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http://socrates.arts.ubc.ca/agora/2015/04/allegory-of-cave-in-modern-society/
In this interpretation of the allegory of the cave in our modern society, the writer makes a parallel of television, the internet and social media and says that, that is our cave. We are so wrapped up in what technology has to say that we don’t stop to reflect on it and determine if the material is true but rather take it in as it is. The writer knows that the majority of people are in fault of this and so people will laugh and call you crazy, just like in Plato’s allegory of the cave, if you were to step out of that norm and find knowledge elsewhere or do further research on the information you were given. However, this action would be beneficial as you are finally stepping into the light and finding the truth behind the world.

I agree with this interpretation of the story and believe that it has an impact on people today. People are very prone to believing their favored source of information (CNN, Fox, Wikipedia etc.) and while it may be partly correct, sources today are much more biased and only give the truth they want. This makes it challenging for educators when getting into controversial or complex topics as most people will come in with their strong opinion about it. I also think that the students will have one of those “stepping out of the cave” moments when being informed on what is a credible source and what shouldn’t be trusted. Personally, I remember feeling embarrassed that I was using material I found online in the past that I would use as a source in my homework without hesitation. Sure I knew that some sites couldn’t be trusted but I didn’t realize just how many were not abdicable sources. In a sense, I was “blinded” by this new information and I believe students also feel the same when finding out that very little sources are credible nowadays.

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I think that the Allegory of the Cave is talking about the learning process. People do not automatically know the answer to everything. People have to learn over time to obtain understanding. The approach taken on this story is that everyone starts out in the cave. We may not want to, but we do until we use philosophy to enlighten ourselves. We have to learn how things work over time. We learn as we get older. It is important to understand that not everyone will agree with you, and they may often think you are wrong. It is important to be patient until others have developed their own understanding. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWlUKJIMge4) My favorite quote from the video is that “’Wisdom starts with owning up to ignorance.’” I think that the video does a great job summing up the allegory. People need to be educated. Ignorance can hold many people back and cause disputes. I agree that it is important to be patient with people until they are enlightened and gain knowledge and understanding.

(Emily:
I agree with your statement on what you think The Allegory represents. I also love the quote that you choose from the source that you found and your take on it. Patience is the key to enlightenment.

(Kylee:)
Brandie I love the way you brought this to the learning process. Everyone does start out in the cave, knowing nothing, until they learn that new knowledge. Now some people (like the ones trapped in the cave) can think that others are wrong or dont agree when they discover new things! I loved when you said that as we get older we learn that not everyone agrees with everyone. It is very important to know this going in to the teaching profession because everyone does things differently and it is important to work and learn together.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RWOpQXTltA
This is a video that breaks down the allegory of the cave.  This video is very simple, and was good for me because of the visuals provided.  It animation to explain Plato's message.  What resonated most with my mind was the point that humans base what they believe on their experiences.  These experiences shape everything that we know.  As people who have different experiences, we likely believe different things than those around us.  It is important for us to listen to those around us, and try to understand their beliefs because they may have a perspective that may be correct.  I tend to try and stay with what is comfortable, and rarely get out of my bubble.  I don't want to be stubborn.

I also thought it was interesting that the prisoner could no longer see in the dark. There is no going back once you have been enlightened on something. You can not unsee or unexperience what you have been through.

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http://historyguide.org/intellect/allegory.html

The article that I chose explains the meaning of the Allegory a little more easier to me. It states that Plato thinks that the real world can only be apprehended intellectually. It also explains how Plato does not believe that information can be directed from the teacher to the student but by the teacher directing the student in the way of importance. He thinks that students learn on his/ her own understanding and on what they view as important. The story that he tells is basically of the men in the dark cave learning how to go from the darkness and only hearing the sounds and shadows to slowly going to the upper world. When there they were sent back down to the darkness. I think this is because they were not considered to be an upper class person and therefore could not be there for a long time. What I get from this is it is easy for people or teachers to get stuck in their habits and see things the same instead of allowing change. As professionals I think it is important to grow with your students and understand that you are all learning and growing together.

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http://vethtiche.newsvine.com/_news/2007/05/11/713587-platos-cave-and-its-relevance-to-the-modern-world
The article that I chose has a very interesting perspective on the allegory. The author suggests that the allegory can be used to describe various amounts of close-mindedness whether it be immersed in a video game, or believing in stereotypes. He discusses how our minds are chained to our own reality, refusing to see the truth. One example he gives of this in history is when the Church refused to accept that the Earth is the center of the universe. He discusses how they were told something for so long that they were blinded from reality. The author's main point was that we tend to be self-centered and refuse to open up to the world around us.

The educational implications related can be taken many different routes. A child who has never been in school or around other children could have trouble understanding that he or she is not the center of the universe. Another possibility is that the child has difficulty learning due to the belief that he or she will always be taken care of. Lastly, politically speaking, some children may be influenced to stay away from diversity. They may be taught that others view points are wrong or that others are lesser than themselves. It is our job as teachers to open their world view and expose them to various ideas and cultures.

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http://historyguide.org/intellect/allegory.html
This article goes a little more in depth than the piece in our book does. The article give a better explanation as to what Plato is talking about. He is talking about the people being able to start in one place and grow into another. The men in the story start out in a dark cave only hearing the voices of others and seeing their shadows. The day that they finally were in the habit of doing it, they were then moved to the upper world where they faced the light and had to learn how to handle it. They not only learned that but they learned what the upper world was made of. After they had been in the habit of doing that, they were sent back down into the cave. Why, you may ask, did they do this to these men? They did this to keep everyone "equal" in the eyes of the state. No one person was to be in the upper world longer than another. The only ones who stayed in the upper world were the "guardians" who were the people chosen by Glaucon. This idea is some what still alive today. It may not be as widely used but the best way it is used is in our government. We elect the people we want to handle the "people's" business in the "upper" world. These people that we elect today play a crucial role in education. They decide what is to be taught to students and bring forth the opportunity to discuss the idea of politics in class and how government works. They also set up guidelines for teachers that require them to take advice, do observations and workshops to keep up with the current knowledge. These guidelines are a great way to make sure teacher's are always learning new ways to teach their students.

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Here is an article that I found that breaks down Plato's Allegory of the Cave and links it to education.
http://www.plosin.com/work/PlatoCave.html

This article takes sections of the allegory, explains what the author thinks Plato meant when he wrote that particular section, and then relates it to education. The author explains, in Plato's mind,  how teachers should be designing instruction and what a good education should look like.

In the Allegory of the Cave, prisoners (uneducated people) have been chained inside a cave facing the back wall all their lives. There is a fire behind them, which casts shadows of things being carried behind a wall. The prisoners have only ever seen shadows from the fire, and voices coming from above the cave, and they have created their own ideas and names for the objects casting shadows against the wall they've been facing. Upon being freed, they look into the fire (education) and it hurts their eyes, so they want to turn back. However, they're forced out of the cave and into the sunlight.
I agree with this interpretation of the Allegory of the Cave. I think being educated can be scary for some, and they would rather stick with what they're familiar with. But after being educated through proper instruction, the world will be better than if you had stayed chained and looking at shadows.

Ash: I agree that learning new knowledge can be scary for some because they are scared to stick out and be pushed down for their opinions. However, it is important that we have people willing to break from the "chains" and expand what we know to be true.

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Here is a video explaining the allegory of the cave. https://youtu.be/pKBq5amRkSc The summary is about a small group of people who only see one thing for their entire life. They believe what they see as the truth, and do not question it. When someone deviates from the norm of the group it takes them a while to take in this new found reality.  When trying to explain to the group what they saw outside the cave, the group does not believe him/her because they have never witnessed something like it. Its hard to believe what you cant see. How this relates to education can be viewed in many ways. Having students perceive everything I teach as the truth can be a negative. There can be multiple interpretations in the material I teach. It does not have to be my way and no-one else's.  having a different viewpoint on a subject can be a great way to avoid herding students like sheep.  Students should feel like they have a voice and be brave enough to speak out about what they view as the truth.

Courntey:  what you said about believing what our teachers and family tells us as the 'truth' is also similar to how I understood this.  As we age we need to venture out of the cave and see reality for ourselves, not for what others tell us is out there.

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http://vethtiche.newsvine.com/_news/2007/05/11/713587-platos-cave-and-its-relevance-to-the-modern-world

This article explains the Allegory of the Cave and the writer’s interpretation of what it means and how it relates to today. There are two quotes that I think explain the article’s take on the story. One is, “The allegory shows us how a person brought up on a fixed worldview will find it difficult to accept another highly contrasting outlook, thus resisting and even rejecting the possibility of change and self-discovery.” We are so set in our ways of thinking in today’s society that we don’t take the time to understand other’s views or ideas. If we don’t accept other’s ideas then we can not grow and progress as individuals or as a society. The second quote is, “Rather than to fix our eyes on a blank wall, it is time to break the shackles in our mind and turn around – to be momentarily blinded by the splendor of truth.” Sometimes we have to let go of our views and mindset to accept what is reality. The author also goes on to talk about the parallels from Plato’s story to movies, computer and video games, and historical events. I agree with this viewpoint, however, I think the main parallel from the story is to education. It’s easy for teachers to get stuck in their ways and think there way is the best way, but in order to progress, we have to take opinions and tips from others. We need help because we can’t teach on our own, it takes the work of a community so we can’t blind ourselves from learning because only good comes from expanding your mind and being open to new ideas.

(Anna): I totally agree with you. Teachers' need to reach out past themselves to be able to keep growing and learning new ideas. It is very important to stay "fresh" with new ideas so they don't bore their students with the same ideas. It definitely takes a community to make a student successful. Teachers' cannot teach a student alone. They only have so much time with the student. Families, friends, and communities play a large role and making sure a student is successful in school.

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I found a TedED video that really helped me in understanding The Allegory of the Cave. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RWOpQXTltA
In the allegory of the Cave, Plato talks about the ideal society by examining concepts like justice, truth and beauty. In this story there are three men chained up in a cave facing the opposite way of the opening. This way they cannot see the outside world. They see shadows on the wall and name these objects. One day one of the prisoners is set free and goes to the outside world. When he gets there he has a hard time adjusting to the new environment. Eventually he does and he goes back to tell the other prisoners of what he has seen. Once back in the cave he does not recognize the shadows he once knew and the other prisoners thought he had gone crazy based on his tales. Plato uses this analogy to show the people what its like for a philosopher to educate the public. The main point of this writing is pointing out that the masses are too stubborn and ignorant to govern themselves. I think this can be applied to some people in education. Some believe that they know everything they need to know and that no one can teach them something new. Another take on this I had was that people are stuck in their ways. There are several different ways to learn and to teach but often people are so full of themselves that they believe their way is the only right way!

Emily T.: I agree with what you said about people being set in their ways. It can be hard to lead people to the knowledge you want them to obtain, for several different reasons. And you're absolutely right, people are very stubborn!

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The video that I discovered that helped me better understand and interpret The Allegory of the Cave is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWlUKJIMge4.  It informed me that one of Plato's purposes behind this story is to reveal the effect of nature and the lack of it on our nature. I think that this itself is such an insightful statement. I believe that the story uncovers truths about learner development. Truth must be experienced rather than told because language fails to convey belief. The learner must experience things for themselves. In the story, the prisoners only knew about their surroundings. They took insight in the phantoms that they could see but in reality they were still in the dark, hidden from truth. The life of enlightenment occurs when people find the courage to leave the cave. Phantoms are projected by culture on our young minds and leave us in the dark stuck in a small secluded space. In today's education system we must be very cautious about this. We do not want to only reflect our views and leave creativity and individuality out. We must give children the means to grow on their own.

Amanda: I liked how you brought in culture into the discussion. We often forget just how influential our cultures can be on our interpretation of the world around us. Because of this, it makes it rather difficult to have the person look at a situation or topic in a new light. I see the struggle you were making in the end with educators wanting to have our students come up with their own thoughts and beliefs but you also want to have them take in new perspectives and ideas into consideration. Great thoughts!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RWOpQXTltA
This TED video gives a brief explanation of Plato's Allegory of the Cave through a very simple, easy-to-understand perspective. The video uses drawings and animation to explain the Allegory and what it means. The narrator explains that Plato and Socrates were philosophers trying to make meaning and attache explanations to the things around them. Trying to teach this was frustrating because, they claim, that people are comfortable in their ignorance. Plato relates it to prisoners in a cave who only see the world in darkness and shadows. So trying to make meaning of things and find "truth" is almost impossible.

Ash -   I like your explanation and interpretation of the Allegory. You stated that people are often afraid of doing new things and in some cases, learning in general because it is not familiar. Plato says these same things, and as teachers, we must be aware of this human fault.

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http://www.kirkcenter.org/index.php/bookman/article/human-nature-allegory-and-truth-in-plato-republic/
This article explains that the Allegory of the Cave and how the nature of the truth pertains to human existence. He also explains Socrates theory that in order to have a good and happy life one must have an idea of the end of human existence.

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Here Is a website I used to help me better understand the allegory of The Cave theory.
http://www.philosophyzer.com/the-allegory-of-the-cave-by-plato-summary-and-meaning/
This article discusses how three prisoners were shackled in a cave and were facing a wall with a fire lit behind them. A walkway with objects passing carried by people would then create a shadow which represented false sensory knowledge. The game the prisoners played in involving the guessing of the next shadow represented the idea of their being a master of knowledge which would be false because the knowledge the prisoners had was simply sensory knowledge without deep understanding. When a prisoner escaped and saw "the real world" for everything it was, that represents the education process and one's journey of seeking true knowledge and one's journey of becoming a true philosopher. When the prisoner came back to the other prisoners and told him of this new reality, the prisoners became angry and resentful to these new found truths. This represents how people can often resist truths to hold onto false sensory knowledge. This article takes a deep look at the education process as a whole, and I believe that it supports the idea that sensory knowledge (the shadows)should be rejected in order to gain deep understanding of content (the escape).

Emily: I agree with what you say at the end of your paragraph.I think it's important that we don't only expose or future students to the shadows, but to expose them to the real world knowledge in order to give them a deep understanding of the world.

Courtney: I liked how you pointed out how individuals resist truth and hold onto false sensory knowledge. Anger is unfortunately, often involved in learning new things. Lots of people are unwilling to accept new things because it can make them uncomfortable.

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I think the allegory in Allegory of the Cave is referring to the learning process. It takes time and experience to learn something. I think it also refers to how opinions and what you consider to be "true" changes over time. Often, we believe what our professors, teachers, parents, or friends believe. As we expand our circles, we are able to view more beliefs and alter ours as we see fit.
I chose a youtube video for my reference. The first 2 minutes roughly is a summary of Allegory of the Cave. The second half is Alex's viewpoint.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RWOpQXTltA
My favorite quote from this video was "as we go about our lives, can we be confident in what we think we know? Perhaps one day a glimmer of light may punch a hole in your most basic assumptions." I think it's important for us to know and realize that what we may hold tight to now, might be something we find completely wrong in a matter of days or years. We should always be learning in order to strengthen our beliefs or to change them.

(Brandie:
I totally agree with what you said at the end. I think that it is important to understand that our views and beliefs will change as we get older and become more educated. I think that people should continue to learn as they get older and obtain as much knowledge as they can.)

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I chose an article to further explain Plato's Allegory of the Cave and how it relates to the modern society. http://socrates.arts.ubc.ca/agora/2015/04/allegory-of-cave-in-modern-society/. This article discusses how in today's world we are so used to following what we have always done and been taught, that we do not typically break free and see what else is out there. It always explains how at first doing something new and different from others will be hard, but the new way may be better and more effective. The author goes into detail about how we are like prisoners in the sense that we do not typically venture off and learn new knowledge and accomplish more experiences outside our comfort zones.
I believe this interpretation relates to education because teachers often get into habits and only teach using the same methods. It is important for teachers to ensure their students are benefitting from their teaching strategies and trying new methods.

(Amy- I thought it was interesting how you related the allegory back to teaching strategies. I have experienced myself getting into habits while teaching and having difficulty breaking them. I think it is important that we remain reflective and not keep our minds "chained" to one strategy for the benefit of our students.