Show how the use of the three school of education learning principles Essay

Show how the use of the three school of education learning principles enables a teacher to develop children as learners - Essay Example Various methods and helpful tools are available to make a young child understand through the process of exploration and discovery, which involves self-assessment as well. As all of us know, every child has a hidden talent and it The child starts communicating, understanding the surrounding world, immediately after the birth. Certainly, a month old baby responds to our communication by giving facial and other expressions. Such communication is very satisfying and is the indicative harbinger of the conversation to come in the following months, while the child grows. Studies indicate that the child at the time of birth itself starts to become aware of the fact that he or she is a member of the human society. Children start gradually understanding the art of social interaction from that stage onwards. We have evidence from studies that show that children one of us is thinking in a different manner. There have been experiments conducted with children of 3 to 4 years age, that revealed the sense of the child being aware of her intellectual functioning and about the same attribute, she may find in some other children. Every child who enters the school for the first time tries to pick up the three R’s as fast as possible. However, not all the children are having the similar capabilities to do so. In view of this and other factors, many educationists have found a way of schooling, which is called â€Å"The Constructive View of Schooling, or Discovery Learning†. All of the above basics are derived from the theories that have been described by John Dewey (1916/1997), Jean Piaget (1954) and Lev Vygotsky (Rice & Wilson 1998). In addition, the technological advancement of 21st. century has demanded the implementation of these theories more vigorously as the deep understanding of the major concepts is required from the early childhood levels, so that the child as an adult goes to face the competitive world in

Parental Awareness of Educational Play

Parental Awareness of Educational Play Introduction This study will be looking at how parents of children in a foundation stage setting understand and value play based activities to aid their childs learning and to consider their views on play as an integral part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Many policies have been introduced in the last few years concerning the education of young children. Through the implementation of policies which concentrate on supporting families, alongside initiatives like Surestart; childrens welfare and education have been united as well as support being offered for parents, families and the community. The idea of the family is now seen as an important part of early years education and parents should be encouraged and valued as they are important to the well being of their children and their educational benefits. Aubrey (2000) suggests that early education does not happen in a void and notably, we must remember that development begins with the family and reminds us that parents are a childs first educator. The EYFS tries to include all that is needed to ensure a child thrives in a EYFS setting, including children learn through play and parents work in partnership with settings. Although the EYFS is not without its critics. This study will seek to establish the extent of parental awareness of the educational value of play in the EYFS classroom. I have been employed in the early years sector for over fourteen years and have helped with the transition from nursery to primary school for many children, including three children of my own. During this time, I have experienced many parents whom are very happy for their child to be involved in a play based curriculum whilst in nursery education, but become concerned and surprised that children when entering school do not participate in a more structured and traditional curriculum and that the EYFS is continued into school. The next chapter will review the literature in the area of early years education, and will begin by considering some of the many definitions of play. Literature review This literature review, will discuss the many definitions of play. Major learning theories with reference to play, will be considered and how they have influenced education of today. It will also look at how policy has changed and developed, what has defined the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and discuss whether parents are aware of the benefits of a play based curriculum or not. What is play? An early definition of play comes from Isaacs (1999) who viewed play as the work of children. Montessori (2005) believed that children preferred to work whilst playing. Her teaching focused on children developing basic skills, skills could include button and fastening equipment to promote independence in dressing. Though Montessori did not promote learning through play, she did value individual effort as well as working as part of a group. (Lindon, 2001). Lindon (2001) believes play is a range of activities which are undertaken for their own enjoyment, satisfaction and interest. Play is not essential for survival although these activities support psychological wellbeing, learning physical skills and intellectual stimulation. Whereas Moyles (1989) comments on how play is valuable as an excellent learning tool, he also notes the difficulties in finding a definite, precise and conclusive definition of play. He continues by saying there is a need for a different terminology to be used, as the idea of play can be interpreted as something trivial, instead of being seen as play being serious and important to learning. Wood and Attfield (2005) agree by suggesting play cannot easily be defined or grouped as it is always dependant on circumstance and context, which can vary greatly. It has become apparent that although there is no clear definition of play, play is considered to be important by researchers in the field, although Peacocke (1987) argues that the lack of definition causes parents to be suspicious of play as a true learning activity. Child development and play Roussou as far back as 1700 challenged the idea that children were naturally sinful with the opposing idea that children were naturally innocent (Oates et al, date) Roussou as cited in Wood and Attfield (2005) used his knowledge to think practically on how children should be raised and determined that children from birth to twelve, should have their natural innocence appreciated and should be free, to run, jump and play all day. Ideas through the years have often challenged the current thinking of the time and childhood and play has developed and changed because of differing new ideas, to how we define it today. Child development ideas continue to be discussed and challenged with innovative and profound ideas having a large impact on how childhood has been conceptualized and children treated in society. Whilst others asked what do children know Piaget as cited in Garhart Mooney, (2000) suggests that Piagets work was about how children arrived on what they know? Piaget claimed that children construct their own comprehension by giving meaning to their surroundings and the people they meet. Piaget (1967) noted how all children of the same age appeared to think in similar ways, and how they would also make similar mistakes. From the observations Piaget noted the changes in the childrens thinking; this led him to believe that the child was an isolated individual, who adapts to the environment they are in (Smith et el, 1998). Gerhard Mooney, (2000) suggests Piagets theory has created the most comprehensive over view of young children and how they think, although practitioners of today can see some of Piagets theories are not as purposeful as once thought, the basic ideas of his theory still helps practitioners to plan a focused and challenging curriculum for young children. Lindon (2001) continues by suggesting that it is through Piagets beliefs that children create their own understanding of the world, which led him to highlight that adults should create environments which children can discover and learn by themselves. Cadwell (2003) suggests an example of this is the preschools of northern Italy, Reggio Emilia which are strongly influenced by the theories of Piaget. Vygotsky as cited in Garhart Mooney (2000) agreed with Piaget that childrens knowledge was created from personal experiences; although Vygotsky suggests that personal and social experiences can not be separated and that children learn from each other every day, their language develops and they grasp new ideas as they speak to each other, listen to each other and play together. Daniels (1996) proposes that Vygotsky saw play as an important activity to aid learning and development. Vygotsky as cited in Garhart Mooney (2000) suggests play combines time and opportunity for activities in social interaction, language and the use of symbols. He believed that this would empower the childs own interests and operate problem creating and problem solving. As cited in Brock et el (2008) Vygotsky believed these were the tools needed to work within the childs zone of proximal development and that when children are learning, they learn best when what they are learning is just outside their grasp. Th is means that practitioners should know what the child is capable of and what they are capable of understanding. The childs development should then be aided by adult guidance and teamwork with peers. Bruner (1977) continued to develop the ideas and theories of Vygotsky. He believed that children had an in built desire to learn. Bruner, like Vygotsky suggested that it is the work of the practitioner to know where the childs development is at and how they can carry forward the childs development to the next stage, he called this scaffolding. Broadhead (2006) suggests that Vygotsky and Bruners view is that the child and adult will work together, and through this they will develop new schemas. This idea has become increasingly popular, and its relevance to todays education. Development and play Froebel as cited in Macvanel (2009) believed that childhood was a stage in its own right and children were not mini adults. He felt children should learn through play, experience life first hand, self choose activities and use natural motivation. Froebel felt that play was a spiritual activity which reflected deep inner processes and change (Wood and Attfield, 2005). Montessori (2005) believed in an environment which is planned and learning activities supported training. She disregarded fantasy play stating it as insignificant and demeaning to the child, although she provided a child sized setting in which children could learn and rehearse life skills without the adult intervening. Montessori placed less emphasis on free play and fantasy play than Froebel (Montessori and Gutek, 2004). Where Montessori disregarded fantasy play, Isaacs (1995) saw the value of play especially spontaneous, imaginative and manipulative play. She saw that play could be used as a way to gratify frustrated n eeds, work through inner discord and gather understanding of the world in which children live and the relationships they have with people. Play was central to Isaacs curriculum and invited the children to adapt problem solving techniques and develop number, mark making and reading skills (Palmer, Cooper and Bresler, 2001). Current research carried out by Play England entitled Play for a change, revealed that playing had effects on areas of the brain controlling emotion, motivation and reward. The researchers continued by suggesting that play helps children to develop a range of responses to differing situations, experiences and relationships. To conclude it states playing aids children in developing flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing situations (Quarell et el, 2008). Leong (2009) agrees by saying the research into the links between play and cognitive and social skills is apparent and that play is the first stepping stone to children learning more complex ideas as they get older. This research raises new questions for those who view play as a trivial, simple, frivolous, unimportant, and purposeless behaviour and challenges them to recognize play for the important factor it is and the effect it has on childrens learning (Christie, 2001). Smith (2000) categorised play into five areas. He believed that children were active players, learners, social and emotional beings and autonomous players, and their play fitted into each of these areas. Lindon (2001) disagrees saying that researchers must be aware that although they desire areas of play to be clearly defined into categories, that these clear categories can restrict the view of play and when children play normally, they move between areas of play and adult defined areas of development with ease. A child, who is active in play, should not always be seen as just the child engrossed in physically active play (Lindon, 2001). Fisher (1996) agrees and points out that a child engaged in an intellectual activity is just as active as the child pedalling a bicycle. Eden (2008) says that children engrossed in play with others, learn how to work together and live together, that play is a valuable resource to promote equality and cultural awareness in young children. Smith (2000) agrees by saying that children establish healthy relationships with their peers and through play children have to learn to accept others. Bruce (2001) acknowledges that it is this enjoyment of all types of play that aids the children in play. Children reflect on what they have learnt, reproduce their experiences and through this cycle of everyday learning the children consolidate their experiences. Curriculum and play Since the 1944 Education Act, primary teachers and staff were given considerable freedom to teach what they believed to be educationally relevant to the children within their care (Cox and Sanders, 1994). Change was bought about after the Education Reform Act (1988), namely with the introduction of the National Curriculum (Cox, 1996). The national curriculum was introduced in September 1989 and is a framework used by all maintained schools to ensure that teaching and learning is well structured, balanced and sound (directgov, 2010). After the implementation of the national curriculum, it was soon thought that the children under five would also benefit from a curriculum. The Rumbold report (1990) was influential in developing recommendations for provision for these young children. Play and talk were recommended as key approaches. The first attempt to define a curriculum was called desirable outcomes for childrens learning (1996) and included six areas of learning. (Wood and Attfield, 2005). Play in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) The EYFS was implemented in 2007 and brings together the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage and Birth to Three Matters. The Effective provision of pre school education (EPPE) project, informed part of the EYFS and among other things showed that the experiences provided for young children in the Foundation Stage and early years settings have a strong impact on childrens learning and social development (DCFS, 2008). All schools and early years settings caring for children under five years have to implement the EYFS programme and the programme ends at the end of the academic year the child turns five (Pugh and Duffy, 2010). The EYFS sets out legal requirements and direction to help practitioners in settings meet the varied developmental and learning needs of all children under five years (Bruce, 2008). The EYFS proposes that flexible plans are used by practitioners to adapt ideas and that carers use observations to link play situations to learning outcomes. The main premise of the EYFS is that play is the central aspect and can support each of the six areas of learning (Canning and Read, 2010). For example, Pimentel (2007) suggests that to develop problem solving reasoning and numeracy in young children, practitioners should be providing mathematical opportunities through play based, open ended and challenging activities like imaginative play, songs and stories. Current research from Bergen (2002) agrees concluding there is a relationship between problem solving and pretend play and that social play has a great influence on problem solving of all kinds. Worthington and Caruthers (2010) continue by suggesting that parents should been shown how children explore mathematical meaning through play, to fully understand the concept. Riley (2003) suggests that play opportunities offer chil dren the chance to acquire knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live and that play has the potential to be the major approach to childrens learning. The EYFS, promotes parents as partners as it recognises that young children whose parents are involved in their early learning make notably better progress (Evangelou, 2004). The child and the family is now recognised as a whole, each able to benefit the other. Initiatives such as Sure Start believe in educating parents in order to educate the child. (Kurtz, 2003). Although Wiltshire (2002) argues that the whole idea of the foundation stage is confusing to parents as they do not know anything about its aims and outcomes. Petrie and Hollaway, (2006) suggest some parents may not be aware of the opportunities for learning that are embedded in a play-oriented curriculum, whilst Brotherson (2009) reminds us that at times, parents have concerns that their child is just playing and not learning what they need to learn and parents must be made aware that play is learning for children. Elkind (2007) continues by saying that parents are concerned their child is at a disadvantage if they are no t constantly engaged in high level learning and educational games, and is of the opinion that parents need to be alerted and reassured of the learning benefits of unscheduled imaginative play situations which will help develop their academic and social abilities. Since the EYFS has been implemented, there has been some who have criticised the initiative. There are fears that a single framework will result in a checklist style curriculum, with practitioners being overwhelmed with the framework (Thompson, 2006). Whitebread and Whitebread (2008) agree by continuing that although concerns over the expanse of the curriculum are minimal, there are serious concerns that in some areas the capabilities of the children are under estimated. Brock et el suggests that practitioners must be fully aware of the breadth and depth of play and a play based curriculum to be able to implement the EYFS effectively and with worthwhile outcomes. Key points As far back as 1929 Isaac defined play as childrens work, now over eighty years later the EYFS is based upon children learning through play. The EYFS principles are based on research and theory of the early years pioneers of education, although it is argued that parents are critical and confused by it. Policy and early years initiatives are encouraging parents to become involved in their childs care, but it is unlikely they will become involved and embrace the EYFS if they do not understand the ideas and concepts which it is built around. I am interested to see if parents understand the benefits of play, or like Peacocke (1978) suggests parents do not see the benefits of play and like Whitebread (2002) states they are confused by the foundation stage. Research Aims To find out what knowledge parents have of the Early Years Foundation stage. To gather information on what parents understand are the benefits of play as a learning tool in the foundation stage classroom. To gain insight into what parents views are of a play based curriculum compared with a more traditional curriculum. Methodology This chapter will look at how the research for this study has been approached, how I have designed the research and how it will help to answer the question Do parents of school age children value play as a learning tool to support the Early Years Foundation Stage? I will look at which methods of research have been chosen and why, highlighting the benefits and problems surrounding the chosen methods. Validity and reliability of the research will be discussed as well as discussing ethical issues which may arise whilst carrying out the study. Method and Approach This piece of research is focused upon parental views and awareness of the educational value of play, it will use qualitative methods during which personal opinions will be sought. As the parents views are paramount within the research the methodology used will be an interpretive approach. Robert Holmes (2005) suggests that qualitative researchers believe that the social world is created by the shared understanding of situations. Cresswell (2003) continues by saying that qualitative methods bring peoples personal views into the study. Peat (2002) suggests that the strengths of qualitative research include being able to gather information on the views of the participant and this in turn can help us gain insight and ideas. However, Silverman (2005) suggests that there can be limitations to qualitative research such as a hypothesis cannot be tested and that more ethical issues relating to qualitative studies can be noted as participants are giving personal viewpoints and opinions. Validity Hughes (2001) suggests that interpretive research is valid as long as it is true and notes the genuine voice of the participant. This is demonstrated through the research as the parents are active people whose understandings and actions are paramount and the intricacy and diversity of these opinions are respected. Robert- Holmes (2005) suggests that multiple understanding of the research is all equally important and the range of interpretations gives the research validity. Although Robson (2002) suggests validy is rarely recognised within a single study, but is built up over time during various research. Silverman (2005) suggests that validity can be affected in qualitative research, if the researcher uses second hand knowledge rather than first hand research. I feel that I must make note of this and be assure that I remain aware of as I feel it would be easy to allow my own thoughts, views and opinions affect the research. Robson (2002) continues by suggesting further concerns with validity can arise with concern to whether the sample of people within the study is representative of the population and this must be questioned. To acknowledge this I am aware that the sample of people I am using for my research are not representative of the population as a whole but is rather focused on a small group of parents within a small community, although these parents come from differing social backgrounds. As Bell (1999) points out researchers are dependent on the amity and availability of subjects, and it can be difficult to achieve a true random sample. Focus group My research will be focusing on the parents of a class of thirty children who have all started at primary school in September 2009. The primary school is set on the edge of the Cotswolds and is the only school in a small town. The children are from mainly white British heritage and the school admits pupils from a wide variety of social backgrounds (Ofsted, 2007). Prior knowledge of the class suggests that majority of the children have attended at least one of three pre school settings in the town including two private day nurseries and a charitable preschool. I decided to research this subject after a discussion with a small group of parents who were concerned that there children were still just playing now they were at school rather than participating in the more traditional curriculum, that they were expecting. This made me realise that some parents still did not view play as a significant learning tool to support the EYFS. I also began to question what parents really felt about pl ay as a learning tool, their views of the benefits or criticisms of a play based curriculum and if they even realised that there children would be taught within the EYFS when they began at primary school. Method To find out the views and knowledge that the parents have of both the EYFS and how they view play, I will be using questionnaires and interviews. I have decided to use questionnaires as they are ideal if you are trying to gather a large amount of primary information from a group of people, as suggested by Green (2000). A pilot questionnaire has been designed and given out to a selection of people who are similar to the people I will be giving my final questionnaire to. Once I have collected the draft questionnaires from my pilot group, I will be able to draw up my final questionnaire using any criticisms and suggestions that my pilot group give me. Green (2000) suggests that piloting your research questionnaire allows for the researcher to get rid of any uncertainty or vagueness that your questionnaire raises. The questions I am asking within my questionnaire are a mixture of differing sorts including open ended and closed questions. Green (2000) suggests that a combination of question types should be used when designing questionnaires, whilst Hucker (2001) reminds us that we should ensure that questions are relevant, using straight forward language avoiding assumptions and using a mixture of question types and avoiding leading questions. I feel that since I will have sent a first draft questionnaire to a pilot group of people, that the finished questionnaire I am sending to the parents will have hopefully been changed and rethought if needed, with questions altered or added and that they will meet all the suggestions of Hucker (2001) and Green (2000). Permission will be gained from the head teacher of the school. If the head teacher is happy with the questionnaire content and the proposed methodology for the research, the questionnaire will be issued to all thirty families within the EYFS classroom. Ethical considerations and confidentiality Aubrey (2000) reminds us that researchers have a duty to ensure that their research will do no harm to their participants and that participants will be treated with respect and their answers treated with anonymity and confidentially. The ethics of this research include ensuring the anonymity of all the participants and to present the information they share with me in a true light and to ensure the information remains confidential. Hucker (2001) reminds us that people who are involved in research have a fundamental right to know how the information collected about them will be used. To ensure that all parents know what my research is about I will enclosed a covering letter with my questionnaire outlining my intentions and the aims of the research, my details in case they wish to contact me to discuss anything regarding the research, alongside a brief paragraph outlining who I am and why I am carrying out this research. I will state within this letter that all questionnaires will be ke pt confidential and at no point will anyone be able to identify parents answers. Arrangements will be made to return all questionnaires in a sealed envelope to the class teacher and then passed onto myself. At no point will I know who has returned their questionnaire and who has not. I will suggest to the parents that the questionnaires are returned to the teacher in a sealed envelope, so that they will also not be able to view the answers given by the parents. Hucker (2001) suggests that it is an important idea to ensure triangulation in the research to show similarities across the range of methods used and to support validity and reliability in the research. Questionnaires are my first research tool and as another method to ensure triangulation, I will ask on my questionnaires if any parent would like to meet with me and participate in an interview. By using more than one method of research, I can hopefully show a fully rounded view of the research topic and as suggested by Robert-Holmes (2005) the different evidence produced can be combined and compared to provide a triangulated analysis. To prepare for the interview with any parent who would like to take part, I have decided to do an unstructured interview rather a structured interview and have decided on a list of questions to prompt me to ensure the interview flows and to aid me in doing this. I have chosen to complete unstructured interviews as Robert-Holmes (2005) suggests that structured interviews are very similar to questionnaires where as unstructured interviews shifts the focus away from the researcher and towards the issues and the true feelings of the participant. Bell (1999) suggests that during questionnaire the responses given by participants have to be taken at face value, where as during an interview rich material can be gathered, he likens this to putting flesh on the bones of any possible questionnaire responses. Robert-Holmes (2005) suggests it is an interviewers job to courteously listen to the responses made and to remain non judgemental at all times, this will be easier to do in a relaxed atmosp here. The prompts I will use will be open ended questions, similar to some of the questions asked within my questionnaire but in a much loser context with the aim to allow me more in-depth information on my research topic and parents views on play as a learning tool and gain an insight into their knowledge of the EYFS. An open ended question is a question in which the respondent is requested to provide their own opinion or ideas (Babbie, 2009). The responses my participant gives will be recorded by me in note form, but if I feel that I am missing out on significant information or not giving the participant my full attention, I may use a Dictaphone. This will be discussed with the participant and if they are not comfortable with this I will remain with note taking only. I will need to address the fact that the participants anonymity will have been compromised when doing the interview as I will obviously know whom they are, but I am aware I must ensure that they realise I will remain a confidant at all times and when quoting them or discussing there interview within this study, I will use a codename for each participant. Participants will also be made aware that they are free to withdraw from the study at any time. Hucker (2001) reminds us that there are many advantages of interviews including that they allow researchers to gain more in-depth information from the participants, but that disadvantages of interviews can be that the researcher can affect the research and that the interviewer can often influence the participants answers. Green (2000) agrees suggesting that interviewers should be aware that asking leading questions can be problematic and personal bias can make the research one sided rather than purposeful. Conclusion To summarise this piece of research seeks personal opinions, therefore will be a qualitative study. Aspects of validity, reliability and ethical issues have been discussed and will be maintained throughout. Questionnaires and Semi-structured interviews will be used to collect data from a sample population of parents with children in a EYFS classroom. Though this is a small study, responses will be interesting with regard to parental views towards views on play as a learning tool and the EYFS. Now that the method of data collection has been established, it is now possible to commence with the data collection. N.B After discussions with the Head teacher of the primary school regarding the content of the questionnaires, she has asked that I include two further questions in my questionnaire, the first being Where parents received their information of the EYFS and If parents would like further information on the EYFS and how they would like to receive this information The head teacher felt on a personal level for the school, that she would be able to use all the research to show how effectively the school is working in partnership with parents and where if at all they need to extend the parents knowledge of the EYFS. If the research shows that the school needed to support the parents further how they needed to improve and how parents would like to receive information was also important to her. I have agreed to this as I feel it could benefit all the parents, the children and the school. Hucker (2001) reminds us that carrying out research helps us analyse how we might do something better or mo re effectively, and the head teacher of the school wanted to be able to do this from my research. Data Collection and Analysis This chapter will discuss the data, how it was collected, analysed and interpreted. It will initially discuss the data collection process, any problems which I experienced and the successes I had. Specific themes will be identified and acknowledged alongside a brief description on the analysis of the data and how this data links to current literature. Once the main themes have been acknowledged, they will be examined and discussed in greater detail, which will lead towards the conclusion of the data and the summarisation of the main themes. Data collection Permission was granted by the head teacher of a primary school for me to carry out this research within the school, she agreed as the results would be beneficial to parents, children and staff. A letter of introduction was then distributed to the foundation stage class parents alongside a questionnaire. The letter outlined the research, and the parents were asked if they would complete the questionnaire and additionally participate in an interview. In total, thirty parents were invited to participate in the study. Problems with data collection On sending out the questionnaires, the initial response was low and after the first week only five parents had returned their questionnaire

Attitudes Towards Love in Poetry Essay -- Love and Loss Poetry Poems E

Attitudes Towards Love in Poetry Love is an emotion that has been felt by people throughout time. It is extremely difficult to put any strong emotion into words, but through the pre-twentieth century ‘Love and Loss’ poetry we are able to see various different attitudes shown towards love and the way that love is conveyed through relationships. The poems referred to in this essay are â€Å"First Love† by John Clare, â€Å"How Do I Love Thee† by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, â€Å"A Birthday† by Christina Rossetti, â€Å"A Woman to Her Lover† by Cristina Walsh and â€Å"My Last Duchess† by Robert Browning. By studying the love and loss poetry, the poets lives and the cultures they lived in, it is easy to see why people have different perceptions of love. The poem â€Å"First Love† by John Clare reflects his attitudes towards love. It is a complex poem describing the physical and emotional affects of falling in love for the first time. In this poem, the narrator has experienced love at first sight and has feeling for nobody else. He says that â€Å"†¦ my blood rushed to my face And took my sight away.† This quotation describes one of the physical effects love brings; it shows that the poet is so fixated in one woman that he is blinded by everything else. It mirrors the clichà © ‘blinded by love’. This shows that Clare feels that love can be for only one person at a time, as he is concentrating on nobody else. The way Clare uses language shows that he finds first love an uncomfortable feeling. This is shown in the rhetorical questions he uses. â€Å"Are flowers the winter’s choice?† These are two images that have been unusually linked, flowers and winter. This is not a comfortable image. Flowers usually die in winter and this creates dea... ...ill be stronger after death, this shows an open attitude: that love is never ending and there is no loss of love from death. The final poem is â€Å"A Birthday†, which I believe is describing the love that Christina Rossetti has for God. She uses language to portray beautiful imagery to try and express how she is feeling. This is a celebration of her love and her attitude is that love brings a person only joy. All the pre-twentieth poets lived different lives in different cultures and so there attitudes would have formed in different ways. However like most others they have all felt love in some way or experienced the jealousy and pain it can bring. Their love and loss poetry shows love in different forms, neither more true than the other but all just showing the different attitudes that people of different cultures have learnt or felt is true about love.

Position Paper on Typology in Education Essay

A. Ventura Structures and Organization of Higher Education in the Philippines (DEASOHEPN) Position Paper Subject: Towards Rationalizing Philippine Higher Education by Dr. Allan B. Bernardo I. Background of the Issue A. A significant number of reasons and purposes have been articulated concerning the creation of typologies or classification scheme both in the Philippines and abroad since the 1960s. In the House Bill number 363 of the 15th Congress, introduced by Hon. Marcelino A. Teodoro, it was explained that the provision of a definite system for determining the number and distribution of different types of HEIs is necessary in rationalizing the SUCs and all other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines for allocating resources and for developing interventions for various types of HEIs . Another, and one of the original reasons, is to develop support in research on higher education by providing sound/viable basis for classifying an increasing number of HEIs which on the part of policy-makers will enable them to target policies and programs to categories of similar and related institutions. For students, they will be better able to identify the appropriate institutions for them and make better informed choices. Business and industries would be able to determine which institutions to partner with. A typology that helps HEIs position themselves in the academic market was proposed by Zemsky and Massy (cited in Finn 1998). The mushroom-like proliferation of public HEIs charging extremely cheap tuition and fees but are actually substandard in terms of the quality of academic learning they offer to students is an addition to the concerns. Since these public HEIs offer basically same programs with the private HEIs, despite this aspect on quality, private HEIs are given unfair competition. As a result, there is an influx of students to public HEIs, thus, a greater demand for subsidized higher education and the sad outcome is that all of these, at the expense of basic education. B. According to Dr. Bernardo (1998), a classification scheme should be seful and could be utilized in order to obtain significant statistical values/data on the distribution of different types of HEIs in selected or assigned regions of the country. This could be used as a reference by CHED in rationalizing standards and making developmental interventions necessary to improve the present status or condition of our HEIs. To give concrete examples, he enumerated some parameters which includes library holdings, research outputs of faculty, faculty development programs, research programs development, to name a few. According to Dr. Bernardo, a certain caveat should be heeded if only to further refine the current typology being used. He likewise proposed the adoption of a typology by the Commission itself for quality purposes. Dr. Bernardo opposes the opinion of some of the discussants that says Philippine universities cannot be typed for reasons that SUCs have been established for a variety of reasons such as politically while private schools are established religiously and academically. Dr. Bernardo stresses that even in the United States where the Carnegie 2000 is being employed, some colleges exist as a result of land grants, some are state-funded and some which are funded for religious purposes. Dr. Bernardo agrees to the fact that indeed, simply typing HEIs is difficult that is why according to him, there should be a reckoning of the non-quantitative aspects of typing. He stated that funding is not solely limited to marine research but as a matter of fact, a significant number of funding exists for various types of social science research, technological and agricultural research. He reiterated that there are so many funding for research worldwide but an institution definitely and logically needs to position itself first if it desires to be a Research University. II. Zemsky and Massy (Finn 1998) proposes a typology that helps HEIs position themselves in the academic market. According to Teichler (2003), the various HEIs may be grouped in terms of â€Å"types† which may be viewed as points in a spectrum. This means that in the classification scheme, related types differ in terms of certain dimensions and that it is important to note that the relationships among types is regarded as a vertical dimension, emphasizing quality or status. Shulman said that the Carnegie 2000 Classification of Higher Education Institutions was originally intended to support research in higher education but was later on used for unintended purposes such as to establish rankings of HEIs, make decisions about institutional funding and guide allocation of grant programs. Phil Baty , editor of the Times Higher Education Rankings, and editor at large of Times Higher Education reported that in Europe the introduction of classification in HEI created some fear that Europe-wide university classification will hamstring institutions since for a long-time it has been hailed as an antidote to traditional league tables – a transparent and fair way to compare a university’s performance with that of its peers. As a result there was an influx of criticisms raised about U-Map, the European Commission’s project to categorise every European university under a single classification system. Critics have warned that the plan could â€Å"pigeonhole† universities, limiting if not disrupting their development during this period of globalization accompanied by rapid change which commences to a dramatic shake-up of the student market across Europe. Ray Land, professor of higher education at the University of Strathclyde, organised a conference on U-Map under the title â€Å"Towards a Classification of European Higher Education†. His opinion and findings parallels that of Fr. Roderick Salazar when he told Times Higher Education that while the system could have obvious benefits in promoting diversity and raising the Continent’s global profile as the European Higher Education there had to be a proper debate about its potential effects. He added that this particular project which the European ministers of education and the European Commission have endorsed called for a great financial expense in the country, but unfortunately, not enough discussion about it have been conducted in the UK. U-Map emerged from an August 2005 report, Institutional Profiles – Towards a Typology of Higher Education Institutions in Europe, part of a project led by the Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. The U-Map team said the system â€Å"will not rank institutions league table-style, but will position them on a number of dimensions, each representing an aspect of function and performance†. This stand is similar to the point of view of the discussants and critics of Dr. Bernardo. In the European system, six dimensions have been proposed: the educational profile (looking at degree levels and the subject areas covered); the student profile (including total enrolments and part-time numbers); research involvement (measuring research income, peer-reviewed publications and the like); involvement in knowledge transfer (judged by elements such as patents and licensing income); international orientation (including a measure for overseas academic staff); and regional orientation. Professor Land said that the classification would have clear benefits which includes allowing one to compare like with like. He clarified that an authority would not compare Harvard University with Broken-Neck College, Missouri, for example and therefore it will provide information that is more useful and relevant. However, he added that there were pros and cons, as there will always be unintended consequences. Thus, he suggested that once an institution had been categorized, funding agencies and other stakeholders could start treating it according to that classification. As he mentioned, universities might not like to be categorized, or have their wings stocked in any direction. It is expected that if you are entrepreneurial, you will not want to be pigeonholed. For that reason, the classifications would need to be kept under review since higher education sectors are not static, and Europe’s diverse institutions change their status and missions. This is a common opinion among authorities in education both in the Philippines and abroad. The challenges of globalization and increased competition have led to institutions developing new and innovative courses in areas where previously there had not been demand. This is true not only in Europe, the United States but also in Asia including the Philippines. These continuing changes may affect an institution’s place in the system. Pam Tatlow, chief executive of the Million+ think-tank, said that the proposed classifications have all the arbitrary factors of any league table and will not at all help or contribute to the European research base or European Union institutions to compete globally. Professor Land also said that U-Map could possibly have significant effects on the student market. For example, UK students might start to see courses taught in English in Europe as a better option. They may see that it is cheaper to do a similar degree course with a better reputation in Sweden than in the UK. It alters the rules of engagement. Wendy Piatt, its director-general of the Russell Group of large research-intensive institutions was more positive when she welcomed publications that improved information for students in order to move away from fixed hierarchies to capture huge and positive diversity. But she that there is a need to wait for more details to determine exactly how useful the classification will be. F rederick So Pada, one of the consultants of PASUC, saw certain similarities and disparities on the program offerings and enrollment per program vis-a-vis charter mandate and areas of specialization using the SUC Leveling criteria. He likewise noted that although he does not question the result of the study on typology, he was surprised to know that some universities were inappropriately classified. In other words, their classification did not match their actual behavior. III. Considering the various point of views presented, I would say that adopting a typology for the Philippine HEI’s is sound but I agree with the opinion of Fr. Roderick Salazar when he said that we must constantly be conscious and careful to see that the typology we are using is not final and accurate. Therefore, it must not be used immediately as it is as basis for planning. We should be prepared and a lot open in making our own revisions or modifications for such classification in order to tailor-fit it to the needs of our local HEIs. This is considering what some of the experts, both locals and foreigners have accounted, that is, the Carnegie 2000 has its own set of flaws or weaknesses which showed up since its application in the United States. As a result, it yielded some criticisms or negative comments through the years. I likewise agree with another comment Fr. Salazar gave when he reminded the discussants in one of the fora he attended that at some point, instead of merely focusing on rationalizing our higher education, our HEIs should instead get in the job of being and becoming what the institution was originally called to be. Dr. Bernardo also had a similar opinion when he said that the concern does not lie much on how CHED rationalizes the university system by type but more on the quality of that HEI. It really does not matter whether an institution is a Doctoral Research University, a Specialized institution a technological/agricultural College or a Community College. If it is excellent in doing what it should be doing, then so be it. Otherwise, all it has to do is to continue to seek to improve in all aspects. Most schools in the Philippines start very modestly and grow into institutions that eventually develop and turn out to become what our country perfectly needs at that particular time considering its nature or resources. A very good example of this is the UP Los Banos, which up to present, continues to serve not only the country’s agricultural needs but even those of our neighboring countries needs as well. We cannot deny the fact that our Philippine HEIs have a lot of improvement to undergo but the way this outcomes and typology is proposed, it would generate much disappointments and negativity in the higher education community if such a system as the Carnegie is to be introduced as it is. It would be best to introduce it prospectively – for all new colleges and all new universities. It would also be helpful to allow several models of universities, and not just the one-size-fits-all university type – which in fact doesn’t fit many long-practicing universities in the country. Dr. Allan Bernardo clearly explained on how the granting of the HEI types, would be possible to evaluate the HEI outputs based on HEI types. Schools would choose their types based on the review of their own respective missions. A school which originally aims to serve based on a mission to respond to the needs of an LGU community would choose to be a community college. A school that was created to significantly contribute to the development of technical skills of our people would choose to be a professional college. Thus, the resulting outputs of a particular HEI based on type would be a result of realigning itself as stated on its mission/vision. Because of this, those institutions who would like to focus on professional development need  not worry about research and research publication in peer-reviewed journals. Therefore investments in institutional development would be better placed based on type/classification. The output quality would then be measured according to the inputs according to type. Assessment would be gruesome and confusing. This education sector concerned would as a result metamorphose to become what originally it was called and created to be, that is an excellent HEI. Simply making use of parameters such as how many laboratories are existing, academic degrees, facilities that are inputted into an instructional system as the main tool for assessing an institutional type, is definitely not a very reliable basis for classification. One has to take the trouble to assess an instructional system in terms of what it actually produces, not on a one-time study, but it has to be a long-term assessment if it wishes to be accurate and reliable.

Business Enviroment

HND Business Management Unit 1:Business Environment Outcome 1:Understand the organizational purposes of business. Outcome 2:Understand the nature of national environment in which the business operates Outcome 3:Understand the behaviour of organizations in their marketenvironment Outcome 4:Assess the significance of global factors that shape nationalbusiness environment ScenarioUnderstanding the relationship between businesses and the environment within which the business operate is very important in shaping the behaviour of the business. In your role as an assistant to the Business Development Manager, you will need to develop strategies that allow your organization to meet its purposes in ways that comply with the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks. This would involve intensive research on the organizational purposes and the nature of the environment in which the business operate.TASK One: Group presentation – 25 March 2013 (PT): Exam – 25 March 2013 (NR) (P1, P2 , P3) P1Identify the purposes of different types of organization. P2Describe the extent to which an organization meets the objectives of different stakeholders P3Explain the responsibilities of an organization and strategies employed to meet them Guidelines to achieve * P1: You must describe different types of organizations in order to identify the purposes of the organization (e. . public sector, municipality, charity, private sector, PLC, and briefly explain aims, purpose and objectives of each etc). Discussion of vision, mission, goals an objectives of various organizations will be needed * P2: Discuss different types of stakeholders involved with an organization Stakeholders could include staff, unions, suppliers, customers, banks, shareholders, national and local media, community, authorities, government etc.Describe the extent to which an organization meets the objectives of its stakeholders; Stakeholders mapping, analysis and suggested strategies * P3: Summarize areas of resp onsibilities to customers, owners, shareholders, employees, suppliers, to physical environment and possibly to local, national and international community, etc Explain strategies (long term approaches) employed to meet them by a specific organization. TASK Two: Report – 22 April 2013 (P4, P5, P6, M1)P4Explain how economic systems attempt to allocate resources effectively P5Assess the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on business organisations and their activities P6Evaluate the impact of competition policy and other regulatory mechanisms on the activities of a selected organization. M1Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions Guidelines to achieve: * P4 : Briefly describe main economic systems like socialism, state economy, etc. and explain how each economic system attempts to allocate resources (people, raw material, money etc) effectively; * P5 : Explain the governmental policies (e. . monetary, fiscal, social,) explain how the taxation level, interest rate, value of the pound and euro will positively or negatively affect business organization, * P6 : Choose any national or international organization and discuss how it is constrained by competition policies e. g. regarding monopolies and by regulations (good examples might be UK supermarket chains or airport operators) * M1 : Analyse the economic system and governmental policies of the UAE and evaluate how does the UAE attempts to allocate resources effectively.TASK Three: Report – 22 April 2013 (P7, P8, P9, M2, D1) P7Explain how market structures determine the pricing and output decisions of businesses P8Illustrate the way in which market forces shape organizational responses using a range of examples P9Judge how the business and cultural environments shape the behaviour of a selected organization M2Select and apply appropriate methods to different market types D1Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions Guidelines to achieve: P7: Describe different market structures (perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, etc. ) and describe how they affect pricing, distribution, product and service offering (good example is where there is a substantial competition, many suppliers and range of products and services for customers to choose from, another example is where there are few providers, little competition but high demand) * P8 : Discuss the market forces like, demand and supply, pricing decisions, customer expectations, market conditions, competition etc. nd explain how the organizations need to respond to or react to those market factors ( for examples: supermarkets offering many more old brands, or low cost products ) * P9 : Select any national or international business organization and describe how it changes its behavior with changes in the external environment for example in conditions of recession, demographic change, etc. you can also consider if the organization changes over and see how it would respo nd to cultural differences * M2 : Analyse the market structures prevailing in the UAE in the Aviation Industry. D1 : Realistic improvements should be proposed for effective government policies and allocation of resources against defined characteristics for the success of the UAE economy based on the analysis done in the Merit work. TASK Four: Report – 22 April 2013 (P10, P11, P12, M3, D2) P10Discuss the significance of International Trade to UK business organisations P11Analyse the impact of global factors on UK business organizations P12Evaluate the impact of policies of the European Union on UK business organizations M3Present and communicate appropriate findings D2Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinkingGuidelines to achieve: * P10 : Describe the importance of International Trade and reasons of going international. You need to look at import as a mean to satisfy business raw material needs and customers needs but more importantly you must look at export and conside r how much the UK earn from this and how critical it is for the UK economy * P11 : Research and discuss the negative and positive impact of global factors (PESTEL) on UK business organizations . you could look on the negative effect on the euro problems, consider factors such as shortage of raw materials, metal, food, etc. r growing demand from developing countries for products and services * P12 : Discuss the developments of European Union and European Monetary Union; Describe at least two EU policies (working conditions, welfare, and freedom of labour movement) and look on the positive and / or negative effects these might have on UK businesses * M3 : Analyze the implications of European Union policies on a selected UK based business organization (using any two EU policies) * D2 : Assess the current situation of EU and EMU and express your critical thinking on the decision of the UK to not be a part of the EMU policy.TASK| CRITERIA| ASSESSMENT| DUE DATE| 1| P1, P2, P3| Group prese ntation (PT)Exam| 24/26 March 201325 March 2013| 2, 3 and 4| P4 – P12, M1, M2, M3, D1, D2| Individual report| 22 April 2013| Note: * Follow the report style (Arial font, size 12, with 1. spacing, black color) with appropriate title page, page numbers, Titles & sub-titles, Introduction, Conclusion, Bibliography; * Turnitin Certificate is mandatory otherwise the assignments will not be graded. * Sources of information and references are not included in your word count * Word length: Approx. 3500 words (outcomes 2-4) If you need any further assistance with this assignment please contact your tutor

The Ancient Greek Government

The Ancient Greek Government Ancient Greece was divided into many different areas, called city-states. There were many city-states throughout the entire country, and each one had its own government. Athens and Sparta were two of the most powerful city-states in Greece. Sparta was governed by the military, while Athens had a democratic government. Over time, people's opinions about what made a good government changed, and various types of governments developed as well.This is a sequence of Greek governments that were defined by Aristotle: monarchies, oligarchies, tyrannies, and democracies. Many places in Greece began with these government systems, from monarchies to oligarchies, to tyrannies, and finally to democracies. However, there were plenty of areas that were using different systems, resulting with many city-states that never did become democracies or tyrannies at all.In the beginning, Athens was governed by a monarchy, rule by one person. Soldiers handpicked their leader and put him into power.Map of the top 50 countries with the largest Greek...However, monarchy did not last long in Athens, as a new government system soon developed in 800BC. This system was called the oligarchy, meaning "ruled by the few".During the period of 600 to 500 BC, rulers who took power to lead an unjust government were often accused as tyrants. Yet at around 510BC, the first democratic government began sprouting its roots in Athens, soon leading many other Greek city-states to imitate the system. Greece had established one of the first democracies ever!What did the word "democracy" mean to the Greeks? It meant, "Power of the people," that everyone was given say in government. Eventually, even city-states that weren't Greek, such as Carthage and Rome, tried to give everyone the power to participate in government, especially the poor people. In Greece, all male citizens who were at least the age of eighteen were qualified as council members, judges or...

Business plan on IT Training Centre

Business plan on IT Training Centre In any business plan there are fundamental provisions that are required with respect to the nature of the market in question. In essence the market is the most essential tool for consideration when seeking opportunities for the business success.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Business plan on IT Training Centre specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If there is minimal feasibility of the market, there is no need to launch the business, however if there is an evident market gap in a given region, it is always advisable to optimize on the opportunity that may soon be gone. The UAE in this case is one of the fastest growing economies in the world together with China. In fact, the UAE is almost not dependent on natural gases like petroleum and oil because of its diversity. With a $270 Billion GDP, UAE is a wealthy region with people who are willing to invest. Technology is the key solution for industrialization and hence the need of technology in the region. Statement of the problem This analysis explicitly looks into the viability of venturing into an IT training center in the UAE based on the market research that had been concluded. The market research indicated that there is an opportunity to make a successful business venture in the region because of the presence of adequate need in the region. Purpose In this business plan analysis, the major purpose is to develop a viable business plan that will be used be used for the IT Training Center (ITC) that will be established in the UAE. This business plan will therefore provide important information about the nature of the business that will be launched in the UAE. Some of the most important considerations in this case include the marketing plan, operation plan, management and organization, financial plan and the milestone for the ITC training center. This business plan is developed after an extensive market research had been carried out to establish th e viability and the feasibility of establishing a training center in the UAE. Significance of the study A successful business plan is a plan that has reasonable projections on profits and reasonable estimations of costs; this is the significance of this study. The other important consideration in ensuring a successful business plan is adequate sources of fund coupled with sound management. When these factors have been considered, marketing plan can now be organized and implemented to acquire as substantial niche. In this case, the establishment of IT Training Center in the UAE has been based on the viability of the project.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The economic base of the UAE is strong and one of the fastest growing economies in the world and therefore highly likely to accommodate foreign investors to the region. The country is also aiming to be dependent on tourism and other sources of funds in future as their oil and mineral base is expected to diminish with time. These facts provide evidence on the viability of the project in the region. Background The business will be based in the United Arab Emirates; it will be stationed in a rented office in the Abu Dhabi the capital city of UAE. The name of the business is IT Training Center (ITC). The business will target both the local residents and the international students who will be visiting the UAE or outside the UAE but have constant internet access that will enable them attend live class proceedings. The financial plan and its projections have been provided and projected to make a profit $19,740 by the end of three fiscal quarterly years. The services that will be offered by ITC will include the following, IT Governance and Ethics, Project management, Web designing(Data driven web design using Drupal, Joomla, and SharePoint), Networking, N+, A+, Cisco CCNA/CCNP, ICDL and office pack ages, Linux administration, Oracle and Java, web marketing and optimization. The services will be offered on a 24 hour basis, online support will also be provided to other students willing to enroll to the college within the UAE for a reduced fee and outside the UAE. Literature review In a business venture, there are several concerns to be considered when launching the business. Some of the most foundational concepts in planning a business are; ensuring that there is a sufficient market demand, financial provisions, and operation planning among other imperative considerations (Covello, 123). A successful business plan should therefore have a comprehensive consideration of the market and the need for the product or service in the market (Covello, 124). This consideration is the foundation of any business since the business cannot survive without the market for the products and services. In some instances, there is essence to create the need from the market through bridging the market gap by innovative and competitive products and services, if this is achieved; sound business prosperity will be attained(Covello, 126). There are other considerations that should be implemented before the onset of the business enterprise; some of these include PEST and SWOT analysis, these analyses are relevant because of the external influences of the business.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Business plan on IT Training Centre specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Definition of terms PEST- Political Economic Social and Technological analysis SWOT-Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats CCNA- Cisco Certified Network Associate CCNP-Cisco Certified Network Professional ICDL- International Computer Driving License A+- Foundational Networking course N+- Basic networking course based in the fundamentals of A+Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More UAE- United Arab Emirates Results Based on the market research that had been done in the field, the results of the analysis process as outlined in the market research proposal require that the following progression be followed. Market plan This is the central aspect of the business, the initial analysis for the feasibility of establishing a business opportunity in the UAE had provided evidence of the existing market for training of IT courses in the region. The existence for the need of the services is a great demonstration that there exists opportunities (market in this case) to be exploited in the region. The imperative step that will be taken by the management of the ITC is the implementation of a thorough marketing strategy that will emphasize on the uniqueness of the services that the college will offer better those of other service providers in the region. Promotional strategies The promotional strategies that will be exploited by the ITC will aim to capture and convince the service consumers on the services of the college. Considering that technological advancement is the key issue in the modern world. Developing a strategy that show optimum use of technology to the modern world market will be essential to the residents of the region. Online and regional advertisements will be utilized to maximize the market opportunities in the region. SWOT analysis of based on the competitors Strengths The colleges in the UAE have a stronger online presence. The companies in the region are mostly local and hence have a local support. The colleges in the UAE have most of the courses that are to be offered by the ITC. Weaknesses The colleges in the region have poor marketing strategies that ITC can take advantage of. The services offered by the companies in the region are professional but not market oriented as opposed to the ITC which is more market oriented compared to other colleges like sites power training college which exist in the area. Opportunities Given the competitive advantage of the ITC, there is a likelihood of the market oriented services like market optimization options if Information technology to influence the residents on using the services of ITC. The market opportunities in the region are still open to be filled because of the economical strength of the UAE and hence despite the presence of competitors, there are opportunities for new entrants into the market. Threats The loyalty of the local residents may be biased to international companies. The cost of starting a business in the region may exceed the approximations because of the dynamic nature of the market in the regions. As evident from the analysis of the competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, the ITC will exploit all the opportunities within its reach in ensuring that the strategies employed by the business will yield positive results. The aspect of close relation of Information Technology to business will yield more positive market approach because of the uniqueness of the service being offered. Unlike other institutions in the region that have less or no reliance on their market perspective to technology, the ITC will be the market leader in closely relating the two and ensuring that the students who will graduate from the institution will be better placed as managers who are more market oriented and can take advantage of technology for the good of the organization that they will manage after graduating from the ITC institution. The idea of the penetrating prices at the onset of the institution will be set to be moderate in order to gain the perception of cheap services that are quality. The prices will average compared to other institutions in the region to avoid being mistaken for cheap and possibly poor service and again expensive and an international company that does not understand the needs of the United Arab Emirates. Plan of operation The plan of operation in the region will require several requirements to be met in orde r to enhance a suitable environment for development (Covello, p.121). The initial consideration is proper management of the ITC. The management will be hired from the region because of the loyalty of the customer aspect. The other important consideration will be the teaching staff. The teaching staff will be hired from the region and outside the region in order to enhance the quality of the services that will be offered. The teaching staff will also be assisted by the support staff and co-workers of the institution, these people will be hired from the region and their financial provisions are as projected in the table below. In order to impress investors on the viability of the project for financial assistance, the projections outlined below will be of essence. The financial provisions with a projection of a growth rate of more than $4,000 on a quarterly basis will increase their confidence on the guarantee of their returns on investments. The sources of funds will therefore come fr om different places including bank loan, private investors, personal contributions and savings. The institution’s partners will be another added advantage in ensuring that there is a value from the services being offered in ITC. Some of the important partners that the institution will create a Business-to-Business relationship (B-2-B) include Microsoft Corporation, Cisco, Linux institute, and Mc fee. These partners will help in building the name or the image of the institution because of their success in their different fields of Information Technology (IT). Financial plan Assets Servers Computers(30) Switches (2-hubs) Router (1) Networking Cables(Cat 6) Firewall(Cisco) Software’s ISP provides Rents Furniture Licenses and fees Stationary Electricity water bills Labor (Lecturers, Support staff, Administrator) Total Revenues Projected revenues from fees Costs Labour Admin support Bills (water and electricity) ISP provider Rent Miscellaneous Total Gross profits Tax Loans Cost ($) 1500 6000 50 100 100 120 500 1200 2000 3000 700 300 150 9000 24720 January-April April- July July-October 32,000 36,000 39,000 9000 9700 10200 2000 2300 2350 2000 2000 2100 2500 2500 2600 500 700 800 16000 17200 18050 16000 18800 20950 450 490 510 700 700 700 Net profit 14850 17610 19740 Other requirements It will be important for the business to ensure that it meets its legal requirements in the foreign market in order to ensure a smooth flow of the launching process. The legal requirements if the UAE should therefore be met, some of the imperative considerations are; licenses and complying with the business limits that are set by the government of the UAE. Risk evaluation A standard legal procedure for risk evaluation should be implemented in order to ensure a sound environment for business. Some of the risks that should be considered in this case are the market perceptions and changes especially with the consideration of the foreign environment. Since business in itself is a risk, it is important to account for the extent of risk that is being encountered in the process of business operation; this will provide more supportive business backup options for the business to run in a sound way. Launch of the business The business will be launched once the logistics, marketing plan, operation management, and financial provisions are met. It will be vital to also consider other external conditions that should be met in order to experience a sound business environment with minimal and realistic assumptions. Summary This breakdown has explicitly analyzed the feasibility for the launch of IT Training Center in the UAE. The proposed market planning, financial provisions, operation management and other requirements have been analyzed for the purpose of launching a successful business in the region. The dividends projections that are sound and achievable are the basis of more financial support from investors and lending companies. Discussion The resul ts analysis in this breakdown is viable basically because of the market opportunity present in the region and the financial provisions coupled with the risks associated with the business venture. It is of essence to ensure that there is a need or a gap in the market before launching a business, in doing so, there will be less risks and assumptions that will be made in the launching process. This analysis has also provided the management and operation plan of the IT training center in the UAE. The projection of the amount of profits that is expected in the region is reasonably high for any investor to launch the operations successfully. Recommendations In order to ensure that the business will be successful in the region given the ever changing market conditions, there is need for the project managers who are leaders in this case to be sensitive to any changes or financial additions that may be required. A substantial niche can only be achieved by having alternative plans for strateg ic changes since the market is very volatile given the development of technology and marketing strategies (Covello, p.130). The leadership of the project ought to be very flexible in ensuring that the necessary changes do not interfere with the business missions and visions. Another imperative consideration in this case is the marketing strategies. The local people and media ought to be used tactfully in order to ensure that the business is introduced as part of the region and not a strange entity that may result to being sidelined. Additionally it will be of essence for the business to emphasize on the idea of â€Å"who we are† to the UAE society and what new things do we bring to the region that will benefit the region and the future of its people. The ‘’who we are† brings the sense of ethics and social responsibility to spotlight and hence imperative in ensuring that the business succeeds by winning the minds of the target market. Conclusion This busines s plan analysis has been geared towards establishing a business base for IT Training center in the UAE. The UAE provides a very conducive environment for business because of the country’s economy and political stability that has seen it become of the world’s fasted growing economy with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than $270 Billion. The marketing strategies that will be used in getting the market for the institution will emphasize on the uniqueness of the services that the institution will be offering. One of the major uniqueness of the ITC institute is its ability to closely match marketing with technology. There is need in the country to embrace both the market and technology as a strategy of moving forward towards being fully developed and sustainable. Technology is the key to success in any service sector in the world today, without proper implementation or embrace of the positives of technology; there is no substantial step that will be made with regard to national development. The plan of operation and the financial plan of the project will ensure that the project gets adequate funds for a robust start off. The leadership of the project will be the genesis of establishing a sound success in the region as all the resources can be managed and used well only if there is sound leadership coupled with focused marketing strategies that emphasizes on the uniqueness of the services that will be launched in business market venture and also sustainability of the entire process. Covello, Joseph. Your first business plan: a simple question-and-answer format designed to help you write your own plan. New York: Hazelgren Sourcebooks, Inc., 2005. Pp. 121-134.

Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles

Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles Not far from the iconic Hollywood sign, on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood, stands Los Angeles other famous landmark: the Griffith Observatory. This popular movie locale is actually one of the largest observatories in the world open for public viewing and one of a selection of great space-themed places to visit in the U.S. Every year, more than a million and a half visitors look through its massive telescopes, learn from its exhibits, and experience planetarium shows. Fast Facts: Griffith Observatory Location: Griffith Observatory is located in Griffith Park in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.Altitude: 1,134 feet above sea levelMain Attractions: Zeiss telescopes (composed of a twelve-inch and a nine and a half-inch refracting telescopes), Coelostat and solar telescopes, planetarium, exhibits, and free-standing telescopes for public use.Griffith Observatory receives well over 1.5 million visitors a year.Admission to the observatory is free; fees apply for parking and tickets to see the planetarium show. Griffith Observatory is unique because its purely a public observatory and prides itself on providing a chance for anyone to look through a telescope. Its theme and main goal are to turn visitors into observers.  This makes it a very different type of observatory than its research siblings, which focus entirely on professional astronomy observing. An aerial view of Griffith Observatory in 2006.   Griffith Observatory, used by permission.   History of the Griffith Observatory The observatory began as the dream of financier, mining magnate, and real estate developer Griffith J. Griffith. He came to southern California from Wales in the 1860s and eventually acquired the land where the observatory and park now sit. Griffith was fascinated by the great parks he saw in Europe and envisioned one for Los Angeles. Eventually, he donated his property to the city for that purpose.   In 1904, Griffith visited nearby Mount Wilson Observatory (where astronomer Edwin P. Hubble made his discoveries) and fell in love with astronomy. He wrote: If all mankind could look through that telescope, it would change the world.  Based on that visit, Griffith decided to offer money to the city to build an observatory on top of Mount Hollywood. He wanted to make sure that the public would have access to a telescope to carry out his vision. It took some time to get the building approved, and it wasnt until 1933 (14 years after Griffiths death) that ground was broken. The observatory was conceived as a monument to science, would always be open to the public, and had to withstand all but the strongest earthquakes. The final floorplan design for the Griffith Observatory in 1933.   Griffith Observatory, used by permission. The observatorys planning team included scientists from Caltech and Mount Wilson, along with engineers who created plans for the observatory and its Foucault Pendulum, a 38-foot-diameter model of a section of the Moon sculpted by artist Roger Hayward, and a three-in-one coelostat so visitors could study the Sun. For public viewing, the teams selected a 12-inch Zeiss refracting telescope as the best commercially available instrument. That instrument remains in place, and visitors can view planets, the Moon, and selected deep-sky objects through it. In addition, they can watch the Sun during the day through the coelostat.   The original plans for Griffith included a cinema. In 1923, after the invention of the planetarium instrument, designers for the observatory approached the Griffith family to see if they would permit a planetarium theater to be built in its place. They agreed to the planetarium, which featured a Zeiss planetarium instrument from Germany.   Griffith Observatory: Continuing Astronomy Access The Griffith Observatory opened its doors to the public on May 14, 1935, and was transferred to the citys department of parks and recreation. The parks also work with a support group called Friends of the Observatory (FOTO), in a unique public-private partnership to secure funding and other support for the observatorys ongoing mission. Tens of millions of visitors have passed through its doors, including hundreds of thousands of local school students who visit via a program funded by FOTO. The planetarium also produces unique programs that showcase the exploration of the universe.   Former director Cleminshaw working with Apollo astronauts during their training in 1967. Griffith Observatory, used by permission. Throughout its history, Griffith has served as the training ground for budding astronomers as well as astronauts. During World War II, the park hosted soldiers, and the planetarium helped train aviators in navigation. In the early 1960s, it continued that tradition by offering celestial navigation classes to 26 Apollo astronauts, including some who flew to the Moon. Over the years, the facility has broadened its access and modernized.  Four directors have guided the institution: Dr. Dinsmore Alter, Dr. Clarence Cleminshaw, Dr. William J. Kaufmann II, and currently Dr. E.C. Krupp. Expansion and Renovation The Griffith Observatory was so beloved that, in the words of its staff, it was being loved to death. Millions of visitors trekking through, air pollution effects, and other building problems led to a renovation. In 2002, the observatory closed and commenced a four-year rehab of the building, its exhibits, and the newly christened Samuel Oschin Planetarium. The renovation cost just over $92 million and left the observatory with much-needed modernization, exhibits, and a new planetarium instrument. It reopened to the public on November 3, 2006. Today, Griffith offers free access to the building and telescopes, with a small admission charge required to see the planetarium show. It hosts public star parties once a month, as well as other astronomy-related events.  Ã‚   Events such as lunar eclipses (shown here imaged through the Observatorys 12-inc telescope draw crowds of visitors to Griffith Observatory. Griffith Observatory, shot by Tony Cook. Used by permission.  Ã‚   On September 21, 2012, it welcomed thousands of visitors to witness the historic flyover of space shuttle Endeavor as it flew to its final stop in Los Angeles on the way to the California Science Center. From eclipses to stargazing, the observatory is well known as the place to be for cosmic events throughout Southern California.   Thousands gathered at Griffith for the last flyover of space shuttle Endeavour before it was delivered to the California Science Center in September 2012.   NASA Griffiths Exhibits and Lecture Offerings The observatory has a number of well-known exhibits, including a Tesla coil and an image called The Big Picture. This image, which represents a tiny portion of the sky in the Virgo Cluster (a cluster of galaxies) that can be covered by holding ones finger out at arms length, shows visitors the immensity of the universe and the objects it contains. The exhibits are intended to spark imagination and inquiry among visitors, through a sustained visit to the universe. They cover everything from the solar system and Earth to the most distant reaches of the observable cosmos.   In addition to exhibits, the observatory offers lectures each month in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater. This special space is named in honor of the late Star Trek actor who portrayed the Vulcan character of Mr. Spock in Star Trek. Nimoy was a big supporter of the planetarium and was active in the effort to secure funding for its renovation. The observatory offers live-streaming access to talks in the Nimoy as well as other events. It also creates a weekly sky report and offers news archives online.   One part of the exhibition at Griffith, which spans from stargazing to astronomy research. This section includes The Edge of Space and Depths of Space. Griffith Observatory, used by permission   Hollywood and Griffith Observatory Given its prominent location on Mount Hollywood, where it can be seen from throughout much of the Los Angeles basin, Griffith Observatory is a natural locale for movies. It has many connections to the entertainment industry, ranging from the Hugo Ballin (a Hollywood set designer) murals in its main rotunda to the late James Dean Rebel without a Cause statue outside the building. Many movies have been shot at Griffith since its opening. This includes scenes from Rebel as well as more recent films such as The Terminator, Transformers, The Rocketeer, and La La Land. A Must See Experience Griffith Observatory is iconic and legendary, and its place on Mount Hollywood has earned it the nickname The Hood Ornament of Los Angeles from its long-time director, Dr. E.C. Krupp. Its a familiar part of the skyline, accessible to all. It continues to provide a glimpse of the cosmos for those who make the trek up the mountain.   Sources griffithobservatory.org/Griffith Observatory TV, https://livestream.com/GriffithObservatoryTVhttps://www.pcmag.com/feature/347200/7-cool-things-to-see-at-la-s-griffith-observatory  http://thespacewriter.com/wp/2015/05/14/griffith-observatory-turns-80/https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/california/articles/8-films-where-las-griffith-observatory-plays-a-pivotal-role/

How the Manifest Destiny Affected Native Americans in the U.S Research Paper

How the Manifest Destiny Affected Native Americans in the U.S - Research Paper Example The paper tells that almost four decades after the ratification of the Relocation Act, the removal procedure keeps on. Even though the initiative has been seriously and constantly denounced, it has had merely narrow modifications and has never been severely pressured with closure. The hesitance of Congress to financially support it at a point that would have terminated it more quickly may partly reveal the undecided sentiments of several of those who permitted its continuation. Opposition from the targets of relocation, under the headship of quite a few religious leaders and aged Navajo women, resulted in a chain of constitutional measures, the most triumphant being the case of Manybeads claiming that relocation infringed their religious rights. Just like in numerous other cases of relocation, the underlying reason of the relocation of the Navajo people had nothing do with their interests or welfare. The case of Navajo is distinctive in the sense that it does not require the ravaging of their territories and does not belong to any development plan. Nevertheless, as in other instances of displacement, Navajos target for relocation were not permitted to choose freely whether to abandon or stay in their lands. Scudder and Cernea emphasize in their relocation classifications that triumphant relocation plans should take into account the needed socioeconomic elements for building enduring bonds to the new land. Nevertheless, both scholars argue that majority of relocation plans was unsuccessful. The senior consultant on social policy for the World Bank, Michael Cernea (1998), supports positive collaboration between sociological and economic disciplines for the purpose of decreasing relocation and improving the subsistence of relocatees.4 The Navajos’ relocation from the Hopi Partitioned Land (HPL) has been disastrous. It was badly premeditated and executed forcibly. The relocation procedures have been performed in lack of knowledge of the Navajo people’ s land possession and dwelling patterns, livelihood, and economic production.5 A number of the most unfavorable outcomes of this relocation could still be alleviated with sufficient subsidy, developmental design, and practical conditions for actual community involvement. However, with no such dedications, aimed at reviving or regaining abandoned economic production prospects, it is not likely that complete economic resurgence will ever happen.6 Examining the responses of the Navajo people to forced relocation from HPL clarifies several common features of the response differences of the displaced people, the vitality of economic production self-rule, and importance of traditional land possessions. Relocation is comparatively triumphant merely when the targets of the relocation revive or broaden their economic production tasks.7 Nonetheless, forced removal harms inhabitants and no measure can quantify the difficulties of these people against the actual reparation they get. The U.S. Go vernment versus the Navajo John O’Sullivan, an American correspondent, introduced the concept of ‘manifest destiny’ in 1845 to characterize American westward expansion. As stated by this principle, white Americans were fated to expand westward by God’s will. American merchants, as early as the 1820s, disseminated encouraging accounts of the Navajo People and frequently conveyed compassion and high regard for their attempts to oppose the Mexicans inhabiting contemporary New Mexico.8 Frontiersman Josiah Gregg, for instance, assumed that the New Mexican people and their chief had â€Å"greatly embittered the disposition of the neighboring savages, especially the Navajos, by repeated acts of cruelty and ill-faith well calculated to provoke

An Introduction to the Supply Chain and the Firm's Position within It Essay

An Introduction to the Supply Chain and the Firm's Position within It - Essay Example Discussion: A Supply Chain may be seen as a series or network of facilities and distribution channels which facilitate the procurement, processing and conversion of raw materials into finished products and their distribution from the place of production to the final customer through a series of distribution stages. The stages are characterized by the distributer at the given stage and the activities that are performed by the distributor to ensure the delivery of the product to the end customer (Wiley 2012). The supply chain usually takes diverse forms. The structure of the firm varies in length, size, shape and the kind of activity involved. Also, a firm may be part of more than one interconnected supply chains, whose final outcome might be differentially diverse (Enporion 2009). Thus the Supply chains may sometimes more appropriately be referred to as Supply networks. For example Kellogg’s the world leading breakfast cereal and snack producer, sources raw materials from diffe rent sources which are functionally as well as geographically diverse. Further, Kellogg’s collaborates with a huge network of distributors like wholesalers, retailers and other outlets like hotels etc to make its product reach to the end customers (The Times 2012). Once the concept of a Supply chain as part of the value chain is established, the concept of Supply Chain Management (SCM) comes to the fore. However it is important to understand the concept of logistics first. Logistics is concerned with Flow of materials and information to and from a firm’s boundaries aiding in the production and distribution of its products to the customers. At the same time, supply chain is a network of companies performing these logistical activities together to bring a product or products to the market. Also, a supply chain, apart from the logistical activities, also includes activities like marketing, finance and customer service. Supply Chain management thus is concerned with the co ordinated activities of production, location and inventory among the various participants of a supply chain. The activities are directed such that a mix of responsiveness and efficiency that is best suited to the market is achieved (Wiley 2012). Supply chain management is therefore concerned with the efficiency and effectiveness of a supply chain. One of the major objectives of a supply chain is to reduce the logistical costs. Also, it strives to achieve an incentive within the system to remove waste from the processes or activities involved. It is through effective Supply Chain management that a firm can achieve the objective of a giving a better and differentiated value to the end customer. Kellogg’s for instance achieves this value through activities like partnering with supermarkets like Tesco. It follows close relationships with such partners. It has come up with a shelf ready unit at Tesco, which helps gives better choice and visibility to customers. Also, it augurs wel l for the sales both for Tesco as well as for Kellogg’s. In the recent years, Supply Chain Management has assumed an increasingly important role. This is so due the increasing globalization and industrial competition. From the perspective of stakeholders of a supply chain

Argument 3 History of 1650 - 1850 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Argument 3 History of 1650 - 1850 - Essay Example As history has it, she went through a period of struggles and hardships before she became a sovereign state which could conduct its business at its own bidding. This paper spans the history of America between 1650 and 1850. This period was marked by United States of America’s worst and best of times. The American Indians, sometimes referred to as the Red Indians, were the indigenous inhabitants of the present United States of America. The term Red Indians comes from their culture of painting their faces red when they were going for war. The Indians were a peaceful people, who cherished their family ties. They were also very prayerful and creative. Their life was led in solitude, like they belonged in their own world. Nature was foremost in their priority since they revered it and saw it as a gift from their gods. In the period between 1539 and 1542, the Spaniards attacked the Indians. There were about 600 Spaniards led by Hernando de Soto. They went about the south eastern par t of what is known today as the United States of America, killing, raping and making slaves of the Indians. There were a lot of retaliatory attacks from the Indians who were always suspicious of the Spaniards’ visits. ... Twenty two of their men died and scores others sustained arrow wounds which were fatal. Not spared in the conflict were their horses which either died or were injured such that they were no longer useful in combat. Some Indians even resorted to hanging themselves instead of falling into the hands of the Spaniards. The coming of the Europeans brought with it a lot of upheavals in the calm Indians’ way of life. The discovery of America opened the Pandora’s Box which led to the invasion of America. This invasion paved way for the forced relocation of the America Indians. The American Indians were a people who were so passionate about their culture and way of life. Therefore, they did not take the European’s actions kindly. Wars were fought and blood was shed in a bid to defend their heritage. Most of them died in these battles as they were attacked with all manner of weapons, even biological. Small pox, measles and other virus were released among them and this incre ased their death them toll. A number of them eventually sided with the Europeans but others chose to relocate to the West of the country. This was especially driven by Andrew Jackson’s Removal Act of 1830. The American Indians eventually gained the respect and recognition that had for along time been denied to them. Museums have since been constructed to preserve their history and as tribute to a great people who first rebelled against foreign occupation. The American Indian struggle is just the first of many more struggles for freedom that were to follow throughout the American history. America’s walk to freedom was never an easy one right from these old times. The Indians were dominated upon, they were made to suffer before the final freedom was achieved.

Assignment Prompt Compare and contrast the methods used by Spain and

Prompt Compare and contrast the methods used by Spain and France in creating their North American colonies (remember that North America refers to modern Canada, United States, and Mexico) - Assignment Example The French used the policy of assimilation. They were friendly to the locals and strived to influence a holistic culture change as they absorbed the locals. They developed schools and churches for the locals besides relating with them as their equals. They encouraged the natives to embrace education and their way of life thus becoming their equals. The Spanish on the other hand were harsh to the natives. The Spanish the natives harshly, they used the natives and the African slaves similarly thus creating animosity between them and the natives1. Additionally, the Spanish brutalized those who did not convert thus spreading their culture forcefully throughout the colony. This instigated widespread resistance and rebellion from the natives. Key similarity between the French and he Spanish was their attempt to convert the locals to their culture and way of life. They established missions to help spread their new religions to the locals since this would help harmonize the colonies. Pickett, Margaret F., and Dwayne W. Pickett.  The European Struggle to Settle North America Colonizing Attempts by England, France and Spain, 1521-1608. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co, 2011.