Immigration Policy Historically Has Been Influenced By Our...

Immigration policy historically has been influenced by our country’s fear to uphold â€Å"traditional† American culture often rooted in a sense of anti-immigration and xenophobia. We perpetuate this by allowing the criminalization of communities of color, mainly with the large Latino population in the U.S. A large portion of the immigrants who arrive in the country are fleeing dangerous homelands pitted with economic and political turmoil. Their situation is worsened by our country’s broken immigration system where families are separated, immigrants are exploited as work labor, discrimination is rampant, and the pathways to citizenship are convoluted at best. We as a country need to uphold our values of freedom and equality when immigrants come to our country and reform our immigration system to be more reflective of this. In light of the recent occurrences with ISIS related terrorism committed by foreigners such as the San Bernardino shooting or the Orlando nigh t club shooting, there has been some resistance from the country in regards to immigration. Additionally the age old worry of job security also heightens our sensitivity towards immigrants with jobs, as they compete for them. Despite this, Clinton’s Immigration policy seeks to transform the U.S. into a version of our former selves with family at the heart of her immigration policies. In regards to this, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has a long history of promoting immigration changes through comprehensiveShow MoreRelatedThe Influx Of Immigrants During The United States Essay1554 Words   |  7 PagesThe influx of immigrants in the United States has been a source of much controversy since the 1790s. Throughout U.S. history there have always been immigration waves shaping the respective time period. For example, the 1880s were characterized by an increase of eastern and southern Europeans, while post-1965 has seen an increased presence of immigrants primarily from Latin A merica and Asia (Barone 12). Each wave of immigrants adds to the diversity of the U.S. population by bringing their own languagesRead MoreThe Border Security Act Of 20131701 Words   |  7 Pagesaddress the mismanagement of the Department of Homeland Security in regard to immigration policy, and would have provided more clear paths to citizenship for millions of undocumented workers. Another bill, the â€Å"Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013† drafter to tighten gun control in the wake of the Sandy Hook Massacre. The defeat of 7 amendments to the bill led Harry Reid to pull it in its entirety before a vote had been cast. The divided congress made the chances of these bills getting passed muchRead MoreAffirmative Action in Colleges1218 Words   |  5 PagesThe competition in college admissions has increased as more emphasis is put on obtaining college college education as a way of succeeding. Although there has been a notable increase in college enrollment during the last few decades, there is a disparity in social and economical achievement between Whites and Asians, and African-Americans and Hispanics. In order to combat this gap, the Kennedy administration in 1961 instituted a policy called affirmative action aimed towards counteracting the racialRead MoreSpain Political Analysis1405 Words   |  6 PagesThe kingdom of Spain is roughly about 504,750 sq. km., including the Balearic and Canary islands (CIA). This land mass is roughly double the size of our state of Oregon. The country is located in Western Europe and borders the countries of; Andorra, France, Gibraltar, Portugal and Morocco (Ceuta and Melilla) (CIA). The country has roughly about 30% arable land and exports much of its agricultural products. The Spanish population is about 40.1 million people with about 1% growth rate (CIA). TheRead MoreAssimilation: the Latino Experience Essay1924 Words   |  8 PagesImmigration has always been an issue in the United States, which is o ften portrayed as harmful and as major threat to American culture. As a result, various anti immigration policies have been aimed against immigrants in order to prevent and preserve the miscegenation of American culture, such as English only policies. Among the largest minority groups in the U.S, are Latinos who currently compose of 15% of the U.S population (Delgado and Stefancic 3). Unfortunately, Latinos have been accused ofRead MoreEssay on Increasing Security at The Mexican American Border3613 Words   |  15 Pagesa disparity in wealth and lifestyle. Our border with Mexico divides one of the Wests richest countries with a struggling third world economy. The nature of the border presents many unique issues; Mexican refuges looking for a better life here in America, Mexican drug lords exporting drugs to drug savvy America, American jobs going overseas for cheaper labor, as well as the integrating of our two cultures. Mexican immigration is a liability in our country, for re asons that I will state. Yet despiteRead MoreEducational Practices in Finland, Canada, and China1179 Words   |  5 PagesIn this paper, it will be looking at the culture and education practices of Finland, Canada, and China. Education varies from country to country as well as does ones culture, lifestyle of the people who live there. In doing so will review their culture and the role of their education policies that are used to motivate schools and teachers to improve student learning along with how their culture plays into learning. Furthermore, children should be taught with respect to their culture. HoweverRead MoreAnalysis Of Donald Trump s Presidential Election2224 Words   |  9 Pagesschool at the Warton School of Finance. Other than the acting chairman and president of his own organization, Trump has become a successful author of over 15 bestselling books including â€Å"The Art of the Deal.† He is also an Emmy nominee for his show â€Å"The Apprentice† which coined the phrase â€Å"you’re fired!†(â€Å"About Donald J. Trump†). Though he may not have much governing experience, he sure has gotten a lot of support from the American people. Bernie Sanders is somewhat the opposite when it comes to hisRead MoreA Permanent Or Semi Permanent Change Of Residence3784 Words   |  16 Pagestwenty-first century, the world has been turned into a global village due to advanced technology and globalization that have helped to serve the current economic and social needs. Lee (1966) has defined migration as ‘a permanent or semi-permanent change of residence’ (49). The spatial mobility is dictated by factors such as the area of origin, destination, obstacles, and personal interests. A global city is marked by cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity due to immigration and settlement. CapitalismRead MorePolitical Ideology Paper4615 Words   |  19 Pagesare democrats, and they choose to be of this political spectrum because they feel like the Democratic Party represents them. They feel as they stand for policies that will better them as people. With me, I am my own person so I take in the considerations of my parentsâ₠¬â„¢ choice, but also make my own decisions. I do believe in some of the policies and ideas of the Democratic Party, but disagree on some of them as well. So this is the reason why I consider myself a democratic moderate. There are many

The Five Forces of Evolution - 643 Words

There are five major forces behind evolution. One of these is genetic drift which is a sudden or drastic change in the gene pool of a small population due to a sudden event that wipes out part of the population. An example of this could be a population of butterflies that varies from light to dark that live in a garden. If the garden was suddenly re-planted with just white flowers, the populations gene pool would skew towards the light side. This would happen because the dark butterflies would no longer be able to camouflage since they wouldnt blend in with the white flowers. This would make the dark butterflies more vulnerable to predators, so they will be eaten much more than the lighter butterflies. This permanently changes the gene pool of this population of butterflies by removing the darker ones and reducing the allele(s) for dark coloration in the population and, as a result, increases the allele(s) for light coloration. Over time this population would evolve to be ligh ter due to white flowers because of the adaptation of individuals. This would be a stabilizing selection because genetic diversity would decrease in the gene pool because the butterflies would tend to be white. This would be genetic drift because all the dark butterflies would be killed by predators, and this results in a small population whose numbers have experienced a change in population that affects the gene pool. There are, of course, the other four driving forces behind evolution thatShow MoreRelatedBipedalism : What Is That All About?1114 Words   |  5 Pages Bipedalism: What is that all about? The issue at hand in these articles is the evidence for the development of bipedalism in hominids. Bipedalism seems to be one of the most important factors in the evolution of mankind and therefore the surrounding debate is rife with various hypotheses as to the background of this development in hominid evolutionary history. Although each of the three articles reviewed in this essay make different arguments, each seem to be cogent in their own way and do seemRead MoreIn Technical Terms, Strategic Management Is Defined In1573 Words   |  7 Pagesdetermine the long-run performance of a corporation. Strategic management is considered an evolution primarily because during a company s run they are constantly changing to keep up with new customer demands and its competitors. In a company s evolution phase, they must focus on growth and what it takes to get achieve success. This may include focusing on the reassessment of a company’s outlook on innovation. Evolution is a strategy used to stay relevant in a competitive market. Under this phase, a companyRead MoreThe Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( Sco ) Covers More Than Three Fifths Of The Eurasian Landmass1330 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause all SCO member states have come under attack from international terrorists. Following the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from Afghanistan, this threat may only grow. The SCO security agenda also includes the fight against drug trafficking, information security, and illegal migration. While focusing on the evolution of this regional organisation, one can safely argue that in its decade long existence the SCO has become a significant regional player in promotingRead MoreA Brief Look at Steve Jay Gould903 Words   |  4 PagesA five-year old boy and his father walk through the American Museum of Natural History in New York (â€Å"World Biography†). They explore the exhibits, but one in particular stands out to the child. In front of him stands a Tyrannosaurus rex. The five-year old boy was Stephen Jay Gould. He is quoted saying, â€Å"As we stood in front of the beast, a man sneezed; I gulped and prepared to utter my Sherman Yisrael. But the great animal stood immobile in all its bony grandeur, and as we left, I announced thatRead MoreEvolution Of A Scientific Revolution978 Words   |  4 Pagesbe triggered by external forces (i.e. environment), and said change can be inherited. Although many argue that epigenetics will cause a scientific revolution as the antithesis to Darwinian evolution, people are not taking into account that it can be integrated into the current framework. Research by Heijmans et al., Skinner et al., and Joubert et al. have shown that change in gene expression (also referred to as epigenetic mutation) is not only a crucial facet of evolution, but is also similar toRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Evolution Of Species1354 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1831, a newly graduated botanist named Charles Darwin was offered a position on a five year voyage mapping the coasts of South America. Darwin eagerly accepted this offer, seeing it as an opportunity to study specimens discovered on his journey. Upon returning to London, Darwin spent the next ten years meticulously cataloging and researching his findings. It was these studies that gave birth to a much deeper and more impactful discussion; the origins of species. Prior to Darwin’s studies the discussionRead MoreAn Address to the Nation on the Eve of 55th Republic Day Hi s Excellency Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam President of India818 Words   |  4 Pages55th Republic Day of India, I am indeed happy to greet all the billion citizens of our country including those living abroad. I also greet the members of the armed forces and paramilitary forces who guard our frontiers on the land, the sea and the air and also internal security forces. I would like to share some of my thoughts for evolution of a beautiful India, combining economic prosperity and value system drawn from our civilizational heritage. Indian economic scenario Indian economy showsRead MoreThe Origins Of The Origin Of Mathematics1411 Words   |  6 PagesThe Origins of Mathematics The Origins When and where is the origins of mathematics? The origins of mathematics accompanied the evolution of social systems in many ways. The social development of any society requires some sort of calculation and number system. In the same way, the arithmetic operations are essential for the development and interaction between people. Words that describe numbers and operations that enable calculations are the basis for survival. The need to count how many animalsRead MoreStudy650 Words   |  3 PagesUsing Porters Five Forces, answer (and discuss with your peers) the question, Is healthcare an attractive industry? Porters Five Forces model was used in many different industries.The five forces are threat of new entrants, threat of substitute products or services, bargaining power of customers (buyers), bargaining power of suppliers, intensity of competitive rivalry. This theory is based on the concept that there are five forces that determine the competitive intensity and attractiveness ofRead Morestarbucks case study951 Words   |  4 PagesCase study: Starbucks Evolution of the company Starbucks when established in 1971by three founding members; it was known as Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices. They were not selling beverages instead they sold coffee beans. By the next year itself they opened a second one in same Seattle, Washington. In early 1980 the management change took place while one of the founding members left Starbucks and Jerry Baldwin became a CEO. When Howard Schultz joined the company and took charge of marketing

My Childhood Memory free essay sample

One memory that really sticks out in my mind from my childhood is when I got my first skateboard. I remember for weeks after I spent hours upon hours outside on it, and I continue to ride to this day. It was the day of the party for my 8th birthday. I was outside playing basketball waiting impatiently for people to arrive. As they began to arrive a marveled at all the gifts being brought into the house. The party went slowly by as I waited to open my fits.When the time finally came to open gifts I remember being disappointed in most of them. I had one gift left to open and Judging by the size of it I didnt think it would be anything good. I opened it up and saw a skateboard. I thanked my grandparents politely for giving me the gift and set it off to the side so I could enjoy the rest of the party. We will write a custom essay sample on My Childhood Memory or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The next day I went outside to try it out so the gift wouldnt be completely wasted and to my surprise I loved riding it.There was such a good feeling of freedom and individuality knowing that in the sport of skating I didnt have to do what others did, I didnt have to depend on others, and didnt have a coach telling how to do things, it was all Just me. This is an important memory from my childhood because to this day I continue to ride skateboards and love every minute of It. Sometimes I reflect on my grandparents decision to get me something I never asked for and I thank them for that.

Moon over Manifest the Ideology of Home free essay sample

Who would dare think the outcast and abandoned can find a home? Who could dream that one can love without being crushed under the weight of it? A miracle cure to heal the sick? Pah. What makes us think any of this could be true? And yet all of us, we participate in this myth, we create, perpetuate it (Vanderpool 304). Miss Sadie talks about the search for a home to Abilene Tucker, the 12-year-old protagonist in the 2011 Newbery Medal winner, Moon over Manifest (Vanderpool 207). Abilene doesn’t have a home and never has. Motherless, she is sent by her father, Gideon, to live with his old friend in Manifest, Kansas. Abilene has spent her childhood traveling the country with her father, looking for work during the Great Depression in America. Manifest holds the promise of a kind of home, as it is the place where most of Gideon’s stories take place. We will write a custom essay sample on Moon over Manifest: the Ideology of Home or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But Gideon is absent in the stories she hears in Manifest. Abilene and her father are the outcast and the abandoned. The promise of Manifest is a myth, dreary and worn out in real life, unlike the exciting place in Gideon’s stories. And yet, as Miss Sadie says, everyone hopes that this mythical home will somehow be real. It is apparent that the myth of home is what distinguishes children’s literature from adult novels (Wolf 18). Nodelman and Reimer write that while â€Å"the home/away/home pattern is the most common story line in children’s literature, adult fiction that deals with young people who leave home usually ends with the child choosing to stay away† (197). A pattern observed, called a postmodern metaplot, starts with the child being abandoned, rather than leaving home. Ultimately, the child’s journey ends with a modern ideal of the child leading the adults to a hopeful ending, a home. I will explore the changing roles of childhood and adulthood in children’s literature, while focusing on Moon Over Manifest. The myth of home in children’s literature thus reflects adult constructions of childhood. The emphasis on a failed home was an unexpected, but reasonable, outcome of the analysis of the novel. After discussing the ideology of childhood it’s apparent that there’s a shift from home as a place to return to home as missing or failed was provided. In this case Moon over Manifest is an exemplar of the shift to a postmodern childhood in children’s literature. Bates looks at two different typical plots found in fairy tales and classic children’s literature (89). The plot of the fairy tale is the child protagonist separated or abandoned by the â€Å"evil† parent. The child then must make their way through a perilous world, facing all sorts of danger, in order to return home. Back home the child protagonist rewards the good parent and punishes the evil parent. An example of this journey can be found in Hansel and Gretel. The children are abandoned in the forest by their duped father at the behest of their evil stepmother. They battle the cruel witch, ultimately killing her and stealing her money. They return home to reward their father, the good parent, by sharing their wealth with him. In some versions, the evil parent has already been punished with death by starvation. The other typical plot, the one of classic children’s literature, involves children leaving home on their own or by magic. Like the children in fairy tales, these children also must face danger on their way home. Once home there is no reward or punishment for the parents as the separation was not the parents’ fault. One example of this plot can be found in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Carroll 64). Alice leaves home â€Å"as an indirect result of her own action† (Bates 49). In Wonderland Alice has adventures and escapes danger. She â€Å"goes home† by waking up. Home is not only the setting of most children’s literature but also the theme. The proverbial â€Å"happy ending† is when home is achieved. Readers and nonreaders of children’s literature expect this ending. It makes sense. As Miss Sadie said, â€Å"And yet all of us, we participate in this myth, we create, perpetuate it. † Miss Sadie ends her story commenting on the myth of home, â€Å"But what is worse—we believe it. And in the end, we are crushed by it† (304). She is speaking to Abilene and the assumed child reader as she would speak to an adult. Children are not supposed to be privy to the secret of the human condition that you can’t go home again. It is as if she is offering the reader a looking glass or a wardrobe to go through but on the other side isn’t Wonderland or Narnia but stark reality. Children’s texts reflect a certain ideology, a system of beliefs about childhood that is shared in a culture and allows people within that culture to make sense of childhood (McCallum and Stephens 384). The traditional or modern metaplot of home/away/home encompasses a modernist ideology, one in which expectations for children and childhood are standardized (Coats 21). The postmodern metaplot, which is highlighted in Moon over Manifest, replicates a dissimilar kind of childhood, a complex one, in which home is a place the child must construct. Moon over Manifest is a timely and clear example of the postmodern metaplot. Abilene has no home to leave. While Gideon’s love provides a kind of safety, he sends her alone on a train to Manifest to live among strangers directly after she recovers from a serious illness, signaling that he can no longer provide the shelter of love. Abilene is given no promises of help either. The fact that Gideon sends Abilene with a compass that doesn’t work; means it is almost as if he is telling her through this gift that she is now to make her own way in life. Abilene arrives in Manifest with no idea of when he will come for her. Once there, Abilene must, through her wit and endurance, discover who her father was and is. With the help of story she constructs her own history. This history allows her to make a home for herself, one which she invites her father to join. Ultimately, Abilene provides the home. She must create her own safety and give her father back his home. Abilene’s childhood is less than ideal and not an object of adult nostalgia. When asked by a peer about her missing parents she says that her mother has â€Å"gone to that sweet by and by† because in her mind, her mother â€Å"decided being a wife and mother wasn’t all it was cracked up to be† and so joined a dance troupe in New Orleans (27). Knowing the expectation that the only time a mother leaves her baby is through death; Abilene makes sense of her departure in a rational manner by showing an understanding of the choices her mother made. Left with her father, Abilene positions herself as his equal by consistently referring to him by his first name, Gideon. â€Å"It was like Gideon had gotten a wound in him too. Only he didn’t come out of it. And it was painful enough to make him send me away† (75). Abilene accepts her parent’s failures to provide her with a home. A postmodern metaplot provides a different way of looking at children’s literature and childhood.

Science Meets Real Life Essay Example

Science Meets Real Life Essay Science Meets Real Life Name: Course: Institution: We will write a custom essay sample on Science Meets Real Life specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Science Meets Real Life specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Science Meets Real Life specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Date: Science Meets Real Life PART I: SCIENTIFIC METHOD Scenario 1 The five steps of the scientific method are, stating the problem, forming a hypothesis, collecting the data and doing the experiment, interpreting the data, and concluding (Haag Haag, 2011). Using the scientific method, the first step would be to state the problem, which is, why are there no lights in the house? The second step in the scientific method is forming a hypothesis, by making a calculated guess of what I already know about the problem. My hypothesis is that there are no lights because there is a power outage. The next step involves conducting an experiment to test whether my hypothesis is true or false. I would have to check whether all the light bulbs in the home are on, and whether the other electric appliances around the home are working. The fourth step would be to interpret the data. If the other light bulbs around the home are working, then it means that only the specific light bulb has a problem. If this is the case, then I will solve the problem by replacing the light bulb. This means that my hypothesis is false, and there are other reasons why the light will not work. If the other light bulbs around the home and the electric appliances are not working, then it means that the problem is a power outage, and this would prove that my hypothesis is true. I will then conclude, based on the results of the experiment. Scenario 2 The lights are not working in the room, and there is darkness all around. I grope for the flashlight in a drawer nearby and find it, but it does not work. I will solve the problem using the scientific method. My problem is that the flashlight is not working. My hypothesis is that the flashlight is not working because the batteries are dead. To test my hypothesis, I conduct an experiment by replacing the batteries. If the flashlight works after replacing the batteries, it means that my hypothesis is true. If the flashlight does not work, even after I have changed the batteries, then it means that my hypothesis is false, and there are other reasons why the flashlight is not working. I will have to develop an alternate hypothesis. PART II: WHY I CANNOT LIVE WITH/WITHOUT SCIENCE I start my day by doing some exercises in the morning. The type of exercises that I do depends on the weather and the time I have. I then take a shower, after which I take breakfast. I head off to school by walking, since the school is not a long way from home. I carry on with various activities in the school. I go for lessons, games, have lunch, and do some other activities, before heading back home. I usually do my homework when I get home, and watch television, before taking dinner. I study for an hour or so after dinner, and then go to bed. Science influences my life in different ways. For instance, we use gas to cook our meals and we use electric lights in our home. We also watch television and use other electrical appliances around the home. This would not be possible without science. Taking a shower involves science, as the water has to come from the source using various scientific methods. Science has improved my quality of life because it has helped to make my work easier. When taking a shower, I do not need to carry any water from a water source or heat it. I only have to turn on the shower, and use the heated water. It has reduced the menial tasks that I have to do. This includes washing, cleaning, cooking, and traveling among other activities. Although science has had many positive impacts on people’s lives, it has also had some negative impacts. Science has led to the creation of many techniques, machines, and industries, which has in turn contributed to increased pollution. Increased use of vehicles and other machinery has contributed to increased water, air, and soil pollution. Science has also changed the way people and families interact, in the way that it has influenced the development of technology. It has led to the creation of more entertainment systems such as television, and this has reduced the time that people spend with each other. This has had a negative impact on social life. Science has led to the creation of more lethal wea pons such as guns and bombs. This has led to the deaths of many people around the world (Agazzi, 2004). The world has become more civilized and global, thanks to science. In a world where most things are automated, it is not possible to live without science. People have changed the way they do things, and those who are not aware of the latest developments are left out of many things. People use science everyday, although they may not be aware of it. For instance, even people who are not educated in formal scientific institutions apply science in their daily life, based on the experiences they have had. This course has changed the way I view science because it has made me realize that there is more to science than being in a laboratory. It has made me realize that I apply science in my life daily, by performing simple tasks. It has made me realize the importance of learning science, and using it in a responsible manner. References: Agazzi, E. (2004). Right, wrong and science: The ethical dimensions of the techno-scientific enterprise. New York, NY: Rodopi Aron, J. (2008). Why is science important? Retrieved from http://whyscience.co.uk/contributors/jacob-aron/jacob-aron-doing-more-with-sticks-than-making-spears.html Haag, G. M., Haag, C. L. (2011). Shooting incident reconstruction. San Diego, CA: Academic Press

Differences between groups and teams

Differences between groups and teams Many organizations comprise of both groups and teams as part of workplace dynamics. A group consists of a number of individuals assembled together with a unifying objective of attaining a certain goal (Katzenbach Smith, 1993, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Differences between groups and teams specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, a team is a group of people which differs from the group in terms of design features and characteristics. (Armstrong, 2010, p. 1). Most organization managers use these two tools to distinguish matters relating to delegation, roles and responsibilities. Teams and groups differ in a number of aspects: Age Usually, teams have a relatively small number of people while a group comprises of a bigger number. According to Katzenbach Smith (1993, p. 1), a team cannot be naturally big and therefore, the definable membership number is 12 persons at maximum and 2 at minimum. Groups consist of more than 12 persons. Pool of Skills A team pools together complementary but varying skills that could not be done on an individual level (Katzenbach Smith, 1993, p. 1). The different skills, knowledge, perspectives and strengths of each member in the team are identified and utilized. On the other hand, group members usually have an array of similar knowledge and skills in a certain field such as marketing. Roles and Responsibilities Team members are very flexible while performing their tasks in that they have an open platform that allows them to contribute in various aspects of duties and responsibilities. Roles and tasks keep on changing depending on the expertise and experience pertinent to the work being performed. Group members are assigned roles and tasks that do not change hence making them rigid. Relationships Members of a team normally have close relationships since their interaction is fairly open, more relaxed and less formal. Group members are conform ed to professional and laid down company ethical guidelines. This brings about strict professional interactions among members. Performance Goals and Objectives Team members usually share a common task which is of a limited scope and has clear defined objectives and timelines for which every member is individually and collectively accountable (Robbins and Judge, 2009). In a group, the members work towards a greater objective such as a mission statement for the organization which is not specific on timelines.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Approach to the Purpose A sense of shared purpose is a main objective which is guided by the team’s mission. The members identify what they have to achieve and then set the norms and values to guide them through their assignment and tasks. Groups work in line with the rules, norms, values and guidelines already set by the organization and cannot alter them. Accountability The outcome of team members is as a result of collective effort. In a group, the contribution of each member is what matters at the outcome level. (Armstrong, 2010, p.1). Members of a group are individually accountable whereas team members help each other out in accomplishing the purpose for which they joined the group. Synergy This is a term that is consistently and often used by team leaders. It conforms to the collective effort and combination of team members’ skills to yield greater results as opposed to individual efforts. Group members, on the other hand, have already set roles and hence they have no platform to perform other tasks. Leadership and Hierarchical Structures In a team, the members share and take turns in leadership positions. Team managers in a team are referred to as team leaders. This helps in performance because each task requires certain skills thereby giving a member who is most experienced and hol ds quality expertise in the field, the responsibility to spear-head the task. This assists in growth of members, both socially and professionally, since it gives room for each member to continue developing and sharpening their presentation and communication skills. In a work group, a leader is regarded as the most powerful with the responsibility of directing activities, assigning tasks, establishing schedules and monitoring the quality and contributions of each member of the group. This limits the other members’ room for development of leadership skills. Workplace diversity The diversity contained within teams and groups in any organization represents a pool of human resources and capability of the organization. Workplace diversity presents a platform of creating effective and dynamic teams for particular projects (Armstrong, 2010, p.1). Teams create room for brainstorming, creativity and innovation coupled with collaborative commitment, result orientation and cooperation wh ich are inherent in groups’ results to the development of ideas and solutions. This means that team dynamics are essential to any organization’s productivity. On the other hand, organizational culture and philosophies contribute a great length to the team dynamics.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Differences between groups and teams specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An organization that recognizes the knowledge and potential of its employees stands a better chance of creating a strong team for any given project. Organizational management that seeks to know the diversity and styles of work habits (Katzenbach Smith, 1993, p. 1) coupled with similarity of values, extensive skill and experiences of its employees, has additional advantage of creating an efficient team. In conclusion, any organizational culture in any working environment always has an impact to its success or failure. This, therefore, r epresents a direct intersection of groups and neither teams in any organization in that neither group nor team can work exclusively in any successful organization. Reference List Armstrong, T. (June 18, 2010). Teams in the Workplace. Helium. Web. Katzenbach, J. Smith, D. (1993). Team Tactics: The Critical Difference between Groups and Teams. Harper Business. Retrieved from excellerate.co.nz/ Robbins, S. P. and Judge, T.A. (2009). Organizational behavior: understanding work teams. (13th edition). Prentice Hall.

Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Research Paper

Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) - Research Paper Example the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) agreed upon modifying the existing standard of revenue recognition (Accounting Standards codification 605) in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and publish Accounting standards update 2014-09 (AICPA, 2014). The paper aims at understanding the implications of the update in context of revenue recognition in a broad manner. Alongside, it will also highlight impact of the new development in terms of improvement in financial reporting. Revenue is a very crucial element of the financial statement as it helps investors and other interested parties of an organisation in assessing the financial performance as well as position of the company with respect to others in an industry. It was observed that significant differences existed between revenue recognition principle of US GAAP and that of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). It was also ascertained that both the standards required certain improvements so as to improve the overall quality of financial reporting (Gallistel, et al., 2012). The previous revenue recognition guidelines in the US GAAP integrated broad concepts with various revenue requirements that were industry-specific; this process complicated the overall system of reporting. Contrastingly, IFRS revealed very limited information which made it difficult to account for complex transactions. The new revenue recognition guidance replaces transaction specific and industry specific revenue reco gnition measures with a principle based approach which is more specific in nature (Ernst & Young, 2014; PWC, 2014a). The boards, FASB and IASB, responded to the above mentioned challenges by developing a converged set of requirements that meet existing issues in US GAAP and IFRS. The guiding principle of the new standard aims at ensuring that companies recognise revenue for depicting transfer of goods and services to consumers in an amount which

The Impact of Technology in Business Dissertation

The Impact of Technology in Business - Dissertation Example 3.0 Literature Review 3.1 Impact of communication advancement on Business Despite the fact that the bigger companies have huge and dedicated information and communication technology departments, today, the technology levels the playing field to accommodate even the smallest companies (McKenney, Copeland and Mason, 1995). The smaller companies have a huge chance of surpassing the bigger companies if the smaller companies can use the ever increasing technology to their advantage (Johnson, 2009). 3.2 Impact of Databases to replace file systems in businesses A lot of technology has been applied in businesses today. For example, Database management systems are being used over the world in businesses. The database management systems replaced the old file systems (Atkinson and Draheim, 2010). This is probably one of the most widely used technology in businesses today. The database management systems are especially used in the accounting departments. Wang, 2014, suggests that businesses are solemnly driven by databases today. The better the database design, the more effective the business. 3.3 Impact of teleconferencing and home working Technology has changed how businesses operate is improvements in communications. With advances in communications, businesses can easily communicate with clients, suppliers and other important stakeholders quite effectively. This has led to increased productivity in the businesses. With teleconferencing for example, people can attend a meeting without necessarily being together in a physical room.

Economic Impact of Legalizing Online Poker Research Paper

Economic Impact of Legalizing Online Poker - Research Paper Example For instance, efficiency gains along with improved disposable earnings have given customers additional time for relaxation and entertaining activities. Besides, altering socio-demographic traits have worked as stimulants to customer using money on poker and other gambling activities. A latest as well as broad study of the economic costs and gains of legalized poker showed that the net economic gain was equal to 4.2 billion USD during 2010, up from 2 billion USD during 2000. Government profits obtained from government-owned lotteries, casinos, and VLTs increased from less than 500 million USD during 2000 to 2.1 billion USD by 2005, and arrived at 8.7 billion USD during 2009. Between 2002 and 2007, entire gambling profits for local governments raised from 2.2 billion USD to 5.1 billion USD (Mallios, 2010). Largely, the fraction of profits obtained from other gaming activities as well raised in this phase. 1.1 Existing State of Regulation Even though a few types of interstate poker are specifically prohibited in federal law, states may permit participants inside the state’s limits to participate online. Quite a lot of current lawmaking plans - on both the state as well as federal levels - are trying to modify the nature of online poker. The economic impact of these federal plans would rely on the particular components of the suggestion eventually implemented, but the possibility is there for a national bill to obstruct the state’s capability to authorize and indict a payment on online poker actions. 1.2 Level of Gaming Industry in US The gaming business has acquired presence in US during recent years, mainly because of the escalating ethnic gaming business that created by the â€Å"passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act† (Chambers, 2011). During 2010, more or less 70 tribal casinos along with 95 card rooms functional in California only provided jobs for almost 55000 and 15000 locals, respectively. With workforce of 70,000 workers, the gam bling business is similar in size to businesses like â€Å"Transit & Ground Passenger Transportation or the combination of the Mining and the Power Generation & Supply industries† (Chambers, 2011). In addition, these services raised 9 billion USD and 950 million USD in gambling profits during 2010. Actual casinos as well give taxes and fees to the government. Whereas comparatively small piece of information regarding the general net fiscal effect of these businesses is accessible, a recent study showed that United States tribal casinos raised more or less 9 billion USD for profits, of which the State got around 400 million USD from tribal poker compacts (Anderson, 2011). Some time back, the finance department reported that the state collected 200 million USD in General Fund profits from poker during year 2010-11. Besides, card clubs paid the state approximately 7 million USD for licensing fees during 2009. While it is noted that a fraction of these profits are utilized for le ssening of poker related expenses as well as regulation of the gaming business, overall, this industry gives around 400 million USD per annum in revenues to the state. 1.3 Case of Online Poker Online gambling sites offer a range of

The role of icts in addressing challenges in higher education

The role of icts in addressing challenges in higher education ABSTRACT One of the most common problems of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education is to base choices on technological possibilities rather than educational needs. In developing countries where higher education is fraught with serious challenges at multiple levels, there is increasing pressure to ensure that technological possibilities are viewed in the context of educational needs. This paper argues that a central role of educational technology is to provide additional strategies that can be used to address the serious environmental and educational challenges faced by educators and students in higher education. The educational needs manifest in Indian universities include addressing general lack of academic preparedness, multilingual needs in English medium settings, large class sizes and inadequate curriculum design. Using case studies from one higher educational institution, this paper shows how specific and carefully considered interventions using ICTs can be used to address these teaching and learning concerns. These examples serve to demonstrate some ways in which teaching and learning may be enhanced when uses of educational technology are driven by educational needs. The paper concludes that design of educational technology interventions should be driven by educational needs within the context of a broader teaching and learning strategy which requires buy-in of both educators and learners. INTRODUCTION It has been suggested that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can and do play a number of roles in education. These include providing a catalyst for rethinking teaching practice (Flecknoe, 2002; McCormick Scrimshaw, 2001); developing the kind of graduates and citizens required in an information society (Department of Education, 2001); improving educational outcomes (especially pass rates) and enhancing and improving the quality of teaching and learning (Wagner, 2001; Garrison Anderson, 2003). While all of these suggest the potential impact of ICTs in education in general and India in particular, it is still difficult to demonstrate the potential of technologies in addressing specific teaching and learning problems faced by Indian higher education institutions. The thesis of this paper is that the potential of ICTs is sandwiched between increasing pressure on higher education institutions from government to meet the social transformation and skills needs of India, and the varying student academic preparedness, large class sizes and multilingualism currently experienced in these teaching and learning contexts. Our thinking aligns with others (such as Kirkup Kirkwood, 2005; Wagner, 2001) who argue that it is the contextualized teaching and learning needs that ought to drive the ICT intervention, rather than the technology itself. In India, contextualization of teaching and learning requires a tightrope walk between higher education imperatives and social-cultural context of the educational landscape. This paper illustrates by means of examples drawn from one higher education institution how educational needs can drive design of learning environments and technological use. The question driving this paper is: How may educational technology interventions address theteaching and learning challenges faced by Indian higher education institutions? We discuss the general and specific educational challenges. These challenges then provide a context for an ICT intervention framework which is described and examples of the use of this framework in curriculum projects are discussed. CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA General challenges Currently, higher education in India is under increasing pressure to meet the social transformation and skills needs of the new India (Kistan, 2002). At the same time it is under immense external and internal pressure to improve on its policy and delivery performance (De Clercq, 2002). One of the indicators of social transformation in education is increasing the demographic representation among graduates and reducing the demographic difference between student intake and graduate throughput. The National Higher Education Plan (2001) outlines the role of higher education institutions in the new India: The key challenges facing the Indian higher education system remain as outlined inthe White Paper: ‘to redress past inequalities and to transform the higher education systemto serve a new social order, to meet pressing national needs, and to respond to newrealities and opportunities (White Paper: 1.1). (Department of Education India,2001.) Furthermore, recent government policy has added pressure on higher education institutions by linking funding to throughput. In other words, unlike in the past when institutions were funded on the number of registered first year students, funding is now linked to graduate throughput. Improving efficiency and addressing the equity needs of the country raises conflicting challenges for higher education institutions (Scott, 2004: 1). These challenges are exacerbated by the fact that most students enter university under-prepared and therefore require more support to bridge the gaps in the required knowledge and skills (Paras, 2001). Furthermore, in 2005 quality assurance audits1 focusing on the institutional management of core functions of teaching and learning, research and community engagement were conducted at Indian higher education institutions. The challenge for higher education institutions is therefore not only about increasing throughput in terms of numbers and the diversity of i ts student population but also involves ensuring quality educational provision. The Indian government has identified the use of ICTs for teaching and learning as an important priority. For example, the e-Education policy states: Every Indian manager, teacher and learner in the general and further education andtraining bands will be ICT capable (that is, use ICTs confidently and creatively to helpdevelop the skills and knowledge they need as lifelong learners to achieve personal goalsand to be full participants in the global community) by 2013. (Department of EducationIndia, 2004: 17) Thus, the ultimate goal of the policy is the realization of ICT-capable managers, educators and learners by 2013. Read together with the National Higher Education Plan, these two policies have ramifications for instructional designers, educators, students and researchers. The underlying argument of this paper is that the realization of the policys goals largely depends on the extent to which current educational challenges are re-conceptualised in the context of the role that ICT can play in teaching and learning. The current focus on teaching and learning coupled with growth in educational technology in Indian higher education institutions (Czerniewicz et al., 2005: The role of ICTs in higher education in India61) requires that we begin to ask questions about the ways in which educational technology contributes to addressing the educational challenges in the new India. As is the case in higher education globally, Indian higher education is under pressure to increase participation fro m diverse groups of students and to produce the skills required for a rapidly changing society. In the UK, for example, participation in higher education has increased since the 1940s but participation of higher socio-economic groups still exceeds that of lower socio-economic groups (DFES report, 2004). While similar, these challenges take particular forms given Indias unique history. For example, global disparities are defined in terms of class; in India the educational disparities are manifested along racial lines due to the political, economic and social policies of the pre-1994 era. Redress of marginalised groups and social transformation is therefore central to the policies of post-1994. The Indian government has made it clear that one of its aims is to achieve equitable access to higher education for previously disadvantaged learners, with diverse educational backgrounds (Hardman Ngambi, 2003). Education is viewed as one of the key mechanisms of achieving social transformation. It is in this educational context that new opportunities for educational technology have arisen. Although we are aware that educational challenges demand multi-pronged approaches, which may include both traditional teaching approaches and innovative non- digital instructional designs, it is the role of educational technology that is the focus of this paper. Specific teaching and learning challenges The major teaching and learning challenges facing higher education revolve around student diversity, which includes, amongst others, diversity in students academic preparedness, language and schooling background. Teaching and learning in higher education in general can largely be characterised as follows: [] instruction that is too didactic, a lack of personal contact between teachers andstudents and among students, assessment methods that are inadequate to measuresophisticated learning goals and too little opportunity for students to integrate knowledgefrom different fields and apply what they learn to the solution of real-world problems.(Knapper, 2001: 94) Teaching and learning in Indian higher education fits the above description but in addition it has to contend with deep-rooted complex issues and problems stemming primarily from a previously racially divided and unequal education system. In addition, large classes are an endemic feature of most university courses posing an additional challenge in the teaching of a diverse student population. Indian higher education institutions are faced with a myriad teaching and learning challenges. In this paper we focus on a few of these: academic preparedness, multilingulism in a first language context, large classes and inadequate curriculum design. In the next section, we look at ways in which ICTs have been used to respond to these challenges at one Indian higher education institution. Academic preparedness Students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds as well students from privileged backgrounds generally enter higher education with gaps in the knowledge and skills required for studying particularly in key areas such as mathematics (Paras, 2001, Howie Pietersen, 2001) and science. Given the pressure to increase the diversity of the student population of Indian higher education, assessing students potential for success in higher education has gained increasing importance, particularly since the school-leaving certificate is currently viewed as an inadequate measure of a students potential for success in higher education. In a country such as India, for instance, school-leaving certification has had aparticularly unreliable relationship with higher education academic performance especiallyin cases where this certification intersects with factors such as mother tongue versusmedium-of instruction differences, inadequate school backgrounds and demographicvariables such as race and socio-economic status (Yeld, 2001; Badha, et al, 1986;Scochet, 1986; Potter Jamotte, 1985). (Cliff et al., 2003) Alternative placement tests have therefore been used in conjunction with school-leaving certificates to admit students with potential into higher education studies (Cliff et al., 2003). Consequently, many of these students may be under-prepared in that they may not possess the necessary language or mathematical proficiencies required for higher education or may have gaps in the foundational disciplinary knowledge. Furthermore, university tasks present challenges for under-prepared students (Hardman Ngambi, 2003). Although support programmes to address academic under-preparedness of students from both advantaged as well as disadvantaged groups are offered at many Indian higher education institutions, they are resource intensive. It is therefore worth paying attention to additional resources and expertise offered by educational technology. Multilingualism in a first language environment India is a multilingual society with 11 official languages. This diversity is reflected in the student population of Indian higher education institutions. A recent study by Czerniewicz Brown (2005) on higher education students and academic staffs access to and use of computers in five Indian universities found that 39% of respondents spoke English as a home language and 54% spoke other languages. At the University of Cape Town, on average 65% of the student population declared English as their first language while 35% have home languages in the other Indian official languages and other international languages (Spiegel et al., 2003). English is therefore a second or foreign language for many Indian higher education students. In most black Indian schools, English as a subject is taught as a second language. Higher education students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds therefore have to learn in their second or third language. A considerable body of research (Cummins, 1996; Gee, 1990) has shown that language and academic success are closely related and that academic language proficiency is far more difficult to acquire in a second language. Students learning in their second or third language are therefore at a disadvantage which is compounded by poor schooling background. The relationship between language and academic success is reflected in the throughput rates of English second language students when compared to the throughput rates of English first language students. At the University of Cape Town, for example, the difference in throughput rates between English first language and second language students in 2002 was more than 20% in several degrees/programmes (Spiegel et al., 2003). Large classes The growth of mass higher education has made large classes an endemic feature of several courses at higher education institutions. Large class sizes make it difficult for teachers to employ interactive teaching strategies (Nicol Boyle, 2003) or to gain insight into the difficulties experienced by students. Large classes pose problems for all students but students who are under-prepared are particularly affected. It is these contexts that provide useful opportunities for educational technologies. Curriculum design Curriculum design is a relatively under-engaged area within higher education debate, policy formulation and practices (Barnett Coate, 2005). Pressure to transform curricula at a macrolevel to the needs of industry and the economy in India is reflected in the National commission on higher educations policy framework (1996) for higher education transformation. There is a strong inclination towards closed-system disciplinary approaches andprogrammes that has led to inadequately contextualised teaching and research. Thecontent of the knowledge produced and disseminated is insufficiently responsive to theproblems and needs of the African continent, the southern African region, or the vastnumbers of poor and rural people in our society.In response to policy intentions, Indian higher education has implemented a curriculum restructuring policy aimed at the development of inter- or multidisciplinary degree programmes (Moore, 2003). While policy has resulted in curriculum shifts on a macro le vel, curricula contents at a micro-level are driven by disciplinary specialists. Undergraduate curricula remain predominantly theoretical but require that students have some knowledge of the contexts to make sense of theory. In this paper, we are concerned with the way in which ICTs can play a role in shaping curriculum design at the micro-level. ICTs open up new ways of accessing information thereby changing the relationships between students and between students and their teachers. Access to primary sources in the form of video, audio and photographs which may be contained in digital archives have the potential to influence the content of curricula because it makes previously inaccessible information available. In addition, ICTs enable lecturers to transform their teaching practices by facilitating student-student discussion and collaboration or by simulating ‘real-world problems thus providing students with authentic learning experiences. In this section, we discussed some of the teaching and learning challenges experienced by educators and students in higher education. In the next section, we examine the role of educational technology in responding to these challenges and provide some examples. RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES Since the teaching and learning challenges are multi-faceted, multi-pronged approaches are needed in order to attempt to solve some of these problems. Dede (1998) postulates: [] information technology is a cost-effective investment only in the context of a systemicreform. Unless other simultaneous innovations in pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, andschool organization are coupled to the usage of instructional technology, the time and effortexpended on implementing these devices produces few improvements in educationaloutcomes and reinforces many educators cynicism about fads based on magicalmachines. We infer from Dede that there are several inter-related factors that influence improvements in educational outcomes. Thus together, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and organisation contribute to bringing about improvements in the educational process. Although educational technology is not the panacea for educational challenges, it does leverage and extend traditional teaching and learning activities in certain circumstances and hence has the potential to impact on learning outcomes. Knapper (2001) argues that: [] technology may be a good solution for some instructional problems, and in some casesit may be a partial solution. But in other instances technology does little to address thefundamental teaching and learning issue or even worse provides a glitzy butinappropriate solution to a problem that has simply been misconstrued. (Knapper, 2001:94) The trick is to identify situations where educational technology will be appropriate and when and how to use educational technology in these situations. There are times where technology may not be useful and may indeed be counter-productive. However, there are many times when educational technology offers a solution for problems that would be difficult, cumbersome or impossible to resolve in a face-to-face environment. Numerous manuals, websites and articles have been devoted to suggesting, explaining and modelling the ways that educational technology can be used to support teaching and learning. We agree with Laurillard (2001) that it is important that educational technology-based resources be appropriately matched to both teaching and learning activities. Table 1 adapted from Laurillard (2001) usefully explains how educational technology can be integrated into the curriculum. Laurillards guidelines are useful in that they provide a framework which relates ICT-based resources to particular teaching and learning activities. The guidelines therefore suggest particular uses of ICT for particular teaching and learning situations. The effectiveness of ICTs for teaching and learning, however, is largely dependent on how much the context is understood. Thus, there is a need to relate educational technology to actual challenges experienced by both students and lecturers in the Indian educational context. OHagan (1999) suggests that educational technology can be used to present and provide content, assess students learning, provide feedback, scaffold student learning and enable peer-to-peer collaborative learning. The choice of appropriate teaching and learning activities is dependent on a range of factors such as the curriculum or course objectives; i.e. the purpose of the teaching and learning, the educators preferred teaching approach, the learning styles of the student and the nature of the curriculum content. Although we advocate that teachers should use the teaching approach that suits their paradigm of teaching and learning, we believe that the use of educational technology provides teachers with opportunities for traversing an entire continuum of possibilities as may be appropriate to their teaching needs. Educational technology creates affordances for a range of different teaching and learning activities which the teacher may not have used or considered. Table 1: Teaching and learning events and associated media forms Responding to the challenges: examples from curriculum projects The affordances of educational technologies provide ways of being sensitive to wide-ranging and differing learning needs. In this section, we describe some curriculum projects that have attempted to respond to some of the educational challenges faced by students at the University of Cape Town (UCT). For the sake of brevity only overviews are provided. Using interactive spreadsheets to develop mathematical literacy skills As discussed above, many under-prepared students entering university have potential but do not possess the relevant mathematical literacy skills required for certain courses (Frith et al., 2004). These students are often expected to pursue an extended undergraduate degree programme that offers additional support to address mathematical literacy skills. In this case, the teaching challenge is that of finding ways of developing students mathematical literacy skills. Selfcontained interactive spreadsheet-based tutorials were developed for use on the mathematical literacy support courses at UCT and were used in conjunction with face-to-face lectures. A typical tutorial consisted of interactive presentation of relevant mathematics content, examples and exercises. Students were able to work at their own pace and receive immediate feedback. Frith et al. (2004: 163) found that ‘while the lecture room tutorial taught students how to calculate the various statistics, the computer tutoria l was more effective in giving them an understanding of the concepts and they retained better what they had learned. This effect, they argue, is possible due to the shift in emphasis in the computer-based tutorials away from mechanical calculations to demonstrating conceptual understanding. This curriculum project illustrates how educational technology was used to complement teaching and learning and to support the development of students mathematical literacy skills. Using educational technology to develop academic literacy in an economics course Economics at university level poses particular difficulties for students since lecturers assume prior knowledge of the economy. Unfortunately, many students from previously disadvantaged communities have very limited knowledge of the economy at the start of their university careers. Under-prepared first year students encounter further difficulties due to a lack of academic literacy skills. The Industry Research Project (Carr et al., 2002) was designed to address economic literacy while simultaneously dealing with language and communication skills of UCT economic students. Interactive excel spreadsheets in conjunction with short writing tasks in the form of online discussions, short essays, reports and presentations were used in academic development economics courses at UCT. These tasks or activities provided a range of opportunities for students to develop understanding of economic discourses through writing in economics. Although Carr et al. (2002: 5) found it difficult to measure t he impact of these tutorials, which formed a small part of the first year economics curriculum, they observed that the interactive spreadsheets were effective teaching tools in that tutors were able to focus students attention on economics issues rather than procedural issues and that the quality of articles produced by students improved due to the online feedback provided during the process of drafting articles online. This curriculum project demonstrates the use of educational technology in conjunction with face-to-face activities in addressing students academic literacy skills. Using educational technology to manage tutorials in large classes Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) based tutorials system called MOVES were developed around Excel and Word to teach computer literacy to first year Information System students at UCT. MOVES incorporated computer-assisted marking techniques and provided feedback to lecturers and students. The significance of this project is that it typifies the problems of teaching a large and diverse class. The computer literacy levels of these students are diverse, with some students not havingtouched a computer before to students who have had home computer and internet facilitiessince the age of five. The immediate challenge this diversity poses on teaching is that it isnot practical to pitch the lecture at an appropriate level to meet all students at their level ofknowledge. The other challenge is in providing feedback messages that are relevant anduseful to individual students. (Ngambi Seymour, 2004: 255). Ngambi and Seymour (2004: 257) report that the MOVES tutorials saved time for tutors since tutorials were marked and results captured electronically, lecturers had access to student performance and students found the immediate feedback useful in that misconceptions could be dealt with immediately. The significance of this project is that it illustrates how educational technology is used to facilitate teaching and learning in large classes. Influencing curriculum design Many university courses are theory driven and assume that students have knowledge or real world experience and can therefore make the links between theory and practice. Students often have limited experience or practical knowledge and therefore have difficulty in understanding theory. Deacon et al. (2005) report on the use of educational technology to simulate film editing. The Directors Cut was produced and used in a Film and Media course at UCT to provide students with insights into the practical processes involved in filmmaking without engaging in the actual process of editing. Exposing students to actual editing is expensive and impractical in a large course. The intervention provided individual students with an authentic learning environment through a simulation. Students sequenced film clips, hence simulating the role of an editor through a simplified version of the editing process. In this way, the focus is on key learning aspects of film narrative and spectatorship and linked theory to the ‘practice of film editing. Similarly, Carr et al. (2004) report on an International Trade bargaining simulation developed for an economics course where students assumed the role of national trade negotiators representing specific countries. Lecturers and tutors assumed the role of World Trade Organisation (WTO) officials in a semi-authentic process designed to teach students negotiation and bargaining skills similar to those required by professional trade negotiators. The two projects reported here exemplify ways in which educational technology was used to impact on the design of the respective curricula by providing students with experiences which are difficult to provide in face-to-face environments. CONCLUSION Indian universities face increasing pressure from government to meet the needs of social transformation in education. Indian government policy on social transformation in education requires increasing the representation of Black Indians and women among students and graduates and significantly improving the graduation rates and throughput of Black Indian students. Given the social-historical context of India, meeting the educational challenges associated with this noble goal requires re-conceptualisation of how educational technologies are applied so as to make an impact. The paper has proposed a model for teaching and learning activities that are associated with media forms. The model has been substantiated with examples of the application of educational technologies to teaching mathematical literacy, academic literacy, management of large classes, and ways of influencing curriculum design. Our argument is that technology alone is not a solution to the educational challenges faced in India. The challenges lie in identifying and conceptualising ways that educational technology can usefully contribute to student learning experiences, curriculum and pedagogical designs. The paper demonstrates and argues that educational technology has a key role to play in Indian higher education as one of the strategies for addressing teaching and learning concerns. This challenges learning designers to rethink the role of educational technology within broader educational interventions that are shaped by educational needs rather than being technologically driven.

My Reaction To The Sociological Imagination Chapter One: The Promise Essay

After reading The Sociological Imagination Chapter One: The Promise by C. Wright Mills, I had mixed emotions about multiple topics in which he discussed. The overall subject of the Sociological Imagination is one that I found to be confusing. Firstly, I agree with his statement that, â€Å"Nowadays people often feel their private lives are a series of traps,† (Mills 1). This statement is then followed by the acknowledgement that humans, as individuals, are nothing but spectators of our everyday milieu. When going about our daily lives, many individuals feel as if they must do certain things because they cannot overcome the obstacles standing in their way. I agree with this idea because I personally feel as if some days I am â€Å"trapped† in my own life, and there is nothing I can do to escape. Whether this is with my daily high school schedule, daily work schedule, or even my weekly CCAC schedule, I feel as if there is no way out. I become so caught up in everything at once that I just want to â€Å"break free† in a sense, escaping for just an hour, so I can relax. The second point he conveys, is the idea that individuals can only vision their fate in accordance to the knowing of their place in the hierarchy of one’s surroundings. One example indicating social stratification is how ranking individuals allows for the knowledge of fate, such as a given class rank in high school. The class rank is a numerical value given to each student allowing for them to know where they stand while being compared to their peers. The previous example demonstrates how I also agree with Mills’ idea. However, there were also numerous topics that contradict my opinion and I am not in complete accordance with. One of these topics that Mills discusses, but I do not agree with is when he states, â€Å"Neither the life on an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both,† (Mills 1). My reaction to this quote is that I believe it is false. I personally believe that to understand the life of an individual, one does not need to know the history of their society. If one would trace history back far enough, everyone will end up back at the same few places. Therefore, making all history of society even and unnecessary to understand the life of an individual. Although I disagree with this idea, I understand Mills’ idea of the historical involvement. Overall, this chapter of Mills’ work left me with a reaction of mixed emotions. I agreed with some aspects of his work, yet disagreed with certain aspects of his work. I never thought of an  individual and history in a co-ordinance together. I also would have never thought of a daily life being â€Å"trapped†. This chapter led me to want to further read into the ideas of social positions, social values, and social troubles and issues. My final reaction to this chapter is that Mills’ has a uniqu e way of thinking, and it led me to personally have mixed emotions to his overall work. The first main point of C. Wright Mills’ chapter that I found to be appealing is the idea of social positions. It should be clarified that social position is not discussing positions in terms of physical location, but as a hierarchical stature. It is similar in that of the location on the totem pole. Mills notes that,â€Å"†¦[Sociological Imagination] is the idea that the individual can understand her own experience and gauge her own fate only by locating herself within her period, that she can know her own chances in life only by becoming aware of those of all individuals in her circumstances,† (Mills 2). This quote is showing that in order for individuals to know their own future, they must know where they rank in place with everyone else. Another phrase that may also seem applicable here, is self-consciousness. Knowing everyone’s locations allows individuals to estimate where they may be in a few years, without over or under estimating themselves. If they see someone who is relatively close to their own social status being successful, they can then come to the conclusion that they too, will be successful. Their social position can then help them look back in history and see where they may be able to assist in the current making of history. Every person lives out a biography during their lifetime, and it helps shape society, even though their input is minor to the current history making (Mills 2). Social positions have helped shape history from generation to generation. The second point I would like to discuss, is the idea of social values. A value is something that holds importance and meaning to someone or a group of people. When asked a question regarding public issues and private troubles, Mills responds quite simply that, â€Å"To formulate issues and troubles, we must ask what values are cherished yet threatened, and what values are cherished and supported, by characterizing trends of our period, (Mills 5). By this quote, Mills shows the importance values have on society, and that they must be characterized depending on how they make people feel. The state of an individual is directly related to the state of their values. People  experience well-being when they have values that are not being threatened. This is due to the fact that they have nothing to worry about, and they can go through their day in a normal fashion. However, when the opposite occurs, and the individual has values that they feel are being threatened, the individual then experiences a crisis. A crisis is a sudden change or a stage of danger. Furthermore, if all of the individual’s values are threatened at the same time, they experience a full panic, overwhelming fear. In continuance, if one does not know of any cherished values nor experience any threat, they are in a state of indifference. In addition to the above, the final feeling is the experience of uneasiness or anxiety. This occurs when the individual is unaware of cherished values, yet feels a threat. Often people have these feelings, but are unaware of the direct cause of them. One example Mill uses in his work is the time period after World War Two. He mentioned how not everyone was aware of the values, but all felt a threat. From the previous one can conclude that there was a full feeling of uneasiness in America. As one can now see, values play in important role in society and in the individual. The final idea that I would like to acknowledge is the idea of social troubles and issues. There is a distinct difference between troubles and issues, and Mills makes that very clear in his work. According to Mills, â€Å"Troubles occur within the character of the individual and within the range of his or her immediate relations with others†¦,† (Mills 4). In other words, troubles are the problems that are concerned with the self and personal awareness within their direct surroundings. Troubles are private matters to an individual and occur when their values seem threatened. He also states that, â€Å"Issues have to do with matters that transcend these local environments of the individual and the range of her inner life,† (Mills 4). This also means that they are public matters, and become a problem when the public values become threatened. Issues are public matters and can range as small as one group of people to as large as a few communities. There are many common examples showing the difference between troubles and issues. Unemployment is a perfect example to differentiate between the two. Unemployment as a trouble is if one man is unemployed, and as an issue is if ten percent of the nation’s workers are unemployed. As one can see, the trouble is personal and the issue is public. Another example is war. The trouble of war is the need to survive and to  make money out of it as a career. The issue of war is the cause and effects on others, therefore making it public. Those are examples of the major differences between troubles and issues. In conclusion, after reading the article The Sociological Imagination Chapter One: The Promise by C. Wright Mills, I had an overall feeling of mixed emotions. I strongly agreed with some of his topics, while disagreeing with others. Throughout the entire paper I was capable of understanding Mills, even while is disagreement. The topic I found to be most appealing was the fact that some individuals feel a sense of being â€Å"trapped† within their own lives. Although it sounds contradicting, Mills was capable to explain the idea thoroughly and fully. I also believe that with the understanding of social position, values, along with troubles and issues one is fully capable of understanding the Sociological Imagination. Social positions is knowing where the individual stands comparatively in their society, or if taken broader, in history. Social values are the ideas that individuals cherish and when threatened causes different experiences within one’s self. Social troubles occur when values are threatened, but at a private and small scale. In opposition, issues occur when the same or different values are threatened, but at a public or macro scale. Overall, I believe that Mills’ Sociological Imagination is a grand topic that may be analyzed to help new ideas begin. Works Cited Mills, C. Wright. The Sociological Imagination

FFA & Pro Golf Case study

They came from no official agency agreement – legally, an agent is someone who has authority to create legal relations between a person known as a ‘principal' (In this case Pro Golf) and others – o an official trademark agreement – which Is a contract under which the owner of a copyright (in this case Pro Golf), allows a licensee (here FAA) to use, make, or sell copies of the original brand. This changes make us understand the strong link between the companies and their willing to increase their cooperation. However, FAA decided to sub-license the trademark to another Japanese company for the aim to making more money.Issues The fact that FAA decided to sub-license the trademark in order to make margin on loyalties incited Pro Golf to end the contract. The termination of the contract by Pro Golf incited FAA to sew them for breaching of contract. Was Pro Golf entitled to terminate the contract with FAA? Rules â€Å"Contracts that do not state a set length of time for termination are presumptively â€Å"at will† and may be terminated by either party at any time. † Court's decision Considering that the contract between Pro Golf and FAA does not mention any set length, they should be entitled to end the contract whenever they want to.Pro Golf re entitled to terminate the contract with FAA. Was Pro Golf entitled to royalties received for Teeth sales? During those 6 years , Pro Golf and Facilitation evolved. They came from no official relations between a person known as a ‘principal' (in this case Pro Golf) and others – to an official trademark agreement – which is a contract under which the owner of a FAA got a new opportunity to increase its benefit through getting higher royalties by Sub-licensing the trademark to Teeth Was Pro Golf entitled to royalties received forTeeth sales? This is Just a trademark agreement, they are no agency relationship between companies. The company can use the trademark on golf soft goods in Japan freely. Application of Rules Because the two companies made a trademark agreement, FAA can use the trademark on golf soft goods in Japan freely and sub-license the contractual rights. No Agency relationship between Pro Golf and FAA was engaged but rather a written trademark agreement for FAA to use the First Flight trademark on golf soft goods. Courts in the U. S. E reluctant to impose restrictions on assigning of rights in real or personal property; FAA here has a contractual right to use the trademark on golf soft goods in Japan and can freely transfer, assign, or sub-license all or part of those contractual rights. Nothing in Fast trademark license contract with Pro Golf prohibited FAA from granting sub-licenses to others or required FAA to pass along to Pro Golf any royalties FAA might receive from such subsequences. Was Pro Golf entitled to reimbursement for its attempts to perfect trademark rights in Japan?When Pro Golf heard its attempt to register the tr ademark in Japan had not been completely successful and that third parties had obtained the right to use the trademark in Japan, they terminated the contract. The termination of the contract by Pro Golf incited FAA to sew them for breaching of contract. Pro Golf counterclaims and ask for reimbursement for damages equals to its expenditure. Was Pro Golf entitled to reimbursement for its attempts to perfect trademark rights in Japan? In Japan, the rules are different than in the United States.Third parties are able to et registration without use, in the contrary than in the USA where registration is basically synonym for legal protection of a trademark. As FAA is operating under Japanese rule, it should not be responsible to payback Pro Golf for its own failure. In Japan, unlike the U. S. , registration is the critical factor for legal protection of a trademark. Third parties were able to get registration without use, and Pro Golf apparently had to buy them off. Its failure to do so i s not the fault of FAA, nor should FAA be responsible to reimburse Pro Golf for its own failure.

Free Essays on Cost Of War

Vietnam was a hell on earth for the solders that were forced to fight it. The solders that had a bad experience were traumatized beyond help. The story â€Å"The Red Convertible† was a story about a man named Henry that was sent to Vietnam and upon his return was never the same. Lyman, Henry’s younger brother, narrates the story and he was fortunate not to have to fight. Henry did not get enough support when he really needed it. When Henry came back from Vietnam he was traumatized. He never acted the same and his family never recognized him from before he left. His actions seem to be more hostile to everyone. Henry seemed always withdrawn and overly aggressive upon his return. Before he went into the service he had a good relationship with his brother and acted a little â€Å"loony†. The part of the story where they go on a road trip with their new convertible defines Henry’s personality. Henry and Lyman were driving around when they saw a girl named Susy walking along the road, on a whim they both decide to pick her up and give her a ride home. When they find out where she lives in Alaska they don’t care and they drive her home. They were both so carefree that they decided to go take her home. Henry and Lyman were so charismatic that Susy’s family took them in as their own. When Susy let down her hair and Henry held her up on his shoulders showed what a carefree and expressive p erson he was. Lyman seemed to have all the luck and that led to Henry’s resentment toward him. Lyman seemed to be a prodigy with making money. He was so good that he was able to own a restaurant at the age of 16. And he showed he good luck more by getting a good number on the draft where Henry got a bad one and so he signed up for the military. Henry’s hostility toward Lyman manifested by him not going through the same experience, and Henry not getting any help. Henry was unbalanced when he came back from the war. He didn’t care about hims... Free Essays on Cost Of War Free Essays on Cost Of War Vietnam was a hell on earth for the solders that were forced to fight it. The solders that had a bad experience were traumatized beyond help. The story â€Å"The Red Convertible† was a story about a man named Henry that was sent to Vietnam and upon his return was never the same. Lyman, Henry’s younger brother, narrates the story and he was fortunate not to have to fight. Henry did not get enough support when he really needed it. When Henry came back from Vietnam he was traumatized. He never acted the same and his family never recognized him from before he left. His actions seem to be more hostile to everyone. Henry seemed always withdrawn and overly aggressive upon his return. Before he went into the service he had a good relationship with his brother and acted a little â€Å"loony†. The part of the story where they go on a road trip with their new convertible defines Henry’s personality. Henry and Lyman were driving around when they saw a girl named Susy walking along the road, on a whim they both decide to pick her up and give her a ride home. When they find out where she lives in Alaska they don’t care and they drive her home. They were both so carefree that they decided to go take her home. Henry and Lyman were so charismatic that Susy’s family took them in as their own. When Susy let down her hair and Henry held her up on his shoulders showed what a carefree and expressive p erson he was. Lyman seemed to have all the luck and that led to Henry’s resentment toward him. Lyman seemed to be a prodigy with making money. He was so good that he was able to own a restaurant at the age of 16. And he showed he good luck more by getting a good number on the draft where Henry got a bad one and so he signed up for the military. Henry’s hostility toward Lyman manifested by him not going through the same experience, and Henry not getting any help. Henry was unbalanced when he came back from the war. He didn’t care about hims...

Sylvia Plath Research Paper Example

Sylvia Plath Research Paper Example Sylvia Plath Paper Sylvia Plath Paper Essay Topic: Anne Sexton Poems Sylvia Plath (October 27, 1932 February 1 1, 1963) was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born In Boston, Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge, before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer. She married fellow poet Ted Hughes in 1956 and they lived together first in the united States and then England, having two children together, Frieda and Nicholas. Plath suffered from depression for much of her adult and in 1963 she committed suicide. 2] Controversy continues to surround the events of her life and death, as well as her writing and legacy. Plath is credited with advancing the genre of confessional poetry and is best known for her two published collections, The Colossus and Other Poemsand Ariel. In 1982, she won a Pulitzer Prize posthumously, for The Collected Poems. She also wrote The Bell Jar, a semi- autobiographical novel published shortly before her death. Plath was born on October 27, 1932, in the Massachusetts Memorial Hospital, in Bostons Jamaica Plain neighborhood. [4] Her mother, Aurelia Schober Plath (1906- 1994), was a first-generation American of Austrian descent, and her father, Otto Plath (1885-1940b was from Grabow, Germany. ] Plaths father was an entomologist and was professor of biology and German at Boston university; he also authored a book about bumblebees. On April 27, 1935, Plaths brother Warren as born[4] and In 1936 the family moved from 24 Prince Street In Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, to 92 Johnson Avenue, Winthrop, Massachusetts. [81 Plaths mother, Aurelia, had grown up in Winthrop, and her maternal grandparents, the Schobers, had lived in a section of the town called Point Shirley, a location mentioned in Plaths poetry. While living in Winthrop, eight-year-old Plath published her first poem in the Boston Heralds childrens section. [9] In addition to writing, she showed early promise as an artist, winning an award for her paintings from The Scholastic Art amp; Writing Awards in 1947. 10] Otto Plath died on November 5, 1940, a week and a half after Plaths eighth of complications following the amputation of a foot due to untreated diabetes. Raised as aunltarlan Christian, Plath experienced a loss of faith after her fathers death, and remained ambivalent about religion throughout her Ilfe. He was burled In Winthrop Cemetery; visiting her fathers grave prompted Plath to write the poem Electra on Azalea Path. After his death, Aurelia Plath moved her children and her parents to 26 Elmwood Road, Wellesley, first nine years sealed themselves off like a ship in a bottleÐ ²Ãâ€šÃ¢â‚¬ beautiful inaccessible, bsolete, a fine, white flying College years [edit] Plath attended Bradford Senior High School (now Wellesley High School) in Wellesley, graduating in 1950. [4] Smith College, in Northampton, Massachusetts In 1950, Plath attended Smith College and excelled academically. She wrote to her mother, The world is splitting open at my feet like a ripe, Juicy watermelon. [13] She edited The Smith Review and during the summer after her third year of college Plath was awarded a coveted position as guest editor at Mademoiselle Magazine, during which she spent a month in New York City. 4] The experience was not what she had hoped it would be, and it began a downward spiral. She was furious at not being at a meeting the editor had arranged with Welsh poet Dylan Thomas†a writer whom she loved. She hung around the White Horse bar and the Chelsea Hotel for two days hoping to meet Thomas, but he was already on his way home. Many of the events that took place during that summer were later used as inspiration for her novel The Bell Jar. [1 5] During this time she was refused admission to the Harvard writing seminar. [13] Following electroconvulsive therapy for depression, Plath made her first edically documented suicide attempt in late August 1953 by crawling under her house and taking her mothers sleeping pills. She survived this first suicide attempt after lying unfound in a crawl space for three days, later writing that she blissfully succumbed to the whirling blackness that I honestly believed was eternal oblivion. [4] She spent the next six months in psychiatric care, receiving more electric and insulin shock treatment under the care of Dr. Ruth Beuscher. [4] Her stay at McLean Hospital and her Smith scholarship were paid for by Olive Higgins Prouty, ho had successfully recovered from a mental breakdown herself. Plath seemed to make a good recovery and returned to college. In January 1955, she submitted her thesis The Magic Mirror: A Study of the Double in Two of Dostoyevskys Novels and in June, graduated from Smith with highest honors. [17] She obtained a Fulbright scholarship to Newnham College, Cambridge, in England, where she continued actively writing poetry and publishing her work in the student newspaper Varsity. At Newnham, she studied with Dorothea Krook, whom she held in high regard. [18] She spent her first year winter and spring holidays traveling around Europe. Career and marriage [edit] Plaths stay at McLean Hospital inspired her novel The Bell Jar In a 1961 BBC interview (now held by the British Library Sound Archive),[19] Plath describes how she met Ted Hughes: I happened to be at Cambridge. I was sent there by the [US] government on a government grant. And Id read some of Teds poems in this magazine and I was very impressed and I wanted to meet him. I went to this little celebration and thats actually where we met Then we saw a great deal of each other. Ted came back to Cambridge and suddenly we found ourselves getting married a few months later We kept writing poems to each other. Then it Just grew out of that, I guess, a feeling that we both were writing so much and having such a fine time doing it, we decided and world-wanderer with a voice like the thunder of The couple married on June 16, 1956, at St George the Martyr Holborn in the London Borough of Camden with Plaths mother in attendance. Plath returned to Newnham in October to begin her second year. In early 1957, Plath and Hughes moved to the United States and from September 1957 Plath taught at Smith College. In the middle of 1958, the couple moved to Boston. Plath took a Job as a receptionist in the psychiatric unit of Massachusetts General Hospital and in the evening took creative writing seminars given by poet Robert Lowell (also attended by the writers Anne Sexton and George Starbuck). Plath and Hughes first met the poet W. S. Merwin, who admired their work and was to remain a lifelong friend. Plath resumed psychoanalytic treatment in December, working with Ruth Beuscher. [4] Chalcot Square, near Primrose Hill in London, Plath and Hughes home from 1959 Plath and Hughes travelled across Canada and the United States, staying at he Yaddo artist colony in New York State in late 1959. The couple moved back to the United Kingdom in December 1959 and[22] lived in London at 3 Chalcot Square, near the Primrose Hill area of Regents Park. Their daughter Frieda was born on 1 April 1960 and in October, Plath published her first collection of poetry, The Colossus.

Cloud Computing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Cloud Computing - Term Paper Example The potential vulnerabilities pre-set threats such as hacking and intrusion by malicious outsider and insider which in the case of the department of treasure and Defence have be recently evidenced by constant hacking and access of data. The possible impacts range from low medium to high which implies minimal damage and inconvenience toe to extreme injury to person and debilitations of the country’s economic military and health infrastructures which could have devastating consequences. The paper then recommend more rigorous encryption policies as well as better rating of staff and localization of cloud storage to limit physical access especially from abroad. There are various designations for information security in the United States under which different Assets of value in document and media content are filed so as to differentiate them based on the level of security relate information they contain. One common designation is the Sensitive But unclassified (SBU), this is a broad category that compromises of information with sub designations such as For official use only (FOUO) or Law enforcement Sensitive as and homeland security data among: In addition the SBU also covers IRS inflation such as enforcement procedures, individual Tax records others (U.S. Department Of Energy, 2007). Sensitive security information is a category of SBU information and it covers data gathered during security operation that specified government agencies believe should be kept secret since its revelation would result in possible communication and transportation crisis or even security. Another designation is the Controlled Unclassified information, which was proposed after 9/11 when the then president Bush decided that the state was keeping too much information a secret although it had been acquired through taxpayer money (Bush, 2001). The Classification was meant to replace SBU, FOUO and LES and serve as a means through which to

Defend or criticize the claim, There is no significant moral Essay

Defend or criticize the claim, There is no significant moral difference between killing and letting die - Essay Example On the other hand, many argue that there is no significant moral difference between these two actions that bring about death. Choosing not to act and ignore is an action itself, and that puts the responsibility of the end result on the person. Therefore, there is no moral difference between killing and letting die, but in some cases active euthanasia is preferred. Considering the limited resources available, the letting die part can be justified. There will always be people who will die naturally or unnaturally. Nobody can escape from death, and so everybody would have to go through it someday. Those who die because of some disease there is a relevant and a genuine explanation for that. Some people will embrace death because the available sources are not enough to save them. Spending huge amount of time to save those whose injuries and diseases are so fatal that it is certain that they will die would be useless. Considering this bitter reality consuming resources for those who have no hope of surviving would be a waste. It would be better to divert these resources to someone who has a hope of surviving. The term passive euthanasia describes this approach of allocating resources to those who have a better chance of living. There is some difference between killing and letting to die. Killing is an action that involves activating the process of death and the events that lead to death. However, letting someone die is different as it involves refraining from any further actions to save the person who is already counting his last breaths leading to his death. So in this manner a person is not killed by human hands but dies of a natural phenomenon. Apparently, there doesn’t seem to be a difference between passive and active euthanasia. Deciding to withdraw from treating the patient is almost equal to injecting the patient with a