Ashford 3: – Week 2 – Discussion 1

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Reference the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Nature   vs. Nurture

The debate concerning the influence of inherited traits and abilities compared to the influence of environment on human development has been argued for decades.  The required reading this week provides information on the extent of which human development and behavior is the result of nature (heredity) and of nurture (environmental influences).
In this discussion you will debate nature vs. nurture.  Below is your assigned debate grouping by the first letter of your last name:

1. A-M: Proponent of Nature
2. N-Z: Proponent of Nurture

Due by Day 3: For this debate, you must develop a persuasive, research-based argument showing the extent to which your assigned influence affects development.  Be sure to utilize both the course text as well as other scholarly resources to support your argument.  Remember, you are arguing that either nature or nurture is the most important influence on development.
Due by Day 5: Review your classmates’ posts and respond to at least one who is arguing from the opposing side. Negate their argument by providing examples that support your argument.
Due by Day 6: Follow-up to any responses that have been posted to your argument, continuing the debate.
Due by Day 7: Your final post will be an articulation of your own beliefs about nature vs. nurture. What, in your opinion, is the most reasonable one-paragraph resolution of this controversy?

Ashford 5: – Week 4 – Journal

Self-Evaluation
Reflect on your coursework so far.  What have you learned so far that you think will be useful in your future career?  How will you use this new knowledge?  Which assignment challenged you the most, and in what ways?  Discuss the assignments you found the most interesting or engaging, and explain why you felt this way.  At this point, do you feel prepared to utilize the information you have gained thus far in this course?  Why or why not?
Journal Options: 

1. Written reflection journal.
2. Create a Voki (a talking avatar).

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your journal entries.

Cultures in Marginalization

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DxUpYhbuiE

http://m.state.gov/md123599.htm

Cultures in Marginalization

Secretary of State Clinton tells graduates that they are being prepared for “global citizenship in the interconnected world of the 21st century” (para.9). What communication skills do you think this global citizenship will require of you in your careers?Do you agree with Gill regarding the marginalization of women in the media? Give at least one example to support your conclusion. Do you think the United Nations should intervene in this issue? Why or why not?

#2Week 5 – Discussion 2

No unread

Regional Attitudes and American Identity

Read the article by Griffin and McFarland titled “In My Heart, I’m an American”: Regional Attitudes and American Identity. In this article, the authors contend that the southern United States lagged behind the rest of the county in attracting immigrants and has had less experience with issues associated with the assimilation of people into its subculture. Compare the findings of these researchers with your own experiences where you live. In your post, comment on at least two of the issues you found most interesting in this article. Do you agree with the findings of these authors, or is your experience different? Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings by Day 7. (You must create one initial post and at least two responses, for a minimum of three posts for this discussion.

Ashford 6: – Week 5 – Discussion 1

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Reference the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Autism   Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

As Chapter 9 of your text states “the number of students identified with ASD has increased over the last few decades.  Some people even call ASD an ‘epidemic’” (Powell & Driver, 2013, Chapter 9 Introduction).  This increase specifically affects you in the classroom or daycare center because it shows a high likelihood of your encountering children with ASD.  Therefore you must understand the disorder as well as the strategies that will support children with ASD in the classroom or center.  For this discussion, imagine you are new teacher just learning about ASD.
This discussion has two parts: (Please be sure to include both parts of this in this discussion)

1. Part One:      After viewing the Autism Awareness Video: Diagnostic Criteria      for Autism and reflecting on the reading      from Chapter 9 of your text, briefly describe what ASD is according to      IDEA. Even though “no two students with ASD exhibit the exact same      characteristics” (Powell & Driver, 2013, Section 9.3), list a few of      the difficulties children with ASD might have with communication, social      skills, and repetitive or obsessive behaviors.  Lastly, explore      several of the academic characteristics that some children with ASD might      exhibit. Support this portion of your discussion by utilizing information      from at least one scholarly resource, as well as your text.
2. Part Two:      As your text states, “Many of the teaching suggestions presented in      previous chapters may benefit students with ASD” (Powell & Driver,      2013, Section 9.6). The more we understand these connections, the more      prepared we will be in terms of planning our instruction.  Complete      the Austism Spectrum Disorder      (ASD) Table, comparing which instructional      strategies might work with children with ASD as well as children with      other disabilities. Be sure to complete each of the bulleted points as      they are required, but you may add more detail outside of these bullets if      you wish. Include your ASD Table as an attachment.

Guided Response:  Review several of your peers’ posts.  Imagine you are no longer a new teacher, but rather are now mentoring a new teacher.  The teacher you are mentoring has come to you asking for advice because a parent of a child who was recently diagnosed with ASD has come to her asking for suggestions on how she can support her child at home.  Respond to your peer with support for this parent by including the following tips:  What recommendations can be provided to this parent with regards to helping the child academically as well as socially?  What resources are available to support this parent?  Lastly, how should the classroom teacher support this parent through communication?

Respond

Week 6 – Discussion 1

36 36 unread replies. 47 47 replies.

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Claims to   Environmental Friendliness

After reading “The ‘six sins of greenwashing’: A study of environmental claims in North American markets (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.,” discuss the tension between business’s interests in maximizing profits and the public’s interest in receiving complete, truthful, and non-misleading information about products that they purchase. From a business perspective, what are the dangers of greenwashing? If you were a marketing executive, would you have a policy against greenwashing? Why or why not?

Guided Response: Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ posts in a substantive manner.

Agree or disagree with your classmate’s position concerning having a policy against greenwashing. Defend your position by using information from the week’s readings or the readings related to governmental regulation.