Poverty as Capability Deprivation

Cesar E. Chavez essays

Cesar E. Chavez essays When a person hears the name Cesar Chavez, a person thinks of a mans fight for his people. As a fellow human being I am proud that he was Hispanic just like me. Well for me he wasnt a regular Jose but someone with the power and strength to say I had it with what was going on, for that I call him a wonderful and brave man. The story of Cesar Chavez begins in Yuma, Arizona. He was born March 31,1927. Cesar Estrada Chavez was names after his grandfather Cesario Chavez. As a small child Cesar learned many things. As a child Cesar learned first hand how hard it was to be a brown man in a white mans land. Cesars family, The Chavez family, was swindled from their house and farm by dishonest whites. Cesar learned a lesson about injustice that he would later in counter. Cesar said the love for justice that is in us is not only the best part of our being but it also the most true to our nature. Like I said this man had the mentality of someone you read in LA OPINION. In my dark eyes Cesar was the Mexican, white people feared him left and right and prayed that Cesar would look the other way or they would loose their fortune. To me that is an accomplishment beyond a lot of peoples reach. As a young child Cesar did not like school that much, I mean I dont either, but his reasons were much better that mine becau se all of the teachers were Anglos and only spoke English, and that wasnt it, if the school staff caught u speaking Spanish they would hit you with a size 12 inch ruler. Cesar and his brother attended from 38 schools to 70 schools. Cesar only graduated from the 8th grade and could not attend high school because his father, Librado, had an accident and could not work because of it. So as the oldest child of the family Cesar put away his plans for the future to support his family both mentally and physically. As Chavez grew older he started back his journey in aca...

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Proposal - Essay Example These retention strategies make them be retained in the firm and perform their jobs at optimum levels. Retention of employees is a complex and a multi-faceted challenge, which can negatively impact on an organization’s profit margins and productivity if it is not addressed effectively. An improved incentive system raises the performance orientation and retention of an employee. Retention is used by many firms so as to reduce the turnover costs. Employee retention is also very crucial since it prevents talented staff from being poached. Therefore, for the long-term success of a company it is a must that the firm develops and retains talented, satisfied and performance-oriented. Employee retention is very crucial to any organization, and it is very demanding for the employees. In the current world, attracting and retaining young and skilled employees is often difficult but equally important. Many employers are faced with the problem of searching for a younger workforce that has different attitudes concerning work, coupled with an increasing population of older workers who are heading towards retirement. Majority of organizations have resolved to retain their good managers and employees. In that perspective, retention of employees needs to be examined in the most comprehensive manner since it impacts both negatively and positively on the business. That is the research paper will examine the impact of retention strategies on employee motivation. Sandya and Kumar (2011:1778) defined employee retention as a process by which workers are encouraged to stay with their current employers for the maximum possible time. Although it is a difficult job, it is beneficial to both the employer and employee. On the other hand, Sandya and Kumar (2011) added that employee retention is the process by which employee are encouraged to remain with the organization they are working with currently for a long time. Employees

The Investor Life Cycle of ZipCar, Facebook, and Dunkin Doughnuts Coursework

The Investor Life Cycle of ZipCar, Facebook, and Dunkin Doughnuts - Coursework Example Zipcar, Facebook and Dunkin Doughnuts are companies operating in different industries, and therefore attract different investors in varying stages of the Investor Life Cycle. The four-stage investor life cycle includes the following: accumulation, consolidation, spending, and gifting. According to Hartung (2014), the growth of social networking giant on the back of increasing demand for social media would make the company’s stock idea for the individual who intends to accumulate. The basic notion behind this stage in the investor life cycle is that investors seek to aggressive growth for the future hence this is a fit beyond doubt. On the other hand, Krantz (2014) opines that Dunkin Doughnuts is a stable prospect for the future. Therefore its stocks fit perfectly within the second stage, as that stage typically asserts that an investor would be inclined to who perceive retirement planning as more vital, and hence, these stocks would fit perfectly into their bill. Zipcar’s continued dwindling fortunes in the market and recent mergers news would make its stock a perfect bill for an investor within the investor’s life cycle known as gifting (Savitz, 2013). In this phase, investors are more prone to have assets remaining at the end of their lives, but they focus more on estate planning. According to Burton (2013), calendar effects have emerged as a vital aspect of behavioral finance amongst present investors in the country. Calendar Effects implies that people analyze specific dates and periods in which stock prices to rise. This is absurd, but Wall Street research over the few years has validated this claim.  

Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC), Canada Research Paper

Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC), Canada - Research Paper Example The sequential approach of ADDIE is also followed by the instructional design document. In first place the ACEC audience will be analyzed for future training needs, the success of the instructional design depends heavily on the accuracy of the needs analysis. This will provide the basis for the design selection which includes the course format and any sub-phases The second phase begins with instructional needs identified in the analysis part and the design of the instructional design is discussed by the designer. Instructional strategy, course format, and the medium of instruction will also be finalized at this stage. Finally the course will be developed to achieve the desired instructional goals for ACEC, Canada. The instructional plan will ensure the induction of relevant material will keep the course outline as short as possible. Keeping the interest of the audience alive is an important requirement in development phase. The implementation of the instructional design will finalize the plan rollout timings, logistic and availability of resources deemed necessary for the completion of the course. This includes administrative support and availability of training staff to conduct the course. In final phase of the ADDIE model the evaluation of the overall instructional design will be assessed in terms of trainee’s capacity building and company’s objective realization. The quality of evaluation lies in its objectivity and the strength it introduces in the instructional design. ... Training of newly inducted engineers Analysis of training facilities presently available Coaching facilities for affiliated Companies Instructional facilities for Advance Technologies Lack of Academic Staff Qualitative and Quantitative Needs Required Training facilities (Quantitative) Facilities for Advance Technologies (Qualitative) Needs identified for ACEC All new engineers are required to have comprehensive training before they can be actually deployed at a real life project (Felt Need) Training for advance technologies is mandatory for the Core Professional Engineers at ACEC (Anticipated Need) Association has to plan training for affiliated companies time and again and permanent training need exists under this category (Felt Need) Lack of academic staff (Felt Need) Trainers training (Comparative Need) Selected Need Training of newly inducted engineers Instructional facilities for Advance Technologies Training of Newly Inducted Engineers Need analysis of the ACEC has established a â€Å"Felt Need† of providing training to newly inducted engineers in ACEC. The engineers current performance and excellence is satisfactory however it does not match the mission statement for the ACEC, therefore suggests a gap between the existing and desired level of excellence. The need was established after a qualitative interview session conducted with engineers of various domains and was responded by 95% engineers in favor of initial training. Instructional Goal Polishing critical skills in fresh engineering graduates thus enabling them to produce quality engineering models. Performance-Based Objectives A – audience – Fresh Engineering Graduates B – behavior – Skill enhancement C – conditions – ACEC’ Excellence D – Getting quality engineering Models Instructional

Challenges to Maritime Security in Southeast Asia

Challenges to Maritime Security in Southeast Asia Lt Mohd Fadhil bin Ahmad Southeast Asia: The Current Challenges of Maritime Security Introduction Since ancient times, the control (or to have at least some forms of control) over the lucrative waterways has always been the ambition of littoral states as well as those with vested and specific interests. The reasons can be abundance, such as that for the purpose of facilitating peaceful trade and commercial, or nations or empire’s expansion or projection of power and influence, or for gaining quick wealth through a less peaceful means of piracy. With everyone going for a slice of cake, it then resulted in disputes, conflicts and even war and some are still unresolved until today. Back to the present, littoral states or these adjacent to Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC) are now not only faced with tall order of keeping of SLOC safe for navigation and secured of threats, which most often than not are mostly non-traditional in nature, but are also pressured by extra regional and international â€Å"interested parties† to do so, as such are made preoccupied in keeping these â€Å"interested parties† at bay, i.e. from interfering. Littoral states are expected to ensure safety and security as their responsibilities, on their own effort and with heavy financial cost, without any modality of burden sharing through international funding. But, the question then, do they (the littoral states) really want any forms of funding with the terms and conditions which can be interpreted as external interference? Especially, when international users have already considered the Malacca Straits for an example as an international sea lane with their rights of usage. Apart from these threats and the conflict of interest, this strategic outlook or landscape can also be looked upon as having its own opportunities at the same time. Although the factors that shape these opportunities are mainly driven by economic gain, the aspect of security interests could lead to other mutual beneficial partnership. A lot has been said on the needs for collaboration or joint efforts with regard to maintaining the safety and security of our immediate waters which include from the north-west of the Indian Ocean-Andaman, down to the Straits of Malacca and the Straits of Singapore, and up to the South China Sea as well as the adjacent seas, oceans and waters. Has this SLOC not attracted enough attention with regard to the availability of both threats/challenges and opportunities? In this regard, have we not seen the rising numbers of piracy at the Straits of Malacca before, in the early 2000s of the increased traffics and trades that play this SLOC (from 56,000 ships in year 2000 to 73000 in 2011 for ship of more than 300 GRT)? Has this situation not attracted influential players-major military and economic powers, into this foray? These only proved how vital this SLOC is, and why all concerned parties should coordinate, cooperate and collaborate–bilateral or multi-laterally, for a concentrat ed/ integrated effort. Challenges Over the years, ASEAN through its various forums has introduced numerous commendable efforts and initiatives to ensure the safety and security of its water. The outcome has been remarkably encouraging especially when incidents of piracy has dropped to a near-zero. However, there are still other works to be done especially at the Straits of Malacca and more work elsewhere vis-a-vis the South China Sea. With regard to the Straits of Malacca, with piracy no longer in the limelight, the main concern now is the increasing traffic volume as mentioned earlier. As we know, the Straits of Malacca is one narrow Strait and with this increased in traffic volume; coordinated efforts now must be focused towards regulating the North-bound passage in ensuring navigational safety and putting in place a mechanism to address shipping-related pollutions-by irresponsible acts or mishap at sea. Competition over Resources There are some issues with regard to the maritime Southeast Asia waters which have been standing out such as competition over resources. As we know, maritime Southeast Asia, which are located between the Pacific and Indian Ocean, is composed of the volcanic and non-volcanic islands and also the island arcs. The geology of the area is highly complex but it is very promising in term of resources development. Extensive continental shelves washed by seas of less than 200metres deep join many of the islands to Australia and Asia. The Continental Shelf areas are the important location of sedimentary rock which contains of yields oil, tin, and others minerals. The growing in demand for energy is obviously generating greatly increased in offshore exploration for oil and natural gas. China for example, has expended massive efforts in exploring for oil in South China Sea as well as the Pearl River Basin to the North of Hong Kong. Nowadays, we can see that the developed oil-fields in Southeast Asian waters are small and located only in continental shelf area. So that, reservoirs are being depleted and increased in exploration and competition are to be expected. At present, oil, offshore minerals and also fisheries are the main focal point of disputes and future conflict. China has claimed a major portion of the South China Sea makes other littoral feel threatened against other interests over the South China Sea and its resources. Most of the contiguous states have claimed a 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Indonesian and the Philippine concept of the archipelagic state were incorporated in the 1982 Convention of the Law of the Sea. Article 47 of this convention stated that an archipelagic state may draw straight baselines to the outermost points of the outermost island. Furthermore, the 200 nautical mile EEZ, other claims of the littoral states, and the archipelagic claims of Indonesian and the Philippines and also the China’s undefined general claim, leave no uncontested or unclaimed maritime areas in Southeast Asian waters. Example like what had happened with regard to the Spratly Island where friction and some viol ence have occurred which jointly claimed by Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Philippines. Because of the pressure for a greater exploration develops, the areas with potential for exploration and drilling, which are normally located on or near continental shelves and disputed boundaries are becoming pressure points for disputes. The areas which are currently in disputed and believed to have hydrocarbon potential are the South-western Gulf of Thailand (involving Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam), the waters North of Natuna Island (involving Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Vietnam), the waters offshore of Brunei (involving Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and China) and also the Spratly Island (involving China, Malaysia, Philippine and Vietnam). The fisheries issue is more difficult to address in many ways since fish do not respect political boundaries. The fishery resource management problems are largely unresolved and frequently not even identified. The recent changes in the Law of the Sea, especially the establishment of 200 nautical mile economic zones, make governments are ill-prepared to cope. The establishment of the 200 nautical mile economic zones has created severe hardship for fishermen of certain Southeast Asian nations. For example, Thailand has suffered the loss of some 115,000 square miles of traditional fishing grounds. It is reported that most of the Thailand fishing fleet has been force back into the Gulf of Thailand which is already overfish. Sea Lines of communications, the Straits, the Achipelagoes and Extended Jurisdiction The question of the unilateral extension of maritime jurisdiction is gradually over loading regional mechanisms designed to avoid conflict. Political orientation and economic circumstances are important fact ors in the temptation to use force in order to establish or defend a maritime claim. Within ASEAN community there are well-established, if not perfect, informal procedures for settlement of disputes. The communist states of the East and Southeast Asia are less practicable and have used naval power in the recent past to emphasize their claim to areas in the South China Sea. Use of the straits and sea lines of communication throughout the region affect not only regional powers but also international trading community. Closure, for any reason, of the straits of Malacca and Singapore would severely damage the economies of Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, as well as other states. Major shipping routes of international importance use Indonesia’s Sunda, Lombok, Makasar, and Ombai-W etar straits. The Philippines, which also has declared its achipelagic status, possesses international passages within its territory. The maintenance of open sea lines of communication is of great interest to nations using the South China Sea. The major north-south routes transit the Natunas area disputed by Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. They also pass through the Paracel and Spratly zones disputed by China and Vietnam as well as other states. Future local naval engagements in either of these areas will impede or lengthen the transit period of user nations. The extended jurisdictional claims of China (legally unspecified but encompassing much of the South China Sea) and Vietnam require the most attention. The Chinese and Vietnamese claim the Paracel and the Spratly areas based on their claims of historical occupation. The Chinese evicted the South Vietnamese from Paracels in the 1974. Oil is being extracted to the west of these islands and is rumoured to exits on or very near the Chinese-occupied Paracels. The Spratly area viewed as being potentially rich in oil and natural gas. So far China has not pressed its claims to the Spratlys by occupying one or more of the islands. Vietnam and Indonesia are currently at a stalemate in their discussions over the delineation of their maritime boundaries. The talk have been going on for five years and involves rights to hydrocarbons located in the continental shelf north of the Natuna islands which are occupied by Indonesia. Indonesia has allowed Marathon Oil Company to explore in this area. Vietnam has vigorously and challenged this contract and stated that â€Å"foreign companies should pay attention to this matter and should not conduct survey and exploration operations in the disputed area without Vietnam’s consent†. Any oil company which failed to observe these instructions must be held responsible for the consequences arising from its act. Impact of the Arms Build-up and Major Power Interests The South China Sea and the maritime waters of Southeast Asia are of major strategic importance to the littoral nations as well as the major powers. The guarantee of innocent passage for the merchant and military ships of all nations is fundamental to stability in Asia. Passage in these waters, however, is becoming increasingly constricted especially in the sea lines of the South China Sea and the Vital Straits of Malacca, Sunda, Lombok, and Wetar-Ombai, all of which are within Indonesian archipelago. Waters adjacent to these sea lines as well as the straits are sensitive for security and political reasons. These seas are bordered by countries of very different political ideologies and political outlooks. The western area (Spratly Islands) of the South China Sea especially sensitive, mainly because so many states have made claims to and have occupied island in this area. Potential strategic uses for the more developed island islands in the Spratly included bases for sea line interdiction, surveillance and possible launching points for further attacks. The Philippines and the Indonesia have particular reason to seek for influence maritime activity in parts of their archipelagos. The south of the Philippines, especially the Sulu Sea area, is a focal point for continuing friction with our country. Supplies for the continuing military support for the Moro National Liberation Front and New People’s Army in Zamboanga, Tawi-Tawi, Palawan and Davao are via sea routes. Indonesia vie ws the eastern portion of the country with continuing concern for security. Other strategic considerations include continuing use of the major straits for military purposes. East to west passage in important for surface units of all navies. North to south passage is also importance to submarines. The existence of the U.S. military bases in the Philippines and Soviet bases in Vietnam serve to complicate the security picture in the South China Sea area. Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base in the Philippines have been importance features of U.S. security policy in Asia since World War II. Both are vital logistics support facilities which allow the U.S. Navy and Air Force to stand behind security commitments made to Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Thailand. These bases also support U.S naval missions in the Indian Ocean. The United States has provided a continuous military presence in Asia since 1975. This presence has enabled the ASEAN nations, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, to increase their gross national product by an average of 10 per cent. While the United State does not take credit for the economy and the security successes of most of these countries, its policy of deterring Soviet, North Korean and Vietnamese intimidation has been effective. In the mid 1980s, the Soviet has a quantitative advantage in the military balance in the Pacific region, having greater numbers of newer, more sophisticated submarines, tactical aircraft, bombers, and infantry and so on. At present Soviet naval and air forces would be severely disadvantaged in a conflict with United State forces in maritime Southeast Asia. China’s impact on the security of maritime Southeast Asia already been outlined as it affects the Spratly area and also China’s relation with Vietnam. Other considerations worthy of mention are th e upgrading of China merchant fleet and evolution of the PLA navy in recent years. China has not entered the maritime power competition but clearly has the capacity and will to do so. In the near future, China will further expand its volume of maritime trade on a global scale. The PLA navy is attempting to catch up rapidly with those of the Soviet Union and the United States by developing a seaborne nuclear deterrent. It is also obvious from the interview with Liu Huaquing, head of the PLA navy, that China is serious about protecting its claim to the resources of the South China Sea as well as asserting itself as a maritime power in Asia. At present, the Soviets are effectively projecting their military power into an area which had previously been a preserve of the West. It is disconcerting to United States power to have the Soviets expanding their air and naval assets in Cam Ranh Bay as well as conducting a large scale construction programme within that base. The Cam Ranh Bay base in being expended into an advanced staging and repair facility which will save the Soviets time in projecting their naval forces into the Indian Ocean. In parallel and as back-up facility, in case of a break in relation with Vietnam, which is not likely to happen. The soviet are also developing the naval facility in the Kampuchean port of Ream. These points having been made, the soviet presence in Southeast Asia is prominent only in the military area. The KGB activity in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia in recent years has been closely monitored by the security agencies of these countries. However, the soviets present no role models for eco nomic development. Future Developments and Conclusion The 1982 UNCLOS provides compulsory procedures for the settlement of disputes. Many venues are open to disputing parties, including arbitration, adjudication and conciliation, as well as other regional or local ad hoc procedures. As an example is ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus Expert Working Group (ADMM Plus EWG) on Maritime Security. This is one EWG which is giving full attention in as far as â€Å"providing a platform for information sharing among ADMM Plus countries in the hope of enhancing and further developing mutual confidence towards regional peace and stability† is concerned. It is sure that with the activities already conducted such as the Table-Top Exercise (TTX) held last year, and those already on the drawing board (i.e. to establish a virtual communication network/website, to conduct exercises at sea); practical operational cooperation in common areas of maritime security will soon become a norm (standard practice) among members, at least, where maritime se curity is concerned. Conflict in which resources are said to be the major issue but where, in reality, strategic position is the major motivation, will be more difficult to resolve. Solutions to fisheries questions will apparently leave some countries, such as Thailand, disadvantaged. The claims to ownership of hydrocarbon are, in theory, more easily negotiated. Joint development in production and policy is a possible solution to competing claims within ASEAN. With no clear sight of a permanent solution, the easiest way out as a short term measure is to a model a Joint Development Area (JDA) involving all the respective claimants such that of the Malaysia-Thailand JDA which jointly exploit fisheries and hydrocarbon-based resources. It is worth noting that this idea of JDA has in fact caught the attention of claimants to other disputed areas as well. Therefore, if we could not resolve the challenges we might as well capitalise on the opportunities. The question of providing a security presence in the region will increasingly become a problem for the regional powers. It may become increasingly difficult for the United States to continue to maintain its long term air and naval presence in Southeast Asia. Political and economic constraints are cited by friends of United States when there are ask to share greater cooperative security burdens. The major security burden of the future will fall upon the ASEAN nations, Australia, Japan and South Korea. National interest in the security terms may serve to overcome other inherent obstructions such as South Korea-Japanese cultural issues and the lingering effect of anti-Japanese feeling in Southeast Asia as a result of World War II. Australia may have a heightened role to play, given a receptive political climate, as a partner in co-operative naval and air patrol agreements and as a fall-back position for the United State forces. The regional communist states (China, Vietnam) appear to be transferring to the South China Sea their current confrontational relations. In order for stability to be maintained in the South China Sea, China and Vietnam will need to avail themselves of existing mechanisms for resolutions of disputes. References: ASEAN Partners invited to Jointly Develop Gas Field, Business Times (Kuala Lumpur), 14 November 1984. The Malaysian Chief of Defence Force Presentation on 10th ASEAN Chief of Defence Force informal Meeting, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, 19 to 21 Mac 2013. Robert A. Brand, Defence Down Under: An American View, Pacific Defence Reporter, June 1985. J.C Johari, International Relation and Politics, (New Delhi: Sterling Publisher 1997). You Ji, The Armed Forces of China (Australia: Allen Unwin, 1999).

The Misleading Message of Chopins The Storm Essay -- Chopin Storm Ess

The Misleading Message of Chopin's The Storm Kate Chopin's "The Storm" focuses on two simultaneous and related storms, one a fierce tempest of the natural world with the expected rain, wind, lightening, and thunder, the other a cyclone of the mind and heart which results in an short love affair between the two main characters. With her husband Bobinot and her son Bibi stranded in town by the storm, Calixta finds herself at home alone when an old lover, Alcee, rides up. The storm, the worst in two years, drives the two indoors, where, though they have not met in five years, they soon are embracing each other. As the storm outside reaches a climax, the emotions in the house spike to a fever pitch, and, though not directly stated, it is implied in the narrative that the two engage in sexual relations. As the storm passes on Alcee leaves, and we are told that everyone, including the uninvolved spouses, is improved and benefitted by the romantic engagement. Kate Chopin wrote this story at a time when Christian and Victorian morality was still adhered to, at least in name, and extramarital relationships were widely condemned in public. Thus, though Chopin had penned many other well-received pieces, The Storm, written after the highly controversial The Awakening, remained unpublished during her lifetime. That this particular work of Chopin s is more widely accepted today is perhaps a poor reflection on our society’s literary tastes, for The Storm is neither a realistic depiction of life nor the results of male-female relationships. The main problem with this work is its total lack of realism in its portrayal of the effects of the rel... ...re is no chance that Alcee will marry her, considering he did not think it proper when an even better opportunity presented itself earlier his life. Perhaps Clarisse, if she truly dislikes her husband, will not mind the situation too much, but such an affair would create an awkward marriage between her and Alcee, and divorce was still not at that time conducive to making you popular in good society. Finally, it would be unlikely for Bobinot not to find out, and, from the brief sketch presented of the good but unimaginative man in The Storm, it would probably crush him to lose his wife, and what acts such a disenchantment would lead to, no one could say. Considering all that has been mentioned, perhaps a more accurate ending for the story would be: The storm had passed, only to come again, and everyone was the worse because of it.

Instructional strategies exam essay Essay

Teachers are constantly challenged to ensure that teaching strategies employed in the classroom are appropriate the learning styles and experiences of the learners. As far as possible instructional strategies should be modified to take into consideration the unique characteristics of individual learners and aim to discover the best way forward when dealing with specific learning styles. Cooperative learning strategies are useful in teaching learners who function best in learning sessions that take into concern their individual needs, interests and abilities as well as provide opportunities for interaction and discussion with and among other learners. Constructivists have long established that learning cannot be separated from real-life experiences as both share a symbiotic relationship (Huang, 2002, p. 28). Bringing real-life situations into the learning environment will facilitate and enhance learning while knowledge, skills and attitudes gained in learning provide opportunities for additional life experiences. Cooperative learning strategies have a great amount of flexibility in the classroom and make it possible for the teacher to effectively match learning style to teaching strategy. Cooperative learning strategies are therefore quite attractive for adult learners as there is a multiplicity of activities and tasks that can be brought into any one learning experience to make learning not only effective but meaningful. These strategies are also useful in ensuring that learners have some amount of freedom and independence, as well as participate actively in their own learning. In a learning session using cooperative learning strategies individuals can be assigned to interest groups at the beginning of the session. Interest groups are individuals who may share either the same background or viewpoint. Interest groups are assigned either based on the particular task to be covered in the lesson or based on previously defined characteristics such as favorite type of food, music, TV shows etcetera. This is simply to ensure that all learners feel a sense of belonging by being able to identify with at least one other person in the group and therefore all will be motivated to actively participate in the lesson. Countless authors have pointed to the merits of using small groups as an effective teaching strategy to ensure participation and involvement (see Slavin, 2000). At the beginning of the lesson students are presented with the objectives and given precise guidelines of what they will be required to do throughout the lesson. Each group, that would have been identified previously, is given a particular aspect of the lesson to report or focus on and even within the group each member is assigned a specific responsibility and, of course, made aware how his/her role fits into the group task and the general lesson. In this way students will be accountable, not only for their own learning but also for the learning of the rest of the members who will be dependent upon him/her to correctly complete what is required. Kounin is famous for stressing this concept of accountability in learning. He also argues that it is essential to maintain the involvement of all students in all aspects of the lesson (as cited in Slavin, 2000, p. 373). Direct instruction often cannot be avoided in delivering lesson content depending on the material to be covered and may be essential in some cases. Thus in this setting direct instruction has its place but is supplemented with other strategies to ensure its effectiveness in meeting lesson objectives. To make a topic more meaningful and of immediate interest to the learners suggestions are gathered as to possible topics to explore, that can be aligned well with the overall curricular goals. By using the direct teaching method the teacher delivers the content to the entire class but each group is at that time paying particular attention to the aspect that is most relevant to the task they had been previously assigned. Visual aids and demonstrations, as appropriate, are used to enhance the impact of the lesson. A PowerPoint ® presentation would be particularly attractive to learners incorporating computer graphics, animation and even sound so that learners are able to interact with the lesson on a variety of levels. An alternative to the direct teacher or a supplemental to it would be to invite an outside speaker to deliver the specified topic. This guest speaker could be someone that the class nominates or someone that has expertise as well as being able to gain the interest and attention of the learners. Using either direct teaching, the PowerPoint ® or the guest speaker the group function is still maintained. At the end of these sessions groups meet to collaborate on completing the task assigned. In completing this task learners use problem solving skills to ensure that objectives are met. Working collaboratively group members have to explore alternatives for solving the problem or accomplishing the task that has been assigned. Included in the discussion is a decision on what aspect of the presentation is relevant or irrelevant to the task they have been assigned and the most appropriate way of organizing their work. They will also have to choose the most appropriate form in which to present their information. Each group is required, whether as a part of the session or in a subsequent session, to present their task to the rest of the class. As a part of the task description the teacher allows each group the flexibility of choosing whatever approach they feel will best be suited to presenting their information to the entire class. Role-play, simulation, demonstration, presentation or any other method could be adopted by the learners based on their individual preference. Alternatively all groups could role-play their particular scenario. Role-playing can be used to develop problem solving skills and to assess how much and how well learning has occurred. There is still a considerable amount of flexibility in that the groups use their own styles and ideas to come up with an appropriate situation to depict the problem they were assigned to. All members of the group will be required to roll-play ensuring that group activities are not manipulated by a specific set of learners and so that some learners do not opt out. Feedback of course, in any learning context is essential. Peer evaluation in this situation is useful. A discussion can ensue after each group role-plays or presents. Other classmates give feedback on the same issues and present possible alternatives to the solution that was taken or discuss why the option taken was the most appropriate for the particular issue at hand. Additionally comments relevant to the lesson could also be made. Learners in the small-group and large-group context are therefore able to cooperatively learn from each other by sharing ideas and making suggestions. Evidently learners are given a lot of independence within the specific guidelines and a lot of self-directed learning takes place. All these are essential for learners to make the most out of learning sessions and are preferable to techniques that are teacher-centered rather than learner-centered. In this way learners are actively participating in learning not just being passive listeners and observers. Throughout the lesson the teacher plays the role of facilitator or guide but the learners are the ones actively involved in the learning experiences and thus they would reap much more benefit. References Huang, H. (2002). Toward constructivism for adult learners in online learning environments. British Journal of Educational Technology, 33(1), 27-37. Slavin, R. E. (2000). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. (6th ed. ). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

The Virtuous Character of Desdemona

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as is virtue. Such is the case of the virtue of the character Desdemona, from the play The Tragedy of Othello, by William Shakespeare. Desdemona was shown as a low moral, virtue less female in the essay The Character of Desdemona by John Quincy Adams. Contrary to this, the modern reader can see that Shakespeare actually showed her to be a virtuous and loving person, whose own innocence lead to her demise. Is Desdemona a virtuous character? Is there anyone who can be so self-sacrificing? Shakespeare is careful to give her a few minor flaws- her treatment of Brabantio, her stubborn persistence about Cassio, her lie about the handkerchief- to make her realistic. But the overall character of Desdemona is of high stature, it is her very innocence that makes her a victim of circumstance. As a young Venetian woman, Desdemona has lived a sheltered life in her father's home. This sheltering gave her an innate passion for all the things that she was denied. She was denied all things that a modern day women would be allowed to do, including the right to fall in love with someone free of social status, age or race. She then falls in love, probably for the first time, with a man several years older than herself, from a faraway land, and of a different race. She is captivated by the man's stories and wishes she were a man so that she might also have an exciting life, the very life she was denied because of her being a women. Knowing that her father would disapprove of her marriage to such a man, she elopes with Othello. Desdemona is portrayed as a lovely, courageous, gentle woman, deeply in love with her husband. However, she is not a perfect character but her morals, and her virtues are still there. In the play Desdemona says to her father Brabantio, â€Å"(I,iii;180) My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty: To you I am bound for life and education; My life and education both do learn me How to respect you; you are the lord of duty†. No matter what the circumstances may be, she never stopped respecting her father. Though still she had to follow her heart. Her lover Othello says of her, â€Å"She gave me for my pains a world of sighs† (I,iii;168) However one person in time may see an event or character, another person in another time can perceive the same to be of completely different meanings. John Quincy Adams says that Desdemona lacks virtues and all she does is cause her father grief to his dying bed. He says that â€Å"the passion of Desdemona for Othello is unnatural, solely and exclusively because of his color. † Which if looked at by today†s standards would hold of no significance what the persons skin color is. Second he says that her elopement to him, and secret marriage with him, indicate a personal character not only very deficient in delicacy, but totally regardless of filial duty, of female modesty, and of ingenuous shame. Third he states, â€Å"her deficiency in delicacy is discernible in her conduct and discourse throughout the play. † Altogether he thinks that she has done nothing but wrong when she ran away for her love, and that she has low morals and no virtues because she has wronged her father. In contrast to what John Quincy Adams said of the character of Desdemona, proof from the play itself states otherwise. â€Å"If virtue no delighted beauty lack, Your son-in-law is far more fair than black†, John Quincy Adams uses that quote to illustrate how the skin color love affair had shown Desdemona to be of low morals, and that she had committed an unnatural thing. When as seen by today†s standards it is perfectly all right for two people of different races, ages, sexes, nationality and religions to be in love and to wed. Another quote from the play used by John Q. Adams is, â€Å"With the Moor, say'st thou? –Who would be a father? † that quote helps to illustrate how the father was hurt by the actions of his daughter. When in fact Desdemona meant no harm to her father, she simply wanted to do what†s right as is said by Iago, â€Å"She that was ever fair and never proud, Had tongue at will and yet was never loud†¦ (II,i;158). Also shown to us by Desdemona herself is how she felt towards her father all along, again proving wrong the portrayal of her by John Q. Adams, â€Å"(I,iii;180) My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty: To you I am bound for life and education; My life and education both do learn me How to respect you; you are the lord of duty†. Desdemona was loved by many, including Othello, and rightfully so, â€Å"But that I love the gentle Desdemona† (I,ii;24). Even John Q. Adams is quoted saying himself in his essay, â€Å"Desdemona, †¦ is amiable and lovely,† towards the top of his last paragraph. Even he in the end admitted to the fact that Desdemona's character is amiable, lovely, virtuous, and still retains its morals. Many people from separate time periods can look at Desdemona in different ways. The modern reader will apply the modern aspects of life to the story and look at it from that perspective, while someone like John Quincy Adams looks at it from the vision of the time period he lived in.

Paradise or War essays

Paradise or War essays Paradise or War: The Impossibility of Harmonic Separatism In the search for paradise, many strive to find this idealistic place never knowing what they are looking for. Often, people envision paradise to be a sort of imaginary utopia, with no cares or worries. In reality, though, paradise cannot be a mythical and unreachable place, but somewhere on Earth that lives and breathes perfect harmony. Toni Morrisons first novel since her Nobel Prize entitled Paradise attempts to examine the possibility of Heaven on Earth. Toni Morrison weaves her latest novel on the loom of a single question: Why do we base our conception of paradise on separation and exclusion? (Shockley 718). In the work, she also addresses the ever-present issue of separatism between the black and white people in Mississippi and Louisiana, compelling the blacks to establish Ruby, an all black community, can end in a violent attempt to preserve precious heritage. The themes of separation and division are apparent throughout the novel, not only between black and white, b ut young and old, male and female, and even amongst blacks themselves. Morrison uses these two themes to demonstrate that the elders dream of an all black paradise is merely a regression into the world they are so eagerly trying to escape. Toni Morrison originally began writing her novel under the presumption of titling it War, which gives a strong indication into the character of the Ruby community. Ironically, both the titles War and Paradise are clearly referring to the town that she has created. By this total change in title, the part that inevitably sets the mood of this novel, Morrison immediately demonstrates her attempt to create a community walking a tightrope between war and paradise. In essence, Morrison implies that both titles represent Ruby; paradise for those so eager to remove prejudice, but war for those too ignorant to preserve it. I...

English literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

English literature - Essay Example n Frankenstein there seems to be a continuous struggle for the women characters however the author appears to be very specific in considering independence for women, in the sense not woman character is likely to decide and act independently like that of Jane Eyre. There remains lack of action from the part of women characters, where as in Jane Eyre women characters take the leading as well as challenging position representing their presence in the novel as active. â€Å"However, the passive nature of the female characters adheres more closely to what would typically be expected of them, as both Elizabeth and Frankensteins mother are portrayed as wonderful but nevertheless altogether dependent on the men for provision. It is possible that Shelley felt that too many radical positions in the book might alienate the very audience she was attempting to influence,† observes Shader [2002]. There is one final female character in the book. Frankensteins servant Justine, who is possibly the ideal picture of women in the book. However, the character of Justine has been criticised only as a failure. Elizabeth describes her "softness and winning mildness", while Frankenstein calls her "frank-hearted and happy." It is interesting to note that one woman praises another for her passiveness, and indeed, it is this passive nature that is typical of women in the book and particularly prominent in Justine. Even in the face of the greatest injustice, Justine submits to the judicial system, saying, "I must be condemned, although I would pledge my salvation on my innocence. Shader [2002] â€Å"Another pattern that both Anne Mellor in "The Female in Frankenstein" and William Veeder in "Frankenstein: Self-Division and Projection" discuss is that of name symbolism, which reinforces Victor Frankensteins hubris in trying to eliminate the female as he attempts to win eternal fame as the founder of a new line of superhuman. Instead of submitting himself to the will of the community and the

Civic engagement experiences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Civic engagement experiences - Essay Example Some challenges of public concern can only be addressed when people volunteer to serve the community (Sherrod, Purta and Flanagan 368). After finishing my secondary education, I joined a community group of twenty youths and was appointed the chairman. The agenda for the group was to make an effort of solving some of the challenges faced by members of the community. The community was ignorant about HIV/AIDS and the overall hygiene level was below average. As a group we volunteered to organize seminars to educate fellow youths and parents on the causes, effects had how to prevent HIV/ AIDS. We rallied the members of the community to donate funds for supporting the infected persons and the orphaned children.   The donated funds helped the orphans to continue with studies and the infected to afford better. Through this campaign, many people learnt the dangers of the diseases. The community acknowledged that AIDS has no cure and it prevention is abstaining from immorality and being fait hful in marriage. As a result, the spread for the disease declined.As a team, we volunteered to sensitize the community on the importance of maintaining proper hygiene. We donated laundry products and clothes to the poor members of the community. We conducted general cleaning in the neighboring towns regularly. Our campaign on proper hygiene, helped to reduce the number of ailments caused by dirty environment such as malaria and typhoid.   Ã‚  According to Sherrod, Purta and Flanagan (221), Civic engagement has a lot of benefits to the public.