Alex Shoenfeld's Blog

I have just finished reading Alex's entire blog, and his project is fascinating. He is focused on the bystander effect: a topic that appears in our lives on a day to day basis. Besides for the common association of a 'bystander' with 'bullying', Alex points out that the bystander effect impacts us in many other different situations. A study he read showed that if one is in a room full of others, he or she is less likely to even stop personal endangerment. Reading Alex's blog made me realize that the bystander effect is way more powerful than I once believed it to be. I always applied it to one being afraid to stand up for others. I never thought that it could prevent one from standing up for themselves. This discovery of mine makes me interested in Alex's project and hopeful that he can teach people to take action. I think it is a good idea for him to give some sort of presentation, being that a long paper may not have as large of an impact on his readers/audience. The aspect that I think he should definitely have in his project is an experiment. The bystander effect is such a simple yet fascinating thing to investigate. Alex could set up some sort of experiment in Frisch or in his community and learn about certain trends in his world. I think he is headed in a good direction and I wish him luck.

Update

What clarity about my project have I achieved? For starters, I have been able to focus in on a specific topic. I started out with countless ideas floating around in my head, but now I am ready to investigate the impact of technology, specifically the negative aspects. I have been able to develop a clear idea of a project because of research, suggestions, comments and resources. These were the four methods that were most helpful in my search for a clear topic. I first researched intriguing topics. Then, I listened to suggestions by friends and teachers. After that, I considered the comments and ideas people had on my progress. I did not think that people's comments on my direction would actually change my direction, but it actually happened when Alex Shoenfeld suggested that I research the negative effects of technology. The final tools I used to help achieve clarity about my project and topic were the resources of the library, the internet, papers, articles, and books. By seeing what I had to work with, I was able to gain a sense of where I would be able to take my project and how I would be able to do so.

Second Thoughts

If I start this project over again, I would make plenty of changes in the way I developed my project so far. I am happy with where I am at so far, but I could have done plenty of things in a better manner. I think that if I could start over, I would try to take more suggestions and advice from classmates. I would ask them for opinions and thoughts on whether or not my project was interesting to them. If my topic was not something they would want to read about, I probably would have steered it in a different direction. I also feel that before I chose a topic I should have done more research into the ones I was considering. I am very interested in my topic, but I think maybe another choice may have intrigued me more if I had investigated it more. In the end of the day though, I am satisfied and excited with where I am at now.

Progress Report

Months into the project, I have actually begun to focus in on concrete sources and ideas. Now, the project is less 'thinking' and more 'doing'. By that I mean that I actually know what I am looking for, and I am researching and discovering my specific interest. Using elibrary and jerseyclicks, I am finding articles, papers, and discussions that shed light on the impact of technology on society.
During this past week, I have officially started to delve into my topic and learn about it. Rather than exploring outside my topic, I have been looking INTO it. I am absorbing opinions and facts about the effects technology has on us. I am learning the pros and the cons of technological advancement.
That's pretty much where I am at right now.