Pros and cons of censorship

Censorship is the removal of information from the public, or the prevention of circulation of information, where it is desired or felt best by some controlling group or body that others are not allowed to access the information which is being censored. Typically censorship is undertaken by governments or by established bodies (religions or the mass media) although self-censorship and other forms also exist. Censorship of some forms of sensitive information, such as commercial secrets and intellectual property, official secrets, and legal privilege, are not usually described as censorship, provided that they remain within bounds which are recognized in general as being reasonable. For this reason, the term "censorship" often carries with it a sense of inappropriate or repressive secrecy as opposed to a reasonable and expected level. Censorship is closely tied in as a concept with freedom of speech and other forms of human expression, and when tightly exercised is often connected with human rights and abuse, dictatorships and repression.

From time to time demands are made that some form of censorship should be imposed on the proliferating television channels that show what are generally called `entertainment' programmes - serials, music videos, films and other programmes such as those which are called reality shows.

Some time ago the BBC announced a tough curb on TV sleaze, saying they would no longer tolerate explicit scenes of sex, violence and bad language. Its director declared the BBC aims to set the highest editorial and ethical standards in programme-making.

Soon after that a poll was conducted among viewers which showed that about 82% of those polled believe they should be able to make up their own mind what their household watches.

So, there occur contradictions whether we need censorship or whether it’ll be nothing but violation of our freedom of choice.

The issue is particularly debatable in the USA. Most Americans, because of cherished First Amendment rights, are extremely sensitive to any forms of censorship. Relative to other countries, however, the United States enjoys remarkable freedom from official monitoring of program content. "Cutting of scenes" is practiced far more in developing countries than in western countries.

So what exactly do we mean when we talk about censorship? Today the scope of censorship has been expanded to include most media and involves suppressing any or all parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military and other grounds. With regard to television, censorship usually refers to the exclusion of certain topics, social groups or language from the content of broadcast programming. At issue here is who are the people empowered to choose for others what they should watch, whether they really have a greater sensitivity, taste, creative perception and wisdom to decide on what is appropriate and what is objectionable. And won’t it all turn into one more means of controlling and influencing public opinion which will be efficiently used by the state or managers to constrain and silence contrary or controversial views.

So, on the one hand people admit that something should be done to improve the quality and the content of the media, but on the other hand people oppose any possibility of limitations of their right to choose freely what they consider best in a free market where a competing companies offer their products.

To solve a dilemma, the media producers in western countries have decided to open a possibility of self-censorship. A self-imposed rating system has been introduced which can guide responsible parents and be a sort of indication of the suitability of programmes. For example, the contents of "G" rated movies are considered suitable for all audiences, "GP" requires parental guidance, "R," "X," and NC17 (no children under 17) are considered appropriate for adults. Again, it should be emphasised that these standards are offered as a guide to audiences and have never been strictly enforced.

Besides, further steps have been taken to counter public criticism and government censorship. Producers and the networks have agreed to begin a ratings system which could be electronically monitored and blocked in the home. Thus, parents could effectively censor programming which they found unsuitable for their children while still allowing the networks to air adult-oriented programming.

Moreover, an attempt was made to introduce a "family viewing concept," according to which television networks would agree to delay the showing of adult programs until children were, presumably, no longer among the audience. In Great Britain there is a notional watershed at 9 p.m., fixed by the BBC and IBA, after which more violent and intimate scenes can be shown and adult themes explored.

Clearly, the question of censorship in television continues to vex programmers, producers, government officials, and viewers. No immediate solution to the problems involved is apparent.

Television:

-children’s viewing habits have changed; now they are allowed to watch right up to their bedtime. But there’s a notional watershed at 9 p.m. fixed by BBC and IBA, after which more violent and intimate scenes can be shown.

-parents exercise little or no control over their children’s viewing, they throw the onus on to the programme-makers, which is both cowardly and irresponsible. Undoubtedly it is sex and violence on TV and films that attract the most public attention. Many people are outraged at the frankness of contemporary films, although others may appreciate the greater freedom this reflects. But people’s views of what is permissible differ widely.

17. The problems of conventional schools in Great Britain / the USA / Belarus

For every family the future of their kids is the most important question. Parents are ready to spend an enormous sum of money on the education of their children.

Choosing a school is of an exceptional importance. Because our decision will influence the march of events and will be a turning-point in the life of our kids. That’s why we have to choose the school where we would like our children to study and to what sphere of life we want to dedicate their life very carefully. But what are the criteria for the good school? How not to mistake while choosing one? Schools have for many years set out their purposes, often in clear and helpful statements of aims and objectives.

School’s mission is to promote intellectual growth in students through a meaningful education. However, the possibility of schools to reach the set up target depends on the approach they take to fulfill educational goals and reach high academic standards.

The UK:

A slimmed-down curriculum for 11- to 14-year-olds in England, designed to liberate more time to help students either catch up on the basics or play to their strengths, was unveiled by the government. Sir Winston Churchill – along with Hitler, Gandhi and Stalin – will no longer be compulsory, though William Wilberforce remains. Citizenship education will now include work on British values and national identity. An optional “economic well-being and financial capability” strand, to help pupils understand mortgages, personal finance and business. Teachers can use this time to focus on pupils struggling with literacy and numeracy, as well as giving other students extra challenges to stimulate them.

The changes reflect anxieties both about the continuing “tail of underachievement” in schools, with targets for tests at 14 still being missed and one in 20 youngsters leaving school at 16 with no GCSEs.

The revised history curriculum includes both world wars and the Holocaust, the development of political power from the middle ages to the 20th century, the British empire and slavery; but not – automatically – the Wars of the Roses or Elizabeth I.

Schools will be encouraged to lay on not just European languages but Mandarin, Arabic and Urdu. The plans received a mixed response from the teacher unions, partly because compulsory national tests at 11 and 14 remain in place. The advantage of the new framework is that it puts control into the hands of schools, letting them decide when and how to introduce curriculum change.

The USA:

In an effort to raise standards, both federal legislation – as embodied in the No Child Left Behind Act – and many state testing systems threaten to penalize students who can’t pass basic tests, along with the schools charged with educating them. Officials have warned that students who fall short won’t receive diplomas or, in some cases, promotion to the next grade level. Many states have made their tests easier. Others have lowered the passing scores or delayed phasing them in as a graduation or promotion requirement. Although some of the requirements have been changed − critics say "watered down" − since the launch of the program, the state should be commend­ed for holding fast to the principle of statewide testing.

Testing is never an end in itself but a measure of other factors – the commitment of teachers and of school districts, the willingness of students to work harder. But while a test can be a tool to inspire and an indicator of progress, it works only as long as education authorities take it seriously.

The number of youngsters who must repeat third grade is about five times greater than last year. Students who cannot read at the third-grade level to advance to the fourth grade would make it extremely difficult for them to catch up with their peers.

The state is still gathering figures from school districts on the number of children being held back. The policy has led to protests, including the de­mand that retention not be based on the state assessment test scores. These children will either become so angry they're going to be aggressive and have discipline problems, or be demoralized and heartbroken and depressed. These children are going to drop out. Education officials believe that students who are retained and who receive extra reading help will benefit. The state set up summer reading camps, and individual plans are being developed for each child to target specific weaknesses.

But many experts argue that holding children back and having them simply repeat the same instruction hurts them, and some say holding students with the promise of extra help also puts them at a disadvantage.

The reality nowadays shows that parents more often give their preference to private schools, choosing the name of the school but not its teaching methods. Conventional schooling presupposes traditional forms of educating students through a teacher-centered approach, relying on lecturing as a way of transmitting information and test examination system as a way of knowledge control. This type of schooling exists in Belarus. It should be mentioned that Belarus has a highly developed system of education, as evidenced by such statistical indicators as adult literacy rate (99.8%) and ratio of employed population who received basic, general secondary or vocational education (98%).

However conventional schooling has become nowadays the subject of multiple critiques. There are those who believe that this type of schooling does not well reveal children’s potential, moreover it stifles curiosity and kills motivation. Children are regarded as just numbers. Due to the big numbers of students in classes and limited amount of time it is next to impossible for teachers to find an individual approach to each student and to create high motivation for the subject. In their turn, some teachers, due to low salaries, lack incentive and inspiration to give off their best.

Drawbacks of our conventional school system:

1. extra curriculum activities are not paid much attention, truancy

2. financial problems(low teacher’s salary, lack incentive and inspiration to give off their best, this tough work should be paid accordingly, not just pea-nuts for such hard work)

3. disrespect to teacher’s work, our attitude to it should change

4. school equipment is poor, textbooks aren’t good enough, old school furniture

5. deteriorating health of the pupils, problems with eyesight, awful feeding at school canteens

6. the problem of not conducting extra curriculum sport activities

7. continuing school reform-centralized testing, pupils never know to what kind of tasks they should prepare and what kind of knowledge they should possess; preparation for these tests isn’t enough(tutors)

8. the growing demand of employers, of their expectations

9. no matter how you studied at school if your parents can pay you’ll be a student

10. doesn’t well foster the child’s potential, stifles curiosity and kills motivation, children are regarded just as numbers.

Ways of improving the situation:

· to make education more learner-centered based on pedagogy of cooperation where the learner shares the responsibility for decisions in the learning process

· To minimize pressure upon the students, give them more freedom to express their thoughts

· To put the emphasis on creative thinking

· To shorten the amount of student in each classroom, thus to establish a contact with each child

· To create the atmosphere of trust, to make teacher’s schedule less taxing without the detriment to their wages, emphasis on universal human values, the development of personality, democratization, creative thinking.

Teachers are to respect the views of students and by no means to penalize them for the views different from the accepted norm. Thus the key targets of conventional schooling should be the development of personality and also the creative thinking.

On the whole, schools, parents and the state should integrate in order to build an educated society.

18. Advantages/disadvantages of egalitarian and elitist education

Children’s intelligence, musical ability, physical endurance etc., vary enormously from individual to individual: some children are musical geniuses at the age of four or five, and others what is generally called tone-deaf; there are mathematical geniuses, and children who are hopeless at math, we can give many examples, the essence of the problem is that these differences are on the one hand – the result of heredity, and on the other hand – the influence of environment. So, what is the best way to develop children’s abilities and to encourage their talents?

Many people think that in order to develop the abilities of these gifted children, they should to choose elitist approach in education and to study separately from “ordinary” children. Some governments believe in an egalitarian approach which means to give all children opportunities to develop their special gifts. Napoleon laid the principle of this approach saying “Equal opportunities for all”. And the US tried to follow this idea and tried to provide equal education for all, regardless of ability, while the USSR was encouraging talent by setting up special schools for children with particular gifts. They followed elitist approach by selecting gifted children at a very early age, and then sending them to schools in which they are given intensive training for something like ten years. In egalitarian education one can find advantages and disadvantages. For pupils with special gifts it’s better to study by an elitist approach. There they can reach brilliant results because staying with other smart children they will have some kind of competition and it will urge them forward. For pupils without any special talents studying in the egalitarian school will be both advantage and disadvantage. On the one hand, seeing these smart guys someone will lose his interest in studying, and on the other hand it will stimulate them and will help to work harder in order to reach the same level.

Egalitarian education in some way prevents the really gifted-child’s development. But at the same time selection at an early age cannot be perfect: some children who should be at a particular type of school can slip through the net, and others who do go to that type of school can drop out before the end of the course.

Attempts in the US and in Britain to diminish differences in ability between children from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds by giving the latter special intensive training between the age of 5 and 7 have been quite unsuccessful: the differences are already deeply rooted by then.

However, there has never been any conclusive evidence that the comprehensive system does hold back the very intelligent pupils.

At the same time one should mention that elitist education opens wider prospects for the graduated. As an example let’s take universities. The reality nowadays shows that parents more often give their preference to private schools, choosing the name of the school but not its teaching methods.

So to my mind first most children should be sent to a comprehensive school, which is designed to enable every one to pursue the subjects that they are good at, and at the same time to encourage social cohesion. Then when the child’s abilities are discovered he/she can be just provided with some specialised courses or programs. And then when going to university it’s better to choose the top one which would provide a person with all necessary knowledge and at the same time would open numerous prospects in life.

What is obviously right in any society which is interested in developing each child’s abilities to the full is to give all children equal opportunities to develop their special gifts.

19. The employment prospects for college and university graduates in Great Britain/Belarus

Choosing a university is of an exceptional importance because our decision will influence the march of events and will be a turning-point in our life. How not to mistake while choosing one?

While choosing university where we would like to study we think to what sphere of life we want to dedicate our life but unfortunately, it doesn’t give us guaranties that we will work in this field, because nowadays it’s very difficult to find a job. The reason for this is that there are too many universities and that students are having increasing difficulty finding work after they graduate. The question of how employment rates should be calculated requires urgent, albeit time-consuming planning. Universities have reached the point where they have to pay attention to educational fundamentals. They will have to make a high rate of employability for graduates a primary goal and they will have to work hard to achieve that goal.

To achieve high employment rates among graduates, it is necessary to strengthen the workplace experience of both students and teachers. As far as students are concerned, the UK elevated all polytechnic schools to university status in 1992 to give more students the opportunity to attend university. Ten years on, this has resulted in both positive and negative experiences and the name "polytechnic" has disappeared. The "sandwich curriculum," however, is still in place. Traditional universities as well as non-technical and non-vocational departments also rely on such curriculums. Students can elect to only attend the three-year on-campus curriculum or they can attend the four-year on-campus curriculum paired with vocational training. Insightful people are more approving than condemning of the UK sandwich curriculum. They believe that a four-term year, where students transfer between the campus and the workplace every three months, would work best when implementing a system to make the transfer more convenient for students.

In addition to a curriculum that stresses the resolution of practical issues by stipulating that students must have one or two terms of practical workplace training during their study period, teachers are generally required to have a minimum of five years practical experience. Some states encourage teachers to work outside the school while maintaining both position and salary in order to update their practical experience.

The idea that students who want to enter the workplace should also practice in the workplace is as natural as the idea that anyone who wants to learn how to swim has to get into the water.

The employers make rigid requirements for students that’s why in order to comply with their demands, one must be good grounded. According to the survey results conducted in Milwaukee the criteria that the employers ranked as most important are as follows:

№1 The student's major (37 per cent)

№2 The student's interviewing skills (25 per cent)

№3 The student's internship/experience (16 per cent)

№4 The student's GPA (6per cent)

№5 Other miscellaneous qualifications (6 per cent)

№6 The student's computer skills (4 per cent)

№7 The student's personal appearance (3 per cent)

№8 The college the student graduated from (3 per cent)

37 per cent of employers ranked a student's major as the top priority for hiring consideration. Also very important to employers were the student's interviewing skills and their internships or experience.

In order to differentiate among candidates with the same major, or who meet the initial qualifications, employers look for soft skills that will complement the degree. Once job seekers are granted an interview, they will need to sell their soft skills as specific experience in order to stand out above the crowd. While many positions require a more specific major or skill set, other positions are open to a variety of majors. Employers are seeking a well-rounded, balanced candidate with a high level of business savvy that often comes from internship experience. Top skills include excellent communication skills, problem solving capabilities, initiative, flexibility, and enthusiasm about the company.

Opinions on whether school or university teach us more than life differ. Some people have priceless life experiences that have formed their outlook, views on various things, moral values. Others consider that school and university education are inseparable from the process of development and getting mature. There are numerous examples of people, who managed to achieve a lot without a university education. Among them politicians, writers (P. D. James, the thinking person's crime novelist, best-selling romancer Jilly Cooper, and playwright Tom Stoppard), who have achieved eminence without university degrees. However the graduate-dominated world of the media is another matter. So it's refreshing to learn that neither head of Channel 4, nor head of features at BBC Radio ever went to university.

Nevertheless, liberal education and creative professions is one thing. You can become a perfect writer or a painter without getting a degree, but you won’t trust your life a doctor who does not have a proper education. Some professions demand profound knowledge which is almost impossible to derive from the school of life.

In Belarus today we face such a problem that students after finishing university can’t find the job because of the big number of graduates and who are just not ready to work. Because unfortunately nowadays university programs include a great variety of subjects that don’t play any practical role. And in the result students have to study a lot of useless material when later they don’t know how to apply it in their job.

Graduates want to find a job that can bring them satisfaction, stability, the chance to be promoted and a good salary. And a lot of them deserve it. But unfortunately after studying hard 5 years in University, they can’t find a good job because in our modern world it’s more important who you know and not what you know.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1146