Thomas Christian's MCOM 100W Blog

  According to the study published by the International Journal of Educational Development, titled “Estimation of the fundamental learning loss and learning poverty related to COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico,” the state of learning in Mexico is in a major emergency due to prolonged school closures that lasted up to 48 weeks. Learning loss is predicted to affect up to 80% of students worldwide, according to the Centre for Sociological Research at the University of Leuven. However, the educational dilemma in Mexico is even worse as schools in Mexico closed for some of the longest periods around the world, and Mexico itself is a country with many students living in poverty.  Prolonged absence from schools and a poor socioeconomic background are two of the biggest predictors of poor academic performance, and this was confirmed by the study carried out by Felipe J.Hevia, Samana Vergara-Lope, Anabel Velásquez-Durán, and David Calderón .  Part of why Mexican schools were closed for ...

  On the wings of the COVID-19 insanity, one group has been consistently left behind: students. With no vaccine available to them for months, and the pressure to reopen schools despite a nationwide pandemic, students have had to bear their fair share of troubles locked away in their homes, unable to socialize or be effectively educated in person. Now, with schools returning to in-person classes en masse, educators are finding that there may be some long term effects to missing so much time away from each other. COVID-19 learning loss is affecting students across the nation both in their social-emotional development and in their education levels, experts say. Learning loss is a phenomenon causing educators to take a good hard look at the foundations of our educational system, and suggest if it is time for a change.  The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown hit the United States mid-March 2020. Schools and businesses closed, and many parents were forced to become extrem...

 My favorite assignment for this class was the classmate profile, while it may be vain, talking about your life to someone is always fun. Additionally, I got to actually make a friend in a distanced-learning class, which is the only time that has happened in the past year and a half. My least favorite assignment was the scholarly journal. While I enjoy reading interesting work I felt as if I didn’t really know what parts of the journal were important and which ones were not. I find journals and scholarly articles confusing in general so it may be helpful to have a class to decode some of the language.

  The British Journal of Educational Studies published an article in October 2021 called “Parental Perceptions of Learning Loss During COVID-19 School Closures in 2020.” This article discussed the results of a study done to assess UK parents’ satisfaction with the way schools handled distanced learning between March and July of 2020. There are a few key differences between the UK education system and the one we have in the U.S. Firstly, parents of students in secondary school grades 11 and 13 were less concerned about their childrens’ academic progress than those in grades 10 and 12. This was because of certain exams taking place during grades 10 and 12 that are important to a students’ success, similar to the SAT and ACT in the U.S. Secondly, there was a sizable gap in average time spent in virtual lessons, with state school students spending only 30 minutes to an 1 hour and 30 minutes compared to private school students spending an hour and a half to 4 and a half hours in virt...

  The irony is not lost on me that I am writing an article about sleep’s effects on mental health while late at night, burnt out after a long day of classes. Situations like mine are the case for many college students, who never seem to be able to get enough sleep.  “People are getting more interested in the science of sleep because it seems like the thing that everybody wants, and no one can get enough of,” said Erin Woodhead, an Associate Professor of Psychology at SJSU who has experience working with people suffering from insomnia. “We know that when people get a poor night’s sleep, physiologically they have certain reactions. Different people react differently, so sometimes the way your blood sugar levels are it can be similar to someone who has diabetes. People often report having less control on nights after they have less sleep, for instance eating things they don’t usually eat, or not being able to hold back. For lots of people it can also be having less control over...

  In my story, I want to dive into the question of students' perpetual tiredness, and ask the question “why is everyone around me tired all the time?” I want to dive into student’s life habits, how some students are able to have more energy than others, and ultimately interview members of the San Jose State science department to better understand the effects of rest or lack thereof on our mental wellbeing and physical abilities.

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Thomas Christian Public Information Specialist 123-456-7890 Los Angeles Zoo Officials Euthanize 21-Year-Old Lions Hubert and Kalisa, two lions at the Los Angeles Zoo, were humanely euthanized due to their declining health and age-related illnesses.  We can tell you that they were euthanized with the greatest care and were not in any pain as they passed.  We at  the Los Angeles Zoo will individually honor the two lions' memories by tagging them on any social media posts. Please feel free to do the same.  Hubert was born Feb. 7th, 1999 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Later, he was moved to Seattle where he met Kalisa, a female lion born Dec. 28th, 1998, at the Woodland Park Zoo. They would both be later moved to the Los Angeles Zoo. Our CEO & Zoo Director Denise Verret gave some word in remembrance of the two majestic beasts: “These affectionate companions came to the L.A. Zoo six years ago, and they quickly charmed themsel...