More Colleges Offering Personal Genetics Class

This article discusses a class that has recently been offered at more colleges. The class is called Personal Genetics. The class teaches the students about their own individual genetics. They are able to learn whether they would be more likely to develop a certain cancer or disease. It also informs them of whether they would be more sensitive to certain medicines or even if they would be good at something like sprinting. The students are given a chance to test their own DNA by supplying a sample of their saliva. Most of the students who have opted to take this course say that they are interested to learn about their personal health and what their health might be like in the future.

Personally, I think that this class sounds very interesting. I think that it is very important for everyone to know about their health. I think that this course in particular shows how much society has evolved in general. Years ago, I think it would be incredibly difficult for people to learn about genetics let alone their own. I like that these colleges are taking a step into a more advanced science that is also very relatable to the students taking  this course. The article also mentioned that the students who provided their own DNA sample were able to retain more information and get more out of the class. It is interesting to see that when students can actually use the knowledge they gained from the course in their own lives, they tend to better understand and retain the information. I believe that if more classes were taught at a more personal and relatable level, students would be able to put the information to better use.

Cheating

Harvard has recently acknowledged the major cheating scandal that occurred in one of their classes. Students in an Introduction to Congress class were suspected of cheating on a take-home final exam last May. The exam was  open book. After the teaching assistant suspected a sharing of answers, about 70 students were placed on academic probation. The required probation is supposed to last about one year until the students are allowed to return. Other suspected students were not disciplined. Now, students say, the professors are stressing even more the importance of academic integrity.

This type of situation proves that cheating can happen at all levels of education. When a person cheats, it causes issues for all individuals involved. If one individual is asked for the answer on a test, it may be difficult for that student to decide what to do. If the student decides not to share the answer, he or she may be considered a bad classmate or friend. However, if the student agrees to sharing the answer, that would cause he or she to be a poor student. It puts asked student in a difficult position and stuck between a rock and a hard place. Cheating negatively impacts the student community and usually causes a role strain. When it comes to cheating I know that I personally struggle between being a helpful friend and being a student of integrity. I can only imagine the difficulty of this decision at a college level. To be honest, it is a little disappointing to know that this type of role strain won't go away any time soon.

Women and Education in China

In this opinion article, by  Leta Hong Fincher, she shows the view of unmarried women in China over the age of 27 known as "leftover women" through the use of quotes from an article found on the All-China Women's Federation's website. As this nickname suggests, these women are viewed very negatively in the Chinese society. In general, the society believe that these women hope to receive an education "in order to increase their competitiveness." They think that "pretty girls don’t need a lot of education to marry into a rich and powerful family." They believe that if you are ugly or average looking, you need an education; however, if you are young and beautiful there is no reason because you will be married off anyway. The women who are working to further their education will be less valuable and less likely to get married by the time they earn their  Ph.D or M.A. because they will be too old. The Chinese society as a whole seems to focus more on women finding a husband rather than finding an education.

It's really interesting to see the the view of women's education in another country. In the United States, education is valued for both males and females. In China, education is not seen as a necessity nor is it as valued for women as it is in America. They believe that women can just get married off if they are pretty enough. In the U.S., many times women who receive an education are seen as more valuable and intelligent. In most cases, intelligence is seen as attractive. In China, it looks like they view women's education as a last resort- like they weren't attractive enough so they needed another thing going for them. Women in the U.S. usually receive an education  for an entirely different reason. Of course there are some women in the U.S. who are hoping that college will bring them a husband rather than a degree, but the majority of American women are looking for a higher education in order to support themselves.