The Role of Computer and Internet in Education

CHAPTER 5 THE INTEGRATION OF COMPUTER USE IN EDUCATION JAN Department VAN DEN AKKER, PAUL KEURSTEN and TJEERD PLOMP of Education, University of Twente, P. O. The Netherlands Abstract Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, There is an increasing awareness that disappointing experiences with the introduction of computers in education are a consequence of insufficiently taking into account factors that are crucial when introducing change in educational settings. Many of the problems in the literature show great similarity with the kind of problems often experienced in curriculum implementation.In this context the endeavors to make computer use an integrated part of classroom activities are analyzed. Emphasis will be laid on the interaction between teachers and courseware; elements for a more effective strategy for the integration of computer use in educational practice will be presented, with special attention to the design of support materials as an essential part of courseware. Introduction Despi te many national and local initiatives, examples of successful computer use in classroom practice are still relatively rare. In many countries the number of computers in schools has considerably increased in recent years.However, little progress has been made: still few teachers are actual users; software use is often restricted to drill and practice type; the alignment with the curriculum pattern is poor. Research results (of both surveys and case studies) from many countries point to the conclusion that there is still a long way ahead before computer use will be effectively integrated in most classrooms (see e. g. Becker, 1986; Office of Technology Assessment [OTA], 1988, for the USA;, Chomienne, 1988; Olson & Eaton, 1986, for Canada; Cox, 1987, for the U. K. ; Inspectorate, 1986; Plomp & Van den Akker, 1988, for the Netherlands).There is an increasing awareness that these disappointing experiences are a consequence of insufficiently taking into account factors that are crucial wh en introducing change in educational settings. Many of the reported problems that schools and teachers face when implementing computer use show great similarity with the kind of problems often experienced in curriculum implementation (cf. Fullan, Miles, & Anderson, 1987; Sheingold, Martin, & Endreweit, 1987; Walker, 1986). For that reason we would like to analyze the endeavor to make computer use an integrated part of classroom activities 65 6 .I. VAN DEN AKKER et al from a curriculum implementation perspective. We shall start with an overview of the variables that can influence the process and outcomes of curriculum implementation. For the different categories of those variables we shall then discuss the literature on computer use in education. Emphasis will be laid on the interaction between teachers and courseware. Based on this problem analysis we shall present elements for a more effective strategy for the integration of computer use in the educational practice.Special attentio n will be paid to the design of (written) support materials as an essential part of courseware. An Overview of Factors Affecting Implementation _ Drawing upon the work of Fullan (1982) and of Van Velzen, Miles, Ekholm, Hameyer, and Robin (1985), we propose a framework for discussing factors influencing the implementation of innovations in the educational practice by distinguishing four categories of variables: national (and/or state and/or district) context; characteristics of the school (organization); external support; characteristics of the innovation itself.Within each category several variables can be mentioned: – National context central legislation and regulations; system of policy formation and decision making in educational affairs; time, resources and facilities made available for an innovation; proclaimed values and aims about an innovation; attitude of politicians and (other) opinion leaders about an innovation. School organization experiences with earlier innovat ions; role of the school leader(s); methods of decision making; available facilities (time, money, materials); internal co-operation and mutual support; distribution and exchange of information.External support inservice training; assistance with internal coaching and guidance personal contacts with – – staff development; for individual teachers; experts and colleagues from other schools. – Innovation characteristics relevance of the innovation for needs and problems of users; clarity of the goals and practical meaning of a change proposal; Implementation of Computers in Education 67 – complexity of innovation requirements, especially in teaching quality and practicality of the innovation products. ehavior; In the next sections we shall first summarize literature on the integration of computer use, as far as it relates to the first three categories (national context, school organization, and external support). We refer to those categories of variables as the conditionalfactors, because they are conditional for the ultimate use of products by teachers in their daily work. Afterwards we shall focus our attention on the characteristics of the innovation product itself in relation to the teacher’s role.Conditional Which computer literature, emphasis Factors for the Integration of Computer Use research results about use in education? We but restrict ourselves on empirically based conditional factors can be found in the literature on do not intend to offer an exhaustive overview of this to a summary of some selected publications, with an sources. National Context Still little empirical research is done about the impact of variables in the national (state/district) context on the actual use of computers in the school practice.Descriptions of national policies on information technology in many countries are available (e. g. Beishuizen, Tobin & Weston, 1988), but focused research efforts in this area are hard to find. Broad attention for policy variables is given by Fullan et al. (1987) in their study on the implementation of the new information technology in Ontario schools. Apart from obvious tasks as investing in hardware, software development, research, teacher training and the like, policy makers should also play a stimulating role in the planning and co-ordination of implementation activities.Proclamation of new aims for the educational system and encouragement â€Å"from above† for initiatives and activities in the field can be helpful for the many participants in the innovation. School Organization The influence of the school organization on the implementation of computer use has been studied more frequently. The results usually confirm the findings from the more general innovation literature. Encouragement and support from school administrators and principals are of vital importance (Carmichael, Burnett, Higginson, Moore, & Pollard, 198. ; Cox, Rhodes, & Hall, 1988; Fullan et al. , 1987). Help fr om principals is especially necessary in providing for facilities for training, the purchase of hardware and software, the rearrangement of timetables and other organizational measures. Also conducive to the implementation process is a positive school climate where teachers give mutual support by exchanging ideas and experiences and by providing feedback (Carmichael et al. , 1985; Cox, 1987; Inspectorate, 1986). 68 J. VAN DEN AKKER et al.A beneficial role can also be played by computer coordinators, especially if they combine computing expertise with strong interpersonal and organizational skills (Strudler & Gall, 1988). Also measures have to be taken to secure long term supplies and maintenance of hardware and software (Bitter & Gore, 1986; Wagshal, 1986). External Support A growing body of experience and research data has become available about effective components of inservice training and other forms of external support for schools and teachers in the use of computers.A criticis m on past inservice approaches is that the emphasis on technical aspects was too strong, while too little attention was paid to the integration of computer use in the daily classroom practice and also to the skills in selecting and evaluating courseware ~~homienne, 1988; D’Arcy & Gardner, 1988; Wiske et al. , 1988). Teachers need a strong support to overcome their (initial) problems of uncertainty and their concerns about changing teacher/student relationships and about accountability (OTA, 1988).There is a growing consensus about characteristics of inservice training that can increase its effectiveness (OTA, 1988; Stecher & Solorzano, 1987): appropriate balance between lecture and (guided) practice; detailed curriculum guides and plans for the course plus lesson-related materials and hand-outs; clear training objectives; inservice lessons linked to teachers’ own instructional practice; peer interaction, including communication during hands-on activities; strategies fo r teaching heterogeneous groups; follow-up support and guidance. This (selective) literature review indicates a rough imilarity between conditional factors for both integration of computer use and curriculum implementation. Future, more focused, research activities are necessary to sharpen our insights in this area. Product Characteristics and the Teacher’s Role â€Å"Educators and educational researchers consistently cite one factor as central to the full development of technology’s use in the schools – the classroom teacher† (OTA, 1988, p. 87). For that reason it is important to take a closer look at the changes facing teachers at the implementation of computer use in their classroom practice.As Fullan (1982) has pointed out, nearly every innovation requires teachers to change on several dimensions: the use of new materials, alterations in their teaching behavior, and changes in their beliefs and attitudes. In this section we want to explore how certain characteristics of the new materials (especially courseware) can influence changes in teaching behavior and beliefs. From the general innovation literature we know that there are several product characteristics that can influence the fate of a certain innovation. First, we present a brief overview of this literature.Then we shall use this as a filter to screen the literature on computer use in education. Implementation of Computers in Education 69 Well-known discourses about influential (product) characteristics of innovations are delivered by Rogers and Shoemaker (1971) who describe features like observability, complexity, compatability, and relative advantage, and by Doyle and Ponder (3977-78) who refer to the practicality ethic of teachers, with criteria like instrumentality, congruence, and cost. An authorative summary of these characteristics is provided by Fullan (1982; see also Fullan et al. , 1987).He mentions the following characteristics, elucidated by some central questi ons: Need and relevance What is the need for and the appropriateness of the change? What is the priority of the efforts to implement the innovation relative to other concerns? Clarity How clear are the goals and essential features of the innovation? practical implications for the users? Complexity How clear are the How many components of instructional practice are affected and how much do they differ from existing practices and beliefs? How difficult is it to learn the necessary changes? Quality and practicality How well developed and tested are the products?How certain is the impact of the innovation? What is the trade-off between the actual benefits and the personal and organizational costs? Weaknesses in one or more of these characteristics usually cause major obstacles for implementation. Fullan (1982, p. 62) underlines the importance of individual perceptions in this respect: â€Å"ImpIementation is a problem of individuals developing meaning in relation to specific policy or program directions. † Although materials alone can never be sufficient for the implementation of innovation proposals by broad target groups of teachers, the potential influence of materials is great.Well designed and vafidated products can contribute substantially to the realization of educational changes (Crandall and Associates, 1982; Emrick & Peterson, 1978; Van den Akker, 1988~). We proceed now with a short overview of research findings about the interaction between product characteristics and teachers in the domain of computer use. Courseware Quality and Teachers’ Problems There is a wide dissatisfaction about the quality of educational software and courseware (OTA, 1988). Some conclusions are: Much educational software is isolated material, badly attuned to the curriculum 0 J. VAN DEN AKKER et al (content, materials, strategies) in use (Inspectorate, 1986; Woodhouse & Jones, 1988). Often computer use cannot be a process of simply incorporating new into old, but i t requires reshaping what was there (Hawkins & Sheingold, 1986). But also a warning is in place: if the software closely relates to the existing curriculum, it can indeed be easier for the teachers to use, but then it is often seen as just an â€Å"extra† and not fully integrated in the day to day practice (Cox, 1987).Thus, software should either support the goals of the existing curriculum or meet the needs for a curriculum change (Mallatratt, 1988). Much software has been developed for use by individual students, not taking into account the usual whole-class teaching and the practical constraints of a classroom with limited numbers of computers (Centre for Educational Research and Innovation [CERI], 1986). This restriction places a considerable demand on the planning and management skills of teachers. Much software is poorly documented (Jorde, 1985). User guides contain mainly â€Å"technical† information about operational aspects of the software.Support (print) mate rials for the teacher with suggestions how to integrate the program in the instructional process is frequently lacking (Inspectorate, 1988). â€Å"Most software does not yet sufficiently exploit the capacity of the computer to Drill and practice software continues to enhance teaching and learning. . dominate all subject areas† (OTA, 1988, p. 122). Furthermore, much of the early generation of software can be characterized by the â€Å"Quiz Syndrome† (Mackey, 1987). An innovation which appears to bring just one long question-answer routine gets a bad name.The available educational software covers only parts of the different subject matter domains (Inspectorate, 1988); most software is just â€Å"piecemeal† (Williams & Williams, 1984). The lack of sufficient high quality materials obstructs the integration of computer use into the daily practice. Problems many teachers experience are the following: For various reasons it is difficult to select suitable software. No t only is software often poorly documented, but also many teachers lack the knowledge and skills for an effective evaluation of the software quality (Knupfer, 1986; Preece & Jones, 1985).Moreover, there are only limited possibilities to preview potentially useful software before purchase (Balla, Gow, & Burton, 1986; Mallatratt, 1988). Teachers often lack technical skills in using computers and software (CERI, 1986; Ridgway et al. , 1984). This often leads to uncertainty, especially when the level of computer familiarization of the teacher is the same as or even lower than that of the students (Carmicheal et al. , 1985; Heywood & Norman, 1988). A consequence of this phenomenon may be that educational computing will be restricted to the limited level of expertise of the teacher.Teachers often experience unanticipated problems with their instructional roles (Carmicheal et al. , 1985; Cuban, 1986; Hawkins & Sheingold, 1986; Wiske et al. , 1988). Computers challenge teachers’ exis ting instructional routines by requiring a shift from expository teaching towards a role in which the teacher is more of a partner and guide of the students. Many teachers feel uncomfortable about these changes and therefore try to minimize them (Elder, Gourlay, Johnstone, & Wills, 1987; Olson, 1988; Plomp, Steerneman, & Pelgrum, 1988). This factor is particularly Implementation f Computers in Education 71 – important because research has shown that the way a teacher integrates computer use through his ongoing instructional decisions is critical to the impact of computer use on learners and learning results (Wilson, 1988). Cox et al. (1988) observe that teachers frequently lack knowledge and skills for effective stimulation of students’ microcomputer activities, and thus children fail to learn what they might learn with judicious teacher intervention. Teachers experience many practical problems when they start to use computers (Carmicheal et al. 1985; Elder et al. , 19 87; Inspectorate, 1986). Computer use demands from teachers many time-consuming management and organizational activities. Wiske et al. (1988) conclude that the major barrier for computer use is that it is unclear for teachers how the potential contribution of computer use can outweigh the costs involved. In summary we may conclude that the research on the integration of computer applications in education reveals many similar problems as described in the literature on curriculum implementation (cf. Fullan et al. 1987). Most factors that influence curriculum implementation also influence the integration of computer use in the instructional practice. An Infusion Approach for the Integration of Computer Use In this section we will try to identify elements of an effective strategy for the integration of computer use in education by analogy reasoning with approaches of effective curriculum implementation. Most teachers, if they are using computers at all, are still inexperienced users; th e great majority are in the initial implementation phase.In this stage small-scale successful experiences are an important factor in stimulating the use of the innovation by teachers, both in the field of curriculum implementation (Van den Akker, 1988b) and computer integration (Fullan et al. , 1987). There are two components of successful experiences: first, the students attain clear learning results; second, the teacher succeeds in an effective lesson execution without major problems, and is aware of his own contribution in this respect.Such successful experiences can only take place when teachers have high quality courseware at their disposal. We define courseware as: a package comprising computer software and (mostly written) support materials. Since our analysis of implementation problems indicated that especially the support materials – if available – are of a poor quality, we shall focus on that component (â€Å"lessonware†) of the courseware.In order to identify â€Å"high quality† characteristics, we need to clarify what functions the materials should have for the teacher. Functions and Characteristics of Courseware As shown in the previous sections, integration of computer use by teachers is complex and involves them in learning new roles and unlearning old ones. Implementation can be 72 J. VAN DEN AKKER et al. conceived as a learning process for the teacher in which changes are required in teaching behavior as well as in beliefs, attitudes and understanding.A literature review of Van den Akker (1988b, c) on curriculum implementation, teacher planning, and general learning theories provides some answers to the question of how materials can contribute to this learning process of teachers in their initial implementation phase. The literature on curriculum implementation reveals that in teachers’ initial implementation efforts personal self-concerns dominate, changing via more task-oriented concerns to concerns about t he impact of the curriculum on learners (Loucks & Lieberman, 1983).Research indicates that this change model also applies on computer integration (Cicchelli & Beacher, 1985, 1987; Wiske et al. , 1988). Thus, at present, where most teachers are still in the initiation phase where personal survival concerns dominate, courseware materials should support the teachers by anticipating as much as possible potential user problems and by offering practical advice to prevent or solve such problems.From research on teacher planning (Clark & Peterson, 1986) it has become more evident that changing the practice of teaching requires more attention to the stage of pre-active planning. The lesson planning approach is of crucial importance for the lesson execution, and, ultimately, also for learning-by-reflection of the teacher afterwards. Literature on general learning theories indicates that (intensive) orienting activities yield more precise and reasoned plans for action.Courseware may activate a nd support teacher planning by providing a clear orientation to the teaching task, by pointing to critical features of (computer assisted) lessons and by making suggestions about how to deal with emergent problems during the instructional process. From this analysis we may conclude that courseware, intended for teachers’ initial use, should contain a large amount of procedural specifications: very accurate how-to-do-it advice focused on essential but apparently vulnerable elements of the curriculum.This means that the support materials should not only contain â€Å"technical† information about the use of the computer program, but also detailed advice about the instructional process (cf. Fullan et af. , 1987). With the help of such materials, the teachers should be stimulated to a task orientation and to concrete role-taking experiences and should be supported with practical advice for successful lessons. In order to produce such courseware, one has to follow a very car eful development approach, with much attention for formative evaluation and revision of the materials.Obviously, the technical certainty of the software must be guaranteed and the program should be easy to use (Fullan et al. , 1987). Special efforts have to be made to detect teachers’ problems with the use of the courseware in their classroom situation. These evaluation findings should lead to the incorporation of procedural suggestions for the teachers in the support materials about how to prevent or solve such problems. It seems desirable that the development of the software and the support materials (â€Å"lessonware†) proceeds in close interaction.More or less simultaneous design, construction and evaluation activities can further the interwoveness of the different courseware components. Such an approach may also increase the chances to produce courseware that is innovative from an instructional and curricular perspective (cf. Hawkins & Sheingold, 1986). Implementa tion of Computers in Education 73 An Illustrative Study An explorative study along these lines has been done by Keursten (1988), who developed courseware for primary science.He pointed out that there is a remarkable resemblance between major implementation problems of teachers with a new approach in (activity-based) science education and the earlier discussed problems with the integration of computer use. Van den Akker (1988a, b) mentioned the following key problems for teachers in the science domain: complex and time-consuming lesson preparation; a lack of background knowledge and skills (causing a lack of self-confidence); great difficulties in changing the didactical role; insufficient view of possible learning outcomes.In the research project of Van den Akker (1988a, b), a successful effort was made to diminish these problems by providing teachers with many, carefully tested procedural specifications in curriculum materials. Keursten (1988) applied the same sort of specification s in courseware for a series of seven lessons (on the theme â€Å"weather†; final grade of primary school), to be used by teachers who had neither experience with computer use nor with an activity-based science approach.The courseware package consisted of: written lesson materials containing subject matter information and directions for lesson preparation and execution; educational software with a very succinct manual about its operation; and some student materials. The procedural specifications for the package were divided over the written lesson materials (â€Å"lessonware†) and the software manual. In the â€Å"lessonware† the following categories were incorporated: i general characterization of the series of lessons in terms of objectives, content, time (also division of time over different lessons), suggestions for detecting learning effects. ackground information about the subject matter so that it is not necessary for the teacher to refer to other sources during the lesson preparation. Per lesson were included: a short outline of the lesson; suggestions for the lesson preparation, including issues like: necessary learning aids, classroom organization, structure of the lesson in keywords, personal preparation by the teacher. guidelines for lesson execution with suggestions for instructional activities, for classroom organization, and for guidance of the students.The manual of the computer program consisted of: directions for the use of the computer (especially important for teachers without experience with computers); description of the objectives (short, because it is also part of the written lesson materials); directions for the use of software (important, as it must answer all possible questions teachers may have in using the program); points of attention about the siting of the computer(s). – – – – 74 J. VAN DEN AKKER et al. Two basic elements in the design approach should be underlined.First, the curr icular perspective was in the forefront; the computer software was developed as a tool for realizing the formulated curriculum aims. Second, the primary focus in the elaboration of the materials was on the tasks and user problems of the teachers – and not on the possibilities of the software. An evaluation of the use of this courseware with five teachers had positive results. The teachers were able to use the package as meant by the designers. They hardly experienced any technical problems and adequately realized the activity-based science approach.Also the reactions and learning outcomes of the students were very satisfying. A general conclusion of this study was that the characteristics of the courseware seem very appropriate to reduce implementation problems. Therefore follow-up research has been started for further investigation of this approach. Conclusion The integration of computer use in the instructional practice of teachers â€Å"infusable† support materials (cf. Wilson, 1988). We would like to summarize our infusion approach as follows: benefits by eachers can start their computer use with short and well organized applications; successful use is strongly advanced by carefully designed and validated procedural specifications in the different courseware components; based on these successful experiences, teachers acquire clarity about the meaning and potential of the innovation, gain confidence in their own competence, and develop their own view of the appropriateness of the innovation for their students and themselves. Without such early â€Å"high quality† experiences, teachers’ judgments about the relevance and practicality of computer use can only be superficial.As Wiske et al. (1988) found, the initial reservations of teachers about computer use diminish after experiencing examples of computer use that yield clear educational benefits. A real integration of computer use in the curriculum can only be realized when teache rs recognize the surplus value of computer use. Successes in the early implementation phase are crucial for motivating teachers to further activities and to elicit commitment to the change efforts. We have strongly concentrated our arguments on the role of products (courseware) in the process of implementation.Of course we realize – see the first part of our article – that there are many other variables at stake. But we agree with Collis (1988) that it makes sense to focus on those variables which are relatively easy to manipulate. And, within the then available options, we have strong indications that a sophisticated design of the support materials within courseware can have a great impact on implementation activities and outcomes. 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Williams, F. , & Williams, V. (1984). Microcomputers in elementary education; Per. spectives on impl’ementation. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.Wilson, B. (1988). faking sense of the future. A position puper on the role of technology jn science, mathematics, and computing education. Cambridge, MA: Educational Technology Center, Harvard Graduate School of Education. Wiske, M. S. , Zodhiates, Ph. , Wilson. B. , Gordon, M. , Harvey, W. , Krensky, L. , Lord, B. , Watt, M. , & Williams, K. (1988). How technology affects teaching. Cambridge, MA: E ducational Technology Center, Harvard Graduate School of Education. Woodhouse, D. , & Jones, A. .I. (1988). Integrating CAL with other instructional activities in schools. Computers and Education. 12 (3), 381-389.

Child Labor Since the Industrial Revolution Essay

Child labor has changed dramatically since the time of the industrial revolution. Teens everywhere can now have part time jobs that aren’t hazardous to their health and follow strict child labor laws. Although pretty much all our ancestors weren’t so lucky. During n the Industrial Revolution there were no child labor laws. The factory owners just saw it as jobs that could be done by anyone, and grown men would not stand for such low pay so who better than children who are just as happy with pennies and nickels. Children working in factories didn’t just have to deal with low income they also had horrid working conditions, health hazards, low wages, long hours worked per day, and almost every day worked per week. Child Labor had existed long before the Industrial Revolution; children were usually forced to work in family farms or as servants. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that children were forced into factories with horrid working conditions. These kids would often work 10-12 hours a day, and also had to deal with constant abuse from superiors who demanded faster production. Children as young as four were employed to work in coal mines. Conditions were dangerous very dangerous in the coal mines, many children developed lung cancer and other diseases and died before the age of 25, while others died from gas explosions. Some children were employed as â€Å"scavengers† by cotton mills, their jobs would be to climb under machinery to pick up cotton, some died from being crushed under the machines, and some lost hands or even limbs. After reports of these atrocities became widespread politicians and the government tried to limit child labor by law, but factory owners resisted; some felt that they were aiding the poor by giving their children money to buy food to avoid starvation, and others simply welcomed the cheap labor. The English governments’ efforts only led to the limit of 10 hours of work per day for children but working conditions were still atrocious. In the 21st century there are many regulations that have drastically improved safety and limits on child workers in the U.  S. The minimum age for â€Å"Non-Hazardous† work is 14, and for agricultural work that age is dropped to 10-11 years old with parental consent on farms not regulated by minimum wage requirements, and 12-13 years old just with parental consent. The laws on today’s limit on hours of employment are as follows: No work during school hours, on school days: 3 hours/day, 18 hours/week maximum, when school is out of session: 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week with at least 30 minute s of break time included each day. These laws helped to keep hours of work limited to ensure more time for school and other activities. There have also been laws for minimum wage that a teen can receive for work. Federal Minimum is $7. 25 per hour as of 7/24/09 youth minimum is $4. 25 per hour for employees under 20 years of age during their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment with an employer. In today’s working world hazards teens will face while working are limited to just slipping on wet floors, minor burns, and small cuts. Granted this is if most safety precautions are carried out and it was accidental. So far no child worker has been exposed to any harmful diseases while working, during the 21st century. The managers overseeing children working are very helpful and are punished by law if they harass or physically injure any employees. Since the Industrial revolution the ages of child workers have changed from as young as 4 to, at the very least, 10. Child workers today are no longer allowed to work 12 or 14 hours a day, instead there are strict laws that allow for a thirty minute break everyday and no more than 18 hours of work per week. Minimum wage has been changed from pennies and nickels to $7. 25 since the Industrial Revolution. Teems working nowadays are ensured by workers compensation and serious injuries are rare because of safety precautions taken; as opposed to frequent diseases, serious injuries, and even death that were reported in the Industrial Revolution. Thankfully many changes have ensured the health and safety of child workers today. I am personally thankful for these laws and regulations because as of next week I will be working at Panera Bread and it is nice to know that I am safe as a working teen.

Egyptian and Mesoptamian Creation Story Comparison Essay

The Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations are similar yet differ in the way in which they were created. Civilizations were created years and years ago with many mythological characters and beliefs. Religion, gender, culture, gods, and society are impact the creation of these civilizations. In each of these civilizations, â€Å"we† come from the same place, the Water. In the Egyptian creation story, the first thing that existed was the ocean. The ocean then laid an egg that hatched, Ra, the sun. Once Ra the sun was born, then came gods and goddesses, atmosphere, the Earth, and so on. In the Mesopotamian creation story, everything began with the water. From the water, sea monsters and gods were born. The gods then began to create life. The water played a huge role on the creation of â€Å"us† and who â€Å"we† are. Both the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations believe in Polytheism. The Egyptian creation story takes place with many different gods and goddesses. Ra, the sun, brought these gods forth. The gods were Shu and Geb while the goddesses were Tefnut and Nut. Each of these gods was then the creator of something. In Mesopotamian society gods were brought to the picture, which then were the creators of everything. Gender played a picture in each of these creation stories. The stories differ on the roles of Gender. In Egypt, they had respect for women and were treated identical to men. For example, Shu, a god, and Tefnut, a goddess together created the atmosphere. The Mesopotamian’s take on gender was that male and female were not equal. For example, Tiamat, the female creator, tries to take control. Her descendants unite against her, choosing one of their number – Marduk, the god of Babylon – to lead them. In conclusion, the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations are very similar. This leads me to believe that all civilizations are related when it dates back to the year in which they were created. These creation stories only differed in one major category, which were gender roles. Overall, the relationship between Egyptian and Mesopotamian creation stories were very similar.

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 46

Case study - Essay Example hains under the umbrella of Inditex are involved in various business industries such as manufacturing, textile, real estate, and finance among others (Ghemawat and Nueno 7). Despite being under the same umbrella of Inditex, each chain operates independently, a factor that has contributed to Zara’s massive success in comparison to the other chains. With an expansion strategy from the firm’s founder, Amancio Ortega Ganoa, Zara has been able to open new stores in the past years with the first opened in upmarket shopping street in La Coruna, in 1975, in Spain, Zara’s home base (7). Expansion has however, seen it go international with other store being opened beyond the Spanish boundaries from which it has been able to expand substantively especially in logistics and IT (9). Zara has been able to beat its competitors in the market by making customer preference their priority, enabling for the production of distinctive products that meet the customers’ needs. In a strategy named ‘vertical integration,’ Zara observes the current trends in the fashion industry and works towards production of products that are considered the next trend in the fashion industry. Ideally, this has been the greatest success orientation for Zara. In addition to expansive marketing, Inditex, as an umbrella organization through its supply chains including Zara, has established effective and able management team that run each of the chains with utmost objective in achieving success (6). This aspect has as well contributed immensely towards the overall success of Inditex and its chain units. Despite the success orientation that Inditex has been to experience in the past years, difficult times are looming in the new future for this firm considering that a majority of the stores under it are working on expansive strategies that would see them acquire new market bases. This could be disastrous to Inditex considering that each of the chains operates on an independent basis. Other than the

Management & Organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management & Organisation - Essay Example eatures and functions which are in line with the market consideration, clients responses, technological developments, innovation, supply chain procedural methods functioning and many more factors of relevant importance that are vital to be taken into account in order to derive maximum out of a business enterprise on international level. M& S services and activities are driven by organized philosophy which has enabled effective growth and development in the market in comparison to the rivals. The philosophy of mark and Spencer is based on the basic idea of â€Å" production and manufacturing of products of top most quality with due consideration of the costs but at the same time ensuring that the costs do not come down to a very low level which would ultimately compromise the quality. The bottom line of philosophy is that of quality retention which in other words is the clients’ satisfaction. Mark & Spencer has a rich history of productive market performance, however it has had share of low phases as well. One major turn of similar events was seen around the end of last century when during 1999 when the company performance graph in terms of the sales made went extremely low, and considerable stock market shares were lost to other rivals as well which resulted in loss of trust of the customers and overall net loss to the company both in terms of financial means and clients trust. The stocks dip by a good over 30 percent was a deep blow to the company (Bevan 2007). This came along in contrast to the outstanding figures and outputs achieved by the company in yester years when the company had over 18 percent of the clients captured in terms of the garments market, 30 percent of the undergarments of women were covered through Marks and Spencer(Alon 2000). Human resource management and domain is of high importance to any organization and its performance, M&S is no exception and there is always margin for improvement, enhancing the overall HR services and customers’

Iranian Nuclear Program and its implications for the stability and Essay

Iranian Nuclear Program and its implications for the stability and security of the Region - Essay Example Iran’s nuclear program began in the 1950s when the United States assisted the Shah to build 20 nuclear power reactors as part of the state’s modernization efforts. In addition to this, research and development efforts were conducted during the Shah’s tenure on fissile material production. But, in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, all nuclear activity was halted. Research and further nuclear development activity resumed in recent years. The Iran-Iraq War was responsible for the re-emergence of an intensified effort to develop nuclear capability. Instead of the benign objectives of the Shah previously, the purpose of the current Iranian nuclear program is in line with the military and defence aims of the state. And, after the Iraqi threat, the nuclear weapons development would later came to be publicly aimed at Israel and the United States. A more sober and conservative analysis of the Iranian objective was laid down by Charles Mayer (2004): As a small status quo state, Iran has no overt military ambitions beyond its borders. Its grand strategy is to foster a Gulf leadership role while providing a credible deterrent to any future attack.

Position review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Position review - Essay Example lly by (a) providing reasons and evidence that the audience will see as persuasive, (b) anticipating and responding to objections or questions the audience is likely to raise, and (c) making appropriate appeals? The paper could be more persuasive in the 4th paragraph where the writer was trying to convince the reader that the cost of having an on call interpreter for every language in the hospital is a necessary evil. This could have been done by presenting actual statistics relating to the effective treatment of patients in hospitals that do have easily accessible interpreters. The writer has created a clear voice that speaks for the non-English speakers who need hospital care. The voice used is clearly appropriate for use throughout the whole paper. However, his ethos is hampered by the lack of citations in the paper that would have added credibility to his arguments. 7. What did you learn from the conclusion that you didnt already know after reading the introduction and the body? What information does the writer want you to take away from the argument? Does the writer attempt to change your attitude, action or opinion? I learned that the changing ethnic landscape of America has also changed the way we treat patients in the hospitals. We need to make sure that the hospital policies follow suit in order to be able to provide ample healthcare to all concerned. The writer wants the reader to come away from the argument realizing that universal healthcare should also speak international languages in order to be highly effective in treating their patients. The writer however, does not attempt to make the reader change his attitude, action, or opinion. Instead, he presents all of the factual data that he can muster and then allows the reader to come to his own

Leadership Theories Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Theories - Research Paper Example The theory was made popular among the common people by Thomas Carlyle, a famous historian in the year 1840 (Forsyth, 2009). Trait Theory of Leadership Trait theory is based on certain characteristics of personality of people which depict them as a natural leader. It has been learnt in accordance with this theory that those who are good leaders will have the right blend of different leadership traits. Furthermore, the theory signifies that there are certain traits in individuals which are best suited for leadership. It has been noted that a few of the traits that are inevitable in leaders include dependability, self- confidence, cooperativeness and influential personality among others. The trait theory was first developed by Francis Galton in the year 1869. This theory depicts that leaders have certain decisive characteristics that facilitate them to attain greater confidence and trust of followers (Manning and Curtis, 2003). Transactional Leadership Theory (Leader-Member Exchange (LM X) Theory) Transactional leadership theory is also termed managerial leadership. A leader with the characteristics of a transactional leader will mainly focus on the performance of the group as well as the overall organization. It has been noted that this theory primarily deals with encouraging and motivating individuals towards the accomplishment of targeted goals. In this type of leadership, the main function of the followers is to obey the instructions and orders of the leaders. This theory was proposed by Bernard Bass in the year 1981 (Bass & Bass, 2009). Furthemore, there is another section of transactional leadership theory which is called leader–member exchange theory. According to this leadership theory, a leader of teams or any organization develops a healthy relationship with their subordinates or team members in order to ascertain maximum positive outcome from them. The theory was developed by the duo of George Graen and Fred Dansereau (Griffin & Morehead, 2009). P art B Great Man Theory of Leadership and Its Use to Influence and Reward for Team and Individuals Since this theory depicts that leaders are born with gifted characteristics, they are capable of influencing an individual or team towards a particular goal. Moreover, a leader following this theory can also reward team members for their good work owing to his/her characteristic of honesty. For example, a leader should not be partial in praising good work of team members. Only the right person should be praised with rewards (Forsyth, 2009). Great Man Theory of Leadership and Its Use to Develop Interpersonal Skills for Building Trust Furthermore, other innate characteristics of leaders i.e. building positive relationship with members will enable them to develop interpersonal skills of the members. Also, it has been noted that good relation will always be accompanied by trust. Thus, this will also develop trust of the members upon the leader. For instance, a leader will need to create a r apport with the team members by getting involved with their personal along with professional issues and solving them (Forsyth, 2009). Trait Theory of Leadership and Its Use to Influence and Reward for Team and Individuals These aspects of the theory will contribute towards influencing teams and individuals for accomplishment of targeted goals. By being influential and cooperative, a leader can motivate his/her followers for ensuring the deliverance of effective

People can read others' minds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People can read others' minds - Essay Example Is it an inborn psychic ability or being hypersensitive to how others feel and think? Each person has a certain degree of psychic ability, some more than others. People gifted with psychic abilities use the power of the mind and extra sensory perception (ESP) to help them clearly anticipate what is going to happen. They can also channel their energies in reading other people’s minds. Sometimes, this ability can be beneficial for them because they would know how to respond to a person or an event, having had a foreknowledge of that person’s thoughts or the images of details of the event. On the other hand, they absorb negative thoughts or see visions of disastrous events and these readings can upset them too much. Any ordinary person also has natural mind abilities that help him get through some situations, and one of this is being able to discern what other people will say or do. The ability to read minds goes far back to our ancient roots when we managed to feel our way around. This was when communication systems were not as sophisticated. People were easy to read because they were bereft of any hidden agendas that complicated their lives. Technology was very limited and there were no distractions such as the television, internet, etc. and people focused on other people. When they communicated with each other, they gave their full attention. Being so in sync with each other, it was easy to read each other’s minds. Ross Buck, a Communication Sciences professor at the University of Connecticut contends that mind reading has been used by people to â€Å"create and maintain the social order† (Paul: para 8). Hence, people relied on mind reading to keep the harmony between them. How ever, mind reading is not literally just reading the other person’s thoughts. It also takes interpreting his gestures, actions and language. It is difficult to â€Å"mind-read† if one cannot see the other person move and talk. Reading a person becomes

((((MYCROLAB)))) group project Report in subject of NEW PRODUCT Essay

((((MYCROLAB)))) group project Report in subject of NEW PRODUCT MAMAGEMENT - Essay Example Market segmentation, targeting and positioning are the three major approaches which are applied by the marketing departments in their endeavors to achieve organizational goals. Of the three steps mentioned above segmentation is the first one to take on. In market segmentation, segment variables are identified and the market is segmented accordingly. The segmentation allows the company to focus on the demands of the targeted market and fulfill its demands. It seeks to differentiate between various segments of a market and addresses to the needs and requirements of each market. In this way they make products and introduce services which are specifically meant for that particular segment of the market only. There are various approaches that can be applied in the segmentation of market. Company would thus, be able to create its identity in all its major market segments. Different marketing and communication strategies could be applied for each segment keeping in mind, the respective cons umers in the segments. (Dickensin, 1987) The market is segmented according to the Business market segmentation. The segmentation has been done according to the following bases: geographic segmentation, customer type and buying behavior. Geographic segmentation gives us secondary segment which includes metropolitan and regional hospitals. Customer types and buying behavior usage patterns blend together to give us the primary segment -who are medical practitioners and local GPs- and tertiary segment including medical charities and humanitarian support organizations. In market segmentation, we have grouped customers and non-customers with similar characteristics. These characteristics include similar economic, biographic and usage behavior. Biographics are considered because Mycrolab is a health related diagnostic system and is mostly used by people in health services or people with health issues or health conscious. Moreover product related segmentation have also

The effect of calcium in reducing risk to melanoma Research Paper

The effect of calcium in reducing risk to melanoma - Research Paper Example Melanoma has three distinct categories namely cutaneous, mucosal and ocular melanoma (Dorce, 2013). Cutaneous melanoma is the most prominent and occurs on the skin precisely in the cells of the pigment. Mucosal melanoma is common in the vagina, throat, anus and canals of passages (Braeuer et al., 2014). A rare form of melanoma is the Ocular Melanoma that appears mostly around the eyes. Melanoma is treatable at an early stage but if the cancer goes unnoticed, it advances to other body parts where it becomes fatal and extremely hard to treat. Barnhill argued that some of the signs of melanoma include the development of moles on the skin (2004). Bleeding spots on the body and un-healing sores may be indications of melanoma. In women, melanoma is mostly on the legs whereas in men it’s common on the upper back. Women have turned to meals with low-calories with the aim being to get slim. As a result, calcium appears to be deficient in women thus increasing chances of melanoma. Individuals with skin that is extremely sensitive to ultraviolet radiation are at higher risks of melanoma. In addition, excessive sunburns resulting from increased exposure to the sun at a tender age may cause melanoma later on because of damaged cells that are prone to cancer. Some rare cases of cancer history in a family exist where children acquire melanoma genetically from parents (Sucio, 2014). In previous periods, surgery coupled with chemotherapy was the best options of dealing with melanoma. Doctors have recently adopted the combinations of calcium and vitamin D supplements to treat the skin cancer. Calcium has proven to be detrimental in eliminating the risk associated with a number of cancer ailments. For instance, the consumption of calcium destroys polyps that would have elevated bowel cancer. The case of melanoma is no different, as calcium and Vitamin D have made remarkable changes

Family in African-American Literature Essay Example for Free

Family in African-American Literature Essay In literary pieces such as Alice Walker’s story â€Å"Everyday Use†, Langston Hughes’ â€Å"My People†, and Robert Hayden’s poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, the theme of family relationships is significantly evident. In â€Å"Everyday Use†, Walker presents one stage and aspect of a family life when one adult child chooses to live on her own while the other one stays with the family. Hughes’ poem portrays his love for his people which he considers to be a family as a whole. Meanwhile, Hayden’s â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, talks about the narration and description of a boy about his father whom he is not well acquainted with. As the first piece speaks of a story about a family in relation to their heritage, the latter speaks of a boy’s reminiscence of a father who was never able to show his love directly to his children. These two aspects of family relationships reveal several angles to look upon.   Such family situations are influenced by authors’ own race and heritage. Alice Walker portrays the story of a fully grown-up daughter, Dee, who goes back to home to her home to visit her mother, Mrs. Johnson and her younger sister, Maggie. She arrives accompanied by an African American Muslim man who is currently dating her. She comes home to collect some family possessions which she intends to turn into artistic pieces to be exhibited in a museum. Meanwhile, her sister Maggie grimaces as her sister takes some of their personal belongings including a quilt that her mother has promised to give her as a wedding present. Dee tells her mother that Maggie would only ruin the quilt by using it everyday which puzzles Mrs. Johnson as she could not think of any way to use the quilt than to spread them. When Mrs. Johnson sees the sadness in her younger daughter’s eyes upon Dee taking the quilt, she snatches it away and gives it to Maggie. Dee walks away after claiming that their problem is they do not understand their own heritage (Walker). In this story, Walker portrays a family whose eldest daughter has become estranged from them. In the first part of the story, Mrs. Johnson recounts how Dee had hated living in their house and even almost set it on fire when she was young. The concept of a dysfunctional family is quite present here; however, it focuses more on the mother-child relationship rather than every member of the family. It is important to note that Walker made use of the damaged relationship of Dee to her mother and sister to show and illustrate the different types of African American people. On the other hand, Langston Hughes shows his love and appreciation for his people in his poem â€Å"My People†. He does not speak of family but his tone and use of words make it seem as if he is speaking of his beloved family. â€Å"The night is beautiful, / So the faces of my people† (lines 1-2). The possessive pronoun â€Å"my† indicates a certain intimacy between him and â€Å"his† people which is usually used for referring to a small group of people who shares something intimate and common such as â€Å"my family†. In this regard, Hughes speaks highly of his race as if he is talking about a family he loves most. â€Å"The stars are beautiful, /  So the eyes of my people† (3-4). The comparison of his people to the heavens indicates the depth of his love and care for them as he would to his family. â€Å"Beautiful, also, is the sun. / Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people† (5-6). In the poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, it can be assumed that Robert Hayden personally speaks through the voice of the speaker in his poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†. His distant relationship with his father is evident. In this melancholic poem, he narrates about the concealed appreciation of a son for his father’s acts of love by means of writing it in a prose. The narrator tells about the labors of his father even on a cold winter Sunday. However, in the poem, the speaker emphasizes that his father’s great efforts are usually ignored. The title of the poem itself already suggests a background for the readers. The speaker is obviously focused only on the â€Å"winter Sundays† and why it means too much work for the father. In the first stanza of the poem, the detailed description of the speaker’s father is very noticeable. He illustrated him by means of mentioning his physical condition as he works on cold Sundays. He could have described it in a clearer way by going straight to the point.   Nevertheless, he expressed his father’s poor countenance in a way that the reader can visualize the father’s hands cracked hands and the busy Sundays. The first two lines of the poem somewhat develops a thesis that would cover the whole idea in the poem. â€Å"Sundays too my father got up early / And put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,† (1-2). Sundays should be a day of rest but the speaker stresses that his father still wakes up even before the sun rose to go to work. He further highlights the weary countenance of his father as he describes his father’s â€Å"cracked hands that ached / from labor in the weekday weather made / Banked fires blaze† (3-5). The poem further shows how heartbreaking the father’s situation must be by writing the last line of the first stanza with, â€Å"No one ever thanked him† (5). With the last line, it is reasonable to consider that the speaker is one of those people who failed to thank him. In this regard, it can be assumed that the speaker is already in his old or middle age when he remembers how his father has shown him love in his own way. Clearly, these renowned African-American writers have frequently used the theme of family relationships to further address the problems of their society. The issues of racism, nationalism, and love are the implicit ideas which are present in the three literary pieces discussed. These authors portrays different types of African-American families which serves as the representation of the current society that they are in. since the family is the basic unit of society, it is the primary target of societal effects such as racism and other social issues. Every problem of the society can become the problem of the family which is why the most meaningful literary works of art somewhat involves the theme of family relationships. Works Cited Hayden, Robert. â€Å"Those Winter Sundays.† The Oxford Anthology of African-American Poetry. Ed. Arnold Rampersad, Hilary Herbold. United States of America: Oxford University Press US, 2006. 261. Hughes, Langston. â€Å"My People.† Poem Hunter. 19 April 2009. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-people/ Walker, Alice. Everyday Use. Ed. Barbara Christian. United States of America: Rutgers University Press, 1994.

Hamlet and Sure Thing | Analysis of Timing and Language

Hamlet and Sure Thing | Analysis of Timing and Language Getting it Right: An analysis of Timing and Language in Hamlet and Sure Thing This essay explores how language is used to reveal the hidden inner thoughts and feelings of characters, and how timing can play a crucial part in the portrayal of dramatic characters to the audience. The work addresses how, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, language portrays the gradual working through of Hamlet’s thoughts, towards his ultimate ambition of revenge, and in contrast, how language is crucial in establishing the initial and critical connection between Bill and Betty in David Ives’ one-Act play, Sure Thing. Sure Thing presents a sequence of dialogues between a young couple getting to know one another in a coffee shop. The ringing of a bell interrupts their successive attempts at the same conversation. Signifying ‘time out’ when one says something unsuccessful, when, in ordinary circumstances, their conversation might have ended: BILL. This is my first night out alone in a long time. I feel a little bit at sea, to tell you the truth. BETTY. So you didn’t stop to talk because you’re a Moonie, or because you have some weird political affiliation -? BILL. Nope. Straight-down-the-ticket Republican. (Bell). Straight-down-the-ticket Democrat. (Bell.) Can I tell you something about politics? (Bell.) I like to think of myself as a citizen of the universe. (Bell.) I’m unaffiliated. BETTY. That’s a relief. So am I. (Ives, 1994, p.20). In this play, unlike the tumultuous progress of Hamlet, extremes are no good it is the middle ground that both characters seek to inhabit, where safe and reliable answers will secure their trust in one another as a potential partner. Ives’ use of language is witty and selective briefly touching on topics that give the audience an idea of the personality and tastes of the characters, while chopping up the pace to keep their attention. In contrast, Hamlet seeks to explore the extremities of human character and the boundaries between sanity and insanity, and morality and immorality. For example, when Hamlet’s world is suddenly turned upon its head after the murder of his father, Shakespeare uses metaphor to express the ominous and unsettled feelings which Hamlet experiences: I have of late (but whereof I know not) lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and, indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave overhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appeareth no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours! (Hamlet, II. I. Found in Geddes and Grossett, 2006, P.386). Hamlet’s vision of the world is compared to a structure the ‘frame’ of the earth, and the ‘canopy’ of the sky. The metaphor is extended into the following lines, where the phenomena of the natural world are ascribed with human characteristics such as ‘brave’ and ‘majestical.’ Shakespeare’s use of landscape as metaphor is crucial here as it emphasizes the turning upside down of Hamlet’s world the idea that everything he knew and trusted to remain has suddenly transformed into the worst, most extreme, scenario imaginable. For Shakespeare, it is the gradual unfolding of Hamlet’s character, which drives the play forward and causes the audience to question social and personal values. As critic W. Thomas MacCary comments on Hamlet, the development of the plot is determined by the development of Hamlet’s character. Furthermore, Hamlet as a character must ‘reveal what is hidden, [†¦.] so the plot of Hamlet is a gradual revelation of what is rotten in the state of Denmark.’ (MacCary, 1998, p.65): The time is out of joint: O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right! (Hamlet, I.v. 188-19. Found in Geddes and Grosset, 2006, p.384). Hamlets infamous delay is necessary for him, and the audience, to have the time to assimilate and make an informed judgement on the events that have passed, before proceeding to the next phase of dramatic intensity. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to portray to the audience what is personal to Hamlet. This technique serves not only to isolate the character, thus focusing attention on him, but also encourages comparisons and reflection on the part of the audience to their own lives, and the country of Denmark. In contrast, the intensity of Ives’ dialogue between Bill and Betty presents a short, sudden insight into the awkwardness and insouciance of a contemporary young couple, meeting for the first time, while providing a witty and thought-provoking social commentary. As this is a play with few props, the attention is focused on the couple; indeed, Bill’s desire to gain Betty’s attention and secure her company is projected onto the waiter, whose imminent arrival at t he end of the dialogue signifies the closing of the scene. The fact that the waiter never arrives and thus fails to interrupt the course of their conversation isolates the awkwardness and potential irony of contemporary social standards: conversation is often jolted, misplaced, and wrongly timed: BILL. (Looks around.) Well the waiters here sure seem to be in some different time zone. I can’t seem to locate one anywhere†¦.Waiter! (He looks back.) So what do you (He sees that she’s gone back to her book.) BETTY. I beg pardon? BILL. Nothing. Sorry. (Bell.) (Ives, 1994, p.17). This inspires the audience to consider the idea that although two fairly similar people are talking in a public meeting place, with nothing to interrupt them, they still cannot get it right. The characters make references to ‘different schedules,’ ‘missed connections,’ and the term ‘different time zone’ is first mentioned by Bill, and then repeated by Betty. This is suggestive of Ives’ intention to present to the audience the idea that in the 21st century, despite the presence of sophisticated means of communication, the simple act of making oneself known to another remains problematic. To conclude, this essay has shown that timing is crucial in both the plays, not only in the portrayal of the character to the audience, but also in the continuity of each play as a whole. Selective and witty use of language in both plays helps to remind the audience that they are not just watching an imagined scenario, but a bittersweet parody of the society of which they themselves are a part. Bibliography Geddes and Grosset, 2006, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. New Lanark: Geddes and Grosset Ives, D.1994, All in the Timing: Six One-Act comedies. Dramatists Play Service: New York Joseph, B., 1953, Conscience and the King: A study of Hamlet. London: Chatto and Windus MacCary, W.T., 1998, Hamlet: A Guide to the Play. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press

The Media Coverage Of Womens Sport In Australia Media Essay

The Media Coverage Of Womens Sport In Australia Media Essay In past centuries, women were discouraged from participating in any physical activity. Women were seen as having inadequate strength and ability to perform any physical activity instead were expected to be submissive and obedient supporters of their male relatives in this one sex activity. In the contemporary world, women have the rights to participate in different sports, and are acknowledged for their expertise to a degree; however, it is obvious that mens sport is still dominant. It is evident in nearly all societies that men were and still are receiving the majority of the media coverage, and are more recognised and rewarded for their athletic efforts. When images are presented in the media for sport, they are often of muscular men who have achieved excellence in their sport. At a young age, children are influenced to follow the stereotypes created through the years. Young girls are often excluded in school sports and pressured to express themselves as more passive and beautiful beings. As a result, young boys are given higher opportunities in sport and are rewarded for such things as getting dirty in a game of football and tackling players is rugby. As George Orwell said, Sport is war without bullets. Sometimes the language of sport borrows the language of war: we hear about battles, warriors, and some very real-life injuries. By comparing sport to past events such as war, where women were subjected to roles that only supported men as they were seen as weak, feminine and vulnerable, it is clear that the media is encouraging this disempowerment. While girls are increasingly encouraged to participate in sport, they are brought up believing that they are much weaker than boys, and cannot perform at the same level or intensity. Boys that do not fit the male stereotype norm in sports are often portrayed as having feminised gender characteristics. A young boy to be told that he throws like a girl or runs like a girl is considered an insult to normalised masculinity. Sport and masculinity are closely entwined, and as a result femininity has been defined as the other and distanced from sport. Men who enter the industry in traditionally female sports such as gymnastics, dance and diving are stereotyped as performing in a more feminine domain. Women in Australia have become largely involved in a majority of sports and sporting events including the Olympics and the Commonwealth games. Over 40 percent of the total participants in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 were women, and Australia had one of the largest contributions to this percentage. However, their achievements are less acknowledged as those of men, through receiving less media coverage on TV and in the print media, newspapers and magazines. Womens sport receives a total of 9% of all sports coverage in all Australian television news and current affairs (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2010). On the other hand, male sport receives over 80%. This unequal coverage has unfortunately created a difficult situation for sportswomen. Women are given less opportunities for professionalism and their media representation commonly portrays them as sexualised and feminine. Unfortunately the limited numbers of women in management within the industry means that changing this disempowerment is a difficult issue for women. The minimal coverage describes women in ways that stress feminine beauty, weakness, passivity and insignificance, deflecting attention from their athleticism. As women are not seen as equally skilful nor worthy of this media coverage, women find it vital to have a strong focus on their appearance to attract the attention of viewers. In a majority of womens sports, the outfits worn by female athletes are minimal and tight, and hair and makeup is flawless which portrays women as glamorous rather than skilful. Womens sport in Australia sees the Opals in basketball wearing tight fitting bodysuits in contrast to the mens knee length oversized shorts and baggy jerseys and women in beach volleyball wearing skimpy bathers while men play in shorts. This image attracts the wrong attention from viewers and even though the number of viewers (usually men) may increase due to this, women are stereotyped and their true abilities are made insignificant. Women are forced to contest each other to find ways to attract coverage to grow their profile and draw much-needed sponsorship dollars. After attracting sponsorship women are pressured by their sponsors to continue to emphasise femininity and look glamorous and beautiful, in order to be successful. Martina Navratilova is one athlete that never followed the stereotype, and relied on her athletic skills in order to be successful. Todays women tennis stars are good athletes who shouldnt have to wear dresses with plunging necklines to grab headlines (Navratilova, M 2000) On the other hand, Tennis superstar Anna Kournikova, has never won a professional tennis tournament, yet is one of the most famous women athletes. She relies on her looks and chooses to promote herself sexually, generally in mens magazine. The courts are as a stage, people love to see attractive players. Yes it is true I always try to be as seductive as possible but I wouldnt be here if I couldnt play tennis (Kournikova, A 2010). Majority of women athletes understand that to be entirely successful, they must have to follow the stereotype and have a strong feminine look to attract viewers. The language used by the media to describe women athletes subjects them to downgrading and sexist language. Women are often described using words such as vulnerable, choking and defeated while male athletes are given empowerment through the language used to describe them. The majority of descriptions of men include words such strong, powerful and gutsy giving them confidence to perform. Commentators and writers in the media push this disempowerment by not only using this language, but by relating women to children and treating them as amateur, unprofessional athletes through using their first names only. Lack of sponsorship hampers the growth and professionalism of womens sports. As the women are unable to obtain substantial sponsorship, they are unable to receive an increase of media coverage and vice versa, therefore the situation is difficult to overcome. The Australian Bodyboarding Pro Tour has been around as a contest for men to express their surfing abilities. For women, this contest has only been available for a few years, with most girls funding their own participation and travel expenses. Out of over 20 women entrants from Australia, only 4 received sponsorship. For women to be able to continue to perform like men, and grow in professionalism, they need to acquire funds like men do. The minimal of coverage is limiting the sponsorship opportunities therefore restricting career and training opportunities. Earning a minimal income from their competitions makes women unable to balance a professional sporting career and a family life. Without sponsorship, or a high winning income, women are forced to also work for a living in order to support their sport, and their family lives. Their busy schedules mean their hours to daily exercise and training are limited, which affects their chances of performing at their best ability. It was once thought that perhaps male athletes were more powerful athletes and therefore deserving of a higher salary. Society believed that the athletes performed at a harder and more exciting standard and for longer periods of time. However, this fact is entirely false and majority of sports are played, and at the same standard, by both men and women. Kira Llewellyn, who surfs for a living, is usually paid between $1000 and $5000 for her competition winnings. She received $20,000 US prize for the Sintra Pro in Portugal which was the largest sum for a woman in this contest. However, this prize money is not acceptable when the male winner received double the amount. Society has minimal understanding and knowledge of the sports due to the restricted coverage. Shelley Maher, president of Womens Lacrosse Australia said Australia is number one in the world in womens lacrosse and yet a very small percentage of the population would know about our sport, let alone that we were champions. Women strive hard to accomplish their goals in their sport. Sadly though, the lack of coverage means they are not credited for those achievements. Its not fair that a tennis player, for example, gets a half page article for breaking into the world top ten and we have the best in the world right here under our noses and nobody outside the sport seems to care, body boarding enthusiast Amanda Dahl says. In fact, the sportswomen from Australia in the 2006 Commonwealth Games won more gold and silver medals than men. Consistent media coverage can benefit a sport by creating positive role models for societys younger generations. These roles models sadly are limited in the world today because of this minimal coverage. Roles models are needed in contemporary Australia to help girls to set goals and accomplish their dreams. Once children reach adolescence, participation in physical activity declines immensely. Having role models in the media, allows the children see that women athletes do exist and therefore these children will begin to see athleticism as an important part in the female identity. The media needs to show a diversity of models, some with a strong athletic ability to ensure, to ensure that the younger generation is able to break through the construction on feminity. In conclusion, women have always been seen as the second sex when it comes to sport. Even though it is evident that coverage has increase over the years, it is clearly still a major disempowerment. Womens sport needs to be given equal coverage as men and needs to focus on their talents rather than the stereotypical images of women such as beautiful and sexualised. This will help create a standard for Australia that both women and men are equal beings, and will be expressed to the world through their media coverages. These factors as above need to be addressed to allow women to succeed in the sporting industry. Being given equal income, and not making women sexualised will create role models for the younger generations and will allow the industry to grow positively. Providing more physical education for girls in school based institutions will encourage young girls to continue exercise and understand it is achievable to perform at an elite level. As Kate Ellis, the Federal Minister for Sport stated, In a country with such a rich sporting culture as Australia, where womens sport is competitive and very successful on the international stage, it is incredibly disappointing that female sport remains so starkly under-represented in the media.

Symbols and Symbolism Essay - Characters as Symbols in The Great Gatsby

Characters as Symbols in The Great Gatsby   Ã‚  Ã‚   People hold different things to be symbolic. Dove and peace, a rose and love; they are simple things yet widely symbolic. Symbolism is commonly used in literature to change or deepen meanings or instill a different meaning to the mind of the readers. The reader is forced to think, make connections, and succeed in adding a new meaning to the novel. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses symbolism in the form of his characters and to develop the theme, the corruption of the American Dream.    All of the characters are symbolic of different classes in American society, from the richest to the poorest. Through the characters, Fitzgerald characterizes all the hopes and dreams of people living during the Jazz Age. As is typical of humans, none of the characters are satisfied with what they have. Each character wants more than what they are getting out of life. Tom and Daisy Buchanan represent "old money"; they seem to have it all: wealth, place in high society, a family, and all the advantages that come with being wealthy. On the surface they appear to be what the American Dream is all about; however, they are both dissatisfied with their lives, themselves, and each other. They are a classic example of the Dream's corruption because in spite of all they have, they are still seeking the true luxuries that each person wants from life: love, peace, and true happiness. Both Tom and Daisy are indifferent to the suffering hopes and dreams of all those around them. "They were careless people....they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money...and let other people clean up their mess" (Fitzgerald 188). A clear example of their careless... ...ife were for all the wrong reasons. It is here that he really begins to appreciate Gatsby and the purity of his dream. In Nick's opinion, Gatsby is "worth the whole damn bunch put together" (Fitgerald 162). Nick offers insight into a world in which the true American Dream is all but extinct.    Fitzgerald successfully used his characters as symbols to develop the corruption of the American Dream. Individually, the characters are symbolic of the various classes in American society; collectively they represent the dissatisfaction of achieving the American Dream. Each class defines the Dream differently, but the material aspects are all the same. The American Dream is increasingly corrupt; and it is harder to find individuals who realize its true meaning.    Work Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. London: Penguin Books, 1990.   

Organic vs. Sustainable Agriculture Essay -- Compare Contrast Agricult

Organic vs. Sustainable Agriculture Agriculture, to many is just an industry of farmers and cows. Most people can’t even come close to fathom just how essential the continuance of agriculture is to not just our well being, but our very lives. People of the United States have been spoiled, they’ve never had to worry about the grocery stores running empty because, even to this day, there hasn’t been a problem growing enough to feed, not only the U.S. but a good part of the world too. The day though is fast approaching that we won’t be able to keep those grocery stores stocked. Due to the depletion of the vital resources, needed to produce our food, it is becoming increasingly challenging for today’s agriculturalists to feed the world. The only way to be able to keep up with the exponentially growing population and shrinking resource base, is to radically change how we produce our food or we will be looking at a huge crisis in the very near future. From this, need of new farming and prod uction techniques, comes a couple new practices that will be discussed in this publication. One is sustainable, and the other is organic crop production. In the following, both practices will be discussed in detail hopefully clearing the air on which practice, in the long run should be the path production agriculture takes. Organic Agriculture, as defined by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB): â€Å"Is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony.† Which is very fancily put for agriculture with as little man made input as poss... ...perations future sustainability. Sources Brodt, S, Feenstra, G, Kozloff, R, Klonsky, K, Tourte, L. (2006). Farmer –community connections and the future of ecological agriculture in California. Agriculture and Human Values, 23,75-88. Fouche, C, Tourte, L, Gaskell, M, Smith, R, Koike, S, T. Mitchell, J. (2006) Organic Certification, Farm Planning, Management, and Marketing. Publication #7247, 1-6 Earles, R, Williams, P. (2005) Sustainable Agriculture: An introduction. Retrieved October 22, 2006, from http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/sustagintro.pdf Gegner, L, Kueper, G. (2004) Organic Crop Production Overview. Retrieved October 22, 2006, from http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/organiccrop.pdf Pimentel, D. (2005) Environmental, energetic, and economic comparisons of organic and conventional farming systems. Bioscience, v. 55, no. 7, 573-579

Animal Farm †the Nature of Power Essay

Animal Farm: The Nature of Power Describe at least one idea that was worth learning about. Explain why the idea was worth learning about in the text. In George Orwell’s book Animal Farm an idea that was worth learning about was the corruptive nature of power, and the effects it has on those who wield it. â€Å"Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.† -Lord Acton. This is important because it gives the reader an insight on Orwell’s theory on why most communist revolutions and regimes fail. In the beginning of Animal Farm the tyrant farmer Jones is overthrown and the animals are filled with visions of a farm where were all animals are equal and were animals work together to create a better world for all animals, the base principles of communism, or the so called â€Å"animalism† in the book. Although this is a good ideal in theory, it runs against the nature of humans (or animals in the case of the book) and we soon see things heading downhill. Because of the nature of power we aren’t all equal. We don’t have the same drives and same compassion as a group, and therefore i t is unlikely we can create a society of true equality. The way Orwell portrays the pigs suggests he believes that any vacuum of power will be filled quickly by those who take the chance to seize it. In the book, from the very point Jones is overthrown, the pigs assume leadership roles. In the first harvest on the farm, â€Å"The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership.† The pigs have already asserted themselves because of their â€Å"superior intellect†. None of the animals seem to have a problem with this, perhaps because the pigs have suggested its natural, even though it is already running against one of the key principles of animalism – all animals are equal. Napoleon and Snowball have already set themselves up with superiority to the un-educated animals. The pigs begin to take things for themselves, always convincing the animals that it is for the good of the whole farm. Taking milk and apples for them selves to be mixed into their mash. This is covered up by the pigs â€Å"propaganda machine† Squealer, a highly manipulative pig with a way in  words. â€Å"‘Comrades!’ he cried. ‘You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples.† Squealer plays on the trust given to the pigs, and manipulates reality so as the pigs can take for themselves. This runs completely against the idea of equality, the vision of equality does not mean someone taking privileges for themselves. The pigs use their higher intellect to their advantage, and use control over language to keep the power in their hands and out of the hands of the masses. They also use this control over language to assign themselves privileges and allow themselves to edit the rules. â€Å"The birds did not understand Snowball’s long words, but they accepted his explanation, and all the humbler animals set to work to learn the new maxim by heart. â€Å"Four legs good, two legs bad.† This maxim, which serves as a controlling device, arises because of the working animals’ inability to understand or learn the seven commandments, a set of â€Å"rules† set after the rebellion. Its simplicity allows it to be easily altered and manipulated. Napoleon uses his control of language to his own advantage, and the pigs edit the seven â€Å"unchangeable† commandments. â€Å"There was yet another of them that the animals had remembered wrong. They had thought that the Fifth Comma ndment was ‘no animal shall drink alcohol’, but there were two words which they had forgotten. Actually the commandment read: ‘No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.’† They allow themselves the luxury of the farmhouse beds, and drinking alcohol, all which was agreed against after the rebellion. Because the animals believe that the commandments are unchangeable, and because of their blind trust in the pigs, and now also because of fear of the pigs, they do not question them, their â€Å"superiors†. Squealer, Napoleons â€Å"propaganda machine† is the main culprit of this twisting of language, and controls the masses with this. If anybody opposes, the sheep begin to bleat in chorus, â€Å"four legs good, two legs bad† preventing any discussion, so Napoleon has control of what is said. This relates directly to real revolution, were control over language and especially large amounts of propaganda are used to control the masses, what is said and sometimes even what is thought. Because the pigs and especially Napoleon have power, and the trust of the  other animal’s, and no one questions their decisions. When the dogs give birth to some new born puppies, Napoleon takes â€Å"them away from their mothers, saying that he would make himself responsible for their education†¦ the rest of the farm forgot their existence.† The animals noticed that the dogs are gone, but decide against questioning or challenging what Napoleon is to do with them. Lack of action on the animals part means that the pigs can continue to seize power until a state where they are practically untouchable. It is not until Snowball proposes a windmill be built on the farm that we see things escalate. We then see a power struggle between Snowball and Napoleon. This is where the dogs come back in, and Napoleon releases them on Snowball and exiles him from the farm. Nobody now speaks out against Napoleon as they are physically intimidated by the dogs, which serve as bodyguar ds to Napoleon. Napoleon becomes greedy with power and swiftly removes his opposition, Snowball, and asserts his own dominance. Napoleon can do what he chooses because Snowball is not there to oppose, and the other animals do not oppose either out of fear after seeing the fate of Snowball, or because they are blinded by Squealers lies and still trust in Napoleon. Orwell is here proposing the idea that those in power often use physical harm or intimidation to keep power away from the masses. In the end we see the pigs associating with humans and the pigs almost becoming the same as humans, as they have been filled with the corruption of power and greed â€Å"The creatures looked from pig to man, and from pig to man again: but already it was impossible to say which was which†. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is important because Orwell was strongly anti-fascism hence he went to fight in the Spanish civil war with the republicans against the fascist militarist rule of Franco. Throughout the book the pigs play upon the naà ¯ve trust of the other animals. This is important because it demonstrates people’s willingness to take advantage of others. This is an unattractive but strong part of human nature. The flip side is the stupidity of the animals, or masses of humans, that give trust to those who are unproven and then fail to return to that decision and check that it was really the correct one to make. â€Å"The only thing necessary f or the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.† – Edmund Burke. Surely we don’t just hand over unlimited trust and therefore power and expect it to all just work out? Responsibility belongs to us all.

How Is Romeo and Juliet Relationship Presented

One of the plays just around consistent visual motifs is the contrast amid illume and grimy, often in wrong of dark/day imagery. Need demonstration This contrast is non given a particular metaphoric meaninglight is not always good, and dark is not always evil. On the contrary, light and dark be generally apply to fork over a sensory contrast and to malarkey at opposed alternatives. One of the much(prenominal) important instances of this motif is Romeos prolonged meditation on the sun and the lunation during the balcony scene, in which Juliet, metaphorically described as the sun, is go outn as banishing the envious moon and transforming the night into day (2. . 46). A similar blurring of night and day occurs in the early sunup hours after the lovers only night to get under whizs skinher.Romeo, obligate to leave for exile in the morning, and Juliet, not wanting him to leave her room, both resolve to pretend that it is still night, and that the light is truly dar kness More light and light, more dark and dark our woes (3. 5. 36) The Inevitability of condemn In its first address to the audience, the chorus states that Romeo and Juliet ar star-crossedthat is to say that condemn (a military unit often vested in the movework forcets of the stars) controls them (Prologue. ). This sense of ordain permeates the play, and not just for the audience. The characters also argon quite aw are of it Romeo and Juliet constantly see omens. When Romeo believes that Juliet is dead, he cries out, Then I sustain you, stars, completing the idea that the love mingled with Romeo and Juliet is in opposition to the decrees of destiny (5. 1. 24). Of course, Romeos defiance itself plays into the hands of fate, and his determination to go by eternity with Juliet results in their deaths.The mechanism of fate works in all of the events surround the lovers the feud between their families (it is worth noting that this iniquity is never explained alternatively, th e reader must have it as an undeniable aspect of the innovation of the play) the horrible series of accidents that ruin friar Lawrences seemingly swell up-intentioned plans at the end of the play and the tragic mea true of Romeos suicide and Juliets awakening. These events are not mere coincidences, but rather manifestations of fate that help bring almost the unavoidable outcome of the young lovers deaths.The conceit of fate described above is the closely familiarly accepted interpretation. There are otherwise possible readings of fate in the play as a constrict determined by the powerful affectionate institutions that influence Romeo and Juliets choices, as well as fate as a force that emerges from Romeo and Juliets very personalities. plug in this to Friar Lawernce STRUCTURE -briefly answer the interrogative mood awhat the descent is like, what sort of impression you get of the kinship. Second paragraph)-Context- write about how men/women were supposed to behave whe n the plays were written a how is this reflected in the text? (this bit is inbred for Band 4/5). How do you mean an audience might have responded to the birth when the play was first performed? How might a modern audienceas response be assorted? (Third paragraph)- How language discloses the family relationship- select 3 or 4 key examples of words that reveal to you the relationship a might be a simile /metaphor that has been used or a striking formulate/word.Try to select them from the different scenes you are focusing on. For each make sure you analyse how the word/phrase suggests ideas about the relationship, not just what it suggests. (Fourth paragraph)- How structure reveals the relationship- debate in particular about the relationship changes as the play progresses- analyze how Shakespeare shows the relationship changing as the play goes on. (Fifth paragraph)- How outstanding techniques reveal the relationship- this might include the displace actions stage directions. Try to find one or two examples Shakespeare presents Romeo & Juliets early relationship as a love- dislike affair. By this I mean that although they love each other immensely, they are surrounded by the hate of their two families Arranged marriages were very common at the time depending on your neighborly status and love had no meaning. At the time marrying at the age of 12 appeared to be normal, however now is frowned at.