Measuring Reliability

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of the most popular personality tests in the world today.   However, data reviewed from more than twenty MBTI research studies has indicated that the test has inadequate validity.   In other words, MBTI does not adequately measure what it is meant to measure.   Moreover, MBTI has reported reliability coefficients for its four scales on general population samples in the ranges from 0.61 to 0.87.   Experts on psychometric testing reveal that reliability coefficients for short personality tests should actually be in the range of 0.7 to 0.8 (Psychometric Success). Does this mean that MBTI is unreliable? – No.   While this important personality test sometimes reveals a lower reliability coefficient than the other personality tests, even when its reliability coefficient is close to 0.61, the test is said to give us a dependable measure of the constructs it measures at least 61% of the time.   To put it another way, at least 61% of the people who use the MBTI once would see that their scores on the different constructs of the test would not change on a second testing session and all subsequent testing sessions. Reliability is also known as â€Å"repeatability† or â€Å"consistency.†Ã‚   A test with perfect reliability has a coefficient of 1.0.   A test with no reliability whatsoever has a coefficient of 0.   A test with perfect reliability is one which gives us absolutely consistent results with the same sample.   The higher the reliability, the better is a test, scientifically, given that we can trust the results of this test with confidence, knowing that they will not change drastically through retesting (Trochim, 2006). With MBTI, we can be confident that the test would show us a true picture of an individual’s personality at least 61% of the time.   Although this value is better than 50%, MBTI would have  given us greater confidence in terms of its measurement if its reliability coefficient always fell in the range of 0.8 to 0.9.   This would have led us to believe that MBTI is most definitely a trustworthy measure of an individual’s personality type. References 1.Psychometric Success. â€Å"Myers-Briggs Widely Used But Still Controversial.† Available at http://www.psychometric-success.com/index.htm. (31 January 2007).    2. Trochim, William. (2006). â€Å"Theory of Reliability.† Research Methods Knowledge Base. Available at http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/reliablt.php. (31 January 2007).         

PROBLEM SET Monetary policy Essay

1. What impact will an unanticipated increase in the money supply have on the real interest rate, real output, and employment in the short run? How will expansionary monetary policy affect these factors in the long run? Explain. The money supply in an economy is the benchmark by which interest rates are determined. The supply of money is directly tied into the amount of money that can be loaned and borrowed in various capacities. The more money there is to loan, the less â€Å"expensive† it is to borrow that money. This is because when there is an increase in the money supply, the demand for that money fluctuates as well. This causes an increase in the overall amount of money being exchanged, and in turn, also causes a decrease in the real interest rate. The decrease in the interest rate also affects the economic appeal of domestically produced goods and services. This causes increased economic activity and the increase of real output because of that activity. When output increases, economic theory says that employers will typically need to hire more workers in order to handle their increased sales and output. However, this may not be the case in todays modern economy because modern businesses’ potential output are not directly proportional to their workforce. The long run economic impact depends on whether or not the unexpected short run money supply increase is permanent or not. If the money supply increase is permanent, then the short run effects mentioned above will drive the output of the economy above where it naturally should be. If the Fed decided to implement an Expansionary monetary policy to counteract this increase in the money supply then it would most likely try to reduce interest rates. This type of monetary stimulus affects the interest rates in the short term. This can eventually lead to long term economic change based on short term economic change being as the Fed intended. Expansionary policies are meant to push the economy towards full employment and spur economic growth. This means that if the policy is not closely monitored, or not removed at the right time, it can cause inflation, and thereby increase interest rates in the long run. 2. How rapidly has the money supply (M1) grown during the past twelve months? State the rate of growth (use http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h6/) and the most recent release, use the seasonally adjusted figures. Calculate the rate of growth across the year by taking the (new amount of M1- old amount of M1)/old amount of M1). Given the state of the economy, should monetary authorities increase or decrease the growth rate of money? Explain why. The M1 money supply grew by a rate of 8.86%. This is based on the Jan 2014 M1 supply number of 2,683.0 billion, and Jan 2013 number of 2,464.5 billion. This indicates a healthy growth rate of the economy and the M1 money supply. According to the reports issued by the board of governors of the Federal Reserve, Unemployment is decreasing, and inflation is remaining within their intended constraints. The Fed is currently maintaining policies to keep the growth rate of the M1 money supply in check. If the money supply were to increase at a more rapid rate, than it is likely that inflation would also increase. 3. Is stability in the general level of prices through time important? Why or why not? Should price stability be the goal of monetary policy? Explain your responses. Price stability in an economy is an essential quality for sustained growth. It is one of the key aspects that investors, both domestic and foreign, look at to determine whether or not to invest in the economy. If the price is unstable, than investors, especially foreign investors, do not see the economy as stable enough to risk their money in, and therefore invest elsewhere. This obviously is lost economic activity that can cause ripple effects across the market. When the general price level is stable however, the economy becomes appealing to investors, and causes them to spend their money in the market. This confidence that investors gain is a huge asset to economic growth and development. When people and businesses are confident that their money is going to be put to good use, they are much more likely to spend it. Domestically, price stability is important for the government,  and the Fed to be able to maintain fiscal policies. The Central Bank is also affected by the stability of prices when it makes monetary adjustments and investments. Therefore, it is vital for the Fed to monitor and attempt to stabilize prices as much as possible. 4. Compare and contrast the impact of an unexpected shift to a more expansionary monetary policy under rational and adaptive expectations. Are the implications of the two theories different in the short run? Are the long-run implications different? Explain. When monetary policy is created, there are 2 popular theories that guide the actions of decision makers. One of these policies is Rational Expectations. The theory of Rational Expectations is based on the presumption that the economic future of a market can be systematically predicted based on hypothesis and rational thought. This is the most widely used theory by today’s economic analysts and decision makers at the Fed. The second theory is Adaptive expectations. This theory is based on the idea that to predict an economy’s future, one has to analyze its past. The Impact of an unexpected shift to a more expansionary monetary policy under adaptive expectations will temporarily stimulate output and employment. Under Rational expectations, the same situation would result in little to no change in output.

Lunch Time Essay

Lunch is the time where a lot of students can’t wait to see all of their friends and eat. Students come to get a good fulfilling meal in so they can continue to learn throughout the day on a full stomach. That just isn’t the case anymore; more students than ever are becoming obese and schools haven’t done anything about it till now. There is now a worldwide restriction on what and how much students can eat. Schools should improve the nutritional value of school lunches because significant increases in student’s health will lead to a host of benefits. The main reason why childhood obesity has become such a serious issue is because children now days live more sedentary lifestyles. Children now days are bombarded with television advertisements urging them to eat foods high in fat and calories while staying inside and playing video games or watching television. Childhood obesity does not only affect children in childhood but can cause a list of health issues in their adult lives also. When it comes to education regarding childhood obesity, the responsibility needs to be addressed by the parents, schools and the media. Children that are overweight are most common in developing countries. This is because they get food from other countries to try and decline the hunger rates, but all that it is doing is creating obesity rates to increase. Countries that are becoming more westernized with their food, drifting away from more traditional meals are showing the most increase in obesity rates. This causes huge controversy throughout those countries and what it is doing to the citizens. Some people may think problem solving for hunger within those countries will be solved by sending over westernized foods that are fatting, and in the long run will cause problems in those countries, causing obesity rates to increase where they never had to worry about being obese, especially children. The National School Lunch Program serves lunch to almost 30 million students – 60 percent of the total student population. Although a large fraction of school lunch participants get their lunch free (48 percent) or at a reduced price (9 percent), a substantial number (43 percent) pay full price. If school lunches are contributing to childhood overweight, making lunches healthier could possibly impact a large number of children from socio-economic Status, race, and geography boundaries. The government plays a large role in the school lunch program, providing $6. 1 billion in total cash payments to local schools. In addition, the government provides another 15. 75 cents per lunch served for fruit juices and peanut butter. The government’s bankrolling of the program might suggest that they are able to influence what is served as part of school lunches. According to Harvard School of Public Health â€Å"Globally, an estimated 43 million preschool children (under 5) were overweight or obese in 2010, a 60 percent increase since 1990. † Parents go through the struggle of finding and trying new things that might please their children’s eating habits. Some cases it is food that is totally unhealthy for the kid but they give it to them because they simply cannot say no to their child. At school you expect them to get a healthy and fulfilling lunch in to continue learning throughout the day. The article â€Å"Students, parents, educators displeased with new school lunch standards,† by Benjamin Wood talks about all of the things students are doing to get their word out there into the world and make a statement about the new â€Å"improved† lunches. â€Å"Viral Videos mocking the guidelines and reports of increased food waste have sprung up, and a bill being called the No Hungry Kids Act has been introduced in Congress in an attempt to reverse the Healthy Hunger- Free Kids Act that spawned the new guidelines. Lunch trays are going un-touched and the food is being thrown away. â€Å"Forty percent of the food in the U. S. goes uneaten, which means Americans are throwing out the equivalent of $165 billion worth of food each year. But that’s not all. Food waste, as it decays in landfills, also produces methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas† (â€Å"The Ugly Truth About Food Waste in America†). By kids wasting more and more food everyday they think it gives them an excuse to come home and eat whatever they want because lunch wasn’t satisfying. When kids are little they come home and get an afternoon snack after a long day at school, before it were ants on a log, apples and peanut butter, pretzels, fruit, and many more. Now it is fruit snacks, Cheetos, chips, candy, pizza, all things that are high in fat, sugar, cholesterol things that are factors of high obesity rates within children. Parents just don’t have the time to make their children snacks after school anymore. Either they put their kids in an after school program or they are still at work with they get home, so the children result to the next best thing junk food. If they eat badly at home what makes them not bring the unhealthy food to school and continue to eat unhealthy without anyone saying something or putting a stop to it. â€Å"A public school, Little Village Academy on Chicago’s west side students is not allowed to pack lunches from home. Unless they have a medical excuse, they must eat the food served in the cafeteria (â€Å"Chicago school bans some lunches from home†)†. This can be a good or bad thing to have within the school. In order for this to be good successful process all staff members have to be on board with it, and wanting to make an impact on the students and the school as well. Doing this, schools won’t feel the burden of needing to do more within the school and eventually will make an impact on student’s lives. Childhood obesity has decrease dramatically within Little Village Academy, and students are showing noticeable changes with academics and fitness. Eating habits are the hardest thing to change about a person. Once they like a type of food that is either high in fat, sugar, and salt it is very hard to change their opinion about that type of food. The top five signs for food addiction according to researchers at Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Science & Policy are: ending up eating more than planned when first started to eat, keep eating when full, eat to the point of feeling ill, worrying about no eating certain types of food or worry about cutting down on certain types of foods, when certain foods aren’t available, and go out of way to get them. Just like any other addiction it is hard to stop once hooked on. Cooping Recess has always been that time to go out and play with friends that might not be in the same classes. Well there are many reasons that it is a good thing for kids and that it helps children learn more. According to Shape up America organization: â€Å"Studies show that taking a break after a period of concentrated instruction helps children process what they just learned and make them more attentive and productive in the classroom. Regular breaks from class work are beneficial for younger children and adolescents. † Over and under feeding is something that countries face every day because they do not have all of the resources that other countries can get so quickly. In upcoming countries such as Mexico and South Africa this is exactly what goes on within the country. While obesity hits lower and middle classes because it is affordable, upper class doesn’t have to worry about it because they can afford healthier food and don’t have to worry about the cost. In most upcoming countries is where childhood obesity is a major issue, because they get food from other countries to try and decline the hunger rates, but all that it is doing is creating obesity rates to increase because all of the food that is being shipped out to these countries are high in fat and sugar and unnatural preservatives that are really bad for you. Countries that are becoming more westernized with their food, drifting away from more traditional meals are showing the most increase in obesity rates. This causes huge controversy throughout those countries and what it is doing to the citizens. Some people may think problem solving for hunger within those countries will be solved by sending over westernized foods that are fatting, and in the long run will cause problems in those countries, causing obesity rates to increase where they never had to worry about being obese, especially children. The School Nutrition Dietary Assessment-III was sponsored by the U. S. Department of Agriculture in2005 in order to collect information regarding school meal policies and food programs, the content and quality of food o?  ered at schools, and children’s dietary habits. The survey includes ? ve groups: Children age 5 to 19 in grades 1 to 12, their parents, the principals of their schools, the food service managers at school, and the school food authority that governs their school. School food authorities (SFA) are the organizations responsible for overseeing all food related aspects-service, budget, management-of schools in a school district or county, and there are 130 SFA†™s in the SNDA-III (School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study). Approximately three schools (elementary, middle, high) in each SFA’s jurisdiction were selected to answer the principal and food service manager survey for a total of 398 schools. The principals of each school provided information about meal time policies (i. e. where children eat their meals, length of lunch period and which grades eat during each period) as well as information on the of vending machines, snack bars, and nutrition education. The food service managers are in charge of day-to-day food operations, and they provided information regarding kitchen characteristics and sta? , meal prices, participation in subsidized meal programs, and the type and quantity of a la carte items available during meals. From the 130 SFA’s and 398 schools, 94 SFA’s and 288 schools were selected to have their students receive the child and parent survey. An average of 8 students from each school were selected to participate in thesurvey, and these children and their parents provided information on the child’s eating and exercise habits at home and school like; regularly eat breakfast, times per week they buy their lunch or snacks at school, what types of food they eat at home, how often they exercise/play, and standard demographic and geographic characteristics of the child and parents. The ? nal component of the child’s survey included a 24 hour dietary diary where consumption over a random school day was recorded. In addition to these survey components, each child’s height and weight were measured by survey administrators and translated into a Body Mass Index.

Create a video environment for the organization Essay

Create a video environment for the organization - Essay Example The technologies for this should be efficient and cheaper. Provide for technologies which give room for scalability as Rapid Freight is growing increasingly. This should cover for future expansion utilizing bandwidth by converging different technologies. LAN can be used within a branch and an ISDN between organizations. This includes approaching an IP/VoIP provider. Technology solution The technology proposed which is fit for the situation with Rapid Freight includes installing an IP infrastructure. Convergent IP/ISDN environment is where the organization’s video traffic travels over the organization data network. This usually requires installation of a shared IP gateway, otherwise connection with ISDN ends. The convergent IP environment has the following advantages. In the ISDN only video environment would require activation of a dedicated line to deploy an additional video system, but, in the IP/Convergent, the requirements are straight connection to the enterprise network. This ensures scalability in when company expands. Secondly, IP networks fee payment is not â€Å"metered† as in ISDN, but the fee is paid monthly and sometimes it is fixed. This will relieve the cost incurred by the organization because the users will be using the service as much as they can, but the fee is fixed (Cisco Systems, Inc., 2006). It has direct saving in infrastructure cost since the line from the telecom provider can be shared among the users (PBX trunk). Other than the IP/ISDN convergent video-conferencing environment, the service for ISDN is increased to its maximum available which is the Primary Rate Interface (PBR) having 24 channels in the US and Japan, and 30 in other countries. The LAN will be used in intra-organization branch communication utilizing the bandwidth available which is 384kb/s for PRI. The IP the gateway will be used to link branches and the data centre. IP phones will be introduced by implementing Voice over Internet Protocol with the real ti me transfer protocols. This requires terminating the PBX on IP/VoIP provider. The number of calls will increase to 50-100 over the same PBX circuit (Cisco Systems, Inc., 2006). The VoIP is necessary because its cost is beneficial in the following ways: Rather than paying a per-minute or per-unit fee for calls, VoIP organization usually pays a fixed monthly fee (or nothing). Users can make unlimited calls; participate in multiparty teleconferencing and make facsimile transmissions anywhere in the world. Users also save money by consolidating data and voice networks into a single integrated IP network. Convergent Solution The convergent solution is the integration IP infrastructure and ISDN. IP/ISDN convergent has been used since the service provider is not IP based, but ISDN based. The ISDN-only technology is costly and would be rejected by Rapid Freight which is already experiencing costing problems. The implementation of the IP telephony has also made it possible for many channels to be established for voice, video and data. The channels cannot be reserved for video or data and they are available on-demand. This will accommodate the increasing number of Rapid Freight employees. The PBX is configured to terminate to an IP/VoIP provider. IP software has to be installed usually from vendors like CISCO. If Cisco is used to implement the IP over ISDN, in response of bandwidth

Literature review of Acupuncture as an adjunct in Drug and Alcohol Essay

Literature review of Acupuncture as an adjunct in Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal - Essay Example This study was able to establish that there was a strong consensus among clients and staff interviewed that acupuncture had a beneficial impact in terms of helping patient relax, reducing his anxiety and pain. 2. Mills, E., Wu, P., Gagnier, J., and Ebbert, J., (2005). Efficacy of acupuncture for cocaine dependence: a systematic review & meta-analysis. Harm Reduction Journal 2(4), pp. 1-6. In this paper, the authors systematically evaluated and analyzed the randomized controlled trials on acupuncture in the management of cocaine addiction. The authors were able to cover 10 databases using different inclusion criteria. All in all, the authors established that the meta-analysis does not support the use of acupuncture in the management of cocaine dependence. However, most of the trials had issues with a significant loss in their follow-up, thus lessening the impact of the inferences drawn. 3. Black, S., Carey, E., Webber, A., Neish, N., and Gilbert, R. (2011). Determining the efficacy of auricular acupuncture for reducing anxiety in patients withdrawing from psychoactive drugs. J Subst Abuse Treat., 41(3):279-87 This study hypothesized that auricular acupuncture can reduce the anxiety caused by withdrawal from psychoactive drugs. ... lar acupuncture was not more effective than sham or control treatments in reducing anxiety and the use of acupuncture in the management of drug withdrawal is still controversial. 4. Killeen, T. and Brady, K. (1997). A preliminary study of the effects of auricular acupuncture on alcohol and drug withdrawal symptoms. Substance Abuse, 18(3). The authors set out to evaluate the impact of auricular acupuncture in reducing stress in drug withdrawal patients. About 60 patients were covered by this paper with questionnaires used after initial treatment with acupuncture. Their rate of distress was measured. The authors were able to establish that there were statistically significant improvements seen on all measures for the subjects during the pre and post testing period. QUESTION 2 Literature Review Introduction Alternative and complementary medicine has long been part of our conventional medicine practice, especially in many parts of Asia and in the African region. For the West, their focus has always been on conventional and modern medicine and the adaptation of alternative therapies has not found widespread acceptance. There are various risks involved in the use of alternative and complementary medicine, especially as its applications are not supported by scientific studies and research. This paper shall establish a critical analysis of literature on acupuncture and its impact on drug withdrawal. This paper shall provide a critical analysis based on specific literature on the subject matter. First, an overview of the acupuncture shall be discussed, along with a general description of drug withdrawal. Secondly, an overview of available literature on the subject matter shall be presented. Thirdly, a critical analysis of gaps within these studies will be discussed. Lastly, a

Future Food Trends; Health Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Future Food Trends; Health - Research Paper Example It will take about 20 minutes to prepared this salad recipe. Given the mixture of vegetables below, these are mixed with a little water, mustard, and vinegar along with Rapeseed Oil to serve as emulsifier. Notice that the specified gree vegetables are not specified. In order to Water and white wine vinegar are boiled first. While the water and vinegar are simmering, eggs are cracked, poured onto the liquid, and stirred for 3 minutes. The eggs are then removed from the simmering liquid and cooled with fresh water. In a separate saucepan, water and bacon are boiled with high heat and boil for only 10 seconds. Bacon is drained. Thereafter. The bacon is transferred to a large frying pan and cooked some more for 1 minute under high heat, followed by a medium heat cooking time of 5 minutes while it is stirred. Before serving with the vegetables and dressing, the eggs are heated for 3 minutes with 90 degrees hot water. The salt and better amount will depend on the taste test. A recommended dressing would be made up of a combination of 20 grams of mustard, 15 grams of white wine vinegar, 5 grams of water, 45 grams of Rapeseed Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, 10 grams of chopped Shalot, 20 grams or  ¼ of diced garlic clove. (Blanc, R. n.d.) Matsumoto, M. (2012) described the taste to be â€Å"like a fireworks display for your taste bud† while the eggs and bacon fat protect the tongue with too much taste and these ingredients add texture. The salad itself can be placed on a sandwich. Thus for Americans who love to eat sandwiches, this will make it very tasty. Mark Matsumoto was featured in USA Today, HY Times, and Wall Street Journal for his culinary expertise. To the French people, the Salad Lyonnaise is essentially fresh bitter vegetables with properly cooked bacon and eggs. At La Sardin in the USA, the price is $ 8.oo. The term came the L’Assiette which means a plate, and the French word Charcuterie which refers to a 1930 shop of a pork butcher ( Boogert,

TECHNOLOGY Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

TECHNOLOGY - Annotated Bibliography Example This article is highly credible even though it is a main magazine article because the author of this article has used various researches to make their point. The article will be very helpful in performing my research on technology. The content of the article will be helpful in supporting claims including the negative effects of technology on the health of the users. This article was authored by Winterman and in this magazine article the author focuses on how people are using the technological advancement of internet in order to harm themselves (Winterman 1). The author states that the technology of internet is not only used by strangers to harm others, it is used by people to themselves. The author cites a research that was conducted by the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center and in this research it was identified that 9% children who are internet users are cyber bullying oneself. The author states that due to this children experience different health and psychological issues and one of the most common psychological issues is depression. The article is a magazine article and has been authored by an individual who may lack knowledge about technology and its impact. But the author has used various studies to support their claim. The article will be used under the section of the report where psychological harm caused due to technology will be discussed. This is a news article that was published in the online version of ABC News and was authored by Scott Steinberg and this article focuses on the benefits that video game technology has to offer to various stakeholders including adults as well as children (Steinberg 1). The author claims that video game technology is helping children and adults in various walks of life including education and profession. The author even claims that the video game technology even helps an individual in their social life. In order to support the

SAP HR Module Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SAP HR Module - Research Paper Example This report will outline some of the important aspects of HR Module including its major functions and features. SAP ERP HCM: An Overview SAP HCM is also called human resource management system that is commonly used to manage human resource related activities for an organization. With an integrated SAP ERP HCM software solution for managing all the human resource related operations, a business organization can be able to more enthusiastically recognize where their workforce's talents are at the present and bring into line the objectives of their employees with their business's overarching business policy. In addition, using this real-time approach to deal with human resources, a business is able to take advantage completely from human-capital policies and programs; and as a result determine their workforce's support to the bottom line. Additionally, by automating all the core human resource procedures, like that human resource management, legal reporting and payroll this modern techno logy based system increases the business performance and compliance with changing worldwide and local regulations. In fact, SAP ERP Human Capital Management system helps business organizations all through the globe to improve performance with well-organized, dedicated and motivated personnel. Moreover, with integrated building blocks and a matchless partner system, the system facilitates shared services and business operations outsourcing and minimizes operating expenses and risk for these operational models (SAP; kristine; Newman). Features and Functions SAP ERP Human Capital Management system encompasses characteristics, processes and end-user release alternatives to help business organizations manage the following business procedures (SAP; SAP2; kristine; Newman). End-user Service Delivery: This module of SAP ERP HCM facilitates the organization in delivery of ERP services both with business content to the entire organization and beyond. Basically, the customer service delivery b usiness process provides the clients with numerous alternatives to access ERP features and services, depending on the nature of their tasks, their preferences, and the business context (SAP; SAP2; kristine; Newman). Workforce Analytics: This module of SAP ERP HCM facilitates timely approaching into the staff that allows a business organization to take advantage of integrated human capital policy and programs, and determine their workforce’s potential to the bottom line (SAP; SAP2; kristine; Newman). Talent Management: This module of SAP ERP HCM offers a great deal of support to people all through every stage of their services, from staffing through development, training and retention. It also allows them to recruit the appropriate people, place their expertise to most outstanding use, bring into line worker objectives with business objectives by augmenting the influence of training, and maintain the tasks for the top performers. In addition, SAP ERP HCM also allows the organi zations to develop and deploy talent more quickly and flexibly as compared to ever before. In this scenario, the result facilitates and puts together all the talent management procedures, as a result organizations are able to acquire, attract, train and guide, and expand talent, identify and produce future leaders; and bring into line and motivate talent with

Improving Participation of the Staff Meeting in a University Essay

Improving Participation of the Staff Meeting in a University - Essay Example As I noted in my earlier Action Research Project Plan, which basically became the manual for this research, Hill defines management as â€Å"getting things done through and with other people† (Hill, ibid.). As the time has elapsed between writing that plan and concluding this research, I have become even more convinced that co-operation (the â€Å"through and with other people† of Hill’s notion) is an essential behaviour if the work of our group is to prosper.It will be recalled from that project plan that I have chosen to pursue this work through the qualitative paradigm of Action Research as a practitioner- researcher. I hoped during the research to improving my own skills in facilitating meetings and to improve practice through the implementation of change in the way meetings are run in my workplace. To be a successful practitioner- researcher, I understood that I must achieve what Ritchie and Spencer (1994: 173) have called â€Å"actionable outcomes† i n order to bring about the organisational change that I seek but that I must also maintain the academic rigour of the work. I found guidance for my approach to keeping this balance in the research in the work in Argyris' (1999: 432) who has made the social scientist's dilemma of choosing between rigour and relevance central to the way in which he has adapted Lewin's Action Research heritage. He concludes that: From the action researcher's perspective, the challenge is to define and meet standards of appropriate rigor without sacrificing relevance. (Italics in the original) Thus in mid November 2005 I began, with some confidence, to apply the wide range of data gathering techniques (including, collection of documentary evidence, observation, questionnaire, group discussion and analysis of my own reflective research journal) that I had planned earlier. I expected to do this within a highly practitioner centred approach that ensured academic appropriateness, rigour and relevance within the research as a whole. 2. An account of the situation and action to improve it I began the research by applying the data gathering methods that had been foreseen in the Action Research Project Plan. In this section I will report on the usage of these methods and demonstrate how they helped in the data collection process. Whilst each of these tools was used throughout the work, the emphasis and importance of each changed as the programme evolved and moved through the various cycles of the research from Reconnaissance to Review and Reflection. The programme of Reconnaissance data collection took place between the 1st November 2005 and Christmas of the same year with the data being analysed during the Christmas/New Year break. 2.1 Reflective research diary Firstly, I began to write my reflective research journal. This was quite a difficult task to maintain because although the early enthusiasm ensured that I sat down regularly at my computer I found that it was difficult to make the writing "reflective". I began to ask myself "what is it that makes this document a reflective journal and not just a diary" As a result of this difficulty I adopted an approach whereby I first wrote down a record of events and made notes of things that people had said or done during the period that I was recording. This was the diary phase of journal writing and was quite easy. I then got into the habit of going over the work and using the automatic highlighter, would colour code things that struck me as relevant to the ongoing research. It was through this routine that I developed my reflective skills and, for example, identified for myself the fact that one of my co-researchers had tendency to support

English A Language And Literature Essay Example for Free

English A Language And Literature Essay These notes to examiners are intended only as guidelines to assist marking. They are not offered as an exhaustive and fixed set of responses or approaches to which all answers must rigidly adhere. Good ideas or angles not offered here should be acknowledged and rewarded as appropriate.  Similarly, answers which do not include all the ideas or approaches suggested here should be rewarded appropriately. SECTION A Candidates are required to compare a letter from John Steinbeck to his eldest son Thom with an â€Å"advice† comic strip by Ken Cursoe, both of which explore the virtues (or not) of being in love. An adequate to good analysis will: †¢ note the commonalities of the two texts, such as Thom and Luke both seeking advice about love, the â€Å"expert’s† opinion about love, male/female distinctions, etc †¢ note some of the differences between the two texts, such as father / Tiny Sepuku, sincerity / humor, letter / advice column/cartoon, etc †¢ comment on the different text types, noting some characteristics of each. (For example, the letter observes the conventions of the form and responds to a letter on a personal level and addresses the issues it raises in a clear and logical fashion. The cartoon, posing as an advice column, opens with a brief letter of two questions answered by Tiny in a â€Å"tongue-in-cheek† fashion through seven vignettes of the â€Å"super powers† that love gives to either the male or female in the relationship) †¢ comment on the differences of context as deduced from the times and situations in which the texts were generated and from issues and references made within the texts themselves, such as the vignettes of the cartoon, the implications of the gestures and language of the cartoon characters, as well as the relationships revealed in the letter and the attitudes expressed by Steinbeck †¢ comment on the differences of audience and purpose as deduced from the two text types. A good to excellent analysis may also: †¢ consider further the differences in the attitudes to â€Å"love† †¢ consider more closely the purposes of the writers as viewed through their choice of text types, considering closely the differences between seriousness and humour †¢ offer a more in-depth analysis of both the letter and the cartoon, looking  closely at the stylistic features and showing some familiarity with terms appropriate to each †¢ offer a more careful consideration of audience and purpose, for example, the original recipient of the letter and, now, the wider audience interested in the life and writings of John Steinbeck, and, for the cartoon, those who follow the comic strip (and write in) or the general public who are amused by the cartoonist’s treatment of the subject. –4– N13/1/AYENG/HP1/ENG/TZ0/XX/M SECTION B Candidates are required to compare the poem Eyepiece by Judith Beveridge with a message from the Yahoo forum Microscope – Microscopy as a hobby or profession, which present, respectively, figurative and literal views of the world seen through a microscope. An adequate to good analysis will: †¢ note the commonalities of the two texts: the viewing of the world through a microscope, the identification of what is being looked at in each case †¢ comment on the two text types exploring some characteristics of each (the blend of personal and scientific comments in the message, as well as the nature of observation, both general and specific, the use of scientific language, the global nature of the â€Å"group,† etc as opposed to the more refined qualities of the poem: stanzas, lines, enjambment, simile, extended metaphor, alliteration, etc) †¢ comment on the â€Å"view of the world† that is offered by these writers and how distinctions between their purposes, contexts and audience shape their use of language, style and technique †¢ offer a recognition of the distinction between literal and figurative. A good to excellent analysis may also: †¢ offer a more in-depth analysis of both text types, showing how choice of text type influences both the structure and style of the content †¢ offer a careful consideration of the world view that is presented in each text: looking at the distinctions between describing an evening as though it  were a vision seen through a microscope compared with the reality of looking at water through a microscope and the impact (such as â€Å"fascinating†, â€Å"shocked and horrified†) on the observer †¢ consider more closely the two speaking voices (the scientist and the persona of the poem), how they are characterized and to what effect †¢ offer a cogent comparison of the two text types that offers a clear understanding of purpose, context, content and audience.

The Problem of Evil

The Problem of Evil The Problem of Evil Does such problem contradict the existence of God? Why does our world contain so much evil? Why does it contain any evil at all? These questions and many others, particularly the presence of evil, reflects the most persistent argument raised against theism. The problem of evil is usually seen as the problem of how the existence of God can be reconciled with the existence of evil in the world. The problem simply stems from basic beliefs or assumptions pertaining to the attributes of God: God is perfectly good, omniscient, and omnipotent. From this, such a God should want to prevent evil, yet much evil exists. There have been many proposed solutions to problem of evil, one being the free will defense/argument. According to this argument, God must allow His creatures to do evil sometimes in order to promote free will. So even if God wants to prevent evil, he cannot because free will is important. The free will defense successfully solves the problem. Some critics believe that this argument fails due to the fact that God could give us f ree will and still stop people from doing evil. But if that were the case, people would not really have free will; they would know they could not freely do anything they wanted. In this paper I will further explain the problem of evil and examine the concept of the free will argument. Furthermore, I will present J. L. Mackies argument regarding the issue, while exploring Alvin Plantingas defense. Despite Plantingas success and acceptance, his free will defense still presents a conflict between reasoning and the characteristics of God. The problem of evil arises because the concept of God seems to entail that there should be no evil in the world. The existence of evil seems to indicate that God is not preventing this evil. If such notion were true, why would not God step in to intervene? Many philosophers, particularly J.L. Mackie, details the problem of evil as a simple case of logical inconsistency, which arises from the attributes of God all being true at the same time. The religious believers assume that God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent, yet evil exist. Simply stated or broken down, the problem of evil claims that the following prepositions cannot be held consistently together: 1. God is omnipotent (all powerful) 2. God is omniscient (all knowing) 3. God is omnibenevolent (all good) 4. Evil exists If God has these features, then it follows that God can and should want to prevent evil. As Mackie states, â€Å"Good is opposed to evil, in such a way that a good things always eliminates evil as far as it can, and that there are no limits to what an omnipotent thing can do. From these it follows that a good, omnipotent thing eliminates evil completely, and then the propositions that a good, omnipotent thing exists, and the evil exists, are incompatible (174).† For sake of clarity, I will define the terms â€Å"good† and â€Å"evil†, as they will be used throughout this paper. Good is interpreted as anything in harmony with Gods character, will, and goal, whereas evil is any state or condition that is contrary to His character, will, and goal. Speaking in terms of evil, I will further examine two types of evil, as one will be introduced later on in the paper. Moral evil is evil that results from an act, or failure to act, by man. For instance, murder is an evil brought about by man and therefore it is a moral evil. On the contrary, natural evil arises through no fault by man. He has no control over natural evil and is completely powerless to prevent its occurrences. Examples of natural evils are sufferings caused by diseases or natural phenomena such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and tsunamis. The problem of evil can be distinguished between two types of philosophical aspects or challenges to faith in God: the evidential challenge and the logical challenge. The evidential challenge (also known as the inductive argument) seeks to show that the existence of evil counts against the probability of the truth of theism (defined as the belief in at least one deity). Philosophy William L. Rowe illustrates this challenge as such: 1. There exist instances of intense suffering which an omnipotent, omniscient being could have prevented without thereby losing some greater good or permitting some evil equally bad or worse. 2. An omniscient, wholly good being would prevent the occurrence of any intense suffering it could, unless it could not do so without thereby losing some greater good or permitting some evil equally bad or worse. 3. Therefore, there does not exist an omnipotent, omniscient, wholly good being (Rowe, 201) In these statements, Rowe suggests the inductive, probabilistic view of the evil argument justifies atheism (defined as either a rejection of theism or a position that deities do not exist). Evidential arguments claim that there is no good reason for Gods permission of evil. On the other hand, there is the logical challenge to belief in God, which says that it is both impossible and irrational to believe in the existence of a good, powerful God with the existence of evil in the world. A sample logical challenge would in the following form: 1. A good God would destroy evil. 2. An all-powerful God would destroy evil. 3. Evil is not destroyed. 4. Therefore, there cannot possibly be such a good and powerful God. The logical challenge attempts to demonstrate that the assumed propositions lead to a logical contradiction and cannot therefore all be correct. In his argument from evil, David Hume inquires about the existence of God, stating that the assumed God would not possibly allow evil to exist. He asks, â€Å"Is He willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is impotent. Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? Whence then is evil (150)?† Being that there is more evil than good in the world, it is difficult to see how one can reconcile the existence of evil with the existence of an all-powerful, omnibenevolent God. So it seems that either God does not exist, or His characteristics are very different from what we think. It seems that either choice contradicts the traditional belief in God. However, the conclusion that were wrong about God follows only if God has no good reason for allowing evil. Perhaps if one can explain Gods reason for allo wing evil, then the belief in God may still be rational. There are many possible replies and solutions to the problem of evil, but I will only limit focus to one particular argument. The free will defense illustrates that God allows evil for the sake of human free will. Moreover, evil occurs because God does not want to compromise this free will be preventing evil. Speaking in terms of free will, what does it mean to necessarily be free or possess free will? As used in this paper, free will is identical to freedom of choice, or the ability to do or not to do something. The concept implies that an omnipotent God does not assert its power to intervene in choice. Gods creation of beings with considerable free will is something like the greatest gift that can be given, or in another sense, the greater good. He could not eliminate evil and suffering without eliminating the greater good of having created beings with free will. The argument simply says that God is not responsible for the evil that takes place, but rather, beings are at fault; at some point in life, a being will be faced with a situation that requires moral choice and the ability to act freely, and they may possibly choose evil (Cain). The argument gives the impression that God knows that evil occurs, God does not want evil to occur, and God has the ability to prevent evil, but evil still exists because God wants us to have free will. In Evil and Omnipotence, Mackie argues that the traditional conceived God cannot possibly exist with so much evil and suffering in the world. Thus, the problem of evil leads to a contradiction in at least one, if not all, of the attributes of God (that being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent). In his essay, Mackie examines what he calls â€Å"so-called† solutions to the problem: evil being a necessary counterpart to good, the universe being better off with some evil, evil acting as a means to good, and evil being the result of human free will. For objective purposes of consistency, I will only touch basis on Mackies response to evil being the direct result of freedom. For Mackie, the existence of evil is logically incompatible with the existence of a Christian God. He maintains the idea that God granted free will, but then asks, â€Å"If God has made men such that in their free choices they sometimes prefer what is good and sometimes what is evil, why could He not h ave made men such that they always freely choose the good (Mackie, 178)?† Being all powerful, God could have created a world with both free will and no signs of evil. In other words, God could have created a world where man had the ability to choose between two actions (good or bad), but from his omnipotence, He would always see it that man choose what was right. It is obvious that such a world was not created, so what does this say in terms of Gods power? According to Mackie, Gods inability to offer this possibility is a rational contradiction and limits not only his power, but his goodness as well. Plantinga, in his response against Mackie, suggests that atheologicans (specifically Mackie) are wrong to believe that evil and God are incompatible. He argues that God, even being omnipotent, could not create a world with free beings that never chose evil. Furthermore, it is possible that even an omnibenevolent God would want to create a world that contains evil, only if such would bring moral goodness. God uses evil as a vehicle for bringing about the greater good. In efforts to refute the logical problem of evil, Plantinga tries to show that Mackies argument is not contradictory. In order to do so, he finds a statement that could make the claim a reasonable one and makes an addition of a necessarily true proposition to Mackies. He says that â€Å"The heart of the Free Will Defense is the claim that it is possible that God could not have created a universe containing moral good (or as much moral good as this world contains) without creating one that also contained moral evil. And if so, then it is possible that God has a good reason for creating a world containing evil (Plantinga, 190-191).† It is not to be taken in any way that Plantinga declares his proposition is true, but rather logically sound. The free will defense, in my opinion, is a partial success. Plantingas argument is a valid justification for Gods permission of evil, but he seems to speak only in terms of one nature of evil. Yes, the evil that exists around us is a consequence of the abuse of our freedom. Not all natures of evil, however, can be explained in this way. There is much evil that is not inflicted by man. Natural evils (as described earlier in the paper) or disasters, for instance, cause great destruction, but there is nothing that man could have done to prevent them. So if the blame does not fall on man, who can we hold accountable for such occurrences? Would it be safe and logical to say that God, being the Creator of all things (nature in particular), is to blame? Of course for Plantinga he would rely on Augustines perspective to say that these particular evils are a result on moral evil, relating the incidents of Adam and Eve and the concept of original sin. This response would probably be the safe way out, but again it does not necessarily pose a solution to the problem of natural evils. Not everyone hold the same beliefs or interpretations of Adam, Eve, and the forbidding fruit scenario. And at this rate of thinking, his argument would only hold strong for the theist himself. On another note, I believe that it is reasonable to say that it is better that the world contain beings with significant freedom than that it contains only automata. Evil can be seen as an instrument of God to correct, purify, and instruct (as a parent punishes his/her child). God is justified in permitting evil and suffering in terms of promoting character development; it seems that His goal would be to bring man to a point spiritual well-being and maturity. It is deemed necessary that man go through struggles in order to gain strength, a means of soul promoting, or to be conscious of certain emotions. For instance, in order for a person to know â€Å"hot†, they must inevitably know â€Å"cold†. Without being aware of the one, chances are you would not know how to distinguish between the two. In this case, in order for a person to possess happiness or feel sorrow, they must have been faced with a situation that evokes such feelings or emotions. Ultimately, perhaps God allows evil and suffering so that in the end, man will be born again and accept Gods grace and live by His word. In addition to this thought, a world without evil may not be a feasible world for those who possess free will. Everyone would always freely choose to do good acts because God would constitute everyone to do so. But if no one can choose otherwise, then no ability to choose really exists. Therefore, free will does not exist. When it comes to the problem of evil and Gods existence, there are many questions and concerns that come to mind. Firstly, it is written in the Book of Genesis that God created man in His image. But what exactly is Gods nature? Earlier in the paper, it was established that God, particularly the Christian God, is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all good. I take this as saying that God acts as an accomplice to evil because He knows what will happen before the action is done, and yet he does nothing to get involved. He is all powerful because â€Å"through Christ all things are possible†, or at least all things logically possible. He is also all good meaning He cannot sin nor do evil. Taking this into deliberation, man (being created in His image) has the ability to do wrong and create evil. Thus, we are not â€Å"all-good†. So does this fact alone contradict Gods omnibenevolence? Secondly, God granted free will, but has no means of intervening or preventing the consequenc es; if this was false, then evil would not exist. Does this inability take away from His omnipotence? In a sense, I think of it as a limitation on his power because He created something that He has no control over or at least it seems that He does not. Thirdly, it is argued that God cannot actualize a world with free will and no presence of evil. If this is true, then what do you consider heaven? Heaven is supposed to be a â€Å"perfect† world. I am sure that there is free will and absolutely no evil and suffering. Why could not have God create the physical world (in which we live) as such? In conclusion, the problem of evil exists because man believes in an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent creator. Many philosophers, such as Mackie, argue that if one abolishes God himself, or at least some of His attributes, then evil needs no explanation. In response, some philosophers offer justifications for God permitting evil. The most credible of these is the free will defense, which states that there are no contradictions in Gods attributes; He is capable of destroying evil, but not at the expense of taking away free will. In my paper, I have examined the problem of evil and the concept of the free will argument, using Mackie and Plantingas arguments on the subject. I have given reason to both accept and reject the notion that it can be logically established that the existence of both evil and God are not incompatible. Perhaps no one will really understand Gods reason for allowing some things to happen. More so, there is a possibility that such knowledge is beyond our means of reasoning at present. Bibliography Cain, James. Free Will and the Problem of Evil. Religious Studies: An International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion (2004): 437-456. Gale, Richard M. Freedom and the Free Will Defense. Social Theory and Practice: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal of Social Philosophy (1990): 397-42. Gillett, Grant. The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God. Journal of Applied Philosophy (2007): 435-438. Hume, David. The Argument from Evil. Pojman, Louis P. and Michael Rea. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2008. 147-152. Mackie, J. L. Evil and Omnipotence. Pojman, Louis P. and Michael Rea. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2008. 173-180. Plantinga, Alvin. The Free Will Defense. Pojman, Louis P. and Michael Rea. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2008. 181-199. Schellenberg, J. L. The Atheists Free Will Offence. Internal Journal for Philosophy of Religion (2004): 1-15.

Causes of the Egyptian Revolution

Causes of the Egyptian Revolution CHAPTER II Literature Review Revolution is a process of rapid and fundamental change of the social, economic, and political systems, leading to collapsing an old regime and its associated elite. By studying concepts and historical examples of revolutions, we can find some valuable points common for all revolutionist movements, thus helping analyze the motives of the Egyptian Revolution. Ted Robert Gurr defines revolution as, â€Å"highly organized political violence with wide spread general participation, designed to over-throw the regime or dissolve the state and accompanied by extensive violence.†[1] The term revolution can be used differently in many contexts; however, it usually means a violent overthrow of a regime or social structure or a great sudden change in social principles. A revolution typically characterizes a complete change from one way of doing something to a different way that is usually represents the reverse. Gurr writes, men are quick to aspire beyond their social means and quick to anger when those means prove inadequate, but slow to accept their limitations.[2] He also states, â€Å"people act out their frustrations if they believe that they stand a chance of relieving some of their discontent through violence.[3] He explains this, however, by signifying that angry people are likely to be more open to arguments that violence would help, so emotion eliminates the calculation, making acts less than rational. Jeff Goodwin gives two explanations for revolution. He defined revolution in one definition as any and all instances in which a state or a political regime is overthrown and thereby transformed by a popular movement in an irregular, extra-constitutional and/or violent fashion. He made also a narrow definition and points out â€Å"revolutions entail not only mass mobilization and regime change, but also more or less rapid and fundamental social, economic and/or cultural change, during or soon after the struggle for state power.[4] Both definitions tell us that revolutions are instruments for changing a system. From another perspective, Jack Goldstone defines revolution as an effort to transform the political institutions and the justifications for political authority in society, accompanied by formal or informal mass mobilization and non-institutionalized actions that undermine authorities. [5] He does not talk about large mobilization movements. He simply mentions revolutions as an effort to change political institutions. Proponents of Marxist thought use the term revolution in a very particular way. While reforms are changes in existing social and cultural system, social revolutions cause a sudden shift from one social order to another. For example, Theda Skocpol described revolution as rapid, basic transformations of a societys state and class structures; and they are accompanied and in part carried through by class-based revolts from below,†[6] attaching revolutions to a combination of several conflicts between state, bourgeoisies and the lower class people. She also states, â€Å"revolutions are not just extreme forms of individual or collective behavior. They are distinctive conjectures of socio-historical structures and processes,†[7] attributing revolutions to social elements. What observable political conditions ought to prevail before a revolution begins? Charles Tilly states that three conditions appear to be necessary, and a fourth strongly facilitating. The three apparently necessary conditions are as follows: Alliances or coalitions of contenders, bringing forward claims to the control the state that is currently being controlled by the members of the regime. A significant part of the given population’s commitment to those claims Reluctance or ineffectiveness of the government to put an end to these alternative coalitions or people’s commitment to their claims. Establishment of alliances or coalitions between members of the regime and the contenders bringing forward alternative claims.[8] From a different of view, James Defronzo explains conditions that make revolutions possible in terms of five factors: mass frustration, divided elites, unifying motivations that unite different social groups in support of revolution, a severe political crisis for the government including legitimacy loss and loyalty of armed forces, and a permissive or tolerant world environment in which other nations do not intervene to stop a revolution from developing.[9] He argues that a high amount of mass discontent usually stems from three steps independently or a combination of them: a decline in living situations; a change in the moral tolerability of current conditions involving people feeling that their lives can and should be better; or a period of betterment in the people’s living conditions followed by a severe decline.[10] Displeasure previous to an outburst of a revolutionary movement is often deepened by sensational events that stir up many people such as violent government suppression of challengers. According to Jack Goldstone, revolutions rarely triumph because the conditions rarely coincide. Monarchic states are able to sustain popular support through making appeals respect for nationalism and royal tradition. Privileged elites, who are often enriched by such governments, will only abandon them if their conditions or the doctrine of the rulers changes radically. It is difficult for a general mobilization to triumph because it requires reconciliation of the different interests of the rural or urban poor, students, the middle class people, and many ethnic or social groups. There are many events in history such as student activists, workers strikes, and peasant uprisings that were quickly suppressed because they were a movement of one single group, rather than of a large one. Other international states have often gotten involved in these uprisings to support authoritarian rulers in order to preserve balance and make the international system stable.[11] Even if revolutionary efforts fail, they can possibly result in significant social change. Government or dominant groups will make concessions so as to settle down the protestors, when people try to make an important change in society. Even if these concessions do not satisfy the people’s demands of a total change, they can indicate significant progress. At times, social change can take place step by step because unsuccessful revolts gradually lead a society into a different way, until a new lifestyle is finally achieved. Not all turbulence should be labelled as revolution. Political turmoil is highly possible during the process of modernization. In Samuel Huntington’s words â€Å"it is not a lack of modernity rather the efforts to achieve it that causes political turmoil.†[12] Social mobilization and economic development may be disruptive. For example, economic development results in high economic inequality and social mobilization causing that inequality to be less legitimate.[13] A discrepancy between the public wellbeing and private interest becomes apparent when a culture improves, resulting in the rise of corruption as a problem. This problem can lead to the entrance of new groups to the current political system, or it can promote economic growth if government creates it through the expanse of government regulation. Though corruption may weaken the current regime, it can make political parties stronger, and in fact promote political development in countries where the regime has too much authority.[14] Theda Skocpol states that social revolutions are rapid and basic transformations of a societys state and class structures. What makes Social Revolutions important is that basic changes in social and political structure occur and these changes take place by means of intense sociopolitical conflict.[15] In the end, these changes lead to the collapse of one system and the erection a new one. The French Revolution was a social and political one that supplanted feudalism with capitalism. People did not just get rid of the monarchy, but also they killed thousands of aristocrats who had taken advantage of people for centuries. Peasants made up most of the people and the feudal relationship between those peasants and landlords was eradicated. It paved the way for capitalist relationships of manufacture and trade. In â€Å"Comparative Revolutionary Movements,† Thomas H. Greene argues that if economic conditions of a state worsen, they can lead to a revolution.[16] The reason for the economic downturn, which led to the overturn of the government in Ghana, was the worsening agricultural production that caused great trade imbalance, a huge overseas loan, and extremely high unemployment rates.[17] Likewise, the economic crisis between 1970s and 1980s in Poland exploded enormous revolts and high rates of discontent.[18] Neil Smelser states that economic issues, such as unemployment, food scarcities, rising food prices, and decreased earnings are related to the upsurge of violence between Mexico and England in a situation similar to what was seen before the French Revolution.[19] One of the most important factors that gave rise to the Mexican revolution in 1911 was the economic crisis that the country experienced at the end of Porfirio Diaz’s rule. High levels of inflation and unemployment rates in the last four years of Diaz`s reign, causing Mexico to experience deterioration and stagnation. Decline in the price of sugar, which was the country’s chief export product, was the main reason behind the decline in the Mexican economy. Likewise, in Cuba, the over-dependence on sugar as an economic incentive brought about high levels of unemployment rate and worsening economic conditions when exports to the U.S. diminished. The economic crisis of the late 1950s was only credited to sugar plantation and following unemployment. This over-dependence on single business, together with widespread corruption and nepotism by the Batista government also brought about increasing unemployment rates, particularly during non-growing seasons. The living standard in Cuba decreased dramatically because Cuban wages were unable to contend with high inflation levels during the 1950s. [20] History of revolutions in Egypt Making revolution is not something new for Egyptians because they have had three momentous revolutions in their history. One of them was he 1881 Urabi Revolution which dethroned a crooked and comprador monarchs. Another one was the Revolution of 1919, which almost overthrew British military hegemony, and the other one was 1952 revolution, which initiated the military despotism of Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak for sixty years. Creating the second parliamentary regime on the African Continent, the first revolution turned out to be successful before foreign military intervention changed the form of government. After the defeat, the British formed a colonial rule in Egypt for more than seventy years. The second revolution was a persistent, widespread revolt controlled by a range of pro-democracy protestors from many different civil societies. Although violently suppressed, it did compel the British to make some concessions. The third revolution in Egypt is different from the first two becau se it was a revolution that went out of its way to restrict popular involvement. [21] Anyhow, in 1881 it finally ended the regime of the royal family and started a course of British removal from Egypt. Views on the Causes of the Egyptian Revolution What are the causes that gave rise to this important synergy and resistance? Three main reasons have emerged to explain this mystery: technology, Tunisia, and discomfort.[22] It is obvious that Tunisian unrest was a catalyst, motivating Egyptians to rush out into the streets. The Tunisian government was even more oppressive than the government of Egypt. So if the Tunisians were able to get rid of their ruthless dictator, why could the Egyptians not manage? Tunisian upheaval might have been the starting point, but there are many other important changes in Egypt’s political and social background that also give rise to an explanation for the revolution. Egyptians had increasingly resorted to protests and street politics to claim their demands and disrupt the position of their monarchs. Since 2004, Egypt had seen an increasing number of protests and rallies led by textile and health workers, judges, doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, transportation workers and even property tax collec tors. These workers wanted better salaries and working conditions, and relief from the harsh poverty that has distressed most of the people, whereas the rich became obviously richer and public organizations that in the past delivered service for poor Egyptians descended toward disrepair and jobs decreased as well.[23] People fell into a miserable situation where there were no hopes, nor dreams left for a better future for their children. There are many other assessments regarding the origins of the Egyptian 2011 Revolution. Political thinker and strategist Dr. Tarek Heggy, one of Egypt’s more famous authors on the subject of political reform in Egypt, states that the Egyptian people’s desire for democracy, the ruling system and legal elections were the main motives for the revolution. Another specialist Mohammed Fadel states that bribery and corruption in the government were the most important reasons behind the revolution.[24] Mona El-Ghobashy expresses in her article that the 2011 revolution occurred because there had been an unexpected change in the equal distribution of resources between ruled and rulers.[25] She also provides three reasons for the revolution: â€Å"technology, Tunisia and tribulations.†[26] Moreover, Ursula Lindsey has argued that social media, whereas it did not directly bring about the upheaval, shared a spectacular role in connecting the people who would join latter in the protests.[27] The Bank Information Center (BIC)[28] in 2007 reported that the World Bank had shown the following problems as among the most tenacious challenges that Egypt faced in fighting poverty and maintaining sustainable development: high unemployment, increasing poverty, social and economic inequality, high budget deficit, and net public debt. Every problem, whether it was corruption, the country’s foreign policy, economic conditions or social problems, played a role in motivating Egypt’ s people to revolt. The people, particularly young people, had important access to use of information and communication networks, such as mobile phone services, new social media and TV were important as events blossomed. While the government used the state information, disseminating systems to spread propaganda against the rebellions, the protesters dispersed their message by using means that was creative, disciplined, and revolutionizing. The victory of the revolution, at least for its main demand, resignation of Mubarak, was associated with defamation of state-controlled newscast, a blossoming of home-produced media of all kinds.[29] While social media did not create the Egyptian uprising, they played an immense role in getting together many of the young people who would ultimately join the demonstrations. We Are All Khalid Sa‘id was one of the Facebook groups that was created in 2010 to honor a young man beaten by police and died, having more than half-million members in the protests on January 25, 2011. These groups were instrumental in organizing the protests and a new expression has come into the Egyptian language. The internet-led generation that organized the initial protests is known as the Facebook Kids.[30] In general, street politics and in particular, the Arab street politics were more complicated. The Arab street is chiefly an appearance of public sentiment, but it has experienced important changes in its style and way of expression. Street politics is the contemporary theater of discontent people. It has played a great role in such massive political events as the French Revolution, anti-colonial fights, nineteenth-century industrial movements, the velvet revolutions in Eastern Europe, and various anti-war protests. For ordinary people, the street is the main site of politics, or and it is the chief place to spend time for those who do not generally have positions of power. It is at the same time social and cultural, continuous and present, a home of the strange and the familiar, the visible and the verbal, the street symbolizes a complex place where opinions and attitudes are formed, spread and voiced in a unique way.[31] Economic inequalities and poverty among different groups of society are important precursors for many revolutions. Welch and Taintor mention those concepts in addition to rapid economic worsening, poverty and inequalities between manufacturing and the distribution of that merchandise.[32] Cynthia McClintock argues that the inconsistency between global and domestic markets causes the latter to depend on the former concerning reliance on industrialized states for technology and money.[33] Schultz and Slater state that this dependence essentially triggers the separation of society and diminishing of rural population.[34] The chronic structural problems affecting the Arab world came to a head prior to 2011 through a combination of persistently high unemployment, especially among youth (and educated youth at that), rampant corruption, internal regional and social inequalities, and a further deterioration of economic conditions because of the global 2008 financial crisis and food price increases. Even the initial event in Tunisia that exploded into the Arab Spring upheaval was related to economics. The Tunisian street seller,  ­Mohamed Bouazizi, burnt himself because of his conditions of poverty. [1] Ted Robert Gurr, Why men rebel, Princeton, N.J.: Published for the Center of International Studies, Princeton University [by] Princeton University Press, 1970, 11. [2] Ibid., 58. [3] Ibid., 210. [4] Jeff Goodwin, No Other Way Out: States and Revolutionary Movements, 1945-1991 (Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001), 9. [5] Jack A. Goldstone, Toward a Fourth Generation of Revolutionary Theory, Annual Review of Political Science 4, no. 1 (06, 2001), 142. [6] Theda Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions: A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia, and China (Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1979), 4. [7] Theda Skocpol, France, Russia, China: A Structural Analysis of Social Revolutions, Comparative Studies in Society and History 18, no. 2 (Apr., 1976), 177. [8] Charles Tilly, Does Modernization Breed Revolution? Comparative Politics 5, no. 3, Special Issue on Revolution and Social Change (Apr., 1973), 425-447. [9] James DeFronzo, Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements (Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 2007), 12. [10] James DeFronzo, Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements, 13-14. [11] Jack A. Goldstone, Understanding the Revolutions of 2011: Weakness and Resilience in Middle Eastern Autocracies, Foreign Affairs 90, no. 3 (May/Jun 2011, 2011), 8-16. [12] Samuel P. Huntington, Political order in changing societies, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1968 41. [13] Samuel P. Huntington, Political order in changing societies, 59. [14] Ibid., 69-70. [15] Theda Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions, 3. [16] Thomas H. Greene, Comparative Revolutionary Movements (New Jersey: Prentice Hall Publishing, 1990), 19. [17] Greene, Comparative Revolutionary Movements, 96. [18] Ibid., 97. [19] Neil J. Smelser and Richard Swedberg, the Handbook of Economic Sociology, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994), 73. [20] Brian H. Pollitt, Sugar, Dependency, and the Cuban Revolution (Glasgow, Scotland: University of Glasgow, 1985), 196-197. [21] Jeannie Lynn Sowers and Christopher J. Toensing, The Journey to Tahrir: Revolution, Protest, and Social Change in Egypt (London; New York: Verso, 2012), 48. [22] Ibid., 21. [23] â€Å"The Architects of the Egyptian Revolution,† The Nation, Saba Mahmood February 14, 2011 [24] Mohamed Fadel, Public Corruption and the Egyptian Revolution of January 25: Can Emerging International Anti-Corruption Norms Assist Egypt Recover Misappropriated Public Funds? Harvard International Law journal, volume 52, April 2011, 293. [25] El-Ghobashy Mona, The Journey to Tahrir, The praxis of the Egyptian revolution, 22 edited by Jeannie Sowers and ChrisToensing, 22. [26] El-Ghobashy Mona, The Journey to Tahrir, 21. [27]El-Ghobashy Mona, The Journey to Tahrir, 54. [28] Bank Information Center (BIC).http://www.bicusa.org,accessed on (October 19, 2013). [29] Jeannie Lynn Sowers, Christopher J. Toensing, The Journey to Tahrir, 53. [30] El-Ghobashy Mona, The Journey to Tahrir, 54. [31]Jeannie Lynn Sowers, Christopher J. Toensing, The Journey to Tahrir, 75. [32] Claude E. Welch and Mavis B. Taintor, Revolution and Political Change, (California: Wadsworth Publishing, 1972), 149. [33] Cynthia McClintock, Revolutionary Movements in Latin America: El Salvador’s FMLN and Peru’s Shining Path, (Washington DC: United States Institute of Peace Press, 1998). [34] Schultz and Slater, â€Å"Revolution and Political Change in the Third World,† 34.

Classical Theory Structure Essay -- essays research papers

Classical Theory Structure Introduction By way of illustration, in this document we will describe and explain the classical structural theory as presented by Max Weber. To highlight the advantages and disadvantages of this classical structure as used in a realistic modern organization we will apply this theroy as used today in our public police department. Classical Structural Theory In the classical structural theory a person is hired for their technical expertise rather than on the recommendation of a connection from within the company. Generally these people are more inclined to work in very well-defined process oriented positions. Employees are given titles in which the authority to perform specific duties are vested. Outside of the defined position the employee has little or no authority. Lines of authority and positions are clearly defined by formally established rules and regulations that help to ensure uniformity of operations, and provide for continuity of business as well as making responsibility easy to place. In his 10 points Weber implied that procedures imposed on all who fall within their reach are formal and impersonal (Pace & Faules, 1994, p. 30-31). In addition to these procedures, It is suggested that an attitude of discipline is an integral part of the organization that wants to promote efficiency (Pace & Faules, 1994, chapter 3). They are intentionally designed without attention to personal or emotional considerations to prevent distortion o...

Our Moving Fate: A Study of El Greco’s Assumption of the Virgin Essay

Our Moving Fate: A Study of El Greco’s Assumption of the Virgin El Greco painted his â€Å"Assumption of the Virgin† in 1577 for the convent of Santo Domingo el Antiguo in Toledo, Spain. Born in Greece as Domenikos Theotocopoulos, (his nickname translates from Spanish into â€Å"The Greek†), El Greco was the top artist of the Spanish School, and was commissioned to paint â€Å"Assumption† to adorn the convent’s altar. The painting is a daunting size—over six feet wide and twice as tall—surrounded by a wooden frame tinted with a non-uniform metallic gold paint. The oil on canvas creates some, although not obvious texture, and brush strokes are visible only slightly in the garments of the human subjects. The Virgin Mary is the main figure in the painting, situated horizontally-centered in the upper-half of the canvas. She is wearing a blue flowing gown which begins below her bosom and reaches down to her feet, and a deep red fabric covers her chest and upper limbs. Her arms are outstretched and she is looking up into the heavens, flanked by female angels, adults and infants, who are praying and looking on. Below the clouds in the bottom-half of the canvas is a group of mortal men with mixed emotions and split into two groups leaving a part in the mass directly below Mary. All of the figures wear loose outfits similar to Mary’s, and many of the colors, bright but not full, are repeated throughout. One subtle detail particularly worth noting is a small piece of white paper in the bottom right-hand corner of the canvas. El Greco added the image to the paintings that he believed were his true masterpieces. Regardless of any analysis, it is certain that El Greco was extremely proud of â€Å"Assumption,† and believed it to be one of his best. .. ...â€Å"Assumption of the Virgin,† El Greco has done three remarkable things. His use of sneaky geometry and symbolism first completely hijacks control of the viewer’s gaze, and then creates a dynamic, accelerating scene on what is in reality a canvas at rest. Finally, instead of simply presenting a scene, he creates an actual anticipation of judgment, and brings the viewer so completely into the scene that he shares the same fate as the painted mortals themselves. It is fitting that El Greco’s masterpiece made its way to the altar in a sanctuary, where its effect would be most appropriate. And perhaps this was El Greco’s intention all along. As a believing Catholic, he must have been satisfied to know that worshipers praying in Antiguo’s church would witness, and literally join humankind as they desperately tried to please God, agonizing over his judgment of their own fate.

Data Collection Activities in Algebra 1

Algebra has long been taught in the same way. This usually means teachers rely heavily on the textbook. Though some textbooks have changed in recent years, the central focus is till on paper and pencil, memorization of rules, and use of algorithms. The Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM 1989) asks mathematics teachers to seek activities that â€Å"model real-world phenomena with a variety of function† and â€Å"represent and analyze relationships using tables, verbal rules, equations, and graphs†.The standards also urge teachers to give students the opportunity to be actively involved in math through data analysis and statistics that are integrated into the curriculum. My hope is to show that these types of activities can be incorporated into an algebra I course as a way of teaching slope, y-intercept, and linear equations. I plan to teach a unit on linear equations during the third nine weeks of an eighth grade algebra I course next semest er.The project will begin with one class learning the material typically covered in most algebra textbooks. I do not plan to pretest the students because this is new material for them. This class will also go to the computer lab and complete a lesson on the computer covering linear equations. In addition, they will work in pairs using T1-82 graphing calculator to explore slope and y-intercept. All of these methods are what I have typically taught over the past 5 years.Another eighth grade class will be given several data collection activities as a unit of study for linear equations. The primary resource for this class will be Algebra Experiments I by Mary Jean Winter and Ronald J. Carlson. My focus will begin with a whole class participation data collection activity. The class will perform â€Å"the wave† in small sections at a time until the entire class has completed it. As a group will record the number of seconds it takes (for example) 3, 5, 8, 13, 15, 20, etc. to complet e the wave.Students will then use a prepared activity sheet that requires them to draw a diagram of the experiment, describe the procedure, identify the independent and dependent variables, create a table of data, graph data, choose two representative points to connect and create a â€Å"line of best fit†, find the slope and y-intercept of this line and describe it algebraically and verbally, then interpret the data through certain questions designed to create understanding of the purpose of the data and using the data to make predictions. This same format will be used for all subsequent activities uring the unit of study. The authors of the book say â€Å"Algebra Experiments I reflects the basic philosophy of the NCTM standards for learning, teaching, and assessment. Students have an opportunity to work collaboratively, to interact, and to develop communication skill. † The whole idea is to â€Å"bring the real world into your algebra classroom. † I plan to req uire the class that does the experiments to keep a daily journal. It will include hot they felt about the daily activities, a description of any specific new topic or topics they learned and a list of questions they still have.Each day the class will address any concerns from the previous day's activity. After several activities have been done by hand, I will instruct the class on how to analyze the data on the T1-82 graphing calculator. They will then be given the opportunity to use the calculator on another experiment. This class will also do the same graphing calculator activity on slope and y-intercept that the other class will do. I will give each class the same test and compare scores. I will also give each class a survey to compare attitudes, interest and understanding of the use of the material in a real-world application.My hope is that the students in the experiment class will have grasped the basic concepts of linear equations as well if not better than the other class an d be able to relate this knowledge in a very real way. My search for articles about my proposed topic was lengthy and I have chosen to comment on a few. My goal next semester is to read and use each of these articles in my actual action paper. I have only read one article in its entirety. What I gathered from the abstracts was the importance of using real-world applications and incorporating the use of the graphing calculator.Since my goal is to show that data collection activities can provide a way to teach the basic concepts of linear equations in a real-world setting, I tried to find articles that would bear this out. Mercer (1995) presents lessons that teach slope-intercept concepts of linear equations through the use of the graphing calculator. Held (1995) uses Computer-Intensive Algebra (CIA) to focus on the use of technology and real-world settings to develop a richer understanding of algebraic concepts. Dugdale (1995) has written about technology and algebra curriculum refor m. She focuses on â€Å"current issues, potential directions, and research question†.Assessment issues are addressed. Algebra is â€Å"a way of reasoning involving variables/functional relationships, generalizations/modes of representation and mathematical investigation/argument. Harvey (1995) was the keynote speaker at the Algebra Working Group of the Seventh International Conference on Mathematical Education in Quebec City, Canada. He spoke of how important technology was in new algebra curriculum reform based on the NCTM standards. Bell (1995) was also a speaker at the Quebec conference. He suggest curriculum modifications and reviews research on students' performance.Menghini (1994) â€Å"claims that, to be meaningful, algebra must be linked to real-work problems. † Wallace (1993) offers a data collection activity similar to one I have used in the past. I would like to include this one in my lesson plans. It â€Å"compares the trends of women's and men's world re cords for the 800-meter run using the linear and power Regression capabilities of a graphing calculator. A very promising article by Magidson (1992) â€Å"addresses the challenges, risks, and rewards of teaching about linear functions in a technology-rich environment from a constructivist perspective.Describes an algebra class designed for junior high school students that focuses on the representations and real-world applications of linear functions. † I hope this will help me next semester as I begin to encounter problems. References Bell, A. , (1995). Purpose in school algebra. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 14 (1), 41-73. Dugdale, S. and others, (1995). Technology and algebra curriculum reform: current issues, potential directions, and research questions. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 14 (3), 325-57. Harvey, J. nd others. (1995). The influence of technology on the teaching and learning of algebra. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 14 (1), 75- 109. Heid, K. (1995). A technology-intensive approach to algebra. Mathematics Teacher, 88 (8), 650-56. Magidson, S. (1992). From the laboratory to the classroom: a technology-intensive curriculum for functions and graphs. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 11 (4), 361-37. Menghini, M. (1994). Form in algebra: reflecting, with Peacock, on upper secondary school teaching. For the Learning of Mathematics, 14 (3), 9-14.Mercer, J. (1995). Teaching graphing concepts with graphing calculators. Mathematics Teacher, 88 (4), 268-73. Wallace, E. (1993). Exploring regression with a graphing calculator. Mathematics Teacher, 86, (9), 741-43. Example 2 Use of Algebra Tiles to Enhance the Concept Development of Operations on Polynomials and Factoring in Ninth Grade Algebra Students The purpose of this action research project is to find out if the use of Algebra Tiles will enhance the concept development of operations on polynomials and factoring in ninth grade algebra students.Mathematics teachers a re guided by the Arkansas State mathematics Framework. The following three student learning expectations are covered by this research project. 2. 1. 5 Describe, visualize, draw and construct geometric figures in one, two, and three dimensions. 2. 3. 7 Represent problem situations with geometric models and apply properties of figures in meaningful context to solve mathematical and real-world problems. 2. 3. 8 Represent one, two and three-dimensional geometric figures algebraically. Algebra Tiles allow students â€Å"hands-on† experience with polynomials.The tiles give students the opportunity to model, to create a mental image, to draw, and to then symbolically manipulate polynomials. They are based on area and multiplication concepts that students are familiar with. Howden (1985) states â€Å"It is generally recognized that understanding the meaning of a mathematics concept, as opposed to merely performing the associated computation, is an essential element of true learning and achievement† and â€Å"research shows that modeling and visualization promotes such understanding†.Two units on polynomials will be taught in ninth grade algebra. One focusing on operations on polynomials and the other focusing on factoring. Two teachers will teach the same material using the same methods and tests. No pre-test will be given because ninth grade students have had no previous experience with these concepts. Both teachers will teach two of their own classes each of these two polynomial units. One class will receive traditional instruction by symbolic manipulation only. The other class will use the Algebra Tiles along with the traditional method.The student's scores for each unit using Algebra Tiles will be compared to the scores based on the traditional method only. Differences will be compared and noted. In addition, students receiving instruction with the tiles will keep a journal each day describing how they feel about using the tiles. According to Sharp (1995), students using algebra tiles â€Å"found it easy to think about algebraic manipulations when they visualized the tiles† and â€Å"the majority of students stated that the tiles added a mental imagery that made learning `easier. † Another possible comparison will be to see if there is any difference in scores or perception between boys and girls using the tiles. The goal of this research project is to see if Algebra Tiles or â€Å"modeling† will enhance the understanding of polynomials and make the process of factoring â€Å"easier†. References Howden, Hilde. Algebra Tiles for the Overhead Projector. New Rochelle, NY: Cuisenaire Company of America, 1985. Sharp, Janet M. Results of Using Algebra Tiles as Meaningful Representations of Algebra Concepts, ERIC search, 1995. Related article: â€Å"Study Guide Algebra†

Its Nature, Strengths and Weaknesses

Balanced of Literacy is philosophical literacy approach which children would learn how to read and write effectively. Teachers use different effective teaching technique and eternally guide students in accumulating new knowledge. The system uses the principles of Motivation, Engagement, Guidance and Individualism or Self-actualization. Also it uses the phonics rule to help students to read accurately. On the other hand, the program has also weaknesses. Educators certainly believe that balanced education can be achieved not only in using the Phonics method but also the learning principle called Whole Language.Education will be its best form when the two rules mixes and will be applied accordingly to enhance children’s ability to read and write. Balanced Literacy: Its Nature, Strengths and Weaknesses Balanced Literacy is the principle of learning on how to achieve and develop proper reading and writing through determined support and proper technique from the teacher. The princip le uses premiere techniques to motivate and inculcate values to the students. Basically, it is a program that cultivates student’s skills in different fields bearing in mind different approaches for the students.Also, the teachers use approaches that consider the degree or level of complexity subject matter appropriate for the students. To sum up, the technique also makes it a point to respect and to be acquainted with the student’s culture, religion and especially academic diversity. (Frey, et al, 2005, p. 272) Nature and Importance The philosophical orientation of balanced literacy uses different strategies proven to help student’s particular abilities. The importance of balanced literacy in education is inevitable considering its applications in educating children. In this practice, the ability of the teacher to teach is necessary.The teacher’s basic teaching skills must be polished in order to gain responsive actions from the students. The common conc erns and practices include the following: Motivation, Engagement, Guidance and Individualism. (Frey, et al, 2005, p. 272) Motivation, Engagement and Guidance comes simultaneously. Motivation is the principle of attracting or stimulating participant’s interest in the writing and reading. The teacher encourages students to do well and pay attention in everything they do. This method is one way of uplifting egos of participants so that proper education may take place.Also, in this strategy, student will be able to realize the significance of learning and the role of education in molding their lives. Engagement is the process in which students will be active in joining different activities set by teacher. They are listening attentively and give responses in the best way they can do. Also, they are teacher oriented where they seem to value teachers’ instructions to a great extent. The nature of engagement uses different approaches. This method is the most critical stage whe re the most learning takes place. In this system, teachers use different excellent teaching techniques.The method includes Teachers Reading, Shared Reading, Teachers Writing and Shared Writing. Teachers Reading is the process in which the teacher reads a story in a loud voice incorporated by emotions depicted in the story. This will cultivate student’s vocabulary and will activate student’s ability in predicting how the story goes and assessing the sense of the story. On the other hand, Shared Reading is the method in which students and teacher reads together. Shared reading will surely enhance students’ reading strategies. (Strickland 2001) Also, they would develop correct pronunciation as well as fluency and phrasing.To sum up, this practice will surely inculcate the value of politeness and respect as students will be able to listen to teacher as they read. The concept of â€Å"Teacher writing and Shared Writing† is the process in which teacher gives th e model writing and students try to do it in with the guidance of the teacher. The purpose of this method is primarily is to develop student’s concept of hand writing applying writing strategies. This method is a catalyst in helping students in familiarizing the alphabet and will further support their reading and communicating development.(Heydon et. al, 2004, pg 44) On the other hand, the balanced literacy program also uses the Phonics method where teacher uses the principle of spelling and the students are taught of sound relationships. Students are given with passage containing various words that applies the Phonics rule. Consistently, with this method, children will be able to comprehend more the text and appreciating or knowing the words precisely. (Wren, 2000) After the students are monitored by the teachers, children will read and write on their own. This method is called Individualism or Self-actualization.This method is also called the progression stage where the chi ld will act out the things that he learned. Problems with Balanced of Literacy Educators from different parts of the world are debating on what is the most accepted literacy program that would certainly and consistently teach children in the most effective way. Considering the great and wide applications of Balanced Literacy, it is one of the most distinguished and most eminent literacy programs. However, it has also certain flaws. Educators across the globe are questioning the use of the method of Phonics in the method.They are claiming that the in order to be called a â€Å"Balanced Literacy†, the Phonics method should be used in accordance with the Whole Language. Whole Language is a literacy principle in which teachers tend to teach children on focusing on the meaning of the text, undermining its authority and its essence. Also, students are paying attention to moderate skill instruction. (Chitrapu, 1996, p 28) Finally, educators believe that education will be in its best when the combination of the two principles will be used to teach children to read accurately and precisely. Narrowing downThroughout the years, balanced of Literacy continue to help children to expand their horizon in the field of education. It is unquestionably one of the best literacy programs as it continues to nourish and feed the mind of young generation in an exceptional way. References Chitrapu, Devil. English Teaching Forum. Whole Language: Adapting the Approach for Large Classes. Volume 34, No 2, April – June 1996. Page 28 Frey, Bruce B. , Lee, Steve W. , Tollefson, Nona. , Pass, Lisa, Massengill, Donita. Balanced Literacy in an Urban School District. Journal of Educational Research. p272Heydon, Rachel, Hibbert, Kathryn, Iannacci, Luigi. Strategies to Support Balanced Literacy Approaches in Pre- and Inservice Teacher Education. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. December 2004. p44. Strickland, Dorothy (2001). Balanced Literacy: Teaching the Skills and Thrills i n Reading Retrieved August 09, 2008 from, http://teacher. scholastic. com/professional/teachstrat/balanced. htm Wren, Sebastian (2000). What Does a Balanced Literacy Approach Mean? Soutwest Eduactional Development Laboratory Magazine. Retrieved August 10, 2008 from,http://www. sedl. org/reading/topics/balanced. html