The following is a SAMPLE INITIAL POST from a student. It shows you how to use the required discussion form in the STUDY GUIDE to shape your INITIAL discussion post:
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PRE-LEARNING REFLECTION #1: CHANGE
PROMPT: Consider what causes genuine and long-lasting change in a culture? In your lifetime what are the biggest changes you have witnessed in our culture and are these changes, in general, positive or negative? Why? Are you a lover or hater of cultural change?
I think that change is hard to implement in any setting. For a genuine, long lasting change in a culture, first you need to have the people on board with that change. If there is no unity among people when agreeing to commence a change, the change can simply not be carried out effectively. The basis for the change will not be strong; causing the change to be short lived. Strength is in numbers, so the more people you have that want the change needs to overpower those who oppose it. Eventually the majority will influence the decision of making the change, and others will just have to follow and come to terms with it. Of course, negotiations are also deemed necessary to maintain peace and to keep anger/frustrations at bay. A big change that I have noticed is the dependence on technology. Within the past three decades we have seen a huge shift in the way we interact in this world. I think these changes are positive because technology has made our lives a lot easier and more convenient. Tasks that used to take days can now be accomplished within a matter of hours. People that hadn’t seen their families for years because of travel restrictions (monetary or time related) can now get in touch with people across the world with the click of a button (Skype). I think change is indeed inevitable and I do appreciate change, although it can be hard to adjust to initially.
DISCUSSION
I. Discussion Question: Of all the cultural advances in Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt and Ancient China and India, which, in your opinion, is the most important and why?
All though the advances from all cultures have lead to the successful society we have today, I do believe that the Ancient Mesopotamia gave the most important contribution through the means of agriculture, irrigation methods, architecture, and writing. The Mesopotamian first transitioned from having to hunt for meat and fish as a main source of food, to learning to grow their own edible vegetation and its proper management by inventing irrigation techniques. The shift from hunting to cultivating agriculture also led to production of pottery vessels, which were used for water transportation and storage. This was a huge advancement once the idea of agriculture became well spread; people were now able to focus on other issues and projects to make the society more proper and “civilized” so to speak. The Neolithic era gave rise to great architecture, Ziggurat at Ur being a prime example. And let’s not forget that Mesopotamia gave rise to some of the oldest writings and literature. The culture made tablets with literature in the form of poems, pictures, and stories.
III. Textual Evidence that Supports Your Initial Response (Include the full, direct quotation and page number or website address of your evidence)
1) Mesopotamia is described as “cradle of civilization, where farming and writing first developed, where villages first grew into cities, cities into kingdoms, and kingdoms into empires” in the article found on website http://www.amazeingart.com/seven-wonders/ziggurat.html.
2) “One of the great surviving manuscripts of Mesopotamian culture, the oldest story ever recorded, is the Epic of Gilgamesh” – . http://www.amazeingart.com/seven-wonders/ziggurat.html
