Essay Cold War Social Changes free essay sample

What social changes were produces to residents in the United States during the Cold War? The Cold War started as a result of a discussion between two world superpowers, the United States and the USSR. The USSR worked as Communist government and the United States worked with Capitalism. After the United States wound up winning the Cold War and the Soviet Union crumbled, the United States turned into the main world superpower and still is today. That rolls out enormous social improvement in American culture. Social developments start to show up, which battled for self-assurance and balance The individual is political. (Joan D. 2012) That’s an expression that speaks to the new social change in US during the 60s and 70s; the Womens Liberation Movement was one of them. During the 60s, ladies were decline administration positions and exercises were denied and they didn’t have any acknowledgment earned. By the center of 1960s, ladies begin to respond and persuade themselves to dissent for their privileges. We will compose a custom exposition test on Exposition Cold War Social Changes or then again any comparative point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page First in the social equality development, with an announcement composed by Mary King and Casey Hayden, and in the counter war development ‘‘women radicals started to request value and regard as activists. ’ According to Reich, Western human progress, or free enterprise government, had caused individuals to get some information about sexual profound quality. Be that as it may, on account of different current social and logical associations or gatherings, sexuality will be just because a wellspring of data and will bring full human independence. The primary conception prevention pill, went available inâ 1960. As indicated by Nancy L, after five years, 6 million American ladies were on the Pill. Adolescents or youthful grown-ups were the genuine warriors on this sexual upset. They were the once who assumed control over their sexuality. Theâ hippieâ was an initially subculture across the United Statesâ during the 60s. They just because experience the biggest uncontrolled scourge with medications all things considered. Youll burrow it, its cool.  Was the reason for them to devour all sort of medications and get high. They believe that you were made to appreciate life as far as possible, without any second thoughts. That was opportunity for them. Another enormous development that flower children begin to help was the gay marriage. Individuals begin to feel with more freedom to pick with whom they need to consume their time on earth. The law may not consider their relationships authentic, yet the couples that wedded absolutely did. Private enterprise message is: be free and uncover yourself. To be or would whatever you like to do, as long as you don’t disregard the privilege of others. The privilege of other is the regular furthest reaches of your opportunity. Interestingly, in communism the state figures out which practices are endorsed or not thinking in the ‘‘common good’’. Cohen, N. L. (20 de February de 2013). How the Sexual Revolution Changed America Forever. Obtenido de Alternet: http://www. alternet. organization/story/153969/how_the_sexual_revolution_changed_america_forever Holz, M. (20 de February de 2012). Whatever Happened to the Sexual Revolution? Obtenido de Processedworld: http://www. processedworld. com/Issues/issue18/i18what. htm Mandle, J. D. (20 de February de 2013). How Political is the Personal? : Identity Politics, Feminism and Social Change. Obtenido de WMST-L: http://userpages. umbc. edu/~korenman/wmst/identity_pol. html sexology, M. h. (20 de February de 2013). THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION. Obtenido de Magnus hirschfeld document for sexology: http://www2. hu-berlin. de/sexology/ATLAS_EN/html/the_sexual_revolution. html Stone, S. (20 de February de 2012). Hipsters amp; Drugs. Obtenido de Hipplanet. : http://www. hipplanet. com/books/atoz/drugs. htm

Macroeconomic Policies Used by the Federal Reserve Essay - 5

Macroeconomic Policies Used by the Federal Reserve - Essay Example The elective procedure activities that were set up expected to put more weight towards the drawn out financing cost accomplishment and to guarantee that the general fiscal states of the nation become improved. This incorporates supporting the costs for private properties and corporate values (Kashyap and Stein, 2012, p. 266).  The Federal Reserve’s selection of the open market tasks includes purchasing of existing Treasury protections by the Federal Reserve in the auxiliary market (Bauer and Rudebusch, 2014, p. 234). The auxiliary markets are protections that have just been gotten and auctions off to private financial specialists. When purchasing the protections, the Federal Reserve guarantees it does so however under the equality of a current cash. This extends the Federal Reserve’s base and simultaneously builds the capacity of store money related organizations to give advances just as grow their current credit offices (Bauer and Rudebusch, 2014, p. 234).  Normal open market tasks include capacities are regularly helped out through repurchasing understandings (D’Amico and King, 2013, p. 426). On the off chance that the Federal Reserve wishes to evacuate liquidity or include a similar liquidity during the standardization time frame. Repos, otherwise called repurchase understandings are contracts marked between at least two gatherings to buy protections and afterward repurchase similar protections sometime not too far off and value (D’Amico and King, 2013, p. 425). Repos are considered as a financial comparable to a collateralized advance. Contrasts between the first and second exchanges decide the financing costs accumulated on the credit (Bauer and Rudebusch, 2014, p. 235). Â

Research Based Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Research Based Practice - Essay Example Social insurance suppliers likewise take part in test arrangements, which produce results and information on the best methods for giving human services. The discoveries from these trials and the writing search are then used to settle on educated choices and decisions by attendants. Subsequently, dynamic procedure depends on the proof, which is accumulated from writing search and physical trials. Medicinal services suppliers likewise take part in scrutinizing the choices, which they make by assessing the legitimacy of the current proof. Such inquiries incorporate â€Å"why† a few techniques and procedures are in presences and not others. This makes establishment for the improvement of the exploration procedure so as to accomplish the foreseen aftereffects of the examination work. There is additionally association advancement at work with proficient pioneers. Such guarantees that it is simpler to disperse and diffuse data on the best practice for the nursing. The organizations l ikewise encourage in end client appropriation and execution of proof based

Help Your Scholarship Application Stand Out with These 5 Tips

Write a One-of-a-Kind Scholarship Essay with These Pointers Scholarships can be a great way to cut college costs while also adding to a student’s resume. There are thousands of scholarship options out there, but nearly all of them require some sort of written statement or essay. Given the competitive nature of scholarship applications, it is important to craft a written response that will help you stand out from the pack. Keep reading for our top tips for composing one-of-a-kind scholarship applications. Be SelectiveSimilar to the college application process, there are thousands of scholarship options out there and it is up to you to choose the ones that best align with your needs and goals. Instead of applying to every scholarship you can find, take the time to research each option and select a manageable number to apply to. Focusing on quality over quantity will enable you to give each application the time and attention needed in order to set yourself apart. Start by choosing 3-5 scholarships to apply for, work on each application thoroughly, and add on several more if you find you have additional time. Understand Your AudienceDepending on what scholarships you are applying to, different qualities or achievements may carry more or less weight. Before penning your essay, gain a thorough understanding of the specific scholarship program and what it is designed to reward. Write an essay or application that is specific and tailored to the program you are applying for and the values or qualities they have emphasized. A one-size-fits-all essay rarely cuts it because many scholarships are nuanced and looking for students who can express a certain interest, passion or idea. Prioritize PassionsThe same interests and passions that help define you as a college applicant can also set you apart in your scholarship search. Scholarship judges look for students who are eager to learn more and deepen their expertise in a specific field through higher education. Consequently, it is important to clearly articulate your commitment to your interests and passions throughout your application. Be sure to include specific examples that highlight your dedication to a certain craft or cause and your curiosity and desire to continue learning and growing. Stay on Top of DeadlinesStarting the scholarship application process well in advance will provide students with ample time for editing and ensure you don’t miss any important deadlines. Before applying for a scholarship, have an understanding of due dates and the application process. Some scholarships may requisite additional materials, such as a letter of recommendation from a teacher or a portfolio of work, which is another reason why planning in advance is critical. Consider setting reminders on your phone or computer and writing the scholarship deadlines into your weekly calendar to make sure you stay on top of due dates. Get A Second Set of EyesEven the most well written essays can benefit from editing by a peer, parent, or teacher. Once you are confident in your essay draft, consider sending it to someone you trust for review and feedback. Make sure to read carefully for grammar and punctuation errors; scholarship applications need to be carefully proofread and should be treated with the same level of care as college essays. A second set of eyes can help you catch any careless mistakes you might have overlooked. Scholarship applications are a fantastic opportunity for students to hone their writing skills and reduce the cost of college tuition. If you are beginning your college search and looking for expert input, our team of admissions counselors can help guide you through every step of the process, including scholarship applications!

Beloved Character Analysis - 1122 Words

In the book Beloved, Toni Morrison gives the audience, many choices to think about what is really happening in each section to get the point of what’s going on. The audience has to ponder on each character. Let’s take Sethe for example, as a character to mainly focus on. In Beloved,Sethe is a mother to four children and a wife to Halle. Sethe has been through so much ever since the very beginning. She had to make a rough choice about whether she would kill her oldest daughter, Beloved. Sethe ended up killing her oldest daughter and she also tried to kill her other children, but she was stopped from doing it. Sethe’s choice had to have been the wrong choice or the right choice. Sethe’s â€Å"rough choice† was the right choice because she wanted†¦show more content†¦What is more important, is Sethe never got the best experience of being a child and growing up which gives the audience the right to understand her situation about killing Belove d. It follows then that Sethe became a better person as she was moving forward because of Beloved. Sethe’s â€Å"rough choice† was the right choice because now there being a baby ghost Sethe thought as Beloved as her best thing. In Sethe’s view, â€Å"I made that song up, I made it up and sang it to my children.† (pg.176) This demonstrates how Sethe might of felt confused, but happy at the same time when she told Beloved that she made up the song that Beloved happened to know about. Another example is, â€Å"the one I managed to have milk for and to get it to her even after they stole it.†(pg.200) Morrison’s point in this quote is to tell the reader how hard Sethe was trying to do everything she can for Beloved, when she was alive, and it made her become a stronger woman. According to Sethe she says, â€Å"You came right on back like a good girl, like a daughter, which is what I wanted to be and would have been..†(pg.203) This exemplifies Sethe knowing Beloved is somewhat a better version of a daughter than she ever was and just thi nks of her as a really good person to have in her life. What is more important, is Sethe became theShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis Of Beloved1342 Words   |  6 PagesDenver is the daughter of Sethe, the main character in novel Beloved by Toni Morrison. Denver is the most dynamic character in the novel. Denver is a young girl who spends hours alone. As a child, Denver’s dependence on others is an opposing force that she must realize and overcome and she must begin to rely on herself so that she can reach her fullest potential. As the relationship between Sethe and Beloved grows stronger, Denver has opportunities to break free and realize the danger of relyingRead MoreBeloved Character Analysis867 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel Beloved by Toni Morrison the character Sethe is faced with the traumatic experience of having to return to slavery at Sweet Home, in order to save her children she attempts to kill them. She succeeds in killing one by cutting the infant’s throat with a hacksaw. This â€Å"rough choice† revolves around the novel on whether or not, the choice was right or wrong. Sethe’s tough choice between the right or wrong in the murder of her child is right and was necessary for her to insure the safetyRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Toni Morrisons Beloved926 Words   |  4 Pagesday? Beloved is a story written by Toni Morrison about the hardships that lead the protagonist, Sethe, to kill her own daughter, who would later come back from the grave. Sethe is a middle-aged, former slave who has experienced the cruelest, most unjust torment in her life – slavery. She escaped this barbaric life, but when the chance of being taken away comes back, she has to murder her own daughter to save her. Through close examination of the book, movie, and many other character analysis, it isRead MoreAnalysis of Beloved, by Tony Morrison Essay1629 Words   |  7 Pages Beloved is a novel written by Tony Morrison and is based on the American Civil War. The plot of the novel is based on the effects, consequences and the results of the Civil War. The author uses characters that would effectively bring out the Civil War theme in terms of social circles and occupations in the society. The novel is based on the characters regarded as slaves or have undergone capture, slavery and escaped from their masters (Haskins Haskins 13). The main character in the novel, SetheRead MoreToni Morrison s Beloved And The Ghosts Of Slavery : Historical Recovery1691 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel Beloved, Toni Morrison develops character Beloved as an allegorical figure to embody slavery’s horrific past and the lasting impact that unresolved past trauma has upon the present. Morrison develops the character Beloved to represent all the unremembered and untold stories of slavery and to further the message that we must maintain a collective memory of slavery in order to pursue a hopeful future. Morrison develops Beloved as a character through her interactions with other characters in theRead MoreAnalysis Of Toni Morrison s Beloved1434 Words   |  6 PagesI. SUBJECT Beloved by Toni Morrison opens in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1873 set in the Reconstruction era of American history. Sethe eighteen years ago escaped slavery with her children to live with her mother-in-law, Baby Suggs, in a house on 124 Bluestone Road often referred to simply as 124. The novel unfolds on two different time periods, that of Sethe’s time at Sweet Home plantation as a slave and that of the present. Her qualities of motherhood have overtaken Sethe’s life and have driven away herRead MoreBeloved : A Reconstruction Of Our Past1705 Words   |  7 PagesNovember 20, 2015 Beloved: A reconstruction of our past Beloved by Toni Morrison is a reconstruction of history told by the African American perspective, a perspective that is often shadowed or absent in literature. Her novel presents a cruel demonstration of the horrors endured by slaves and the emotional and psychological effects it created for the African American community. It unmasks the realities of slavery, in which we are presented with the history of each of the characters lives and the memoriesRead MoreToni Morrisons Beloved Essays1058 Words   |  5 Pageshuman nature to uncover the truth? In Toni Morrison’s Beloved, the character Denver uses knowledge to feed her craving in hopes that it will fill the void her mother unsuccessfully tried to satisfy with the blood of the past and too little milk. To understand these truths one must accept that Beloved is a physical representation of the past, Sethe embodies the present, and Denver exemplifies the future. Throughout the novel these three characters interact on a superfic ial level, but each action hasRead MoreBeloved: Critique with New Historicism1749 Words   |  7 Pages Beloved is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel written by Toni Morrison and published in 1987. The story follows Sethe as she attempts to make peace with her present (for her, post Civil War America) and her past as a former slave and the atrocities she suffered at the hands of the benevolent Gardner family. Information given to the readers from different perspectives, multiple characters, and various time periods allows her audience to piece together the history of the family, their lives, asRead MoreThe Underground Railroad By Colson Whitehead1374 Words   |  6 PagesCohen AP Literature Composition Mr. Gordon 5 September 2017 The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead: An Analysis (1) Toni Morrison’s Beloved takes place after the Civil War during the Reconstruction era, when the violent oppression of the black race continued, with flashbacks to the horrific trauma of the early 19th century slavery period. In Margaret Atwood’s review of Beloved in The New York Times dated September 13, 1987, many of the events in this novel appear to parallel the themes

`` Evelina, By Frances Burney A Satirical Look At The...

When conjuring up images of 18th century England, many people will think of beautiful balls, grand gentlemen, classy ladies, and high society as a whole. People will often think of the social order of that time period, but few people seem to think about how individuals of that time period were dependent upon and often a slave to the social class they were born to. Many authors of this time period have written work on their views of social classes and the men and women who occupy them. Frances Burney, a female novelist, was one of these authors who brought her own unique perspective to the page. Her novel, Evelina, is a satirical look at the failures of the social order. Her novel promotes social reform using humor and a brazen attempt at shedding some truthful light on the ridiculous patterns that made up daily life for those who occupied high society. In Evelina, Burney tells the story of a young and naà ¯ve girl named Evelina, who moves to the city from her home in the country. Evelina is not sure what to expect when she comes to London and much of the novel centers around her trying to find her footing in modern society. Upon her arrival, Evelina writes to her Uncle about the various people she meets and how they establish her understanding of the rules of behavior and politeness. However, soon Evelina discovers that what people preach and practice often do not match up. Evelina learns that the class a person derives from, does not necessarily speak to their character.

A study of the factors affecting customer loyalty in namibian banking sector free essay sample

The purpose of this study is to closely examine the factors that influence customers loyalty in the Namibian Banking sector, with specific reference to First National bank of Namibia. Although currently has the high market share in the industry, it is not certain the competitive banks are not fighting hard as in maintaining their share and possible attracting the FNB customers. And if customers can easily switch between banks this display low customer loyalty, in fact necessitating deep analysis as of the factors that lead to low loyalty of customers towards their banks. The study attempt to examine challenges banks face in building long relationships with their customers. And the drawbacks that low customer loyalty has upon the businesses operations in this regard. Customers loyalty in the banking industry has been a major concern to practitioners due to severe competition and higher customer expectations customer loyalty is considered a vital link and aspiration to organisation success, profitability and business performance. We will write a custom essay sample on A study of the factors affecting customer loyalty in namibian banking sector or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Bank management need to be knowledgeable of the drivers of customers loyalty in retail banking industry and its impact on the firm. A banking customer has for instance both a cheque and saving account and every month the customer provides a certain to the bank, and the and present value of this continuing profit stream represents the customers actual value to the bank. But the home mortgage the same customer has at a competitive bank represents strategic value that the first bank could realise if it had a proactive strategy to obtain it. Moreover, loyalty rather than customer satisfaction is becoming the number one strategic goal in today’s competitive business environment. Hence, the study is a fact finding research and qualitative in nature.

Motivation of Employees

Introduction The theory of management emerged in the early 19th century when Henri Fayol, a Frenchman, described management as cooperative integration of various functions in an organization in order to achieve organizational goals.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation of Employees specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In early part of the 20th century, Mary Parker described management as an art of mobilizing people to perform specific tasks that translate into organizational goals (Arthurs Busenitz 2003, p.150). In 1960, Douglas McGregor revolutionized management theory by formulating theories that describe two aspects of management, the X and Y theories. In his theories, McGregor postulated that motivation of employees is central to achieving organizational goals. He recognized that, â€Å"†¦human capital and knowledge are the most important sources of value for the 21st century organization†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kochan Orlikowski 2009, p.2). This view has greatly changed the management strategies and structures in terms of human resources and technology. Hence, this essay explores literature review regarding the evolution of McGregor’s X and Y theories with the view of analyzing their relevance to the 21st century managers. Theory X Theory X postulates authoritarian style of management, which assumes that employees cannot work effectively and achieve organizational goals unless the management forces them to do so. McGregor posited that â€Å"conventional managerial assumptions of theory X reflect essentially an opposite and negative views namely, that employees are lazy, are incapable of self-direction and autonomous work behavior, have little to offer in terms of organizational problem solving† (Kopelman, Prottas Davis 2008, p.255). Theory X assumes that employees are inherently lazy thus views them as organizational costs that need constant monitoring and control in or der to reduce losses and gain maximum benefits from them.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another assumption of theory X is that employees cannot utilize their autonomy effectively to benefit organization because they are not responsible; hence, they need proper management to lead them. Further assumption holds that employees are not creative and tend to resist organizational changes that are critical for economic growth. Due to these assumptions, authoritative management is imperative in mobilizing reserved employees. Based on Maslow’s theory, organizations under the management style of theory X rely on the satisfaction of basic needs such as money and other benefits in motivation of their employees. According to Daniels, â€Å"McGregor makes the point that a command and control environment is not effective because it relies on the lower needs as a levers of motivat ion, but in modern society those needs are already satisfied and thus no longer are motivators† (2008, p.11). Management according to theory X exclusively motivates employees using money, which only satisfies the lower human needs leaving higher needs that provide elevated and lasting motivation. Thus, theory X does not give satisfactory motivation to the employees for them to be very productive. Theory Y Theory Y elucidates participative style of management that is very effective in the management of modern mega organizations. The assumptions of this theory are that employees are invaluable resources, effective work involves concerted efforts, integration of technology with social systems enhances work, and delegation of responsibilities is essential in achieving organizational goals. According to the first assumption, human resources are invaluable resources in an organization that need development and motivation. Proper motivation of the employees will enhance their self-es teem and creates conducive environment where working becomes as interesting as playing. In the second assumption, theory Y posits that knowledge-based systems encourage â€Å"†¦high levels of performance that can only be achieved by organizing work in ways that allow workers to utilize and deepen their knowledge and skills, while working collaboratively on multiple, temporary projects to accomplish flexible and innovative operations† (Wubbolding 2002, p.3).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation of Employees specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Coordination of systems in a manner that enhances concerted efforts would expediently lead to the achievements of organizational goals. The third assumption predicts that integration of technology with social systems would significantly change the application of technology in an organization. The effectiveness of technology depends on the integration of human resources and the physical part of technology resulting into viable technology that effectively drives the workforces for the organization to realize its goals. In the fourth assumption, delegation of responsibilities by the top management to the lower management levels enhances productivity in the organization. â€Å"The average man learns, under proper conditions, not only to accept but also to seek responsibility by employing creativity and imaginations in solving organizational problems† (Deming 2007, p.9).This assumption recognizes that employees have abilities that are very crucial in solving impending management problems in that motivation and delegation of responsibilities enhances their participation. Relevance and Value of X-Y Theories Douglas McGregor’s X and Y theories describe contrasting management styles of 20th and 21st centuries respectively. Theory X depicts 20th century style of management that relies heavily on authoritative supervision of employees as this theory assumes that employees are costs that need constant management in order realize organizational goals. Regarding motivation of workers, theory X is very poor since it only depends upon money and other material benefits to satisfy the needs of the employees, which are the lowest needs according to Maslow’s theory. McGinnis warns that, motivation of employees using the lowest human needs is not lasting and effective in enhancing productivity of human resources in an organization (2006, p 22). The X theory is relevance to the 21st managers because it indicates the level of management the organization is employing in the continuum of X-Y management levels. The poorest management style tends to shift towards X while the best management tends to shift towards Y. On the other hand, theory Y describes participative style of management that is very effective in the 21st century. This theory appreciates human labor as invaluable resource that the organization should deve lop and expand through motivation. In terms of motivation, this theory asserts that motivation of employees should entail satisfaction of highest needs according to the Maslow’s theory.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gosling and Marturano argue that, â€Å"the expenditure of physical and mental efforts in work is as natural as play or rest, and the average human being under proper conditions, learns not only to accept but to seek responsibility† (2003, p. 7). Satisfaction of the highest needs such as self-esteem and self-actualization would motivate employees to be highly productive since work would be enjoyable as play thus enhancing the values of creativity, commitment, and responsibility in employees. Conclusion Management theory has been developing over centuries and managers have been wondering on what type of management style can effectively motivate employees and propel organizations towards achieving their goals. Douglas McGregor formulated X and Y theories that describe contrasting management styles for the managers to perceive their level of management. Theory X postulates that employees are inherently lazy and a form of costs that needs constant supervision for them to work eff ectively for the organization to attain its goals. In contrast, theory Y postulates that employees are integral resources that organizations should always optimize by motivating them. Motivation entails satisfaction of highest human needs, self-esteem and self-actualization as classified in the Maslow’s theory of hierarchy of needs. These theories are relevant to the 21st century managers since they assess their levels of management and predict the performance of their organizations. References Arthurs, D., Busenitz, L., 2003. The Boundaries and Limitations of Agency Theory and Stewardship Theory in the Venture Capitalist/Entrepreneur Relationship. Entrepreneur Theory and Practice, pp. 145-162. Bolden, R., Gosling, J., Marturano, A., 2003. Review of Leadership Theory and Competency Frameworks. Centre for Leadership Studies, pp. 1-44. Available from: http://business-school.exeter.ac.uk/ Daniels, T., 2008. Douglas McGregor: Theory X and Theory Y. Journal of Human  Resource s Management, pp. 1-25. Deming, W., 2007. Total Quality Management: Explanation of the Fourteen Points of Management. Organizational Management Level, pp. 1-11. Web. Kochan, T., Orlikowski, W., 2009. Beyond McGregor’s Theory Y: Human Capital and Knowledge in the 21st Century Organization. Human Resource Development Journal, pp. 1-24. Kopelman, R., Prottas, D., Davis, A., 2008. Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Y: Toward a Construct-valid Measure. Journal of Managerial Issues, 20(2), pp. 255-272. McGinnis, S., 2006. Organizational Behavior and Management Thinking.  Organization Management Journal, pp.37-57. Wubbolding, R., 2002. Employee motivation. Quality Management of Employees, pp. 1-6. This essay on Motivation of Employees was written and submitted by user Maleah Cox to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

ESL Newscast Lesson Plan

ESL Newscast Lesson Plan Media is an ever-present reality and one that students are intimately familiar with. As such, diving into the media landscape offers multiple avenues for interesting lessons that will hold students attention. You can start by studying media-related words so that students are familiar with the basics. From there, lesson plans can revolve around anything from watching news videos on YouTube to publishing a class newspaper. One activity that helps students cover a variety of media related themes is to have students create and act out a newscast. The larger the class, the more roles students can take on. Perhaps your class might even put up the final version online. ESL Newscast Lesson Plan Breakdown Aim: Develop a working knowledge of vocabulary related to mediaActivity: Creating a newscastLevel: Intermediate to advanced Lesson Activities Study media-related vocabulary covering the basics of printed and broadcast video.Discuss different roles on news broadcasts including anchorpersons, meteorologists, and sports reporters.  Compare and contrast printed and broadcast media and how they are currently used in our daily lives.Watch a video on YouTube or on TV of a typical newscast together as a class. Its not necessary to watch an entire broadcast. However, students should have a chance to become familiar with a range of reports.Watch the newscast a second time and ask students to take note of typical phrases used to introduce various reports and reporters, as well as make transitions.Review transition phrases in small groups with students matching language functions to appropriate phrases.Ask students to write out two alternate phrases for each language function.  As a class, review possible phrases. Write phrases on the whiteboard, or take note in a document to print out for students.Ask groups to read a transcript of a typical broadcast. Ive included an easy version below, but advanced classes should be able to handle actual broadcast transcripts. Next, students  script out a short newscast in groups of four to six. One student should take on the role of anchorperson, one as the weatherperson, another as a sports reporter. For larger groups, add various reporters as required. For example, one group might have a gossip reporter from Hollywood, another group might have a reporter on assignment in China, etc.  Ask students to work together to write a short newscast with each student responsible for his or her own role / report.Review students scripts as needed and help out with transitional language.Have students practice the newscast until they can deliver the news  comfortably with little reference to the script.  Enjoy the newscasts as a class. If its really good, share the newscast online.  Afterwards, repeat the fun with this lesson on writing dramatic scripts as a class. Newscaster Language Match the following purpose to the jargon phrases that follow. Once youve matched the phrases, come up with two additional phrases that might be used to accomplish the same function: Opening the newscastAnnouncing the headlinesIntroducing the weatherCutting to a commercialTransitioning to a new storyIntroducing live coverageIntroducing the sports segmentInterrupting the newscast for breaking newsUsing pleasant small talk to finish the newsSigning off from the broadcast Broadcast Journalism Jargon Excuse me, we have a developing situation ...Good evening and here is tonights important news.Hi Steve, were on the ground here in downtown ...How about that game last night!Its pretty wet out there, isnt it?Lets get out there and enjoy some of the good weather.Lets turn to a story about ...Stay tuned, well be right back.Thank you for tuning in. Well be back at eleven with important updates.Tonights stories include ...(Answer Key Below) Example News Transcript Read this transcript and take note how transitional phrases are used during a news broadcast. Once you have finished, plan your own newscast with classmates. Anchor: Good evening and welcome to the local news. Tonights stories include the story of a boy and his dog, a look at improving employment figures, and a clip of the Timbers win at home last night. But first, lets check in on the weather. Tom, hows the weather looking?Meteorologist: Thank you Linda. Its been a beautiful day today, hasnt it? We had a high of 93 and a low of 74. The day started off with a few clouds, but weve had sunny skies since two oclock. We can expect more of the same tomorrow. Over to you Linda.Anchor: Thank you Tom, yes its a wonderful time of the year. Were so lucky with our weather.Meteorologist: Thats right!Anchor: Lets turn to a sweet story of a boy and his dog. Last night a dog was left in the parking lot sixty miles away from its home. The dogs owner, a boy of eight, tried everything to find Cindy. Yesterday, Cindy came home and scratched on the front door. John Smithers has more. John?Reporter: Thank you Linda. Yes, little Tom Anders is a happy boy tonig ht. Cindy, as you can see, is now playing in the backyard. She arrived home after having come more than sixty miles to reunite with Tom! As you can see, theyre overjoyed to be reunited.Anchor: Thank you John. Thats good news indeed! Now, lets check in with Anna for a look at last nights Timbers victory.Sports reporter: Timbers hit it big last night. Beating the Sounders 3-1. Alessandro Vespucci scored the first two goals, followed by Kevin Browns incredible header in the last minute.Anchor: Wow, that sounds exciting! Well, thank you everyone. This has been the evening news. Newscaster Language Answer Key Interrupting the newscast for breaking newsOpening the newscastIntroducing live coverageIntroducing the sports segmentIntroducing the weatherUsing pleasant small talk to finish the newsTransitioning to a new storyCutting to a commercialSigning off from the broadcastAnnouncing the headlines

International and Domestic Food Franchising in Saudi Arabia Essay

International and Domestic Food Franchising in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The country is experiencing a tremendous population growth, along with the fact that its oil reserves are finite. These two major dynamics has and is changing the foundations of the country. The realities of globalisation as well as the understanding that its oil reserves will one day be depleted has seen the country's leadership plan changes to the economic structure of the country to meet current and future needs to bring Saudi Arabia in line with the economic make up of a post oil situation, via the development of a diversified economic structure. The preceding background events, which shall be further elaborated upon herein, represent important facets in this study, along with the underpinnings of the country's surge of industrial projects, and revision of its laws, policies and regulations. The foregoing has been spurred by the broad reasons mentioned, population growth and finite oil reserves, and the application by Saudi Arabia to join the World Trade Organisation, a process that began in 1992. Admission to this body occurred in 2005, with the foregoing admittance requiring massive as well as comprehensive internal reorganisation of the legal, social system, and industry that included the difficult changes in consideration of the country's religion, Islam. Â  

Anti-colonial Nationalism in British India Essay

Anti-colonial Nationalism in British India - Essay Example Gandhi became famous in the world for fighting for independence in India from the British colonialists in the early 20th century. The emergence of the communal consciousness between the Muslims and the Hindus was as a result of the British colonial rule, particularly the colonial legislation and administrative division of Indians into religious classes. During the colonial period, communalism and separatism were restricted only to certain regions and groups. Politics of the Indian National Congress, anti colonial nationalists’ parties, the Muslim League and the British legislation brought about the thought that the interests of the Muslim community were different from those of the Hindu community in India (Khan 234). The anti colonial struggle in India took place in three different stages, which is the proto-nationalism stage as the first stage, the rise of new leadership as the second stage and finally mass movement as the third stage. Proto-nationalism is the earliest period of anti-colonial struggle in British India. The local people did not have any knowledge about their rights and their independence during this era. The local people accepted the colonial rule of the British during this period. However, political movements and social groups demanded reforms within the British colonial rule system. When the National Congress of India was established in 1885, it was not anti British colonial rule because it believed that the British colonialists had some sense of justice and fair play in their ruling (Guha 102). The rise of new leadership in India was regarded as the second stage of anti colonial struggle. New patriotic and dedicated leaders in India took control of the movements. During this stage, leaders such as Gokhale, Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and Maulana Azad emerged (Guha 78). The third and final stage of anti colonial struggle in British India was mass movements. These national movements dominated in India in that the British colonialists were forced to use brutal force in order to maintain their power. The movements took their information to the locals in remote areas of India under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. This final stage started with civil disobedience movements whose main aim was to sensitive the locals to disobey some of the rules of the British colonialists that were unjust. The British colonialists in turn arrested the leaders of the movements sending them to jail (Guha 34). With the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, peaceful non-violent struggles were adopted as a method of anti colonial struggle. National Congress of India was established in 1885 as a platform for the educated Indians to express their aspirations and was generally received by the British. The Congress later became anti British. Among the leaders of the Congress included Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Surendra Nath Banerjee who sought for reforms that would allow some Indians to participate in the Legislativ e Councils but after approximately two decades, it became anti British. The main objective of the Congress was the defeat of the British raj. In India, the freedom movement was split into two factions, that is, a less militant faction and a more militant faction. The less militant faction was represented by Gokhale and later by Mahatma Gandhi whose main

Ryanair marketing strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ryanair marketing strategies - Essay Example According to the research findings Ryanair began its operations in 1985 with a single 15-seater plane, primarily a conventional airline from Dublin and Waterford in the Ireland Republic to London. During the initial years of operations, the airline faced significant financial challenges, which led to losses in the company. After an analysis of its marketing strategies, the company decided to re-launch in 1990/1991 as a â€Å"no frills†, low cost air carrier, replicating the business model of American Southwest Airline. Since then, price has been the integral marketing strategy of the company, promoting and maintaining its growth in the European low-cost airline industry. These changes were the ideas of Michael O’Leary, initially the financial controller of the company. O’Leary, now the chief executive officer at the company, persuaded Tony Ryan (owner) to redress financial issues affecting the company at the time. He developed a marketing strategy based on Americ an Southwest Airlines, introducing the concept of low-cost, â€Å"no frills† in the airline. These changes stemmed the losses of the company, as well as turning the venture into a huge success. According to statistics, the company posted a profit after tax of 303million dollars in 2006, a 13% increase from that recorded in 2005. Currently, the airline operates in more than 146 routes to 84 different destinations in 16 countries, carrying more than 15 million passengers annually. Further, the airline plans to become the largest airliner in Europe in a few years. By any standards, one can consider the company as successful, primarily based on its growth in the market as well as its profitability. 2. Mission and Strategy The objective of Ryanair is to be the largest and leading low-cost airline in Europe through continuous expansions and improvements in its low-cost services. The primary objective that are in place to achieve this include, low-cost fare, industry-leading custome r service, strong commitment to quality and safety maintenance, flight services on short-haul routes, leveraging the internet, and low operating costs that address personnel productivity, aircraft and equipment, airport access fees and customer service costs. The principal policy of Ryanair is to offer the lowest flight fares available from any carrier (Gugenheimer, 2006:67). For instance, the company often matches the prices of a competitor if they lower their prices. Consequently, one may consider this anomaly given that the company has a strong commitment to provide quality customer service, but these two strategic elements are complementary insofar as the company is concerned. Ryanair strategically uses small regional airports for its flight operations, keeping the operations costs low as well as providing a less congested traffic alternative for its customers travelling, thus less delays. Additionally, the frequent, short-haul flights do not require provision of complex service s such as food and drinks, as they are rather short compared

The Penguin (Sphenisciformes) :: essays papers

The Penguin (Sphenisciformes) The penguin (Sphenisciformes) has been a fascination to numerous people including scientists and researchers alike. They have distinctive characteristics and an interesting classification system. Their eating habits, unique way of breeding and predators are just a way of everyday life that fascinates scientists and researchers. The species status still remains in danger and can hopefully be helped. This unusual bird stands on short legs and walks with a clumsy waddle. These birds cannot fly which is how they got to be called Penguins, which means flightless. All species of penguins have short-bodies and necks. They also all have short thick feathers, which form a kind of waterproof coat. Most penguins’ feathers have feathers that are just white on the stomach and are black and blue on the back. Some have patches of brightly colored feathers on their necks. Theses birds keep warm from the harsh Antarctic conditions by thick layers of fat on their bodies. Their wings developed into flippers, which serve as paddles to help propel them in the water. They also have webbed feet which when combined with the flippers make them excellent swimmers and divers. The species are divided into four groups for easy identification. The groups are as follows, I. â€Å"Large, with orange or yellow patches on the sides of the upper neck (Species 1-2). II. Medium-sized, crested with orange or yellow lines on each side of the crown above the eyes (Species 3-8). III. Medium-sized, with no crest or yellow colour on the head, but usually with stripes of white or black on the head or breast (Species 9-14). IV. Small, with out crest or yellow colouring on heads (Species 15-17)† (Alexander 148). An example of each is as follows: Group I, the Emperor penguin. Group II, the Royal penguin. Group III, Adelie penguin and Group IV, the Whit-filppered penguin. The Emperor penguin is the largest penguin with the most southern range. The top of the head, chin, cheeks and throat are black, with a broad orange semicircle patch on each side of the upper neck. They have a long bill, which curves down, and a short tail composed of 20 feathers. The Royal penguin’s neck, chin, and throat are white. They have a broad orange band across the forehead and a short tail consisting of 14 feathers.

Ccontemporary Epistemological Research in Education Essay

ABSTRACT. In this article the authors challenge contemporary epistemological research within educational settings. After a reconciliation of the current models which treat epistemological beliefs as static and mechanical, the authors present a teaching experience to illustrate their enactivist view that epistemological beliefs should be conceptualized as fluid and dynamic constructs, emerging in web-like configurations. Answers to epistemological questions unfold within the interstices and mutual interactions between people and their environment. Boundaries between student–teacher, individual–community, cognition–bodily experience are becoming blurred. From this enactivist perspective the researcher’s role changes considerably. Instead of determining teachers’ personal traits and epistemological make-up, the researcher should sensitize teachers to the subtle ways epistemological beliefs are enmeshed within their day-to-day professional lives, focusing on the complex fabric of the teaching practice. KEY WORDS: contemporary epistemological research, education, enactivism, lived experiences, personal epistemology. We rehearse information, but perform meaning. Information is like the web of links in a wire fence; Meaning is like the cascade of waves on a mountain stream. Cliff Crego (2002)  © 2002 picture-poems. com THEORY & PSYCHOLOGY Copyright  © 2008 Sage Publications. VOL. 18(1): 27–45 DOI: 10. 1177/0959354307086921 http://tap. sagepub. com Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. 28. THEORY & PSYCHOLOGY 18(1) What is the true nature of knowledge, and how does a person come to know? These questions first became subject of psychological investigation in the late 1960s through the seminal work of Perry (1968). Today, these questions are studied under the umbrella of research on personal epistemology (Hofer & Pintrich, 2002). Personal epistemology has come to be seen as the common denominator for research done within this field and as a term signifying individual conceptions of knowledge and knowing. These conceptions are referred to by many disparate labels, of which the most commonly used term is ‘epistemological belief’. Other labels are: epistemological posture, epistemological resource, and ways of knowing (Niessen, Vermunt, Abma, Widdershoven, & van der Vleuten, 2004). Because the term ‘(epistemological) belief’ is already more broadly used within (educational) psychology and thus easy to associate with, we will use this term throughout the article when referring to issues of knowledge and knowing. Within this article we provide a cognitive psychological and an enactivist account of epistemological beliefs and claim that the differences between both are ultimately reflected in Crego’s distinction between the rehearsing of information and performing of meaning. We will apply the enactivist perspective to an interview segment to enable deeper understanding of teaching practice. The application of the enactivist account to this case has the character of a hermeneutic circle. This means that the enactivist account provides us with a background view that enables us to understand teachers’ experiences more fully. At the same time, the process of application is also a practice of opening up and being caught by new insights while interpreting. These insights might alter our epistemological perspective. This study is part of a larger ongoing investigation to understand the phenomenon of resistance by teachers to a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) environment using the epistemological perspective as our interpretive framework. PBL, in short, is an instructional method that, contrary to frontal teaching, chooses not to instruct students directly, but to facilitate the process in which students themselves and in collaboration with each other learn the necessary knowledge and skills by working on real-life problems. The role of the teacher is paramount to the success of this method. This is why the example used throughout this article highlights a teacher (Josie) who is situated within a PBL course. In the following we will first present the fragment taken from the interview with Josie. In this fragment she talks about her struggle to introduce a group of new staff members to ProblemBased Learning. We will also provide a more in-depth linguistic, methodological, and ontological characterization to contemporary epistemological research. Finally the contours of the enactivist perspective will be drawn in more detail. Josie’s Case Interviewer (I): How would you describe yourself as a trainer? Josie (J): I always try to get the group excited about PBL. Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. NIESSEN ET AL.: EPISTEMOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN EDUCATION 29 I: How do you do that? J: By trying to get everybody involved. At the same time, this is a potential pitfall. For instance, in a training session last week there was a group of student tutors and this group was really very critical, because they had attended other PBL courses. That was when I found myself trying to create more structure—that’s where I felt inadequate, because there were so many people with so much experience. In these instances it’s important to offer students guidelines and structure. You should be able to deviate from this structure—but only in those cases when it’s possible. Some teachers see this very clearly. Personally, I tend to create structure together with the group—on the spot. With some groups this works out just fine and with other groups it would have been better if I had provided a clear structure from the start. We would have come further. I: Students get restless? J: No, yes, well, there’s too much input and too few conclusions. I think that’s a major thing in PBL—it’s a major issue that too often, maybe, no actual conclusion is reached. That’s really what I think is probably my own shortcoming, something that as a student I thought was missing in the system. That structure—the framework in which you work. I: What does this framework look like—what is it made of? Do you know what I mean? J: A connecting thread. I: You say that on the one hand you’re trying to find this thread —and you want to connect it with the experiences of the participants—but that’s difficult because their experiences are so diverse and a common theme is hard to discern. J: Well, maybe that’s because there just isn’t one single thread and because PBL is based on the assumption that the available knowledge is relative. So you cannot say there’s one single solution to a particular problem. The important thing is that you are working towards a solution. Josie (a pseudonym) is a junior teacher trainer at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. She was one out of a group of 10 teacher trainers and 9 new staff members of Maastricht University in the Netherlands who were interviewed about their experiences with PBL, their concerns and unresolved issues. The participants we interviewed came from different departments of Maastricht University and differed considerably in experience with PBL, general attitude towards teaching, general teaching experience, and opinion about the value of PBL for student learning. Despite the marked differences in background and experience among the interviewees, Josie was not the only one who presented a complex and multilayered experience. Looking at other participants’ day-to-day teaching experiences, we similarly encountered varied and multilayered stories. This phenomenon is neither strange nor new. Studies by Perry (1968) and Lyons (1990), but also more recently from Phillion and Connelly (2004), show us that when researchers turn their attention to actual teaching experiences, the presented picture of teaching and epistemological beliefs is more textured and complex. The Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. 30 THEORY & PSYCHOLOGY 18(1) selection of this particular segment has been guided by the potential to learn from it about the role of epistemological beliefs in teaching. According to Stake (1994), ‘the potential for learning is a different and sometimes superior criterion to representativeness’ (p. 243). The fragment shows how Josie is struggling with the question: ‘How do these students come to know? ’ In the interview, Josie as a teacher trainer talks about her ideas and ideals of student involvement within her courses. She says that in some situations she finds it difficult to realize these ideals. She refers to her attempts to structure group sessions. She thinks that in order to do so, she has to develop ‘a connecting thread’ that will enable the group to achieve a sense of closure. This metaphor nicely illustrates Josie’s narrative approach to teaching. Her goal is to develop, together with the group, a storyline with a beginning, middle, and an ending. She expects that this jointly developed plot will enable the group to close the session in a satisfactory way. Josie’s ideas and strategy implicitly characterize her epistemological approach to one of the key questions in epistemology: ‘How does a person come to know? ’, or ‘How should this group of students come to know? ’ We can see an answer emerging from the confrontation between her ideals, her self-image, and the group with its characteristics. When she says ‘It’s in these instances that it’s important to offer students guidelines and structure’, she refers to her failed attempt to provide guidance, which, to her, was necessary to give the group a satisfactory sense of closure. This experience appears to have triggered a slight change in her epistemological outlook. Instead of her a priori assumption that students should be regarded as knowledgeable others, who will work together with the teacher to create a common thread, she now thinks that the group process also depends on her ability accurately to estimate the amount of prior experience that students bring to the course and her own experience and skills. Josie’s rapport with the group of students is coloured by her ideals about student involvement. It is also with this particular group of students, who have so ‘much experience’, that she discovers the failure of her usual strategy, i. e. developing a structure ‘on the spot’ together with the group. In her own words: ‘Their experiences are so diverse and a common theme is hard to find. ’ As a result she is confused and forced to reassess her epistemological ideal of student involvement in light of the concrete situation. Looking back on this experience, she reflects on the epistemological perspective underlying PBL and in doing so realizes that there isn’t just one single solution to a problem and that all knowledge can make a contribution. The lived experiences of Josie as a teacher are interpreted as an indication that the epistemological questions can only be meaningfully understood when they are placed within the context of the story that defines the situation as a whole. To put it in more general terms, in order to assess a situation epistemologically or Downloaded from http://tap.sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. NIESSEN ET AL. : EPISTEMOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN EDUCATION 31 make sense of teachers’ experiences epistemologically, we need to take account of the circumstances that constitute each new teaching situation. In Josie’s case these circumstances included her conviction that a common thread had to be identified, her skills to get the group to do this, the group size and group members’ varied experience. We would assert that her epistemological belief is essentially ‘indexical’ (Roth, Lawless, & Tobin, 2000), meaning that it is significant only as seen from within the concrete circumstances in which it arises. In the following section we will focus on the contrast between this view of epistemological beliefs and the prevailing views in contemporary epistemological research. Contemporary Epistemological Research Although the term ‘contemporary epistemological research’ suggests that there is a unified research domain, there are in fact different movements to which researchers within the domain of personal epistemology may turn. These movements may be referred to as ‘trait-oriented’, ‘theory-minded’, and ‘resource-oriented’. This means that researchers typify epistemological beliefs respectively as traits, theories, or resources (Hammer & Elby, 2002). Although we agree with Hammer and Elby that there are some important differences among these movements, we also discern an important mutual characteristic: all are rooted in cognitive psychology. This seems to offer an interesting perspective for an analysis and characterization of the field as a whole, because it would go to the very heart of research on epistemological beliefs regardless of the particular movement. In our view, Crego’s phrase ‘rehearsal of information’ very aptly captures the essence of contemporary epistemological research in relation to three interrelated angles: language, methodology, and ontology. Linguistic Idiosyncrasies of Contemporary Epistemological Research A striking linguistic characteristic of the cognitive psychological discourse about the foundations of thinking and believing is a marked preference for the use of nouns (Saljo, 2002). Since contemporary epistemological research is grounded in cognitive psychology, this characteristic is also discernible in epistemological research. The phenomenon addressed within epistemological research can be denoted by different labels: epistemological belief (Duell & Schommer-Aikins, 2001; Hofer, 2000; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997, 2002; Schommer, 1994, 1998b), epistemological position (Perry, 1968, 1988); epistemological theory (Hofer, 2000; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997, 2002), epistemological standard Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. 32 THEORY & PSYCHOLOGY 18(1) (Ryan, 1984a, 1984b), epistemological resource (Hammer & Elby, 2002), epistemological style (Martin, Silva, Newman, & Thayer, 1994), epistemological reflection (Baxter Magolda, 1992, 1994, 1996), epistemological posture (Desaultes & Larochelle, 1997), epistemological orientation (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, & Tarule, 1986), epistemological antecedent (Powell, 1996), and ways of knowing (Belenky et al. , 1986). The worrisome aspect of the predominance of nouns as the building blocks for thinking and believing is that it creates the impression that people’s capacities and ideas should be conceived of as unchanging objects (Saljo, 2002). Nouns distract our attention from the processes in which epistemological constructs can be seen to emerge. Nouns denote a final state as opposed to a process in which actions and thoughts are continuously taking shape and modifying each other. The idea of stability is reinforced by the tendency to represent epistemological beliefs as stable cognitive traits or theories (Hammer & Elby, 2002). Epistemological beliefs are seen as trait-like or theory-like features which are stored and acted upon inside the brain. From an epistemological trait perspective, individuals’ beliefs and ideas about epistemology tend to cohere into stable ‘positions’ or ‘levels’, ‘phases’ or ‘stages’, which can be distinguished from other ‘levels’ and ‘phases’ with regards to organization and quality. They are seen as declarative knowledge to which a person has conscious and articulate access. In epistemological theories, beliefs are perceived as being structured in this way (Hofer & Pintrich, 1997, 2002). Congruent with the tendency to see epistemological beliefs as stable and object-like traits or theories stored within the individual mind, most researchers tend to refer to epistemological beliefs in terms of ‘individuals having them’ (Pehkonen & Torner, 1999). Another feature within Western society that reinforces thinking about epistemological beliefs as objects and unchanging is the linguistic tendency to typify mental phenomena dichotomously, i. e. as belonging to either–or categories (Amstutz, 1999; Davis & Sumara, 1997). Examples of such dichotomies are: mental–physical, internal–external, individual–collective (Davis & Sumara, 2001; Heft, 2001). Membership of one category precludes membership of the other one of the pair. This divisive either/or mode of thinking reinforces the image of people as unchanging. Something or someone is or is not of some category. According to Langer (1989, 1997), divisive thinking has this effect when people take categories or opposites literally or without mindful attention. She calls for heedful and critical thinking in which mindless acceptance of categories is regarded as the opposite of powerful learning. We think that a contemporary interpretation with a language that treats epistemological beliefs as stable and trait-like or object-like has trouble interpreting the epistemological picture that arises from teachers’ concrete perspectives. When we analyse Josie’s account and realize that she tunes into the situation as a process that unfolds in interaction with the group, we realize Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. NIESSEN ET AL. : EPISTEMOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN EDUCATION 33 that the boundaries between individual–collective, self–other, and internal–external are not clear-cut. They are fuzzy, blurred, and overlapping, and we see no clearly outlined either/or distinctions. We think epistemological beliefs should be better conceived of as emerging characterizations within a process of mutual adaptation, such as in Josie’s attempts to tune in to the ideas of the group and to her own and reconcile them. Because this process unfolds concurrently with the teaching process, it cannot be fully anticipated a priori or even as it is being enacted. To us, this view is compatible with a concept of epistemological beliefs as continuously unfolding processes, like waves cascading down a mountain stream. Just as the water and the mountain are being shaped and reshaped in their continuous interaction, so is the answer to the epistemological question ‘How do these students come to know? ’ being rephrased under the influence of interaction in a concrete teaching situation. Particularities Regarding the Methodology within a Contemporary Epistemological Perspective Characterizing the methodologies that are used in contemporary epistemological research, we see an equally differentiated array of instruments: production-type tasks, open-ended interviews, vignettes, observations, illstructured problems, and Likert-type questionnaires (Duell & SchommerAikins, 2001). What is striking to us is that despite this diversity, epistemological beliefs research is exceptionally unitary in its preference for using the individual and his or her beliefs, knowledge, desires, and attitudes as the unit of analysis (Lyons, 1990). We think this preference is congruent with the predilection for nouns emphasizing the object-oriented way of thinking; it seems to us that an orientation towards epistemological beliefs as object-like has been (tacitly) operative in the development of instruments that are used to study them as personal and stable traits or theories. We notice that an orientation to the individual is especially recognizable in questionnaire (Likert-type) studies and standardized interview studies. Despite growing criticism of questionnaire studies, they have been and continue to be an important method in studies of epistemological beliefs (Duell & Schommer-Aikins, 2001). Part of their popularity seems to be attributable to their easy and quick administration. Nevertheless, Hammer and Elby (2002) reveal a fundamental problem when they point out that item formulation is often far removed from day-today teaching practice while at the same time it is assumed to pertain to these contexts (see, e. g., Schommer, 1998a; questionnaire: ‘Nothing is certain but death and taxes’). According to Hammer and Elby, this is neither true nor Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. 34 THEORY & PSYCHOLOGY 18(1) viable when made explicit. Most epistemological studies ask participants direct questions about their beliefs, often by presenting epistemological statements and asking them to rate their agreement/disagreement on a Likert scale. For example, students may be asked whether they agree or disagree that ‘the best thing about science courses is that most problems have one right answer’ (Schommer, 1990, p. 499); ‘the science principles in the textbooks will always be true’ (Songer & Linn, 1991, p. 769); or ‘knowledge in physics consists of many pieces of information, each of which applies primarily to a specific situation’ (Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998, p. 217). It is only by a presumption of unitarity that the results of these studies may be considered to apply to all contexts of learning (Hammer & Elby, 2002). However, the item formulation must be generic to preserve internal congruence throughout the whole study. It would be incongruent to perceive of epistemological beliefs as stable traits or theories but apply highly context-specific or dialogical research methods. A generic item formulation makes perfect sense given the a priori position that epistemological beliefs are stable phenomena. Epistemological beliefs are seen as tangible features and measured congruently. They can therefore be conceived of as entities that impact on teaching behaviour linearly, i. e.cause exists as an inherent constituent of epistemological beliefs. Contemporary cognitive epistemological research is concerned with the search for explanations of the epistemological perspective in order to predict and control students’ and teachers’ behaviour. Using standardized (correlational) measuring techniques, researchers are able to identify these linear and law-governed patterns. The role of the researcher in this process is merely to uncover these relationships objectively, with validity and reliability (Guba & Lincoln, 1989, 1994; Lincoln & Guba, 1985, 2000). In interpreting Josie’s segment, it is true that Josie shows an epistemological preference to create a common thread together. At the same time we also see that this preference becomes ‘active’ and is questioned while interacting with this specific group. Her experience of the situation she describes has led her to acknowledge that in this instance—given her own and the group’s experience—a different approach might have been more successful. Confronted with this new experience, a breach is made within otherwise customized behaviour. These breaches provide opportunities for change and revision of ideas to suit local circumstances. We interpret Josie’s ultimate handling of the situation as the result of reciprocal dynamics between different personal and situational elements, whose influence can be seen from a holistic point of view, but which cannot be reduced to any element or correlation in particular. Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. NIESSEN ET AL. : EPISTEMOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN EDUCATION. 35 The Particularities Regarding the Ontology within a Contemporary Epistemological Interpretation Ontology is the subdivision within metaphysics that deals with the nature of being. More concretely, ontology is revealed in the question: What is real? We might thus ask whether epistemological beliefs are real. According to Baptiste (2001), one of the most troublesome questions surrounding the issue of ontology is the distinction between the facticity and the quality of a thing. Facticity refers to the question of whether a thing exists. In our case we might ask if epistemological beliefs do exist. Departing from a realist perspective (Heron & Reason, 1997), the answer within contemporary epistemological research is that epistemological beliefs do indeed exist as theories, traits, or resources. For realists, epistemological beliefs are just as real and tangible as observable objects. The quality of a thing refers to the form of a phenomenon or the nature of an object. Within contemporary epistemological research, epistemological beliefs are thought of as psychological and physical phenomena. They are psychological because they reside in a person’s mind. They are also (presumably) physical on the basis of the default assumption that epistemological beliefs correspond to cognitive units in the brain (Hammer & Elby, 2002). Finally, there is the question of whether it would be possible for epistemological researchers to claim that epistemological beliefs exist without reference to cognitive psychology or cognitive science. Contemporary epistemological research, although not explicitly referred to, heavily draws on cognitive science and cognitive psychology as its foundational precursors, meaning that these strands are the background theories they implicitly build on. Varela, Thompson, and Rosch (1997) have pointed to the reifying effect of cognitive science on cognitive psychology when describing the centrality of the computer metaphor and similar language use. This computer-oriented language is also apparent within educational research in general and epistemological research in particular (Davis & Sumara, 1997). It depicts humans as disenchanted, cerebral beings who receive and process information from events and objects to establish representations (beliefs, desires). These representations in turn govern and give meaning to their own behaviour and that of others. In Josie’s interview, but also in the other interviews we conducted, we see from an enactive viewpoint first and foremost acting persons (Packer & Winne, 1995) who stumble and haphazardly manage to guide their classes through the course. Josie’s hesitation to infer definite conclusions about the preferred course of action in this particular situation is hard to interpret as an image of information rehearsal, the picture we see framed within contemporary epistemological research. As we see it, in this particular situation her answer to the question ‘How do these students come to know?’ is embedded within a network of concrete relations and a process of mutual attunement. Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. 36 THEORY & PSYCHOLOGY 18(1) In our view, Josie’s hesitation to draw definite conclusions should not be deplored but welcomed, because it may open up opportunities that may lead to epistemological attunement, which may guide students and teachers to the most appropriate end. The interview excerpt with Josie illustrates the existential dialogical nature or ontology in which it is hard to dissect the knower from the known, mind from body, student from teacher, teacher from context, et cetera (Hosking & Bouwen, 2000). Josie’s teaching might be viewed as a responsive choreography in which her behaviour and beliefs co-evolve within a relational web of individual inclinations or cognitions, her skills as a teacher trainer, the characteristics of the students she teaches, and the dialogue between these elements altogether. In the final section of this paper, we will explain and illustrate our enactive or dialogical world orientation. An enactivist world orientation is grounded in the assertion that people form complex fabrics of fundamentally and inextricably intertwined relationships with everything else—physically/biologically and experientially/phenomenologically (Davis & Sumara, 1997). From this viewpoint, epistemological beliefs are not primarily or solely cognitive features, but they are temporarily crystallized enactments in ever-changing webs of mutually defining elements. An Enactive and Dialogical Perspective on Epistemological Beliefs So far, we have focused on a passage from Josie and characterized contemporary cognitive epistemological research from a linguistic, methodological, and ontological point of view. The enactive epistemological perspective takes into account many elements, such as the group experience, the group size, and her own (in)abilities to provide a common thread (structure). In this final part of the discussion, we take up the challenge to sketch and explain more thoroughly the contours of an enactivist interpretation that enables us to take into account these elements to which Josie refers. Although we typify our interpretation as enactivist, we will also draw on theoretical notions derived from philosophical hermeneutics (Gadamer, 1990; Widdershoven, 1999) and narrative psychology (Abma, 2000; Josselson & Lieblich, 1999; Lyons & LaBoskey, 2002). Enactivism is an emerging worldview that lingers in between and draws from different domains, including philosophical phenomenology (Varela, 1999), complexity theory (Waldrop, 1992), and evolutionary biology (Bateson, 1979, 1987). Although this worldview is of reasonably recent date, it is receiving more and more attention within the domain of education (Davis & Sumara, 1997, 2001, 2002; Davis, Sumara, & Kieren, 1996; Sumara & Davis, 1997). Within the domain of contemporary epistemological research, enactivism has been largely absent, although the work by Belenky et al. (1986) and Lyons (1990) shows strong similarities. In the following we will Downloaded from http://tap. sagepub. com at Universiteit Maastricht on August 6, 2008  © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. NIESSEN ET AL. : EPISTEMOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN EDUCATION 37 first explain enactivism as it is defined by Davis and Sumara in the field of education (Davis & Sumara, 1997, 2000, 2002; Davis et al., 1996). Although not directly translated to the educational or the epistemological field, we will also be using some of the terms (eclectically) used by Varela et al. (1997) since they are eminent in the field of enactivism. To ‘enact’ means ‘to work in or upon’ or ‘to act or perform’. ‘Enactivism’ refers to the idea of knowing in action. People come to know and believe about the world by interacting with it bodily, experientially, and cognitively. This means that individuals are simultaneously biological and social beings who experientially embody both cognitive and physical dimensions within their actions. Because continuous interaction is such an important feature of enactivism, one could claim that it holds a relational ontology meaning that all social realities and all knowledge of self, others, and things are viewed as interdependent or co-dependent constructions existing and known only in relation to each other (Hosking & Bouwen, 2000). When we review Josie’s story again, we see a rather inexperienced teacher trainer who struggles with the epistemological question: ‘How should these students come to know? ’ Her commonly used approach to create a common thread together is rather problematic given her own (in)abilities within a large group of experienced students. As a consequence of this inexperience she adjusts her epistemological outlook to include the notion that when faced with a rather experienced group she needs to hold more control. Interpreting her account enactively, we would claim that her final outlook to this particular situation is the result of the interaction between her ideal to create a common thread together and her communication skills, her self-image, the group’s size, and the amount of experience of the group. It is the confrontation of these elements within the concrete enactment that sets the stage for this particular response to arise. The enactive paradigm as exemplified by Varela et al. (1997) emphasizes the relev.

Culture and Grief - 1667 Words

When the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011 rocked New York City, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., the word â€Å"tragedy† was used on a grandiose level around the world. For the people who lived close enough to experience the events first-hand, they may not have even called it a tragedy; perhaps they called it a misfortune, retaliation, lack of a strong government, unreal, or maybe even rebirth. In the coming years after the attacks, everything between standing united as a nation to declaring a war had flourished; but how has that left us - the land that has no distinct ethnicity - feel about each other? Why is it that fear is usually missing in the affective mnemonics of memorial sites, which, after all, are signifiers of some of the†¦show more content†¦The memorial itself is beyond beautiful: radiating a kind of halo just before sunset that nearly encapsulates where the Twin Towers once stood. The two walls are made from â€Å"architecturally finished conc rete† with the 746-deceased family members from New Jersey etched in stainless steel. The memorial was initially built to â€Å"reflect the legacies of those whose lives were lost, that their unfulfilled dreams and hopes may result in a better future for society. Their unique qualities and characteristics enriched our lives immeasurably and through this memorial, their stories live on.† (Jordan, 2011) I visited the memorial on two occasions for a few significant purposes; the first one was to compare the amount of people who just leisurely strolled by in comparison to the amount of people who actually walked between the walls, read the names of the deceased, talked and expressed feelings with friends/others about it, etc. The second reason was to plug in the comparisons from the first two visits on how many people engaged in the memorial and compare the ethnic diversity amongst the two. I focused on ethnic diversity as a cultural factor because it does contribute to the level of bias/racism (especially geared towards Muslims) that was created post-9/11. As a country that really has no ethnic identity and that â€Å"freely† accepts any color and backgrounds, I thought it would be crucial to point out how diversity affects the theoryShow MoreRelatedA Critical Comparison Of Expressions Of Grief1419 Words   |  6 PagesA Critical Comparison of Expressions of Grief in Asia Death is universal and while grief is a common reaction to this inevitable occurrence, responses can be varied across Asian cultures. Ethnographic accounts reveal how grief and bereavement is expressed in this region and provides a basis for discussion. 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