William Shakespeare s Power Of Power - 1695 Words

What does it take to stay in power in Ancient Rome? Power is inequitably distributed between those who rule and those who are subjects. However, one individual controlling many citizens is a tenuous circumstance. Controlled chaos, hyperbolized real-life theater, maintains the power of leaders by promoting a sense of fear, unpredictability and helplessness amongst constituents. Many Roman leaders perceive their hold on power to be tenuous at best, and this insecurity also drives rash actions. On the other hand, powerful leaders rely on certain structures that serve their power. Indeed, these structures also support the illusion and confusion. This tension, between the unordered and ordered demonstrates the psychotic and ruinous character of†¦show more content†¦Tacitus notes, â€Å"These and the like sentiments suited the people, who craved amusement, and feared, always their chief anxiety, scarcity of corn, should he be absent† (Annals, 15.36). Just as many of Trimalc hio’s guests are dependent on his food, many laypeople in Rome are dependent on Nero’s handouts, giving him absolute control over their psyche. Nero finds what people need and then seeks to control that need for his own benefit. To build his own house he exerts tremendous control by taking away something that matters to the populace. Seutonius writes, â€Å"He also coveted the sites of several granaries, solidly built in stone...having knocked down their walls with siege engines, he set the interiors ablaze.† (Seutonius, Book VI, p. 38). Nero is blatantly aware that these citizens need grain, but his needs trump theirs and also his exercise of power makes him stronger in this instance. Along with this notion of control and psychological power, Nero also introduces an element of unpredictability to prey on his populace further. Tacitus writes of the great fire, â€Å"A disaster followed, whether accidental or treacherously contrived by the emperor, is uncertain, as authors have given both accounts, worse, however, and more dreadful than any which have ever happened to this city by the violence of fire† (Annals, 15.38). That writers allude to Nero’s possible

Student assessment methodologies related to the EHEA Free Essays

This paper concerns university instructors ‘ ratings of their pupils ‘ competencies ( cognition and accomplishments ) and discusses student-centred and competency-based higher instruction in the European Higher Education Area ( EHEA ) . The statement is that a dramatic displacement of focal point has taken topographic point in European higher instruction, from teacher-centred to student-centred instruction, and instructors in this system need to familiarise themselves with this displacement and the related constructs. For illustration, the course of study and appraisal methodological analysiss in today ‘s universities emphasize competencies and concentrate on what pupils can execute and how these competencies can be related to work. We will write a custom essay sample on Student assessment methodologies related to the EHEA or any similar topic only for you Order Now In order to get a comprehensive apprehension, cognition about the historical roots behind student-centred instruction and competence development may be required, and this paper attempts to supply some of this information. With these new penetrations, a pick will necessitate to be made: should these tendencies be resisted and the old methods of supplying classs be adhered to, or should the air currents of alteration be accepted and versions be made – or possibly the best pick lies someplace in between these two options? Regardless of one ‘s emotions, such a personal pick should be based upon and motivated by the best information available. The Bologna Process and the EHEA The European Higher Education Area, EHEA, is an international undertaking in Europe and beyond, in which higher instruction systems are made more crystalline and in sync with one another. Founded in 2010 as a consequence of the Bologna Declaration ( 1999 ) , it presently comprises 47 national provinces and a figure of advisory organisational members. The historical roots of the Bologna Process can be traced back to a figure of earlier understandings ; it is of import to pay attending to these in order to to the full understand the procedures and the EHEA of today. The 1997 Lisbon Recognition Convention and the 1998 Sorbonne Declaration The Lisbon Recognition Convention is an understanding between a figure of member provinces of the Council of Europe and a figure of of import provinces in the field of higher instruction, including, for illustration, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. The Convention stipulates that grades and periods of survey must be recognised â€Å" unless a significant difference can be shown † ( Lisbon Recognition Convention, 1997, p. 7 ) by the establishment that is charged with acknowledgment. The Sorbonne Declaration, signed in 1998 by four European states ( France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom ) , was an understanding sing higher instruction with the intent of coming to a common apprehension and working together to promote survey periods abroad, to better excellence in survey and research, to develop a common apprehension of instruction and acquisition and to promote cooperation. In order to enable comparing, the Sorbonne Declaration put frontward a system of rhythms and a system of credits ( the European Credit Transfer System, ECTS ) . The Declaration ends with a call to other provinces â€Å" to fall in us in this aim and aˆÂ ¦ [ to ] all European Universities to consolidate Europe ‘s standing in the universe through continuously improved and updated instruction for its citizens † ( Sorbonne Declaration, 1998, p. 3 ) . The 1999 Bologna Declaration and the ECTS system The 29 states that signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999 agreed to back up the thoughts expressed in the Sorbonne Declaration and to co-ordinate policies in order to make a figure of aims, peculiarly to â€Å" set up the European country of higher instruction and to advance the European system of higher instruction world-wide † ( Bologna Declaration, 1999, p. 3 ) . Among the chief stakeholders in the Bologna Process-a procedure implemented from 1999 through 2010-were the European University Association, the European Association of Institutions of Higher Education, the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, the Council of Europe, the European Commission, UNESCO, the European Students ‘ Union, and the assorted authorities curates responsible for higher instruction ( Heinze A ; Knill, 2008 ) . The stakeholders held a figure of semiannual meetings in Paris ( 1999 ) , Prague ( 2001 ) , Berlin ( 2003 ) , Bergen ( 2005 ) , London ( 2007 ) , and Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve ( 2009 ) . The Bologna Declaration is non a lawfully binding papers ; alternatively, it is an understanding in which the participating states voluntarily synchronise their systems of higher instruction based on thoughts antecedently expressed in the Sorbonne Declaration ( 1998 ) . This synchronism implies that pupils ‘ makings are defined in footings of larning results, instead than in footings of the length of survey, which, in bend, means that the basic unit has shifted from the figure of professor contact hours to student work load. It besides requires the acceptance of determined degrees of higher instruction makings, for illustration the unmarried man ‘s and maestro ‘s grades. The European Credit Transfer System ( ECTS ) , which was discussed in both the Sorbonne and the Bologna declarations, is based on the work load required by the mean pupil to accomplish the aims of a class, that is to state, to successfully finish the work required and go through the obligatory scrutinies, which in bend are based on the class ‘s course of study and expected larning results. The ECTS is an instrument implemented to acknowledge pupils ‘ study-periods, but it is of import to retrieve that the intent of the original Declarations, including the debut of the ECTS system was non merely to help pupils. Another-equally important-purpose was to sharpen Europe ‘s fight, as Adam ( 2001 ) reminds us. The politicians and policy shapers did non outline the Sorbonne and Bologna declarations based on unselfish philanthropic gift, instead they were concerned â€Å" about the nature and fight of European higher instruction † ( Adam, 2001, p. 292 ) . Student-centred instruction and acquisition results The footings student-centred instruction and larning results ( Otter, 1993 ; NCIHE, 1997 ) are given outstanding topographic points in the Bologna Process and in the paperss released by the higher instruction curates. The Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communique from 2009, for illustration, discusses the importance of student-centred acquisition ; in it, the curates stipulate that student-centred larning â€Å" requires authorising single scholars † and â€Å" new attacks to learning and larning † , every bit good as â€Å" effectual support and counsel constructions and a course of study focused more clearly on the scholar † ( Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communique , 2009, p. 3 ) . Student-centred instruction includes the possibility for pupils to take their ain survey waies during their old ages at higher instruction establishments and sections. The curates acknowledge this and reason that the curricular reform taking topographic point in the EHEA will â€Å" be an on-g oing procedure taking to high quality, flexible and more separately trim instruction waies † ( Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communique , 2009, p. 3 ) . From reading the Communique , it is clear that the curates are confident that student-centred acquisition should be the end of the course of study reforms during the Bologna Process. The term larning results is besides conspicuously discussed in the ministerial communiques, such as the Berlin Communique from 2003. Competence-based instruction The construct of competencies has been used in assorted educational scenes over the last decennaries, both in the USA and in Europe. In the context of the Bologna Process, the term was used in the Bologna Declaration, which stated that â€Å" a Europe of cognition † was an of import factor for growing and for supplying Europe ‘s citizens with â€Å" the necessary competencies to confront the challenges of the new millenary, † ( Bologna Declaration, 1999, p.A 1 ) . The construct was besides extensively used in the Tuning Educational Structures in Europe undertaking. The purpose of the Tuning undertaking, which began in 2001, was to tune the educational constructions in European higher instruction and to ask for argument sing â€Å" subject-specific and general competencies † ( Tuning, 2002, p. 3 ) . At the Prague Ministerial meeting in 2001, it was stated that Europe ‘s citizens should be able to â€Å" efficaciously utilize their makings, competences and accomplishments † throughout the EHEA ( Prague Communique , 2001, p. 1 ) . It is interesting to detect that the Prague Communique uses the term â€Å" competences † , alternatively of â€Å" competencies † , unlike other communiques-it is non clear if this was a witting determination from the curates. Four old ages after the Bologna Declaration, the construct of competencies was besides discussed in the Graz Declaration ( 2003 ) , published by the European University Association ( EUA ) , where a continued development of a common definition of competencies was emphasised. Subsequently the same twelvemonth, when the curates responsible for higher instruction met in Berlin, they acknowledged the statement put frontward in the Graz Convention ( Berlin Communique , 2003 ) . Therefore, the Berlin Communique states that the member provinces should â€Å" lucubrate a model of comparable and compatible makings † ( Berlin Communique , 2003, p. 4 ) and that this model should depict makings in footings of larning results and competencies. In the same communique , the curates besides declared the demand to reaffirm the Lisbon Recognition Convention and to heighten the fight of European higher instruction. The EUA ‘s following of import papers, the Trends-IV Report ( 2005 ) , was published prior to the meeting of European higher instruction curates in Bergen in 2005. The study indicated that â€Å" some agnosticism † existed in certain parts of Europe towards the thought of competence-based instruction. The study besides addressed the fact that differences sing learning attacks and â€Å" the grade to which student-centred acquisition [ was a portion of ] †¦ the mundane life at universities † prevailed ( Trends-IV Report, 2005, p. 48 ) . The curates go toing the 2005 Bergen meeting took note of the consequences and suggestions presented in the Trends-IV Report and discussed the demand for continued work in the EHEA. An overarching model for makings was adopted for the undergraduate, maestro and post-graduate degrees, every bit good as forms for each rhythm, â€Å" based on larning results and competencies † ( Bergen Communique , 2005, p. 2 ) . In 2007, competencies were briefly mentioned in the London Communique , in which the European higher instruction curates concluded that higher instruction should play a strong function in â€Å" raising the degree of cognition, accomplishments and competencies in society † ( London Communique , 2007, p. 5 ) . In this Communique , the curates discuss the ways in which developments have brought them â€Å" a important measure closer to the realization of the European Higher Education Area † and reference that this country has been developed in a mode that will â€Å" ease mobility, addition employability and strengthen Europe ‘s attraction and fight † . Competences were besides briefly mentioned in the Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communique in 2009. The Communique , which was agreed upon in April 2009 by the curates responsible for higher instruction in the so 46 states of the Bologna Process, discussed the importance of employability and asserted that â€Å" higher instruction should fit pupils with the advanced cognition, accomplishments and competencies they need throughout their professional lives † ( Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communique , 2009, p. 3 ) . In March 2010, the curates of the states take parting in the Bologna Process adopted the Budapest-Vienna Declaration and officially launched the European Higher Education Area. The curates continued to admit the importance of supplying pupils with the chance to get â€Å" cognition, accomplishments and competencies † and agreed that the acquisition environment should â€Å" further student-centred acquisition † ( Budapest-Vienna Declaration, 2010, p. 2 ) . Recognition was besides given to the original Bologna Declaration of 1999 and its vision for 2010, in which pupils would profit from just acknowledgment of their makings. The impact of the Bologna Process in the EHEA Therefore far, student-centred and competency-based instruction and pupils ‘ competencies on the pan-European policy degree have been discussed. However, it is every bit of import to turn to these facets from regional and national positions in order to to the full appreciate and understand the challenges posed to instructors and staff at the establishments and sections that constitute the EHEA. An increased force per unit area on higher instruction establishments and sections The mundane determinations made at higher instruction establishments are influenced by complex issues, doing it hard to expect extroverted alterations and the practical deductions of these alterations ( Newton, 2003 ) . The Bologna Process, and the creative activity of the EHEA, has increased faculty members ‘ work load. Furthermore, increased competition between different higher instruction establishments to enroll pupils and staff has been observed. Rapid and extremist alterations in educational methods have besides taken topographic point as a effect of the important developments in computing machine and Internet-based instruction. The new type of pupils, who are much more familiar with using the cyberspace in order to obtain information, puts new demands on the establishments of higher instruction in footings of advanced larning methods, such as unfastened and distance acquisition, with support from information and communicating engineerings ( ICT ) . These demands are coup led with an increased force per unit area on higher instruction establishments, managers and caputs of sections to be accountable and to go through the audit from assorted governments and regulating organic structures. In amount, these tendencies add to the overall challenges faced by educational suppliers who deal with issues related to learning and larning on a day-to-day footing in order to program and put to death high quality instruction and pupil appraisals. The drawn-out debut procedure – an illustration from Portugal The debut of the Bologna reform within each member province has been a drawn-out procedure. In Portugal, for illustration, the execution of the Bologna procedure has taken rather some clip and has caused stakeholders a certain sum of problem. One ground for these jobs can be attributed to â€Å" the elaborate and normative traditions of the Lusitanian statute law † , harmonizing to Veiga A ; Amaral ( 2009, p. 57 ) . In a 2006 study of higher instruction establishments in Portugal, Veiga and Amaral ( 2009 ) demonstrated that universities had high outlooks â€Å" of more horizontal mobility activities † on the maestro ‘s degree after the Bologna Process was implemented. However, this expected addition in mobility has non manifested itself, partially as a consequence of jobs with â€Å" the articulation between rhythms † and â€Å" some deficiency of coherency between the different types of Masterss being developed † ( Veiga A ; Amaral, 2009, p. 61 ) . Veiga A ; Amaral besides report issues associated with the incorrect usage of the ECTS system in Portuguese higher instruction. Veiga A ; Amaral ‘s ( 2009 ) information indicate that the precedence among many establishments was to travel from a learning paradigm to a student-centred acquisition paradigm, stating, â€Å" Lusitanian higher instruction establishments saw Bologna as a window of chance to present pedagogic and curricular reforms without aiming [ other reforms ] to the ends of Bologna † ( Veiga A ; Amaral, 2009, p. 62 ) . Veiga and Amaral concluded that the execution of Bologna in Portugal has been â€Å" achieved in name merely † ( Veiga A ; Amaral, 2009, p. 67 ) , as a effect of the velocity by which the Bologna Process was implemented and the deficiency of information and legislative support from the authorities. The challenges of module development and preparation – an illustration from Spain Diaz, Santaolalla A ; Gonzalez ( 2010 ) conducted a survey of attitudes among module and of the sensed preparation demands among these professors, to react to the challenges of the EHEA. The survey, which included 257 university instructors in humanistic disciplines, societal scientific disciplines, experimental scientific disciplines, wellness, and engineering from the Complutense University of Madrid, focused on the EHEA and policy devising in general. In peculiar, the survey focused on the cognition and attitudes among these module members and the sensed preparation demands for the instructors based on the demands of the EHEA. The consequences show that about one tierce of the instructors report that they possess merely superficial cognition about the EAHE, and about one 3rd province that they are non certain how the EHEA-induced alterations will impact them as instructors. 66 % of the sample indicated that there is a demand to alter learning methods, but at the same clip 57 % do non believe that the structural conditions of the establishment and their sections will back up the development work needed to suit the instruction that is being offered to the demands of the EAHE system. Based on their consequences, Diaz, Santaolalla A ; Gonzalez ( 2010, p.A 112 ) provinces that â€Å" module preparation causes a batch of passion to billow † and that it likely will do it even more hard to plan this type of plans. The usage of the construct of competence-based instruction The term competence-based instruction has been contested, and certain persons have argued that it is merely a term used by policy shapers for political and societal grounds, instead than resting on a scientific footing. Hodge ( 2007 ) , for illustration, notes that the term competence-based ( or performance-based ) instruction has been used for decennaries to intend different things, and claims that policymakers in Europe presently use it as a bombilation word and as a conceptual footing for redesigning course of study and learning scenes within the EHEA, based on a political docket. Indeed, the term competence-based ( or performance-based ) instruction has long been used in assorted educational scenes and by different organisations, such as the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education ( AACTE ) . For illustration, the AACTE appointed a Committee on Performance-Based Teacher Education in the early 1970s, which issued a list of features of successful performance-based instruction ( Elam, 1971 ) . Harmonizing to this list, competencies to be demonstrated by the scholar, e.g. a pupil, should be stated in order to be able to measure the scholar ‘s behavior. The standards to be used in this appraisal should besides be expressed and should depict the degrees of competencies. Furthermore, the instructional programmes, that is to state, the classs, should assist develop scholars ‘ competencies, and the appraisal of the pupil ‘s competencies should use public presentation as the primary beginning of grounds ( Elam, 1971 ) . At least a part of the historical roots of the construct of competence-based instruction lies in the USA, the Cold War epoch ( 1950-1970 ) , and the technological competition between E and West ( Hodge, 2007 ) . The initial success of the E, with its Sputnik programme at the terminal of the 1950s, for illustration, was a irritant in the West ‘s side and in its instruction and preparation programmes. In the USA, extended probes and reorganisations of schooling and professional programmes were undertaken. One consequence of this check-up was that the educational focal point shifted from academic cognition to practical and applicable competencies and utile results. Teacher instruction in the US was besides affected by this probe, as educational programmes were reorganised. The instructor instruction programmes were reformed to concentrate more on single demands and existent work demands, and, as a effect, alterations in appraisal besides took topographic point, with a stronger acc ent on measuring public presentation and discernible results. In the late sixtiess, for illustration, the American authorities issued instructions to the establishments responsible for teacher instruction to develop new course of study with a stronger focal point on public presentation and behavioral results, competencies to be learned and the rating of these public presentations, results and competencies ( Hodge, 2007 ) . Appraisal and scaling in the EHEA Therefore far, the constructs of student-centred and competency-based instruction in the EHEA have been discussed. Our attending will now turn to university instructors ‘ ratings of their pupils ‘ competencies. Different appraisal formats Methods of measuring and rating undergraduate pupils vary across Europe ( Sullivan, 2002 ; Karran, 2004 A ; 2005 ) . Numerous attacks to assessment and assessment methods proving a scope of accomplishments and abilities exist. The most common method is to allow the pupils write tests, essays or studies, but there are many other attacks used for appraisal, such as self- and peer appraisal and workplace-based appraisal in off-campus locations. It is of import for instructors to use the optimum attacks and methods, based on the classs ‘ course of study, and to give pupils a mix of attacks and methods, thereby enabling them to show the scope of their abilities. Traditionally, it is the instructor who assesses the pupils, but coachs in supervised vocational preparation pattern or director off-campus may besides analyze and rate the learning advancement of pupils, presuming that they are prepared for this undertaking and that they receive support. Regardless of who assesses the pupils, it is of import that the rating is based on clear and available standards and defendable grounds ( Brown, 1999 ) . Scoring and rating pupils In higher instruction, there are numeral tonss and classs. Classs are frequently given in the signifier of letters ( or some other descriptive component ) and are applied to peculiar public presentations. A passing class is frequently achieved when certain standards, designed to set up whether pupils have reached a minimal degree of competence, are met. The scaling of pupils, i.e. the procedure by which a instructor assigns values to a pupil ‘s public presentation ( for illustration 1-10 or A-E ) , plays a important function in higher instruction. Classs are of import to such interested parties as possible employers, Ph.D.-programme admittances commissions and bookmans, who analyse the effects of educational scenes ( Davies A ; Graff, 2005 ) or who analyse the prognostic cogency of classs, that is to state, to what extent classs from classs can foretell future public presentations in alumnus classs and in professional life ( Taylor A ; Albo, 1993 ; Gonnella, Erdmann A ; Hoja, 2004 ) . But above all, classs are of import to the pupils themselves. Previous research confirm that pupils hold strong positions about appraisal and scaling, and these positions influence the ways in which pupils approach larning and analyzing ( Sambell, McDowell A ; Brown, 1997 ) . Student-centred appraisal In the European Higher Education Area, appraisal is regarded as something meant to heighten pupils ‘ acquisition ( Leathwood, 2005 ) . Therefore, assessment governments and formats are get downing to alter, going formative instead than simply summational. In add-on, the possibilities of utilizing a assortment of appraisal techniques, including self- and peer appraisal and problem-based acquisition and appraisal techniques, deserve to be explored ( Segers A ; Dochy, 2001 ) . The job, from the position of instructors who are used to multiple pick questionnaires and similar trials, is that these modern appraisal signifiers are perceived to hold lower degrees of dependability and cogency. Furthermore, appraisal in the EHEA will besides be more practical and non-academic, instead than simply scholastic and for the exclusive intent of fixing undergraduates for post-graduate surveies. During the last decennary, involvement among educational suppliers in inquiries sing appraisal and scrutiny has increased, every bit good as in how different methods of appraisal affect pupil acquisition ( Wilson A ; Fowler, 2005 ; Leathwood, 2005 ) . It has become more and more common for university and college instructors to utilize formative appraisal, instead than merely summational appraisal, to heighten pupil acquisition ( Segers A ; Dochy, 2001 ) . Formative appraisal is an rating whose intent entails modifying and/or bettering an educational class or the pupils ‘ acquisition environment, based on information obtained during the class. Summational appraisal, on the other, refers to the traditional method of measuring pupils ; it takes topographic point at the decision of a class, with the intent of finding the class ‘s effectivity and the pupils ‘ classs ( Roos, 2005 ) . The relationship between classs and future workplace success Research concentrating on classs and workplace public presentation after graduation makes usage of two theories: cognitive accomplishments theory claims that pupils develop their cognitive accomplishments during their clip at the university and that their degrees of public presentation are seeable in their classs. These accomplishments so lead to success in the workplace, and, since productiveness is rewarded with increased net incomes, â€Å" a positive relationship should be between academic accomplishment and net incomes † ( Donhardt, 2004, p. 281 ) , as â€Å" the more educated the employee, the more productive he/she isaˆÂ ¦ and that employers reward more extremely educated workers with higher wage † ( Donhardt, 2004, p. 273 ) . Meanwhile, Certification theory claims that occupation appliers ‘ certifications ( grades and sheepskin ) are what affairs to employers, instead than classs. Harmonizing to this theory, classs have no influence on future net inco mes. Donhardt ( 2004 ) studied net incomes ‘ results by researching the anticipation and growing of net incomes over the first 3 old ages following graduation. Classs were the step of academic achievement, and net incomes were declarative of the value ascribed to an person. Donhardt wished to find whether accomplishment in college, as measured by class point norm, can foretell the growing of net incomes over clip. He expected â€Å" rate point norm to be cardinal in the relationship † ( Donhardt, 2004, p. 281 ) . However, his consequences indicated that class point norm had small impact on net incomes. GPA was non a important variable and had really small correlativity with net incomes. Nor did pupils with high classs experience significantly higher growing of net incomes over clip when compared with pupils with lower classs. Donhardt concluded the enfranchisement theory, which claims that occupation appliers are frequently screened based on their university grades, since gra de certifications designate the pupil as a difficult worker, to be more plausible. This determination is nil new to research workers in higher instruction. In old research, Pascarella and Terenzini ( 1991 ) , for illustration, have demonstrated that a positive association exists between holding a college or university grade and success in the workplace. Looking in front The following Ministerial Meeting will be hosted by Romania in Bucharest on April 26-27, 2012. At this meeting, the curates will look into the advancement that has been made in the Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve docket and will endeavor to drive it frontward. The undermentioned ministerial conferences will be held in 2015, 2018 and 2020. What can be expected in the close hereafter with regard to higher instruction in Europe? Competency-based instruction and student-centred appraisal methodological analysiss will most surely continue to be utilised, merely as the merchandisation of higher instruction seems likely to go on. Global economic factors will go on to act upon educational systems and the labor markets, and higher instruction establishments will confront even ferocious economic competition from one another. This paper has described the general understandings and the international character of the Bologna Process ; the assorted histrions and administrations involved have merely been superficially outlined. Many more constructions and factors impact the Bologna Process and impact the EHEA. For the establishments and sections, it is critical to be witting of constructions and factors on the local degree, for illustration in the planning and execution of professional development and preparation for university instructors and other staff. In these attempts, it is of import to admit, for illustration, â€Å" the instructors ‘ ain demands, the possible differences associated to scientific Scopess, and academic and age class † , as Diaz, Santaolalla A ; Gonzalez ( 2010, p. 117 ) reminds us. 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Environment on Childrens Growth and Development- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theEnvironment on Childrens Growth and Development. Answer: Introduction Several factors influence growth and development of a child. One of these is the environment. The essay below is a literature review on how the environment acts as a third educator as far as growth and development of children are concerned. Despite the many environments that shape children behavior, of importance or consideration in this literature review is largely the physical environment. Children interact with the physical environment in many ways. One way is through playing. A lot of playing marks early childhood and various ways are playing influences a child learning and development (Payne Isaacs, 2017). Additionally, the finding of recent research develops a way forward that is useful in describing the role that the environment plays in the early childhood development and learning. Lastly, the literature stipulates the issues that need to be addressed for future studies and research on the same to be more inclusive and useful. The environment on children To start with, there are set of environments that children interact with as he or she develops. These include but are not limited to prenatal environment, physical environment, social or cultural environment, learning environment and emotional environment. The prenatal environment consists of influences that a mother can pose to a child as a result of chemical or other elements in her body (Cutter-Mackenzie Edwards, 2013). The biological study has time and again shown that chemical in the body of a mother, such as the use of alcohol or use of drugs may injure fetus and affect how a child grows. In addition to that, cultural environment consists of values and beliefs that in one way or another regulate the manner in which a child grows. The physical environment consists of the nutritional value of children which has been shown to have the potential to influence the health status of a child or lead to accident, abuse or disease (Davis, 2014). On the other hand, the learning environmen t is described as one that has the potential to promote the childrens cognitive development. In addition to that, the emotional environment is portrayed as one that shapes the personality of an individual in that sense of children. Some of the traits influenced by the environment include self-esteem and personal resilience. Most researchers agree that playing instills health benefits to children of all ages. In addition to that, playing offer children with an opportunity to discover their self (Roberts, LoCasale-Crouch, DeCoster, Hamre, Downer, Williford, Pianta, 2015). Moreover, through playing, children learn to interact with others thus building their social skills. There exist several theories that describe the playing of children. Theories on the role of the environment on children The first one is classical theories. These theories take the philosophical look at the importance of playful activities. There are several theories under these categories. The first one is the surplus energy theory. According to this theory, play act as the opposite of work, in that, a person uses playing activities to give away the energy available after meeting the one needed for survival (Coughlin, 2010). Another theory under this category is relaxation theory which suggests that individual need to play for relaxation, especially after work. Also, there is recapitulation theory which suggests that children play to prepare them for adult life (Harms, Clifford Cryer, 2014). Lastly, is the pre-exercise theory suggested that children play to emulate the roles of adults. However, modern researchers dispute the importance of the theories because, for one, the theories form their bases from philosophical principles instead of empirical studies (Haywood Getchell, 2014). In addition to t hat, they fail extensively to elaborate on the theoretical facts to prove their point (Wood, 2010). Thus, modern researchers have come up with contemporary theories that aim at explaining the importance of playing, and by extension children interaction with the environment through playing and how this influences their growth and development. Firstly, Sigmund Freud believes that play is essential for children as it helps them in their emotional development. Specifically, playing has a therapeutic effect in children. They can heal themselves from negative emotion and instill positive ones (Kolb, 2014). Thus, his study reveals that children can avoid distressing activities and start embracing those that motivates them. Secondly, there is arousal modulation as a theory which stipulates that through playing, children can learn the world around them and form their view. The theory by Berlyne suggests that playing stimulates childrens nervous system which in turn stimulates their urge for diverse exploration. Moreover, there is a metacommunicative theory which suggests that children adopt the make-believe behavior when playing and tries to make the reality be in tandem with their behavior (Konig, 2009). Thus, through this approach, children can grow intellectually. Lastly, is the cognitive theory, Piaget, and Vygotsky, the people behind the theory suggested that children acquire knowledge through two main ways, that is, assimilation and accommodation. To start with assimilation, the theory suggests that children learn things that are in outside world and start adopting and fitting into them and in effect make them their existing knowledge. On the other hand, accommodation makes it possible for children to adapt the new information that they get from the environment (Thompson, 2014). However, as far as playing is concerned, assimilation takes precedence in the sense that is children tend to acquire new ideas but not to accommodate what they have for a long time continue to see or hear about. Therefore, it is important to plan and organize effectively learning the environment or learning areas (VanHoorn, Nourot, Scales Alward, 2014). For instance, there is evidence that shows that learning areas offer children with the opportunity to discover mo tor skills, creativity, and health benefits. Research and Findings Research findings have demonstrated a lot of impacts on the impact of physical environment on children and more specifically childrens development. Gary Evans, a development psychologist from the University of Cornell, suggest that the influence of overcrowding, housing, and noise level play a pivotal role in children development, in particular, psychosocial characteristics. In effect, these affect academic achievement and parenting behavior (Evans Hygge, 2007). To start with noise, Evans notes that there is a notable delay in reading for those children living in noisy areas such as airports. In addition to that, Evans notes that children exposed to noise register an increase in blood pressure and hormone related to stress. The other aspect of the environment that affects children development is crowding. Evans research demonstrates that children aged 10-12 tend to withdraw in an environment that is overcrowded. In addition to that, Evans notes that concentrating a lot more children in any activity leads to distraction among preschool-aged children (Evans Hygge, 2007). Another factor that Evans considers is housing and quality that one neighbors. In his studies, he reveals that there is a therapeutic effect that is associated with children living in a natural setting. In addition to that, the setting reduces the possibility of children having chronic stress. However, there are ways that Evans suggests that one can be able to manage these environmental conditions that may hinder childrens development and growth. Firstly, is to ensure that there are no unnecessary noises that are emanating both from the inside or the outside of the house (Evans Hygge, 2007). Secondly, is to monitor the volume level of electronics, which is, keeping the volume low. Additionally, is to modify the environment and to consider the schooling environment, and if possible, admit him or her to a relatively quiet school. Conclusion Therefore, the findings suggest that a lot need to be done in making the environment conducive for the betterment of childrens growth and development. There are various ways that this can be achieved. Firstly, children need not play in a crowded environment. It is crucial to consider this as it has the potential to scare them away. In addition to that, there is need to ensure that children go to schools that are well managed and organized as this will increase their development and growth (Nind Hewett, 2012). Moreover, it is good to ensure that children play in an organized environment that is familiar to them or one that they desire. These can encourage them to start playing and in effect increase their creativity, motor skills, and all that playing benefits a child. Furthermore, Recommendations for future Research In addition to that, it is important that more study to be carried out on the behavior of children under a different condition as this will make it easier to determine what is best for them and their growth. For instance, what type of teacher can make a child develop better or worse. In addition to that, it is important to do more research on ways that children can be taught to adapt to various environmental conditions that are not so conducive for them. For instance, if loud volume or noise affects children, what are some of the ways that children can still develop and grow in such a loud area. Moreover, it is difficult to always control the company of children between the ages of 10-12, to avoid crowds or crowded area. Therefore, in as many studies indicate that crowded areas are not fit for childrens development, should they find themselves in such situations, research needs to point ways to cope up with the situation. Lastly, future research ought to identify the best games or th e best way for children to play or interact with the environment. It is prudent to avoid generalization and specify the specific way that will ensure children prevents all those interactions that seem beneficial to their growth and development but not necessarily helpful. References Coughlin, P.K., 2010. Making field trips count: Collaborating for meaningful experiences.The Social Studies,101(5), pp.200-210. Cutter-Mackenzie, A. and Edwards, S., 2013. Toward a model for early childhood environmental education: Foregrounding, developing, and connecting knowledge through play-based learning. The Journal of Environmental Education, 44(3), pp.195-213. Davis, J.M. ed., 2014. Young children and the environment. Cambridge University Press. Evans, G. and Hygge, S., 2007. Noise and cognitive performance in children and adults. Harms, T., Clifford, R.M. and Cryer, D., 2014. Early childhood environment rating scale. Teachers College Press. Haywood, K. and Getchell, N., 2014. Life Span Motor Development 6th Edition. Human Kinetics. Kolb, D.A., 2014. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. FT press. Konig, A., 2009. Observed classroom interaction processes between pre-school teachers and children: Results of a video study during free-play time in German pre-schools. Educational and Child Psychology, 26(2), p.53. Nind, M. and Hewett, D., 2012. Access to communication: Developing the basics of communication with people with severe learning difficulties through intensive interaction. Routledge. Payne, V.G. and Isaacs, L.D., 2017.Human motor development: A lifespan approach. Routledge. Roberts, A.M., LoCasale-Crouch, J., DeCoster, J., Hamre, B.K., Downer, J.T., Williford, A.P. and Pianta, R.C., 2015. Individual and contextual factors associated with pre-kindergarten teachers responsiveness to the MyTeachingPartner coaching intervention. Prevention Science, 16(8), pp.1044-1053. Thompson, R.A., 2014. Stress and child development. The Future of Children, 24(1), pp.41-59. VanHoorn, J., Nourot, P.M., Scales, B. and Alward, K.R., 2014. Play at the center of the curriculum. Pearson Higher Ed. Wood, E., 2010. Developing integrated pedagogical approaches to play and learning. Play and learning in the early years, pp.9-26.

Sojourner Truth Essays (474 words) - Apocalypticists

Sojourner Truth If one ever been called a nigger or looked down upon when entering a room knows the pain of discrimination. The hard reality that faces the women of the north and the Negroes of the South today is the same. The northern women have been fighting for the right to vote while the Negroes have been fighting for their freedom. The white men are supposed to more powerful and much smarter than Negro women but then why aren't they given the rights to prove themselves? Many men argue that men are more powerful than women are. They say that women should be treated with the care and delicateness of a fragile glass figurine. Many slaves in the south, men and women, work under the hot burning sun for endless hours plucking cotton from the thorny branches of the cotton trees that has often cut me. The sweat that often blinded my vision before the afternoon hit also provided me comfort my arms. My arms tell the story of the hardship that many of my fellow Negroes had to endure at the hands of the white man. The life of servitude that I been born in was no dream of mine. Neither do I which the same for my children who've been also sold off before they reached the age of thirteen. The plight we endure each day can only be compared to the one endured several centuries ago of the Jews. I know Jesus understands what my people and I am going through. I pray to God and ask him for the same type of wisdom afforded to his children. Men are naturally given all the rights, but they abuse it to make our life a living hell. It goes beyond my comprehension to know that this union of ours which only survives under the care of God. In the Bible, it states, ?Treat one another as you would like to be treated?. We are all children of God and therefore have to abide by his rules. It says that we need to have compassion for the weak and to give charity to those in need. So why do these men who run this country and claim to be God's people withhold our rights. Men answer these questions with ? Jesus was a woman?. But my reply to that is then who gave birth to Jesus? Mary, a woman that labored through excruciating pain to give birth to our savior. Whom did he die for? All of us, and not just for the men. Eve is said to have caused the God's children to be doomed to death, because she was tricked Adam to eating the forbidden fruit. If a women was a powerful enough to do that then why are they not letting us prove that we can fix the world. It has been said that nothing is more cared for than for something that was touched by women. When we protest for our rights they better listen or we'll make them listen!

Education is the Practice of Freedom essays

Education is the Practice of Freedom essays Education is the Practice of Freedom When youre fifty-eight and seeking to obtain your first Masters Degree, the reality of bell hooks statement that education is the practice of freedom is easy to embrace. While there is no true comparison between the plight of a white woman who has the responsibilities of being a single parent, and the black woman who is denied the right of passage to the halls of academia, the results are strikingly the same in that there is an innate hunger for knowledge.........a quest to realize education as the practice of freedom! To avoid minimizing the critical message regarding the African-Americans struggle for the freedom, I will explore the issues, culture and experiences, which influenced the attitudes of bell hooks. In doing so, I hope to arouse the same passion in you that I have developed while researching the Harlem Renaissance through Postmodern years; that is, a passion to give back to Black Americans their spot in the text with those who had an impact on the history of America . From the end of World War I through the middle of the 1930s Depression, the period which became know as the Harlem Renaissance, there was a tremendous body of literature produced in the form of poetry, fiction, drama, and essay. The significance of that fact is well hidden from our public school curriculum; the significance being that those magnificent contributions were made by African-Americans. Names like Claude McKay in his Spring in New Hampshire; W.E.B.Du Bois (founder of the NAACP) writes his Darkwater and The Gift of Black Folk; Jessie Fauset writes There is Confusion; Countee Cullen won the first prize in the Witter Bynner Poetry Competition; and others like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Alain Locke with multiple contributions as well. In the world of stage comes Josephine Baker i...

How Many Words in a Novel Word Counts Per Genre [Examples]

How Many Words in a Novel Word Counts Per Genre [Examples] How Many Words in a Novel? Exact Word Count Guide Per Genre [With Examples] How many words are in a novel? After allWriting too many words in your novel is just as embarrassing as not writing enough.A books word count does matter and if you get it wrong, this can impact your book sales, reviews, and its overall performance.But thats why were here.To not only help you understand how many words are in a novel, but how many should be in your specific book depending on what youre writing.Because yes, different types of books require different book lengths.Not only do you need to know how many words are in a novel, but also why and how the genre youre writing it can change this word count.This is how many words are in a novel:How many words in a memoir 45,000 to 80,000How many words in a self-help book 30,000 70,000How many words in a fantasy novel 50,000 150,000How many words in a sci-fi novel 50,000 150,000How many words in a romance novel 50,000 90,000How many words in a mystery novel 40,000 80,000How many words in a horror novel 40,000 80,000How many words in a dystopian novel 60,000 -120,000How many words in a contemporary novel 60,000 90,000How many words in a young adult book 60,000 90,000How many words in a middle-grade book 20,000 55,000NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereHow many pages is 1000 words?1000 words single-spaced is about 1 page in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or equivalent software. 1000 words in a book is about 3 pages.One thing to keep in mind with how many pages is 1000 words is that it depends on the text, its size, and the spacing youre using.For example, if you write 1000 words on a page in Google Docs, but maintain double spacing, that would be about two pages. However, if your text is smaller than 12 and you use a different spacing variation, it may only be one to one and a half pages.Heres how you can make 1000 words be more than two pages:Increase the font size by .5 or 1 pointIncrease the line spacingChange the size of all the punctuation to be largerHow many words per page in a book?Ultimately, you can expect there to be roughly 300 words per page in a book you write as a whole. Because dialogue requires paragraph breaks, there will be fewer words than if you have a few pages of full paragraphs instead of dialogue.On average, there are about 300 words per page in a book. This number can vary depending on if youre writing dialogue or how short each paragraph is. How to Find How Many Words are in Your Novel So FarKnowing where to look to locate your word count will help you determine how long your book is actually going to be once its finished and you publish it (which youll learn to do in the next step).Finding your books word count depends on which writing software youre using to write it.Heres how to find your books word count for a number of writing softwares:Microsoft Word: The word count for your book in Microsoft Word will be l ocated in the bottom left corner next to the page number.Google Docs: To find the word count in Google Docs using a mac, you can hit Command Shift C (Control Shift C on Windows) and a box will pop up. You can also go to Tools Word CountScrivener: If youre using this writing tool, just go to Scrivener Preferences Editing and then select live counts to show the word count box and character on the bottom bar.Pages: To view word count in Pages on a mac, go to the toolbar and click View Show Word Count.Open Office: If youre using open office, the word count is visible in the bottom left corner.Book Length CalculatorThe best way to find out how many pages will be in your book is to use this calculation method:Take your current word count and divide it by 300. This will give you the approximate number of pages that will be in your book.Heres the book length calculator formula again:Current word count à · 300 = estimated pages in your bookFor example, if you write a book thats 80,0 00 words long, you would fill in that formula like this:80,000 à ·Ã‚   300 = 266.7 pagesKeep in mind that this is not a perfect way to calculate the number of pages your book will be. However, this rough estimation can help you understand the approximate length of your book.How many words in a novel?How many words in a novel vary depending on genre, audience, and the story itself. Generally speaking, the average novel word count is between 60,000 and 90,000 words.The amount of words in your novel does matter. Depending on your genre, having too many or too little can not only hurt your book sales, but also cause fewer 5-star reviews (which also hurts your sales).This is how many words to have in a novel for each genre.#1 How many words in a memoir?On average, when writing a memoir should not exceed 90,000 words and that is a stretch when it comes to memoir word count.We recommend memoirs be between 45,000 to 80,000 words in order to maintain intrigue and reduce intimidation. This means your memoir will average between 150 and 265 pages.When readers see that a memoir exceeds 300 pages, it sets up a red flag in their mind. Even if theyre interested in the memoir, a very lengthy memoir is often indicative of something reminiscent of an autobiography (which is basically a timeline of life events) versus a personal life telling with a theme or message.Exceptions for memoir word count:Youre famous or well-known. Anyone who already has an audience can get away with a longer memoir simply because people have already shown interest in your life. Theyre more likely to want more rather than less.Your memoir contains multiple lessons or messages. If your memoir is in several parts or you have a few messages to get across, you can write a longer memoir. Keep in mind, however, that it may be more beneficial to write two memoirs instead of one massive one.Its your first draft word count only. Its okay if your first draft is over 90,000 words. Oftentimes, professional editi ng will cut down the unnecessary information so your memoir is the appropriate word count.Average book length for a memoir: 45,000 80,000#2 How many words in a self-help book?Any self-help or motivational nonfiction book should be between 30,000 and 70,000 wordsThis means your book will be between 100 and 230 pages in total.Those looking for help through a book in this genre dont want a massive novel to go through just to read what they need. For that reason, if you have a motivational or self-help book idea, keep it at a lower word count will actually help you more.For example, our own Student Success Strategist, Lisa Zelenak, wrote this book called Find Your Thing. Its a self-help book detailing how to escape monotony in your early 20s and do work that actually matters.Find Your Thing is about 30,000 words and, with formatting, 178 pages long.The reason this book does well is because it is not a super lengthly novel. With a self-help book, your audience wants to learn something and they want to learn it sooner rather than later.Average self-help book length: 30,000 70,000 words#3 How many words in a fantasy novel?The average fantasy novel should have between 50,000 and 150,000 words. However, the true word count depends on the category in which youre writing.If youre writing a young adult fantasy novel, you should keep your word count below 90,000 words or 300 book pages.This is due to the audience youre reaching preferring that length.If youre writing an adult fantasy novel or an epic fantasy novel (like Game of Thrones), your word count can skew higher at 90,000 200,000 words.Not all fantasy novels are epic fantasy novels. Epic fantasy is a sub-genre beneath fantasy and encompasses very long journey-specific plots. Authors who write in this style are George R.R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, and the late J.R.R. Tolkien.Average book length for fantasy novels: 50,000 150,000 wordsNOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Fiction Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it here#4 How many words in a science fiction book?Science fiction books typically have between 50,000 and 150,000 words, like fantasy novels. This puts them at between 170 500 pages.This specific genre has a lot of flexibility with word and page count due to the variety of plot types and story arcs.Here are some popular sci-fi novels and their word counts:Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 50,895 wordsEnders Game by Orson Scott Card 100,609 words Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 46,118 wordsI, Robot by Isaac Asimov – 69,000 wordsThe Stand by Stephen King 500,000 wordsThe Martian by Andy Weir 104,588 wordsAs you can see, word count for science fiction books vary widely. However, we do not suggest writing a novel of 500,000 words unless you as established as Stephen King is.Average science fiction book length: 50,000 150,000 words#5 How many words in a romance n ovel?Romance novels often run between 50,000 and 90,000 words on average.Romance is a unique genre because the plot is all about two characters and their adventure with one another. For that reason, writing a long, lengthy book just about their romance can become a problem for the readers.This is why romance books tend to be below 90,000 words.The more you write, the more you run the risk of losing your readers attention and motivation to keep reading.A popular romance novel thats a great example of keeping your story shorter rather than longer is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.This book only has 52,000 words and has become one of the most recognizable romances of our time.Average romance book length: 50,000 90,000 words#6 How many words in a mystery novel?Mystery novels do best if theyre written between 40,000 and 80,000 words.Writing more than 80,000 words can become difficult, as you have to ensure your readers dont know the answer behind the mystery.As with anything, the more you say, the easier it is to decipher the clues underneath, which is what you dont want when it comes to a mystery novel.For example, Agatha Christie, one of the bestselling mystery writers of all time, write between 40,000 and 60,000 words per book.Average mystery book length: 40,000 80,000 words#7 How many words in a horror novel?Horror is much like mystery in the sense that you dont want to drag these novels on too long. Therefore, we advise writers to stick between 40,000 to 80,000 words for horror novels.As an example, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James is 42,211 words long.Average horror book length: 40,000 80,000 wordsDo you have what it takes to become a published author?Take this quick quiz to find out!Take the Quiz Now#8 How many words in a dystopian novel?Typical dystopian novels run between 60,000 and 120,000 words, though this genre has the flexibility to be longer.Because dystopian is often a sub-genre, meaning it usually has a broader genre within it like fanta sy or sci-fi, theres room to expand and grow these types of novels.Here are some popular dystopian novel word counts: The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood 90,240Red Rising by Pierce Brown 124,749 wordsThe City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau 59,937As you can see, this genres word count bounces all over the place. Just keep your intended audience in mind (young adult, middle-grade), in order to know how many worse to write.Average dytopian book length: 60,000 120,000 words#9 How many words in a contemporary book?In a typical contemporary book, you will have between 60,000 and 90,000 words.One popular example of a contemporary novel is Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, which stands at 60,965 words in total.Contemporary novels typically dont exceed 90,000 words particularly because theyre focused around modern problems versus anything other wordly. This means if you write too long of a book, you run the risk of losing your readers attention.Average contemporary boo k length: 60,000 90,000 words#10 How many words in a young adult novel?Young adult books range between 60,000 and 90,000 words. Unless youre writing a young adult epic fantasy, which can go up to 150,000 words.Young adult is a category more than a genre, but its important to keep this in mind when writing a book in any genre.Your audience matters because different age ranges prefer different lengths of books. An older audience, like new adult or adult, is far more likely to consumer a book thats over 100,000 words, whereas a younger audience like young adult only has the attention span for less than 90,000 words.#11 How many words in a middle-grade book?Middle-grade books are best if kept between 20,000 and 55,000 words in order to maintain the attention of readers this age.Anything longer can be difficult for a younger audience to consume and retain all of the information. Therefore, cap your first draft off at 65,000 words with the intent to cut out what you dont need when you ship it off to your editor.Keep in mind that these word counts are guidelines. One thing we teach here at Self-Publishing School is that you must first know the rules before you can confidently break them.Ready to start your book now?Now that you know how many words your book should be, its time to actually start writing those words!But first, make sure you know what you need to about how to write a book so you dont make the mistakes so many before you have

Market Research Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Market Research Methodology - Essay Example 'Typically focus groups are used as a means of testing concepts new products and messages. A focus group is qualitative research which means that you do not obtain results with percentages, statistical testing or tables .instead this methodology is less structured than surveys or other quantitative research and tends to be more exploratory as well. Rather than providing quantifiable responses to a specific question obtained from a large sampling of the population, focus group participants provide a flow of input and interaction related to the topic or group of topics that the group is centered around. While they appear to be less formal than a survey, focus groups do provide an important source of information for making business decisions. It is important how ever to ensure that persons using the results of such a qualitative study understand how to correctly interpret the resulting information'. 1 The composition of a focus group is usually based on the homogeneity or similarity of the group members. Bringing people with common interests or experiences together makes it easier for them to carry on a productive discussion. Often a research project will use different groups to get differing views. For example, an organization is planning a major restructuring. It would be desirable to have three separate focus groups - union members, nonunion employees, and managers. Each of these groups would represent a potentially different perspective on the changes facing the organization. Imagine the potential problems in bringing together union members and management. Neither would feel free to speak spontaneously and, depending on the anxiety level, the discussion might possibly spiral out of control. Demographic characteristics are another way to determine focus group composition: A political candidate might consider holding separate focus groups with both men and women or younger and older voters. A company testing a new product might conduct focus groups in different geographical regions. Organizational decision makers might find it useful to have separate focus groups for those who favor and those who oppose a particular issue. One caution-remember that with a focus group, it is not possible to compare the results from different groups in a strict quantitative sense, because they lack representative ness. Each group may be characterized as augmenting the information of the others - in an effort to look for as many different explanations or interpretations as

Georgia Recreation and Park Association Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Georgia Recreation and Park Association - Essay Example These members are drawn from public enterprises, private businesses, academia, etc. Not only do they strive to provide recreation opportunities but also participate in fundraising and technical assistance activities.Bill McNair is the President of GRPA. The Presidentship is shared by Danny Jones and James Dodson. Other prominent members of the top brass include Michael Coleman, Jimmy Gisi, and Steve Card. They are supported by a group of trustees and District Commissioners, who in turn administer other local representatives.The members and Board of Trustees make a combined effort to fulfill GRPA's fundamental purpose, which is "promoting healthy lifestyles through the utilization of park facilities and recreation services for the well being of each citizen individually and the community as a whole, ensuring that park and recreation services are available, and providing organized, supervised activity as a means of prevention for a number of circumstances (disease, stress, etc.) includ ing the prevention of juvenile delinquency." Another function of GRPA is to lobby in Congress to pass new legislation that recognizes the therapeutic value of recreation.   The lobby also interacts with policymakers to allow substantial budgets to support recreation programs and services.   They also work with other non-profits within the state to "continue and/or initiate recreation programs and functions with health and wellness objectives and positive outcomes".   The GRPA also coordinates with the National Recreation and Park Association and lends a helping hand by sponsoring "special events which demonstrate or reinforce recreation, health and wellness relationships."

Social Class in America Essay Example for Free

Social Class in America Essay Over the course of two hours, the documentary reveals that despite our countrys deeply-held ideals of egalitarianism and fairness, our citizens are in fact subject to sharp class distinctions and often insurmountable inequalities of opportunity. For viewers and students interested in the sociology and culture of the United States, People Like Us provides an entertaining introduction to a controversial topic. It does not offer a Marxian analysis of one groups exploitation of another, nor does it celebrate the virtues of the capitalist system. Rather, this popular history presents an outspoken group of Americans from diverse locales and even more diverse socioeconomic groups: privileged New York WASPS, upwardly mobile African Americans in North Carolina, struggling minimum-wage workers in Ohio, proud Georgia rednecks, blue-collar suburbanites in New Jersey, cliquey Texas highschool students, and more. Through their portraits, People Like Us raises questions about the ways, large and small, in which Americans classify each other, how our inherited social class affects our self-perceptions and our expectations, and how race and other factors complicate an already complex arrangement of social distinctions in our society. Producers Andrew Kolker and Louis Alvarez, who have collaborated on a series of award-winning documentaries on different aspects of American culture since 1979, found People Like Us to be an extremely challenging program to make. Crisscrossing the country to interview hundreds of Americans, they discovered that many of us take our class status for granted, while many others refuse to admit that class differences exist. In making this program, Alvarez and Kolker hope to challenge viewers to rethink their assumptions about class in America and to examine how those assumptions influence their attitudes about their fellow citizens. People Like Us premiered on the Public Broadcasting System and is intended for a general audience. It is also extremely useful for educators who wish to introduce students to basic concepts about social class and bout class distinctions in the United States. People Like Us does not pretend to be the definitive documentary about class in America. But it does aim to be a catalyst for discussion and deeper study about the many different issues of class that affect our country economically, socially, and psychologically. This guide is intended to facilitate that goal. Our suggestions for discussion questions, lesson plans, group projects, theme-based activities, readings, and writing assignments are designed to help viewers explore, in the context of their own experiences and communities, the many thorny issues raised by People Like Us. II. Program Outline People Like Us: Social Class in America is 124 minutes (2:04) in length. While its always best to screen the program in its entirety, it can also be viewed in two separate, hour-long sittings: 1) Parts I and II and 2) Parts III and IV. If class time is limited, you can also show specific short segments to the class. In that case, we recommend that you pre-screen the entire show so that you understand where each segment fits into the whole. Is there a difference between class, status, and lifestyle? 2. Reconsider the question of whether the United States is a classless, egalitarian society. Elicit viewers’ impressions of the range of Americans they saw in the program. Who are the most memorable? Why? What characteristics mark each person as belonging to one social class or another? What were some of their opinions about the class structure of the United States? Were there any statements students strongly agreed/disagreed with? Broaden the discussion: Why do many Americans deny that class distinctions exist in their country? Why do many consider class to be a touchy subject? Why do classes exist anyway? What are the effects of class stratification on Americans? Does growing up in a particular class affect our self-image and our expectations in life? If so, how? 3. Tabulate results of the mini-survey and discuss findings. Ask students to define their terms and explain why they picked a particular social class. (NOTE: since some people may feel uncomfortable about answering this question, participation in this discussion can be voluntary. ) Did they select a particular class because of their parents’ income? Their own lifestyle? Education? Aspirations? Family history? Moral values or religious affiliation? Did they change their minds about their own social rank after seeing People Like Us? If so, how and why? Divide the class into groups. Ask each group to discuss the class structure of their community. Are neighborhoods mixed or segregated by class? Which classes live in which areas and go to which schools? Which groups tend to shop at which stores, worship at which religious centers, belong to which clubs? Does any one group hold the power in local government? Are there any venues where various classes intermingle? Are there any class-based issues the community is currently confronting for example, in housing, job development, or education? 4. Assign a review. Based on their notes, ask students to write a critique, favorable or unfavorable, of People Like Us. What are the programs most important ideas about class in America? Writers should include specific examples of scenes or remarks that were most/least effective in presenting these ideas. Did viewers feel that any one of the classes portrayed was favored over the other? In an introductory essay to his play, Major Barbara, George Bernard Shaw wrote: What a man is depends on his character; but what he does, and what we think of what he does, depends on his circumstances. The characteristics that ruin a man in one class made him eminent in another. Ask students to write their interpretation of this quote. What does Shaw mean? Cite an example of behavior that is considered a virtue in one class and a vice in another. For example, compare the idea of an aggressive real estate developer with an aggressive sanitation worker. Both are in business, but their qualities may be judged differently. Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’ (Washington, DC ; Morgantown, Kentucky) Begins: 01:21. 02 Running Time: 12_ minutes Getting above your raisin is a phrase you hear all the time†¦.. The notion is that you want to change social classes†¦ You try to change social classes, theres this feeling that youre forsaking the family, youre forsaking place, youre forgetting where you came from†¦and heres this real fear that if you leave, that youll become ashamed of where you came from. Dana Felty, an ambitious young woman from a working-class background in rural Kentucky, is pursuing a career as a journalist in Washington, D. C. Despite her success, Felty feels guilty about leaving her class and culture behind. As an Appalachian, shes been taught that moving up the ladder is not as important as allegiance to the community. I think that at the core of a lot of my family, it really felt like I was telling them that I was rejecting them and I was rejecting my home, and everything that had been just the essence of who we were, she says tearfully.

Mother and Daughter Relationships in Joy Luck Club and A Hundred Secret

Mother and Daughter Relationships in The Joy Luck Club and A Hundred Secret Senses   Ã‚  Ã‚   In life, many things can be taken for granted - especially the things that mean the most to you. You just might not realize it until you've lost it all. As I walk down the road finishing up my teenage days, I slowly have been finding a better understanding of my mother. The kind of bond that mothers and daughters have is beyond hard to describe. It's probably the biggest rollercoaster ride of emotions that I'll ever have the chance to live through in my lifetime. But, for those of us who are lucky enough to survive the ride in one piece, it's an amazing learning experience that will influence your entire future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In Amy Tan's novels, The Joy Luck Club, and A Hundred Secret Senses, she describes relationships between mothers and daughters reflecting on her own parents experiences in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Four mothers, four daughters, four families... whose histories shift with the four winds depending on who's "telling" the stories. In 1949, four Chinese women, recent   immigrants to San Francisco, begin meeting to talk, eat dim sum, and play mahjong.. As June's mother said, "Idea was to have a gathering of   four women, one for each corner of the mahjong table" (Joy p.32) Being together in shared unspeakable loss and hope, they call themselves the Joy   Luck Club. Instead of sinking into tragedy, they choose to gather and raise their spirits. "To despair was to wish back for something already lost. Or to prolong what was already unbearable." (Joy p.134) In other words, why sit back and keep pondering the tragedy, it's better to let the past go, and move on.   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Joy Luck Club, Tan examines the sometimes painful, often t... ...ring a closer relationship to their families.    Works Cited and Consulted "Biography of Amy Tan." DIScovering Authors Modules. 1998. GaleNet. "Criticism, Amy Tan" DIScovering Authors, Gale Research Inc, 1996. Buck, Claire. "Amy Tan." The Bloomsbury Guide to Womens Literature. Pg1065 Great Britian: Bloomsbury Publishing, 1992. Shear, Walter. "Generational Differences and the Diaspora in The Joy Luck Club." in <>Critique. Volume 34, No3, Spring 1993 pp 193-99.(on GaleNet Tan Amy. The Hundred Secret Senses, New York; Mass Market Paperback, 1996 Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York; Mass Market Paperback, 1994 Willard, Nancy. "Tiger Spirits." in The Women's Review of Books. Vol.6, Nos. 10-11, July 1989, pg12.(on GaleNet) *Amy Tan interview was conducted on the front cover of the hard cover copy addition of The Joy Luck Club.   

Hip-Hop and R&B Essay

It is safe to say that expressing oneself is exerted differently amongst individuals and forms, and in many cases an art is created. The list of different art forms, artists, art-type etc. extends, and a popular art form on this list includes music. Music is a category in relation to art, but also contains many categories within itself. It is a broad subject that connects from: Country, Pop, Gospel, Opera, Hip-Hop, Rap, Tech, R&B etc. I am an individual who sees the beauty and greatness in all music, but happens to be passionate about two particular genres previously listed. R&B and Hip-Hop are two genres of music that are capable of dissection into small details, separating their differences and similarities. When I listen to and/or observe these two genres, I tend to notice certain contrasts and comparisons. The two music genres, Hip-Hop and R&B, share many similarities and differences especially involving the formatting, lyricism, and tone and/or melodies. Hip-Hop and R&B songs are both constructed with different instrumentals, but sometimes vary in style. R&B songs tend to portray more of a relaxed, sensual feel, whereas Hip-Hop songs are more for dancing actively. Two of my favorite R&B and Hip-Hop songs at the moment, â€Å"Paint This House† and â€Å"Senile†, exemplify this. In these songs, like many others, certain keys are used promoting a base sound. Base appears often in Hip-Hip songs, and is usually recognized by its distinct sound in relation to a â€Å"boom† noise. Parties and clubs show how this sound incorporated with music affects people. Along with the crowd, the Hip-Hop songs’ instrumentals, inclusive of a base, makes people want to dance; as also, the case with me. The instrumental also plays a role in the vocalization of a song, leading to an artist’s approach to the song. When I hear certain R&B beats, I automatically think of how I would sing on it and lyrics. The simple formation of the instrumental affects my mindset and mood, leading to sadness, anger, or happiness etc. related lyricism. The occurrence of these emotions in songs could also display its genre. Various artists belonging to these groups outline their songs based on their  genre. The artist’s genre affects the song’s lyricism with the two genres’ different purposes. There have been countless times that I have altered the way I sing or rap a song, because of its genre amplifying or altering my mood. A television show I watched one time, broadcasted an interview with the R&B artist Brandy; an interview in which Brandy exemplified how the instrumental she received, moved her and in a sense, her voice. Most Hip-Hop artists’ songs differ in lyricism from R&B songs, to appeal to different audiences. Some people only enjoy certain types of music, leaving the void filled by artists that make such songs. Certain vocalization could also prove to attract people, like high-pitched vocals on songs. With the exception of a rapper on an R&B song, singers display more vocal-play on songs. With the melodies singers create, R&B songs differ from Hip-Hop songs; though Hip-Hop artists sometimes create melodies without always singing. Pop and rap songs played on the radio today provide examples of a method of singing, without having to actually sing much; this method is known as Auto-tune, which makes a computerized noise. A singer can also create a Hip-Hop song, though Hip-Hop songs are usually rap-oriented. Different R&B artists have experimented with rap in their music, reciting rap-influenced lyrics with a melody. Various cases even show how singers use Hip-Hop instrumentals at times, but sing personal, self-written, or unrelated lyrics. I have covered songs with friends in which I sang and was at an advantage on certain vocal parts, seeing as how I naturally sing. This ability allows me to alter songs in a different way, including Hip-Hop songs. ​Music is one factor possessing the ability of creation through countless amount of ways. A slight noise could trigger my instinct to create a melodic beat from it, and sing random lyrics. This effect is not only the case with me, but many musical geniuses existing today or previously. Music serves as a stress-reliever, escape etc. so it ultimately affects the production of a song. It is these changes in the formation, that leads to noticeable similarities and differences of a song. The music genres, Hip-Hop and R&B, play a major role in society differentiating whilst also relating; this, in terms of different factors shaping the production of a song. To make a song,  many aspects could be assessed connecting from choice of words, beat etc. These particular aspects are the main ones I pay attention to when listening to music, providing a platform in which to compare and/or contrast in many ways.

Cathy Come Home Text Analysis

Cathy Come Home English text analysis †¢ What was the purpose of the text and who was the target audience? The purpose of the text is to inform the reader about what the film is about. It uses words like ‘documentary’, ‘social issues drama’, ‘docudrama’. In the first line of the text it impresses upon the readers the importance this film played in changing the social-economic viewpoint of the viewers. â€Å"First broadcast by the BBC in 1966, it was a pivotal in the launch of the housing charity Shelter, and instrumental in changing the law regarding homelessness. The target audience for the text would be adults, with a certain level of education and social/ political awareness possibly someone of middle class background as Jon Fortgang uses mostly sophisticated language such as polemical and inexorable. The sentence structure is quite long and complex as well. †¢ Comment on the writer’s style and language technique. The langua ge used by Jon Fortgang is mostly formal and the sentence structure and paragraphs are quite long and sophisticated. There are some parts of the text that is informal such as â€Å"rough and ready documentary†, â€Å"With baby on the way, money is tight. This is done so as to relate to his readers. The first two sentences and the last three sentences of the review are emboldened to emphasis importance of the text, he also uses positive adjectives such as powerful and pivotal. He also lets his readers know that the film is â€Å"One of the most important British works ever, and is then reinforced again in the second to last paragraph of review and relates and how the issues covered in the film can be related to what is happening today. List at least 3 facts given in the review. – First broadcast in 1966, it was pivotal in the launch of the housing charity Shelter and instrumental in changing the law regarding homelessness. – Directed by Loach before he made the transition from TV to cinema. – It is written by Jeremy Sanford and is acted by Carol White and Ray Brooks. †¢ Identify at least 3 opinions given and comment on the language used. – â€Å"A milestone in British film making and still one of Loach’s most direct and watchable works. Issues and characters are carefully balanced, Sandford’s writing is credible and intelligent and the intervening decades has done nothing to lessen the films impact. † – â€Å"If a film is measured by its impact on the real world then ‘Cathy Come Home’ surely ranks as the among the most important British works ever. † – â€Å"Seen by a quarter of all Britons at the time of its broadcast, this is a powerful but also easily digestible social issues drama and perhaps the saddest aspect of the film is its clear and continued relevance. † The language used in these opinions are all positive adjectives impressing upon the reader just how powerful and influential this film was at the time of its screening. Although some of it cannot be proven fact such as â€Å"Seen by a quarter of all Britons at the time of its broadcast. † This would be impossible for him to know about unless he had actual statistics that told him the viewing figures for that time. Summarisation of ‘Cathy Come Home’ in 100 words Directed by Ken Loach, ‘Cathy Come Home’ is a powerful docudrama dealing with a young family’s descent into homelessness. The story follows a young couple Cathy (Carol White) and Reg (Ray Brooks) who decide to set up home together. Cathy soon falls pregnant with their first child and money soon becomes a problem. Unfortunately Reg has an accident costing him his job. It is this catalyst which causes the family to lose their home. Moving from one place to another they struggle to survive. With tensions rising between the couple, the family is forced to split up, possibly for good.

Pete essays

Pete essays Peter Press Maravich is arguably one of the best basketball players ever to play the game. Born June 22, 1947 in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania where he learned to love basketball from his father, Press Maravich, who spent many hours teaching him the games most important fundamentals. Maravich broke numerous records throughout his career. While in high school he scored 47 points, more than any other player, in the North Carolina High School All-Star Game. He holds nearly every National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) scoring record at Louisiana State University (LSU) and was named a three-time All American in only three years in the NCAA. After a legendary college career at LSU, he played ten great seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), earning five trips to the NBA All-Star Game and one league scoring title. After his death, he was named to the NBAs Top 50 Greatest Players of All Time and was inducted to the Hall of Fame. I feel, as a player, for anyone to accom plish so much in such a short period of time is remarkable. During Maravichs career the three-point line was not yet a part of professional basketball, so he accomplished all this without the three point line. Maravich is without question one of the greatest offensive basketball players ever to play the game. Maravich got his nickname Pistol Pete from his father. Once referring to his style of shooting during his childhood and as a high school player, Pistol quickly developed into an offensive machine with great shooting, passing, and dribbling skills. He was said to be an offensive genius. According to Mike Flynn former rival of Pistols who played for the University of Kentucky and the Indiana Pacers, Pistol was one of the greatest offensive players Ive ever seen. I wouldnt say he was a pure shooter, as much as I would say he was a great scorer. I loved playing again...

The R in Colonel

The R in Colonel The R in Colonel The R in Colonel By Maeve Maddox A reader comments, I’ve often wondered where the â€Å"r† sound came from in colonel. I’m certain, in the original French, both Ls were pronounced as Ls–what happened? Colonel is the spelling in modern French, but when the word entered English in the 16th century, the French were spelling it coronel or coronnel. The first â€Å"l† had become an â€Å"r† sound by way of dissimilation. dissimilation:   a. Philology. The differentiation of two similar or identical sounds occurring near each other in a word, by change of one of them. An example is Latin peregrinus, which became pelegrino in Italian. Dissimilation is also at work in the way many speakers pronounce February as FEB-yoo-ER-ee. (A pronunciation, by the way, that Charles Elster finds â€Å"beastly.†) Colonel derives from Latin columella, â€Å"a little column.† At some point, the first â€Å"l† became an â€Å"r,† and the word became established in French as coronel. The coronel was the officer who led the â€Å"little column† of troops at the head of a regiment. By the end of the 16th century, the more etymologically correct spelling colonnel displaced coronel in French literary use. The spelling colonel appeared in English about 1580. For a time, both spellings existed side by side in English; the coronel spelling prevailed in writing until 1630, but by 1650, colonel had pushed out coronel. The pronunciation of colonel also went through changes. In the 17th century, colonel was trisyllabic in English, as it still is in French. By 1669, it began to be pronounced with two syllables, â€Å"col’nel.† Apparently many speakers were also pronouncing it as â€Å"ker’nel,† because that is the pronunciation that has survived. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†Round vs. AroundWord Count and Book Length

Heakthcare strategies Decision-making Tools Essay - 1

Heakthcare strategies Decision-making Tools - Essay Example In which case, the early phase requires creating a small but powerful team to guide the initiative. This is the ideal situation regardless of organization type (Kotter, 2007). Having senior-level management form the core of the group will create the needed sense of urgency. Kotter (2007), however, argued that even in these early days of implementing the strategic plan the guiding team needs to include members who are not part of the senior-level of management. These other members are particularly important for two reasons: to communicate the vision and message of change to their peers and to communicate the challenges and concerns faced by their peers with regards to implementing the strategic plan to senior management. The above approach will not be effective especially at the later stages of implementation when the need to communicate the new vision and strategy becomes mandatory. Ultimately, the strategic plan cannot be implemented without the participation of most of the employees in the organization. According to Kotter (2007) transformation is impossible unless hundreds or thousands of people are willing to help, often to the point of making short-term sacrifices. It is obvious that implementing any new vision will have some effect on employees’ normal activities. This means that employees need to be convinced to believe that useful change is possible with implementation of that strategic plan. Without credible communication, the hearts and minds of the staff will not be captured. This will be counterintuitive to the organization’s plan because when employees are neither fully convinced of senior management’s plan nor are the involved in it, they resist the change Moreover communication is achieved through both action and deeds. Keeping employees in the dark lowers the trust and confidence they have towards senior management. To ensure the successful implementation of this assisted living facility’s strategic