Facts

Definition
1. USAID is an acronym for the United States Agency for International
Development

Orphans
1. Russia has 700,000 orphans.

Russia has more orphans now, 700,000, than at the end of World War II, when an
estimated 25 million Soviet citizens were killed. (1)

2. Conditions are terrible for Russian orphans

Russia has over 700,000 orphans with only about 25% of them housed. By age 15 or 16 a
Russian orphan will age-out of the orphanage system. They are sent back into the streets
with about $30 and nothing else. Of course, due to poor conditions in the orphanages
many of these kids run away long before they age out. More than half of these kids end
up in jail or prostitution. A Russian orphan will have his passport stamped 'Orphan'.
People do not want to hire orphans and do not want them marrying their children. They
are considered outcasts. Only one out of 10 orphans will make it to their 21st birthday.
(2)

This fact means that 630,000 Russian orphans will die before the age of 21.

3. Russia isn't doing a good job working on this problem.

In recent years, the Russian government has repeatedly pledged to bolster efforts to help
families stay together, to increase the number of children who are adopted and to expand
foster care. But it has not had notable success. (1)

HIV/AIDS
1. Russia has a problem with HIV/AIDS

Russia has one of the world’s most serious epidemics of injection drug-use,
according to the World Health Organization and UNAIDS. It is estimated
that Russia has two million injecting drug users, 60-70% of whom have
HIV-related illnesses. In the past decade, the number of HIV-infected people
has increased from an estimated 100,000 to over one million. (3)

2. Russia isn't addressing the core issue about HIV/AIDS

The Russian authorities have come under strong, widespread criticism for
their policies aimed at dealing with the IDU/HIV epidemic. Education to
control drug abuse has focused primarily on the promotion of drug
abstinence. In addition, officials have relied on criminalization as the main
deterrent. That approach has created obstacles to effective addiction
treatment and HIV prevention. (3)

Foreign Aid is about to be cut

This new pressure point on the foreign aid budget comes as the
administration is trying to reform the US development agency. To
implement those reforms will need investment, not turning off the spigot. If
a group of more conservative Republicans get their way, they will eliminate
federal funding for the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
(4)

Plan
Mandate 1. The US will supply one billion per year to USAID to be used for
aid to Russia

Funding: Ethanol Subsidies

Enforcement: GAO
Advantages
1. Humanization
USAID's Assistance to Russian Orphans program has
reached over 80,000 vulnerable children in Russia,
reuniting more than 12,000 with families (5)

In 2008, 80,000 russian orphans were helped with

about 70 million dollars. By increasing Foreign Aid, we
would be able to save even more lives.

2. HIV/AIDS Combated
USAID's HIV/AIDS program focuses on reducing the
rapid growth of the epidemic in Russia by increasing
access to best practices in HIV prevention, care and
treatment. USAID projects are raising awareness about
and helping prevent transmission of the disease among
at-risk populations, especially injecting drug users and
vulnerable youth. (6)

3. National Security
We can never forget that in meeting Congress’ first
priority – keeping America safe – there is no better
value than the one percent of the U.S. budget that is
spent on foreign aid and diplomacy.

A poll commissioned in 2010 by the U.S. Global

Leadership Coalition concluded, “nearly 90 percent of
active duty and retired military officers agree the tools
of diplomacy and development are critical to achieving
U.S. national security objectives and a strong military
alone is not enough to protect America.” (7)
 So, why vote for my position? For National Security, and to save
thousands of lives. By voting on my side, you would save thousands
of lives from HIV/AIDS, and thousands of orphans from life-eating
poverty, while at the same time increasing our security.

Lastly, a message to Con: Please do not use semantics. This is

supposed to be a policy type round, and semantics are not welcome. I
consider them more to be a way to side-skirt actual refutation.

***How does technology change learning and teaching in formal and informal
education?

It seems that the days of the Socratic teacher are fast fading. The digital world gives
everyone an opportunity to find his or her own expert, not necessarily in the classroom.
The Internet and other digital resources provide students and teachers with the means to
reach out to the world and extract the information that they find most interesting,
whatever it may be. In the classroom there are many things that the students know more
about their teachers, simply because the students can do research that was once tedious
and required many trips to the library, yet now only needs a few clicks of the mouse.

I believe that the teacher's role will eventually be that of a facilitator, giving hints and
directions on how to find knowledge rather than dishing it out on a silver plate. Of
course, some of the good teachers do this already, and will find it easy to use technology
to expand their resources.

Promises of Technology

Is the promise of technology real this time? Thomas Edison and many others thought that
motion pictures would change forever the role of the teacher. Radio was heralded in the
late 1920s and 1930s as the savior of our education system. During World War II Disney
Studios developed animated learning systems designed to teach very specific tasks. After
World War II overhead projectors and audio filmstrips were to become the meat and
potatoes of learning resources. Television allowed one good teacher could reach the
world. As a matter of fact, these innovations not only provided interesting lessons, but
people actually learned from them. They have all proven to be effective in the teaching
process.

However, even with their record of success they have not significantly changed the
patterns of learning and teaching now present in most schools around the world. The
effective measures of educational innovations are 1) Does the innovation increase the
master skills of the learner? 2) Can the same level of learning be accomplished in a
shorter period of time? and 3) Can a teacher teach more students to the same level of
accomplishments?
Technologies up until this time have been used as supplemental tools to the classroom. In
this respect they are an added expense to regular classroom activities that becomes
difficult to justify in cost accounting.

How then can we say that networking and computers will change learning and teaching?
Are they just another fad that will fade away like the other learning technologies? New
digital technologies have the potential for being very different because they merge all of
the previous resources into one accessible unit.

-- The new technologies can provide real world simulations.

-- Learning modules can be accessed at anytime and from any place.

-- Virtual teams of learners can work together to solve problems.

-- Effectively designed programs can provide immediate assessment and evaluation to the
learner.

-- Learners can work on real world problems and have access to experts.

-- New technologies can give provide voice-activated dialogues between the learner and
the computer.

Just as books changed the way we stored and retrieved information and enabled us to
invent the modern schoolhouse, Internet will change the way we think of learning and
teaching. Digital technologies will change the way we store, use and retrieve information.
It is because of these changes that digital technologies are very different from others in
education.

However, I also caution against thinking that the technology alone will bring about the
change. The technology only allows us to think of new ways of learning. Just as books
require good authors, the new technology will require new kinds of learning design
engineers. Professionals will evolve who can take the research from learning theories and
blend it with the technologies. It is not a simple or inexpensive task, but we already see
some glimpses of what the future may bring.

Individualized Learner's Plans

Technology allows teachers to have an Individual Learner's Plan (ILP) for every learner
that includes medical, social, psychometric, academic achievement and other relevant
records. Based upon these records each learner will have an individualized educational
plan. Each child will have a weekly update of how they are achieving their goals and
objectives. ILPs and records can be given to students on Smart Cards that enable them to
have their records and use them when they transfer from school to school.
Classroom Goals And Objectives

Each class can have a Website that details the overall goals and objectives for the class. It
will have relevant weekly information about class activities and objectives. It will have a
parent section that discusses the relevance of the goals and objectives for each week. The
site will have examples of problem-based educational solutions for class teams working
towards specific objectives.

Student Assessment and Evaluations

For each child there will be a portfolio assessment file that provides examples of
individual work and team work that the student is doing in order to meet the goals and
objectives of their Individual Learning Plan. If a learner is falling below expectation of
his or her individual learning plan, parents will be alerted within one week of the status of
their child. Electronic Management and Support for Teachers

Teachers today are among the most isolated professionals in the workforce. An electronic
Teacher's Associate could provide 1) relevant grade-level national and state standards in a
relational database that equates standards and resources, 2) online chat activities with
comparable teachers, 3) online access to master teacher mentors, and 4) access to content
specialists. Such resources must be made available to every teacher at his or her desk. By
2020 or sooner the Teacher's Associate can bring digital library materials to the teacher's
desk. Moreover, desktop publishing can be done at the building or classroom level.
Individualized textbooks can be made for each student as needed.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

Since knowledge has expanded, is learning and school just too hard for children to master
high academic standards? No, we have always had more knowledge than a single person
could master. So the extent of knowledge is not the problem with learners and teachers. It
is however more difficult to agree on what the core curriculum should be.

If learning and teaching are different from the past, what are the characteristics of that
difference? For the past decade or so American educators have been asking to define the
national standards for content areas. Some would like to return to a classical education
suitable for the 1890s and others echo the progressive education movement started in the
1970s. There are conditions today that enter into the general society that our decisions
must consider.

-- Information is accessible in many more places today. Radio, television, cable

television, recorded materials, Internet and the telephone are available for learners of all
ages.

-- People participate in a wide variety of special interest groups from collectors to choral
singing groups to Star Trek conventions.
-- Society is more inclusive of diverse people including disabled people.

-- Age differences are merged. A 14-year-old teenager can dialogue with a Nobel
scientist if their skills, knowledge and interests are the same.

-- Learning happens in places outside the school, such as in the home, church, library,
museum and little league parks.

The digital world has blurred the walls of the schools and places of learning. Individual
learners can learn anywhere anytime and at their own pace. We have always had some
children that use broad community resources, but the ease of doing it today is greater than
ever.

Technology extends our communications ability beyond face-to-face talking. It expands

it beyond the printed page and reading to a new dimension. It is building a new and more
efficient means of sharing ideas and information among all people.

Arun Kumar Tripathi is a research assistant with Telecooperation Research Group at

Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. His interests include ubiquitous learning,
AI in learning and education, cognitive aspects of human-computer interactions, the
interface of philosophy and technology, and use of the Internet and computer technology
for distance education.

***Misuse of Technology

Introduction:

Technology in our days is linked to practically everything we do and

it has changed people's lives in various ways. We use it at work such
as the Internet and computers, we use it for personal matters and
entertainment such as mobile phones. But everyone should know how
to benefit from technology and not misuse it during our daily lives.

Discussion:

The big problem about technology misuses can be summarized in two

words: culture and education. Some people aren't sufficiently cultured to
use technology properly as a tool because they use it as an easy way
solution or as a fashionable trends. Also, these people do not have
education to use it correctly.

Because of hundreds of services that technology offers, there are many

techniques to harm persons and waste time. People use their time to harm
others even though they know that it is not good. For example, people
manufactures weapons to destroy others instead of improving themselves.
People are actually concerned about misuse and abuse of technology.
Society states that internet uses lead to intimidation or threat to people as
well as allowing easy piracy by providing the infrastructure to illegal
music or software downloads and plagiarism. Educational institutions are
worried about student’s development in their classes due to misuses of
technology. For instance, learners are using cellphones, playing games,
and surfing on some pornographic web sites and other non suitable sites
during class. Some students even start using cellphones at the age of ten.
This isn't a bad thing because many parents are both working and have to
leave their children with a babysitter, so they need a way to communicate
with their children. Nowadays, children not only want to have cellphones,
but also prefer to have the latest version of it. If children do not have it,
they might feel ashamed with their friends and prefer to leave their old-
fashioned cellphone at home. Moreover, many late model cellphones
have built-in camera and some people use it to record pictures or videos
that may damage others reputation. Because of these, some people say
and think that the technology is responsible and it is not good for society.
However, people have to understand that this is happening because of

technology misuse. As a tool, technology do not do anything to threaten the society, it is

the misuse of it that threatens society. It is humans that uses a technology that threatens
society, the fault is at the user of the technology, not the technology itself.

Conclusion:

This paper should not be read as a blanket condemnation of all

technological developments, but a plea for technology in its place. That
place is for environmental rather than individual modification and
alteration. Indeed technology has proved ineffective and inefficient in
modifying individuals and there is little evidence for great future
advances. The 'Six Million Dollar' Man and the 'Bionic Woman , are not
science fiction based on projected facts but modern day fairy tales. With
specific reference to paraplegia, it could be argued that the only
significant development this century was anti-technological; that is the
decision by Sir Ludwig Guttmann to treat the paraplegic as he was –
paralysed – and to cease attempts to repair or replace his damaged spinal
cord by surgical (technological) intervention. Thus, it is my contention
that technology should be used in the service of man rather than for the
modification of man, and thereby, walking frames represent a step in the
wrong direction, and a misapplication of technological developments.
 ***Social Issues for Women in Sports

Beatrice Lucaciu

The films that I found to be most compelling are A League of Their Own, Pumping Iron
II, and Girl Fight. Incidentally, these are also the films that I believe examine the range of
social issues of women in sport. In each film, women encounter challenges due to others'
expectations and assumptions.

In A League of Their Own, women were given a chance to participate in a sport which
they loved – but only because many of the male baseball players were going to war.
Furthermore, they had been expected to wear mini dresses. This alone showed that
promoters were less interested in their abilities, and more interested in exploiting their
looks. Even when selecting the players for the league, the scout made it clear that he had
wanted attractive women to play – almost overlooking a very talented woman just
because she was not considered beautiful. The characters were developed, however, to
show that there was much more to them than just sex appeal. As director of this film,
Penny Marshall demonstrated the hard work and dedication of the women by showing
shots of their dirty uniforms and many bruises.

In this film, one quickly realizes that a major challenge the players faced was getting
people to actually come to their games. At that time, it seems as though women athletes
were not taken seriously. Thus, attendance for their games was low. They had to use their
abilities to provide the crowds with entertainment (for example, doing splits and catching
the ball in a hat, etc). Eventually, against all odds, the women succeed at impressing
those who had doubted them before. However, it seems to be a requirement in sports
films about women to have them prove themselves as athletes. They had to show that,
even though they are women, they too can play just as hard as men.

Pumping Iron II follows the story of women who are participating in a type of
competition once open only to men: bodybuilding. One would assume that the point of
such a competition would be to build muscle mass and sculpting form, and developing
every muscle in one's body. However, it becomes apparent that these women are
expected to retain some form stereotypic femininity, and avoid appearing too masculine.
What I loved about this movie is that it allows for the viewer to gain perspective about
the personalities of those involved in the competition. Therefore, the viewer may find
herself supporting Bev Francis, the most "masculine" of the bodybuilders, even though
the judges and some of her competitors are expecting her to lose because of her lack of a
feminine form.

This movie definitely challenges the role of women. It seems that quite a few of the
women in Pumping Iron II had started considering the contest to be more like a beauty
pageant. They primped their hair, overdid their makeup, and tried to find the perfect
bikini. However, because Bev Francis was more interested in displaying her muscular
structure – and, to some extent, I think that is what set her apart from the other, more
"feminine" bodybuilders. Ultimately, one is left with the feeling that competitive female
bodybuilding has a long way to go before it can distinguish itself from any usual beauty
contest.

Lastly, I think Girl Fight really broke ground in terms of women in sport films. Finally,
they made a movie about a young woman who succeeds in a typically masculine sport -
boxing. She does not depend upon her boyfriend to motivate her or train her. In fact, she
even beats him in the ring. However, the main character in this film, too, must prove
herself because of her gender.

I think that the other three films are equally entertaining and enlightening, but for
different reasons. For example, Katherine Hepburn as the female protagonist in Pat and
Mike definitely challenged the idea of women in sports. However, the film takes a step
back when aligning her with a coach who becomes a love interest. What I find upsetting
is that Bend It Like Beckham seems to do something similar. This brings about the
question of how far we have really come.

As I have said in my posts to the forum, I would have removed any romance between
Jess and her coach Joe in Bend It Like Beckham. The movie is substantial enough
without trying to bring in a typical Hollywood scenario such as that one. The movie's
main character was confident in her abilities (which were, in fact, fantastic) and did not
require a significant other to develop that confidence. This, of course, is a step forward
compared to the story of Pat and Mike.

As for Rocky, I believe that that movie has little to do with the role of women in sports,
and more to do with challenging yourself and the beliefs others have about you. There is
actually nothing that I would change about Rocky. I find it to be interesting and moving
as it is. The fact that there is a relationship that is a central focus of the film is acceptable,
in my opinion. This relationship provided both Rocky and Adrian with a new perspective
on life and a new hope, as well.

I think, with the exception of Rocky, each of these films contributes to creating a proper
place for women in sports. Even in Pumping Iron II, the viewer may consider the
criticism of great muscularity by the judges to be unfair. This realization may cause a
demand for equality in different sports and competitions. There is no doubt that each film
about female athletes portrayed these women as being very gifted and talented. And it is
nice to see that the most recent of the films, Bend It Like Beckham, has a protagonist that
is determined and sure of herself. This gives hope that eventually films about female
athletes will not need to involve romantic relationships or require the women to have to
compete to prove themselves as equals. Rather, they should have the characters compete
to demonstrate their natural abilities without having a stigma attached to them because of
their gender.