The Value of Life: Pro Life

The Value of Life Imagine 3,700 children murdered in one day; their bodies torn, bruised, or poisoned. Sadly, this Is no sick fantasy, but a procedure called abortion, defined as an operation to end a pregnancy by removing an embryo or fetus from Its mother's womb (â€Å"Choose† sec 1). In the united States alone, approximately 1. 37 million abortions occur per year. Late term abortions, or post first-term abortions, are known to cause serious health problems such as mental issues and moral dilemmas because the fetus has taken the shape ofa baby and thus is a viable human being.Abortion has een debated for centuries because of its political and social ramifications, and the correctness or lack of correctness. Both sides have strong arguments, but either way, late-term abortion should be made illegal in the United States because of its health risks, viability, and prevalence in society (â€Å"Statistics† sec 1). Late- term abortions damage both the mother's mental and ph ysical health dramatically. Once a fetus has taken a babys shape, the most common form of abortion Is using the combination of drugs and medicines.Methotrexate Is a drug that Is designed to kill the fetus Inside he mother's womb; Misoprostol Is a llquld substance that Is also Involved with this abortion process. It Is used subsequent to Methotrexate and empties the uterus of the child. Medicines, like those mentioned above, are unsafe and unstable, putting the mother's health at risk. For example, Methotrexate is known to be harmful to both the fetus and its mother (â€Å"Statistics† sec. 3). The primary use of this drug is to poison the fetus. A problem that can occur in this medicine, typically used for chemotherapy, is it can be toxic.In the case that the drug is toxic, the use in abortion can result in eath of both mother and fetus. In addition to drug toxicity, there are also many mental issues that can arise in the mother (â€Å"Abortion† sec. 3). Many become dep ressed because of their decision to abort; others contemplate suicide. Additionally, anxiety has affected many women who have had abortions. In a study of the after effects of abortion, 40% to 60% of women questioned gave negative reactions. This survey was done eight weeks subsequent to the procedure (â€Å"Abortion† sec. 3). Out of that percentage, 55% of them felt guilty. 4% claim they experienced ervous disorders, sleeping disorders had occurred in 36% of the women, and not surprisingly, 31% admitted feelings of regret. had to be prescribed with psychotropic pills. The high percentages of metal issues show that abortions cause serious health risks to the mothers. Adding on to mental health problems, physical complications can arise after an abortion (â€Å"Abortion† sec. 1). There are a multitude of â€Å"minor side effects from abortion. Small infections are a result of abortions. Many women become sick by a fever. Others experience gastrointestinal problems. Ble eding Is a very common outcome of this procedure.In the same study, women reported chronic abdominal pain, and also excessive vomltlng. Not including minor conditions, there are over 100 major problems recorded that women have faced. A DlocKage 0T an artery or emoollsm can result Trom aoortlon. some experience aeatnly infections. Hemorrhaging, or excessive bleeding, occurs in many. Ripping, or perforation of the uterus, is an excruciatingly painful result of the practice. Women can also experience anesthesia complications. In addition, cervical injury injuries are common. An astounding 5% become sterile, or unable to get pregnant again.Ectopic pregnancies may occur after one obtains an abortion (â€Å"Abortion† sec. 1). In a study of the National Rights to life Committee, two hundred and fifty-five deaths to mother's having an abortion occur per year (McKeegan 123). Studies have shown that legal abortion is no safer than illegal, back-alley abortions. One 43year old woman ble d to death during an abortion; another woman's uterus perforated and she also passed. In addition, an eighteen year old girl had a blood infection that was fatal (Curie 52). All these major problems and more occur every year for women who abort.Although the viability of a fetus is debatable, many scientists and doctors concur that with todays modern technology, the week that a fetus becomes viable is becoming progressively earlier (Currie 26). All late-term abortions, or those occurring after twenty weeks of the pregnancy, are killing a viable fetus. Studies also show fetuses feel pain, as proven by the fact that they twisting in agony and display painful looks when aborted. Another way to show how the fetus is Just an unborn baby is the fact that its internal and external organs are the same. The fetus also performs many aby-like functions.Statistics from highly knowledgeable people have also back up the theory that a fetus is viable in post- first term state. The internal and exte rnal features show that the fetus is the same as a human, Just not as mature (â€Å"WPClinic†, sec 2). A viable fetus has the same external features of any newborn. With few exceptions, the human is made up of many different body parts such as a head, body, eyes, mouth, sex organs, hair, etc. A fetus, post-first term, has all of these typical parts and thus resembles a child. In addition to their exterior, fetuses also have the same nternal organs.They have a fully developed brain at 13-16 weeks-which is at the beginning of late 1st term. All organs are working at this point. In the latter weeks, its nervous system can even control functions (â€Å"WPClinic†, sec 2). These features prove that the fetus is Just like a newborn. Not only does the fetus resemble a newborn, it also acts like one. â€Å"The baby plays so to speak, now†¦ We know what he feels and have listened to what he hears† (McBride 34). This quote shows that a fetus is no different than a new born baby, for it performs the same functions; the fetus is Just perhaps ot as mature.Some normal procedures the fetus performs include swallowing, making breathing sounds, recognizing its mother's voice, blinking, grasping, kicking, and somersaulting. Physicians also say a fetus feels pain around twenty weeks (McBride 64). Today, physicians give women pamphlets to let them know their fetus will feel pain when it is aborted. Studies support this through the fact that the fetus twists in agony and shows painful looks when it is aborted (McKeegan 112). The facts prove that the fetus acts and plays like a newborn, so it should have the same rights s well.

Marketing Mix: Hand Sanitizer Essay

Through the marketing mix, businesses use the controllable variables of product, price, place, and promotion to define the firms marketing strategy (Berkowitz, 2011). The companies use these elements to contribute to the businesses marketing of the product, service, or good sold. While developing a product, determining the price, making the product convenient for customers to purchase or access, and promotion the product to advise the consumer of the product the business will have a solid marketing strategy in response to the marketplace around (Berkowitz, 2011). Background 1946 GOJO Industries created by Goldie and Jerry Lippman developed the first hand sanitizer and later introduced in 1988 Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer (GOJO Industries, 2012). GOJO created Purell to reduce the spread of germs for health care providers and restaurant operators without needing soap and water. Effective at killing 99. 99% of common germs in 1997 Purell Hand Sanitizer was no longer just available to the hospitals and restaurants, but consumers everywhere (GOJO Industries, 2012). Product  Gel hand sanitizer that just kills germs evolved into a global market of other products (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Removing dirt and killing germs with just one pump (U. S. Food and Drug Administration, 2003). Purell offers hand sanitizers in a variety of sizes, shapes, and forms. Developing personal pump bottles, hands free dispensers, jelly wrapped carriers, and personal hand wipes Purell offers more than just keeping hands free of germs. Convenience, personalized, dermatologist tested, doctor recommended, hypoallergenic, along with Vitamin A, E, and Aloe Purell can be used everywhere by everybody (CDC, 2012). Price With the rising cost of healthcare eliminating contributing factors which increase visits to the doctor at a reasonable price is not only what consumers look for but also employers (Berkowitz, 2011). When FedEx Custom Critical added Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer to its work environment, the company saw a 20% reduction in absenteeism (GOJO Industries, 2012). Purell has a variety of sizes offering a variety of prices. Purell Hand Sanitizer pricing range from size and dispensers wanted having a wide variety of products make it easier for every type of consumer to purchase (GOJO Industries, 2012). Compared to the leading hand soap, reaching an average price of $3. 04, Purell eight ounce standard bottle average at a price of $3. 79 factoring in the time and water used Purell proves convenience, accurate, and fast making the use of Purell a deal consumers are will to pay (GOJO Industries, 2012). Place Product accessibility and convenience can determine whether a consumer purchases the product or not. Purell is available in every drugstore chain in the United States ranging from Walgreens, to Rid- Aid and places like CVS. Even sold in department stores like Target, Wal-Mart, and K-Mart. GOJO keeps Purell accessible making it available in grocery stores and discount stores like Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Big Lots etc. As technology expands, it opened a new market for business to offering product s to consumers everywhere, at any time of the day without leaving the comfort of home. Purell brand products can be found on thousands of website on the internet, and the Purell shop website (GOJO Industries, 2012). In as little as one click finding the hospital size dispensers, wipes, and hand sanitizers have become a quick find (GOJO Industries, 2012). Promotion Purell various ways to let consumers know a product like hand sanitizer is available. Having commercial advertisements targeting the main consumer â€Å"mother with kids† keeping up with technology and reaching people everywhere with Twitter and Facebook pages (Twitter, 2012). Although regularly keeping in touch with consumers while giving tips to stay germ free (Facebook, 2012). In 2006, Purell launched call to action campaigns for consumers disturbing yellow stickers on the cover of every magazine in physician offices and hospitals. Placing each sticker in the appropriate place exposing the dates so the stickers could read, â€Å"Thumbed through by people since May 2005† and â€Å"Exposing patients to more germs since June 2004† (Purell Ad Campaign, n. d. ). This campaign helped Purell transition to creating a Facebook page and Twitter account were consumers can interact and discuss the brand (Purell Ad Campaign, n. . ). Summary Purell Hand Sanitizer in the beginning in just one specific market, until innovators Jerry and Goldie looked beyond the horizon. Hospitals, restaurants, schools, work places, and home Purell can be used everywhere even when on the go killing 99. 99% of germs while keeping hands softs Purell market base reaches every consumer who needs it, or wants it. Covering the market mix, knowing the target market, the product, price, promotion, and distribution are all the steps to having a successful business and product.

Do native peoples today invent their traditions Essay

Do native peoples today invent their traditions - Essay Example Almost always there are valid arguments on both sides of the controversy. This, I believe is also the case in the arguments put forth by Keesing and Trask, in their difference of opinions, about whether native peoples today invent their traditions. However, I do think the arguments put forth by Trask more valid. Cultural anthropologist Roger M Keesing maintains, that the traditional culture accepted by the native people of the pacific is an invented version of their past, and that they do not really know what life was really like before the invasion of the white man. On the other hand, Haunani-Kay Trask, a Hawaiian scholar argues that Keesing relies only on western documentation, while the native people have sources like oral traditions and genealogies that western documentation does not take into account. I believe that this is a valid point because I think that there is a difference in perception between people of different cultures, and many native customs and nuances in dialects, may not be correctly understood by someone who is alien to that culture. There are subtle changes in the pronunciations of certain words in some dialects and these could convey a very different meaning. Trask herself is critical of the westerner’s understanding of native culture and the institutions therein, while Keesing too argues that â€Å"interpretation itself is fraught with difficulties, some perhaps ultimately intractable.† (Keesing, R) In the present debate, Keesing’s arguments are based on a collection of essays of Hobsbawm and Ranger, that conclude that cultures and traditions change over time due to a variety of factors. Most anthropologists agree that customs and traditions change over time. However to say that these have been invented to cater to the tourism industry, and the native people do not really know what life was like before western invasion; also is difficult to accept. It is a well documented fact, that in many cultures, knowledge and t raditions were handed down orally from father to son spanning generations. For example in India the Vedic texts are said to have been orally passed on for generations. Although it may be argued that it may not have been handed down in its purest form, allowing for some changes as a result of verbal communication, to say that these traditions have been invented by native people in the recent past cannot be accepted. It must also be accepted that documentation of these traditions were mostly carried out by the western invaders, as the local people relied on verbal communication and not on the written word that was alien to their culture. As Trask argues, it is perhaps the native scholar rather than the western one who would be the better judge of whether the present traditions are those that have come down the ages or invented in the recent past. Having the advantage of being a native, the local anthropologist would be in a better position to understand the nuances of words, and their various meanings, as they were once used in bygone times, and the sum total of what has been handed down through the ages. Keesing accepts the fact that it is important to question

See attachment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

See attachment - Coursework Example If a species dies faster than it reproduces, there will be a great decrease in population size. The fourth factor that affects population size is the availability of food and an appropriate habitat. Food provides the species with energy and ability to reproduce. In the video, there are some factors mentioned above that affect population size. Firstly, the birth rate of the nutria is quite high compared to other species. This is because the female can give birth to three litters in a year and each litter contains roughly six young ones. Another factor that affects population size is immigration. This evident in the fur farms in Canada and United States of America, where populations of nutria have drastically increased. Another factor is the availability of food and the appropriate environment. This allows for the growth of the species. It is my prediction that there will be a decrease and eventual depletion of the nutria population after the land is depleted of the nutrias’ food resource. This is because the nutria will migrate in search of food in other fertile regions. Secondly, the remaining nutria will eventually die of starvation due to a lack of nourishment. Thirdly, the nutria will become pests resorting to scavenging and stealing food from

Explore the similarities and differences of Chinese and Indian Essay

Explore the similarities and differences of Chinese and Indian management styles - Essay Example Evidence show that crosses cultural management theory helps the managers to be prepared against managerial crisis. It also helps them in choosing the most perfect managerial technique from a variety of techniques, which helps in support business activity (Yau, 2007). The most suitable focus would be to understand the importance of the multiple culture and their utilities for the changes required in the business practice. Cross cultural management theory would require the appreciation of changes and would lead to repositioning of the organization and alteration of the organizations traditional Human Resource Management practices and perspectives (Pang, Roberts and Sutton, 2006). The study will deal with the perspective of cross cultural management and its relevance. The author of the study will give an insight into the increased complexity of the present changing marketing environment and the relevance of the cross cultural management theory in aid for various managerial problems. ... This theory helps the competent managers to recognize and understand the positive and negative impact of the management development theories in assessing the cultural requirements. It also helps the managers in solving the complex business problems and improvement of the existing managerial procedures. Several authors had contributed a considerable time on developing theories about quality management techniques, which improve the transparency between the management and the customer for deriving various contrasting solutions. Globalization and internationalization has introduced several changes in the team composition, dynamics and the workplace (Ward, Entrkin and Pearson, 2002). Several interdepartmental business units of different business sizes are regarded extremely important business source for integration of a singular economy. The organizations which are considered important as domestic business units are lagging behind international business organizations and the major reason behind it is the non understanding of the cross cultural management theory. The impact of diversified work culture on team productivity can be satisfying and rewarding when the organizational climate is positive and congenial (Colson, 2013). Culture is an integral part, which acts as an external source of deep influence and also helps in improving the employee behaviour (Wes, Desai and Burt, 2000). The profound impact of the cross cultural management theories on the business activities help in coping with the certainty and uncertainty collectively. These theories have an impact equally on the individual based strategies developed by the employees

Community Solving Problem Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Community Solving Problem - Research Paper Example Setting this up requires substantial change rooted to a certain law enforcement initiative, which ended up to its major reform programs (The City of New Orleans, 2012; Childress, 2012). This is the reason why The New Orleans Police Department and the United States Department of Justice came up with an agreement dealing with ousting the scandal involving police force prior to improving city’s safety. In addition, according to report this would also include agreement that would deal with â€Å"recruitment and training performance evaluations and promotions, misconduct-complaint issues and work assignments† – all of these have become elemental sources of corruption (Schwartz, 2012). As a respond to this, Schwartz added the New Orleans Police Department embraces the idea of instigating a reporting system in place so as to monitor crime-watching activity for both external and internal operations. In other words, there is a significant move to employ initiative of main taining transparency for the whole department. Unlike any initiatives for law enforcement, the type applied in the case of New Orleans Police Department is a significant move showcasing the importance of both external and internal check up of performance. ... In the first place, there is an issue of credibility and integrity in this case. People would most likely want to look at the right model and it would be something like an irony on their part relying on a law enforcement agency without any sort of credibility. The city of New Orleans has long been waiting for a more reliable law enforcement agency to protect the people’s concerns and welfares. Hearing these people’s needs, the New Orleans Police Department finally did not waste its time to implement necessary change in its entire system. Although this must be complex at some point because it would involve embracing a new system, aligning human resource and vision casting that could guarantee meeting the community’s need, such of this change according to the officials would emancipate solution for destroying the face of corruption in the department’s entire system. This initiative therefore is tantamount to solving some other related problems in the communi ty in the future. This would make sense considering the point the New Orleans Police Department, as a law enforcement agency, should become agent of change, peace and order. Although in the long run, it would not be easy to erase from people’s mind the past performance of the New Orleans Police Department, the challenge would be on the latter to be much more consistent in adhering to its new implemented change. This in the long run would help prove to the people the department’s actual integrity. The development of this integrity is a specific output of initiative that could last in the future. The said initiative for change is going to be a long process, and its impact at present according to the report is promising (Schwartz, 2012). Positive response from the human resource

Questions about the far East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Questions about the far East - Essay Example Daoism, also known as Taoism, is one of the dominant religions in China with many features that enhance its uniqueness. Coined from the word Dao, which simply means the path, Daoism anchors on fundamental principles that give precedence to the way of the universe. Although Taoism as a religion has seen numerous changes over the years, the basic tenets that underpin the religion have always remained the same. It mainly delves on such beliefs systems as breathing, reflection, and recital of various verses that support it. Nothing much was introduced into the religion until the early twelfth century when such belief systems and fundamentals as abstinence and verse recitations during repentance (Bretzke 191). According to Coogan and Narayanan, Taoists are vegetarians, strongly holding on the belief that the combination of breathing and meditation promotes long life in humanity. The first unique feature in Taoism is the Tao that simply means the way. This means that Tao is the only being that deserves emulation, as it is the primary overseer of all living things (213). In this scenario, Taoists shun extremities in life and instead promote interdependence. When it comes to nature, they differentiate black from white by Yin and Yang respectively, positing that the two have some element of balanced inter-existence. In simple language, this means that white can exist in black and the opposite is true hence striking a perfect balance between the two is necessary (Coogan and Narayanan 213). The next major component of this kind of religion is the De, which has close interrelationship with the Tao. It simply endeavors to enhance the principles of Tao by upholding virtues professed by Tao while maintain high integrity at the same time. While the Tao does not support the act of doing things in extremes but in moderation, the De aligns itself closely to this principle belief by insisting on the practice of morality throughout one’s lifetime. Last but most importantly i s the precept of immortality in Taoism where it is the duty of every Taoist to endeavor to reach a state of immortality through the continual practice of meditation and breathing. Since its inception, staunch Taoist priests have used mineral salts and gunpowder in their quest to find elixirs. They widely believed those whose religious efforts were impeccable could easily transform to immortal beings who eventually offer guidance to mortals (Coogan and Narayanan 216). Another major religious outfit in the Chinese and Japanese religious structures is the Shinto that fundamentally pays tribute to certain spiritual beings known as the Kami. Although the Shintoists do not believe in an almighty God or gods, they normally offer rituals to the Kami in designated shrines (Coogan and Narayanan 416). Their belief system emphasizes not in the explaining the world or how things happen on earth but the perpetual connection and communication with their spiritual being, the Kami. In Shinto, the fo llowers accord much essence to the rituals that connect them with the kami, spirits whose mission is to enhance the welfare of all human beings. Perhaps some of the most distinct beliefs include the notion that humans are not originators of sin, lack of scriptures and God, fully acknowledging the fact that not only the followers or adherents of Shinto can offer rituals but

Values and Democracy (Politics) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Values and Democracy (Politics) - Essay Example Even though regular elections are, according to Beetham (1992), ‘a continuous discipline on the elected to take constant notice of public opinion’ (ibid, p. 47), the dictate that politicians take pleasure from is the fact that citizens have very little influence on political decisions made in their behalf. The core argument of this essay is that in order to justify the diversity of environmental values and the dedication of citizens, the process of decision making should be to improve and endorse democratic participation. In order to do this, this essay will compare and contrast the relationship of environmental values and democracy in four countries, namely, The United States, Great Britain, Russia, and China: the former two countries being highly democratic while the latter two being less democratic. As reported by the Brundtland Commission, an environmental right should state that â€Å"all human beings have the fundamental right to an environment adequate for their health and well being† (Smith 2003, 104). ... 216). Democracy should be concerned with the composition of the constitution, since the effect of rights is experienced all over the legal, political, and moral areas. Several theories have been used for establishing environmental values (Carrow et al. 1998). Eckersley (1996) sums up the environmental challenge to democratic ideas of rights by saying that the democratic explanation of the moral interest of protection and independence from control needs consideration of the physical situations of its use. As argued by Eckersley (1996), â€Å"we must accord the same moral priority to the material conditions (including bodily and ecological conditions) that enable that autonomy to be exercised† (ibid, p. 223). Environmental values, however, conflicts with the democracy. Yet, the statements above show that ecological values and particular democratic rights are in fact connected. As stated by Saward (1996), â€Å"Rather than being something outside the purview of democratic theory , core environmental concerns are part of it† (ibid, p. 88). The following section will show the connection (or conflict) between environmental values and democracy in four countries, the US, the UK, China, and Russia. Environmental Values and Democracy If one looks at the political guidelines for the environment of the US and the UK, which are highly democratic societies, a particular problem appears as the clearest feature of the political practices, which is shown in their regulations. The problem has its source in knowledge of democracy that respects the involvement of citizens in decision making process to be a must. As shown by this idea, citizens should be given the right to express his/her opinion of and interest

REPLY TWO PIST Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

REPLY TWO PIST - Assignment Example he Ducks.   We were all wearing Duck colors for that game, my friends bought merchandise and wore the items purchased at the football game.   This is low warrant because the picture can convey each of us being really into sports and/or fans of the Oregon Ducks.   One of us is a real Ducks fan and two out of the four of us is really into sports.   Not taking away from the fact we all had an  amazing time and are somewhat  fans of the Ducks.   But, Im sure the three out of the four of us can name more than two players in that football team. One high warrant from a friends profile would be his personal information such as his name, job, school information, where hes from, and his birthday.   He was a tutor and student at EDCC, was from Oak Harbor, and currently lives in Lynnwood.   This is high warrant, because this information has no ambiguity and this type of information would be hard to hide or mask, assuming you knew of him. In my friends profile, the picture is low warrant because it portrays all of us being Ducks fan, and I know my friend would not be able to name 2 players in the Ducks team.   He, as well as I, are not big into sports.   His personal information is high warrant because he is a close friend of mine and witnessed every fact regarding so. (First, I would assert that Nguyen’s identification of the low warrant makes sense. The information that his friend placed on his profile can be manipulated easily and, hence less believable. His identification of this low warrant is almost similar to what I identified. The low warrant that I identified depicts my aunt’s message, which was in short form, and I could not easily understand it at first, hence I could not believe it. Likewise, this kind of information is likely to be manipulated and rendered less believable. I would also concur with Nguyen’s identification of high profile since such information is likely to be accepted, hence they make sense. This high warrant is different with what I

Allyn & Bacon Essay Example for Free

Allyn Bacon Essay Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: †¢University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. †¢Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Charles, C. M. (2005), Building classroom discipline (8th ed. ). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon. All electronic materials are available on the student website. Class Participation WKS 1-330 Discussion QuestionsWKS 1-330 Discipline Model PaperWK 340 Total 100 ASSIGNMENTS ________________________________________ Week 1 Assignments Week 1 Learning Objectives: Discipline Models for Educators †¢Analyze several discipline models. †¢Compare and contrast the differences among various discipline models †¢Examine situations in which each discipline model would work best †¢Compare and contrast discipline systems for the primary, intermediate, and secondary grade levels with those currently used in the classrooms Room Arrangement †¢Identify effective classroom arrangements to minimize discipline problems Preventive Discipline †¢Analyze the causes of discipline problems 1. Read chapters 2-6 in Building classroom discipline (8th ed) Post biography in Chat Room (Day 1). 2. Respond to the Discussion Questions posted in the main classroom. Due: Day 3 Participate in the class discussion on at least 4 days during the online week according to the Participation guidelines. Brief Summary of Week One Deliverables AssignmentIndividual or Learning TeamLocationDue ParticipationIndividualMainOngoing— 4 days per week BioIndividualChat RoomTuesday Individual DQsIndividualMainThursday ________________________________________ Week 2 Assignments Week 2 Learning Objectives: Developing Classroom Rules and Procedures. †¢Analyze a systematic approach to classroom management †¢Identify guidelines for developing classroom rules and procedures Communication Skills †¢Identify communication skills that promote successful classroom management Classroom Management Strategies and Effective Teacher Behaviors †¢Examine strategies to enhance students’ self-concepts †¢Describe the characteristics of a well-managed classroom †¢Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various teaching strategies in relation to effective classroom management Assignments 1. Read chapters 6-11 in Building classroom discipline (8th ed).

Theories of Personality | Essay

Theories of Personality | Essay Psychologists have long been interested in the study of personality because it is useful for understanding and predicting human behaviour. Even laypersons in day to day life, on an intuitive basis, make personality judgements about individuals they meet based on social characteristics, intellectual quality and appearance. Moreover, one seeks to understand oneself by identifying and developing personality. Personality determines the way in which individuals think and behave, it affects the way one would conduct oneself in day to day actions. Individuals possess unique patterns of behaviour varying from the way one walks, talks, or eats to the way one spends free time. The vast array of forms that personality takes accounts for why individuals are different from one another. The reason why it is important to understand such individual differences of personality is because job performance, academic performance, political and social attitudes, social relationships and health are all affe cted by one’s personality. Personality psychology seeks to bring scientific rigor to the process of understanding different personalities. Apparent qualities and behaviours may differ from the real inner personality of an individual. Consequently defining and understanding personality is a difficult task. A significant amount of definitions of personality have been introduced by various psychologists. Among such definitions was a comprehensive definition put forward by Burger. Burger (2011) defined personality as consistent behaviour patterns and intrapersonal processes that originate from within the individual. Due to the complexity of understanding and identifying human personality, various theories of personality have been introduced over the years by various psychologists. Sigmund Freud, devised what is today a popular theory, known as the structural theory of personality (Freud 1923 cited in McLeod 2013). The theory was devised based on the psychodynamic perspective which emphasises the influence that forces and drives within the unconscious mind have on human behaviour. Freud portrayed the human mind as an iceberg (Freud 1900, 1905 cited in McLeod 2013). The tip of the iceberg, which is the small section visible above the surface, symbolises the conscious mind. Just beneath the conscious mind is the preconscious mind which is outside one’s awareness but is easily accessible. The bottom of the iceberg which takes up the majority of its volume is the unconscious mind. The structural theory of personality assembles personality into 3 systems; the id, ego and superego. The balance of these 3 structures results in one’s personality. The id, which is in the unconscious mind, is the instinctive and primitive component of personality. Life instincts (Eros) and death instincts (Thanatos) are the basic instincts that are constituent of the id (Freud 1920, 1925 cited in McLeod 2013). The id operate on the pleasure principle in which basic instincts, specifically the desire for food and sex, require immediate gratification, regardless of any consequences (Freud 1920 cited in McLeod 2008). The id, similar to the way of an infant crying in order to get what it wants, has no regard for social norms. In order to mediate between the external world and the selfish desires of id, the ego develops. The ego, abiding in the conscious mind, is the component of personality that makes decisions and finds realistic and reasonable ways to satisfy the desires of id. The ego’s essentiality is to make compromises and exercise social etiquette in order to avoid disapproval or consequences of society. There is a third influential a nd largely unconscious set of forces which dictates one’s beliefs and morals, called the superego. One’s beliefs of what is right and wrong is acquired through childhood experiences and nurturing. When one behaves in a way that one believes is morally incorrect, the superego causes one to feel guilty. Superego’s goal unlike the id and ego is moral perfection. According to the manner in which the id, ego and superego interact, Freud suggested that there are 3 personalities; the psychotic personality, neurotic personality and healthy personality. A healthy psyche is one of which the ego’s role is dominant over superego and id. When the conflict between superego and id become overwhelming the unconscious processes of ego use defence mechanisms (repression being one of the most common defence mechanisms) in order to protect the self from anxiety. The psychotic psyche is one in which id is dominant and causes the individual to act in an impulsive and asocial m anner. The neurotic psyche is one in which superego is governing and causes the individual to be a perfectionist, unreasonably guilty and neurotic if any moral code is broken to obtain pleasure. The structural theory of personality is a highly comprehensive theory. The theoretical system explicitly explains and interprets an exceptional range of human behaviour and experiences, which is essential in understanding the different types of personalities. Contemporary psychology engages certain concepts of the psychodynamic theory and heuristic value of the theory has been appreciated (Shaver and Mikulincer 2005). Freud’s controversial ideas – that unconscious forces exist and influence behaviour, that early experiences play a large role in development of personality, that individuals resist threats by using defence mechanisms and that conflicting feelings often result in compromise – are accepted now by many psychologists and research conducted has given evidence to the validity of Freud’s views (Westen 1998; Baumeister, Dale and Sommer 1998). While other perspectives, particularly social and cognitive perspectives, emphasise typically on proximal cau ses, the psychodynamic perspective emphasise on distal causes of behavioural processes as well. The use of case studies as a research method to study personality esteems the complexity of personality and resulting behaviour by investigating in depth as opposed to a brief, snapshot laboratory study. However critics assert that there are several problems with the case study method that Freud used in constructing the structural theory of personality. Patients’ observations were not recorded immediately upon hearing them, therefore Freud’s memory of such detailed and extensive accounts of participants may have been distorted, and/or later recorded in a biased manner (Sulloway 1991). Furthermore the subjects of Freud’s case studies, on most occasions, were wealthy European individuals making the meagre sample unrepresentative and too illusive to draw universal conclusions about human behaviour. Consequently, the precision of the structural theory of personality is impaired. The testability of the structural theory is a major problem because propositions and concepts are ambiguous. The ambiguity results in difficulty in deriving a clear hypothesis that can be put to test and proven. Much of the theory is presented in metaphors – life and death instincts, and the mind depicted as an iceberg – which complicates any attempt to scientifically test and prove the theory. In addition, the structural theory of personality helps in explaining behaviour after observation but does not contribute substantially to predicting behaviour, which essentially, is a main purpose of studying personality in the first place. The theory can further be criticised because it is deterministic. It gives a degrading and pessimistic view of human nature because one is thought to be irrational and controlled by sex and aggressive tendencies. While numerous assumptions come into play, the explanation is still restricted to biological forces, and ignores other influences on personal development that may include altruism, competence, exploration and freewill. The scientific validity of Freud’s theory has been challenged by Eysenck. After a review of clinical literature, Eysenck found that out of 7,000 case histories of neurotic patients, 66% of patients treated by means of psychoanalysis improved, however 72% of patients who were not treated by means of any therapy improved within 2 years after the onset of their illness (Eysenck 1952). These findings oppose the validity of the concepts of the psychoanalytical approach and the structural theory of personality. A contemporary theory of personality proposed by Mischel and Shoda takes into account the cognitive and affective processes that have an influence on behaviour and gives more focus to situationism. Situationism is the assumption that individuals’ behaviour is directed by the situation the individual is in rather than dispositional traits. The cognitive-affective system theory of personality was proposed to resolve the contradictory findings on the consistency of personality and the inconsistency of behaviour across situations (Mischel and Shoda 1995). According to the cognitive-affective systems theory, there are 2 important concepts that must be combined. The first is that in order to understand an individual, the individual’s thoughts must be understood. Therefore the individual’s representation of the world is a significant factor to consider. The second is that thought proceeds concurrently on multiple tracks which intersect occasionally. The theory conceptua lises personality as ‘a stable system that mediates how the individual selects, construes, and processes social information and generates social behaviours’ (Mischel and Shoda 1995). Essentially, the interaction between cognition and personality affects behaviour in different situations. The reason why there are inconsistencies in behaviour is not due to the situation alone or random error; it stems from patterns of variation within the individual which are called behavioural signatures of personality (Mischel and Shoda 1995). Stable variations of behaviour take place in the form of contingencies: if X, then A but if Y then B. Behaviour occurs as a result of personal dispositions and cognitive and affective qualities (particularly thinking, planning, evaluating and feeling) interacting with the situation. Cognitive-affective units are represented by 5 stable person variables (Mischel and Shoda 1995). The first is encoding strategies, or individuals’ unique way of categorising information from stimuli. The second is competencies and self-regulatory strategies, particularly intelligence, the individual’s goals and self-produced consequences. Third is one’s expectancies and beliefs, or one’s predictions of the outcome of each of the behavioural possibilities in the situation. Fourth is one’s goals and values and finally, affective responses including feelings, emotions and affects caused by physiological reactions. The cognitive-affective personality systems theory is a comprehensive theory that accounts for both situational and dispositional attributes, bringing a balance between the two attributes. Freud’s psychoanalytical theory overlooks situations and attributes individuals’ personality and behavioural traits largely to dispositions. Thus the cognitive-affective personality systems theory can be better applied to a variety of different situations. It offers a stable personality system while maintaining that there may be patterns of variations in behaviour, without resulting in controversy. Unlike Freud’s theory, the cognitive affective personality systems theory gives highlight to conscious rather than unconscious drives. Individuals are regarded as being able to set their own goals, plan and evaluate their actions, and even to think about thinking. Therefore Mischel’s theory is less deterministic and considers freewill. The cognitive-affective systems theory has a more positive outlook on humankind, perceiving individuals as unified, affective, purposive and social beings, as opposed to the negative outlook of the structural theory of personality. Both the structural theory and the cognitive-affective systems theory of personality are idiographic and appreciate the uniqueness of individuals. The theories do not seek to establish generalizations of personality types. The cognitive-affective systems theory suggests that every individual has his/her own unique behaviour signature and unique pattern of variation (Mischel and Shoda 1995). Freud used case stud ies because each client had unique experiences and unique configurations of defence mechanisms. However when concentrating on the psychic energies, id, ego and superego, that are allegedly common to all individuals the structural theory of personality may arguably be nomothetic to a certain extent. In addition, the cognitive-affective systems theory must be commended for being idiographic because it also maintains its scientific nature. The cognitive-affective systems theory, unlike the structural theory, is scientific and pragmatic. Its propositions are unambiguous and testable hypotheses can be derived. The theory is based on the findings of experiments, including an experiment that was conducted in 1965 to investigate the effect situational and generalised expectancies for success have on on choices of immediate, less valuable non-contingent rewards as opposed to delayed, more valuable contingent rewards (Mischel and Staub 1965). In addition another study was conducted to test whether individuals are able to voluntarily delay gratification in await for a preferred reward (Mischel and Ebbesen 1970). Both studies reveal how individuals examine the situation and and make a cognitive decision about the reward they decide to settle for, thereby giving sound evidence for the cognitive-affective personality theory. Furthermore, a study revealed that 4 year old children who were able to delay gratification were significa ntly different from their peers as adolescents; they were more intelligent, exhibited more self-control, less distractible and more resistant to temptation than the adolescents who were less able to delay gratification as 4 year olds (Shoda, Mischel and Peake 1990). The finding from that study shows a similarity between psychoanalytic and cognitive-affective concepts of personality. Both perspectives suggest that personality characteristics emerge from childhood and is considerably consistent over time. However a limitation of the cognitive-affective personality system is that it emphasises mainly on the effect of nurture while overlooking the effect that nature might have on human behaviour. The theory overlooks biological and unconscious influences that may affect personality. Contrastingly, the structural theory of personality takes into account that both the effect of nurture and nature influence personality and its development. A further problem with the cognitive-affective personality theory is that defining a situation is difficult therefore the number of interactions that come into play when determining behaviour are too complex to study clearly. Moreover, it is difficult to take the complexity of the relationship between the situation, personality and behaviour into account when in extreme positions. The field of personality psychology has witnessed many theories being brought into the spotlight with each theory contributing more or less to understanding human behaviour. The contribution that Freud and Mischel have provided are indeed valuable. Freud made the first attempt to explain human personality and is considered a legacy for his work. Psychologists that followed in attempt to explain personality either improved upon Freud’s ideas or opposed it and provided alternate theories. However, due to the lack of empiricism of the psychoanalytic approach, Mischel’s cognitive-affective personality systems theory surpasses the structural theory of personality and can be better applied to predicting and explaining human behaviour. The theory does not oversimplify the complex processes behind personality; it takes a holistic view and considers that one behaves according to the situation one is in and that the course of action that one takes is not taken passively but activ ely. The cognitive-affective theory has minimal loopholes and is one of the most useful theories that has been developed to understand the multifaceted human personality. List of References Baumeister, R. F., Dale, K. and Sommer, K. L. (1998) ‘Freudian Defense Mechanisms and Empirical Findings in Modern Social Psychology: Reaction Formation, Projection, Displacement, Undoing, Isolation, Sublimation, and Denial’. Journal of Personality 66 (6), 1081-1124 Burger, J. M. (2011) Personality. 8th edn. USA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Eysenck, H. J. (1952) ‘The Effects of Psychotherapy: An Evaluation’. Journal of Consulting Psychology 16 (5), 319-324 McLeod, S. (2008) Id, Ego and Superego [online] available from www.simplypsychology.org/psyche.html> [18 June 2015] McLeod, S. (2013) Sigmund Freud [online] available from www.simplypsychology.org/Sigmund-Freud.html> [18 June 2015] Mischel, W. and Ebbesen, E. B. (1970) ‘Attention in Delay of Gratification’. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 16 (2), 329-337 Mischel, W. and Shoda, Y. (1995) ‘A Cognitive-Affective System Theory of Personality: Reconceptualizing Situations, Dispositions, Dynamics, and Invariance in Personality Structure’ Psychological Review 102 (2), 246-268 Mischel, W. and Staub, E. (1965) ‘Effects of Expectancy on Working and Waiting for Larger Reward’. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2 (5), 625-633 Shaver, R. P. and Mikulincer, M. (2005) ‘Attachment Theory and Research: Resurrection of the Psychodynamic Approach to Personality’. Journal of Research in Personality 39 (1), 22-45 Shoda, Y, Mischel, W., and Peake, P. K. (1990) ‘Predicting Adolescent Cognitive and Self-Regulatory Competencies from Preschool delay of Gratification: Identifying Diagnostic Conditions’. Developmental Psychology 26 (6), 978-986 Sulloway, F. J. (1991) ‘Reassessing Freud’s Case Histories: The Social Construction of Psychoanalysis’. Isis 82 (2), 245-275 Westen, D. (1998) ‘The Scientific Legacy of Sigmund Freud: Toward a Psychodynamically Informed Psychological Science’. Psychological Bulletin 124 (3), 333-371

Defend Your Computer From Hackers :: Essays Papers

Defend Your Computer From Hackers How to Shield Your Computer from Internet Crime When you connect to the Internet, you are allowing you computer to communicate with millions of people who are also on the Internet. Suddenly, your hard drive is fair game. Some people called by various names: hackers, whackers, crackers, and some other more colorful names if your data is being destroyed. These people make it their business to find and make use of exposed hard drives. Sometimes, they just take an innocent look around; sometimes they delete files or even deposit a virus of nature. However, hope is not lost, with the steps outline in this paper you will be able effectively shield your computer from those who wish to make mischief. When you connect to the Internet, especially through a broadband connection any open ports, or shared file files and services are like a beacon for hackers’ automatic scanners. You see, along with granting you extremely fast downloads and browsing capabilities broadband connection also leave you computer wide open to the world since it an always-on connection. The risk is greater for those people that have static IP address. Since this address never changes hackers can come back whenever they wish. One way to see how vulnerable your computer is would be to have it tested by one the various websites that specialize in security. One very good website is hosted by the Gibson Research Corporation and has several helpful feature like â€Å"Shields Up†, the address for this site is www.grc.com. Another popular site with many useful utilities would be www.dslreports.com. If these sites show you some holes in your security they will recommend several actions. One of the easiest and most effective would be to turn off file and print sharing for your computer. The second thing you could do would be to obtain a personal firewall. In this area you have two options, hardware or software. If you want an inexpensive route then you can download a software firewall. Firewall? Just what is that? Well, it either a software program of hardware device that effectively blocks outsiders from entering your computer. Software firewalls just need to be installed onto your computer and can be either automatically configured of manually. Hardware involves connecting your computer into another device. Two of the more popular software firewalls are Zone Alarm (www.zonelabs.com) and Norton Personal Firewall (www.symantec.com). Using Zone Alarm, the above sites could find no exposed ports or even that this computer even was on; Zone Alarm completely cloaks your computer.

A Note Regarding Paul de Mans The Intention Structure of the Romantic Image :: Essays Papers

A Note Regarding Paul de Man's The Intention Structure of the Romantic Image In "The Intentional Structure of the Romantic Image," one encounters a piece of the twentieth-century discussion of the philosophical considerations of language. One can say that Paul de Man really takes the view of Romanticism akin to that of Martin Heidegger's view of poetry in general. Heidegger states that poetry must be a kind of "speaking being" or the creation of something "new" through language.(Note 1) Language itself stands upon itself in poetry according to Heidegger. De Man picks up the broad discussion of what language is with his discussion of the Romantic image. The main thesis of this essay lies in the difference between the everyday consciousness that one has of the concrete world and the consciousness which one achieves through the Romantic image. De Man says that these two functions of the consciousness differ and that the objects one finds in concrete nature are essentially different from those found in Romantic imagery. Paul de Man begins with a discussion of how the simile works in Romantic literature. In order to illustrate his point, he provides a simile from Holderlin. The English translation of this simile may be rendered in two ways according to helpful footnote on page 67. One may either translate, "Words will originate that are like flowers," or, "Words will have to originate in the same way that flowers originate." (Note 2) The latter rendering, that with which da Man concerns himself, provides a relationship between the origination of flowers and the origination of words. This simile relates something which is natural or found in nature, the origination of flowers, to something which does not have the same "objective" existence, the formation of words. This simile of words "originating like flowers" gives one an image which will not correspond to the "natural object," the flowers, as they exist in one's everyday experience of the world. One can take note of flowers blooming in a field, but one cannot sensibly see words blooming in a poem. In order to make his point clear, da Man discusses the difference between what he calls the natural object and the image. According to da Man, the natural object rests "safe in its immediate being." (Note 3) The concreteness of the natural object provides stability in its very being. The natural object does not need to be qualified in the same way that a word does.

Malcolm X Essay example -- Civil Rights Movement

Malcolm X The fifties and sixties were a crazy time to live; riots were happening, many Civil Rights Movement leaders were speaking in the streets, and student sit-ins were held. Many radical activists were preaching their thoughts on racism and things needed for equality. Some people felt it necessary to turn the other cheek to violence while others claimed it to be a right to defend themselves. The major figures in the Civil Rights Movement had their own opinions on how to equalize society. Martin Luther King, Jr. felt that a peaceful movement was the best route to freedom. I discovered after much research that famous African American figures tended to side with Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad on the best approach. Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou and James Baldwin fall under this category. They did not by any means agree completely, but had many views in common with the Islam thinkers. Malcolm X was not a pro-violence leader, but encouraged it when necessary for self-defense and protecting loved ones as Jenkins reported, â€Å"Malcolm X encouraged blacks to take a stand against their white oppressors if they were physically threatened,† (Jenkins 267). This was Malcolm’s motto when asked how blacks should fight the â€Å"white man†. James Baldwin does not share this idea even though he does admire many of Malcolm X†s thoughts. Malcolm and Baldwin strongly believe that history is an important part of knowledge and is necessary to live a prosperous life. I am going to explain more about the Malcolm X that many admire and respect. While he was a child he received the best grades in an all white school and was even class president once. His aspiration was to be a lawyer, but his favorite teacher had told him that he could not keep dreaming unrea... ...ill existed. One can only put up with so much before he starts to develop hate right back. I do not endorse this thinking, but can understand where Malcolm is coming from when he admits this. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Down at the Cross.† 1995. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 296-347 Baldwin, James. â€Å"White Man’s Guilt.† 1995. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 722-727 Clark, Michael. â€Å"Rise in Racial Extremism Worries Harlem Leaders.† New York Times 25 Jan. 1960:1. Jenkins, Robert. The Malcolm X Encyclopedia. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2002 Malcolm X. â€Å"Black Man’s History† speech. Abdul, Alkalimat, ed., Maclolm X: A Research Site (launched May 19,1999 : University of Toledo and Twenty- first Century Books). http://www.brothermalcolm.net. Malcolm X Essay example -- Civil Rights Movement Malcolm X The fifties and sixties were a crazy time to live; riots were happening, many Civil Rights Movement leaders were speaking in the streets, and student sit-ins were held. Many radical activists were preaching their thoughts on racism and things needed for equality. Some people felt it necessary to turn the other cheek to violence while others claimed it to be a right to defend themselves. The major figures in the Civil Rights Movement had their own opinions on how to equalize society. Martin Luther King, Jr. felt that a peaceful movement was the best route to freedom. I discovered after much research that famous African American figures tended to side with Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad on the best approach. Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou and James Baldwin fall under this category. They did not by any means agree completely, but had many views in common with the Islam thinkers. Malcolm X was not a pro-violence leader, but encouraged it when necessary for self-defense and protecting loved ones as Jenkins reported, â€Å"Malcolm X encouraged blacks to take a stand against their white oppressors if they were physically threatened,† (Jenkins 267). This was Malcolm’s motto when asked how blacks should fight the â€Å"white man†. James Baldwin does not share this idea even though he does admire many of Malcolm X†s thoughts. Malcolm and Baldwin strongly believe that history is an important part of knowledge and is necessary to live a prosperous life. I am going to explain more about the Malcolm X that many admire and respect. While he was a child he received the best grades in an all white school and was even class president once. His aspiration was to be a lawyer, but his favorite teacher had told him that he could not keep dreaming unrea... ...ill existed. One can only put up with so much before he starts to develop hate right back. I do not endorse this thinking, but can understand where Malcolm is coming from when he admits this. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Down at the Cross.† 1995. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 296-347 Baldwin, James. â€Å"White Man’s Guilt.† 1995. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 722-727 Clark, Michael. â€Å"Rise in Racial Extremism Worries Harlem Leaders.† New York Times 25 Jan. 1960:1. Jenkins, Robert. The Malcolm X Encyclopedia. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2002 Malcolm X. â€Å"Black Man’s History† speech. Abdul, Alkalimat, ed., Maclolm X: A Research Site (launched May 19,1999 : University of Toledo and Twenty- first Century Books). http://www.brothermalcolm.net.

Mary Schapiro and Leadership Essay

In her role at the SEC, Mary Schapiro was known as one of the world’s most powerful female regulators. She was named chair in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. As chairman, she helped strengthen and revitalize the agency by overseeing a more rigorous enforcement program and shaping new rules for Wall Street. During her tenure, the agency’s work force brought about a record number of enforcement actions and achieved significant regulatory reform to protect investors. Schapiro leaves behind an agency that has regained its footing, stature, and morale following desultory leadership under its previous two chairmen and its embarrassing lack of action preceding the financial crisis. Under Schapiro, the SEC, which is usually thought to be the most prominent and important financial regulatory body in the country, brought a huge number of enforcement actions against financial institutions. Her job was to assess what went wrong and to ensure it d idn’t happen again. During four years as SEC chairman, Schapiro presided over one of the busiest rule-making agendas in the SEC’s history, during which the agency also brought a record number of enforcement actions, and executed a comprehensive restructuring program to improve protections for investors. Upon her departure, President Obama praised her leadership, saying the SEC became stronger and the financial system â€Å"safer and better able to serve the American people-thanks in large part to Schapiro’s hard work.† Change Management Change management is designed to ensure the effective transition of an organisation and its people from the current to future states, and in so doing support the realisation of business benefits. In the context of strategy, it is the realisation of the strategic plan. Change management is about effectively leading and managing individuals, teams, and the organisation to successfully adopt the changes needed to achieve required or desired business results. Success in Organisational Change Follows Recognisable Patterns – Kotter’s 8 Steps Harvard Business School Professor John Kotter is well known for identifying a pattern for leading successful organizational change. Yet, we cannot be sure that the President, members of Congress, and key Federal Reserve, Department  of the Treasury, and SEC personnel (including Chairman Schapiro) are familiar with this work and with other similar guidance from change leadership literature. And even if some or all of the change agents impacting a restructuring of the SEC are familiar with this work, it is unclear whether any of those change agents are consciously using this learning and incorporating useful elements from Kotter’s books into the SEC reorganization process. Studies of organizational change have shed significant light on the elements of a successful reform effort. Leaders effectuating reform at the SEC do not have to â€Å"reinvent the wheel† as they initiate, manage, and institutionalize organizational change. Kotter’s model is organized into eigh t stages designed to address eight observed mistakes made in efforts for organizational change: â€Å"establishing a sense of urgency†; â€Å"creating the guiding coalition†; â€Å"developing a vision and strategy†; â€Å"communicating the change vision†; â€Å"empowering broad-based action†; generating short-term wins†; â€Å"consolidating gains and producing more change†; and â€Å"anchoring new approaches in the culture.† Each stage has identifiable characteristics. 1. Establishing a Sense of Urgency â€Å"Visible crises can be enormously helpful in catching people’s attention and pushing up urgency levels.† To be sure, the SEC has experienced visible crises over the past few years. Admissions of significant failures at the SEC extend back over more than two years’ time and cover multiple areas of SEC operations. â€Å"The natural superiority of the U.S. model for securities regulation is no longer an article of faith, and the credibility of the SEC as a financial regulator has never been lower.† although the SEC has long been â€Å"the crown jewel of the financial regulatory infrastructure,† recent developments have called that characterization into question. The SEC has been the target of relentless criticism ranging from claims that it mishandled derivatives regulation, oversight of securities firms, and market risk, to assertions of delays and blunders and possible industry capture at the Division of Enforcement. These criticisms followed th e Treasury Department’s Blueprint of Financial Regulation-released in March 2008-that criticized the SEC’s approach to regulation as obsolete and proposed a plan of regulatory consolidation that would effectively lead to the agency’s demise. Most recently, the revelation that the SEC failed to discover a $50 billion Ponzi scheme at Madoff Investment Securities, despite having received allegations of wrongdoing for over a decade, suggests fundamental weaknesses in its core enforcement operations. To be successful at organizational change, however, a change leader must use the crisis to shake up the organization. This requires that the change leader â€Å"remove sources of complacency or minimize their impact† and take actions that are â€Å"bold or even risky.† Kotter uses the concept of fire in a building as a proxy for crisis in an organization, writing that â€Å"conducting business as usual is very difficult if the building seems to be on fire.†Interestingly, Chairman Schapiro invoked fire imagery in comments to reporters as she made changes to SEC operations shortly after taking office. Moreover, in a recent speech, Chairman Schapiro noted the rapid pace of change at the SEC over the preceding year: I know that change is hard because within our agency we have been engaged in some of the most significant change in decades. When I arrived at the agency last January, we began a process of assessing our operations and determined we could do better. We de termined that we needed to change. And that is the path we have chosen. The personnel changes instituted at the SEC may be seen as examples of sweeping change. The discomfort and discontent of the SEC staff in response to the personnel changes may be evidence of the brash nature of these personnel changes. Kotter’s work predicts this kind of reaction. He notes that â€Å"bold moves that reduce complacency tend to increase conflict and to create anxiety, at least at first.† 2. Creating the Guiding Coalition Leading change is not a solitary task. Because major change is so difficult to accomplish, a powerful force is required to sustain the process. No one individual, not even a monarch-like CEO, is ever able to develop the right vision, communicate it to large numbers of people, eliminate all the key obstacles, generate short-term wins, lead and manage dozens of change projects, and anchor new approaches deep in the organization’s culture. Instead, what is required is a strong leadership team-a team â€Å"with the right composition and sufficient trust among members.† In terms of composition,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"four key characteristics† are important: â€Å"position power†- the entire group who will be charged with making progress in areas of needed change, â€Å"expertise,† â€Å"credibility,† and â€Å"leadership.† Trust is borne of activities that â€Å"create . . . mutual understanding, respect, and caring.† Trust is important because it can lead to the effective creation of a â€Å"common goal† or â€Å"shared objective.† Chairman Schapiro has changed the leadership team at the SEC. We must question, however, whether the team has the right characteristics and the requisite trust. Certainly, the credentials of the SEC Commissioners are quite impressive in terms of expertise, credibility, and leadership skills. Chairman Schapiro has put a premium on attracting to the SEC people with an expansive set of experiences and skills. Moreover, the published remarks of new leaders in the Division of Enforcement-people with position power-are impressive in their indication of a collective change momentum. New leaders continue to emerge, making the membership of the guiding coalition unsettled and unclear. The executives who ignited the transformations from good to great did not first figure out where to drive the bus and then get people to take it there. No, they first got the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and then figured out where to drive it. In general, public information sources are not detailed enough to enable a comprehensive assessment of the suitability of the composition of Chairman Schapiro’s guiding coalition. For example, according to Kotter, â€Å"you need both management and leadership skills on the guiding coalition, and they must work in tandem, teamwork style.†He offers matrices that illustrate optimal compositions. Publicly available information does not enable us to determine whether or not the SEC guiding coalition has the optimal balance of management and leadership skills. Only as the exact identity of the leadership te am emerges and the team takes concerted and coordinated action will we be able to evaluate its composition. As difficult as it is for us to appraise the team’s composition, it is more difficult for us to assess whether the guiding coalition has the required trust. Although I have not found evidence that ostensible members of the SEC guiding coalition have engaged in team-building exercises or attended a retreat at which intra-group trust may have been engendered, the SEC’s recent self-assessment’ may be a sign that mutual trust is being promoted throughout the agency. As new people are identified for inclusion on the change leadership team, they will need to be effectively brought into the â€Å"circle of trust.† 3. Developing a Vision and Strategy To achieve successful organizational change, a leader needs to have both vision and a strategy to implement that vision. â€Å"Vision refers to a picture of the future with some implicit or explicit commentary on why people should strive to create that future.† Vision serves to channel change in a particular direction and incentivizes and coordinates change in that direction. Chairman Schapiro seems to understand this aspect of change leadership, and she also seems to be incorporating it into the SEC’s operations. Her vision for a reformed SEC refocuses the SEC’s activities on one of the key policy underpinnings of the federal securities laws: investor protection Another lesson I have learned is to have a vision about where you want to take your organization and stick to your principles in getting there. Principles are not ideologies. They are different. Maybe it’s a question of degree. Maybe to some it’s semantics. But as I see it, unlike ideologie s, principles don’t seem to demand a particular answer to every problem that emerges. We’ve seen how strict adherence to ideology played out over the last decade in the financial arena. â€Å"Free market ideology† together with rapidly changing technology, globalization and many other accidental causes led too many of us to forget hard-learned lessons from past crises and abandon basic common sense. Principles, on the other hand, help frame a question, an issue or a problem. Having a principle might highlight tensions and trade-offs of particular choices, but rarely do they force you to choose between a good solution and a worldview. For me at the SEC, my main principle is putting investors first. And, I try to stay focused on that every day. And the goal is to build an SEC that is deeply expert, nimble, and aggressive-that gives investors confidence. In fact, as Bob Glauber can attest, I have a sign posted on my door that says â€Å"How does it help investors?† It’s a simple question, but it guides all that I do at the SEC. And, all those who enter my office understand that is the prism through which we will consider all issues. It doesn’t necessarily dictate the outcome of every issue that lands  on my desk-because there are many solutions to any problem that could aid investors. But, the principle helps to shape our thinking and steers us in the right path. Vision is implemented through strategy. â€Å"Without vision, strategy making can be a much more contentious activity†¦. Even more so, without good vision, a clever strategy or a logical plan can rarely inspire the kind of action needed to produce major change.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Chairman Schapiro’s vision has guided structural and operational change at the SEC as well as substantive rulemaking. Some credit her clearly conceived vision and the related rapidly employed strategy for saving the SEC from more significant structural or operational change. 4. Communicating the Change Vision According to Kotter, the larger the audience for the change vision, the more powerful it may be. A great vision can serve a useful purpose even if it is understood by just a few key people. But the real power of a vision is unleashed only when most of those involved in an enterprise or activity have a common understanding of its goals and direction. That shared sense of a desirable future can help motivate and coordinate the kinds of actions that create transformations.’ A leader must be careful to communicate the change vision broadly, frequently (repeatedly), and consistently. The message conveying the vision must be direct, clear, simple, and geared to its targeted audiences. Metaphors, analogies, examples, and florid prose may be helpful in this regard. The means of conveying the message should be varied: oral and written, large forum and small group, and through words and actions. Finally, to ensure understanding, the communication of the vision should be a two-way street , involving both give and take as well as conveying and listening.† Chairman Schapiro has engaged in significant public speaking in which she has regularly and repeatedly informed and reminded the SEC staff and various elements of the public about the SEC’s recommitment to investor protection and the linkage of that vision to structural and operational changes at the SEC. Chairman Schapiro regularly appeared before congressional committees and subcommittees, and she has communicated her vision in these arenas as well. She used memorable analogies, examples, and words to convey the SEC’s organizational change message.’ Evidencing an appreciation for two-way communication, soon after  her appointment, Chairman Schapiro took action in response to staff suggestions that enforcement efforts against corporate violators of the securities laws were too difficult. Moreover, the self-assessment process and related ongoing staff communications are evidence of two-w ay communication about the structural and operational changes that have been taking place at the SEC. And Chairman Schapiro has continued to express belief in capturing a variety of viewpoints in decision-making. 5. Empowering Employees for Broad-Based Action To implement the leader’s vision, employees need to be able to take action. This may mean clearing away structural barriers, skill deficiencies, systemic obstacles, and supervisory impediments that may forestall effective employee participation in change efforts. Many of the structural and operational reforms implemented by Chairman Schapiro appear to be designed to empower SEC staff members for action that carries forward the change vision of the SEC. The efforts of Chairman Schapiro to listen and respond to staff concerns about unnecessary enforcement hurdles are examples of initiatives to streamline structure. In addition, the restructuring of the Division of Enforcement is geared to clear structural barricades to effective enforcement efforts.’ The decision to retain staff with â€Å"non-traditional skills† and the implementation of new staff training are examples of efforts to remedy skill deficits. Human resources and information systems have been or are be ing improved in response to deficiencies identified in the SEC’s self-assessment and the OIG’s investigation, report, and recommendations. In the Division of Enforcement, supervisory positions are being eliminated, supervisory personnel are being replaced, supervisory responsibilities are being realigned, and supervisory attitudes that may have impeded investigations are being corrected.’ 6. Generating Short-Term Wins Because the organizational change process is slow and constituents can be impatient, it is important for a change leader to accomplish certain limited objectives in the short term. Major change takes time, sometimes lots of time. Zealous believers will often stay the course no matter what happens. Most of the rest of us expect to see convincing evidence that all the effort  is paying off. Nonbelievers have even higher standards of proof. They want to see clear data indicating that the changes are working and that the change process isn’t absorbing so many resources in the short term as to endanger the organization. To be effective in sustaining organizational change efforts, short-term wins must be â€Å"both visible and unambiguous.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ They also must be â€Å"clearly related to the change effort.† And in an effective change effort, they are planned, not accidental.’ SEC Chairman Schapiro accomplished some highly publicized early wins after her appo intment was confirmed. In particular, she swiftly moved to remove perceived barriers to enforcement of the securities laws against public companies. She publicly promoted these changes, and they were picked up by the news media.’ These efforts generated support in and outside the SEC. The achievement of these short-term wins on a staggered but consistent basis has kept the SEC’s structural and operational reforms in front of the SEC’s staff and the public, building consensus around and momentum for the SEC’s self-initiated reform efforts and distracting attention from more substantial externally generated suggestions for change. 7. Consolidating Gains and Producing More Change The long-term time horizon for organizational change not only makes short-term wins advisable, but also may make early declarations of victory problematic. It is important that the sense of urgency created by the change leaders is sustained for the long haul. Short-term wins are essential to keep momentum going, but the celebration of the wins can be lethal if urgency is lost. With complacency up, the forces of tradition can sweep back in with remarkable force and speed. Although a rapid, consistent pace of change at the SEC was sustained over the first fifteen months of reform, Chairman Schapiro as well as other SEC change leaders, needed to maintain the change momentum by continuing to introduce reforms on a regular basis. Having gone so far, the SEC could have lost all of the gains it had made in organizational change merely by relaxing into complacency. â€Å"Until changed practices attain a new equilibrium and have been driven into the culture, they can be very fragile.†Ã ¢â‚¬Ëœ To reach that equilibrium, in addition to engaging in more and continuous change, the SEC should bring in additional change agents, continue to foster leadership from its senior managers, recruit and nurture project management and leadership from lower ranks in the hierarchy, and identify and decrease or eliminate unnecessary internal structural and operational interconnections that often make change efforts more complex.’ These types of efforts in change management are difficult and pervasive. 8. Anchoring New Approaches in the Culture Finally, to prevent regression, change leaders must address and resolve any incompatibilities between the changes that have been made and the organization’s culture-friction in the group’s system of behavioural norms and shared values. This is not as easy as it may sound. These norms and values may apply to the organization as a whole or only to certain parts of the organization, and it is important to achieve compatibility on both levels. Moreover, culture is change-resistant and nearly invisible. Yet, the failure to address inconsistencies between a change effort and the prevailing culture can undo years of reform.’ Accordingly, it was important that Chairman Schapiro understood the applicable behavioural norms and shared values of the SEC and the Enforcement Division and their respective relevant cultural sub-groups as they continue to reform the SEC and the Enforcement Division. Because the core vision of investor protection should not be entirely inconsisten t with the SEC’s culture (in whole or in pertinent part), these and other change leaders at the SEC should be able to â€Å"graft the new practices onto the old roots while killing off the inconsistent pieces.† The important thing will be for the SEC’s change leaders to continue to remember the organization’s heritage and link it to the organization’s new and ongoing operations and objectives.

Is Money Ruining Football Essay

Is money ruining football? One of the most talked about topics in football. Some fans think that it is a wonderful thing, a dream come true however others seem to disagree. Is all of this money in modern day football ruining it? From all this money football seems to become a victim of its own success. One main part of this money being in football is due to a lot of clubs having foreign ownership.It all came about in 2003 when Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea FC and since then he has put in hundreds-upon-hundreds of millions of his own money into the club Chelsea have since won nine major trophies including three Premier League titles and most recently the UEFA Champions League. Proof that wealth can indeed buy honours in the world of football. Since then half of the 20 Premier League clubs are now owned by foreigner investors. Those clubs are: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, QPR, Reading, Southampton and Sunderland.Perhaps the most spectacular of them all is politician and member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Manchester City. Since he has bought the club in 2008 he has spent over ? 425 of his own money to buy first team players for the club. The highest fee that has ever been paid for a footballer is ? 80 million for Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United to Real Madrid, this is a major difference to what the highest fee in 1928 the highest amount paid for a player was ? 10,000.The maximum wage has was also only ? 12 a week and players got a ? 650 bonus if they stayed at the club for 5 years whereas nowadays the most paid players is on ? 250,000 pound a week. This colossal money being spent to attract a footballer to a club doesn’t necessarily mean that the player is any better than another; it purely is just saying that the club has more money than the others. This is having a negative effect on football as now players are playing for the money and now not the club that they are playing for.It is also very unfair on competition in the same league meaning the richer team has an advantage as they can pay crazy amounts to get a player but a lower team can spend very little meaning the competition on less competitive. So if your club has more money it then attracts players who are better known where less known clubs have to settle on lower wages meaning that the players that they buy will be on a much less wage than those of a higher team. One big problem hat money has is the risk of the football club going bust. The most recognisable of those clubs currently in major financial trouble is former Premier League club Portsmouth, now of League One. The club is currently in administration and runs the risk of being non existant. This has come from the club overspending on players and the wages the players been given far too much than what they realistically should be on. Last season Premier League clubs shared a staggering ? 68 million in tel evision revenue, if the Premier League were to introduce a ‘safety pot’ of money (? 9. 68 million) for football league and Conference clubs so that in severe cases clubs can apply for grants to stop them going into administration/save clubs from going bust. Having an owner with millions to spend isn’t always as good as it sounds since it runs the risk of your club vanishing forever. One of the major things though is the rise in ticket prices.Football used to be called the working class sport but now it is an expensive pastime and something that the average working class man struggles to afford. This is shown at St. James’ Park when in 1992/9 3 you were able to get an adult season ticket for around ? 122 but nowadays the average season ticket is around ? 500 which shows how expensive football is now getting and that in 20 years there has been a 150 percent rise in prices.It seems that football is now slowly changing from a working class sport to a sport for those who are wealthier. The only solution to stop money from continuing to ruin football is by Uefa the governing body of football to try and do something about it by introducing salary caps or by putting in place transfer caps so only certain amounts of money can be spent in the transfer market and this would have an effect on agent fees, sponsorship and TV deals which would then ticket prices could be lowered and that clubs could still turn a profit.Another thing is putting a limit on how many foreign players you can have in your team which would mean more home-grown players would be in the team and then less wages would be spent and transfer prices to attract players from overseas and this would mean teams would need to spend more money on youth academies rather than looking all over the world for players to spend ridiculous amounts of money on. Football is no longer turning into a sport, it is a business that is now worth millions and millions of pounds and this is taking the game to its knees. By Reece Paterson.

VIRTUAL SCHOOLS AND THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY STUDENT

Can Virtual Schools Meet the Needs of the Twenty-first Century Student?The turning complexness of an interdependent and interrelated universe has spurred monolithic instruction reforms in the United States. Unfortunately, many say that the instruction system is non overhauling plenty to bring forth more competitory 21st century pupils. Harmonizing to the North American Council for Learning and Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills ( 2006 ) , bulk of Americans feel that the United States is dawdling behind other industrialised states in fiting pupils with twenty-first century accomplishments such as critical thought and problem-solving accomplishments, computing machine and engineering accomplishments, and communicating and autonomy accomplishments. Calls to reform the instruction system to aline with the demands of the planetary work force have prompted support for practical schooling. Reports suggest a turning credence and popularity of on-line acquisition among pedagogues, parents, and pupils. K-12 online acquisition is a new field that caters to an estimated $ 50 million market and turning over 30 per centum yearly. There are over 173 practical charter schools functioning 92,235 pupils in 18 provinces in 2007 ; 57 per centum of public secondary schools in the U.S. offer auxiliary online classs and 72 per centum of school territories with distance instruction plans planned to spread out on-line offerings in the old ages to come ( Watson, Gemin, & A ; Ryan, 2008 ) . The phenomenon of the â€Å" practical school † has generated much exhilaration. Considered by many to hold revolutionized the manner instruction is delivered and accessed in the digital epoch of the Information age, practical acquisition in the United States has roots that go manner back in the late eighteenth century. The modern precursor to the modern-day practical schools is the mail-based correspondence school, said to hold been invented in 1891 at the University of Chicago. From mail-based systems, bringing mechanisms shortly evolved to radio plans to telecasting and satellite broadcasts to the Internet-based practical schools of today. Virtual schools utilizing the Internet as medium were launched in the 1990s but its foundation established before that period. In 1988, the federal Star Schools plan was started with peculiar accent on supplying distance-education engineerings through telecommunication partnerships to little rural schools. In August 1993, a charter school was built by Horizon Instructional Systems in Lincoln, California, offering plans that include an â€Å" electronically assisted pupil learning † plan that blended home-based computing machines with satellite engineering and distance instruction. The K-12 practical school appears to hold materialized in the summer of 1995 when the Eugene, Oregon-based CyberSchool Project was launched by nine territory instructors. By 1996, the ballyhoo of the practical school took land with the constitution of the experimental WebSchool in Orange County Florida ; Cyber-School Academy in Washington State ; the Concord Virtual High School which was built through a $ 7.5 million grant ; and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. What concretized the presence of K-12 practical schools is the outgrowth of big, multi-state plans such as the Florida Virtual School, founded in 1997 and the Virtual High School ( Greenway & A ; Vanourek, 2006 ) . Several surveies and researches have cited both the advantages and disadvantages of online acquisition. Researches show that apart from online larning non demoing important difference in act uponing pupil public presentation compared to traditional schoolroom direction, on-line scholars experience signifiers of isolation and hapless societal accomplishments. Some surveies have concluded that effectual execution of blend larning attacks in practical schools contribute to better academic public presentation and assessment trial tonss for pupils compared to their traditional schoolroom opposite numbers. In add-on to betterment in nucleus academic topics, surveies besides show that practical schooling provides the needful accomplishments in critical thought, originative job resolution, digital literacy, liberty and planetary consciousness to fix pupils for the twenty-first century work force. This survey aims to garner pertinent literature to find whether or non the practical school can run into the demands of the twenty-first century pupil. Purpose of the Study The viability of online acquisition to supplement traditional schoolroom direction has become undeniable in the face of increased Internet connectivity. In the United Schools, 100 per centum of the schools have Internet entree. Computer use begins at really immature ages and immature kids are now able Godheads of multimedia content ( International Council for K-12 Online Learning, 2009 ) . Integrating engineering with instruction seems merely suiting in the digital epoch of the Information age. Like all instruction reforms enterprises, the instance has been made to extol and discredit the success of on-line acquisition in bring forthing 21st century-standard instruction results. Surveies have pointed to the effectivity of on-line acquisition as â€Å" tantamount † or â€Å" better † than traditional schoolroom direction ( Cavanaugh, 2001 ; Barker & A ; Wendel, 2001 ) . In add-on, experts have come to believe that when used suitably, e-learning can take to improved pupil public presentation ( National Association of State Boards of Education, 2001 ) . There are besides disadvantages cited: isolation, hapless societal development, disadvantages for pupils experience linguistic communication, hapless accomplishment in physical demonstration-focused topics such as music, physical instruction, or foreign linguistic communication ( Barker & A ; Wendel, 2001 ; B ond, 2002 ) . Exhaustive research in on-line acquisition or practical schooling is limited, as research on the subject is comparatively new and undergoing development. This survey hopes to lend to the little organic structure of research that explores the capableness of practical schools to run into the demands of the twenty-first century scholar. This survey presents relevant theoretical constructs and bing research work to give a proper rating of whether or non practical schooling efficaciously equips and prepares the twenty-first century pupils with accomplishments needed to last in the competitory and internationalized work force. Statement of the Problem The alterations spurred by the Internet and multimedia engineering has challenged the traditional apprehension on how instruction is delivered in order to efficaciously fix pupils for the demands of the twenty-first century. Virtual schools break down geographical and clip barriers that limit chances for larning. The promise of flexibleness and pupil liberty in practical schooling are believed to fix pupils for the increasing demand in job resolution accomplishments and technological expertness in the globalized work force. Research workers have pointed both advantages and disadvantages of the practical school. While it offers exciting chances for pupil battle, strictly on-line larning lacks the needed face-to-face interaction and exposure to socialisation that traditional acquisition can supply. Hence, the blended acquisition or intercrossed attack, which combines both the online experience and face-to-face direction, has found application in most schools offering online classs toda y. This survey will reexamine relevant literature in order to reply the undermentioned research inquiries: What are the demands of the twenty-first century pupil? What is the effectivity of practical schooling in bettering pupil public presentation? What is the potency of practical schooling in supplying pupils with twenty-first century accomplishments, peculiarly ( a ) critical thought and job resolution accomplishments ; ( B ) planetary consciousness ; ( c ) information communications and engineering ( ICT ) skills ; and ( vitamin D ) autonomous acquisition and authorization? Discussion This subdivision presents selected relevant surveies and theoretical constructs that explore the capableness of practical schools to run into the demands of 21st century pupils, peculiarly in bettering nucleus academic competences every bit good as alleged twenty-first century accomplishments. The Needs of the Twenty-first Century Student Aside from the academic nucleus competences listed in the No Child Left Behind Act ( 2001 ) such as English, reading or linguistic communication humanistic disciplines, mathematics, scientific discipline, foreign linguistic communications, civics, authorities, economic sciences, humanistic disciplines, history, and geographics, theoreticians list several accomplishments needed by the 21st century pupil: information, media literacy, and engineering accomplishments, larning and invention accomplishments, life and calling accomplishments, and planetary consciousness ( NACOL and Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills, 2006 ) . Information, media, and engineering accomplishments are farther subdivided into information literacy, media literacy, and information, communications and engineering ( ICT ) literacy. Information literacy is the pupil ‘s capacity to entree and measure information expeditiously and efficaciously, every bit good as appreciating the cardinal ethical issues related to information entree. Media literacy entails the capacity to understand why and how media messages are constructed and the creative activity of media merchandises using appropriate media creative activity tools. Information and communications engineering ( ICT ) literacy is the aptitude of utilizing digital engineerings ( computing machines, media participants, etc. ) , societal webs, and communication/networking tools to measure and pass on information and successfully map in a knowledge-based economic system. Learning and invention accomplishments include creativeness and invention, critical thought and problem-solving, and communicating and coaction. Creativity is the ability to make a broad scope of new and worthwhile thoughts, refinement and measuring them to better originative attempts, every bit good as the openness and reactivity to new positions. Critical thought involves abilities such as job designation, information assemblage, premises, informations reading, measuring grounds, acknowledging relationships, pulling decisions, proving decisions, retracing forms and doing judgements ( Thornburg, 2000 ) . Communication and coaction accomplishments involves the ability to joint ideas and thoughts efficaciously utilizing verbal and gestural communicating methods, listening efficaciously, and working efficaciously with diverse squads or groups. Effectiveness of Virtual Schools in Improving Student Performance Key findings gathered by educational reform organisations comparing student public presentation among on-line scholars and traditional schoolroom scholars range from â€Å" no important difference † , â€Å" equal † , and â€Å" better † results for pupils engaged in on-line acquisition. Surveies besides point to intermix acquisition or the intercrossed attack as the method that consequences to outdo pupil results. In a meta-analysis done by The U.S. Department of Education ( 2009 ) synthesising 51 on-line surveies in 2009, consequences indicate that â€Å" on norm, pupils in on-line acquisition conditions performed better than those having face-to-face direction † ( p. nine ) . Furthermore, the survey compared results of both online and blended larning attacks to face-to-face direction. The survey concludes that blended direction was more effectual than face-to-face direction and recommends execution of blended attacks. A meta-analysis conducted by Cavanaugh ( 2001 ) explored the differences in accomplishment among distance acquisition and traditional schoolroom plans at the K-12 degree. Consequences indicated that accomplishment was more or less tantamount among the two groups. The Florida TaxWatch Center for Educational Performance and Accountability ( 2007 ) cited in its concluding study of the Florida Virtual School that pupils enrolled in online classs outperformed their equals in traditional schools. In the school twelvemonth 2004-05, FLVS pupils outperformed their traditional school opposite numbers in nine out of 10s capable countries. Both groups scored 85 % in art/visual humanistic disciplines. During the 2005-06 school twelvemonth, high school pupils taking on-line classs scored systematically higher in nine out of 10s capable countries than traditional public high school scholars. The study besides indicated that FLVS pupils systematically earned higher classs, received better FCAT ( Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test ) scores, and achieved higher Markss on Advanced Placement ( AP ) exams than scholars in traditional schools. A survey on K-adult distance instruction plans conducted by Shachar and Neumann ( 2003 ) revealed a important positive consequence, reasoning that in approximately two-thirds of the instances, distance instruction scholars outperformed their traditional schoolroom opposite numbers. Cavanaugh et Al. ( 2004 ) conducted a meta-analysis aimed at comparing accomplishment in online and traditional schoolroom plans. The synthesis revealed â€Å" no important difference † in academic results and concluded â€Å" about tantamount † steps between on-line pupils and schoolroom opposite numbers. Other surveies reveal that groups of pupils larning on-line by and large achieve at degrees equal to their equals in schoolrooms. There appears to be grounds to show that when used suitably, blended acquisition attacks in practical schooling can better what pupils learn and supply them with high-quality acquisition chances ( Kearsley, 2000 ; National Association of State Boards of Education, 2001 ) . Potential of Virtual Schools in Promoting twenty-first Century Skills Unlike literature on the effectivity of post-secondary and higher-education online acquisition, there is a dearth of research that focuses on the effectivity of K-12 distance instruction in heightening learning results among pupils. Using the Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills theoretical account ( 2007 ) , the literature presents bing certification on effectivity of online acquisition in furthering critical thought and job resolution accomplishments, ICT or digital literacy, planetary consciousness, and autonomous acquisition and authorization. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Since 21st century occupations require higher degrees of job work outing accomplishments and critical thought, practical schools prepare their pupils by guaranting that they are able to appreciate relationships between abstract thoughts and practical applications in the context of the existent universe. NACOL ( 2001 ) asserts that practical schools use competency-based acquisition theoretical accounts that are effectual in heightening critical thought accomplishments. Creative job resolution is besides facilitated through group or squad activities developed routinely in online classs. The contextual acquisition theory, the acquisition theoretical account used in on-line acquisition, suggests that larning occurs merely when the scholar is able to treat newly-acquired information in a mode that makes sense to them utilizing their ain frames of mention. Since the head of course finds significance in context, it establishes connexions that has significance and seem utile. Education theoreticians assert that when acquisition is situated in the context of real-world scenarios, pupils become more motivated to larn. In add-on, pupils find more exhilaration as they represent and simulate reliable and existent real-world jobs, alternatively of abstract, out-of-context activities ( Bransford, Brown, & A ; Cocking, 2000 ; Driscoll & A ; Carliner, 2005 ) . Many theoreticians argue that the effectivity of practical acquisition is based on rules of effectual acquisition in general. Harmonizing to the acquisition theory, acquisition is enhanced or promoted on three conditions: ( a ) when pupils have active engagement in the acquisition procedure ; ( B ) when coursework is contextualized in real-life state of affairss and experiences ; and ( degree Celsius ) when deep acquisition or critical thought is facilitated through brooding activities ( Bransford, Brown, & A ; Cocking, 2000 ; Quitadamo & A ; Brown, 2001 ) . The National Survey of Student Engagement ( 2008 ) survey found that online scholars reported deeper attacks to larning than classroom-based scholars and experienced â€Å" better usage of higher order believing accomplishments, integrative thought, and brooding acquisition † ( p. 15 ) . Duffy and Cunningham ( 1996 ) assert that practical schools facilitate acquisition by utilizing engineering in making real-life contexts that engage scholars in work outing complex jobs. Using real-world state of affairss promotes deep acquisition by developing critical thought in the pupil. Online direction such as simulation promotes critical thought as it involves active and adept analysis, synthesis, and the application of information to peculiar state of affairss. An illustration of a contextualized acquisition attack applied efficaciously is illustrated by Florida Virtual School ‘s scientific discipline course of study. The school ‘s course of study is designed by and large to go around around the usage of job work outing accomplishments and real-world applications. For case, in a Geometry category, pupils are non merely taught theoretical edifice and architectural constructs. The on-line instructor required pupils to complete a undertaking utilizing real-world architectural rules. After sharing digital transcripts of designs and floor programs, pupils were instructed to pull the front position of place. Another assignment required pupils to research the constructs of incline, rise, pitch, and run by analyzing local edifices ( Florida TaxWatch, 2007 ) . The usage of multimedia in practical schools is an effectual acquisition tool that facilitates student battle. Multimedia inclusion in on-line classs finds support in basic cognitive rules of larning. Constructivism argues that larning can merely be meaningful one time the scholar is able to choose relevant information, form this information, and efficaciously makes connexions between matching readings. Furthermore, active acquisition occurs when the scholar engages in three cognitive procedures: choosing relevant words for verbal processing and choosing relevant images for ocular processing, forming words into a coherent verbal theoretical account and forming images into a consistent ocular theoretical account, incorporating matching constituents of the verbal and ocular theoretical accounts. As a consequence, Doolittle ( as cited in Hede, 2002 ) concludes that pupils have a better potency for larning from a combination of words and images than from words entirely. The usage of game s and simulations when learning on-line topics allow goal-based challenges that stimulates involvement and heightens pupils ‘ motive. In add-on, supplying tools that enable pupils to collate and footnote notes promote battle ( Hede, 2002 ) . Autonomous Learning and Empowerment The nature of the 21st century cognition economic system requires citizens to be engaged in womb-to-tomb acquisition. As a consequence, being in control of the way of one ‘s ain acquisition becomes non merely valuable but necessary in the twenty-first century. Online direction offers the needful flexibleness and convenience to finish larning units when and where a scholar desires ( McDonald, 2000 ) . Furthermore, practical schools empower scholars with self-paced and autonomous acquisition, allowing them take independently what courses to take and when. The self-paced nature of online larning benefits both pupils who are speedy scholars and those who need more clip in finishing class aims. Quick scholars are given the chance to larn at an prosecuting gait while pupils who are comparatively slow in carry throughing larning units can take their clip without being capable to stigma ( Watson, Gemin & A ; Ryan, 2008 ) . Online acquisition besides encourages pupils to put to death clip direction and pattern a higher degree of personal duty ( Cavanaugh, 2001 ) . To exemplify, Florida Virtual School pupils are able to take the rate of class completion depending on their single demands. Students are empowered to either extend or cut down their completion period from the traditional 36-week school twelvemonth. In making so, pupils are able to pull off their clip and custom-make the faculty or unit organisers provided to accommodate their demands. Flexibility in online acquisition comes with the pupil ‘s answerability to subject terminal merchandises to their teachers. Students are free to subject class assignments at any clip of the twenty-four hours in a given hebdomad but will still be capable to answerability steps. This theoretical account is really much comparable to practical offices and teleworking of today that allows flexibleness but commands high answerability and quality outlooks for the terminal merchandise. Haughey and Anderson ( 1998 ) province that online, networked acquisition has the undermentioned advantages: communicating and interaction ; immediateness ; permanency ; diffusion ; and, exhilaration. Interactive and interpersonal applications of digital engineering facilitates the displacement on how acquisition is approached. Online larning makes the move from an authority-based acquisition to one founded on find or experiential acquisition. Online larning facilitates communicating and interaction based on a learner-centered theoretical account ( Cavanaugh, 2001 ) . The learner-centered attack is the nucleus of the practical school doctrine. Learner-centered instruction in online classs necessitates increased communicating on an single footing, and frequently consequences to positive teacher-student relationships. Positive student-teacher relationships nurtured online are lined to positive pupil results, such as critical thought, motive, and dropout bar. The National Association of State Boards of Education ( NASBE, 2001 ) lists the undermentioned activities that could further communicating and coaction among pupils in practical schools: instructional resources ( on-line tutorials, WebQuests, practice/testing environments, instructional faculties, practical labs, and simulations ) ; informational stuffs ( scouts, electronic databases, mention resources, streaming picture, and digitized primary resources ) ; practical escapades such as web-based Tourss and practical field trips ; unrecorded interactions utilizing picture conferencing ; collaborative online acquisition ( e-mail, web logs, treatments, undertaking sharing, collaborative scientific discipline experiments, collaborative authorship, online books treatments, on-line writer visits, and adept treatments ; on-line aid ( proficient support, mention inquiries, mentoring, and peer tutoring ) ; sharing infinite ( practical galleries of pupil work, on-line newspapers, and collaborat ive composing countries ) . Global Awareness The world of globalisation has put force per unit area on instruction systems to set to the increasing complexnesss and demands of an mutualist universe. Education ‘s intent in developing responsible and productive citizens to fuel national growing has been supplanted as increasing competition and mutuality of a globalized universe require pupils to be educated in order to go more productive international citizens. Harmonizing to Schukar ( 1993 ) , â€Å" Children in this state must be provided an instruction that more than adequately prepares them for citizenship in the society and universe they will shortly inherit † ( p. 57 ) . The coming of globalisation has necessitated monolithic reforms in instruction. Thomas Friedman ( 2005 ) contends in his book, â€Å" The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century † that antiquity in the methods of acquisition and learning have no topographic point in the â€Å" level † and â€Å" connected † universe. Hence, digital engineering, which he attributes to the universe ‘s â€Å" flattening † , must be utilized to interrupt down clip and geographical barriers in instruction. Through it, the ascribed function to instruction as the great equaliser can carry through to a greater extent than the traditional educational methods. Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills ( 2007 ) emphasizes the importance of developing planetary consciousness in the twenty-first century pupil. Global consciousness involves the usage of critical thought and job resolution to be able to understand planetary issues, learn from and prosecute collaboratively with persons from diverse civilizations and backgrounds to further an attitude of common regard and unfastened duologue, and understand different civilizations and larning non-English linguistic communications. The purpose of planetary instruction is to develop empathy and perspective-taking among pupils as they study human struggle and cooperation, mutuality of human systems, and cross-cultural differences ( Freeman, 1993 ; Tye & A ; Tye, 1992 ) . In other words, planetary instruction serves to bring forth pupils who have a planetary position and are equipped with accomplishments, cognition and temperaments to be able to appreciate and digest the built-in pluralities in civilization, ethnicity, and faith in the globalized universe ( Gilliom, 1981 ) . There are several types of activities that practical schools launch to advance planetary consciousness and an enhanced grasp of cultural diverseness among pupils. Virtual schools teach societal surveies concepts that require pupils to make web-based research, communicate with pupils from different states or provinces, engage in collaborative undertakings, and travel on telefieldtrips ( Harris, 2002 ) . As a consequence, pupils are provided the chance for real-time interaction and collaborative acquisition with kids from diverse civilizations that the physical school can non. Merryfield ( 2000 ) provinces that when engineerings are fused with societal surveies larning, the possible to advance cross-cultural apprehensions is maximized and consciousness in subjects such as equity, diverseness, and favoritism are heightened. NACOL ( 2001 ) paperss one of the most advanced undertakings launched by Broward Country Public Schools with the aid of the Florida Virtual School that successfully fused societal surveies larning with engineering to develop planetary consciousness. In an AP and Honors American History Course, four groups composed of Nipponese and American pupils collaborated through on-line picture conferencing and email interaction to discourse World War II and Japan-US dealingss. Using a Nipponese translator, American pupils were able to interact with pupils from Achiba, Japan. Other instructional content came from a Holocaust subsister, Nipponese cantonment captive and a professor of Asiatic Studies. Throughout the class, pupils created multimedia presentations and engaged in problem-solving activities. â€Å" Face-to-face † coaction utilizing Web picture conferencing enabled heightened cultural consciousness and promoted the bridging of two civilizations. Young, Birtolo, & A ; McElman ( 2009 ) reports how on-line acquisition in the Florida Virtual School ( FLVS ) provides chances for pupils ‘ increased consciousness and grasp of planetary issues and concerns. Students are given activities runing from online forums to discourse AIDS and universe hungriness, to engagement in online nines that portion perspectives on international personal businesss and other societal issues. In 2008, staff from FLVS ‘ online newspaper News in a Click interned as editors for PEARL World Youth News where they collaborated with pupils all over the universe through Web conferencing in making and redacting the newspaper. Creative schemes utilized by online instructors besides provide avenues of intercultural coaction and duologue ( Young, Birtolo, & A ; McElman, 2009 ) . One illustration is the Global Economic Summit organized by FLVS economic sciences instructor Patty Sibson that featured a cross-curriculum treatment of planetary issues participated by around 100 scholars from different states. The activity utilised Web conferencing and originative problem-solving undertakings. Another illustration is the on-line Chinese Language class offered by the Michigan Virtual High School ( MVHS ) . The class, which meant to present Chinese linguistic communication and civilization to get downing Chinese linguistic communication scholars, ran for a semester and was taught by a qualified Chinese-speaking teacher. Using a task-based language-learning course of study, the class emphasized on heightening basic communicating accomplishments and cross-cultural, planetary consciousness and apprehension. The on-line class required self-study and practical meetings and was designed to have four chief resources: an e-textbook, a group problem-solving undertaking, Web conferencing and treatment, and a group composing activity ( NACOL, 2001 ) . Digital engineerings used in practical schools offer pupils the agencies to get new types of cognition, accomplishments, and temperaments needed to work more efficaciously and go more productive planetary citizens ( Bell-Rose & A ; Desai, 2005 ) . Digital engineerings offer many possible ways to further planetary consciousness in schoolrooms. By inculcating planetary instruction and engineering in societal surveies larning, pupils are able to appreciate the interrelatednesss of states and peoples worldwide. Liz Pape ( 2007 ) discussed how practical schools are lending in run intoing the planetary consciousness accomplishments of the twenty-first century pupil. In an online confab interview moderated by Education Sector, she explains that online acquisition schools have developed learning theoretical accounts that enable the bringing of interaction of pupils across province or national lines, such as those take parting in online schoolrooms together. In this mode, planetary consciousness and citizenship accomplishments among pupils are developed. Certain restrictions prevent practical schools from maximising the chances of pupils to develop cross-cultural apprehensions such as larning non-English linguistic communications. There is a accepted deficit of foreign linguistic communication instructors ( Cavaluzzo & A ; Higgins, 2001 ) . Furthermore, technology-based societal scientific discipline learning to develop planetary consciousness is non ever successful. There is a needed attempt upon the online instructor to originate and put to death originative schemes that could bring forth coveted planetary instruction results. Surveies have come to reason that engineering entirely does non heighten pupil results ( McIsacc & A ; Gunawardena, 2001 ) Information and communications engineering ( ICT ) Literacy The demand for technological aptitude in order to go more competitory in the twenty-first century work force is now undeniable. In the age of information, it has become a necessity for pupils to get the hang the ability to utilize engineerings to treat, analyze, and articulate information in instruction, life, or employment scenes. Since the usage of engineering in practical schools is a constitutional demand, pupils master twenty-first century engineering accomplishments to fix them for the planetary and Web-driven workplace. Some pedagogues feel the effectivity of engineering is overestimated, mentioning that presenting information engineering in schools has non achieved either transmutation of learning or larning. Research workers deduce that maximising the benefits of IT investings require more than merely presenting engineering and alining it with the course of study. They believe it requires the triangulation of content, sound acquisition rules, and high-quality instruction ( Cox et al. , 2003 ) . Several suggest that the appropriate application of digital engineering in the schoolroom puting enhances pupil outcomes. In 2003, a quasi-experimental survey was conducted by Rosas et Al. ( as cited in Metiri Group, 2009 ) on 1,274 early simple pupils in Chile whose results were compared to a intervention group that were equipped with hand-held devices with games designed to progress reading comprehension, spelling, and mathematical accomplishments. After a period of 3 months, the survey revealed that pupils who used the hand-held devices for 30 hours posted important betterments than their control group opposite numbers. A survey studies positive correlativities between the use of educational games on PDAs and public presentation in reading comprehension and mathematics. The surveies conclude that bet oning engages pupils in deep concentration and motive that leads to high attending, concentration, and self-regulation of pupils ‘ larning procedure ( Savill-Smith & A ; Kent, 2003 ) . A meta-analysis across 42 surveies conducted by Pearson et Al. ( as cited in Metiri Group, 2009 ) showed important positive consequences with the usage of practical larning engineering in primary and secondary schools. Except for foreign linguistic communication were practical acquisition revealed uneffective, consequences were consistent across class degrees and capable countries. Effectss were somewhat higher to scholars under blended acquisition plans. Decision The complex challenges that pupils face today in visible radiation of the quickly increasing diverseness of the state ‘s population, globalisation of commercialism and civilization, and detonation of the Internet and other engineerings, higher academic results and increased versatility will assist fix pupils run into the demands of the twenty-first century. The related literature reviewed indicates the potency of practical schools to adequately run into the demands of the twenty-first century pupils and contribute to heighten academic public presentation and the development of of import accomplishments needed to fix them for the work force and the planetary economic system. There are advantages every bit good as disadvantages to online acquisition, but its benefits outweigh its restrictions. Research besides points to the blended acquisition policy or the combination of online and face-to-face direction as the most ideal in run intoing demands of the twenty-first century pupil. There remains yet inconclusive grounds on whether online acquisition surpasses the quality of traditional schoolroom acquisition, but it is clear that the practical school has become a popular and necessary option for 1000000s of pupils across America. Maximum benefits of practical schools may include easing betterment of pupils public presentation in academic nu cleus topics every bit good as developing accomplishments including originative job resolution, critical thought, autonomous acquisition and authorization, and ICT literacy.