Psychological Week 5 DB

The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.

At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Friday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Friday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.

The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each unit.

The ability to provide the public with information regarding terrorist groups, acts, and threats is critical to managing fear and anxiety. The importance of a carefully crafted message cannot be overstated. The government has many possible dissemination tools and sometimes the tool can dramatically affect the reception of the message. Proof of this became evident during the 2008 U.S. Presidential election where fundraising from the internet dwarfed conventional fundraising methods. The internet proved a more viable tool to communicate with the public. When communicating terrorist related information, it is critical to reach the target audience with the targeted message.

As you consider the different methods used to communicate terrorism information with the public, discuss the following:

Assignment Guidelines

• In 4–6 paragraphs, address the following:
  • What are the most common communication mediums available to the government? Explain.
    • What do you think are the pros and cons of each? Explain.
  • What unconventional communication methods might the government leverage? Explain.
    • Why might these be appropriate tools for information dissemination? Explain.
  • The Department of Homeland Security currently uses a “Threat Level” system to communicate with the public regarding terrorism. Is this method effective?
    • How has the continued state of “yellow” or elevated alert desensitized the American public to the threats from terrorism? Is this justified?
    • What changes would you make to this system? Explain.
• Post a new topic to the Discussion Board that contains your responses to the above questions.
• Comment on at least two other students’ posts.

In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on at least two other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.