BRIGDING SOCIAL ISSUES: COVID 19 INTO ITS KEY

PLAYERS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

NAZYL HEINS M. GUEVARA

BS ECE 1-5 | JUNE 28, 2021
 Mankind’s pursuit for societal evolution, create avenues for progression of each
aspect of society’s changing the general and existing world view. The triumph of
noble individuals was dominantly seen in the contemporary world through numerous
by-products of evolving and innovating system of knowledge, it was science and
technology itself. From the revolutionary movement transcending the preconceived
ideas on how the world works into generating new and complex variables supporting
mankind’s capabilities towards a profound comprehension to its realities. The notion
of science and technology were peculiar evidence of the inevitable power of
mankind’s passion to explore and discover beyond the perceived boundaries of the
worlds. These principles significantly imply the continuous voyage of mankind for the
future, generating means and process to elevate the living as well as to nurture the
ability of rationalizing concepts.

1. As a student, how important do you think is the role of media in making the
society literate about very relevant information today?
Information and technology recognizably in the current world, as a new body of
knowledge showing significant relativity for managerial and development of
computer based system as well as establishing distinct ideas that empowers other
fields of information dissemination, introducing the concept of media. It was a
significant transient from the traditional means of living into a futuristic vision for
societal success: enhancing lives and addressing social issues. Society was able
to take its evolutionary transition that had been empowered by technology and
science.
Technology was more than these gadgets, and mobile instruments because it
primarily lies on the understanding and creative application of knowledge into a
systematic process of collaborative function of human and other by products of
mankind’s scientific endeavors (Lane, 2005).It substantial expansion correlates
into information and communication, it also gave way to a new and complex
advancement of communication known as Media that endeavors expansion
touching lives through its contents subjected to public interest. Media was a form
of communication process that prominently relies to the existence of information
strengthen and influenced by technology in the contemporary society. It was
recognized as an “information superhighway” due to the existence of various data
circulating widely into this platform which aims address systems of communication
and especially its audience thus, manifesting drastic changes on humans’ way of
interaction and world views (McGivern,2007).
Media was a common term to define various platforms of communication
printed, digital, and electronically generated that offers vast information specifically
made for the public’s access and awareness. Its birth significantly transcends the
communication process from the traditional sources of information like written
letters, recorded information through boards, newspaper and telegraph into
emerging new media brought by platforms of sharing contents in the form of audio,
pictures, and videos such radio, television, and the sensational interactive network,
the Internet. Thus, technology crucially plays a major role into media system
communication wherein it became the tool for channeling these mass media to
various networks connecting audience to the underlying message and the purpose
of a specific information.
The birth of media along with technological advancement was a remarkable
breakthrough towards a new generation of digitalization allowing individuals and
developing nations to significantly connect the interest of one another to form a
strengthened and accessible way of communication (Mehta, 2015). New social
media and applications enable the user to collaborate in elevating their
fundamental knowledge for the development of their own identity and literacy
likewise, the process of information making and sharing into social networking
sites. Moreover, as we continually engage into media, we crucially establish a
radical path of possibilities for mankind to make use of these emerging media as
a palatable platform for our own benefit through instilling its key purpose of raising
social awareness. An overview on the importance of media for social awareness
was in remote areas in various part of the world encountering a limited access to
new media due to the absence of strong network signal as well as poverty itself.
For this instance, looking into the current situation of small towns in where
modernization was beyond their grasp, there’s a limited access for information and
entertainment allowing them to held only on the existing variable within their place.
However, having their own personal devices in order to access various information
in media platforms enables them to significantly take part in the digital global
community in exchanging opinions, skills, and profound knowledge
(Choudhary,2013). Ascertain by Vasudev (2013), Media and Technological
devices used by the people form the small and remote areas in India, was their
window to world. Similarly, to the importance of media specifically Traditional
Media such as newspaper, radio, and television in remote areas in the Philippines
since, there are limited access for a stable network connectivity brought by the
archipelagic geographic location of the country. The existence of these media
outlets enables people to be informed with the prevailing issues happening into
their country as well as around the world such as the current menace brought by
the severe acute respiratory syndrome – corona virus 2 also known as the COVID-
19 Virus. The commitment of the government to address the potential risk of the
virus leads into the implementation of public health protocols and interventions by
various healthcare professional to ensure the safety and control over the citizens
as well as the spread of the virus itself. Media significantly takes part for raising
the people’s awareness to become vigilant on different information about the virus
since, data misinformation imposed a health and life threatening risk. An accurate
and reliable media platforms are in line also as the key players of the war against
the unseen opponent. Researchers adheres to the importance of efficacy of
providing facts for the keeping the public informed for these global health issue
thus, media stands between the public and the healthcare experts transcending
 palatable and accessible healthcare information including the fundamental queries
about the virus. Preparedness and awareness are the essential elements for the
people to protect oneself and others on this possible life threats.
McLuhan (1964) in his technological determinism adhere into the idea how
media was able to shape the society brought for the tremendous change of
mankind’s sense, being, and world view. It mainly influences the traditional
perception that establish the society into a new and complex form not just only
focusing on the existing communities but also manifesting an innovative
dimensions of mankind living. Presently, the existence of modes of communication
process has been sensational element to nurture the one’s social awareness in
order to create goals for radical changes for the overall societal improvement.
Media also driven our awareness on prevailing issues of our concerns enabling
the public to generate effective response to address these various phenomena
affecting our lives.

2. Knowing its importance to the society we are living right now, elaborate how
important that we should be scientifically literate.
Emphasizing on the substantial breakthrough of science, it was able to create
significant ideas that provides supporting claims and laws governing the universe
allowing us to deeply catalyze our universal origin as well as to endeavor for societal
advancement. One of the prominent product of science combined with technical
abilities was the manifestation of technology wherein, it established the image of
today’s society that primarily relays living into various by products of technological
process. Technology was often seen as essential body of science that often interlinks
with one another due to the existing scientific process acts as a fundamental concept
for emerging technology (Winston, 1998). The birth of the technology itself was an
indicator of the continuous adherence of mankind for survival and evolution through
rational knowledge and society itself. Thus, this strengthen the essential role of
science as well as technology to the current society that our existence in various
aspects widely depends and evolves into distinct scientific notions. How it is
important for us to develop the rational scientific thinking to evaluate the existing
phenomena occurring on our daily lives?
Understanding these predominant dilemmas was a crucial life skill for us
mankind to develop in order to adapt into the continuous flow of societal innovation.
Science within the society would be palatably comprehensive between mankind once
human embraces the science as its influential maneuver of society and life itself was
science. Scientific literacy plays a major role in today’s world since everything around
us are crafted, and driven by science. But what is scientific literacy? Is the continuous
adherence of mankind to the fundamental virtues of knowledge such as curiosity,
creativity, and critical thinking driven the essence of scientific literacy and its
application? Scientific Literacy was often referred to wide subject of scientific
knowledge not on for scientist but for mankind due to the prominent role of science
in all aspect of society as well as to address prevailing issues. Scientific Literacy was
emphasized by National Science Education Standards (NRC,1996) defined as the
knowledge and understanding scientific concepts and frameworks for the process of
decision making, civic affairs, cultural system, and economic productivity. It was
ascertained by Kathleen Lodl as bodily process of knowledge that adheres into the
importance of building a profound comprehension to existing scientific principles.
Moreover, she significantly supports the role of scientific literacy as a basis for
generating claims and ideologies founded by research process and facts. Thus, this
lifelong skill prominently implies the concept of science has the ability to empower,
shape, and evolve how mankind perceive society and existence.
Scientific literacy acts as a driving mechanism for mankind’s deep
understanding to existing scientific variable, resurfacing the power to address social
issues and survival itself. Human tend to address issues with the scientific dimension
through the use of media. Presently, students developed a strong engagement to
scientific knowledge thus, it enables them to develop their radical thinking on socio-
scientific issues existing into their physical world (Paul,2013). Its existence imposed
a visionary perspective for the future of humanity as well the society. Endeavoring to
strengthen our scientific literacy skills majorly contributes the development of our
social awareness since, society was pedagogical perceived to be established and
empowered by science. Their and Davis (2002) articulates the essence of scientific
literacy as a language for communication and fact dissemination wherein
encompassed of linking scientific concepts that put context into the physical world.
As a matter of fact, observing the underlying system of society we can formulate the
crucial role of knowledge through science acts as pillars for solidifying the global
community due to the developing coherence sharing common community goals.
Educators from all over the world endeavors to expand this prominent vision of
education in order to elevate the comprehension of students to widely accepted and
living scientific laws of natural occurring phenomena. This also dominantly assist the
decision making process needed for adulthood since, it is crucial to be vigilant on
dealing with life choices looking into the various perspective and consequence of
action or decisions (Ashbrook,2020).
To illustrate how an individual can become a scientifically literate, Zwichker
(2015) identified embracing the existence and doing science as founding steps to
develop scientific literacy. Doing science means immersing ourselves into the nature
and discipline of science encompassed performing experiments, creating hypothesis,
sparking our curiosity, explaining scientific concepts palatable to others, and
essentially establishing our rational thinking. Youth are known as catalyst of change
and key players for societal evolution having the power and will to innovate,
exceeding their own expectation. Certainly, present youths as well as the future
generation aims to pave the way into creating a better future for their respective
communities through leadership, cooperation, and scientific knowledge itself.
 Moreover, equipping students with this life skill prepares youths into their future
wherein they solely carry the duty to ensure evolution and enhance the lives of the
majority. Certainly, a science-literate populace imposed a robust image of having the
greater potentiality to cope social problems as well as to make wise decision for the
general welfare and establishing nation giving importance to the quality of lives of its
citizen. It enables also think beyond the visible lines of our existence thus, allowing
us to transcend our intuition into essentials instead of what is existential.

3. After watching all the films, summarize the things that you have learned. And
also, rank the groups (5 Videos) according to your own preference (Which FILM
really helped you be informed?)
One’s social awareness drastically impact the lives of many. From these
several video, we can pragmatically emphasize the essence of developing our
engagement to prevailing social phenomena that drastically affects majority of the
population. This series of documentaries significantly imply our role as members of
society for channeling various information about the current state of the global and
national society in order to share the sole duty of raising awareness and securing the
safety of other members of the community. As a youth, it also emphasizes what can
we do for our country and our respective community since, undeniably we have the
capabilities and power to advocate and catalyze a call for an action. Consequently,
information and its various sources were beyond our grasp through the existence of
media and technology. This various platform for community was able to pave the way
of the public into their right for social awareness and self- empowerment. Along with
this rapid changes, humanity filled the gaps of knowledge in order to build a profound
and comprehensive perception on their existing realities. Media, and Technology was
able to connect humanity and science as a whole interlinked concept that essentially
built the society.
Prior to the prevailing notion of the COVID-19 Virus, the documentary films
start with a brief glimpse into the invincible world of the Virus and how it significantly
affects us the body to accomplished its key role of spreading infection into the
organism’s body. The second documentary prominently referred virus an existential
matter that stands in the grey line of living and non-living since, this small organism
terribly torments a body once infected. According Lodish (2000), Virus was
considered to be an infectious non-cellular and non-living organism often perceived
as a parasite since, they need a host to support life. Consequently, this non-cellular
matter cannot reproduce but has the ability to either replicate itself like the living cells
in body or directly take over into the cell process to produce more viruses. Most
viruses make up the genetic material either single or double stranded, DNA and RNA
wherein protected by protein shells known as capsid. Another significant scientific
concept introduced was virion which was considered as the vector stage of virus
having the ability for active transmission for one host into another host of infection
(Lakna,2018). The documentaries were also able to resurface the facts on the virus
giving a profound comprehension and conceptualization of what are viruses,
including their structure and function.
Diving into the deeper understanding into the current public health dilemma,
the documentaries jumps into the phase of demystifying the existence of these
tormenting COVID-19. Through this informative avenue of information dissemination,
the documentary videos showed the tremendous menace the world is currently facing
which dreadfully toil lives and destructing the tranquil process of productive and
evolving society. This chapter of our lives was a phase where the world faces a Public
Health Threat, the COVID-19 pandemic brought by the widespread severe acute
respiratory virus 2 or COVID-19 Virus which impose mild to severe symptoms when
a person got infected. The 2019 COVID virus compromised of protein spikes acts as
a crown associated into its name, covering the genetic material within the virus such
as RNA and DNA. It exhibits the common symptoms causing infection and influenza
such as fever, dry cough, shortness or trouble of breathing, and loss of smell, and
taste, specifically targeting the respiratory system of human body. The virus was first
identified in Wuhan, China where it was believed that the infected person caught the
virus from a direct contact with an animal, specifically from a bat. Moreover, the
SARS-CoV2 virus was commonly spread into direct contacts through the form of
droplets mixing with air particles. The transmission was commonly spread when an
infected person cough or sneezes spraying aerosol droplets allowing the virus was e
to travel for about 6 ft. from the sources into the potential exposed individual. One
can be exposed and infected of the virus through breathing the virus and touching
surface of the objects then, touching other gateways into the body such the nose,
mouth, or even our eyes thus, it is crucial to either disinfect surfaces or refrain from
touching surfaces at public places. Momentarily, the World Health Organization
together with the national government aims to address and control the contingency
of the C0VID-19 virus through strict implementation of health and safety protocols
and invention. Vaccination was chiefly the key for the Infection Control wherein it
primarily works in the body generating and empowering antibodies to combat the
spread and possible risk for the severe effect of the virus.
From the following documentaries, I was able to establish a solid conception
into the public health issues that concerns the global community since, it drastically
condemned the lives of many. It also brought a new façade starling the world of
constant distractions wherein it positively allows mankind to revaluate their living
leading into remarkable realization on what’s essential to their existence. All of the
documentaries was able to take us into closed and intact sight on what’s beyond our
visible into our naked eyes, it certainly brought us in a complex basis that
fundamentally established human existence. Observing the flow of discussion from
the introduction until its conclusion, I notably observed some similarities on how they
present specifically, its introduction wherein they cite their data in some reliable
sources media platforms respectively such as from news, articles, and interviews.
Throughout the discussion, providing a guided questions enables a clear flow and
specifications on the areas of concerns or interest through the factually presented
concepts that acts as the building block for a comprehensive understanding of the
virus. This includes significant phase of discussion about the origin of the disease,
the concept of virus encompassed of its function and structure. To sum up the
scientific process of representing the conclusion, each films distinctively presented
the conclusion that chiefly aims to touch the lives of its viewers through leaving
valuable and noteworthy insights in order to raise their social awareness and take
part into the growing concerns to combat the widespread virus by following the
enforce health protocols
Ranking the presentation of the documentary, I deeply adhere into the idea o
how it would appear into me as wells the possible insights I could obtain from the
video. I also assessed the coherence of relating the topics as well the presentation
of the documentaries regarding the characters and lecturers. For me, I would rank
video no.5 as the no.1 for their documented presentation which notably represents a
sequence of perspective of how individuals having uniquely different understanding
and opinion about virus was able to specify areas to be strengthened for factual
information dissemination. However, the video which strongly appears into me most
because it has provided a coherent representation of facts and insights was video
no.2 since, it was able to create a catchy introduction emphasizing the essence of
social awareness strengthened by the products of science. Media and Technology
was an essential tool to definitely expand and deeply understand the prevailing social
phenomena allowing mankind to take full control instead of this phenomena
controlling mankind. Human was able to develop attitudes for resiliency and
adaptability for its evolving society.
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