By Steffanie Martinez |Staff Writer| Would you put your cellphone down if by doing so you could potentially improve your GPA? As college students, it seems impossible for us to go throughout the day without checking our phones multiple times. I’ve seen it in all my classes; the students who sit in the back pretending to look at the professor, meanwhile they expertly text, or surf through their Instagram feeds without getting caught. Richard Murphy and Louis-Phillipe Beland, two economics professors at Louisiana State University, measured the impact of mobile phones on student performance. They surveyed 91 schools in four English cities before and after strict cellphone … [Read more...] about Less phone usage for higher academic success
teachers
Negative voter views on tenure
By Daniela Rueda |Staff Writer| University professors receive tenure much too quickly and easily, according to a Los Angeles Times survey. Tenure is the status given to an educator who satisfactorily completed teaching for a trial period and is therefore protected against summary dismissal by the employer. At CSUSB, teachers receive tenure after six years through an evaluation process. New teachers on campus are pressured to be at the same teaching level as those who have been here longer. Nathaniel Lastrapes, a communication studies major, believes teachers should not have tenure. “Teachers get too comfortable and new younger teachers get laid off first,” said … [Read more...] about Negative voter views on tenure
Educated but not armed: Teachers don’t need guns
By Angie Burkhart |Staff Writer| The problem with teachers bearing arms is that we do not have the ability to predict whether extensive training will prepare teachers to switch between teaching to killing in a matter of seconds. With repeated acts of gun violence and intrusions within schools over the years, some districts and teachers have decided to take responsibility into their own hands. “Legally gun owning adults are now allowed to carry guns in public schools in more than two dozen states, from kindergarten classrooms to high school hallways,” stated author Kate Murphy in her ABC News article ‘F’ is for Firearm: More Teachers Authorized to Carry Weapons in … [Read more...] about Educated but not armed: Teachers don’t need guns
Effective lectures
By Mark Mascetti |Staff Writer| PowerPoint presentations can both improve or hinder a professor’s teaching effectiveness, depending on how they construct and present the information. Most teachers use PowerPoints now, but may not be using it as effectively as they hope. “A majority of the classes I have taken were instructed with PowerPoint,” said student Max Singer. “Although, I have had some teachers use it poorly and could definitely improve the way they used it.” In my experience, the teachers that use PowerPoint as a brief outline communicate the material in an easier and more effective way. Material from one chapter may be spread over just a handful of slides, yet provide … [Read more...] about Effective lectures
Kaiser High defends weapons purchase
By Marysol Guzman |Staff writer| The purchase of semiautomatic rifles back in Fall 2012 sparked controversy in the Fontana Unified School District (FUSD). In an interview with L.A Times, Police Chief Billy Green said he wanted to give parents and community members all the information possible behind the purchase. He sent out a letter to the parents of the FUSD, in English and Spanish, stating that it was his hope to answer questions through this way of written communication. In the letter he also said the rifles are a necessary tool to respond to situations that will jeopardize the safety of students and staff. “The law enforcement rifle is a tool which provides officers … [Read more...] about Kaiser High defends weapons purchase
CSUSB introduces new doctoral program
By Angela E. Rodriguez |Staff Writer| CSUSB has announced that they will be offering a three year doctoral degree in Educational Leadership effective Sept. 2013. In earning a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, career opportunities from different areas ranging from: Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade school and district administration, Counseling, Social Work, Health Education and Educational Policy making to Community College Administrators/ Teachers. The three year program for many students is an opportunity for personal growth and expertise development in the field. "Doctoral program helped me grow as a professional and as an individual. I have gained a tremendous insight on not … [Read more...] about CSUSB introduces new doctoral program
So you wanna be a winner
By Marc Olivier Drouin |Staff Writer| The Outstanding Professor Selection Committee invites CSUSB students to nominate the professor they think deserve the Outstanding Professor Award (OPA). The OPA rewards a professor that is recognized for their excellence in teaching. This award is basically one of the biggest distinctions a professor can have in their career – this is like the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award of education! Besides being considered a prominent professor, the selected faculty member also receives prizes; such as a $1,000 check and a $3,000 Faculty Professional Development grant for purposes of research and professional activities. Moreover, the OPA winner will … [Read more...] about So you wanna be a winner
CFA should vote to authorize strike
By Aunjolay Lambert |Staff Writer| Knowing that the strike is so close to becoming reality makes me feel uneasy, but I do think CSU faculty should vote to strike. The faculty and staff are the heart and soul of the CSU campuses and without them it would be next to impossible to run CSU universities. Why aren’t their needs being met? Increasing student fees, tuition and denying faculty members a pay raise while the CSU Chancellor is approved a salary “supplement” is not what most students and faculty members want to hear. The California Faculty Association (CFA) is the union that represents 24,000 CSU employees who will either approve or decline a sequence of strikes which could … [Read more...] about CFA should vote to authorize strike
CFA deserves raises
By Nicole Maldonado |Staff Writer| All workers should be protected under unions. Unions that support the interest of workers are essential because they fight for the worker’s rights to fair wages, benefits, retirement, and against disparity of treatment. A current issue involves the California Faculty Association which has a contract with the CSU system. This contract was in effect from July 1, 2007 until July 30, 2010. The CFA put in proposals and negotiated for their contract raises because they did not receive contractual raises the last two years of service. According to Marcia Marx, who is president of the CFA on our campus, Chancellor Charles B. Reed, who is a part of the Board … [Read more...] about CFA deserves raises
Blackboard bugs and bites
By Carmen Herrera |Staff Writer| It has happened to everyone. Many students and teachers have experienced the ongoing problems of the campus’ educational and communication web software, Blackboard. The newest version of Blackboard was uploaded at the beginning of the 2011 spring quarter. Despite an updated version of Blackboard, technical problems continue to occur, disrupting classes and teaching that depend on this site. I don’t know how many times I have tried to login, only to see a blank page reading “service unavailable” or had an email notifying that Blackboard is down and won’t be up until hours or days later. Blackboard crashes to the point where students cannot … [Read more...] about Blackboard bugs and bites