Reflection paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection paper - Assignment Example sation with the other group members. I was thrilled and excited at the start but with the passage of time, it became hard when I had to conduct meetings with other group members without hearing their voices or looking at their faces. The discussion topic revolved around â€Å"Feminism and Pop Culture.† This topic was created from the chapter 13 of the book â€Å"Feminism and Pop Culture† written by â€Å"Andi Zeisler.† I agree the fact that women are using what they have to their advantage like Madonna and other rock stars. Over the period of time, pop culture has portrayed women as sexual objects and with the passage of time, it has adopted the worst shapes than ever. At the time of creating this topic, I was all focused to read and discuss more about that why women are always projected as â€Å"feast for eyes† in all pop videos and songs and not as â€Å"element of respect† or â€Å"exemplary models† through these videos. I would say that we should not blame any other person but the female singers themselves have projected their womanhood as a â€Å"symbol of sex appeal† in the media. From Madonna to Brittany Spears and from Christina Aguilera to Miley Cyrus; al l women have projected their beauty on the screen through their songs in a negative way. They have influenced a huge number of teenage girls in a negative manner. I was very nervous before my discussion went live. My team did not response to my invitation for chat. When met on the chat for the first time, I was the one who initiated the chat with all the group members and involved each one of them into the discussion. My team members appreciated my efforts but what disappointed me most was the involvement and interest of the members in the discussion thread. They just reviewed and approved my work without commenting or giving their opinions on the work I did. I completed the discussion topic. I was bit nervous and at the same time, I was little upset with the work as well. I had no idea that whatever the work

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn In his episodic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain fabricates a journey as the platform for the narrators symbolic rite of passage. The protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, discovers the true colors of his individuality, as he voyages through his many adventures and gains priceless experiences. While he matures and advances, Huck discards his disposition as an ignorant and juvenile adolescent craving for joy and peril and becomes a man, being able to firmly identify and establish his morals and ethics. During this intricate process, he develops a comradeship with a Jim, a runaway slave, ultimately learning the true horrors of the flawed society, in which he lives in. As a role in Hucks learning process, Mark Twain realistically utilizes the social perception of whites during the time period to assist Huck in discovering the blemishes of slavery, rejecting many critics assumption that he is a racist. Huck, a thirteen-year-old son of a drunkard, is recurrently strained to survive on his own wits where sometimes it contradicts societys standards and laws. As he seems to trek down the Mississippi River, he also journeys down his inner mentality, as Huck encounters challenges between his social conscience and individual conscience. Huck always seems to look up to the educated, the high and mid-class. He appeared to make himself believe that his judgment was inferior or abased to theirs because he was illiterate, and not truly part of society or a civilized human being. He blindly follows Tom Sawyer, due to the fact that he was educated and brought up in a refined urbane setting. As the novel opens, Huck is forced to be integrated in society and civilization. Though he struggles, he persuades himself to sublime in. In the beginning, Huck is perplexed by the fatuous purpose of religion. As Widow Douglas and Miss. Watson try very hard to reform Huck to become sivilize, he doesnt see the purpose of heaven and hell. Its these first signs of society (religion) that plays an impact on Huck, where he makes a connection that his actions will determine his destination after death. Huck also can be portrayed as an innate philosopher, where he is very skeptical of the societal dogmas (religion) and in fact perceives these ideas in his own ways, as he tries to reform. This is seen with Hucks idea that hell might actually be a better place than the Widow Douglass heaven. Thus this issue only engenders Hucks moral development. When Huck encounters Jim on Jacksons island, and attends his story of a runaway slave, Huck sees Jim as a human being rather than a slave. Huck feels empathy and remorse, as he hears Jims sad tale of his family being ripped apart. Huck, who just wasnt able to properly fully mold with society, and Jim, a run-away slave, both were alienated from society in fundamental ways. Both now in some form freed from the insincerity and injustice of society, but knew this would not last long. When Huck realizes that his fate was wrapped around Jims, he questions the morality of helping a run-away slave, this in which was against law, and breaking a law would lead him to hell. More subtly, Twain criticize the American South for its phony romanticism and hypocritical Christianity. Huck decries the idea that the Christianity of the South is a living contradiction. Huck does not comprehend the fact how society accepts slavery yet ignores the Biblical notion of the equality of all believers. (The Adve ntures of Huckleberry Finn pg1). Nonetheless, Huck conceded and acknowledged that he would go to hell, in which a sacrifice he was willing to make. In further context, Twain in his works is not a racist. In the manner he depicts Jim as a real person, who carries feelings and emotions, shows in fact that Twain is an opponent of slavery. Huck had the common sense to see how slavery was a genuine blight to humanity. Contrarily the so called sophisticated society accepted it, even the good people such as Miss. Watson. Huck matures further as he breaks that mask that society gave Jim, and accepts him as a normal person. Huck refers to Jim, I knowed he was white inside. (Twain, pg 46). It shows how Huck, who was brought up in a very bigoted section of the country, that ingested all the hypocrisy of slavery, was still able to transcend it by just knowing this one nigger, Jim. Furthermore, Hucks character changes as Jim teaches him about friendship. Their relationship becomes tighter, after the Hucks joke about him never had gone missing in the fog. Huck learns that Jim is a person is with feelings, and ultimately Jim induces this movement into Hucks maturity. This is the critical point of Hucks transformation, where Huck apologizes to Jim. Hucks voyage down the Mississippi taught him much, but was mainly a frolic. But once it resumes, when Huck is taken up the Grangerfords, he journeys to the dark side of American civilization. The benevolent family who offer Huck to stay is in a burning feud between another family, the Shepherdsons. Twain uses these two families to employ in some deriding absurdity and to mock an overly romanticizes ideas about family honor. Ultimately, the families sensationalized feud gets many of them killed. Huck truly refutes society once he saw his new friend Buck, be shot and killed. Twain uses this incident to comment on all systems of principle that rebuffs the humanity of another set of people. Huck becomes befuddled in this episode. The Grangerfords are a mix of contradictions where they treat Huck well, but they own slaves and behave more foolishly with other family by killing one other. Is this what society dawns upon? In the denouement, Huck transmogrifies into a full adolescent who now truly believes in his values, and deems that it should not be tractable and tarnished by societys laws. Near the conclusion of the novel, Huck and Tom make an attempt to free Jim who is held captured. After Toms ludicrous plan fails, everyone learns that Jim was actually a free man for weeks (because Miss. Watson, in her will, allow Jim to be free when she died). This idea of freeing a free black man had a special resonance at the time Twain wrote this novel. Blacks during this time had much trouble integrating with society because of the racial subordination that was still present preceding the Civil War. Work Cited The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay. Novelguide.com. December 14, 2009. . Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. United States: Bantum Books, Inc., 1884.

Characters and Setting in Poes Fall of The House of Usher Essay

Characters and Setting in The Fall of the House of Usher    The primary objective in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† is to give the reader a sense of horror. Through the creation of elaborate imagery and dreary circumstances Poe conveys a story that elicits in the reader the dark feelings he has hoped for. In this analysis I will focus on Poe’s characters and setting, and how he structures them to produce the overall effect.    The story begins with a description of our narrator’s first impressions of the House of Usher. He has been summoned there so that he might provide comfort to his boyhood friend. The particular friend, Roderick Usher, is an eccentric character which the narrator has not seen in quite some time. The reason for his visit is so that he, Usher’s only friend, may provide some companionship which will ease Usher’s lonely, disturbed mind. The setting for this story takes place in what is known as the House of Usher. The house is reminiscent of a sovereign insane asylum. The family who has lived in the house for many years is described by Poe as having a stem with no branches (p.665). The occurrences which have taken place throughout the years of this family’s incessant and peculiar behavior give the house a life of its own which tells an eerie story. In the particular passage we have chosen the narrator describes the effect upon seeing the house: â€Å"It was a m ystery all insoluble.†(p.654) The mysteriousness surrounding the house gives it a sense of darkness. The term â€Å"mystery† also serves to tap into the reader’s curiosity. This quality is important to the overall effect of Poe’s story. By leaving the effect of the house as something somewhat unknown he lures the reader to join the narrator in a disc... ...ing set the stage, Poe’s story culminates with a battle between Usher and his sister. This episode provides the reader with an exciting display of the horror for which he has been warned throughout the story. Earlier in the story the narrator told of the entombment of lady Madeline -- Usher’s sister. Although the reader knows she has been entombed, it is not until the end that it is revealed she was buried alive. On the last night of the narrator’s stay lady Madeline erupts from her coffin to battle her brother. The narrator darts out of the house as the House of Usher and sees its’ final demise.    The style and structure of Poe’s story are excellent. His use of descriptive phrases and psychology paint a twisted picture for the audience. The slow -- moving style creates a feeling of suspense that is perfectly released as the story comes to a dramatic ending. Characters and Setting in Poe's Fall of The House of Usher Essay Characters and Setting in The Fall of the House of Usher    The primary objective in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† is to give the reader a sense of horror. Through the creation of elaborate imagery and dreary circumstances Poe conveys a story that elicits in the reader the dark feelings he has hoped for. In this analysis I will focus on Poe’s characters and setting, and how he structures them to produce the overall effect.    The story begins with a description of our narrator’s first impressions of the House of Usher. He has been summoned there so that he might provide comfort to his boyhood friend. The particular friend, Roderick Usher, is an eccentric character which the narrator has not seen in quite some time. The reason for his visit is so that he, Usher’s only friend, may provide some companionship which will ease Usher’s lonely, disturbed mind. The setting for this story takes place in what is known as the House of Usher. The house is reminiscent of a sovereign insane asylum. The family who has lived in the house for many years is described by Poe as having a stem with no branches (p.665). The occurrences which have taken place throughout the years of this family’s incessant and peculiar behavior give the house a life of its own which tells an eerie story. In the particular passage we have chosen the narrator describes the effect upon seeing the house: â€Å"It was a m ystery all insoluble.†(p.654) The mysteriousness surrounding the house gives it a sense of darkness. The term â€Å"mystery† also serves to tap into the reader’s curiosity. This quality is important to the overall effect of Poe’s story. By leaving the effect of the house as something somewhat unknown he lures the reader to join the narrator in a disc... ...ing set the stage, Poe’s story culminates with a battle between Usher and his sister. This episode provides the reader with an exciting display of the horror for which he has been warned throughout the story. Earlier in the story the narrator told of the entombment of lady Madeline -- Usher’s sister. Although the reader knows she has been entombed, it is not until the end that it is revealed she was buried alive. On the last night of the narrator’s stay lady Madeline erupts from her coffin to battle her brother. The narrator darts out of the house as the House of Usher and sees its’ final demise.    The style and structure of Poe’s story are excellent. His use of descriptive phrases and psychology paint a twisted picture for the audience. The slow -- moving style creates a feeling of suspense that is perfectly released as the story comes to a dramatic ending.

Discuss Inclusive Practice for Children Essay

According to The National Autistic Society (2011 and 2012), autism can be defined as a lifelong developmental disability which affects the way a person is able to interact with others around them and make sense of the world they live in. However, there are variations of Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and children who have ASD will be affected in different ways (Dover et al, 2007). This essay will be discussing the inclusive education within the primary school setting, exploring the different strategies that are in place in order to support children with ASD, together with the effectiveness and possible improvement which impacts on the learning experience of children with ASD. The number of people affected with an ASD in the UK today is still rising (NHS, 2012). The National Autistic Society (NAS) (2012), states that over 500,000 people have been diagnosed with an ASD. The condition occurs in families regardless of their ethnic and social backgrounds (Dodd, 2005:13) and the condition can affect people in various ways with the severity of the disorder also varying. Therefore Autism is referred to as a ‘spectrum disorder’, additionally Dover et al,(2007) and Siegal (2008) speculate that the reason behind using the term ‘spectrum’ is due to children presenting different symptoms at different stages of their development that links to the 12 diagnostic criteria, which was stated by Siegal (2008). As the diversity amongst people who are affected by ASD vary significantly, due to the different symptoms they are displaying as well as the background the children are from. Consequently these variations can cause difficulties in diagnosing t he condition (Doyle et al, 2009). A key factor regarding ASD and the challenges they may face, relate to communication and socialization, additionally related challenging and disruptive behaviour. Children suffering from ASD show behaviour that is considered to be socially unacceptable, however when viewed rationally, this behaviour may simply be defined as ‘different’ (Sadri and Flammia, 2011). There appear to be numerous behavioural models that indicate a child may have ASD, example of some of the models are: externalizing behaviour, problem behaviour, maladaptive behaviour, symptoms of behavioural and emotional disorder (Hill and Furniss, 2006). There are also other suggestive symptoms, such as: the constant flicking of fingers, flapping of arms, rocking, nudity, bedwetting and or irregular sleeping patterns which are deemed as inappropriate, defining ASD to a degree (Groark and Eidelman, 2011). Problems usually appear to arise when the individual becomes increasingly aggressive, amongst the issues are, tantrums, self harming or irrational disassociation (Research Autism, 2011). Whilst some situations involving co-ordination or fine-motor skills may prove to be challenging for a child who has ASD, some children shows signs of high IQ and appear to be gifted in certain areas such as Mathematics, art and Music (NAS, 2012) Although there have been some suggestions that a form of predisposed chromosomes could have an effect on ASD, there is not enough evidence that this is the cause. Therefore, currently it is assumed (NAS, 2012), that ASD cannot be identified before or at birth. This argument is based on the diagnostic criteria of Wing and Gould (1979) ‘triad of impairments’ which looks at social interaction, imagination and communication difficulties the child may display (NAS, 2011). However, Mowder et al (2009) suggest that early identification of ASD would be advantageous as this could lead to early intervention, which can result in better academic achievement, whilst reducing the risk of additional behavioural difficulties (Zwaigenbaum et al. 2005). Some studies which Bailey et al (1995) and Levy et al. (2002), refer to, assumes that there may be strong genetic links with regards to possible causes of ASD. On the contrary to Bailey and Levy et al., Yapko (2003) suggests that ASD could be the result of environmental factors such as some medication (antibiotics), reactions to infections or vaccinations. However, these claims are not concrete and are still being researched (Yapko, 2003). Moreover, it is clear that, there is a wide spectrum of ASD, with this came the need for wide spectrum of educational requirements that needs to be met. Therefore educational provision, including mainstream schools, special schools, specialist units attached to mainstream schools and residential provision are essential for the child’s well being and educational needs (NAS, 2012). Historically children with ASDs were educated separately from their more able peers (Ferrall, 2010). Traditionally special education (SE) curriculum was put in place in order to enable children with disabilities and learning difficulties to adapt, and function accordingly within ‘normal’ society (Low Deiner, 2009). With the introduction of the Warnock Report in 1978, special education began to reform with the child’s education needs focussed on, rather than their disability (Wall, 2006). The report wanted to abolish the idea of handicap, as they began to recognise that labelling children negatively would be detrimental to the child and their future (Aarons, 2001). The principles laid down in the report have influenced legislation such as The Education Act 1981, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. These have played a role in shaping contemporary inclusive practice (Batten et al. 2006), as the Education Act 1981 introduced statements of the disabled. Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 and later, Special Education Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001, placed a legal obligation in schools to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in order to ensure that disabled children are not disadvantaged (Batten et al, 2006) It appears that disability can be shaped and accommodated in various ways. As Oliver and Barnes (1998), points out, although ASD has been accepted to be a medical condition which can be diagnosed, the hostility, discrimination and the lack of understanding of the condition from the society’s perspective, are still apparent and can have a detrimental effect on the child’s well being. The social aspect of ASD can make it difficult for the inclusion to fully take part within the primary school setting (NAS, 2012), as focusing on the ‘deficit’ of the child rather than the potential can undermine the successful inclusive admission to the school whilst causing further discomfort to the child (Maclachlen and Schwartz 2009). Children with ASD are entitled to extra support in schools, in order to enable the child to cope with the environment which they are in together with receiving help, to reach the personal academic target (NAS, 2012). The term ‘Inclusion’ must not be confused with the terms ‘Integration’ and ‘mainstreaming’, as these terms describe a child being placed in an mainstream setting and is expected to adapt to their surroundings, and cope with the curriculum expectations. Whereas ‘inclusion’ involves the educational provisions being adapted to the individual child’s needs (NAS, 2012). NAS also believes that special schools must exist in order to accommodate children with more complex needs. However, it also appears to be essential that the ‘special schools’ work in partnership with the mainstream schools. Moreover, it is also argued by NAS (2012), that the government must not use inclusion as a rationale for cutting specialist provision. Previously, people with disabilities have undergone more discrimination and maltreatment than any other minority group (Brown, 2002). They have been subject to isolation, institutionalisation due to observation and other experimental examinations, as they have been perceived as being ‘different’, thus their needs as individuals were neglected (Barnes and Merce, 2010) The point here is that, the needs of individuals, regardless of their disability or ability must be taken into consideration, in order for the inclusive practice to work towards achieving its full potential of helping children integrate into the community they are part of whilst achieving their own individual academic targets (Avradamis et al. 2000). Due to the additional discomfort the discrimination caused to the children and their families with disabilities, some people choose to reject the labelling of being ‘disabled’ (Barnes, 2003), as this posed the danger of causing further distress to t he child (Giddin and Griffiths, 2006). Whilst many families accept that their child has impairments, it appears that the term ‘disabled’ is not easily accepted. It appears that in our society individuals with ‘impairments’ are often labelled as ‘abnormal’ or ‘disabled’ (Carson, 2009). Due to this common association, many people with ASD reject being diagnosed in fear of being labelled (Barnes, 2003). As a result, many parents/carers of children who are in the Autistic Spectrum, struggle to accept diagnosis for their child as the aspect of what the labelling may entail is overwhelming (Ariel and Naseef, 2006). Children in the main stream settings with ASD, often suffer with speech impairments (Brereton and Tonge, 2005), in addition to this, the comprehension of the spoken language and paralinguistic signals such as gestures and facial expressions may also pose potential problems for the child (Siegal, 2003). Rotatori et al. (2008), states that, implications on the childâ €™s socializing and personal interaction can often lead to behavioural problems. Developmental delays which occur due to these challenges in the learning environment may compound the condition (Seach, 2005). Various teaching strategies exist, in order to enable children of all abilities to have access to the curriculum more effectively (Kelly, 1999). According to Ginnis (2002) one of the most common and effective ways to teach children with ASD is a visual timetable, as this allows the child to become familiar with the times and activities via the simple diagrams provided for this purpose. Critically, this can guide effected children throughout their day at school, helping decrease anxiety levels by delivering basic and regular sequence (Pierangelo and Gulluliani, 2008). TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children), also uses visual support, written lists and calendars in order to help children with sequencing and prediction (NAS, 2012). Another teaching strategy involving pictures is the picture communications exchange system (PCES), this finds great use in children with limited language abilities by substitution of words and symbols for ob jects and activities. Gradually the child will build up a regular repertoire, which is beneficial for the child’s independence and own organizational qualities (Wilkinson, 2010). Successful inclusion warrants a system which extends beyond the classroom (Pittmann, 2007). This will only be possible if similar strategies are applied in leisure times as well as the classroom (NAS, 2012), some schools in response to this implemented a ‘circle of friends’ strategy. The idea behind this is for the volunteers to help children to express their feelings freely, progress socially and develop strategies to cope with high anxiety levels (NAS, 2012). Dixon and Addy (2004) argue that, teachers are now expected to embrace inclusion, whilst having actually received little or no training themselves. The inclusion of ASD’s, within the main stream schools appear to be unusually complex. As the child’s cognitive understanding often mismatches the significant language and behavioural deficits (De Boer, 2009), it is paramount that teaching staff recognizes the child’s strengths as well as their weaknesses, to effectively further the child’s development (Seach et al. 2002). Furthermore, it appears that inclusion has been most successful when a partnership between parent/carer and schools exists before the child’s first admission to school, thus bridging the gap between home environment and the school environment (De Boer, 2009). Teaching ASD’s requires adequate resource provisions; funding, time, staffing, and teaching materials are amongst the resources needed. According to Bernard et al. (2002), 45% of the schools who identified accommodating children with ASD, voiced their concern regarding lack of specialist reports received, which in return would limit the help given to the children. Remaining 55% reported inadequate diagnosis and prognosis of children with ASD this appears to lead back to the issue of ‘labelling’. Enthusiasm in a child’s own development is particularly important for the children suffering from ASD, interest levels, positive interaction and effective inclusion needs to be maintained (Howlin and Moore, 1997). As stated by Spergon in (Siegmann, 2007), for an inclusive setting to function and to achieve the desired effect, it must show a positive impact on the child’s learning. The positive influence must be in place regardless of the individual child’s ability, and developmental stage. Spergon also adds that children must be encouraged to aspire to the same education goals with independence, and enjoyment, no matter what their abilities or disabilities are (House of Commons, 2006). However, there is still a grave risk of inclusive schooling in that Autistic children are made very much aware of their differences to non-autistic children, causing the child’s stress levels to increase, resulting in self-stimulatory autistic habits (Seinsbury, 2009). Such habits together with sensory overload, appears to be a major hurdle for children with ASD in the school environment (Increased noise level, lighting, and smells) affecting their learning, and increasing social stigmatization. A large, noisy and disruptive classroom will limit any child’s capacity to learn and understand, more so a child who has ASD (Seach, 2002). Behavioural difficulties such as, shouting, lashing out, or screaming are often the secondary results of these kind of environments for ASD’s (Autismhelp, 2012). The NAS launched the ‘make school make sense’ campaign in 2006, this involved 33 discussion guidelines and corresponding feedback statistics from the families and children with ASD. The overwhelming results show that children interviewed found school a confusing and difficult place, with many finding it difficult to ‘fit in’ and making friends (Reid and Batten, 2006). In this study children who were happiest with their education, had high functioning Autism, which enabled the child to have better developed speech, thus were more able to ‘fit in’ and make friends. However Reid and Batten (2006) have also included that many of the children who were happy in their educational settings were observed to have been either in a special school that catered for their needs or in a dual setting. The 1978 Warnock report, promoted the integration of the disabled children in to the mainstream schools, together with the introduction of the National Curriculum and the Education Reform Act 1988, thus enabling the disabled children to be educated and to integrate with their non-disabled peers (Oliver, 1996). However, Baroness Warnock did articulate that, whilst it was every child’s right to have access to education and all children should be entitled to have the same start in life, she also stated the dissatisfaction she felt in mixing all abilities together as there was the belief that inclusive education for severely Autistic children could be problematic due to the characteristics and disruptive behaviour ASD children may be prone to display (Mckie, 2005). Moreover, Inclusion stood in stark contrast to the medical model approach (Barton, 2005), which used such terms as ‘fragile children’, ‘suffering from learning difficulties’, and the liberal us e of ‘ASD’. In conclusion, it seems that various regulations and policies have been introduced to the local authorities in order to enable the education sector (Primary school setting for the purpose of this paper), to address the needs of individual children with disabilities via inclusive education. However as it has been noted earlier on in the paper, it is of significant importance for the teaching staff to be adequately trained in understanding the child’s condition, such as ASD, as well as staff who are trained in how to enable inclusive education to take place in every classroom. As these developments will play a crucial role in the child’s academic and personal development. Referencing Aarons, M., and Gittens, T. (2001). Autism: a Guied for Parents and Professionals. NY: Routledge. Ariel, C., and Naseef, R. (2006). Voices from the Spectrum: parents, grandparents, siblings, people with autism and professionals who share their wisdom. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Autism Help. (2008-2012). Behaviour: Agression, Frustration and Temper Tantrums. Retrieved from www.autismhelp.info: http://www.autismhelp.info/primary/behaviour/categories,id,438,1-1.aspx Avramadis, E., Bayliss, P., and Burden, R. (2010). A Survey into Mainstream Teacher’s Attitudes Towards the Inclusion of Children with Special Educational Needs in the Ordinary School in one Local Education Authority. Educational Psychology , 191-211. Barnes, C. (2003). What a Difference a Decade Makes: reflections on doing ’emancipatory’ disability research. Disability & Society , 3-17. Barnes, C., and Mercer, G. (2010). Exploring Disability. Cambridge: Polity Press. Barton, L. (2005). Special Educational Needs: an alternative look (A response to Warnock M. 2005: Special/Educational Need. London: University of London. Batten, A., Corbett, C., Rosenblatt, M., Withers, L., and Yuille, R. (2006). Make School Make Sense – Autism and Education – the reality for families today. London: The National Autistic Society. Bernard-Opitz, and V. Hauber, A. (2011). Visual Support for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. USA: AAPC Publishing. Brereton, A. T. (2005). Pre- Schoolers with Autism an Educating and Skills Training Programme for Parents: Manual for Clinicians. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Brown, H. (2002). Safeguarding Adults and Children with Disabilities Against Abuse. Strasbourg, Cedex: Council of Europe Publishing . Carson, G. (2009). The Social Model of Disability. Scotland: The Stationary Office. De Boer, S. (2009). Successful Inclusion for Students with Autism: Creating a Complete, Effective ASD Inclusion Program. San Francisco: Wiley. Dixon, G. a. (2004). Making Inclusion Work for Children with Dyspraxia: Practic al Strategies for Teachers . london: Routledge-Falmer. Dodd, S. (2005). Understanding Autism. Australia: Elsavier Publishing. Dover, C. L. (2007). ‘How to Diagnose Autism’. Archives of Disease in Childhood , 540-545. Doyle, B., and Doyle Iland, E. (2004). Autism Spectrum Disorders from A to Z: Assessment, Diagnosis and More. Arlington: Future Horizons Incorporated. Farrell, M. (2010). Debating Special Education. London: Taylor and Francis. Giddens, A., and Griffiths, S. (2006). Sociology UK. London: Polity press. Ginnis, P. (2002). The Teacher’s Toolkit: Raise Classroom Achievment with Strategies for Every Learner. Villiston: Crown House Publishing Ltd. Groak, C., and Eidelman, S. (2011). Early Childhood Intervention: Shaping the future for children with Special Needs and their Families. USA: ABC-Clio. Hill, J., and Furniss, F. (2006). Patterns of emotional and behavioural disturbance associated with autistic traits in young people with severe intellectual disabi lities and challenging behaviours. Research in Developmental Disabilities , 517-528. House of Commons. (2006, July 6). www.Parliment.co.uk. Retrieved April 2012, from Select comittee on Education and Skills: Third eport: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmeduski/478/47805.htm Howlin, P. M. (1997). Autism: Diagnosis in autism: a survey of over 1,200 patients in the UK’. The International Journal of Research and Practice , 135-162. Kelly, A. (1999). The Curriculum: Theory and Practice. London: Paul Chapman. MacLachlan, M. S. (2009). Abnormal Child Psychology. USA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. McKie, R. (2005). London: The Guardian. Mowder, B. R. (2009). Evidence Based Practice in Infant and Early Childhood Psychology. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. National Autistic Society . (2012). Statistics in UK of ASD. Retrieved April 25, 2012, from www.autism.org.uk: http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/some-facts-and-statistics.aspx National Autistic Society. (2011). Accept Difference, Not Indifference. Retrieved April 25, 2012, from www.autism.org,uk. National Autistic Society. (2011, September 27). Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders – a guide for health professionals. Retrieved April 2012, from http://www.autism.org.uk: http://www.autism.org.uk/working-with/health/screening-and-diagnosis/diagnosis-of-autism-spectrum-disorders-a-guide-for-health-professionals.aspx NHS. (2012, March 02). NHS, Your Health, Your Choices: Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Retrieved April 25, 2012, from www.nhs.uk: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autistic-spectrum-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx Oliver, M., and Barnes, C. (1998). Di sabled People and Social Policy: From Exclusion to Inclusion. Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman. Pierangelo, R., and Giluliani, G. (2008). Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Step by Step Guide for Educators. London: Sage. Pittman, M. (2007). Helping Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders to Learn. London: SAGE Publications. Reid, B., and Batten, A. (2006). Make school make sense for me: children and young people with. London: NAS. Research Autism. (2011, July 18). Challenging/Disruptive Behaviour. Retrieved April 20, 2012, from www.researchautism.net: http://www.researchautism.net/autism_issues_challenges_problems.ikml?ra=52 Rotatori, A., Obiakor, F., and Burkhardt, S. (2008). Autism and Developmental Disabilities: Current Practices and Issues. Bingley: Emerald Publishing Group . Sadri, H., and Flammia, M. (2011). Intercultural Communication: A New Approach to International Relations and Global Challenges. USA: Continuum Publishing Group. Sainsbury, C. (2009). Marti an in the Playground: Understanding the Schoolchild with Asperger’s Syndrome. London: SAGE Publications. Seach, D., Lloyd, M., and Preston, M. (2002). Supporting Children with Autism in Mainstream Schools. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. Siegal, B. (2003). Helping Children with

George Stubbs

George Stubbs was born in Liverpool on August 25, 1724. He worked for his dad until 16 when his dad passed away. Then he was briefly apprenticed to a painter and a engraver, which is where he began learning about art. Since then, as an artist he was self-taught. In the 1740s he worked as a portrait painter in the North of England. Ever since he was a child he also had an interest in anatomy. He studied human anatomy for six years at York County Hospital. All of these things mentioned helped George Stubbs build up to his highest potential. Later in the 1750s he rented a farmhouse and stayed there for 18 months. There he spent time dissecting horses to learn all about their bodies. In 1766 he published, The anatomy of the Horse. The original drawings are now in the collection of the Royal Academy. Even before the printing of his book, patrons recognized that his work was better than earlier horse painters. In 1759 the 3rd Duke of Richmond commissioned three large pictures from him, and his career was now secure. He had soon produced art for many more dukes and lords and was able to buy a house in Marylebone, a fancy part of London. His most famous work is the Whistlejacket, a painting of a prancing horse. In the 760s he made a large range of single and group portraits of horses, sometimes with hounds. He often painted horses with their grooms. He also continued to accept commissions for portraits and group portraits of people. George Stubbs also painted more exotic animals, including lions, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, and rhinoceroses. The last painting George Stubbs was working on was a comp arative piece of art. It had the structure of the human body with a tiger, and a common bird. George Stubbs never finished this project. He died on July 10th 1806 in London. Overall, George Stubbs was a great artist and he set the basis for painting animals.

Edith Wharton - The House of M essays

Edith Wharton - The House of M essays Edith Wharton was born as Edith Newbold Jones in an aristocratic family in the city of New York. Wharton had no formal education but she was privileged enough to use her fathers library and was privately educated at home by governesses and tutors. She was expected to learn the social etiquette and conduct herself as a well-bred woman. She exhibited her creative talents from her childhood. Even before she could read she made up stories and later as an adolescent she wrote stories and novellas. At the age of twenty-three Wharton married Teddy Wharton. But their marriage was not a successful one for Teddy could not match Edith in her intellectual or artisitic interests. Apart from her career as a writer Wharton had a very important role to play as a social matron.During the first World War Wharton untiringly worked for the refugees in Paris.She also opened hostels and workhouses for women who had no support.However Wharton was dissatisfied as a wife and a society matron She lived in Pa ris till her death. She returned to United States only once and that was to accept the Pulitzer prize for her novel The Age of Innocence. Wharton authored about forty books and during her lifetime she enjoyed the company of writers like Hemmingway Theodre Roosevelt and Henry James. The writer Henry James immensely influenced Wharton . The House of Mirth was published in 1905 when Wharton was forty-three years old. Wharton primarily depicted the materialistic society in which she lived. She is best known for her portrayal of people and places in her works. In this novel she gives us a glimpse of the rich and materialistic New York upper class society, a subject she was well acquainted with. She wrote in A Backward Glance, There was before me in all its flatness and futility, asking to be dealt with as the theme most available to my hand, since I have steeped in it from infancy. The novel is unique because Wharton is not pretending to kn...

Facebook’s Initial Public Offering The WritePass Journal

Facebook’s Initial Public Offering The reasons for Facebook to go public Facebook’s Initial Public Offering ). It is clear that Facebook’s decision to go public through an initial public offering (IPO) was not the same as the common reasons of firms when they undertake the same decision, which is to draw more revenues (Palmiter, 2008). However, in the long run, Facebook also aimed to access external financing as a result of IPO (Sloan, 2012). The reasons for companies to go public beyond their need for more money are enhanced financial condition, ability to cash out, improved corporate reputation, and improved opportunity for future acquisition (Peng, 2012). The dollar objective of every company in relation to the amount expected to be raised via IPO The dollar objectives of companies entering IPOs for increased revenue purposes are to develop reserves and increase external funds (Vedavalli, 2007; Sullivan, 2007), access capital (Dana, 2004; Ernst and Hacker, 2012), improve financial condition, increase shareholder value, and improve capital to sustain growth (Ernst and Hacker, 2012). In Facebook’s case, its stock price dwindled as there were concerns about its overpriced IPO and long-term business outlook and lost around $ 25 billion in value (Kuratko, 2012). The expected use of the money raised by IPO One expected use of the money raised by IPO is retiring from debt, in which, it is necessary to pay close attention to the company’s financial data and overall growth prospects. Another is enjoyment of the proceeds by the owners of the shares, especially for the sale of secondary shares. Moreover, sold primary shares (newly created shares) from an IPO increase revenue to the companies’ accounts (Khurshed, 2011). In the case of Facebook, the company raised a large amount of money, which has amounted to $ 18 billion. In actuality, there was no increase in the number of shares it sold to the public; instead, most of the new shares were from Zuckerberg, and such was considered not a good sign (Khurshed, 2011). References Dana, L. (2004) Handbook of research on international entrepreneurship. Glos, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Ernst, D. and Hacker, J. (2012). Applied international corporate finance. Berlin: Verlag Franz Vahlen GmbH. Khurshed, A. (2011). Initial public offerings: The mechanics and performance of IPOs. First Edition. Hampshire: Harriman House Ltd. Kuratko, D. F. (2012) Entrepreneurship: Theory, process, practice. NJ: John Wiley Sons. Peng, M. W. (2012). Global strategy. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Sloan, P. (2012). Three reasons Facebook has to go public. Retrieved on December 3, 2013 from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57368449-93/three-reasons-facebook-has-to-go-public/ Sullivan, L. R. (2007). Historical dictionary of the People’s Republic of China. Maryland: A Scarecrow Press, Inc. Vedavalli, R. (2007). Energy for development: Twenty-first century challenges of reform and liberalization in developing countries. London: Anthem Press.

Introduction to the Agricola by Tacitus

Introduction to the Agricola by Tacitus Introduction | The Agricola | Translation Footnotes The Agricola of Tacitus. The Oxford Translation Revised, With Notes. With An Introduction by Edward Brooks, Jr. Very little is known concerning the life of Tacitus, the historian, except that which he tells us in his own writings and those incidents which are related to him by his contemporary, Pliny. The Date of the Birth of Tacitus His full name was Caius Cornelius Tacitus. The date of his birth can only be arrived at by conjecture, and then only approximately. The younger Pliny speaks of him as prope  modum aequales, about the same age. Pliny was born in 61. Tacitus, however, occupied the office of quaestor under Vespasian in 78 A.D., at which time he must, therefore, have been at least twenty-five years of age. This would fix the date of his birth not later than 53 A.D. It is probable, therefore, that Tacitus was Plinys senior by several years. Parentage His parentage is also a matter of pure conjecture. The name Cornelius was a common one among the Romans so from the name we can draw no inference. The fact that at an early age he occupied a prominent public office indicates that he was born of good family, and it is not impossible that his father was a certain Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman knight, who was procurator in Belgic Gaul, and whom the elder Pliny speaks of in his Natural History. Tacitus Upbringing Of the early life of Tacitus and the training which he underwent preparatory to those literary efforts which afterward rendered him a conspicuous figure among Roman literateurs we know absolutely nothing. Career Of the events of his life which transpired after he attained mans estate we know but little beyond that which he himself has recorded in his writings. He occupied a position of some eminence as a pleader at the Roman bar, and in 77 A.D. married the daughter of Julius Agricola, a humane and honorable citizen, who was at that time consul and was subsequently appointed the  governor of Britain. It is quite possible that this very advantageous alliance hastened his promotion to the office of quaestor under Vespasian. Under Domitian, in 88, Tacitus was appointed one of fifteen commissioners to preside at the celebration of the secular games. In the same year, he held the office of praetor  and was a member of one of the most select of the old priestly colleges, in which a prerequisite to membership was that a man should be born of a good family. Travels The following year he appears to have left Rome, and it is possible that he visited Germany and there obtained his knowledge and information respecting the manners and customs of its people which he makes the subject of his work known as the Germany.He did not return to Rome until 93, after an absence of four years, during which time his father-in-law died. Tacitus the Senator Sometime between the years 93 and 97 he was elected to the senate, and during this time witnessed the judicial murders of many of Romes best citizens which were perpetrated under the reign of Nero. Being himself a senator, he felt that he was not entirely guiltless of the crimes which were committed, and in his Agricola we find him giving expression to this feeling in the following words: Our own hands dragged Helvidius to prison; ourselves were tortured with the spectacle of Mauricus and Rusticus, and sprinkled with the innocent blood of Senecio. In 97 he was elected to the consulship as successor to Virginius Rufus, who died during his term of office and at whose funeral Tacitus delivered an oration in such a manner to cause Pliny to say, The good fortune of Virginius was crowned by having the most eloquent of panegyrists. Tacitus and Pliny as Prosecutors In 99 Tacitus was appointed by the senate, together with Pliny, to conduct the prosecution against a great political offender, Marius Priscus, who, as proconsul of Africa, had corruptly mismanaged the affairs of his province. We have his associates testimony that Tacitus made a most eloquent and dignified reply to the arguments which were urged on the part of the defense. The prosecution was successful, and both Pliny and Tacitus were awarded a vote of thanks by the senate for their eminent and effectual efforts in the management of the case. Date of Death The exact date of Tacituss death is not known, but in his Annals he seems to hint at the successful extension of the Emperor Trajans eastern campaigns during the years 115 to 117  so that it is probable that he lived until the year 117. Renown Tacitus had a widespread reputation during his lifetime. On one occasion it is related of him that as he sat in the circus at the celebration of some games, a Roman knight asked him whether he was from Italy or the provinces. Tacitus answered, You know me from your reading, to which the knight quickly replied, Are you then Tacitus or Pliny?It is also worthy of notice that the Emperor Marcus Claudius Tacitus, who reigned during the third century, claimed to be descended from the historian, and directed that ten copies of his works should be published every year and placed in the public libraries. The Works of Tacitus The list of the extant works of Tacitus is as follows: the Germany; the Life of Agricola; the Dialogue on Orators; the Histories, and the Annals. On the Translations Germany The following pages contain translations of the first two of these works. The Germany, the full title of which is Concerning the situation, manners, and inhabitants of Germany, contains little of value from a historical standpoint. It describes with vividness the fierce and independent spirit of the German nations, with many suggestions as to the dangers in which the empire stood of these people. The Agricola is a biographical sketch of the writers father-in-law, who, as has been said, was a distinguished man and governor of Britain. It is one of the authors earliest works and was probably written shortly after the death of Domitian, in 96. This work, short as it is, has always been considered an admirable specimen of a  biography on account of its grace and dignity of expression. Whatever else it may be, it is a graceful and affectionate tribute to an upright and excellent man. Dialogue on Orators The Dialogue on Orators treats of the decay of eloquence under the empire. It is in the form of a dialogue  and represents two eminent members of the Roman bar discussing the change for the worse that had taken place in the early education of the Roman youth. Histories The Histories relate the events which transpired in Rome, beginning with the accession of Galba, in 68, and ending with the reign of Domitian, in 97. Only four books and a fragment of a fifth have been preserved to us. These books contain an account of the brief reigns of Galba, Otho, and Vitellius. The portion of the fifth book which has been preserved contains an interesting, though rather biased account of the character, customs, and religion of the Jewish nation viewed from the standpoint of a cultivated citizen of Rome. Annals The Annals contain the history of the empire from the death of Augustus, in 14, to the death of Nero, in 68, and originally consisted of sixteen books. Of these, only nine have come down to us in a state of entire preservation, and of the other seven we have but fragments of three. Out of a period of fifty-four years, we have the history of about forty. The Style The style of Tacitus is, perhaps, noted principally for its conciseness. Tacitean brevity is proverbial, and many of his sentences are so brief, and leave so much for the student to read between the lines, that in order to be understood and appreciated the author must be read over and over again, lest the reader miss the point of some of his most excellent thoughts. Such an author presents grave, if not insuperable, difficulties to the translator, but notwithstanding this fact, the following pages cannot but impress the reader with the genius of Tacitus. The Life of Cnaeus Julius Agricola [This work is supposed by the commentators to have been written before the treatise on the manners of the Germans, in the third consulship of the emperor Nerva, and the second of Verginius Rufus, in the year of Rome 850, and of the Christian era 97. Brotier accedes to this opinion, but the reason which he assigns does not seem to be satisfactory. He observes that Tacitus, in the third section, mentions the emperor Nerva; but as he does not call him Divus Nerva, the deified Nerva, the learned commentator infers that Nerva was still living. This reasoning might have some weight, if we did not read, in section 44, that it was the ardent wish of Agricola that he might live to behold Trajan in the imperial seat. If Nerva was then alive, the wish to see another in his room would have been an awkward compliment to the reigning prince. It is, perhaps, for this reason, that Lipsius thinks this very elegant tract was written at the same time with the Manners of the Germans, in the beginning of the emperor Trajan. The question is not very material  since conjecture alone must decide it. The piece itself is admitted to be a masterpiece in the kind. Tacitus was son-in-law to Agricola; and while filial piety breathes through his work, he never departs from the integrity of his own character. He has left a historical monument highly interesting to every Briton, who wishes to know the manners of his ancestors, and the spirit of liberty that from the earliest time distinguished the natives of Britain. Agricola, as Hume observes, was the general who finally established the dominion of the Romans on this island. He governed  it in the reigns of Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. He carried his victorious arms northward: defeated the Britons in every encounter, pierced into the forests and the mountains of Caledonia, reduced every state to subjection in the southern parts of the island, and chased before him all the men of fiercer and more intractable spirits, who deemed war and death itself less int olerable than servitude under the victors. He defeated them in a decisive action, which they fought under Galgacus; and having fixed a chain of garrisons between the friths of Clyde and Forth, he cut off the ruder and more barren parts of the island, and secured the Roman province from the incursions of the barbarous inhabitants. During these military enterprises, he neglected not the arts of peace. He introduced laws and civility among the Britons; taught them to desire and raise all the conveniences of life; reconciled them to the Roman language and manners; instructed them in letters and science; and employed every expedient to render those chains, which he had forged, both easy and agreeable to them. (Humes Hist. vol. i. p. 9.) In this passage, Mr. Hume has given a summary of the Life of Agricola. It is extended by Tacitus in a style more open than the didactic form of the essay on the German Manners required, but still with the precision, both in sentiment and diction, peculiar to the author. In rich but subdued colors he gives a striking picture of Agricola, leaving to posterity a portion of history which it would be in vain to seek in the dry gazette-style of Suetonius, or on the page of any writer of that period.] Introduction | The Agricola | Translation Footnotes

Literature review on one topic in instruction Essay

Literature review on one topic in instruction - Essay Example Literature review contributes lot in providing a clear picture about present scenario of the topic. This literature review focuses on different aspects of stakeholder theory. Different researchers have analysed these things in details. On the basis of different research methods authors have given their views on this particular topic. They have analysed stakeholders and their theories by implementing different research method. Literature review focuses on the results and finding of these research methods. The purpose of a literature review is to highlight theories of stakeholder, different issues associated with this theory and possible future development of stakeholder theories. Literature review helps to determine the background of the topic on which discussion is made. Different author suggested various opinions regarding theories which contribute a lot in development of stakeholders. This review focuses on the long term success of stakeholders by implementing different theories. O n the basis of theoretical framework authors also recommend different things for stakeholders. According to the authors Reinhard Steurer, Astrid Konrad, Markus E. Langer and Andrà © Martinuzzi relation management of stakeholders help to develop the ways which satisfy the aspirations and needs of current generations without making any adjustments of abilities of future generations. For managing different stakeholders and their relationship with the organization Stakeholder theory is established. The author states that this theory is implemented for managing business ethics and organization. Sustainable development of the company depends on stakeholder. This theory helps to focus on these issues. The theory of stakeholder was established by R.Edward Freeman. He had provided an outline of satisfying the needs of stakeholders by managing the business. This theory highlight internal and external environment of the organization and its relation

Principles of Management and Elements of Control Assignment - 1

Principles of Management and Elements of Control - Assignment Example The American Red Cross website can be accessed at http://www.redcross.org/. Questions have been raised about how a nonprofit organization can become more popular and effective -than other organizations such as for-profit organizations offering similar services. There are various points that account for its success and these are stipulated in the fundamental principles of Global Red Cross Network (American Red Cross 2013). One of the principles is that of Humanity, which stipulates that the teams would always work to alleviate all forms of human suffering without discriminating any affected person. The principle of humanity eventually fosters friendship, mutual understanding, peace and cohesion amongst the population it serves. The second principle is that of impartiality which prevents the team from engaging in practices that amount to discrimination based on religiosity, political stand, nationality and social and economic class. Rather, all practices should be informed by the individual needs while giving consideration to the most urgent and critical issues. The third principle, which is closely related to the principle of impartiality, is that of neutrality that bars the team from taking sides in the political, social, religious and ideological controversies. The fourth principle is that of independence. This principle guides that the team should work without undue influence from the third parties such as national politics and religiosity. This is aimed at ensuring that the teams maintain their autonomy. The fifth principle is that of Voluntary service, which rules that the team is not supposed to engage in practices that are profit oriented. The sixth principles is that of unity, which emphasizes that members of the teams should work together to realize the set goals while touching every person in  need, regardless of the country’s geographical region. The last principles are that of universality, which acknowledges that every society across the globe has an equal status and have equal responsibilities in improving the life of every person.  

Data as an Asset Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Data as an Asset - Assignment Example The changes in privacy laws will prohibit companies from using consumers’ information without their consent, thus protecting the privacy rights of all consumers (Education Week, 2015). Netflixs "recommender system" is a software program that is designed to learn about users by gathering data about them and drawing conclusions. â€Å"Machine learning† employs Artificial intelligence to recognize the needs of customers that uses the services of a particular company (Newitz, 2009). Computers can now supply the information that was used to be provided by individuals. Artificial Intelligence is the pillar behind Maps, Siri, and Passbook; gadgets are now able to do great things without help from users (Jackson, 2012). Rather than requesting users to rate products on a five-star scale, Netflix’s recommendation systems need to ask them to evaluate products in pairs; it will offer a correct representation of preferences of consumers. Besides recommending movies, Netflix needs to diversify and support music and games. Music and games are lucrative areas that will benefit the company. Users should be afforded an opportunity to offer feedback on how to improve the recommendation system. Netflix can offer a platform where users can give feedback on the effectiveness of the system. The three changes must be included in the system as part of the platform. Jackson, E. (2012). Whats Going To Be Apples Next Killer Product? Not a New iPhone- Artificial Intelligence. Retrieved on January 6, 2015 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/10/09/whats-going-to-be-apples-next- killer-product-not-a-new-iphone-artificial-intelligence/ Newitz, A. (2009). Annalee Newitz-Artificial Intelligence and the Netflix Prize. Retrieved on January 6, 2015 from

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 37

Essay Example These articles include Donald Antrims "He Knew", Ruth Prawer Jhabvalas "Aphrodisiac", and Nalini Joness "Tiger". In these articles, the setting has concentrated on a modernized world where even the parents are allowing their children to make decisions of their own without interference of dictation, as was the case in the past. In addition, the setting has been concentrated in countries in the developed world. The issues that the individuals go through are also specific to college age individuals. Therefore, the setting is a critical element in these narrative works because it is responsible for the establishment of a mental image, which is essential to understanding the message being passed by the author. Taking Ruth Prawer Jhabvalas â€Å"Aphrodisiac† into consideration, it is clear that the characters that the author has chosen are college students. This can be seen from the very first paragraph where the author reveals that university friends were discussing the novel that that would best fit the Indian context of lifestyle. Here, Kishen, the main character, suggests that the best novel that ought to fit the Indian context would incorporate the urban slum dwellers, indecently rich commerce and landless laborers. The author also shows that traditions are important to most societies and are always exhibited and observed when certain activities are done from the traditional perspective. For instance, in Aphrodisiac, the author makes it clear that the Indian culture observes its traditions by maintaining that while Kishen was away studying at Cambridge, his elder brother Shiv had got married in a traditional wedding. This creates an image in the audience’s minds of how t he scene of the marriage was and how the practices were performed. To show that this context was set in the modern world, Kishen went to the U.S to study there, which is what is currently happening as most

The Medicare Modernization Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Medicare Modernization Act - Essay Example When it comes to income that means those who are living from hand to mouth are unable to benefit from the Act. In order to analyze whether it is a step forward or backward, let us discuss the significance of MMA in the light of its pros and cons to the U.S citizens: Medicare initially was not considered among the major concerns of American national politics 3. First, there was the targeting of Medicare expenditures, which federal officials regularly forecasted to raise over the 1990s, as a way to reduce the federal budget deficit. That issue momentarily heated up the debate between the Bush and Clinton campaigns when Budget Director Richard Darman claimed in July 1992 that Medicare outlays would have to be drastically reduced if the budget deficit were to be substantially lowered. The other set of political issues involved the emergent politics of universal health insurance in the early 1990s both the realization that an extraordinary consensus had emerged about the need for far-reaching change and the presumption that, if elected, Clinton aimed to act on that consensus 4. The context for the 1997 Medicare changes reflected two long-term forces at work in American politics. One element was the wearing down of the faith in government and ameliorative social programs that had been central to Medicare's birth in the heyday of the Great Society. The second was a form of fiscal politics that emphasized the consequences of the aging of the baby boomers, particularly the budgetary strain they would put on both Medicare and Social Security in the years ahead 5. Medicare - The most costly Program Medicare makes up the largest proportion of income-assistance spending. The cost of medical benefits has risen by more than the cost of other programs since the 1970s. It is said and often considered that certain social insurance and welfare health programs raise the greatest number of people out of scarcity, especially among the elderly and retired. The success of such programs can be determined by the historical acceptance of such Acts like the Food Stamp Act in 1964 and Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, which provided health insurance for the needy and poor 6. In the early 1990s, once again there felt a need to change the existing plans and policies regarding health and medication, so certain health welfare and food stamp programs arrive but at a smaller scale. The main reason for requiring such policies was the dissatisfaction with the then welfare programs and policies. Bill Clinton, who had vowed to "end welfare as we know it" in his 1992 campaign, helped do just that, signing a bipartisan bill in 1996, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) 7. This was a dramatic and controversial measure that brought an end to six decades of federal social policy guaranteeing at least a minimum level of aid to those in poverty. The measure abolished AFDC and replaced it with a system of smaller grants to states, which established rules of eligibility but were required to end welfare to

Federal Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Federal Government - Essay Example After the great depression, however, when people were starved and had lost most of their properties, people believed that the Federal Government through its structures ought to provide necessities to its population. In as much as the then leadership under Roosevelt focused on fighting the great depression, and heeded the cry of various organized corporations and labor unions, the belief among the citizens was that such strategies were aimed at assisting bankers, large farmers and employees who belonged to certain unions. In a rather unfamiliar manner, even those who had been benevolent supporters of the strategy rebelled including Huey Long, who was the then senator for Louisiana. Such moves prompted the government to take charge of certain responsibilities including creating a social security fund project for the elderly and compensating workers who lost their jobs. Amidst all the challenges that existed nevertheless, the United States did not refuse to believe. And in as much as some of their recovery strategies stalled, the nation adopted mechanisms that has made it become a model nation to the whole

The Medicare Modernization Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Medicare Modernization Act - Essay Example When it comes to income that means those who are living from hand to mouth are unable to benefit from the Act. In order to analyze whether it is a step forward or backward, let us discuss the significance of MMA in the light of its pros and cons to the U.S citizens: Medicare initially was not considered among the major concerns of American national politics 3. First, there was the targeting of Medicare expenditures, which federal officials regularly forecasted to raise over the 1990s, as a way to reduce the federal budget deficit. That issue momentarily heated up the debate between the Bush and Clinton campaigns when Budget Director Richard Darman claimed in July 1992 that Medicare outlays would have to be drastically reduced if the budget deficit were to be substantially lowered. The other set of political issues involved the emergent politics of universal health insurance in the early 1990s both the realization that an extraordinary consensus had emerged about the need for far-reaching change and the presumption that, if elected, Clinton aimed to act on that consensus 4. The context for the 1997 Medicare changes reflected two long-term forces at work in American politics. One element was the wearing down of the faith in government and ameliorative social programs that had been central to Medicare's birth in the heyday of the Great Society. The second was a form of fiscal politics that emphasized the consequences of the aging of the baby boomers, particularly the budgetary strain they would put on both Medicare and Social Security in the years ahead 5. Medicare - The most costly Program Medicare makes up the largest proportion of income-assistance spending. The cost of medical benefits has risen by more than the cost of other programs since the 1970s. It is said and often considered that certain social insurance and welfare health programs raise the greatest number of people out of scarcity, especially among the elderly and retired. The success of such programs can be determined by the historical acceptance of such Acts like the Food Stamp Act in 1964 and Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, which provided health insurance for the needy and poor 6. In the early 1990s, once again there felt a need to change the existing plans and policies regarding health and medication, so certain health welfare and food stamp programs arrive but at a smaller scale. The main reason for requiring such policies was the dissatisfaction with the then welfare programs and policies. Bill Clinton, who had vowed to "end welfare as we know it" in his 1992 campaign, helped do just that, signing a bipartisan bill in 1996, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) 7. This was a dramatic and controversial measure that brought an end to six decades of federal social policy guaranteeing at least a minimum level of aid to those in poverty. The measure abolished AFDC and replaced it with a system of smaller grants to states, which established rules of eligibility but were required to end welfare to

How to Take Notes from Reading Essay Example for Free

How to Take Notes from Reading Essay http://www.ehow.com/how_9258_reading-notes.html (retrieved on 16/06/13) The instructions that are given in that website are accurate and reliable because they provide readers with good strategies that should be followed in taking notes from reading books, articles, and so on. These strategies are commonly used among readers. Readers should read just the abstract, introduction, and conclusion to get a big picture about a book or an article’s main points. Then, they should take notes of the main ideas and record all relevant details that are related to them; also, jot down what is repeated such as concepts and formulates. In addition to that, they should date their notes, number them, and paraphrase them. Moreover, they should use abbreviations and symbols in their notes and develop an ideal organizational format such as an outline and a map. Also, they should leave room in the margin for additional questions and thoughts. http://www.ehow.com/how_9258_reading-notes.html (retrieved on 16/06/13) The instructions from this website are slightly different from the first one. Readers here are instructed to date their notes and jot down bibliographic information beside the date including the writer’s name, the title, the publication, and the date of publication Then, they should make the structure of their notes as the structure of the book or the article; in addition to that, they should write facts and opinions in a way that will make them clear when they review their notes, and they should do the same thing for writing quotations and summaries. Then, they should review their reading notes again and again. http://www.studygs.net/marking.htm (retrieved on 16/06/13) This website provides different way of taking notes from reading. First, Readers are instructed to read the first chapter of a textbook and focus on understanding the material; they should not take any notes while reading because they may take many notes without understanding them. Then, they should locate the main idea as well as the major details and paraphrase that information. In addition to that, they should summarize that data and record the source of the information.

Comparison Of Two Learning Theories Education Essay

Comparison Of Two Learning Theories Education Essay Learning is a persisting changes in performance or performance potential that result from experience and interaction with the world (Driscoll, 2000, p.3). The way we process information is as individual as our genetic makeup, but research has shown that there are many different types of learning theories used for classroom education. (Merriam, Caffarella, Baumgartner, 2007; Weimer, 2002; Steiner, Floyd, Hewett, Lewis, Walker, 2010). The theories of behaviorist and cognitivist are important to compare because they are a part of the basic foundations in which other learning theories have been formed. In order to apply learning theories to nursing practice, the need to understand the basis of different theories is important. Theories have been researched and tested and have some importance as to how things work across different situations and circumstances. Theories can give some consistent ways of looking at classroom practice and some rational explanations for what happens within th e class. Philosophy Behaviorism is primarily concerned with observable and measurable aspects of human behavior. In defining behavior, behaviorist learning theories emphasize changes in behavior that result from stimulus-response associations made by the learner. Behavior is directed by stimuli. An individual selects one response instead of another because of prior conditioning and psychological drives existing at the moment of the action (Parkay Hass, 2000). In education, this type of learning falls into the reward/punishment category. The rewards must be important to the learner in order to give the incentive to respond favorably. Cognitive science began a move from behavioristic practices which emphasized external behavior, to a concern with the internal mental processes of the mind and how they could be utilized in promoting effective learning. The models that had been developed in the behaviorist tradition were not disregarded, but instead the task analysis and learner analysis parts of the models were elaborated on. Cognitivism is based on the thought process behind the observations. Changes in behavior are detected and perceived to be an indicator of what was happening inside the mind. The new models addressed component processes of learning such as knowledge coding and representation, information storage and retrieval as well as the incorporation and integration of new knowledge with previous information. (Saettler, 1990) Origins and Authors The foundation of Behaviorism, trace its roots to the early part of the 20th century. This was during a time when many psychologists emphasized self-analysis of mental processes (introspection) or the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud. In contrast, researchers like Ivan Pavlov, began to develop a framework which emphasized observable processes (environmental stimuli and behavioral responses). (Kentridge, 2007) Originators and important contributors to behaviorism believed that learning is confined to observational and measurable behavior. The two major schools of thought are based on ideas from Pavlov who showed classical conditioning and Skinner who believed in operant conditioning. One of the most famous experiments on classical conditioning is from Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936). Pavlov originally was doing an experiment regarding the role of salivation in digestion. From his observations, Pavlov noticed when his assistant brought meat into the laboratory; the dogs being used for in this experiment would automatically start to salivate. Further research into this phenomenon formed the famous Pavlovs stimulus and response experiment, known now as classic conditioning. Classic conditioning is a four-step learning procedure involving reflexes. (Fig. 1) http://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.html Fig. 1 Pavlovs Dog Experiment During classical (or Pavlovian) conditioning, human and animal subjects change the magnitude and timing of their conditioned response (CR), as a result of the contingency between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US). Whereas in classical conditioning, the US and the CS determine the form of the CR, in operant conditioning the strength and frequency, but not the form, of the response is independent of the US. (Schmajuk, 2007) B.F. Skinner (1974) coined the term operant conditioning; it means roughly changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is given after the desired response. Skinner identified three types of responses or operant that can follow behavior. Skinner believed that we do have such a thing as a mind, but that it is simply more productive to study observable behavior rather than internal mental events. In essence, Skinner believed we are what we have been reinforced for being (Olson Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 76). Operant conditioning has been widely applied in clinical settings (i.e., behavior modification) as well as teaching (i.e., classroom management) and instructional development (e.g., programmed instruction). This theory states that when learning is rewarded, behavior is perpetuated or maintained, while punished behavior is removed. In the classic experiment of Skinner Box, a rat may receive a food reward every time he presses the bar. He presses faster and faster. (Fig 2). http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html Fig. 2 Skinners Rat Box The major techniques used in operant conditioning are: Positive reinforcement increasing a behavior by administering a reward. Negative reinforcement increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior occurs Punishment decreasing a behavior by administering an aversive stimulus Extinction decreasing a behavior by not rewarding it. Albert Bandura thought Skinners theories were too simplistic although he also believed many of the psychological constructs of previous psychological thought were far too laid back, and were neither problem-solving nor action-oriented (Bandura, 1997). He believed in reciprocal determinism, that is, the world and a persons behavior cause each other, while behaviorism essentially states that ones environment causes ones behavior, Bandura, who was studying adolescent aggression, found this too simplistic, and so in addition he suggested that behavior causes environment as well. Later, Bandura soon considered personality as an interaction between three components: the environment, behavior, and ones psychological processes (ones ability to entertain images in minds and language). (Bandura, 1997) Cognitivism considers the learner as an information processor, much like that of a computer. It believes that the black box of the mind should be opened and understood. The information comes in, is processed and leads to certain outcomes. The concept believed that people are not just like rats that respond to stimuli but rather, they are rational thinking human beings that require active participation to learn. There are four major contributors to the Cognitivists theory. Howard Gardner believed that students learn in different ways. According to Gardner, we are all able to know the world through language, logical-mathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thinking, and the use of the body to solve problems or to make things, an understanding of other individuals, and an understanding of ourselves. Where individuals differ is in the strength of these intelligences the so-called profile of intelligences -and in the ways in which such intelligences are invoked and combined to carry out different tasks, solve diverse problems, and progress in various domains. (Gardner, 1991) Fig. 3 -Multiple intelligences Robert Gangne developed information processing theory identified eight levels of intellectual skills including: signal, stimulus-response, chaining, verbal association, multiple discrimination, concept formation, principle formation and problem solving. He also explained that there are five areas of learning outcomes: verbal information; intellectual skills; cognitive strategies; motor skills and attitudes. www.classweb.gmu.edu Fig. 4-Levels of Intelligence Allan Paivio discovered Dual coding theory that states people process information in two different ways; processing of images and the processing of language. Fig http://cslsrv.ice.ntnu.edu.tw/LabNews/Minutes01S/20010412joseph.htm Fig. 5- Dual Coding Theory Benjamin Bloom described six levels of learning in his model of critical thinking. These levels are also known as Blooms Txaonomy. . http://taspd.edublogs.org/2007/04/23/revised-blooms-taxonomy/ Fig. 6- Blooms Taxonomy Literature Review The two movements differ particularly in their views on behavior. Behaviorism, whose research subjects were mostly animals, views behavior as an irreducible consequence of environmental stimuli, whereas Cognitivism, whose research subjects are often humans, sees behavior as a point from which to abstract the mental processes behind the behavior. Skinners studies of operant behaviors have become very useful in the field of learning and cognition (Corey, 2009). Studies have shown that behavior can be conditioned by reinforcements, positively, which increases the probability of the behavior happening again, or negatively, which decreases the probability the behavior will happen again (Olson Hergenhahn, 2009). Skinners theories still remain in wide use, helping users understand and control behaviors in many disciplines as well as in issues ranging from advertising to parenting (Olson Hergenhahn, 2009). According to Corey (2009), the research of Kazdin (2001) and Spiegler Guevremont (2003) revealed that behavioral therapy is generally as effective as alternative therapies, and in some instances, more effective. The Cognitive Learning Theory supports the idea that learning includes different kinds of memories, motivation and thinking. One of the other important factors is that of reflection. Those that promote Cognitivsm believe that the learning process is internal and depends on memorized information from pre-existing knowledge. (Ausubel, 1974) The theory argues that the degree of which a person learns is not affected by the ability and quality of mental processing. (Craik Tulving, 1975; Craik Tulving, 1975) Cognitivism maintains that memory is stored by using a connective pattern of information that networks with other patterns by means of some type of a relationship. (Stoyanova Kommers, 2002) Use in Nursing Education Writing behavioral-based instructional objectives seems to specify clear, measurable terms to assist learners. According to Morrison (2001), behavior based objectives become the end rather than the means for instruction. Morrison continues to point out that cognitive focused instructional objectives overcome this problem by first stating a general objective to communicate the intent. Additionally, they observe that cognitive objectives are well suited for describing higher levels of learning. (Morrison et al., 2001, p. 97) In behaviorism, the learner is actively involved in learning, practicing, and demonstrating new behaviors and is extremely dependent on receiving feedback from the educator. The educator is responsible for identifying behavioral outcomes, controlling the environment, and providing feedback. Current use of behaviorism in education is most often associated with education and training (Merriam et al., 2007). Behaviorism does well in education because it promotes good behavior and recognizes that unwanted behavior has consequences. Students learn by observing and interpreting the behavior, and associated consequences, of others in a process termed vicarious reinforcement or modeling (Bandura, 1977). Learning by modeling involves a complex process of interpreting, coding, and retaining the information for future application, then engaging in the modeled behavior (Bandura, 1969). Cognitivists have influenced educational strategies by including prior knowledge in influencing how new information is digested. Cognitive learning theorists believe that learning is an internal process in which information is integrated or internalized into ones cognitive or intellectual structure. Learning occurs through internal processing of information. From the cognitive viewpoint, how new information is presented is important. In the first or cognitive phase of learning, the student learns the overall picture of what the task is and the sequences involved. In the second, or fixation learning phase, the learner begins to gain skill in performing the task. In the last phase of learning, the automatic phase, the student gains increasing confidence and competence in performing the task. (Elias et al., 1984) Personal Use I believe that we all use a part of the behaviorists way of learning, to some extent. We all like to be awarded for the work or behavior that we have accomplished. We know there are repercussions and consequences for not adhering to the rules. Our behaviors represent how we are perceived by others in society. The determination of how others behave is by the use of checks and balances of stimuli and response. The way we act and/or behave, teaches people how to respond to us. I believe that I am motivated to learn and acquire more knowledge. The ability to mentally organize, rehearse and comprehend new learning materials is one I strive to obtain. The motivation that has driven me to succeed in both by personal and professional lives has been founded on realistic and challenging goals. Conclusion There are many different ways of learning and teaching. Two of the earliest methods of learning can still utilized in todays classroom. The foundation of theories helps us as a framework to base our learning and teaching upon. We can use positive and negative reinforcement as well as modeling to teach our students how to absorb and maintain new materials. Behaviorism is a teacher based concept full of structure and rules. Examples are class lectures, note taking and role modeling. Cognitivist used a student based concept in which students can find out information by themselves by using case studies, research and discussions. These two types of learning theories can help to shape our future generations.

The Old Man And Sea :: Essays Papers

The Old Man And Sea Manzanares, March 21th of 1999. The Old Man And The Sea What is the title of the story? A= The Old Man and the Sea. Who is the main character? A= . Santiago (The Old Man) is the main character of The Old Man and the Sea. His occupation is a fisherman. Unlike the rest of the fishing community, Santiago continues to fish using traditional methods. These methods, however, do not allow Santiago to catch many fish. Thus, he is forced to live a semi-impoverished life Who is the secondary character? A= Manolin (the young boy) is a young man and good friend of Santiago. Santiago has spent several years teaching and instructing Manolin in the traditional methods of fishing. Where and when the story takes place? A= In Cuba and out in the Gulf Stream, in the 50’. What is the climax of the story? A= During the last few moments of the Marlin's life. Santiago battles furiously with the huge fish as it thrashes about in the water. The danger to Santiago is immense because the size of the mar lin is much greater than the Santiago's boat. Did you like the story? Why? A= Yes because is about the hard existence of the man fighting against his destiny, conditioned by the social and cultural structures that mark his life. Do a summary of the story A= The story is about Santiago a Cuban fisherman who goes through many conflicts with nature and himself. He experiences poor luck in the latter part of his life which leaves him poor and destitute, relying on a boy to feed him and to be his only true friend. In spite of his skill as a fisherman, only his diligent perseverance ended his eighty-five day drought of fish. In this time of need, Santiago's pride prevailed over his hunger and need of supplies. While fishing in solitude, Santiago's eighty-five day ordeal ended with the snaring of a marlin. During the contest between himself and the fish, Santiago had to endure many physical and emotional conflicts. Santiago's physical conflicts include his hunger, fatigue, and the cramping of his hand. His body required nutrition and became tired and thirsty, inflicting great pain and demanding his attention. The obtaining of nourishment was a task which required all his skills and physical strength while at the same time holding a line with a marlin larger than any he had ever seen.

Rev. Richard Johnson :: essays research papers

Reverend Richard Johnson In a land intended to be dumping grounds for Britain’s moral filth, Reverend Richard Johnson worked hard at laying the foundations of Christianity in Australia. Born in 1757 at Welton, England, he was educated at Magdalen College, Cambridge. He graduated with a BA in 1783, and was appointed a deacon and priest by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1786. Only five months before the First Fleet set sail, Richard Johnson was recommended and approved for the position of Chaplin, to establish the Church of England in Australia. Governor Phillip saw Johnson’s job as a "moral policeman" to the convicts, but the chaplain viewed his position as a door of opportunity to preach the Gospel to the "dregs of humanity." His work began even before the ship landed, and his moral nature displayed. Johnson found the ship's company very disrespectful and profane and targeted this in his teaching. On the following Sunday it was noted that for days afterwards their behaviour had improved. On Sunday the 3rd of February 1788, Johnson preached his first sermon to a crowd of both soldiers and convicts. Being a result of the Evangelical revival in England, Johnson laboured for their salvation and tried to encourage goodness in them. He requested the help of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, who provided him with 4200 books in total for the new colony, including Bibles, Testaments, Prayer Books, Catechisms, Psalters, and religious booklets against common sins. His job was not an easy one as he was meant to carry out many duties placed upon him by the Governor as well as the mission of his own. Johnson’s duties included officiating at hangings and acting as magistrate when needed. In the first five years, he conducted 226 baptisms, 220 marriages and 851 funerals. One of Johnson’s obstacles was the lack of support he received. He and his wife, Mary, lived in a cabbage palm hut for the first three years while the Governor had two mansions. Many times his family was short of food and in addition to his regular duties; he worked on his farm to provide for his family. Richard Johnson was a compassionate man who even took an Aboriginal girl, who had contracted smallpox, into his home for several months. This trait made Australia appear as a destination unsuitable for him, but at the same time, he was the best man for the job.

In “The Stone Angel,” Margaret Laurence writes a gripping story seen though the eyes of an old woman nearing the end of her life

At ninety, Hagar Shipley speaks touchingly of the dangers of growing old and reflects with bitterness, humor, and a sorrowful perception of her own frailties on the life She has led. In this story circumstances and character traits are most influential in shaping the lives of the characters, especially Hagar Shipley. An example of a character trait that is most influential in shaping the live of a character is at the beginning of this novel. From her childhood as a daughter of a Scottish merchant to her marriage, Hagar has fought a long and wrong battle for freedom and respect. Her life has been ruled by her concern of external appearances and behavior. Although She felt love and happiness, She refused to show it fearing others may view it as a weakness. Hagar has divided feelings about her husband, her passionate fondness to one son, Marvin, and her negligence of another, John. She is sometimes regretful but rarely sorry. The main internal characteristic responsible for this was her pride. This is supported by the comment she made: â€Å"Pride was my wilderness and the demon that led me there was fear. † She has been afraid of being unrespectable, afraid of needing too much and giving too much and her pride is both unsettling and inspirational. Hagar inherited this strong pride from her father, Jason Currie, along with other poor qualities. However, Hagar tries to escape from her own poor qualities to which She is imprisoned; attempting to stuff the emptiness within her. Throughout her life, Hagar is desperately trying to escape. Even though Hagar has pride of herself, She becomes progressively more powerless to care for herself and therefore becomes an unbearable tension on her son, Marvin and his wife, Doris. This tension makes them decide to put her in a nursing home because they can no longer take care of her. She is full of anger, but is childlike and illogical. She needs support with almost everything, yet She irritably refuses aid. Despite her knowing that She is a worry, she denies it herself. Despite character traits being most significant, circumstances within this story too are also as influential as the character traits. An illustration of this is the use of Lilacs by the author, Margaret Laurence, to indicate many bad events in The Stone Angel. This color is portrayed through a silk dress that Hagar wears many times in this novel. The Lilac dress is introduced on the day that Hagar purchases the dress. She refers to the past on the day She bought the dress with Doris, her daughter in law. I wear my lilac silk because the day seems Sunday†¦ How annoyed She was with me when I bought this dress. † She mentions that her feet are aching and is very tired. Doris on the other hand does not think this silk is worth buying. Though she does not like this dress Doris thinks she will buy it anyways and this started all the bad happenings that are related to this lilac silk dress. One such bad happening in the novel is when She wears the lilac silk dress at the dinner t able with Marvin and Doris. She then notices that something is wrong. â€Å"What is it? I want to shout the question impatiently at the face. Instead I fold my hands, as I am meant to do over my silk lilac belly, and wait. † She later finds out that She lives in with her husband and her family for many years. Doris keeps on pushing Marvin to tell Hagar that She should let go of the house and move on with her life. Hagar feels that her life is joyful and does not think that She needs a change. As a conclusion, circumstances and character traits have both been most influential in shaping the lives of the characters in The Stone Angel.

Marketing educational organizations

The basic resource of society is (will be) knowledge and value is to be created by productivity and innovation (Drucker 1993). Amidon (2002), in her recent work entitled The innovation superhighway: harnessing intellectual capital for collaborative advantage states that the rapid shift in orientation over the past 50 years from data to information to knowledge is a profound and fundamental change that highlights the importance of individual and collective knowledge in the new economy.   The rapid changes that have taken place in this new era have created a â€Å"new economy† that presents new challenges and problems. There are now new markets that are available and the traditional mindsets or practices that have been utilized by institutions and foundations in the past may even be no longer applicable to the current scenario.   This short discourse seeks to explain how these changes have created an impact in the â€Å"new economy† by highlighting the influence that these changes have made to modern education administration theory in relation to the emerging contemporary marketing perspectives. As previously mentioned, the basic resource of society is (will be) knowledge and value is to be created by productivity and innovation (Drucker 1993).   While this may not necessarily be a new concept, it certainly creates an added dimension in this discussion as it leads to three (3) implications. The first being that educational institutions are no longer immune or removed from the â€Å"new economy†, as was previously thought; the second implication being that education presently being looked upon to provide answers or solutions to the challenges of preparing people for this new environment or â€Å"new economy† and the third being that educational institutions need to face radical organizational change issues in order to be aligned with the â€Å"new economy† consumer and the operating requirements demanded by the â€Å"new economy†. In order to properly understand or comprehend the impact of these changes it is first essential to delve into a brief discussion of what marketing really means and how it is currently being understood in the context of the present day discussions regarding this issue.   â€Å"Marketing, according to Kotler (1994, p. 6), â€Å"is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they most need and want through creating, offering, and exchanging products of value with others†. As key to achieving organizational goals, marketing focuses on satisfying customers and meeting their needs and is central to any organizational improvement.   This aspect of marketing is what makes it essential to the concept of the â€Å"new economy† in that marketing determines the success of organizations existing and operating within the bounds of the â€Å"new economy.† Since the marketing has constantly evolved evolving from a concept with the purpose of convincing consumers that they should buy what is offered, to a conceptual base that suggest that the product or service be customized to meet and satisfy what consumers want, its applicability to modern education administration now becomes clear. There is no question that with the emergence of the â€Å"new economy† there has been a shift towards education being a basic resource of society (Drucker 1993).   What is questionable however is the extent that this shift is relevant to contemporary marketing perspectives.   The answer to this question lies in the relevance that education has in the application of contemporary marketing perspectives. As an ongoing conceptual evolution in practice, marketing in education is the key to gaining a competitive advantage over the other players in the field.   While this relevance may substantially vary from one educational institution to another, there are some elements of marketing that have always (arguably) existed in educational institutions. As Amidon highlights, this is now the essential ingredient for economic prosperity (Amidon 2002).   The reason for this is because of the impact that education has on contemporary marketing perspectives.   In this highly competitive â€Å"new economy†, for any player to survive and to prosper, it must be able to sustain its advantage over the other players.   This can only be achieved by employing an effective strategy aimed at developing the current advantages and addressing the needs as posed by the current disadvantages which the organization is faced with.   An effective strategy however necessarily entails initiating an analysis of the total operating environment (Porter 1996). There are those however who are highly critical of the idea of applying contemporary marketing perspectives to modern education administration theory, citing that there is no need to apply such perspectives because of the fact that educational institutions are beyond the realm of these perspectives and are hence inapplicable to the current scenario.   But as shown in the earlier discussion, the emergence of the â€Å"new economy† has indeed prompted the examination of traditional views and practices and necessitated the application of new theories such as contemporary marketing perspectives. The resistance to such application also springs from the fact that most of these educational institutions are too focused on the perceived failure or threats from the application of such theories that they, in essence, become too hesitant to institute or implement such changes (Kotler 1985).   The tendency of institutions to embrace these perspectives only when they are confronted with problems that they cannot deal with at a time when the application of these perspectives may become too late is the real problem.   Institutions, according to Kotler, must learn to realize and understand that the analysis of opportunities is more important than focusing on the perceived threats and dangers that come from its utilization in such a scenario (p 75). Marketing of education has been approached mainly from the operational level as tools for student recruitment and income generation. Responsible marketing in education, as called for by its terms of reference, is concerned with how to effectively bring students into contact with programs that are both beneficial and rewarding from the broadest sense of personal as well as societal fulfillment (Liu 1998). Most, if not all, of the current individual educational institutions are at any of the three (3) stages in terms of their understanding and application of marketing to modern education administration.   While it has been argued that in the current scenario marketing is only at the early stages of development in most educational institutions, typically at stage 1 or stage 2 of this continuum, there promises to be more growth and development in this field because of the relevance that it has as discussed in the previous segments of this discourse.   Marketing, therefore, as a selling or product based concept can be applied to modern education administration. The application of marketing perspectives to educational theories is possible in many different aspects.   One of these aspects is in recruitment, which is analogous to the earlier theory of coming up with a strategy.   In this aspect, marketing can play a very important role as it will effectively make the educational institution stand out and become more recognizable.   When products become increasingly similar, companies need to segregate themselves from the rest of the players to create a preference for their offerings. This is similar to the current scenario which exists in the education sector wherein most schools provide the same basic services and information as others.   By employing marketing strategies, such as branding, these educational institutions are able to distinguish themselves from the other players in the field by promising that the company's offering will create and deliver a certain level of performance, and in this case that the education offered will be exactly what the target market needs in order to succeed (Kotler 1994). The concept of branding is also applicable to a stage one (1) or stage two (2) marketing approach which essentially is limited to recruitment.   The ability of branding to increase recruitment is only one aspect as branding has also been shown to increase retention and referral.   This however exposes a fundamental difference between the various approaches to marketing education. A stage three (3) marketing approach incorporates a focus on what can be termed the 3Rs: †¢ recruitment – student (and parent) †¢ retention – student (and parent) †¢ referral – student (and parent).   The successful implementation of these strategies however clearly creates for opportunities for any educational institution than it does threats and therefore strengthens the position that there indeed is an advantage that contemporary marketing perspectives can bring to the field of modern education administration. In conclusion, the dawning of the â€Å"new economy’ which emphasizes the primacy of knowledge and education also brings about new challenges and opportunities for the field of education administration.   In order to capitalize on this whoever education institutions need to recognize the fact that there are indeed more benefits to be gained from employing these perspectives and should instead consider marketing and strategy concepts that allow for sophisticated planning, implementation and monitoring procedures to anticipate and meet customer needs and enhance satisfaction in line with the current development in marketing theories. References: Amidon, DM (2002) The innovation superhighway: harnessing intellectual capital for collaborative advantage, Butterworth-Heinemann, USA Drucker, Peter (1993) Post capitalist society, Butterworth Heinemann, UK Kotler, Philip (1994) Marketing management, Prentice-Hall International, USA. Liu, Sandra (1998) Integrating Strategic Marketing on an Institutional Level Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Journal of Marketing for HIGHER EDUCATION