Persuasive Essay - Choice of University - Wgu - 927 Words

My recent decision to enroll in a university to continue and complete my pursuit of an undergraduate degree was not especially difficult. Selection of and commitment to a particular university was not as simple. Multiple factors including, but not limited to, price point, reputation, ease of access, and career relevance were weighed. I selected Western Governors University and remain very satisfied with this choice. Cost is a major determining factor, and one in which WGU holds a tremendous advantage over competing learning institutions. One must consider the annual cost of WGU at $5,780, compared to the average annual cost of a public institution at $32,617. Other online institutions also cannot compete in regards to cost,†¦show more content†¦The mentor program is a benefit of WGU that, while described in their promotional material, is not fully realized until experienced personally. Each student is assigned a 4 mentor as a â€Å"personal point of contact and guide throughout the duration of the program† (WGU, 2012). Weekly status update phone calls have been essential to my keeping on track and motivated - issues I was concerned with considering the self-paced nature of online learning. The mentor is just one aspect of WGU’s support. Each course is supported by multiple class mentors - experienced professionals that lead online webinars, publish video tutorials, and respond to personal inquiries. All of these are offered at many different times to accommodate students’ schedules. Returning to college as a working adult is a serious commitment. Balancing work, family life, and attempting an education is difficult. While cost benefits, reputation, and career relevance were my primary drivers in selecting WGU as my university, the support of my personal mentor and the staff committed to each course have been the biggest factor in my satisfaction with WGU. I do not hesitate to suggest Western Governors University to anyone interested in pursuing higher education. 5 REFERENCES How WGU’s tuition compares. (2013). Retrieved from http:// www.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/tuition_comparison_pop Fast

Comparing The American Revolution and The American Civil...

As we study American history we see that the saying, History repeats itself reveals much truth. As we look closer at the American Revolution and the American Civil War, we can find many similarities between the two. Another saying that is made known is that We learn from our mistakes,; but even the greatest men and women of our history did not follow. The main causes for both wars were the fight for liberty. If we are to analyze this issue in both wars, we see that the conclusion of one war leads to the beginning of another. As Semisonic sings, Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.; The American Revolution could, to some have started when the Americans were given the Proclamation of 1763. As we see†¦show more content†¦A pamphlet authored by Thomas Paine, became a real best seller and many after reading such literature were ready to fight for their freedom. These legislatures were derived from the King of England George III. He soon became the most disliked man in American homes. The Revolution War brought the people together in a patriotic manner. Soon, a document that would change the lives of many was constituted for the citizens of America. The Declaration of Independence was then formed and granted all men freedom and equality. Freedom was finally rewarded to Americans, but how they manipulate, it was up to them. Was freedom and equality guaranteed for all men and women? Studying history we see that it does differ and in the Declaration it states, all men are created equal.; This gets interpreted as all white men are created equal. In having such frame of mind, civilians began disputing. Not for the equal rights primarily, but for the unlawful slavery that was occurring. This time in history many laws and acts were distributed but often ignored such as the Fugitive Slave Acts 1850 and the Wilmont Proviso of 1846. Both were set for the benefits in trying to start the unchaining of slavery. Similarly to the Revolution, the Americans can be compared with the slaves of the United States. In parallel with writings from the Revolution, the Civil War had some great writers thatShow MoreRelatedAp Exam Essays1660 Words   |  7 PagesEngland colonies from 1630 through the 1660s? 2. Analyze the political, diplomatic, and military reasons for the United States victory in the Revolutionary War. Confine your answer to the period 1775–1783. 3. Analyze the ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery into western territories contributed to the coming of the Civil War. Confine your answer to the period 1845–1861. 4. Analyze the roles that women played in Progressive Era reforms from the 1880s through 1920. Focus yourRead MoreAmerican History : A Multi Faceted Progression Of History1257 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican history is a multi-faceted progression of time that cannot be explained through the simple statements of facts or events. 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The Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Mexican American War, the Industrial Revolution, the Compromise of 1850, the Abolitionist Movement, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry, and the election of Abraham Lincoln were some of the events that contributedRead MoreThe Syrian Civil War846 Words   |  3 PagesSyria’s civil war. It all started in 2011 in the Syrian city of Deraa. Syrians protested after 15 schoolchildren had been arrested and tortured for writing anti-government graffiti on a wall. The protest was peaceful to begin with calling for the kids release, but the government responded angrily. On March 18, 2011 the syrian army opened fire on protesters, killing four people. People were shocked and angry at what had happened and soon the unrest spread to other parts of the country. Read MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Of The 1950s And 1960s1183 Words   |  5 Pagesof the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s on the lives of African-Americans in that period. 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The meaning of freedom provides a uniqueRead MoreThe War On The Home Front1112 Words   |  5 Pageson the home front. Those two events were WWII and the Cold War. Civil rights, the cultural norms, and society at large, had changed greatly during a short amount of time due to these events. The United States was fight a war on two fronts, both at home and overseas. The wars overseas had great influence and impact on the successes that would come over time on the home front. Without these wars and times of trials and tribulations, the civil rights movement and society as a whole, would most likelyRead MoreEffects Of Economic Change On Social Classes885 Words   |  4 PagesEffects of Economic Change on Social Classes in America. Between the Civil War and World War II, the United States went through drastic economic change. The industrialization of America was going full force and resulting in the expansions of technology and factories. 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In order to abolish slavery, Douglass wanted slaveholders and Americans to comprehendRead MoreEffectiveness of the Tory and Whig Arguments Prior to the American Revolution844 Words   |  4 PagesEffectiveness of the Tory and Whig Arguments Prior to the American Revolution In the eighteenth century, the American Revolution played a vital role in determining the future of the American colonies. Prior to the Revolution, propagandas from both the Tories and Whigs influenced the choices that Americans make. Both sides exchanged attacks and accusations in their publications, while also presenting realistic evidence and logical reasoning to back their doctrine and

Media Scriptwriting Radio

Question: Discuss about the Media Scriptwriting Radio. Answer: Introduction: Body: Well, there is something bizarre about everything we see around us. Yes, you heard it right. Bizarre yet fun. Today, let me tell you about some fun facts regarding the human body. Speaking of body, we all know that there are red blood cells present in our body, but do you know that an average red blood cell can live up to one hundred twenty days and it can travel the length and breadth of our body within twenty seconds! Whoah! Thats real fast. You know whats similarly fast? Our nerve impulses. It can travel at a speed of over four hundred kilometers per hour (Fonseca Finn, 2016). Have you ever wondered why your camera is not able to capture that picture-perfect sunset the way you see it? Well, that's just because human eyes can distinguish between ten million colors! Did it just make you smile? You should smile more often because when we smile, we exercise thirty-six different muscles. No wonder it is said laughter is the best medicine. It is also quite interesting to know tha t our body produces one to one point six liters of saliva each day! Our lungs are not far behind as it inhales over two million liters of air each day. along with that, we breathe about forty-five pounds of dust in our lifetime. Quite dusty, isn't it? But, there is no end to such amazing and fun facts. We learn every day. Till then keep smiling and spread the laughter because you know youre exercising (Archer, 2002)! References Archer, K. (2002). Exploring the human body: fun and facts.The Lancet,359(9303), 364-365. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(02)07542-6 Fonseca, G. Finn, G. (2016). The impact of body worlds on adult visitors knowledge on human anatomy: A preliminary study.Clinical Anatomy,29(4), 439-445. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ca.22692

Program Planning and Evaluation free essay sample

A program and evaluation of a program are not separate activities. When carefully planned a program and the evaluation of the program can be integrated into an organized set of ongoing operations that promote and support each other. Program planning is an organized process in which a set of coordinated activities or interventions is developed to address and facilitate change in some or all of the identified problems. It is an ongoing process of development with the intention of designing a plan that will tackle the identified needs and problems. Program planning is a means for program development and is a goal oriented activity based on the assessed needs and problems. Program planning requires that decisions be made. Program evaluation provides the needed information because it is the process of gathering and analyzing the data necessary for appraising alternatives. Program evaluation is a cooperative undertaking of all those concerned with improving vocational education, and is the foundation upon which planning is built. We will write a custom essay sample on Program Planning and Evaluation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The scenario that I chose from Appendix B is â€Å"Continental Senior Center†. The following is an example of how program planning and evaluation interrelate in my chosen scenario. The Continental Senior Center provides a balanced, diverse, and coordinated program and promotes the senior center as a model for the aging and aged. The senior center is involved in a community wide effort to provide seniors with information and referral services for those seeking help with taxes, health, housing, and other concerns. They also provide case management services three days a week. They also offer computerized information assistance to help seniors and family members to gain access to available services in the area. With a population of 60% over the age of 60 and approximately 50% of those over the age of 60 have a poverty-level income, the senior center is a valuable asset. Technology is the transformation of inputs into outputs. Inputs are the resources such as data and information of needs and problems, intervention methods, and staffing. Outputs are the services and goods that are produced as the result of utilization of the inputs. Political economy is the interaction and dynamic between politics and economic interests. Political means the process by which the organization obtains power and legitimacy. Economic means the process by which the organization gets resources such as clients, staff, and funding. Some of the technical and political aspects of program planning and evaluation that one may encounter in my chosen scenario â€Å"Continental Senior Center† are the computer information system, case manager staffing, funding for resources, and their referral services. Some of the possible technical issues concerning computer information could be to maintain an up to date data base, computer maintenance

Extra-Terrestrial Civilizations Essays - Planetary Science

Extra-Terrestrial Civilizations Introduction Ever wondered what lies beyond our own Solar System, beyond our furthest planet Pluto, beyond what our most powerful telescopes can project. With the latest in Technology and Sciences, we (The Human Race) have only chipped off a flake of the great Pillar of Technology and Civilization. The question is: Are we alone? Are human beings the only possessors of eyes that search the night sky for new galaxies. The only builders of devices that extend the natural senses. The only owners of minds that think and derive the meanings of everything around them? And the answer is just possibly: We are not alone! There are others that see, touch, feel, smell, and taste. There are others that think and explore, fight and make peace, or are they completely different? It is all unknown... and it is all waiting to be found... The Search Within The early Astronomers believed that the Moon was a another world, with a entire new civilization at heed. The first person that took advantage of this well spoken of legend, was a reporter for The New York Sun, whose name was John Herschel (1792-1871), Herschel was interested in life on other planets, so he went to South Africa with decent equipment. But what he saw was not what he wrote, when he returned to New York he made up a story about seeing men with flaps over there eyes to shield them form the brightness which the Moon gave off. He told of rivers and lakes and green everywhere, that story had made the Sun the best-selling newspaper for a month, but was soon revoked when a famous astronomer noted no such thing as life because of the "Airlessness" of the Moon. After a few years, past the first man on the Moon, there was the first launch to Mars to examine the possibility of life. The idea was that because Mars was still in the Sun's Ecosphere and that it had ice caps meant that there was or still is water on Mars. When the Crew of the NASA ship Titan landed on Mars with 150 lbs. of equipment they began work immediately, first they analyzed the soil, which was rich in minerals, then the atmosphere which was 1.06 % of the atmosphere of Earth, therefore the atmosphere would leak a dangerously high level of UV rays into the planet. So Mars was rendered inhabitable for human life and quite possibly the only life found on planet like Mars would be low intellect single celled beings. So then we cast out our Inner Solar System as a possible space for extraterrestrial life. The Outer Solar System In the Outer Solar System there is only one "Satellite" that has a atmosphere, the moon Titan of the Planet Jupiter, it mostly made up of gassy methane and is much denser than Mars atmosphere, it is the only planet in the Solar System with an Atmosphere, it was visualized that Titan had lakes and oceans with near freezing Methane, in other words it was a huge lake of lighter fluid. On Jupiter the biggest planet in our Solar System it mostly made out of boiling Hydrogen which means that there a little bit of water on Jupiter, but, taking the size of Jupiter, a little bit would be alot. The temperature on Jupiter is cold but the core of Jupiter is near the crust and the heat it gives off would be adequate to support life, IF the life was underwater life and during the frigid cold just dove deeper where it was nearer to the crust. So Jupiter is a possibility, a slim one, but a possibility. Nebular Hypothesis Having gone rather exhaustively through the Solar System, it would appear that although there may be life on several worlds other than Earth. In the book "Extraterrestrial Civilizations" by Isaac Isamov. An early astronomer by the name of Thomas Wright in 1750 who began counting the stars in the universe in sectors and/or quadrants. He noticed that as soon as he started to get nearer to the milky way the more stars per quadrant there were so we came up with a rough chart of the galaxy and derived a system to count the ammount of stars in the universe. So this gives us the first note... ? Ammount of Stars in the Galaxy = 300,000,000 In Outer Space, there a Nebular Clouds that form all the stars, planetary systems, etc. In these clusters the planets are formed and the due to the

Agrarian Reforms in the Countries of Latin America

Agrarian Reforms in the Countries of Latin America The twentieth century was the period of many significant agrarian reforms in the countries of Latin America. In spite of the fact these reforms were developed in order to address the interests of peasants and landless rural population, in most cases the definite results of these reforms were not associated with the social and economic aspects, but reflected the peculiarities of the political situation in the countries.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Agrarian Reforms in the Countries of Latin America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, to have the opportunity to make certain conclusions about the phenomenon of agrarian reforms in Latin America, it is necessary to concentrate on its peculiar features. This paper will focus on the examination of the positive and negative results of the agrarian reforms for the rural population in the countries of Latin America because each process or phenomenon always has two sid es of its representation. Positive Effects of Agrarian Reforms The period of agrarian reforms started in Latin America with the Mexican revolution which was developed at the beginning of the twentieth century and ceased with the progress of neoliberal policies in the territories. Providing agrarian reforms, governments were inclined to attract the rural masses and contribute to their political goals. That is why the question of the agrarian reforms’ positive effects for all the social classes is rather controversial. The poor peasantry was not discussed as the potential force for the progress in the field of the countries’ economy and agriculture. All the accents were made on the capitalist farmers. Their activity was connected with the income distribution. Thus, the opportunities to invest in agriculture and to develop the land market appeared (Gwynne Kay, 2004, p. 233). However, the situation changed with the period of neoliberal policies when the governments began to accentuate the importance of privatization land taxes. Thus, the advantages which were acquired by the poor peasantry as a result of the agrarian reforms were incomparable with the benefits which were provided for the developed capitalist farmers. Negative Effects of Agrarian Reforms In spite of definite positive shifts in the sphere of agriculture, the majority of the rural population is not satisfied with the agrarian reforms because the main promises are not completed (Gwynne Kay, 2004, p. 235). Poverty and landlessness remain the main issues for the rural population of the countries in Latin America. From the social point, the agrarian reforms had not positive effects on the changes in the situation of unemployment and poverty in the territories. From the economic point, many agrarian reforms in the countries of Latin America can be considered as the causes for the development of the further more influential and even dramatic reforms which were the part of the political cont ext.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Peasants remained to be the weakest class in the social system which were also negatively influenced by the implemented land titling projects (Gwynne Kay, 2004, p. 233). Thus, the agrarian reform in Cuba was closely connected with the revolution and developed in the political field. Moreover, many results of the reforms were rather unexpected for the governors and that is why are difficult to be overcome effectively. The agrarian reforms of the twentieth century in Latin America can be discussed from the point of their positive and negative effects on the rural population of the countries. The positive effects are connected with the development of the countries’ market, the change of the position according to the global market, and the role of the capitalist farmers. The negative effects are associated with the position of the pe asants and the situation of poverty of the rural population which are more influential from the social point. Reference Gwynne, R. N. Kay, C. (2004). Latin America transformed: Globalization and modernity. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Describe a domain name, and provide examples of domain names Essay

Describe a domain name, and provide examples of domain names - Essay Example The name is divided into two parts. The first part is a unique string selected by the owner of the name. The second part appears to the right of the last period (dot) and refers to the type of presence. For the second part, there are standard strings which define various types or groups, some of which are given below: .edu Educational institutions .gov Government .com Commercial organizations .org Non-profit organizations .net Network organizations The Internet is a web (and thus the name) of countless computer servers internetworked with each other through the IP communication protocol where each node has a unique IP address assigned to it. The domain names, described above, map to one or more IP addresses and help to create a friendlier, easy to remember layer on top of the IP numbers. The Domain Name Service accessible through every server helps to translate these names to IP addresses. In this way, it is easier to remember www.google.com rather than a string of numbers representi ng it. Some examples of domain names are: www.microsoft.com Microsoft www.apple.com Apple www.icann.org ICANN Finally, several countries have their own suffixes at the end of the domain name. For example, .au Australia .uk United Kingdom .mx Mexico References ICANN-Accredited Registrars. (2011, Jan 10). Retrieved from http://www.icann.org/en/registrars/accredited-list.html

Intangible assets Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intangible assets - Research Paper Example The increased globalization of international trade and investment has been accompanied by adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards IFRS by many countries. Other reasons for the adoption of IFRS are that international investors can access and understand more information with regards to capital markets and financial statements. In addition, adoption of IFRS decreases the cost of doing business across borders. There are differences on the reporting requirements between US GAAP and IFRS. Firstly, US GAAP differentiates specific financial instruments that are liabilities if they fall within the categorization of being both debt and equity. On the other hand, IFRS requires that such categorization should focus on whether there are contractual obligations involved in delivery of an organization’s own equity shares, cash or assets2. Another key difference relates to the presentation of financial statements. IFRS requires the preparation of a third balance sheet with related notes at the start of the comparative period where an entity restates the financial statements or adopts a new accounting policy. Meanwhile, there are no such requirements under the US GAAP. IFRS forbids presentation of extraordinary items in income statements whilst the US GAAP is confined to unusual and infrequent entries. Under stock costing methods, IFRS is strictly prohibited while under US GAAP LIFO is allowed, but a consistent cost formula must be used. The measurement of stock uses the lower cost of market value in US GAAP whilst IFRS values inventory at the net realizable value or the lower cost 3. The concept of intangible assets is found under US GAAP in (ASC 350) intangibles Goodwill and others (ASC 805) Business combinations and (IFRS 38) Intangible Assets or IFRS 3(R) Business Combinations. Similarly, both systems view intangible assets as identifiable non monetary assets without physical substance. Identifiable

Innovation and The Sustainable Organisation Individual written Essay

Innovation and The Sustainable Organisation Individual written assignment - Essay Example cance to these aspects, this paper intends to explain the green technologies strategized by Toyota along with a literature review on the stated area of research. This paper also deals with fruitful ranking of the industry compared to its rivals from the global market based on the sales of the company. Toyota is currently reputed as among the most competitive business, which provides variety of vehicles with new models linked but entirely differentiated on dimension of financial services. The company is much credited for its ability to meet the needs of the customers, which has also empowered its competitive advantages, brewing talented employees valuing their innovative ideas. In its recent endeavors, Toyota has implemented an advanced set of green technologies for improving the lifestyle of the customers by providing them better eco-friendly services. The products produced by Toyota are also preferred for their good quality and new design approach, without compromising the comfort needs of its customers. Overall, these features help in grabbing the attention of customers (Deeppa & et. al., 2012). A major feature providing differentiating advantages to Toyota products is its use of green environmental technologies that also display the responsible attitude of the company towards its stakeholders. The company is also attaining competitive advantages by providing vehicles or cars based on the lifestyle choices of the modern environment and the market structure. Green technologies are thus required for the economic development of the company as well as to attain competitive advantages through greater sustainability of the products (Deeppa & et. al., 2012). Green technologies applied by Toyota also involve durable and comfortable designs, innovations and greater viability of the products that has significantly contributed to the overall development of the company. In accordance with several subject areas, green technologies can be identified as environmental science,

Sociological Perspectives On Education Education Essay

Sociological Perspectives On Education Education Essay Education is the key to achieving sustainability. Sustainable education or Education for Sustainable Development encompasses three main areas: the environment, society and the economy (Pace, 2010). ESD is meant to inculcate ideals and values about key sustainable issues such as poverty reduction, environmental protection, human rights, health, gender equality, sustainable livelihoods and so on. The basic concept of ESD entails helping people to develop the right attitude and knowledge to facilitate decision-making and create a better future for themselves and others (UNESCO, 2011). For the last decade, there has been increasing pressure on educators to incorporate concepts and values of Sustainable Development in the curriculum. Consequently, it has become crucial for educators to be knowledgeable and fully committed to making SD an integral part of all curricular activities (Lozano-Garcia al., 2008). Formal educational systems, at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, have considerable social and economic roles vis-Ã  -vis the society. However, the issue of private tutoring has not been subject to much attention until recently. Private tutoring has been found to carry major social and economic implications. Recent years have brought about changes in the forms and impacts of tutoring. Moreover, private tutoring has been given ample consideration and is not merely viewed as an informal activity (Bray, 2009). Private tutoring helps the student to acquire knowledge and later use his know-how to contribute to economic development. On a social front, it allows for interactions between peers. It is also a means of generating incomes for tutors. More basically, private tutoring enables students to better grasp lessons which they did not understand previously. Nevertheless, private tutoring also has some negative implications. For instance, it emphasizes social and economic inequalities and can also limit childrens leisure time which can have undesirable effects on the latters social and psychological well-being, and thus affect the overall academic performance (Bray, 2009). Tutoring can be difficult to measure because it varies across cultures. Tuitions can be given individually, to a whole class or even via the internet. Moreover, some students may receive tutoring in all subjects, while others receive it in only specific ones. According to Silova, private tutoring has become a major enterprise since the 1990s (Bray, 2009). In this regard, private tutoring can become a tool to inculcating a sustainable lifestyle to present and future students. Sustainable Development entails changing peoples behavior to ensure that they adopt a sustainable path for the future. Sustainability is about securing resources and retaining future benefits. Education thus plays an important role in providing lifelong opportunities and in enhancing the quality of the learning process. Education can bring about changes in norms, values and interests which can significantly influence peoples behavior (Wong, 2003). Private tutoring can thus create an improved learning environment for both students and tutors. It can remove the traditional boundaries to create a sustainable way of doing things (Lipscombe et al., 2008). However, this would require genuine effort and commitment from the part of policy planners and educators, in creating a new paradigm which values the need to attain and maintain social, economic and ecological well-being (Sterling, 2008). 1.2 Problem Statement Private tutoring is in itself not a bad alternative. In fact, many students do actually benefit from it. However, out of the 40% of students who fail the CPE exams annually, the issue of private tutoring has yet again resurfaced (Le Mauricien, 2011). According to Kadress Pillay, former minister of education, Right now, private tuition is a jungle (Prayag, 2011). Others go to the lengths of saying that private tuition is a disease in the Mauritian culture. This statement probably stems from the fact that private tuition is a must, irrespective of the level of education. To start with, parents ensure that children have the best private tuition teacher at the beginning of the school year (Varma, 2005). This issue may or may not have been previously discussed with the child. While there are teachers who can manage to have a class of 40 in their garages for private tuitions, some teachers have a limit of 4 to 15 at a time. Some teachers are very committed to their profession and wont charge a cent, however nowadays private tutoring is mostly business (Chady, 2011). But more importantly, we should concern ourselves with students actually acquiring some sort of lifelong knowledge through these private tuition sessions instead of learning restricted to passing exams only. In addition, students have been found to be excellent throughout their academic career, but unable to cope with other spheres of real life, for instance work, socializing, etc. The concept Maurice Ile Durable was introduced in 2008 by Dr. Navin Ramgoolam as a means to ensure Sustainable Development of the country. This new concept will be the key driver to transforming the country into an intelligent nation state (Maurice Ile Durable, 2011). Education for sustainability can sensitize Mauritians mainly through schools. This would however require a review of the current education system in terms of the curriculum and opportunities for the development of the child. The successful integration of this concept would also largely depend on the collaboration of the government and educational institutions in promoting extra-curricular activities like music, sports and arts. Moreover, learning should be geared towards creating awareness of economic, social, political and ecological issues, rather than the focus being solely on academic subjects. 1.3 Aims and Objectives Aims The aim of this study is to evaluate whether private tutoring contributes to Education for Sustainable Development in Mauritius. Objectives The objectives of the study are listed below: To produce a comprehensive Literature Review To assess how private tutoring is carried out in Mauritius To determine the impacts of private tutoring on students To evaluate students views and expectations of private tutoring To determine whether private tutoring actually contributes to sustainable education To evaluate how private tutoring can be improved in this regard 1.4 Research questions: Does private tutoring actually benefit the student? What is being done to inculcate a sustainable lifestyle at school? What are students views on ESD? Are students prepared for a sustainable future? Does the current education system promote ESD? 1.5 Dissertation Flow Chapter 2: Literature Review Chapter 2 basically gives an overview of the practice of private tutoring across countries and its particular contribution to Education for Sustainable Development. Moreover, a thorough explanation will be provided on the concept of Sustainable Development and the importance attributed to education in achieving sustainability. Finally emphasis will be laid on the Mauritian context, more specifically on the introduction of the concept Maurice Ile Durable. Chapter 3: Research Methodology This chapter outlines the methods used to conduct the research and the variables that have been taken into account while designing the questionnaire. It also elaborates on the sampling method, data collection technique and the obstacles encountered while conducting the research. Chapter 4 : Data Analysis The data gathered from the survey has been analyzed and presented in a more practical form in this chapter. This will help to get a clear picture of whether private tutoring actually contributes to Education for Sustainable Development. Chapter 5: Results Discussion This chapter is an extensive discussion of the results obtained through the questionnaire survey in terms of the theory and observations made throughout the research. Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations This chapter summarizes the findings and results of the study. It also recommends some measures that can be undertaken to improve the current situation. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Sociological perspectives on Education In a more general sense, education is one aspect of the socialization process. It involves learning and acquiring a set of skills. Education also, directly or indirectly, helps to shape a persons belief and moral values (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). Education was hard to define in non-literate societies. However, the young would learn and imitate adult behavior by joining social groups. Such behaviors for instance, entailed boys accompanying their fathers to hunt and girls assisting their mothers for the cooking. Educational institutions slowly developed in pre-industrialized countries with the specialization of the role of the teacher. It was only after industrialization that formal education was provided to the large mass (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). Sociologists and educators have different views on the functions of education. Two main theories debate on these functions : The functionalist theory and the conflict theory. Functionalist perspectives According to Durkheim (1961), the main function of education is to transmit societal norms and values. He argues that the school serves a function that the family or peers cannot provide. The school is a medium where skills and knowledge can be contextually provided. Moreover, the child interacts with others while abiding by some fixed set of rules. This eventually prepares the latter for interactions in society based on societal rules (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). According to Talcott Parsons (1961), the school acts as a bridge between the family and society, thus preparing the child for his future role. The school treats the child in terms of universalistic standards, which are applied to all. It also prepares the child for the transition to adulthood and each pupil should achieve his own status. Status is achieved based on merit, whereby achievement is usually measured by performance in examinations. Parsons saw the educational system as a means to select individuals for their future roles. Thus schools enable pupils to match their talents and skills to the jobs for which they are best suited (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). Conflict perspectives From a conflict perspective, education serves the interests of the powerful at the expense of the less powerful. According to Bowles and Gintis (1976), education benefits the capitalists by providing them with a more productive workforce. They believe that education shapes the future workforce by creating more docile and passive workers. Moreover, school is used as a mechanism of control whereby teachers can monitor students by giving orders (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). More importantly, teachers impose their knowledge, thus students get little satisfaction from studying. This is not surprising that many children do not enjoy schooling, but instead seek satisfaction from external rewards, that is results at the end of their studies. Like in the world of work, according to Bowles and Gintis, the worker enjoys no fulfillment, but instead toils based on the capitalists desire for maximum profit (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). 2.2 The private tutoring phenomenon Private tutoring is defined as tutoring in academic subjects which is provided for financial gain and which supplements the provisions by mainstream schooling. In England, private tutoring refers to face-to-face tutoring usually in the home of the student (Ireson and Rushforth, 2004). In Egypt, private tutoring refers to the classes that take place in the afternoon during the week-ends, in line with the school syllabus geared towards helping the pupil improve his performance or results (Hartmann, 2008). Private tuitions had a major role to play in learning for many young people. In England, parents started to select tutors more precisely during the 18th century. In the past, private tutoring was basically a hidden market, therefore very little information was gathered on the matter (Tanner et al., 2009). However, during the last decade, private tutoring has reached a whole new dimension and has caught the attention of many analysts. It has evolved in a vast enterprise which involves thousands of people and carries huge economic implications (Bray, 2007). Private tuition is commonly referred to as shadow education. This metaphor, according to Mark Bray (2009) is very appropriate in the sense that private tuition exists because of the already existing mainstream education system. Secondly private tuition changes as the education system changes. Third, more importance is given to the mainstream globally than to the shadow. Finally, the features of the shadow are more or less invisible. The shadow is generally criticized for its dominance over the lives of pupils and their families. But we should note that the world has become a global village and is more knowledge-based. Countries compete for the best workforce, which is determined by high levels of education. Since completing secondary education and even becoming a university graduate provides no guarantee against unemployment, the best a family can do is provide good education to their children at all cost. According to a study in England by Ireson and Rushforth (2005), around one quarter of students received private tuitions firstly in mathematics, followed by English and thirdly science. Students had received tuitions in these prevalent subjects at some point in time during both primary and secondary levels. A student receiving private tuition is heavily dependent on the level of education and working status of the parents. For instance, parents who were university graduates were more likely to employ a tutor for their kid compared to those who received a school education. A much recent survey indicated that a child receiving private tuition was also dependent on the household income. In addition, despite wanting to pay for tuitions for their kids, some parents were unable to afford the high tuition fees (Tanner et al., 2009). In Vietnam, 76% of students are tutored privately. This can be explained by a shift from a centrally-planned economy to a market-driven economy since 1986. This saw the rapid expansion of the private tuition market. Both children and parents aspired for good qualifications to open new paths for higher education, thus better jobs. The curriculum reforms in Vietnam caused the demands on students to be much greater than they were in the past (Dang, 2011). The private tuition industry is difficult to measure because it is rather complex and varies across cultures. Private tuitions also take a variety of organizational forms. These include high profile agencies and low profile teachers who dont necessarily advertise their services. This could also explain why there is no specific requirement for teachers to practice (Tanner et al., 2009). 2.3 Different forms of private tutoring While school prevails as the main form of education, private tuition has reached a whole new dimension globally. However the practice of private tutoring is beyond government control. According to a study by Bray, private tutoring extends to almost every regions of the world, including Asia, America, Australia, and Europe, irrespective of their income levels (Bray, 2009). As mentioned earlier, private tuitions vary across countries and cultures. Bray (2009) identified some important variations of what he called shadow education. Those are: Government-driven tutoring v/s market-driven tutoring Online tutoring v/s face-to-face tutoring Obligatory v/s voluntary tutoring Tutoring provided by professionals v/s untrained students One-on-one v/s large lectures tutoring style On an economic front, private tutoring implies more expenses for parents and additional income for tutors. Socially, it may increase pressures on family members and exacerbate inequalities but on the other hand may bring relief and support to some families (Bray, 2009). In countries like Korea, private tutoring is driven by a competitive environment. However, too much reliance on this system might seem unhealthy. In countries like France, private tutoring is mostly government-driven. Moreover, the government uses a tax system to encourage families to invest in tuitions. These contrasting cases allows for a distinction between private tuition as deeply ingrained in society and on the other hand as a useful tool (Bray, 2009). Private tutoring can also happen via the net. More commonly referred to as online tutoring, this form of tutoring is created by a virtual environment whereby teachers and students communicate via a screen. Compared to face-to-face tutoring, online tutoring is more flexible, in the sense that tuition materials can be pre-recorded, tutors are requested on demand and there are no geographical constraints. Online tutoring however has proved to be more effective for students who were prepared beforehand (Hedrick, 2009). On the other hand, face-to-face tutoring can allow for a correlation between actual syllabus and tuition material. These forms of tutoring might be beneficial for certain groups of people, based on important dimensions like income, gender, ethnicity, etc. While in some countries private tutoring is more of an academic routine, in others it is only a helping hand. In countries like Vietnam for instance, parents and childrens aspiration for a better future, that is finding a place in the competitive job market, has led private tuition to become a must. It is also important to consider that the culture in Vietnam dictates that hard work and good education is the basis of a good life. This would explain the high rate of 76% actually receiving private tuition (Dang, 2011). By contrast, in countries like France as stated above, private tuition is more or less encouraged and is generally viewed as a useful and promising. Since private tutoring, cast as shadow education is difficult to measure, there is no proper control on the matter. In more simple terms, anyone can be a private tutor. There is therefore the risk of encountering unqualified tutors. Parents usually employ a tutor based on word-of-mouth, that is from friends or acquaintances who previously trusted a particular tutor and were satisfied with the overall performance of their children. Private tutoring classes may vary from 1 to 40. While some teachers are perfectly comfortable in squeezing 40 pupils in a class after school hours, others prefer one-on-one sessions whereby the child can receive individual attention. 2.4 The prevalence of private tutoring across the globe, and its implications Private tuition is a worldwide educational phenomenon. It has been practiced for several years now. In fact, it has become part of the educational system to such an extent that nobody really questions its existence. An extreme case in Korea, reported that parents actually spend 150 % the sum that the government invest in education (Bray, 1999). In many countries, having a diploma doesnt weigh much. Moreover, the rapid developments in the labour market fuelled the demand for private tuitions. In addition, many teachers have established these tuitions as a means to generate more income. This to and fro cycle clearly underlies an extreme reliance on private tuitions. Millions of children across the world leave their schools without a break and rush to private supplementary tutoring as the bell rings. Sometimes, the private tutors are the very school teachers the children just had a class with. Many children also receive private tuitions on week-ends and holidays (Bray, 1999). Despite knowing the social and economic implications of these tuitions, not very much is done to try to regulate or change this system. Private tuitions seem to have an upper hand on the lives of many and people do not want to leave their comfort zone, because it would imply too big of a change to handle. Below is a table which indicates the prevalence of private tuitions in selected countries. Country Scale of private tutoring Sources Brazil A study in Rio de Janeiro public schools found that over 50% of students received tutoring and saw it as a way to reduce the likelihood of having to repeat grades Paiva et al., 1997 Cambodia Respondents in 31% of 77 primary schools surveyed in 1997/98 indicated that pupils received tutoring. Bray, 1996a; 1999 Egypt In 1991/92, 54% of 9000 Grade 5 pupils (300 schools) and 74% of 9000 Grade 8 pupils were receiving private tutoring. A 1994 survey of 4729 households found that 65% of urban primary children and 53% of rural ones had received tutoring. Fergany, 1994; Hua, 1996 Guinea A 1995/96 survey of Grade 6 pupils in two urban and four rural schools found 19% receiving private tutoring. Tembon et al, 1997 Hong Kong A 1996 survey of 507 students found 45% of primary, 26% of secondary, 34% of middle secondary, and 41% of upper secondary students receiving tutoring. Lee, 1996; Liu, 1998 Japan A 1993 survey found 24% of elementary pupils and 60 % of secondary pupils attending tuitions. Another 4% receiving tuitions at home. Nearly 70% of all students had received tutoring by the time they had completed middle school. Japan, 1995; Russell, 1997 Korea A 1997 survey indicated that in Seoul, 82% of elementary, 66% of middle and 59% of academic high school students received tutoring. In rural areas, proportions were 54%, 46% and 12%. Paik, 1998; see also Yoon et al., 1997 Malaysia In 1990, 8420 students were surveyed in secondary Forms 3, 5 and 6. Respective proportions receiving tutoring were 59%, 53% and 31%. About 83% of students had received some form of tutoring by the time they reached upper secondary level. Marimuthu et al., 1991 Malta A 1987/88 survey of 2129 pupils found that 52% of primary and 83% of secondary students had received tutoring at some time during their careers. In that year, 42% of Grade 6 and 77% OF Grade 11 pupils were receiving tutoring. Busuttil, 1988 Mauritius A 1991 survey showed 56% of students receiving tutoring in secondary Form 2. Proportions rose to 98% in Forms 3 and 4 and 100% in Form 5 and 6. A 1995 survey of 2919 Grade 6 pupils reported that 78% received extra tuitions. Foondun, 1998; Kulpoo, 1998 Morocco A 1993 survey of 1953 mainstream secondary science teachers indicated that 53% provided after-school tutoring. The lowest proportion (27%) was in the first year of secondary education, but the figure rose to 78% in the most senior grade. Caillods et al., 1998 Myanmar A 1991 survey of 118 Grade 9 and 10 students in Yangon Division found 91% receiving tutoring. Among 131 students in Grades 5-8, 66% received tutoring. Gibson, 1992 Singapore A 1992 survey of 1052 households plus interviews with 1261 students found 49% of primary pupils and 30% of secondary pupils receiving tutoring. Findings matched an earlier study of tutoring in languages among 572 primary and 581 secondary students. Kwan-Terry, 1991; George, 1992; Wong; Wong, 1998 Sri Lanka In 1990, 1873 students were surveyed in Years 6, 11 and 13. Proportions receiving tutoring in Years 6 and 11 were 80% and 75%. In Year 13 the proportions were 62% for arts students, 67% for commerce students and 92% for science students. De Silva et al., 1991; De Silva, 1994a Taiwan Government statistics indicate that in 1996, Taiwan had 4266 tutoring centres with 1,505,491 students. Other centres are unregistered and are illegal. A 1998 survey found 81% of 397 senior secondary students receiving private tutoring. Taiwan, 1997; Tseng, 1998 Tanzania A 1995/96 survey of Grade 6 pupils in three urban and four rural schools in mainland Tanzania found 26% receiving tutoring. In a Dar es Salaam school, 70% of Grade 6 pupils received tutoring in 1998. A 1995 survey of 2286 Grade 6 Zanzibar pupils found 44% receiving extra tuitions, though not all pupils paid for the classes. Peasgood et al., 1997; Nassor; Mohammed, 1998 Zimbabwe A 1995 survey of 2697 Grade 6 pupils in all nine regions reported that 61% received extra lessons. The regional range of proportions was from 36% to 74%. Machingaidze et al., 1998 Source: International Institute for Educational Planning, http://www.unesco,org/iiep Along with the expansion of the private tuition industry, came huge economic implications. For instance in Japan in the mid-90s, tutoring revenues accounted to $ 14,000, in Singapore households reported spending $ 200 million on private tutoring in 1992, in Egypt private tutoring cost accounted for 20% of total household expenditures and in the Republic of Korea $ 25, 000 million have been spent on private tuitions in 1996 (Bray, 1999). In addition to fees, parents had to add books, stationery and travel to the list. Private tutoring also bears an opportunity cost, mainly from the time children had to provide in lessons, preparations and travelling. According to a study by Marimuthu et al. in 1991, 70% of students receiving tutoring had to spend 3 hours per week to and from tutors, and 17% spent more than 6 hours (Bray, 199). Since tutoring is mainly a shadow activity, the government cannot exert any control on the amount of revenue received by tutors. The intensity of private tutoring also varies. Children in high-income countries would be expected to receive more tuitions than those in lower-income countries. In general, the subjects given more attention in private tuitions are those which are the most needed for educational and socio-economic advancement. For instance, demand for english tuitions was low in countries where English is spoken at home (Bray, 1999). The higher demand for tuitions in urban regions is normally due to competitive nature of urban life. Also, parents in urban society have higher educational backgrounds than those in rural societies and are thus better off and can afford tuition fees. Private tutoring, in different forms, is practiced in almost every country. This certainly gives an overview of the importance attributed to tuitions. While the impacts of private tuitions are debatable, we should perhaps reflect on the lasting consequences of such practices on our young brains and future society. 2.5 The good side to private tuitions Private tuitions may be considered as a good thing in that it provides an income to many teachers, who are very often underpaid and also to university students who teach on a part-time basis to cover their fees. For instance, in Sri Lanka, a good private tutor earned up to 130 USD per month in 2007, which is equivalent to one months pay for only 4 days of work (Borodchuk, 2011). Parents invest huge amounts in private tuitions yearly, because its the only option they have in securing their childrens future in terms of the best possible preparation to eventually gain access to prestigious schools or universities, and get the best jobs (Bray, 1999). Through these private tuition sessions, children get the opportunity to better grasp lessons which they previously didnt understand at school due to various reasons. Each pupil has his/her own learning speed, and very often classes are filled with up to 40 students which can render things difficult for the latter in receiving personal attention. Thus private tuition is an outlet for a more interactive class. More positively, it is a mechanism through which current students can extend their knowledge and gain human capital, which eventually benefits the society as well as themselves. This can allow for opportunities to work abroad; i.e. to travel, meet people from different culture, gain experience which is in itself a challenge to ones potential. Private tutoring may also reduce the workload of teachers in a way, since the major teachings are effectuated at school (Bray, 1999). Therefore, the job of private tutors is to supplement the school syllabus. The situation can also be reversed, in the sense that mainstream teachers have less to do, since students rely more on private tuitions, thus pay less attention to school lessons. Mainstream teachers usually benefit from this situation and work for namesake and still receive a salary at the end of the month. According to Ireson and Rushforth (2004), the main reason for students to take tuitions was to pass the examinations. Private tuitions were also very important in case the child missed school. According to their study of the British education system, Ireson and Rushforth also found out that most secondary students took private tuitions to improve their GCSE grades, especially in Mathematics. Tuitions were in this case were helpful in making a successful transmission to higher levels of education. Private tuitions can also be considered as a constructive way of engaging students after school hours. Some parents even report sending their children to tuition because they are not around when the child gets back from school (Borodchuk, 2011). 2.6 The other side of the coin Private tuitions have potential negative implications. In many countries, parents and educators are seriously concerned about the extent to which private tutoring is dominating the lives of pupils and their families (Bray, 2007). Private tuitions do not only affect the social and economic structure of a country but can have considerable impact on the psychological well-being of the child. This can affect the latters academic performance and can impede his/her healthy development. Over-reliance on private tuitions has also affected overall mainstream education. Private tutoring thus affects: the mainstream system Private tutoring also affects the dynamics of teaching and learning in the mainstream curriculum. For instance, mainstream teachers are not required to work hard because every pupil receives tuitions. Moreover, this enlarges the gap in the classroom between quick (generally those taking tuitions) and slow learners. In cases where the mainstream teacher is the private tutor as well, those not receiving tuitions may find themselves lagging behind. This pressurizes parents to invest in tutoring regardless of their financial status or their beliefs (Bray, 2003). According to Yasmeens culture of dependency, most students tend to rely explicitly on private tutors. This includes dependence on homework and even exam tips. Hussein points out that tutoring has caused students to lose interest in mainstream classes. Students have even reached the point of thinking that private tutors are better, since they are paid. So they attend school only when stipulated by school regulations. Hussein also report that the rate of absentees has risen, more particularly two months before the end of the semester, during which the child stays at home in the morning and att

Level of Stress Among Call Centre Employees Essay

Level of Stress among Call Centre Employees Submission date: 8th January, 2008 Submitted By: Ayesha Khalid Ayesha Sarfaraz Nazool-e-Tabassum Saira Khan Mussaffa Butt Submitted to Dr. Farah Malik Associate Professor Department of Psychology Government College University Lahore Introduction Stress is used as a general label for a vast complex, interdisciplinary area of interest and study, much of which is health related. Most often stress is related to personal discomfort associated with an over demanding or distressinglifestyle situation (Adams & Bromley, 1998) stress is a part of everyday life, we experience stress each day, although it is acknowledged that the degree of stress varies considerably depending on the complexity of the situation and availability of support. For some, the stress is manageable and work or home life is not affected. For others, however, the stress reaches a critical point where there may be a need for medical or psychiatric assistance (Weiten, 2001). The causes of stress can include any event or occurrence that a person considers a threat to his or her coping strategies or resources. Researchers generally agree that a certain degree of stress is a normal part of a living organism’s response to the inevitable changes in its physical or social environment, and that positive, as well as negative, events can generate stress as well as negative occurrences (Frey, 2002). There can be innumerable stress factors since different individuals react differently to the samestress conditions. Extreme stress situations for an individual may prove to be mild for another,for yet another person the situations might not qualify as stressing at all. (http://www. lifepositive. com/stress. html). The fact that women report and exhibit higher level of psychological distress than men has been explained in three major ways. The methodological artifact explanation suggests that women are socialized to be more expressive and therefore will admit more emotional symptoms than men in response to the standard psychological stress (Frey, 2002). The stress exposure argument suggests that women face more stressor in general or more severe, persistent stressors than men. Whereas the vulnerability argument suggest that women lack coping resources such as high self esteem, a sense of mastery or appropriate coping strategies for handling the stressors to which they are exposed. Newman (1984 c. f. Eckenrode, 1991) suggested that women over report minor symptoms that inflate over all distress scores (Eller, 2000). Stress in humans in general results from interactions between persons and their environment that are perceived as straining or exceeding their adaptive capacities and threatening their well-being. The element of perception indicates that human stress responses reflect differences in personality, as well as differences in physical strength or general health (Frey, 2002). Stress is often termed asa twentieth century syndrome, born out of man’s race towards modern progress and its ensuingcomplexities. For that matter, causes such as a simple flight delay to managing a teenage child athome can put you under stress. Listing the causes of stress is tricky yet replete with practical diversity (http://www. lifepositive. com/stress. html). General cause of stress include primarily, Threat; a perceived threat will lead a person to feel stressed. This can include physical threats, social threats, financial threat, and so on. Fear; Fear leads to imagined outcomes, which are the real source of stress. Uncertainty; When people are not certain, they are unable to predict, and hence feel they are not in control, and hence may feel fear or feel threatened by that which is causing the uncertainty (http://www. workstress. net/causes. htm). Apart from certain general causes another reason is cognitive dissonance; it is when there is a gap between what people do and what they think, then the outcome experience is cognitive dissonance, which is felt as stress.

Don’t Call Me Ishmael Essay

Throughout Michael Gerard Bauer’s Don’t call me Ishmael, the author frequently displays the contrasts between the two characters Ishmael Leseur and James Scobie. The two characters help each other find themselves throughout the book. They teach many valuable lessons and prove to us that being yourself rules over all. Firstly, both Scobie and Leseur have lessons they can teach to all. However, I have extracted my most meaningful quotes and sayings from the book. Sayings that teach the most valuable lessons and show deeper meaning in the characters. For instance, on page 20-21, Ishmael states â€Å"Essentially, the most important thing I learnt last year was to make myself as small target as possible.† I believe this has a strong message behind it, I interpret it as saying if you don’t do anything noticeable, then life will be easy. This however is not true. Rather than hiding from everything and trying your hardest to be invisible, we should learn to embrace life and the challenges that come with it. This is an extremely important life lesson that many people ignore. Another quote from earlier on in the book (page 69) Ishmael states â€Å"when Barry Bagsley threatened you, you backed down. That’s just the way it was† I interpreted the message in this to be that although it may seem impossible and scary, it’s sometimes better to stand up for yourself. Don’t call me Ishmael Essay: Throughout Michael Gerard Bauer’s Don’t call me Ishmael, the author frequently displays the contrasts between the two characters Ishmael Leseur and James Scobie. The two characters help each other find themselves throughout the book. They teach many valuable lessons and prove to us that being yourself rules over all. Firstly, both Scobie and Leseur have lessons they can teach to all. However, I have extracted my most meaningful quotes and sayings from the book. Sayings that teach the most valuable lessons and show deeper meaning in the characters. For instance, on page 20-21, Ishmael states â€Å"Essentially, the most important thing I learnt last year was to make myself as small target as possible.† I believe this has a strong message behind it, I interpret it as saying if you don’t do anything noticeable, then life will be easy. This however is not true. Rather than hiding from everything and trying your hardest to be invisible, we should learn to embrace life and the challenges that come with it. This is an extremely  important life lesson that many people ignore. Another quote from earlier on in the book (page 69) Ishmael states â€Å"when Barry Bagsley threatened you, you backed down. That’s just the way it was† I interpreted the message in this to be that although it may seem impossible and scary, it’s sometimes better to stand up for yourself. Don’t call me Ishmael Essay: Throughout Michael Gerard Bauer’s Don’t call me Ishmael, the author frequently displays the contrasts between the two characters Ishmael Leseur and James Scobie. The two characters help each other find themselves throughout the book. They teach many valuable lessons and prove to us that being yourself rules over all. Firstly, both Scobie and Leseur have lessons they can teach to all. However, I have extracted my most meaningful quotes and sayings from the book. Sayings that teach the most valuable lessons and show deeper meaning in the characters. For instance, on page 20-21, Ishmael states â€Å"Essentially, the most important thing I learnt last year was to make myself as small target as possible.† I believe this has a strong message behind it, I interpret it as saying if you don’t do anything noticeable, then life will be easy. This however is not true. Rather than hiding from everything and trying your hardest to be invisible, we should learn to embrace life and the challenges that come with it. This is an extremely important life lesson that many people ignore. Another quote from earlier on in the book (page 69) Ishmael states â€Å"when Barry Bagsley threatened you, you backed down. That’s just the way it was† I interpreted the message in this to be that although it may seem impossible and scary, it’s sometimes better to stand up for yourself. Don’t call me Ishmael Essay: Throughout Michael Gerard Bauer’s Don’t call me Ishmael, the author frequently displays the contrasts between the two characters Ishmael Leseur and James Scobie. The two characters help each other find themselves throughout the book. They teach many valuable lessons and prove to us that being yourself rules over all. Firstly, both Scobie and Leseur have lessons they can teach to all. However, I have extracted my most meaningful quotes and sayings from the book. Sayings that teach the most valuable lessons and show deeper meaning in the characters. For instance, on page 20-21, Ishmael states â€Å"Essentially, the most important thing I learnt last year was to make  myself as small target as possible.† I believe this has a strong message behind it, I interpret it as saying if you don’t do anything noticeable, then life will be easy. This however is not true. Rather than hiding from everything and trying your hardest to be invisible, we should learn to embrace life and the challenges that come with it. This is an extremely important life lesson that many people ignore. Another quote from earlier on in the book (page 69) Ishmael states â€Å"when Barry Bagsley threatened you, you backed down. That’s just the way it was† I interpreted the message in this to be that although it may seem impossible and scary, it’s sometimes better to stand up for yourself. Don’t call me Ishmael Essay: Throughout Michael Gerard Bauer’s Don’t call me Ishmael, the author frequently displays the contrasts between the two characters Ishmael Leseur and James Scobie. The two characters help each other find themselves throughout the book. They teach many valuable lessons and prove to us that being yourself rules over all. Firstly, both Scobie and Leseur have lessons they can teach to all. However, I have extracted my most meaningful quotes and sayings from the book. Sayings that teach the most valuable lessons and show deeper meaning in the characters. For instance, on page 20-21, Ishmael states â€Å"Essentially, the most important thing I learnt last year was to make myself as small target as possible.† I believe this has a strong message behind it, I interpret it as saying if you don’t do anything noticeable, then life will be easy. This however is not true. Rather than hiding from everything and trying your hardest to be invisible, we should learn to embrace life and the challenges that come with it. This is an extremely important life lesson that many people ignore. Another quote from earlier on in the book (page 69) Ishmael states â€Å"when Barry Bagsley threatened you, you backed down. That’s just the way it was† I interpreted the message in this to be that although it may seem impossible and scary, it’s sometimes better to stand up for yourself. Don’t call me Ishmael Essay: Throughout Michael Gerard Bauer’s Don’t call me Ishmael, the author frequently displays the contrasts between the two characters Ishmael Leseur and James Scobie. The two characters help each other find themselves throughout the book. They teach many valuable lessons and prove to us that  being yourself rules over all. Firstly, both Scobie and Leseur have lessons they can teach to all. However, I have extracted my most meaningful quotes and sayings from the book. Sayings that teach the most valuable lessons and show deeper meaning in the characters. For instance, on page 20-21, Ishmael states â€Å"Essentially, the most important thing I learnt last year was to make myself as small target as possible.† I believe this has a strong message behind it, I interpret it as saying if you don’t do anything noticeable, then life will be easy. This however is not true. Rather than hiding from everything and trying your hardest to be invisible, we should learn to embrace life and the challenges that come with it. This is an extremely important life lesson that many people ignore. Another quote from earlier on in the book (page 69) Ishmael states â€Å"when Barry Bagsley threatened you, you backed down. That’s just the way it was† I interpreted the message in this to be that although it may seem impossible and scary, it’s sometimes better to stand up for yourself. vDon’t call me Ishmael Essay: Throughout Michael Gerard Bauer’s Don’t call me Ishmael, the author frequently displays the contrasts between the two characters Ishmael Leseur and James Scobie. The two characters help each other find themselves throughout the book. They teach many valuable lessons and prove to us that being yourself rules over all. Firstly, both Scobie and Leseur have lessons they can teach to all. However, I have extracted my most meaningful quotes and sayings from the book. Sayings that teach the most valuable lessons and show deeper meaning in the characters. For instance, on page 20-21, Ishmael states â€Å"Essentially, the most important thing I learnt last year was to make myself as small target as possible.† I believe this has a strong message behind it, I interpret it as saying if you don’t do anything noticeable, then life will be easy. This however is not true. Rather than hiding from everything and trying your hardest to be invisible, we should learn to embrace life and the challenges that come with it. This is an extremely important life lesson that many people ignore. Another quote from earlier on in the book (page 69) Ishmael states â€Å"when Barry Bagsley threatened you, you backed down. That’s just the way it was† I interpreted the message in this to be that although it may seem impossible and scary, it’s sometimes better to stand up for yourself.

Bullying Case Study Analysis through the Major Psychology Studies

Bullying Case Study Analysis through the Major Psychology Studies Bullying Case Study Analysis through the Major Psychology Studies Once upon a time, there was a girl named Sarah who went to school with children, studied in the university with other students or worked in an office with white collars. In fact, that doesn’t matter who, how old, and where she was. The thing is that she was kinda different, no matter how, maybe she was a bit taciturn, or liked a special type of food, or followed a separate religion, and because of that, Sarah often got picked on. Just because she was not like everyone else. Loads of people have been in Sarah’s shoes and got bullied because of the race, religion, social, gender or national differences, and, the chances are that they consider bullies the real villains. In some measure, that is the truth because every person has a choice. However, we would like you to have a look at the issue from a different perspective – the share of social impact on the bullying phenomenon. Stanford Prison Experiment Let’s consider any bullying case study in terms of the most popular psychological studies, and Stanford Prison Experiment is one of them. Regular students were placed in jail and were given roles: prisoners and guards. After some time, they got into the characters so much that guards assaulted prisoners psychologically and physically without any hints from the research team, and â€Å"convicts† accepted the abuse like normal behavior. After 6 days, the experiment was stopped. The result of the experiment stated that the reasons for such course of actions were not certain personalities of the participants or predisposition for violence, but the situation and environment were put in. Sounds familiar? The Third Wave Studying fascism in one of California high schools, students couldn’t understand how German people could have accepted the Nazi regime. In fact, they claimed that they would never join the movement willingly. To prove them wrong, the history teacher promoted some concepts mimicking certain peculiar features of the Nazi regime. After 5 days, the movement following these concepts got out of control, and the teacher gathered a meeting explaining what happened. Bullying appears as a result of stereotypes and standards set too high. The society itself produces bullies who pick on people refusing to follow the â€Å"correct† and approved by the majority rules. Asch Conformity Experiments Solomon Asch studied the phenomenon of people following the crowd. His most famous experiments consisted of placing real participants with fake ones. The real subjects of the studies had to give correct answers to different questions, but only after the fake ones had responded first (opting for a wrong variant). During the first sessions, participants answered correctly, but after some rounds, they followed the crowd and chose wrong variants. As you can see, these experiments prove the social nature of bullying. We don’t protect bullies by any means. We’re just saying that before blaming them for all the evil in the world, you should address bigger issues and raise people’s awareness about something like fakely set social standards if you really want to change the situation. Be smarter than those who follow the crowd. At service, we can provide you with case study analysis help from reliable writers.

How ICT Tools Can Enhance Human Resources Management Essays

How ICT Tools Can Enhance Human Resources Management Essays How ICT Tools Can Enhance Human Resources Management Essay How ICT Tools Can Enhance Human Resources Management Essay The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that Human Resource Management can be enhanced through Information Communication Technology. Research has shown that when companies adopt CT, it provided many positive benefits to the organization, such as improvement in communication, sharing of information, linking different arms of an organization and reduces the burden place on the Human Resources Department Businesses today are face with significant challenges, and as society develop, technology will develop. We live in an information age, no longer personnel data are store manually, but are inventories in software system and cloud technology. Therefore, technology provides the opportunity for enormous potential for business to grow and manage human resources effectively and efficiency thought Information Communication Technology (Sits). Sits have enhanced the way how business are run and thus have provided significant returns, through managing of human resources in organization. However develop countries have manage to integrate Sits in all area of business, while develop countries are still lagging behind. In Guyana, which is a developing country, the Ministry of Natural Resources Environment, has not attain that level of integration. Though, every employee has a desktop computer to send correspondences to peer and management, the Ministry is yet to catch up with the Information Communication Technology (Sits) tools that is used in develop country to enhance it human resource. The paper offers an opinion to the following questions: How can a human resources information system (HAIR) support HER managers in the Ministry of Natural Resources the Environment and the agencies under it purview. Information communication technology (SITS) Information and Communication technology generally refers to permanent the networks, which link them, (Magnusson and Martini 2008). Literature has traditionally suggested different perspectives or aspects of Sits that must be considered in their study (Brady et al. , 2002). From an economic and management view- point, Sits have been regarded as: (1) a social construction; (2) an information provider; (3) an infrastructure hardware and software; and (4) a business process and system Today, Sits must be conceived broadly to encompass the information that businesses create and use, as well as the wide spectrum of increasingly convergent and linked technologies that process that information. Therefore, Sits an be viewed as a collective term for a wide range of software, hardware, al. , 2002). Information Communication and Technology has changed the way how business conduct, no longer do companies have to allocate a lot of resources being human resources, accounting and payroll, cause all are working in harmony and integrated. It has resulted has an effective tool that can be incorporated in organizations in ensuring rationalization and transformation of human resource development. In this case, CIT in human resource department ensures that the resources of the organizations are readily accessible by the managers and employees f the organization. Government entities are an important and strategic environment, which are usually plagued with traditional management style, rigid Human Resource policies and bureaucratic organizational models, which are usually hesitant to fully integrate CIT in its day-to-day affairs. Therefore it is imperative to understand how the Human Resource systems can be enhanced through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (Sits). 1. HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT According to Armstrong (2009), Human resources management was recently defined s a strategic, integrated and coherent approach to the employment, development and well-being of the people working in organizations T covers activities such as strategic human resources management, human capital management, corporate social responsibility, organization development, human resource planning, recruitment and selection, performance management. Modern businesses have incorporated Information and communication technologies (ACT) in their operations, an incentive which is performed to see the business improve on such aspects including performance, efficiency, effectiveness and customer satisfaction. Nevertheless, CIT is not only incorporated in business organizations but also in public organizations as well as non-governmental organizations. The Ministry of Natural Resources Environment for instance comprises of several agencies, which need to be connected in order for efficiency to take place, lack of integrated information technology system will result in the HER department being burden with software solution, which enables HER activities to be processed electronically. Initially, an organization needs to determine the cost benefit analysis of the CIT project before implementing such software. Cost Benefit Analysis (CAB) entails a systematic approach that organizations incorporate to calculate and compare the benefits as well as the costs of a certain project. Cost benefit analysis is generally carried out for two major reasons, which include ensuring that the project to be implemented is feasible and the other reason is for comparing projects. Implementation of CIT in organizations has not only covered a particular department but it has been accomplished in all departments including the human resource, accounting and sales departments. This aims in helping the departments to accomplish the operations involved in these departments in a more effective and efficient manner since CIT incorporates automation, which proves cost and time effective as compared to manual systems. Human Resource Management (HARM) entails a department that has been under focus in terms of improving the operations or activities involved in the department through incorporating CT. Therefore, the paper addresses on how CIT has been incorporated in human resource department to improve efficiency and effectiveness especially in the MONROE, which is a new government ministry. 2. Departments of the MERE (Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment) The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONROE) was established on the 17th of December, 2011. This represented a significant change in Iguanas natural resource management sector. Many of the challenges facing natural resources and environmental management today stem from weak linkages between key sector agencies and a somewhat fragmented governance approach. It was therefore necessary that the Government, for a Ministrys, who primary focus would be harmonize policy and management in the Forestry, Mining and other natural sources-based sectors. . 0 Organizational Structure The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment currently has a Staff complement of 28 and has several agencies that fall under the purview of the Ministry of Natural Resources Environment are listed below: 1. Guyana Forest Commission 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Environmental Protection Age ncy Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission Environmental Protected Agency Guyana Wildlife Division National Parks Commission Protected Areas Commission 2. CIT Facilitates effective decision making and solving problems CIT in workplace imbibes various technologies including microelectronics, computer systems, and telecommunications, thus affecting not only the information gathering or transfer but also affecting the decision making process in the organization (Scott Davis, 2007). Information Communication Technology in businesses supports problem and opportunity identification in a more swift and accurate manner thus enhancing or organization. 2. CIT incorporates automation CIT in the 21st century has changed the operations in businesses and offices including the introduction of paperless offices, time attendance, databanks, and automating work practices. Balboa Truman (2003) in addition support the fact that CIT has also introduced tell-working, transaction processing, reporting and tracking applications and in human resource departments, CIT has also introduced modernized operations such as e-recruitment, staffing through the internet as well as employee development through interconnected networks and internet. An organization makes a decision on incorporating information technology in its operations following the need for change, or following other successful organizations that have followed the same trend in the market. Initially, incorporating information communication technology in human resource was initiated by the developed countries but nowadays; this remains a goal for every business in the entire world regardless of whether the country is developed or developing (Peasant et al. 2005). The MONROE for instance is a new ministry, which is aiming in establishing and maintaining effectiveness and efficiency in its operations as well as ensuring that they serve their clients to the best satisfaction level. Therefore, it is obvious that the organization needs to consider incorporating CT, which will play the role of interconnecting the individuals in the organization as well as facilitating speed of operations through automation. E-HARM is even common in organizations nowadays whereby human resource personnel are connected through a network where they share activities involving human resource (Collins Smith, 2006). 2. 3 CIT improves efficiency and effectiveness If the MONROE is to consider integrating CIT in the human resource department, this will help in increasing efficiency since activities involving management can now be carried out online. In this case, employees are able to hand over their work online thou physically submitting which would result in increased productivity of both employees and management. In terms of efficiency, CIT incorporates a combination of computerizing and micro-electrics thus introducing automation, which is more efficient as compared to the manual methods. CIT has revolutionized all the professionals worldwide and that the human resource sector has not been left behind and now managers can now carry on with their duties through the network (Papa and Meme 2012). One of the underlying principles of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment is free sharing of information and collaboration between itself and the Agencies, which is displayed in Figure 2. In the human resource department for instance, the application of information communication technology can changed the manner in which people interact, the organization culture, how operations in the department are executed as well as management in the human resource. Incorporating CIT in human resource can lead to increased competitiveness in the department whereby the HER professionals do not have to meet face-to -face to discuss relevant issues but can communicate from any location due to interlinked immunization networks facilitated by incorporating CIT in the organization (Doran, Communication being an important aspect in any organization, with the integration of CIT in human resource department, communication can be taken to another level whereby the social media, which is supported by CT, can now become a central concentration and a major tool in facilitating consistent communication amongst the agencies stakeholders not forgetting that it can also be used as a marketing tool (Wall, 2010). Delays which were experienced in communication can now can cleared hen CIT has been incorporated in the organization since employees in the different agencies can now communicate via video calls through the internet facilitated by such applications as Kee p, Faceable calls and Gamma hangouts. Propose diagram in Figure 1: indicate how Coordination among Agencies and the Ministry is possible with adoption of CIT in the Ministry. Fig 2. This label should be below the figure, the arrows showing the connection with the ministry is missing CIT can incorporate communication networks, which link various sectors of the human resource department. Nowadays, all the apartments in the human resource are now interconnected by CIT and communications as well as monitoring of organization activities are some of the aspects, which have been well addressed whereby managers and employees can now execute their roles without physically moving from their location. For instance, the employee recruitment and training department can communicate effectively with the employee remuneration department. As earlier addressed, certain activities such as employee recruitment and interviews, which were conducted manually, are now being conducted through the Internet as facilitated by CT. E-recruitment is modern and being practiced by the organizations, which has fully incorporated CIT in their functions (Crooning et al. , 2006). The human resource can now share information effectively following the role that CIT has played in clearing the delays, which were experienced in transferring information. For instance, considering a situation whereby an organization has a human resource department which comprises of different sections or units, therefore CIT can be applied in this case to ensure that all the units are liked to one another using networking and that each is able to informally and equally share the resources available in the organization. Recruitment and Selection (R) are major activities of the human resource that need Therefore, the sectors of the human resource need to share information and data in order to work closely. Collins Smith, 2006) explains that human resource is a department that influences mechanisms, which include development as well as exploitation of intellectual capital. 3. How CIT can help in employee empowerment in MERE Employee empowerment refers to the various ways that an organ ization uses in order to encourage the employee to become more involved in the decision making recess. The employee empowerment helps in ensuring that the employees are provided with the opportunity to show that their ideas can be converted to into practice and actions. The presence of self-directed team in the ministry is a clear indication that the ministry is committed toward facilitating the employee empowerment. Sharing of the information in the ministry has also helped to ensure that the entire workforce in the ministry is committed toward ensuring that they implement its goals and objectives. With the application of CIT the ministry play a critical role in promoting the employee empowerment. First, application of the CIT elapse in improving the employee trust toward the leadership in the ministry. In this case the presence of a clear and open communication platform provided by the CIT helps to ensure that the employee builds trust. Most importantly use of CIT in an organization help to ensure that the feel valued by the management and hence become empowered to continue working for the government. Use of CIT in the ministry can helped to facilitate building of the relationship between the management and other staff members. This is mainly because it helps to provide an avenue for open communication hence making it safe for the employee o express ideas regarding certain issues. This therefore implies that it can help to ensure that the employee feel empowered to come up with different innovate ideas. In relation to this application of CIT helps to prevent employee from feeling isolated and hence ensuring that the entire members of the staff work as team toward ensuring that they achieve the set objectives. In addition the application of the CIT in an organization helps in promoting collaboration, which helps to make the overall teamwork more productive since it help to support the streamlining of the entire process. According Salary (2007) information sharing is one of the essential parts of high performing organizations. This is because the process of communications is one of the means that help the employee of organization share knowledge in an organization. In addition the use of CIT in an organization promotes motivation by ensuring that the employee are informed about their task and the manner in which it needs to be done in order to improve the performance of an organization. Application of CIT can also help to alter the attitude of the employee and promote positive attitude in the workplace. This can in turn help to ensure that the employees re informed on the various policies that the ministry needs to implement. Information communication technology has also been known to play a role in support knowledge management in organization. With the use of CIT the ministry of natural resource and environment has also been able to organism the performance workshop review that have helped to equip important to note that the use of CIT in the ministry has also helped to empower the various stakeholders in the ministry. For instance the use of CIT in the ministry has helped to ensure that the ministry is able to provide the Nation Task Force with information regarding the human trafficking. 4. Recommendation to the MERE MERE in this case is a newly developed ministry that encompasses different departments. It functions are similar as those facilitated by the human resource. The ministry therefore requires incorporating information communication technology in order to ensure that all the departments, which concern the ministry, are connected and work coordinative. The management of MERE need to understand that operations would be more effective once CIT has been incorporated in the organization to facilitate improved communication as well as ensure that apartments of the ministry can access data and information without delays. Through incorporating CIT in the ministry, the organization will not only have facilitated and enhanced innovation but will have also ensured that the quality of employee working life is also enhanced (Coors et al. , 2003). As None et al. (2006) argues, the organization culture is also perceived by such aspects which include the workplace setting, motivation, performance, individual satisfaction as well as personal development whereby CIT has guaranteed to ensure that some of these aspects are fully achieved in the organization. CI T in the MERE will ensure an organization model, which facilitates openness and innovation achieved through vital elements, which include collaboration, communication as well as empowerment (Coors et al. , 2008). Administrative and management roles are well fulfilled through incorporating CIT in the human resource department. Technology in business is considered as the aspect or agent of initiating change towards improving the performance of the business or organization. In this case, if MERE incorporates CIT in its functions, then this will ensure that the ministry will reach for the anticipated change. In addition, as the human resource is initially the department which is concerned with proposing and implementing strategic changes in the organization, through incorporating CT, MERE will have the privilege of having the appropriate fundamentals to support valid strategic options. Therefore, through CT, MERE will have all its functions and operations connected to the organization goals and individual perceptions through improved communication. 5. Conclusion In general, human resource is the vital department in the organization which implements and fosters great change towards achieving the set goals. This is because the department controls the employees who are the powerhouse and initiates the right input to facilitate for quality products and services. Therefore, incorporating CIT in the organization ensures that all the departments that involve human resource are connected appropriately through communication and resources are readily accessible without any delays. Through incorporating CIT in MERE ministry for instance will ensure that the human resource management can carry out its administrative and managerial duties in the required manner, not forgetting that t is through CIT that effectiveness and efficiency will be achieved in the human resource department. CIT in MERE will ensure that the different departments in this organization are appropriately linked thus ensuring that the employees can access introduction of CIT to MERE will ease the problems in communication and feedback will be facilitated in advance thus aiding in an effective process of decision-making and problem solving.

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Mega Simulator Game - Research Paper Example According to the findings, it can, therefore, be said that Kolb’s theory of reflective learning entails a four-stage cycle. The processes involved are concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation (Atkinson & Murrel, 1988, p. 15). Concrete experience entails the subject undergoing a learning activity for instance in fieldwork. The subject is faced with a situation that will ultimately shape his future perceptions. Reflective observation entails the subject making sensible reflections concerning the experience. The subject looks at the influence that the experience he/she has undergone has on him/her. Abstract conceptualization entails the subject’s attempt to intellectualize the perceived model. The person tries to comprehend the theories underpinning the experience he/she has undergone. Active experimentation entails the subject’s attempt to apply the model. The person then tries to apply the lessons learned in the experience in his/her situation. There are other reflective techniques and models, for instance, Schon’s model. This model has two fundamental concepts of reflective thinking. That is the reflection in action and reflection on action (Schon, 1991, p. 45). Reflection in action entails experiencing an event, thinking about the next step and acting instantly. Reflection on the action on the hand entails thinking about an event that already occurred, thinking of a different strategy and taking time to implement it (Schon, 1991, p. 78).