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Show - 6 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 201i DIXIESUNNEWS.COM Nigher educcalon evolvingwith technology , , , , , . 1 C ,, ; .., J ',. , ) , ,.. , - i ,r k., - .,' , , .14 , , Nt,' CC .,... , . ,..,'"' ,,,,, 0 00 0 ,, , 01 , , . , 2 , a BY RYANN HE1NLEN AvereeRHeinlen . ...,,,..,. ' 1 J k, r With the progress of technology in recent years, everyday life has begun to look like something out of a James Bond movie. Smart-watche- s, tablets and laptops are in every classroom, giving students a direct link to the outside world. Sociologists have been observing the effect of technology on the five major institutions family, reli- Check out Ashley I. Harrison's video on gion, government, economy the evolution of the and have and education found an increasing dynamic between younger generations, traditional classroom ' at dixiesunnews.com. technology and education, said Robert Oxley, an adjunct sociology professor on campus at Dixie State University. "The reason we have technology in the classroom is the because this generation are accusmillennials tomed with using media and media devices," Oxley said. "Wouldn't it be nice to have them use their expertise?" Oxley explained how he uses technology to help students express their ideas within his classroom. "Some of my students are a little apprehensive in a traditional classroom situation," Oxley said. "If I open up discussion and put questions on our Canvas site, they might be apprehensive in person, out they feel completely comfort able so they write wonderful responses to questions and discussions online." Sott Allen, instructional designer for the Center for Teaching and Learning, agrees that technology has become a key part of the traditional classroom. "Social media has changed the world really," Allen said. "Education, especially instructors maybe, are a little bit slower to adopt it but in order to stay relevant we're going to have to embrace and support social media in the classroom and outside of the classroom." Courses around DSU have already started a transition toward a more focus that will allow for more social interaction, Allen said. group-orient- . V,,t1AA,..ii,,,'',,,davsifieNi,iist,,,,,,Alis an assignment using his phone and computer sophomore exercise science major from Houston, works on have approximately 15 percent of its classes online by 2020. Joe Dizano, ' '' ed in the library. "The great things that are happening in the world are spread through Twitter and all kinds of social media," Allen said. "There's so much that we can learn through social media that we need to embrace it in the classroom." DSU's goal is to have 15 percent of their classes online within the next three years, said Ryan Hobbs, director of distance and digital learning. "I think it's almost exclusively a benefit," Hobbes said. "I think it creates better access and better opportunities. It creates flexibility and convenience in scheduling that is otherwise not available. For some students who are trying to balance work and family and other life experiences it's Dixie State University plans to the only way to do it." Hobbes said online classes aren't the optimal choice for some students and faculty, and some courses aren't meant to be taught online. "I think that if it is used solely and only in certain places then it can be a detriment because I do think we tend to miss out on some of the benefits of face-to-fa- in'cl-actio- ce that I think everyone net: to experience," Hobbs said. All three men agree that technology has become the cornerstone of education. "I think it's driving how we connect with one another, how we learn perhaps or might learn, how we're connected see TECHNOLOGY page 7 . 0" Boo:( students taking service based spring break in Oregon DSU 1,1 'Pull Me Under' examines identity, race and bullying - , 7-- BY MARKEE HECKENLIABLE markeekaeDSN DIANA FOSSETT ) , ' DianaFossettDSN tbts FEB. On this 1 day in history: The U.S. Supreme Court As part of DSU's alternative spring break, students who sign up and pay a fee will get the chance to travel to Portland, Oregon, to complete service through this year's time (1790), Texas voted to secede from the union (1861) and the first Miss America was crowned in Source: onthisday.com UPCOMING MOVIE RELEASES , Feb. 3 The Space Between Us" "Rings" : "Journey to the West: The Demons Fight Back" I never thought I would 17-- , S fr PI instead. convened for the first New York Gty (1919). N.' Instead of spending spring break on a boat or in another country, some Dixie State University students are opting to do humanitarian work ! theme: environmental work. Dillon McKirmey, a senior mathematics major from St. George and vice president of service for the DSU Student Association, said careful consideration goes into picking the location for the alternative break. "We want to have ample amount of humanitarian work to do, but we understand that students are giving up their spring break as well," McKinney said. Portland has a "luscious environment" and fits well with the break's theme, McKinney said. Picking Portland as the location will give students who go enough humanitarian work to do and a place students actually want to spend their spring break on. Even though the location is set, McKinney said he is still struggling with finding an organization to do humanitarian work for while on the trip. Originally, the plan was to work with the Parks and Recreation department in Portland, but the plan fell through because of difficulty. 4 ft' ,;,11 4 A4.4 ,34,--, I ( ' Japanese-America- 71 , is the location of Dixie State University's 201 7 alternative spring break. Students who enlist can expect a Portland, Oregon, service-oriente- d vacation in the Northwest contacting them. "After some time of no replied messages, we decided for the sake of the trip to switch the organization we would work with," he said. McKirmey said they plan on working with either The Wetlands Conservancy, an organization that conserves Oregon's wetlands through protecting wildlife and communities from floods, or Friends of the Columbia Gorge, an organization dedicated to conserving the Columbia Gorge by watching construction developments and conserving land. McKinney said they should know which organization they will be working with by the end of the week. Only two students have signed up for the alternative break so far, but McKinney is happy one of them is a "repeater" from the 2016 alternative spring break to New Orleans. For Karnrie Davenport, a senior hwrian communication empathize with a murderer. Kelly Luce's first novel, "Pull Me Under," portrays n a fictional woman named Rio Silvestri. But Rio has a dark past; as a named Chirzuru Aldtani and living in Japan, she murdered her bully. The novel focuses predominantly on the adult character Rio,'who returned to Japan after the death of her estranged father, with glimpses of her horrifying past interspersed. Some hints from the book help the reader pinpoint when Rio must have been a child in Japan. This is key to the story, because as a hafit, or mixed race child (half Irish and half Japanese), in Japan in the 1970s, Rio was set to be an outcast from her birth. One of this instances this is highlighted is when Rio returns to Japan "Irish mother,' I say. After nearly twenty years in the States, I'd forgotten about people like this. They look at you like they're trying to get you in focus and failing. I'm short, with a small nose and fine bones; there is no doubting I'm East Asian. I used to stand at the bathroom mirror and pretend I was someone else, a major from St. George, the New Orleans alternative spring break trip gave her a new appreciation for things she use to take for granted, and she has since then wanted to attend this year's trip. "I think college students could benefit from getting involved in service," Davenport said. "It is reallY easy to see someone in need and think of how you could help them, and it is another thing to actually do something to help them." This year's trip will take place March 11 to March 18, and there are still 10 spots open. Going on the e trip is a first- - come, basis, requires an application process and a down payment of $300. McKinney said the trip is $900 total including airline flights, transportation, stay and food. Any student interested in going can visit first-serv- https:orgsync.com35438 fonns237564. stranger giving me a quick passing glance. Did I look Japanese enough?" Examples of Rio's identity struggles like this is where my empathy comes into play. I'm the same mix of Irish and Japanese, and Rio's struggle of not quite fitting in truly resonated with me. While I never experienced anything as extreme as Rio, her psychological struggle with feeling like she was never a whole person is one that many people straddling cultures can understand. Rio's stranding between two identities adds layers to her story as she travels to Japan to attend her father's funeral. While there, she begins to face her past and try to reconcile it to the life she leads now: troubled youth Chirzuru, versus wife and mother Rio. Mechanically, the book was also interesting in that it started out in past tense, but after the opening chapter, moved into present tense. Now, I've objected before to present tense narrative writing on the grounds it can feel forced and draw the reader out of the story. However, Rio's internal turmoil demands the reader struggle with her, so the use of present tense is highly effective in this case. "Pull Me Under" became available November 2016, and is being sold by most me' jor booksellers. I wholeheart edly recommend this book and hope you can have that odd feeling of understanding a murderer. Dixie Sun rating: 5 stms i ...WI ir I i i - ..ow.ona pm.1 ,T I |