go to college. While there are additional barriers that make pursuing a college education more difficult, I’m proud to say that I know multiple undocumented immigrants who are now graduates from prestigious universities. In this article, I’ll detail the rules and obstacles for undocumented students who pursue higher education. College Admission Policies for Undocumented Immigrants There is no federal law that prohibits the admission of undocumented immigrants to either public or private US colleges. However, institutional policies can vary, and some states have placed restrictions on undocumented students from attending in-state postsecondary institutions. The Georgia Board of Regents banned undocumented students from attending the top 5 state-funded colleges in Georgia. Also, Alabama and South Carolina prohibit undocumented students from enrolling at any public postsecondary institution. Despite these prohibitions, the majority of US colleges remain open to undocumented students. Many colleges are becoming increasingly vocal and open about their support for undocumented immigrant students. This year, Rutgers University-Newark held a college admissions fair for undocumented students. Furthermore, top colleges like Stanford, Dartmouth, Duke, and the University of Chicago have stated that they welcome the applications of undocumented students and have undocumented students enrolled. Regardless of citizenship status, you can be a college grad! However, even though undocumented immigrants can be admitted to most of the nation's colleges, financial obstacles make attending much more difficult. Financial Issues for Undocumented Immigrants Undoubtedly, the biggest hurdles for undocumented students going to college are financial. Federal Aid Undocumented students can't legally receive any federally funded aid, including loans, grants, scholarships, or work-study money. Most students who need financial assistance to attend college fill out a FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and are given federal grants and loans based on their expected family contribution. Undocumented students do not have this option because they're ineligible for all forms of federal aid. State Aid and In-State Tuition Many states treat undocumented students like foreign students. In these states, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for state aid and the lower in-state tuition charged to residents at state institutions. Arizona, Georgia, and Indiana specifically prohibit in-state tuition rates for undocumented students. States That Offer In-State Tuition Some states, though, have passed laws that enable undocumented students to pay in-state tuition if they meet certain conditions, and trends seem to indicate that more states will offer in-state tuition to undocumented students in the future. Currently, 16 states have laws allowing undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition provided they meet certain requirements: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington. For example, California has a state law known as AB 540. Undocumented students qualify for in-state tuition if they attend a California high school for 3 years, graduate from a California high school, and fill out an affidavit that says they will apply for US residency as soon as possible. Additionally, Oklahoma and Rhode Island allow in-state tuition rates for undocumented students through Board of Regents' decisions. And, in 2013, the University of Hawaii's and the University of Michigan's Board of Regents adopted policies for undocumented students to have access to in-state tuition at those colleges. States That Give Aid Presently, California, Minnesota, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington allow undocumented students to receive state aid. Private Scholarships Most private scholarships require applicants to be US citizens or legal residents. However, there are some scholarships that are open to undocumented immigrants and an increasing number of scholarships are specifically for undocumented students. For more information regarding private scholarships for undocumented students, check out: Golden Door Scholars TheDream.US MALDEF Scholarship Resources QuestBridge Becas Univision Scholarship Furthermore, you can review this scholarship guide for undocumented students. In addition to these scholarships, some private colleges, including NYU, grant scholarships or other aid to undocumented students. How to Address Your Citizenship on Your Application If you're an undocumented student, don't lie or misrepresent your citizenship status on your application. Leave your social security number blank. Don't put in an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, Alien number, or any other number. For the University of California, undocumented students should select "No Selection" for their country of citizenship. In your application essay, absolutely, feel free to address your immigration status and situation. Colleges want to hear about obstacles that you've had to overcome, but don't let those obstacles define you. The purpose of the application essay is for the school to get to know you and get a better sense of how you could possibly contribute to the college's community. Focus on your accomplishments and what makes you unique as an individual. The Federal Education and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student records at all educational institutions. Whatever you write in your essay or talk about with admissions or financial aid counselors will not be reported. Additional Advice for Undocumented Immigrants State and federal laws change all the time, especially since immigration is such a politically charged issue. Educate yourself about current state and federal laws regarding tuition and aid rules for undocumented students. The two federal laws you should be aware of are DACA and the DREAM Act. If you are DACA eligible, you can get a work permit and be freed from the fear of deportation for at least 2 years. Unfortunately, you still won't be eligible for federal financial aid. The DREAM Act has not been passed and has undergone numerous changes since it was first proposed in 2001. However, if it ever passes, it could have a profound impact on higher education access for undocumented students. Also, if it does pass, you'll be on a path to citizenship if you attend college. If you have a good relationship with your counselor, talk with him or her about your options and get guidance. Remember, though, you do not have to reveal your immigration status or your parents' to any school personnel, and they can't ask you about it. Make yourself competitive for college admission. Get good grades, take college prep classes, do well on your standardized tests, and try to participate in extracurricular activities. Because your immigration status may limit your options, you should do what you can to give yourself the most opportunities. Additionally, some of the scholarships that you're eligible for are more likely to go to high achieving students. Contact admissions officers and financial aid counselors at the schools you're interested in attending. Typically, they'll try to be helpful and they won't report your immigration status. They can inform you of their financial aid options for undocumented students and let you know how to fill out the school's application, specifically in regards to questions about citizenship and residency. Do research on colleges that offer support for undocumented students. For example, UCLA and UC Berkeley have support programs that provide services and advice for undocumented students. Finally, look at the Repository of Resources For Undocumented Students. It has information about state laws. Also, it has information about scholarships you may be eligible for and organizations that can offer you support and advice. While you may have more hurdles to overcome, graduating from college is possible and will likely give you a better life and future. What's Next? If you're an undocumented student, there may be additional factors to consider, but you should review this post on how to choose a college. Also, you'll want to know the best college search websites. Lastly, if you're wondering how to make yourself as competitive for college admission as possible, read this article on building the most versatile college application. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Justin Berkman About the Author Justin has extensive experience teaching SAT prep and guiding high school students through the college admissions and selection process. He is firmly committed to improving equity in education and helping students to reach their educational goals. Justin received an athletic scholarship for gymnastics at Stanford University and graduated with a BA in American Studies. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. No spam ever. hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: '360031', formId: '2167ba30-e68e-4777-b88d-8bf3c84579af', formInstanceId: '2', submitButtonClass: 'btn-red-light btn', target: '#hubspot-container2', redirectUrl: 'http://ww2.prepscholar.com/blog-subscribe-thank-you', css: '.post-bottom .hs-form.stacked label {display:none;} .post-bottom .hs-form.stacked .field div.input {padding-top: 55px; padding-left: 300px;} .post-bottom .hs-input {width: 220px} .post-bottom .btn-primary, .hs-button.primary {margin-top:0px; padding-left:350px} .post-bottom .hs-form-field {margin-bottom:5px}' }); $(function(){ $(".exclusive-tip-form #hubspot-container2 label").hide(); }); function replace_tag(a, b){ $(a).each(function(index) { var thisTD = this; var newElement = $(""); $.each(this.attributes, function(index) { $(newElement).attr(thisTD.attributes[index].name, thisTD.attributes[index].value); }); $(this).after(newElement).remove(); }); } $(function(){ replace_tag($(".posts-by-topic h3"), "h2"); }) Ask a Question BelowHave any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply! Search the Blog Search jQuery(function(){ var $ = jQuery; var url = 'http://google.com/search?q=site:' + location.protocol + '//' + location.hostname + ' '; var $searchModule = $('.hs-search-module.94338ca7-0765-46c8-946f-79e069fc2f04'); var $input = $searchModule.find('input'); var $button = $searchModule.find('.hs-button.primary'); if (false) { $input.val(decodeURIComponent(location.pathname.split('/').join(' ').split('.').join(' ').split('-').join(' ').split('_').join(''))); } $button.click(function(){ var newUrl = url + $input.val(); var win = window.open(newUrl, '_blank'); if (win) { //Browser has allowed it to be opened win.focus(); } else { //Browser has blocked it location.href = newUrl; } }); $input.keypress(function(e){ if (e.keyCode !== 13) return; e.preventDefault(); $button.click(); }); }); Improve With Our Famous Guides SATPrep ACTPrep For All Students The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section: Score 800 on SAT Math Score 800 on SAT Reading Score 800 on SAT Writing Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section: Score 600 on SAT Math Score 600 on SAT Reading Score 600 on SAT Writing Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? 15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section: 36 on ACT English 36 on ACT Math 36 on ACT Reading 36 on ACT Science Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section: 24 on ACT English 24 on ACT Math 24 on ACT Reading 24 on ACT Science What ACT target score should you be aiming for? ACT Vocabulary You Must Know ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA How to Write an Amazing College Essay What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For? Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide Should you retake your SAT or ACT? When should you take the SAT or ACT? Michael improved by 370 POINTS! Find Out How Stay Informed Get the latest articles and test prep tips! Looking for Graduate School Test Prep? Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: GRE Online Prep Blog GMAT Online Prep Blog TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Monday, February 24, 2020

Relativism vs. Objectivism in Aesthetic Evaluation Essay

Relativism vs. Objectivism in Aesthetic Evaluation - Essay Example In accordance with Young (2003) ‘the aesthetic value can be objective or subjective, being influenced by the criteria used for evaluating a specific event/ object’ (Young 2003 p.117). On the other hand, it should be made clear that a work of art is considered as having no value when the specific work of art has no effect on people. Moreover, the evaluation of a work of art should be primarily based on the potential benefits that the specific piece would secure for the public (Young 2003). In any case, when no reference is made to the pleasure that a particular work of art can offer to the public, then the evaluation of the specific work of art can be characterized as invalid. The identification of the influence of objectivism and relativism on the aesthetic evaluation is a difficult task. In terms of its nature, aesthetic value is a concept used for explaining the value of an object based on its characteristics. In accordance with Bunnin and Yu (2004) the aesthetic value can be described as ‘the properties rendering a work of art good or successful, such as balance, charm and elegance’ (Bunnin and Yu 17). Aesthetic value, in the above sense, can be focus on different characteristics of a work of art, such as its colour or its significance for the society’ (Bunnin and Yu 17). ... Then, their role in aesthetic evaluation would be made clear. It should be noted that the existing theory on relativism and objectivism, especially regarding the aesthetic evaluation, is based on different approaches, mostly because of the extensive use of these concepts in explaining the response of individuals to their external environment. It should be noted that the relevant views will be presented and analyzed, as possible, especially in regard to their relation to aesthetic evaluation. In accordance with Baghramian (2004) relativism can have three different forms; it can be characterized as subjective, social and conceptual (Baghramian 7). Subjective relativism is based on the view that ‘aesthetic evaluations are depended on the beliefs of individual thinkers’ (Baghramian 7). The above type of relativism is differentiated from social relativism, which highlights the importance of social conditions as a criterion for the development of aesthetic evaluation. Moreover , conceptual relativism is highly based on ‘ontology and scientific paradigms’ (Baghramian 7), which can be used every time that an object or an event has to be evaluated in terms of its aesthetic status or quality (Baghramian 7). Among the three forms of relativism presented above, the one that most reflects the role of relativism in aesthetic evaluation is the first one, the subjective relativism. This form of relativism is clearly opposed to objectivism, as a concept also reviewed in this paper, especially as of its use in aesthetic evaluation. At the same time, relativism can result to the different evaluation of aesthetic properties. More specifically, in the context

Saturday, February 8, 2020

Evaluate critically the challengs that human resource professionals Essay

Evaluate critically the challengs that human resource professionals face when recruiting a flexible workforce - Essay Example In this paper we will discuss the various challenges faced by HR professionals in today's business world and how to overcome those challenges. Top HR professionals frequently say that their corporation's employees are its primary and vital assets. Being prosperous at recruiting a flexible workforce variety of program engages recruiting and hanging on to the 'specially selected' employees in the ability pool. For the HR professional it does imply seeing outside of 'understandable' staffing techniques and settings for a flexible workforce, then finding out how to run human potential perceptively (Drucker 1974). It requires a growing wakefulness of how employees from diverse environments cope with ability, communiqu, in general business decorum, and be connected with their areas of association (Powell 2003). Recruiting workforce is a course of action that comes to pass in lots of stages in an organization. It requires HR professionals first to employ a proficient and skilled staff, then to provide accommodation to individual requirements in the context of the work group and the corporation (Powell 2003). Despite all the considered settlement ... Had 12 percent of the workforce willingly leave their jobs since the start of 2006 Noted that non-management workforce were the odds-on to leave their jobs (71 percent) Were worried about voluntary resignations (73 percent) Employed particular retention procedures (50 percent) This survey, conducted by CareerJournal, explains that workforce and HR professionals have a tendency to see eye to eye on the top rationales workforce prefer to put down their corporations: better payment (30% of workforce); job openings (27% of workforce); and world-weariness with the possibility for professional growth (21% of workforce). These percentages have somehow clearly shown the obvious challenges faced by the HR professionals in recruiting a flexible workforce. However, through a combination of exact questionings and a cautious human contact, human resources professionals are powerless to offer a series of constructive answers to employers all over the entire world (Kaplan and Norton 2006). As a result, an efficient human resources plan is actually required to add to the return on investment that lots of HR professionals can be expecting while hiring or recruiting their workforce. Evaluation Constant evaluation of staffing efforts is required to find out the worth of various methods and approaches, providing some stages of 'costing information', 'discovering potential hurdles', and 'show progresses' (Wilson and Adams). Certainly, with the appliance of sensitive means that assist to keep an eye on workforce as they progress in their job situations, human resources professionals are required to endow with exact evaluation systems as well as to their workforce recruitment functions. With the idyllic set of HR appliances, every worker in the

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

The first law of thermodynamics Essay Example for Free

The first law of thermodynamics Essay The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another. This can be illustrated using the example of steam power. Thermal energy is stored in steam. This steam can be used to drive an steam engine which converts this thermal energy in the steam into kinetic energy of the unit (say steam driven train). In thermal power plants, fossil fuel is burnt to produce steam and the thermal energy in the steam then drives the turbine to produced electricity. Thus thermal energy of the steam gets converted into electrical energy. From these two illustrations it becomes obvious that energy can neither be created nor destroyed it can only be converted from one form to another. Three types of non-renewable power plants and the fuel consumed by these power plants are listed below. Fuels cells use the electrons produced in a chemical reactions to produce electricity. One example is Hydrogen – Oxygen Fuel cell. In this case Hydrogen is oxidized at anode into hydrogen ions plus electrons and oxygen is reduced at cathode into oxide ions at cathode. Anode and cathode is separated by solid electrolytes and connected by a metallic wire. The electrons move from anode to the cathode through the metallic wire and thus electricity is produced. This is very clean source of electrical energy. Criteria for acceptability of energy alternatives are listed below. Technological feasibility – It should be technologically feasible to convert the energy into usable forms like electricity etc. Abundance – The energy source should be available in abundance. Reliability – The energy source should be reliable. This is particularly relevant for wind energy and solar energy in the regions of unpredictable sky conditions and wind conditions. Capital Expenditure – Generally capital expenditure requirements are high and act as major barrier for exploiting renewable energy sources.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

The Ethernet Essay -- essays research papers

Bob Metcalfe of the Xerox Corporation developed the first experimental Ethernet system in late 1972. The goal of the Ethernet was to interconnect the Xerox Alto Aloha Network. The experimental Ethernet was used to link Altos workstations, servers, and laser printers. Data transmission of the Ethernet was 2.94 Mbps. In 1973, Metcalfe changed the name to "Ethernet," to make it clear that the system could support any computer, and not just Altos, and to point out that his new network mechanisms had evolved well beyond the Aloha system. He chose to base the name on the word "ether" as a way of describing an essential feature of the system. The physical medium (cable) carries bits to all stations, much the same way that the old "luminiferous ether" was once thought to propagate electromagnetic waves through space. The Ethernet is a LAN (Local Area Network) technology that uses a shared bus topology, and Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection access. It consists of a single, long cable, named the bus, to which computers, or sometimes referred to as workstations, are attached. Ethernet signals are transmitted serially, one bit at a time, over the bus and are received by every attached station. Data in the Ethernet is transmitted in the form of a frame, or packet. The frame consists of a set of bits organized into several fields. These fields include address fields, a variable size data field that carries from 46 to 1,500 bytes of data, and an error checking field that checks the integrity of the bits in the frame to make sure that the frame has arrived intact. The first two fields in the frame carry 48-bit addresses, called the destination and source addresses. The Destination Address contains the physical address of the station to which the frame is being sent. Any signal sent across the shared network reaches all attached workstations. However, communication doesn’t usually involve all workstations. To allow direct communication between stations the addressing scheme is used. Each workstation is assigned a unique numeric value, called a physical address or media access control address (MAC address). Although sharing allows all workstations to receive a copy of a frame, the hardware of each workstation checks the address of each incoming frame to determine whether it should accept the frame. The Source Address contains... ... its simplest form, only hub devices connect directly to the tree bus, and each hub functions as the "root" of a tree of devices. This bus/star hybrid approach supports future expandability of the network much better than a bus (limited in the number of devices due to the broadcast traffic it generates) or a star (limited by the number of hub ports) alone. In a mesh topology each computer is connected to every other computer by separate cabling. This allows for superior redundancy and reliability, as well as ease of troubleshooting. This type of topology is expensive and difficult to install because of the amount of cabling required. The original Ethernet operated at 10 Mbps, a later version Fast Ethernet operates at 100 Mbps and the newest version Gigabit Ethernet operates at 1 Gbps. The Ethernet is the most popular physical layer LAN technology in use today. It is popular because it strikes a good balance between speed, cost and ease of installation. These benefits combined with wide acceptance in the computer marketplace and the ability to support virtually all-popular network protocols, make the Ethernet an ideal networking technology for most computer users today.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Non-Hodgins Lymphoma with Case Study Example

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes the white blood cells. The lymphocytes and lymph system are essential in our body’s immune protection. It is an abnormal growth rate of these cells. Since lymph is found throughout the body it is easily spread from one area to another. In 2008 there were over 66,000 new cases and just over 19,000 deaths from it (cancer. gov). It is categorized as slow growing or fast growing, as well as if it starts in the T-cells or the B-cells. Lymphomas from B cells are most common in the United States. The lymphoma can develop in any of the lymph tissues, and discovery of which kind of lymphoma determines the treatment options (cancer. org). Causes Although there are no definite causes to Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma there have cases where it has been linked to persons with another ailment. Autoimmune diseases like RA and SLE have been linked to NHL. Exposures to chemicals such as benzene and treatments in chemotherapy have been seen in trends to cause NHL. People who are immunocompromised like HIV patients and those that are on immunosuppressant from transplants are also at risk for Lymphomas. Also, people having excessive exposure to large amounts of radiation, like cancer treatments have an increased risk of developing this lymphoma. NHL is mostly seen in the older community so age is also a risk factor. Also chronic diseases may increase the chances of getting a lymphoma due to the increased risk of mutations from constantly producing new lymph cells. Some patients can be born with a disease that can lead to NHL due to a defect in their DNA. It is not likely that they can pass on the NHL to their offspring if they don’t have the underlying disease. Most often it develops independently. Discovery Lumps in the skin and lymph nodes can be discovered by the patient, their partner or doctor. Where the lump is located can also give extra symptoms. For instance, if it is found near the skin there would be a swelling in the surrounding tissue. If it’s in the abdomen it can cause severe pain and possible digestive problems. If the lymphoma is on the skin t can cause an itchy patch. If it is in the chest cavity it can cause trouble breathing. Case Study: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Shannon Z is an active 58 yr old female. In her early twenties she had undergone chemotherapy and radiation for her treatment of breast cancer. When she noticed the lump in her neck she immediately went to see her doctor. The doctor ordered some blood tests and a biopsy of the lump. Her doctor wasn’t very concerned because fighting an infection can also cause enlarged nodes in the neck. She ordered the tests anyway because of the patient’s medical history. Along with the lump, she experienced drenching night sweats which are another symptom of NHL but she thought it was a side effect of menopause. Other signs to look for would be persistent fevers and a sudden loss of weight, usually 10 % body weight or more. An incisional biopsy is a surgical technique used to obtain a sample of the node for observation. This was used because the enlarged node was close to the skin surface. There are other biopsies available. Fine needle biopsies can also be used but often don’t provide enough sample to determine if its lymphoma or not but does not require surgery. Lumbar punctures look for lymphoma in the CNS. Bone marrow aspiration looks for the cancer inside the bone and bone marrow by removing pieces of the bone and/or marrow. Laboratory tests All samples must be diagnosed be a trained pathologist with experience in lymphomas. The most important test would be those differentiating if the patient has a cancer, then T cell lymphoma from the B cell lymphoma. If a concrete diagnosis can’t be made from looking at the cells then other methods must be used. Methods like Immunocytochemistry involve using fluorescent tags on the surface of the cells can differentiate the different lymphomas from each other and non cancerous diseases. Flow cytometry uses antibody tagging and laser beams to cause the cells to emit light if they have the antigen. This is important because different NHL’s have specific antigens. Discovery of the type of NHL helps determine the treatment route. Blood tests cannot determine a lymphoma but they do show significance of the rate of growth of the lymphoma. CT scans and MRIs provide the doctors with images of the size of the actual lymph nodes and how many growths there are through the body. Prognosis There are two staging systems for NHL. The most common is the Ann Arbor system. It uses 1-4 to stage the severity of the disease. Stage 1 has lymphoma in one area in the lymph system and one outside the system (organ). A lymphoma is considered stage 2 if it is found exclusively in 2 areas above or 2 areas below the diaphragm and organs in close proximity to lymph. Stage 3 occurs when it is found on both sides of the diaphragm and other organs near lymph. Stage 4 is when lymphoma reaches the bone marrow, CSF, or an organ not next to a lymph source. This system is used in conjunction with the International Prognosis Index. The IPI uses the age of the patient, stage of the cancer, patient everyday performance status, location of the tumors, and levels of LDH (increases as the lymphoma spreads) Good Prognostic FactorsPoor Prognostic Factors Age 60 or belowAge above 60 Stage I or IIStage III or IV No lymphoma outside of lymph nodes, or lymphoma in only 1 area outside of lymph nodesLymphoma present in more than 1 organ of the body outside of lymph nodes PS: Able to function normallyPS: Needs a lot of help with daily activities Serum LDH is normalSerum LDH is elevated (Chart provided from www. cancer. org) Treatment Chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with radiation for low levels, or with medications like Rituxan or Zavalin. Rituxan is an antibody that targets the cancerous cells. Zavalin is an antibody with a radioactive component. The antibody attaches itself and the radioactive isotope destroys the cell. These drugs are used for the more persistent lymphomas because chemo and radiation have been proven very effective against the lymphoma. Stem cell transplantation is also another option. Once diagnosed, patients are requested to have frequent physicals and blood tests to track the growth of the cancer. Resources http://www. oncologychannel. com/nonhodgkins/diagnosis. shtml http://www. cancer. org http://www. cancer. com http://www. mayoclinic. org

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Critical Thinking Exercises for Students

Critical thinking is a skill that students develop gradually as they progress in school. While the skill becomes more important in higher grades, some students find it difficult to understand the concept of critical thinking. The reason critical thinking can be difficult to grasp is because it requires students to set aside assumptions and beliefs to learn to think without bias or judgment. Critical thinking involves suspending your beliefs to explore and question topics from a blank page point of view. It also involves the ability to distinguish fact from opinion when exploring a topic. These exercises are designed to help develop critical thinking skills. Critical Thinking Exercise 1: Tour Guide for an Alien This exercise provides an opportunity to think outside your normal way of thinking. Pretend that you have been assigned the task of conducting a tour for aliens who are visiting the earth and observing human life. Youre riding along in a blimp, viewing the landscape below, and you float over a professional baseball stadium. One of the aliens looks down and is very confused by what he sees. You explain that there is a game going on and he asks several important questions. What is a game?  Why are there no female players?Why do people get so excited about watching other people play games?What is a team?Why cant the people in the seats go down on the field and join in? If you try to answer these questions fully, it will quickly become apparent that we carry around certain assumptions and values. We support a certain team, for instance, because it makes us feel like were a part of a community. This sense of community is a value that matters to some people more than others. Furthermore, when trying to explain team sports to an alien, you have to explain the value we place on winning and losing. When you think like an alien tour guide, you are forced to take a deeper look at the things we do and things we value. Sometimes they dont sound logical from the outside looking in. Critical Thinking Exercise 2: Fact or Opinion Do you think you know the difference between fact and opinion? Its not always easy to discern. When you visit websites, do you believe everything you read? The abundance of available information makes it more important than ever for students to develop critical thinking skills. Additionally, its an important reminder that you must use trustworthy sources in your school work. If you dont learn the difference between fact and opinion, you may end up reading and watching things that continue to reinforce beliefs and assumptions you already own. For this exercise, read each statement and try to determine whether it sounds like a fact or an opinion. This can be completed alone or with a study partner. My mom is the best mom on earth.My dad is taller than your dad.My telephone number is difficult to memorize.The deepest part of the ocean is 35,813 feet deep.Dogs make better pets than turtles.Smoking is bad for your health.Eighty-five percent of all cases of lung cancer in the U.S. are caused by smoking.If you flatten and stretch out a Slinky toy it will be 87 feet long.Slinky toys are fun.One out of every one hundred American citizens is color blind.Two out of ten American citizens are boring. You will probably find some of the statements easy to judge but other statements difficult. If you can effectively debate the truthfulness of a statement with your partner, then its most likely an opinion.