Friday, November 29, 2019

Hamlet Scene Analysis The Ghost of Hamlet ACT I Scene 5 Essay Example

Hamlet Scene Analysis: The Ghost of Hamlet ACT I Scene 5 Paper The creative responsibility of an actor is obliged to carefully study the text, scene by scene, elucidating the general and immediate concern of the character, along with the objectives they have as well as the tactics that the character employs to achieve them. In Act I, Scene 5, Hamlets overarching motivation is to find out the identity and the nature of the ghost. Is it his father? Why the ghost is haunting the castle? At the beginning of the scene, Hamlet has been lured, against Horatios better judgment, away from his friends to a remote place. Hamlet said in the scene before that he did not value his life, but he clearly has some reservations as he begins the scene by saying Where wilt thou lead me? speak; Ill go no further.; He is essentially bargaining with the mysterious ghost, hoping that the ghost will reveal his mission rather than force him to perhaps risk his life by going to the edge of the castle wall. After all, the ghost might be a devil. The ghost of Hamlet;s fath er, if one accepts that the ghost really is Hamlet;s father and is telling the truth, is trying to persuade his son to avenge his murder. The ghost of the old king wants his son Hamlet, who he knows is an intellectual, indecisive, but loving boy, to act in a murderous way. So the ghost uses every persuasive technique at his disposal. He uses logic, showing Hamlet that only the victim could know how he was killed in such a strange way. He uses ethical appeals to Hamlet as a Dane: ;Let not the royal bed of Denmark be/A couch for luxury and damned incest.; And he also uses emotional appeals to Hamlet: ;If thou didst ever thy dear father love-; The ghost is angry, because only he, at this point in the play, knows that he was the victim of a ;foul and most unnatural murder.; Even his former wife and queen does not know what Claudius is capable of, and this desire to reveal the truth is one re

Monday, November 25, 2019

Using the five key concepts, compare and contrast Erin Brockovich with The Insider Essays

Using the five key concepts, compare and contrast Erin Brockovich with The Insider Essays Using the five key concepts, compare and contrast Erin Brockovich with The Insider Essay Using the five key concepts, compare and contrast Erin Brockovich with The Insider Essay Essay Topic: Film Audience: Both texts are of a socialist realist genre. They both tell the tale of working class people attempting to blow the whistle on a much larger corporation which is intentionally poisoning or polluting a commodity which consumers are obliviously utilizing. In the case of Erin, its the water supply which is being contaminated with a carcinogenic known as chromium-6. It is found later that it causes miscarriage, growth disorders and spinal problems in many of the people of Hinckley. The Insider tells the story of a middle-aged family-man who is made redundant for no apparent or plausible reason before being persuaded to go on a show watched by millions, 60 Minutes to expose his employers as lacing cigarettes and making them even more hazardous to health. Both films portray the little mans struggle. They tell the David versus Goliath story with which the audience can empathise because they are on their level. The demographic majority of movie-goers would feel compassion for the protagonists because they face the great exertion that is daily life for say, a single-parent mother struggling to cope with her three children and lack of career; or the middle aged, stressed out ex-corporate employee with a family to support and a house to keep. Values Ideology: Since both films are attempting to capture a real life feeling, the language is colloquial, and often littered with swear words. However, behind their language lies the narrative the two respective directors wanted us to see: a person coping with immense stress. Crowes portrayal of a man under stress is exquisite, from the tone of the voice to the way he sits; he raises the intensity of the film to an almost unbearable level. Considering the difference between his character in Gladiator, Crowe does excellently in adjusting to the unheroic but determined family man he plays in Wigand. Julia Roberts sets out with nothing to lose, but ultimately gains everything she could ask for (including a six-month relationship with a man who adores her children). Its inspiring to watch, and gives the audience something to take away from the experience. Representation: Both directors use certain conventions to escalate the idea that we are watching true stories. From the way Erin smokes her cigarette after her failed interview, to the tense posture of Wigand in the hotel room as Bergman uncontrollably screams down the phone as he fears for his subjects sanity and perhaps his life. Contrasts are made throughout Erin which are used to prove the necessity of PG Es water monopoly to the people of Hinckley the scenery is barren, desolate. From the parched terrain of Hinckley to the courtroom saturated in red tape the respective corporations in each film are represented as overpowering, manipulative and even corrupt. Representation: The sheer financial power of PG E is shown in Erin Brockovich when they are quoted as being a $30 billion corporation, but their manipulative yet inconsiderate representative offers $250000 as a settlement which Erin comically discards. Institutions: Both films provide whats expected of characters with immense responsibilities whilst coping with enormous stress. Despite her professed aversion for lawyers (I hate lawyers! ), she incarnates many of the skills a lawyer needs to make a case go. As Erin tells us in the beginning of the film, she is good with people: a lawyerly skill just as important as legal research. Her ability to relate to the clients pain sets up the dynamic which allows the lawsuit against the giant utility to get off the ground. At the beginning of The Insider, Wigand becomes a rock under the pressure, and copes rather well before the corporate giants he faces at his dismissal. He is a family man, worrying about health benefits being lost after his redundancy because his daughter suffers from asthma. One of my favourite scenes in the film is when he comforts her: So whats whats happening to you now is cells called mast cells told your lungs dont breathe any more of that dust in. and the airways in your lungs are like branches. And when the branches close up, you get an asthmatic attack. And, we give you medicine, and you get better. Huh? Okay? Youre better already, arent you? By portraying both characters as loving and compassionate in their homes, yet determined, unwavering individuals against the outside world, the directors provided a perfect model for the real-life stories involved. Language: The scripts used for each protagonist involves a lot of swearing, which in my opinion is justified because it portrays the torment and anxiety they are facing. Erin is brash, upfront and is reluctant to authority. Wigand on the other hand is rather submissive to his past employers, but soon comes out of his shell when faced with the crisis affecting his family. The forceful speech in each text creates a sense of urgency and pressure, yet whilst in the home they are caring and benevolent, providing further contrasts to their character.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

My mother tongue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

My mother tongue - Essay Example to learn that one’s native dialect forms a foundation for understanding other languages, but it is also difficult communicate when outside the cultural setting within which it is normally spoken. What’s more, I strongly believe that our cultures, family members, and peers influenced our mother tongue most. My mother tongue is Chinese. Regardless of the language I speak presently, I have spoken Chinese for my whole life. As such, I knew Chinese and English are totally different in some ways. For example, in terms of â€Å"Though†, Chinese grammar said you must have a transition â€Å"but† after words like though/although/even though. However, in English, it doesn’t, it’s wrong if we add â€Å"but† in the sentence. Well, my culture influenced me a lot in that way so that when I first came to United States 3 years ago, I kept making this mistake. Additionally, Chinese culture has one tense, what we did is just simply add a time period before sentence started. For instance, when we want to talk about something in the past, we just add â€Å"in the past† before the whole statement, followed by a comma, making all the succeeding words to be in the past tense. If we need to end that past tense, we simply add another transition word. However, in Engli sh, I came to learn that sentences could not be outlined like that. Instead, we should use past tense when talking about something in the past and use the future tense when something is about in the future. To that effect, my Chinese culture has influenced my grammar so much that I sometimes keep making mistakes when differentiating tenses. These examples show that, even though all languages are supposed to make communication between people easy, they can differ based on the cultural environments where they are used. My family and peers were the primary influence to my mother tongue as I grew up. As far as I remember, People who live in Zhejiang Province like me, find it hard to pronounce the letter â€Å"R† in Chinese

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Introduction to Accounting & Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Accounting & Finance - Essay Example is that all the partners can be held liable for the acts of other partners which is done in the name of the firm that they form and a person may be held responsible for acts that he has not committed. (Business guide n.d.) An advantage of this business structure is that there are very little formalities in the establishment of the business and all the partners can pool their expertise and resources for a common purpose and profit sharing. (All business n.d.) Once the capital has been input by the firm, it will take 2 weeks for the raw material to be supplied to the firm and 6 weeks from there to manufacture the raw material and transform it in to finished goods. (Bized n.d.) During the period, i.e. after 2 weeks from the payment of raw material and 6 weeks from the date on receipt of raw material, the goods will be converted in to finished goods. They may face some blockage with the liquidity and the working capital as they have given the customers a credit period of 2 months and the suppliers a credit period of 1 month which means that the customers will take longer to pay for the goods while the suppliers will have to be paid in lesser time, therefore the firm will always be short of cash and will depend on the customers as to when they return the money only then they can produce more goods. This may cause some idle periods in the production as they will have to wait for the payment to be made to them. They can obtain a greater credit period from the suppliers which is longer than the period that they are offering their customers of try and reduce the credit period of the customers through renegotiation which will allow them to generate the cash from its customers and purchase more raw material will enable the production process to go on without any halt and the working capital will be available without interruption in the production. It cannot be said to be a correct representation of the company’s cash position at the end of October. This is because

Monday, November 18, 2019

Marketing Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Marketing Planning - Essay Example HSBC has a network of 6,600 offices in all these regions. It is a public limited company headquartered in England (HSBC, 2013a). This bank was originally established with the aim of facilitating trade between two most important trade partners in the world during the mid 19th century; China and the countries in Europe. The Chinese economy had been progressing for all these 150 years, due to which, since the 19th century the bank has occupied a good position to reap real benefits from the rapid GDP growth of the Chinese economy. However, the financial break down that occurred in the last decade, increased regulatory activities and led to higher scrutiny of the financial transactions taking place all over the world. In 2012, the HSBC bank faced strong regulation by the international organizations. Public scrutiny can potentially cost the bank many billion dollars. This paper presents a marketing plan for the bank framed according to the SOSTAC structure. Organizational structure Organiz ational structure refers to the relationships that are established in any firm. It refers to the hierarchical structure within the organization. Hierarchy is created with the organization by way of the rules set down for the functionalities and responsibilities at different levels of the organization and also the way in which the relationships are maintained among the employees at different levels. ... This structure describes the level of communication among the employees working at the same level within the organization (Vos and Schoemaker, 2005). High level of transparency in communication among the employees creates a number of benefits; easier flow of communication among employees, minimal bureaucracy and most importantly a pleasant working atmosphere. Increased transparency allows the employees to work with a relaxed mood. Furthermore, HSBC promotes a very informal work culture within the company. This culture allows employees to solve any kind of discrepancy to be solved informally. It also motivates employees and reduces job related stress. In turn it helps the organization to improve overall employee performance. Mission, vision and values HSBC bank has the vision of becoming â€Å"the leading international Bank† (HSBC, 2013b) in the world. The organization has certain missions that it follows in order to achieve their vision. The mission of the bank is to set up a network among all its customers by offering them top ranked service. The bank is growth oriented and all activities of the bank follow the growth objective of the organization. Precisely, the mission of the bank is â€Å"connecting customers to opportunities† (HSBC, 2013b). The bank wants to play a fulfilling role in helping people realize their dreams and achieve their ambition. By successfully following this mission the organization can enable its clients to make more profitable business. It helps economies to thrive and make prosperous economic activities. This is the purpose with which the bank operates. Organizational values The company holds high value regarding its own principles and also about the values of the clients that engage in business

Saturday, November 16, 2019

What Factors Effect The Climate Environmental Sciences Essay

What Factors Effect The Climate Environmental Sciences Essay Scientists used the word Climate to describe the precipitation and temperature of an area for a long period of time. They have defined the factors that have a great effect on temperature. These factors include latitude, wind, elevation, as well as the effect of the nearby ocean currents. The scientists pointed out that the factors which contribute primarily to precipitation are the prevailing winds and mountain ranges. As for the earths major climate zone, the scientists have divided the earth into three main regions: polar, temperature and tropical zone. In this study, we will discuss all that matters in details in addition to other matters which are related to the climate. (Ruddiman, et.al; (2005) Factors affecting climate 1.1 Elevation: it is clear that the higher you go, the colder it gets. When oxygen becomes less in the air, it affects vegetation. The oxygen exists in the rain shadow of mountains leads to relief rain ( in the matter of fact the monsoons occurred when air goes up to passes over the Himalayas, carrying a lot of water. When it goes up, it cools and so cant carry the water, therefore it rains). 1.2 Latitude, location: the further you are from the equator, the colder it is. This because the sun rays coming on the earth are less and, therefore, they have less warming effect because the angle of the planet becomes near water resulting in altering the high specific heat capacity comparing to land. This means that water has the ability to absorb a lot of energy without showing a very big change in the temperature. The reverse is also true. Therefore the islands and areas which are surrounded by water have fewer variations in the temperature degree over the course of the year (including day and night, than continental places. (William F. Ruddiman (2005) 1.3 Wind: in the matter of fact, wind leads to reducing the ability of a place to support life. This because it removes away all the soil as well as what is needed to start life. At the coast, for example ,life only begins on the strand line because that keeps providing a little shelter against the wind , therefore the plants become capable to grow and they, in turn, lead to trapping the debris to become a bigger wind shelter etc. however, without the wind shelter, it would have just blown away. 1.4 Oceans: the oceans have a great effect on the climate. The Indian Ocean, for example, represents a signature of climate change over the past years. It has showed the temperatures the climate near Australia. By measuring and analyzing the climate, it is clear that there are changes in features of the ocean that cannot be explained by natural variability. These changes on the ocean climate are almost related to changes in the heat structure of the atmosphere and this affected the temperature of water by raising it in the Indian Ocean of around two degrees Celsius. There are many other factors such as atmosphere (thickness, composition), shape of land, ozone, and natural disaster such volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, etc. 2.0 Earths major climate zone Polar It is a known fact that the polar climate zone goes from North and South Poles to 60 degrees latitude. The annually average temperatures stand below freezing, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. There are some famous polar zones which include Alaskas and Canadas northern coasts as well as the southernmost tip of South America, in which the snow melts during the warmest periods of the year. Many areas have layers of ice or glaciers. They get up to 10 inches of precipitation yearly, this, in turn; result in making the area very dry. 2.2 Temperate It is a known fact that the temperate zone is situated between the arctic or Polar Regions and the tropics, ranging from nearly 23.5 degrees to 66.5 degrees latitude, north and south of the equator. The areas which are very far from the equator may have snow during the winter season. The rains fall throughout the year closer to the equator. Yearly, the average temperatures range from 41 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Inland deserts are also included in temperate zone includes, such as the Gobi Desert in Central Asia and the Great Sandy Desert in Australia. (Edwards, et.al; (2001) 2.3 Tropical Zones Tropical zones, in the matter of fact, tend to cover the area ranging from the Tropic of Capricorn, situated at 23.5 degrees south latitude, up to the Tropic of Cancer, situated at 23.5 degrees north latitude. The Tropical zones include high temperatures as well as humidity levels. Throughout the year, the temperature degree remains above 64 Fahrenheit. Throughout the day, temperature degree sometimes exceeds 95 Fahrenheit. It is known that the tropical climates have sub-tropical zones including rainforests, semi-arid zones and savannas. These climates have high levels of humidity as a result of the air convection and vertical uplift. Climate Changes In the matter of fact, the climate changes all over the world. Actually, we have new changes in the climate throughout the world. No one, all over the world, can deny this fact. Those changes may have a great effect on life throughout the world in general and on the Arabic area in particular. In fact, the problem of climate change has a relationship with the problems of the water or rivers resources and human health; therefore, these changes may have a negative effect on the economy of various countries throughout the world. Rising of temperature may lead to the destruction of many beaches; the matter may result in causing harm to the animals in the oceans. World Climate Type The KÃ ¶ppen Climate Classification System is the system which is used throughout the world to classify the various types of climates in the world. The categories of this system are based on the annual and monthly averages of temperature as well as precipitation. The KÃ ¶ppen system has identintified five major types of climate , each one of these types is distinguished by a capital letter. A Tropical Moist Climates: it a known fact that this type of climate has average temperatures exceeding 18Â ° Celsius all months. B Dry Climates: it is well known that this type of climate has deficient precipitation nearly throughout the year. C Moist Mid-latitude Climates: this type of has Mild Winters. D Moist Mid-Latitude Climates: this type of climate has Cold Winters. E Polar Climates: this kind of climate has extremely cold winters and summers (Ruddiman, et.al; (2005) There are also 8 biomes. It is known that they represent the tropical forest, dessert, temperate grassland, savannah, temperate forest, coniferous (pine) forest, chaparral and tundra. There are some people who may count High Mountain and arctic as two extra biomes, however they theyre not really biomes because they dont have almost n plant life, How the oceans influence the climate It is a well known fact that the oceans have a great influence on the climate over long as well as short time-scales. On the longest time-scale of geologic time, the location and shape of the continents leads to specify the oceans circulation patterns. As continental plates drift at nearly 5 cm per year and mountain ranges rise by nearly 1 mm, it takes usually many years for new land formations in order to change the oceans. In the matter of fact, the patterns of ocean circulation can also change rapidly, leading to climate fluctuations and variations on a human time-scale. Records of regional, in particular, and global, in general, climate indicates periods continuing from years to centuries during which the climate was systematically different from earlier and later periods. Most of the scientists believe that this behavior has a relationship with the changes in the way that the oceans store and transport heat, though the precise causes of these changes are not always clear. (D. Qi n, et.al; 2007) The scientists assured that there is a strong link between the oceans and the atmosphere indicating that they together form the most dynamic component of the climate system. The temperature and circulation patterns of the atmosphere-ocean system can be altered as a result of changes in external factors such the distribution of various plant species, the suns energy or the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Atmosphere and oceans can also generate internal fluctuations because they are turbulent. The currents and temperature of the underlying ocean can also be directly influenced by the short-term changes and fluctuations in wind or temperature (namely, weather), meanwhile oceanic fluctuations can diminish, magnify, or modify the atmospheric fluctuations. The scientists assured that the oceans play an important role in storing carbon and heat. The change in temperature becomes greater and faster over the land than the over the oceans especially when the earths surface cools or is heated by the sun. The ocean spread the effects of the temperature change for great distances through vertical mixing and convective movements because it is a fluid. On the contrary, the solid land cannot, therefore the suns heat penetrates only the thin, upper crust. The oceans ability to absorb more heat resulted in that when an area of ocean becomes cooler or warmer than usual, it takes much longer for that area to revert to normal than it would for a land area. This clarifies the reason that makes maritime climates tend to be less extreme than continental ones, with smaller day-night and winter-summer differences. The powerful currents lead to moving the oceans waters constantly. The currents of the surface are largely wind-driven, though the presence of continents, the rotation of the earth, as well as the oceans internal dynamics have a great influence. The density differences produced by cooling and heating as well as by and evaporation and precipitation lead to driving the deep-ocean flow. The behavior of the atmosphere actually has great effects on these density differences. Clouds, for example, can lead to cooling the sea by preventing the warming rays coming from the sun or reducing the surface salinity by bringing rain. The wind can also have a great influence on the evaporation rates by blowing more weakly or more strongly. By transporting heat, these currents have a great influence on the climate. The horizontal currents, especially the currents moving north or south, can carry cooled or warmed or water as far as many thousand kilometers. After that, the displaced water can cool or warm the air as well as the land over which this air passes. Water from the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, for example, moves north through the Atlantic in a current with is well known as the Gulf Stream. There it passes the shores of Western Europe, resulting in producing the climate which is mild for that latitude. Scientists asserted that the currents which are involved in deep-water formation are very important for climate. Surface cooling, in winter, makes water become denser. (As the fresh-water which is cooled begins to expand at temperatures less than 4 C, salt-water continues to compress all the way down to its freezing point of -2 C.) .In the areas where the evaporation becomes more than precipitation, the resulting rise in salinity leads increasing density. Convective overturning occurs as well as the dense surface water mixes downwards especially when the surface water becomes denser than the underlying water. In some places this downward mixing can extend all the way to the bottom, even in deep oceans. Therefore, the dense, deep water which is formed spreads throughout the ocean. When the downward mixing occurs at high latitudes, as a result, it leads to creating a circulation pattern where the warm water from tropical and subtropical regions moves pole ward, surrenders heat to the a tmosphere, sinks, cools and flows back towards the equator. This in turn resulted in transporting the heat pole ward. Now it becomes clear that a small change in just one aspect of the oceans behavior can result in producing major climate variations over very bi areas of the earth. The cold-water formation areas represent good example of this possibly wide-spread phenomenon. Although the scientists asserted that there is an urgent need for conducting more researches, the oceanographers agreed that, as for the whole area north of 30 N latitude, the oceans pole ward transport of heat is equivalent to nearly 15 watts per square meter of the earths surface (W/m2). This actually can be compared with about 200 W/m2 from direct sunshine, and nearly 6 W/m2 for what climate change models predict will happen if the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide doubles. Ocean core records, recent observations, and many results denoted that North Atlantic deep-water formation as well as its ocean heat flow changes and fluctuate substantially over time-scales ranging from years up to millennia. Effect of climate change on oceans In the matter of fact, the climate change and variation may have a great effect on the oceans throughout the world. Actually, from the south Arctic with its diminishing sea ice to the new low-lying beach areas in England to the Great Barrier Reef, the temperature of the planet raised more than the last century. The sea level is continuously rising. The CO2 gas levels are constantly increasing. The planets and animals are appearing in some areas and disappearing from others. As for the climate variation and change, the oceans represent a wonderful source of indicators. The climate change, in general, has a great effect on these oceans are affected. The Climate change has also a great effect on the ocean animals such as the sea turtles, polar bears, penguins, right whales, lobsters, seals, and cod. The beach sea fish are also involved; therefore it is too important to work on ways that may lead to reducing the negative impacts that the climate has by supporting the research, creating p ristine marine protected sanctuaries and promoting sustainable seafood. (Hansen, et.al: (2000). Conclusion Finally, we can safely say that climate play an important role in our world. In this study, we have tried to cover some of the main sides of the climate in the world. First, we touched upon one of the main sides of the climate in the world, namely, the factors that have a great effect on the climate explaining how these factors affect the climate greatly. Then we moved to another important point, that is, the earths major climate zone explaining how the scientists have divided the earth into three major regions: polar, temperature and tropical zone. We didnt stop at this point, but we continue to shed the light on the world climate type, the oceans influence on the climate and the effect of climate change on oceans to end our study with the effect of the climate change on the Indian Ocean.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Witches :: essays research papers

In the Malleus Maleficarum, Sprenger and Kramer’s basic argument about the origins of witchcraft is that witchcraft is found chiefly in women due to several reasons that focus on characteristics of women. Sprenger and Kramer argue that witchcraft in women is more probable because women were very naà ¯ve and impressionable, carnal lust is never satisfied in women, and they are of lower intelligence and weaker memories than men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Women are viewed as very naà ¯ve and impressionable because they are influenced much easier and therefore they are more likely to become involved with the devil. Women were â€Å"more credulous, and since the chief aim of the devil is to corrupt faith, therefore he rather attacks them†(120). Women being credulous and naà ¯ve makes it easier for the devil to entice them into witchery. They were also much more impressionable making them prime targets for â€Å"disembodied spirits† to influence them and cause wickedness (120). The spirits referred to are those of evil and without faith, and since women were more vulnerable they would be more likely to abandon faith and be inclined to follow the devil. Sprenger and Kramer state that a â€Å"wicked woman is by her nature quicker to waver in her faith, and consequently quicker to abjure the faith, which is the root of witchcraft† (121). This further shows how much more likely it would be for women to become witches since the naivety and impressionability of women is what would cause the quickness to waver and abjure faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sprenger and Kramer felt the insatiable carnal lust that was part of women led them to witchery because their lust cannot be satisfied and it would lead to involvement with the devil. Proverbs xxx states â€Å"There are three things which are never satisfied, yea a fourth thing which says not, It is enough; that is, the mouth of the womb† (127). Women basically are viewed as women obsessed with sexual encounters that could not be satisfied by man alone, so they in turn would become involved with the devil to fulfill their desires. This is also shown when a woman falsely accuses Joseph because he would not agree to have sex with her and he ends up imprisoned (121). As explained in the selection â€Å"when she hates someone whom she formerly loved, then she seethes with anger and impatience† (121). This shows how the lust of the woman who accused Joseph caused her wickedness to accuse him.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Police surveillance Essay

Police surveillance can be a good thing but it can also be a bad thing. There are morale and ethical implications concerned with police surveillance. This literature review will thoroughly examine police surveillance. The level of police surveillance and information gathering that exists continues to be discussed by scholars. There are many perspectives when discussing police surveillance in nation states, each discussing an individual aspect of surveillance, and its significance. In Frank Webster’s book Theories of the Information Society he discusses the growth of police surveillance and organization in modern times. Within his discussion, Webster makes reference to works of Anthony Giddens. Webster uses Gidden’s explanation of the nation state, to begin his discussion of surveillance. He contends that â€Å"from the outset in the nation state, conceived as a bounded area over which is exercised political power, information has an especial significance.† He argues that from their establishment, nation states are ‘information societies,’ and a requirement of a nation state is that the members of it, be known at least in a minimal sense. He further explains this requirement by stating, that a nation state must hold both ‘allocative resources’ and ‘authoritative resources.’ He believes that in order for these resources to be achieved, effective surveillance is a prerequisite. Giddens argues that the nation state had a particular interest in and reliance upon information gathering and storage. The gathering and storage of information is part of a â€Å"contract between the nation state and its members †¦ are a battery of citizenship rights and duties.† The first duty of any government is to protect its frontiers, due to this there is an insatiable hunger for information. This hunger is amplified by possible threats to a nation’s border, whether real or perceived. This growing need for information has caused for the creation of a massive â€Å"system of interlined technologies to routinely and continuously monitor and inspect events and activities – military and civilian – around the globe.† The contact between nation state and citizen, allows for each citizen to have many rights and duties. Rights that are commonly held include a right to education, to vote, to hold a passport, to a minimum level of income, to health treatment and so on. They also have duties, as citizens, to pay taxes which are levied, and in some cases fight and die for their country. The delivery of rights and benefits by the nation state, such as the delivery of welfare benefits and services is at the heart of the system of mass surveillance; because it is [there] that the processes of classification, information gathering and recording are constantly multiplying. Gidden’s believes that the ‘informatisation’ of society is in part due to the existence of police surveillance in the modern nation state. He contends that due to this surveillance, that rather than regarding a modern nation state as an ‘information society,’ it would be better to regard it as a ‘surveillance society.’ His arguments presented provide a solid understanding of how a nation state is formed, and the role of surveillance in a ‘surveillance society.’ Giddens also provides insight into how information gathering occurs, and how that gathering of information has an effect on daily life. Gidden’s discussion of a ‘social contract’ while not new, is a way to better understand how the government can justify the use of police surveillance as it is currently used. The argument that at the rate of which surveillance is expanding and advancing, that a nation could succumb to totalitarian rule, while creative, this seems to be more of a thought provoking statement, rather than actual probability. In Kevin Robins and Frank Webster’s Times of the Technoculture: From the Information Society to the Virtual Life, the authors describe what they term as ‘the Republic of Technology.’ In this republic, society is fixated by the idea of progress, growth and development without end. They make reference to Cornelius Castoriadis, who explains that society seeks a fantasy of control. This fantasy is of â€Å"total control, of our will or desire for mastering all objects and all circumstance.† It is argued that the culture of technology is in part the reason for the expansion of police surveillance. According to Christopher Lasch, â€Å"the delusion that we can make ourselves lords of the universe †¦ is the heart and soul of modern technology.† Robins and Webster argue that the clearest expression of compulsion to command and control is found by the police. The police in their view is central to the growth of surveillance and to the growing need for information. Robins and Webster believe as Anthony Giddens, that â€Å"upon generalized patterns of change has been so profound that it is little short of absurd to seek to interpret such patterns with out systematic reference to it †¦ That police developments are central, rather than marginal to the technological project.† Robins and Webster believe that the police plays a central role for the maintenance of current surveillance and for its future expansion. Robins and Webster argue that the police, as the central force for the expansion of surveillance, plays a large role in diverting necessary funds away from its citizens and has an overriding influence on the direction research and development that could be better used for other initiatives. They argue that the lobbies impose a large degree of influence which distorts and perverts economic and social priorities through procedures which are largely closed to public scrutiny. The role of the police and the use of surveillance can be seen as a means of social control. Social control, according to Robins and Webster, is accomplished by way of surveillance and control strategies, which are modeled on the police paradigm. They believe that even policing, is moving towards a more military style of operation. Robins and Webster argue that police imperatives have played a major role in the growth of the state and the systems of surveillance. Robins and Webster agree with Anthony Giddens’ contention that â€Å"surveillance as the mobilizing of administrative power – through the storage and control of information – is the primary means of concentration of authoritative resources.† In other words, the use of police surveillance and the gathering of information are central to the maintaining control and order. The authors emphasize that within the country, the police is central to the collection of information on both possible enemies and its own citizens. Furthermore, police technologies are well funded and continue to be used to experience the ‘dream of total control.’ They argue this dream has existed in the development of technologies, and that in the future seeking this dream will result in a â€Å"system that deliberately eliminates the whole human personality, ignores the historic process, overplays the role of the abstract intelligence, and makes control over physical nature, ultimately control over man himself, the chief purpose of existence.† Robins and Webster provide a different perspective of the root of police surveillance and information gathering, and how this is largely due to the ‘fantasy of total control.’ The ability to control all that is available is a fantasy that has lead to the remarkable growth of police technologies that are used in part on a nation’s own citizens. This growth of surveillance and police technologies leaves the authors to believe that humans will lose control over themselves, with the advancements of technology. This argument is frightening but such a statement is warranted with the advancement of technologies. In The Pay-Per Society: Computers and Communication in the Information Age: Essays in Critical Theory and Public Policy, Vincent Mosco discusses the role of the police in the development of computer and communications systems. He believes that this is necessary, because the â€Å"police over the years, has exerted the most substantial influence on the development of computer and communications.† Mosco argues (similar to Robins and Webster) that the police has increasingly shaped the development of technology in the United States, particularly the development of communication and information technologies. Mosco discusses the relationship between the police, the United States government and industry. He explains how the police has been a driving force in the creation of new technologies, using funds received from the United States government, along with relationships with leading technology corporations. Mosco states that the relationship between the Pentagon and the US computer industry has always been strong. During the 1940s and 1950s the US government, led by the Pentagon, provided most of the funding for computer research. Moreover, the relationship has continued to remain strong. This arrangement has allowed for the National Security Agency to have in their control a global computer/communications satellite system that routinely monitors international telex, telegraph, telephone, radio and other transmissions, emanating from or direct to the United States. The military has not limited its surveillance only over its own territories, but also foreign nations and space. Fijnaut (1995) discusses the expansion of police technologies, and the expansion of surveillance into space. He explains that police computers are integrated into systems of Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence. Moreover, that police computers have expanded the range, speed and accuracy of weapons systems. That intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance have been expanded by way of communication technologies. The police’s wish to have the most control and protection from disorder. Fijnaut (1995) argues that the limits on police technologies has yet to be reached, and will continue to expand. This expansion of information gathering and surveillance is in part, for the protection of a nation, against disorderly conduct. The protection of a nation’s citizens and the protection of their rights is of the utmost importance for any government, and due to this, the creation of new technologies is deemed necessary. In Surveillance Society: Monitoring Everyday Life, David Lyon discusses the need for information gathering and surveillance in modern nation states. He argues that modern government administrations depend on the collection and recording of personal data. Moreover, that modernity means reliance on information and knowledge in generating and maintaining power. Due to that the fact that much of that information is personal, he argues that â€Å"such focused attention to data on individuals spells surveillance.† He contends that the magnification of surveillance capacities is a fact of modernity, and that it is part of the world that has been created in an attempt to bring social, economic and political arrangements into rational regimes of organization and control. He argues that, the focused attention (surveillance) on individual lives is characteristic of modernity, and that it provides eligibility to benefits of citizenship, such as the right to vote, or state welfare, and also may ensure that workers are appropriately remunerated, or rewarded with promotions and recognition of retirement at the appropriate time. Lyon provides both the positive and negative aspects of police surveillance, and argues that while surveillance practices may be altering, or that they may be used in negative ways, does not alter the case that police surveillance is simply a fact of modern social life. Lyon provides examples of police surveillance and information gathering in social activities. One such example is in the Toronto area, the world’s first fully automated toll road. Highway 407 provides an alternative route through the busiest corridor in Canada, with tolls collected either via transponders in vehicles or by video cameras scanning registration plates. This technology was developed from what was used for smart bombers during the 1991 Gulf War. This technology identifies the ‘target’ vehicles for tolls based on the distance driven and the time of the day. This to many, is considered a luxury, and the automatic billing rather than toll booths provides convenience. While this is true, what is not realized by the driver is that this technology permits the creation of real-time simulations of road traffic time-space movement across cities. This is extremely valuable to planners, especially in densely traveled urban corridors. This example shows how military technologies are used in public sector. Lyon also discusses the impossibility for anyone to be shielded from the existent surveillance. Lyon argues that â€Å"surveillance operates in so many daily life spheres today that it is impossible to evade, should one wish to. We are indeed wrapped in media. Most of our social encounters and almost all our economic transactions are subject to electronic recording, checking and authorization.† In all aspects of our lives, we are unable to escape. Lyon also argues that there is not one single agency that is responsible for the focused attention on our daily lives. Lyon provides insight into both those for and against the current level of surveillance, he begins by saying, that those who are opposed to such surveillance do so, â€Å"because they feel that there is something wrong when big government and large corporations seem to extract, process, exchange and even trade personal data with apparent impunity.† Lyon’s argument can be seen as being that police surveillance is a focused attention to personal life details with a view to managing or influencing those who lives are monitored. He believes this to be the power of classification, of social sorting. In his book, Lyon offers an approach, a mode of engaging with the issues related to police surveillance and information gathering. He does so, by discussing how police surveillance and information gathering technologies are implemented in daily lives, and discusses the complaints made by those who are fearful of such focus being made on their lives. In What’s New About the â€Å"New Surveillance†? Classifying for Change and Continuity, Gary T. Marx discusses how much surveillance is applied categorically and beyond persons to places, spaces, networks and categories of person. And that the distinction between self and other surveillance can be blurred. He attempts to highlight the differences between the new and traditional surveillance and offer a way to capture information relevant to contemporary social, ethical and policy considerations. In this publication, Marx is attempting to determine whether or not the protection of personal information is decreasing or increasing. Marx argues that in the last half of the 20th century, that there has been a significant increase in the use of technology for the discovery of personal information. He provides examples such as, video and audio surveillance, biometric access devices, drug testing, DNA analysis, computer monitoring including email and web usage and the use of the computer techniques such as expert systems, matching and profiling, data mining, mapping, network analysis and simulation. He believes that control technologies have become what had only previously existed in the imaginations of science fiction writers. Marx argues that a new definition of surveillance is necessary to fully understand its implications. He finds previous definitions inadequate, and provides his own definition. He suggests that a better definition of the new surveillance â€Å"is the use of technical means to extract or create personal data. This may be taken from individuals or contexts. In this definition the use of â€Å"technical means† to extract and create the information implies the ability to go beyond what is offered to the unaided senses or voluntarily reported.† This definition he believes to be better suited for what is considered new surveillance technologies. Marx argues that surveillance technologies can provide many positive aspects to society, and outlines how openness would be beneficial. He argues that through offering â€Å"high quality documentary evidence and audit trails, the new surveillance may enhance due process, fairness and legitimacy. That it may contribute to the political pluralism central to democracy by making the tools of surveillance widely available so that citizens and competing groups can use them against each other, as well government, to enhance accountability.† He argues that in the United States, unlike in many societies, surveillance technology is widely available to the public, and due to this, surveillance may no longer be considered a one-way mirror, but instead a window. In Privacy is Not the Antidote to Surveillance, Felix Stalder discusses the existence of police surveillance and information gathering in democracies. His contention is that in democracies, extensive institutional mechanisms are in place to create and maintain accountability. Moreover, that there are mechanisms to punish those who abuse their power. Stalder believes that similar mechanisms must be developed for the handling of personal information. He believes that due to the current status of surveillance, that the public (US) have become nervous. Prior to the attacks on September 11th 2001, polls showed that the vast majority of respondents were â€Å"concerned† or â€Å"very concerned† about the misuse of personal data. As discussed by Webster and Robins, Lyon and others, access to large data-sets of personal information is a prerequisite for social control. Those who hold such data have a crucial tool, which allows them to influence the behaviour of those whose data is being held. This exists not only commercially, but also more importantly by governments who collect data about their citizens in order to increase accuracy of their planning, as well as combat fraud and tax evasion. With growing concerns, the usual response to these problems is the call for further protection of privacy. While the call for more protection might be the clear answer, doing so is not as easy as one might think. The definition of what privacy is, throughout the world varies. Europeans have developed one of the most stringent approaches where privacy is understood as ‘informational self-determinism.’ Stalder explains as being, â€Å"that an individual should be able to determine the extent to which data about her or him is being collected in any given context.† In this context, privacy is personal, and being personal, every single person will have a different notion about what privacy means. Data one person might allow to be collected bight be deeply personal for someone else. The likelihood of having a collectively accepted definition is slim. Stalder provides his own solution for this ever-growing problem. Each article provides insight into different areas concerning information gathering and police surveillance. In conjunction with one another, it is possible to understand how surveillance technologies have been created, and how these technologies continue to be funded by governmental agencies. The effect that this massive funding has on local economies would require even further research, but at the essence of this dilemma, is what can be done to better protect civilians from the collection and sharing of information gathered. Civilians feel helpless to protect themselves from their privacy being invaded. Moreover, these articles explain how the protection of civil, political, economic and human rights are secured are secured through the systematic surveillance and data-collection. Without this, governments would not be capable of such a task, and these rights would surely be infringed upon. They are confronted with a growing police presence in their daily lives, some not even knowing that it exists. They use their credit card, and do not realize that each purchase is tracked, recorded, entered into a database, so that companies can use the data received, for profitable gains. They do not know that their information is bought and sold, traded on the open market, along with all other commodities. In order for governments to provide services to their citizens, they require the collection of data. This data is used for purposes that are deemed legitimate, such as taxes and social security. What worries many is what else that information is being used for, and who is being given access to it. While accountability, by governments in this area has increased, the same can not be said for information gathered by commercial entities. The growth of information gathering and police surveillance in Canada and the United States especially, can be attributed to many factors. One such factor is the need for a nation state to protect itself from invasion, the protection of its borders and citizens is of the utmost importance. This being said, governments attempt to have complete control of their territory, this requires the use of police surveillance, for surrounding nations, and for those within their borders. Another fact that needs to be addressed is the undeniable connection between governments and their police, by which technologies are funded and created. This relationship has allowed for the astonishing growth of police technologies, which in many respects drains from social services and depletes national revenues, when more civilian based initiatives could be implemented. Due to the sophistication of information gathering, civilians are no longer capable of securing their own information. Their information is passed from corporation to corporation, without any sense of protection at their disposal. There is a lack of accountability, when dealing with corporations, and how a person’s personal information is acquired and kept. Moreover, in order for any change to occur, definitions must be more precise, rather than attempting to apply vague terms for new solutions. Works Consulted Lyon, David. Surveillance Society: Monitoring Everyday Life Open University Press: Philadelphia, 2001. Marx, Gary T. What’s New About the â€Å"New Surveillance†? Classifying for Change and Continuity in Surveillance and Society 1(1) University of New Castle: United Kingdom, Mosco, Vincent. The Pay-Per Society: Computers and Communication in the Information Age: Essays in Critical Theory and Public Policy in SOSC 2312 9.0A Course Kit 2004-2005 York University: Toronto, 2004. Robins, Kevin & Frank Webster, Times of the Technoculture: From the Information Society to the Virtual Life in SOSC 2312 9.0A Course Kit 2004-2005 York University: Toronto, Stalder, Felix. Privacy is Not the Antidote to Surveillance in Surveillance and Society 1(1) University of New Castle: United Kingdom, 2002. Webster, Frank. Theories of The Information Society, Routledge: London, 2000. Undercover: Police Surveillance in America (20th Century Fund) by Gary T. Marx – Dec 5, 1989 Se crets Of Surveillance: A Professionals Guide To Tailing Subjects By Vehicle, Foot, Airplane, And Public Transportation by ACM IV Security Services – Sep 1993 Women Police: Gender, Welfare and Surveillance in the Twentieth Century by Louise Jackson – Sep 17, 2006 The Surveillance Studies Reader by Sean Hier and Joshua Greenberg – Aug 1, 2007 Police Officer Exam by Donald J. Schroeder and Frank A. Lombardo – Jan 1, 2005 Policing, Surveillance and Social Control: Cctv and Police Monitoring of Suspects by Tim Newburn and Stephanie Hayman – Jun 2001 State Secrets Police Surveillance in America by Paul; Egleson, Nick; Hentoff; Nat Cowan – 1974 Undercover-Police Surveillance in Comparative Perspective by Cyrille Fijnaut – Oct 12, 1995 State secrets; police surveillance in America by Paul Cowan – 1974 Undercover: Police Surveillance in America by Gary Marx – 1990

Saturday, November 9, 2019

The Geography of Detroits Decline

The Geography of Detroit's Decline During the mid-20th century, Detroit was the fourth largest city in the United States with a population of over 1.85 million people. It was a thriving metropolis that embodied the American Dream - a land of opportunity and growth. Today, Detroit has become a symbol of urban decay. Detroits infrastructure is crumbling and the city is operating at $300 million dollars short of municipal sustainability. It is now the crime capital of America, with 7 out of 10 crimes unsolved. More than a million people have left the city since its prominent fifties. There is a multitude of reasons as to why Detroit fell apart, but all the fundamental causes are rooted in geography. Demographic Shift The rapid shift in Detroits demographics led to racial hostility. Social tensions were further perpetuated when many desegregation policies were signed into law in the 1950s, forcing residents to integrate. For years, violent racial riots engulfed the city, but the most destructive one occurred on Sunday, July 23, 1967. A police confrontation with patrons at a local unlicensed bar sparked a five-day riot that left 43 dead, 467 injured, 7,200 arrests and more than 2,000 buildings destroyed. The violence and destruction only ended when the National Guard and Army were ordered to intervene. Shortly after this 12th street riot, many residents started to flee the city, particularly the whites. They moved out by the thousands into neighboring suburbs such as Royal Oak, Ferndale, and Auburn Hills. By 2010, whites only made up 10.6% of Detroits population. The Size Detroit is particularly difficult to maintain because its residents are so spread out. There is too much infrastructure relative to the level of demand. This means large sections of the city are left unused and unrepaired. A scattered population also means law, fire, and emergency medical personnel have to travel greater distances on average to provide care. Moreover, since Detroit has experienced consistent capital exodus for the past forty years, the city is unable to afford an adequate public service workforce. This has caused crime to skyrocket, which further encouraged rapid out-migration. Industry Many of Americas older cities faced a de-industrialization crisis starting in the 1970s, but most of them were able to establish an urban resurgence. The success of cities like Minneapolis and Boston is reflected on their high number of college graduates (over 43%) and their entrepreneurial spirit. In many ways, the success of the Big Three inadvertently restricted entrepreneurship in Detroit. With the high wages earned on the assembly lines, workers had little reason to pursue higher education. This, in conjunction with the city having to reduce the number of teachers and after-school programs due to declining tax revenues, has caused Detroit to fall behind in academics. Today, only 18% of Detroit adults have a college degree (versus a national average of 27%), and the city is also struggling to control the brain drain. Ford Motor Company no longer has a factory in Detroit, but General Motors and Chrysler still do, and the city remains dependent on them. However, for a large portion of the 1990s and early 2000s, the Big Three did not react well to changing market demands. Consumers started to shift from power-driven automotive muscle to more stylish and fuel-efficient vehicles. The American automakers struggled against their foreign counterparts both domestically and internationally. All three companies were on the verge of bankruptcy and their financial distress was reflected on Detroit. Public Transportation Infrastructure Unlike their neighbors Chicago and Toronto, Detroit never developed a subway, trolley, or intricate bus system. The only light rail the city has is its People Mover, which only encircles 2.9-miles of the downtown area. It has a single set of track and only runs in one direction. Although designed to move up to 15 million riders a year, it only serves 2 million. The People Mover is considered an ineffective rail, costing taxpayers $12 million annually to operate. The biggest problem with not having a sophisticated public infrastructure is that it promotes sprawl. Since so many people in the Motor City owned a car, they all moved away, opting to live in the suburbs and just commuting to downtown for work. Additionally, as people moved out, businesses eventually followed, leading to even fewer opportunities in this once great city. References Okrent, Daniel (2009). Detroit: The Death- and Possible Life- of a Great City. Retrieved from: time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1926017-1,00.htmlGlaeser, Edward (2011). Detroits Decline and the Folly of Light Rail. Retrieved from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704050204576218884253373312.html

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Standardized Testing vs Portfolio Assessment

Standardized Testing vs Portfolio Assessment Free Online Research Papers Portfolios and standardized testing are two ways of assessing individual progress. Portfolios can be used to assess students on an individual basis, but this type of assessment may be difficult to use to compare one student to another. To make it standardized across large groups of people in a meaningful way could be too subjective. Standardized tests like ACT and SAT are generally better at comparing one student to another because they minimize the subjectivity. Standardized testing can be used as a system to assess students from different schools. Different methods of assessing students are useful in a variety of settings and for an assortment of purposes. David Boyanton (2009) and a group of educators conducted a study to determine if the emotions felt by a student could affect the outcome of the student’s learning. Although emotion usually is not considered in assessing learning, this study showed that emotion played a significant role in the learning process. Emotions are used during the procedure of learning, and as a result of learning. â€Å"When a student is truly engaged in learning, he will naturally produce some emotion during or at the end of the class. Further, this emotional involvement does not have to be always positive. Rather, it can be either positive or negative† (Boyanton, 2009, p. 67). The study encompassed a type of learning system that students engaged in. The students were then assessed using portfolios based upon this system, known as CES. â€Å"CES proposes that student learning can be inferred through three student characteristics: cognitive continuity, emotional involvement, and social harm ony† (Boyanton, 2009, p.69). Most students engage in conversations or communicate with each other outside of the classroom. Cognitive continuity refers to this type of interaction. A display of strong emotion, either negative or positive, incorporates the emotional involvement component. Social develops when students feel a sense of belonging and the students feel a connection to each other (Boyanton, 2009). According to the study, these three characteristics are reliable indicators of classroom learning. Traditional assessments judge the students’ performance by comparing them to others (norm-referenced testing) or by criterion-referenced testing which uses certain standards (Boyanton, 2009). CES examines learning on an individual level by observing changes made by each student. These changes are compared and assessed to determine growth. The CES model evaluates student learning inside of the classroom as well as behavior outside the classroom (Boyanton, 2009). Learning takes on many forms and constantly changes. The perspective of an individual differs from one person to the next. Common learning assessment tools generally look at learning as stable and within a whole group. CES takes the approach to learning as a changing, individualized, and building experience (Boyanton, 2009). â€Å"CES was to provide a model for instructors to determine how well the students have learned, it does not indicate what the students have learned, how much they have learned, or how wel l they are able to apply what they have learned† (Boyanton, 2009, p. 70). Furthermore, CES does not consider whether the knowledge will be retained, whether student behavior will be influenced or whether students will be able to generalize the information they learned (Boyanton, 2009). Motivation can be a powerful emotion as related to learning. The relationship between student’s motivation to read and their performance on standardized testing is one factor to consider in assessment (Mucherah, 2008). Students who are motivated in some way to read at school or at home, often score higher on certain standardized tests (Mucherah, 2008). â€Å"Students who had high self-efficacy in reading, enjoyed reading challenging material, and who enjoyed reading different kinds of literary material [are the ones who] performed better†(Mucherah, 2008, p. 229). However, those who were motivated to read more for social reasons did not do as well on the test. Mucherah (2008) points out that reading motivation itself does not necessarily predict performance on a standardized test in reading. While reading for personal interest does not improve performance on standardized tests, reading challenging materials and different types of books does have a positive effect on reading tests (Mucherah, 2008). Even though motivation to read might increase achievement, students should not always be rewarded for reading. Teachers may want to increase intrinsic motivation by varying the ways students are rewarded. â€Å"Further understanding of middle school students’ reading motivation will contribute to the design of classroom and school contexts that expand and strengthen readers’ intrinsic reading motivation and the benefits it provides† (Mucherah, 2008, p. 230). Some critics believe there are several faults with standardized testing. Often these tests mainly assess â€Å"rote memorization and dead facts† (Eisner, 1999, p. 568). Eisner believes that it can be difficult for standardized tests to assess a student’s ability to think critically or problem solve. This type of testing only tells how well the students can store and retrieve information, but not apply the information to different settings (Eisner, 1999). Because of these limitations, a learning assessment model based on learning experiences and projects in the classroom may reflect a more individualized assessment. Other critics of criterion referenced testing, such as Dr. Douglas Reeves, believe that such testing can be detrimental. During the assessment and evaluation symposium Dr. Reeves delivered a presentation titled, â€Å"Toxic Grading Practices.† In the presentation, he described how zeros, big final exam, and using an average for a final grade are harmful to students. Dr. Reeves (2008) strongly advocated teachers to make students accountable by making them complete the assignment rather than giving a zero for the missed work. Jay McClain, principal at Bailey’s Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia has similar opinions. In a podcast on PBS.org he explained, â€Å"Data is dangerous if it’s not data that is built on what you feel is important to look at† (2008). When students take a test and you get the results back later, it does not help the teacher to go back and retest. The education reform bill known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), has int ensified accountability for teachers. The focus should be on the whole child rather than on what the child has been taught. McClain believes that NCLB is too restrictive and does not allow for individual expression (Renaud, 2006). Throughout history, there have been many different ways to educate students. Progressive Education philosophers include John Dewey and William Heard Kilpatrick (Gutek, 2009). Both Dewey and Kilpatrick believed that education should be more than textbooks. Students should be engaged in learning and teachers should consider different aspects of the individual child. Kilpatrick was a strong advocate for a project-based learning environment. Students had hands-on opportunities and developed important skills such as cooperation and analytical thinking (Gutek, 2009). The teaching method developed by John Dewey incorporated some similar concepts. Dewey believed that students learned best through the scientific method and experiences within their environment (Gutek, 2009). Both philosophers seem to embrace a portfolio type of assessment that would more accurately reflect individual learning. Because progressive education ideas center on being engaged, portfolio assessment would clos ely fit with these ideals. Accountability has become an increasingly integral part of education. Most states in the United States embrace a system of accountability for teachers and schools. As the accountability system increases, standardized and norm-referenced testing seems to be the assessments of choice for data collection. This method is generally better for collecting data that compares one student to another or one school to another. Many aspect of education are tied to the results of testing. Funding for schools and teacher salary is often a large component of the data results. Freedom of expression and individualism appear to be lost when schools embrace numerical growth rather than student growth. Each assessment method has a purpose and a specific use. Finding the right balance can be difficult, but is important in order to accurately reflect progress and individual growth. References Boyanton, D. (2009, March). How Do You Know They Are Learning: Introducing the CES Classroom Learning Assessment Model. International Journal of Learning, 15(12), 67- 77. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from Education Research Complete database. Eisner, E. W. (1999). The uses and limits of performance assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(9), 658-660. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from Education Research Complete database. Gutek, G. (2009). New Perspectives on Philosophy and Education., New Jersey: Pearson Education. Mucherah, W., Yoder, A. (2008, May). Motivation for Reading and Middle School Students Performance on Standardized Testing in Reading. Reading Psychology, 29(3), 214-235. Retrieved July 1, 2009, doi:10.1080/02702710801982159 Reeves. D. (2008, Jan.). Toxic Grading Practices. retrieved June 30, 2009 from teachertube.com/members Renaud, J., Merrow, J. (producers). (2006, Oct.). Daily, Weekly, Monthly. Podcast retrieved June 30, 2009 from pbs.org/merrow/rss/media/88.mp3. Research Papers on Standardized Testing vs Portfolio AssessmentStandardized TestingThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThree Concepts of PsychodynamicArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Assess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

Monday, November 4, 2019

Research Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Research Paper 2 - Essay Example As a result, states and society at large watched helplessly by for some time as the institutions of marriage and family fall apart. Lately, when the social and economic costs sustained from scuttled marriages and broken families began to spread and reach alarming proportions, state authorities in many places have started to take a hand in the problem. This paper discussed the ill effects of the breakdown of marriage and family and the prevention-intervention measures that are increasingly adopted to address the problem. It highlighted the negative influences of marital distress, cohabitation and divorce on people's productivity, physical and mental health as well as on the quality and character of children produced from such a troubled family environment. Finally, the paper examined the effectiveness of measures designed to strengthen the institution of marriage as catalyst for social stability. When a man and woman exchange marriage vows, they enter into a legal agreement to start a new family unit and care for each other and for any children that they might have. Since marriage is a legal instrument, it is the duty of the state to ensure that the contracting parties in marriage adhere to these provisions. Until recently, however, intervention in marriage and family was not part of public policy (Benson, 2005). ... Since marriage is a legal instrument, it is the duty of the state to ensure that the contracting parties in marriage adhere to these provisions. Until recently, however, intervention in marriage and family was not part of public policy (Benson, 2005). This thinking started to change as research after research unmistakably showed that the mounting cases of physical and mental illnesses and the dwindling levels of productivity in the workplace (Stanley, 2001) are attributable to failed marriages. Illnesses that require medical care create a drain on public resources while low productivity hampers the march to economic growth. These are as much a concern of the state as the Christian churches, which represent the only entity that used to undertake efforts at instructing couples on the sanctity of marriage and the adverse effects of marital distress. Realization that the state presence is needed in the deterioration of marriage gave further impetus to activities designed to achieve bette r understanding of the dynamics of the modern-day marriage and family with an eye on preventing marital distress and divorce. 2. Literature Review 2.a. Marriage & Family Breakdown When the National Council on Family Relations in the US conducted its annual meeting in 2003, the theme was: "What is the Future of Marriage" This captured the essence of the problem on the changes that erode the value of marriage and family. Marriage as a social institution has vastly deteriorated because of such factors as the increased opportunities for sexual relationships outside marriage, greater tolerance of single parenthood, declining marital fertility, improved job opportunities for women and

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Noise Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Noise Pollution - Essay Example General Characteristics of sound in relation to Noise pollution Sound is made up of longitudinal waves that travel through air and cause certain materials to vibrate and create sound. The common characteristics of sound are intensity, frequency, amplitude and velocity. Sound cannot travel in outer space because it is a vacuum. (Ron Kurtus, 2009) According to Kurtus atoms and molecules that float in outer space are too far apart to actually cause any vibration or sound. A loud explosion in outer space would hardly be heard because of the vacuum. Unlike electromagnetic waves that easily travel through space through electrical and magnetic fields, sound waves are caused due to vibration of matter. (Ron Kurtus, 2009) Sound intensity in relation to Noise Pollution The intensity of sound varies from human to human due to varying hearing sensitivity and therefore cannot be generalized. Sounds which could be normal for some could be harsh for others. Sound frequencies ranging between 1000 Hz and 5000 Hz seem most sensitive to the human ear. However, a normal human ear with the right hearing ability has the lowest threshold of approximately 4000 Hz for comfortable hearing. When sound intensity goes beyond this threshold it tends to impact on the ear causing damage. Such intense sounds include loud explosions, blasts, crashes and noise from heavy machinery etc. Prolonged exposure to such intensity of sounds is liable to lead to permanent damage. Sound intensity is described as the average rate of sound energy flow across a perpendicular surface in the line of propagation. Sound intensity is measured by special units, namely, bel and decibel which are logarithmic. If there is an increase of 1 bel, the intensity of the sound increases ten fold. An increase of 1 dB increases the intensity by approximately 25% and the change in audibility can hardly be detected. The threshold for human hearing is 0 dB sound intensity. The intensity of sound decreases as distance is increased . (www.physicsclassroom.com) Frequency of Noise Pollution The frequency of noise pollution is as important as its intensity and therefore prolonged or frequent exposure to noise is another contributing factor that lowers an individual’s quality of life. The intensity of sound that exceeds above 90dB or even lesser but recurs repeatedly over long periods of time either at work or ones own home, is sure to cause damage to the ear. Damage leads to a deterioration in audibility and could progress into permanent loss of hearing if not checked in time. Therefore, it is advisable to use hearing protectors especially when exposed to noisy environments on a regular basis. Noise pollution in relation to the quality of life Noise pollution is a major contributing factor to discomfort and stress in human beings. In fact it is a crucial threat to an individual’s quality of life especially for those who work in factories and industries with heavy machinery that creates a lot of soun d. In this contemporary age, the latest technology brought about by industrialization poses a major threat to human beings as well as causing ecological damage. Noise pollution is no more only an urban problem because even in rural areas noise from heavy machinery from industries or factories and farm implements have added to the problem.