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Top Podcasts for Students

Have you ever used a card catalog system?

Most students today wouldn’t even know how.

In the olden days students had to go to the library, research material, read the pertinent information or check out available audio materials on tape or VHS. Not anymore. In the new age of technology-heavy learning, podcasts make every aspect of life easier, including college studies. Podcasts are basically a form of digital media that students can subscribe to and download off the web. It’s like a mini seminar or talkshow downloaded to your Mp3 player. There are podcast series available right from your iPod to help with everything from an upcoming Spanish quiz to the midterm on musical evolution. Here’s our rundown of the most useful podcasts for students:

GoogleGet: This podcast is great because it combines Google News in your iPod so you can read the news between class and stay current on all the top news stories. Next time you have to present a current event at the last minute, you’ll be prepared.

Language Podcasts: If English is not your first language, you can use ESL podcast to brush up on your English skills by taking these ESL classes directly from your iPod. If you’re on the other end of the spectrum, try iPod Spanish to Go to review for your Spanish quiz on your way to class.

Pod CityGuides: This is a great podcast site for traveling. Here you can find hundreds of city guides that are compatible with iPods. That way, you’ll know exactly what to see and how to get there so you don’t end up looking like a tourist.

Brain Quest: Who doesn’t love a little trivia to keep your brain working? This is one of the most popular educational games available and now it’s on your iPod. You can download simple versions for your children and more challenging ones for yourself!

Medical Terminology Flash Cards: There are multiple sets of flash-cards aimed to help any student in the medical field. Whether you’re studying healthcare, nursing or pre-med, these are a great way to step up your game.

Talk Shows: Whatever your favorite talk show, they most likely have a series of podcasts you can find online and download to your iPod. Listen to clever, engaging discussions about science from National Public Radio’s popular program or The Philosophy Talk provides popular philosophical talk available via podcasts.

How the Internet Changed the Way we do Business

By Emma

If you would have told someone 20 years ago that they would be able to order pizza online, they would have been amazed. Imagine now the ability to conduct business overseas without long-distance phone bills, connect with thousands of social network friends in a few hours and purchase a dress from England and a hat from Australia all in the same day. The world has definitely changed and businesses are not what they used to be. It is no longer enough to open a mom and pop store or restaurant around the corner and hang up an “open” sign. Business is now conducted an on entirely different playing field.

The ability to connect with anyone anywhere in the world has taken the marketplace to a global scale. Now bookstores are not only competing with the other shops on the street, but every other bookstore in the country. On the other hand, small businesses working in a garage can create a professional appearance without the work and money involved in an office or retail space.

With the dot-com takeover in the eighties, businesses since focused on become more tech savvy in the way they do business. Regardless of what your business is, it is virtually impossible to succeed today without an internet presence. There have been multiple companies, like Circuit City who have given up brick and mortar stores all together and do 100% of their business online. Amazingly, these companies are not only thriving, but are making more money than they were before. On the same note, American Airlines started with the first computerized booking system and Bank of America began automated check-processing. These companies were just the first ones to lead the way of automated business. Now you don’t even need a computer to order a pizza or book a flight, you can do it right on your phone.

The main impact of technology on business is how much it shrinks the world. As communication and information travels faster and faster, the world seems smaller and smaller. Business can be conducted more efficiently, quickly, and automatically. As information travels instantaneously and more reliably, barriers of distance disappear, and businesses are realizing how easy it is to outsource jobs and attract global customers. There is some debate over whether this is helpful or detrimental to the U.S. economy. One the one hand of the debate, sending

But, it’s not always as simple as it sounds. Any business conducted online has liability and revenue concerns just like a local store. Online businesses must be wary of security, privacy or even copyright issues. While the internet does make business more streamlined it doesn’t necessarily guarantee success, over 90% of website start-up businesses fail.

For the consumer, the internet definitely makes the business world more economical, more accessible and more efficient, which makes doing business online much more convenient and appealing. For the business owners, the internet blew up the playing field to make business more competitive and raise the standards of local businesses to an entirely different level.

Online Grade School?

By Emma

No more teachers, no more books…literally.

With cutbacks and lacking education standards, more and more parents are opting to enroll their kids in an online public school.

“In spite of everyone’s best efforts the local school couldn’t meet their academic needs,” says Elwell, a former full-time teacher in southwest Ohio who has a son in 12th grade and a daughter in ninth. “My only regret was I didn’t do it sooner.”

Online schools come in a variety of fashions. Some are completely parent-run, much like home school and are not necessarily state accredited. Others are run through the school district and may be charter schools or public schools. The digital curriculum allows children to work at their own pace and receive either extra help, or extra challenges, depending on their skills level.

Enrollment in online public schools supported by education software provider K12 has grown from about 1,000 students 10 years ago to more than 100,000 today. Overall, more than half a million students are learning online full-time in the U.S., according to education researcher Ambient Insight. Nearly every state has at least one virtual school option, while 29 states offer full-time online schools.

Parents are flocking to the virtual schooling because it gives them the control of home schooling with the standards and material taught in brick and mortar schools.

Online schooling programs in elementary, middle and high school regular provide children with interaction between students, teachers and classmates while catering to the digital generation of today. Some parents and students are choosing a blended option, where students attend traditional school on a part-time basis and complete their classes online. This model may be the new method for school districts to curb overcrowding, and cut costs. More than 60 percent of respondents to a survey from Stanford University’s Hoover Institution supported public funding for online education.

Between full-time online schools, blended programs and supplemental online courses, more than four million K-12 students participated in a formal online learning program in 2010 and that number is expected to go up dramatically in the coming years.

The 1st Amendment and the Internet

By Emma

The United States Constitution has been under debate since the original constitutional convention. It has been scrutinized, analyzed, amended and evolved to form the rules and regulations used to control the United States. The constant debate over the First Amendment has only inflamed by the onslaught of the internet. The Constitution states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

The Debate:

Originally, this Amendment was primarily used in regards to the television and radio media, although today’s radio and television programs are being subjected to a certain limit of governmental control in order keep offensive programs away from American public, the government cannot regulate a show simply based on the content or opinions stated.

When it comes to the internet, the Government is seeking to provide the same amount of protection to minors, without censoring content completely. Today anyone can say anything to everyone with the help of the World Wide Web, and how can any single government sensor a global outlet? This reality has forced the Supreme Court to determine what the “freedom of speech” actually entails. Should the Internet be regulated and restricted by government in order to protect today’s children from offensive content, or does this abridge an individual’s right to free speech?

Player #1: Freedom of Speech

In order to understand this debate, readers must understand what the First Amendment covers. The freedom of speech is a right of the citizens of the United States, but is not exclusive. For example, some forms of speech are completely outlawed in the US such as fraudulent advertising, child pornography, obscenity, discrimination, libel, etc. The government may regulate or censor speech if there is a major national, or public concern. But the censorship becomes difficult in an entity like the internet. It cannot be controlled. Child pornography is one of the largest growing problems on the internet, and while that is illegal and can be enforced, adult pornography is not illegal, and is available to anyone, including minors. There are multiple hate-crime websites, discrimination, talk of terrorism, bombs and obscenities across millions of webpages. While the content is not necessarily illegal, it may not be deemed as appropriate either. So where does the government step in, and where is it up the individual to monitor themselves?

Player #2: The Internet

The internet is the world’s largest playground that currently has absolutely no regulation system. Some individuals think the internet needs to have the same sensors as the radio and television, but in a world-wide playing field, the rules change. Others feel that the internet falls under the First Amendment rights of citizens and should not be regulated because that would lead to the government controlling what people read or view. The citizens of the United States, have the right to be free from governmental control that inhibits thoughts, ideas, and free expression, so where is the happy medium?

There have been two recent attempts by Congress to limit material on the Internet and reduce the availability of indecent material on the Internet being viewed by minors. Neither of these attempts were fully successful and where there is a loophole, someone will squeeze through.

The Answer

Unfortunately there is no good answer to this debate. Both sides have compelling arguments as to why the internet is a dangerous playground that should be censored for the protection of others while the other side holds on to their right to say and view whatever they desire.