Practice Problem #1: International Travel
Most people dream of visiting new and exciting places to experience culture, cuisine, and local entertainment through travel. Transportation technology makes it easier and faster than ever before to get from one country to another although travel can be very expensive and time-consuming for many people. Heightened safety concerns often mean changing security requirements and government screening processes for crossing borders.
Practice Problem #2: Sleep Patterns
Approximately one-third of our lives is spent sleeping. For nearly a century, scientists have been able to record brain activity and see the dynamic changes during sleep. Lack of sleep can affect brain function, especially memory, language, and emotional balance. Physical effects include fatigue, stress, and health problems including heart disease and obesity. Today, technology on our wrists can measure sleep habits and movements.
Qualifying Problem: Gamification
Gamification isn’t just about leisure time, digital, or other games. Gamification applies the theories of game development that make games so alluring and creates sustained attention. Players and teams win points and rewards by completing designated tasks. Minecraft, for example, has been used by teachers for everything from computer science to social sciences to creative writing. Fitbit and tracking apps on the iWatch are increasingly popular and encourage competition with yourself or with a group.
State Bowl: Living in Poverty
Across the globe, many people struggle to have and sustain basic needs such as food, clean water, basic medical supplies, and adequate shelter. Some people are forced to leave their homes to travel to other places or countries to find menial work to send home to support their families. Due to poverty, many people are unable to access education. Some adults deliberately suffer from malnutrition so that their children can have the food that is available. Children in severe poverty are often orphaned or that they have been sent away because their parents cannot afford to care for them. Healthy food can be very difficult to come by for the poor due lack of financial and monetary resources, meaning that they depend on cheap, unhealthy foods to sustain their lives.