Telecommunication Industry free essay sample

In the old days, the telecom industry was viewed as an example of â€Å"natural monopoly. † This was due to increasing returns to scale, where the telecom services could only be provided efficiently by a monopoly provider. In the U. S. , this pattern started many years ago when the American Bell Telephone purchased the Western Electric Company of Chicago. Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in 1876 and formed Bell Telephone. ATT, which is today one of the leading company in the wireless telecommunication industry, was formed in 1885 to connect the Bell Companies. In 1913, ATT agreed to become a regulated monopoly. Although their monopoly was allowed, they were required to connect competing local companies and let the Federal Communication Commission to approve their prices and policies. In January of 1982, ATT agreed to break itself into a national long-distance carrier and seven â€Å"baby bells† in order to end the long-running antitrust suit by the U. We will write a custom essay sample on Telecommunication Industry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page S. Department of Justice. The break occurred in 1984. At the time of the breakup of ATT, almost all telephone companies were monopolies and the increased growth toward competition The cost reductions have made access to the Internet affordable to the general public. However, in the wireless market, while more people are able to get new devices, companies may try to cap their data usage. For example, at Verizon, they changed their data plans from unlimited usage to capped plans. This is â€Å"partially due to rising bandwidth costs from data-hungry subscribe, making the switch to tiered plans inevitable. Network expansion is another area of the wireless sector that can lead to transactions costs. A good example is Sprint plans to expand its network from the WiMax to the LTE, which is expected to take place in 2013. All main competitors already are into the LTE network. This switch â€Å"is expected to cost Sprint $4 and $5 billion, though the investment could deliver over twice that in economic benefit to the company, if this bet pays off better than the money it put on WiMax did. † Through this example we can see how there are most than just the cost of expanding the network itself, but anything else that is involved until its completion.

Hortatory Discourse in Rhetoric

Hortatory Discourse in Rhetoric Speech or writing that urges or commands an audience to follow (or not follow) a particular course of action. It is also called hortatory rhetoric. Examples of Hortatory Speeches: I want you to get mad!I dont want you to protest. I dont want you to riot. I dont want you to write to your Congressman, because I wouldnt know what to tell you to write. I dont know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street.All I know is that first, youve got to get mad.Youve gotta say, Im a human being, goddammit! My life has value!So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out and yell, Im as mad as hell, and Im not going to take this anymore!(Peter Finch as Howard Beale in Network, 1976)Please forget that we are anarchists. Forget that it is claimed that we propagated violence. Forget that something appeared in Mother Earth when I was thousands of miles away, three years ago. Forget all that, and merely consider the evidence. Have we been engaged in a conspiracy? Has that conspiracy been proven? Have we committed overt acts? Have those overt acts been proven? We for the defense say they have not been proven. And therefore your verdict must be not guilty.(Emma Goldman, address to the jury on July 9, 1917) Young America, dream. Choose the human race over the nuclear race. Bury the weapons and dont burn the people. Dreamdream of a new value system. Teachers who teach for life and not just for a livingteach because they cant help it. Dream of lawyers more concerned about justice than a judgeship. Dream of doctors more concerned about public health than personal wealth. Dream of preachers and priests who will prophesy and not just profiteer. Preach and dream!(Jesse Jackson, speech at the Democratic National Convention, July 18, 1984) Observations: Discourse as a Play: Narrative, Expository, and Hortatory[A] metaphor that has proven particularly useful in several theoretical approaches to discourse and communication . . . is summarized as discourse is a play. The idea is that a person who intends to communicate an idea is like the director of a play. The speaker has an image in mind, and uses linguistic tools to encourage some audience to create a similar image in their minds. . . . The scene may be an actual or fictional series of events occurring over time, in which case we may say that the discourse produced is narrative. Or the scene may involve a description of some concrete thing or abstract idea, in which case the speaker engages in expository discourse. Sometimes a speaker will use language to describe ways the speaker would like the audience to behave. This would be called hortatory discourse.(Thomas E. Payne, Understanding English Grammar. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2011)In hortatory discourse, the composer of the discour se is especially likely to get involved with his subject matter and his audience and to urge on them a certain course of conduct by virtue of the prestige invested in this person.(Robert E. Longacre, The Grammar of Discourse, 2nd ed. Springer, 1996) Hortatory discourse can be seen as valuable in its own right. It can be seen as having a different purpose from the conveying of factual information. And the argumentation that is used to fulfill it, can be seen as legitimate in its own right, as a type of discourse distinct from information-seeking discourse.(Douglas Walton, Ethical Argumentation. Lexington Books, 2003) Pronunciation: HOR-teh-tor-ee

American Revolution or Evolution

Doesnt it enthrall one that a single word could bifurcate scholars and create factions amongst the erudite. Tort quo © (why? ) there must be a reason and there is! The answer is simple yet rational: Perspective. Albert Einstein, (the famous physicist) most remembered by his theory of relativity, concluded that distance and time were not absolute. History resides In the same niche. It Is more than a chronological account of past events of a period or a livelihood or development of a people, an institution, or a place. But what it is not is absolute. It is always left upon interpretation, scrutiny, analysis, probing and pondering. The perception or perspective gained through such rigorous processes is also subject to the base of a historian. It Is very uncommon to find historians sharing their bases of initial learning and therefore the effect of their own era, age, surroundings and upbringing must also be taken account of. A revolution, defined by Encyclopedia Britannica Is: a major. Sudden, and hence typically a violent alteration in government and in related associations and structures.On the other hand Oxford dictionary defines an evolution as: the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form. Let us decide upon the usage of the word Revolution, which one can venture out to say, could be dated from the year 1775 with Its Ignition being the battle of Lexington and Concord and culmination being the ratification of the constitution of the states In 1782. Seemingly easy doesnt It? It doesnt really respond to how fundamentally did the thoughts, ideals, ideology and mindset of a 2. 5 million inhabitants change and led to the chain of events that became known as the American Revolution.What I believe Is that no people In the course of history have ever rebelled against a certain state, condition or Ideology without a buildup of grievances, resentment or a gradual shift of attitude towards accepting a better sadomasochism. Lets go back to the early 17th century when immigrations began to take place into the New World. Herds of folks comprising of German, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Jewish descent and not to mention the French Hugeness, began pouring into the lands in order to escape from the fetters of the Old World.They did not have any more an appetite for its rituals, its citrines, Its curbing of call liberties, and mostly the cost of living In It, One can even of the aforementioned causes. So it would be appropriate to say that a 17th ce ntury Europe was in revolution. Lets go further with this theory and say that the immigrants reaching the New World were revolutionaries. Almost 1 50 years of Paxar Americana (used strictly in context with the time period and not according to current usage) so to say was enjoyed by the colonists. During this time, some changes irrevocably did take place.This is evident from the fact that the language that the sorority of the immigrants originally spoke had evolved into a different dialect. So from this we can also entrust upon the belief that alongside linguistics political and socio-economic changes did also take place. A political change that actually began with the migrations was the rise of a political ideology known as Republicanism. Technically ruled by Great Britain or more accurately looked over, the colonies practiced the policy through their town halls and city councils. Very famous examples of such republican instruments were the Virginia House of Burgesses and theMassachusetts Assembly. These were regulated by either representative or direct democracy. The symbol of democracy at the time was looked upon as the House of Commons in England, however it did seem a bit more than contradicting to have the Bucking Palace towering high in the very country. The colonists did give their allegiances to the monarch but because of the fact that it was kind of conditional. Although they did not realize it nor was it formally declared but they remained docile because they were never tampered by British legislations.They had during this time, rated their own principles, created their own system of Jurisprudence, law, Justice, methods of trade, commerce, education, agriculture etc. When after the French and Indian war, the British began actively participating in the earlier enumerated colonial components of society; it wouldve obviously been not received glad hand edly by the Colonists as it did not. Lets now examine the economic evolution that took place to ensure Americas Independence. The 150 year old period was in terms of trade and commerce coined as a period of salutary neglect.For the colonists it brought economic prosperity and industrialization. For the British it was shooting themselves in the foot. Intentional lax in order to show the appreciation for economic freedom while regulating the policy of mercantilism. Does it make any sense? One would question Robert Walpole sanity between all of this; however he is not our subject of concern. What you shall so sow so shall you reap; a very old and passed around saying isnt it? But it does make sense in the context. The British for a very long period of time followed the policy and he colonist enjoyed its benefits.Smuggling was nothing out of the blue, very common. Other European nations also benefited from it, the Colonial agriculture products such as hay, wheat, barley, maize and cotton were valued highly in foreign markets. When the British annoyed at Colonial stubbornness to pay taxes, passed the writs of assistance; there was an outrage. There had to be one, like it did, smuggling was not put up with anymore and a flow of revenue generation created as a result of foreign trade stagnated. How were the merchants to run their businesses without the redeem of trading being allowed to them as it had always been?Hence there was an outcry by the merchants who went bankrupt as a result of such legislation. Somewhere or another. The country was not at all familiar with taxes; once again it is necessary to mention that when we talk about being not being tampered for almost 150 years it is meant more than it sounds. Citizens in Britain were obliged to pay taxes, however their brethren in the New World were not. I do at times believe that absolute freedom corrupts absolutely, there should be some harnesses or bridles put n in order to let civility root in or in this case for rule to sustain.When suddenly exposed to direct taxes such as Stamp Act and Sugar Acts why would it not cause havoc with in the colonists? It would lead to acrimony towards the crown like it did, it would lead to mass protests like it did and would lead to severing of ties like it did. In the beginning I wrote about how a historical event is subject to independent interpretation. How historians may or may not agree on something because of the different elements molding the shape of the basis for their knowledge.I must confess that it is no t arbitrary and applies to myself as it does to any other individual. I believe that evolution without revolution is lame and revolution without evolution blind, very similar to what Einstein said about religion and science. One thing is for certain though, nothing is by nature revolutionary. There has to be friction to beget fire. During the 150 year period evolutionary changes in political beliefs, social policies and economic mechanisms did take place otherwise the colonists wouldve never armed themselves to teeth and hoisted the flag of revolution.

A critical review of Kosovo Is Not Serbia Assignment

A critical review of Kosovo Is Not Serbia - Assignment Example However, the author fails to explain why Kosovo people are not allowed in America. Additionally he presents a picture of Americans discriminating Kosovo people. What he fails to address is what kind of life do the American live in Kosovo. In his discussion of soap operas that are managed by women, the author fails to explain the role of men in the same films. Furthermore, the article seems to criticize the films more and provide their transformations without giving the positive aspects of the soap opera. In discussing the situation in Serbia, the author provides the current status of Serbia. The article demonstrates that The Serbian language is no longer widely spoken. The county has been taken up by English men. The article notes that with almost every Serb ethnically cleansed, there's nobody left to speak it. The author further notes that Serbia lies in ruins. There are just empty Orthodox churches turned into tourist attractions while the town abounds with pizza and burger joints with English-language menus. Serbia too faces her challenges including traffic jam. However, the author seems to be biased in the discussion of the two countries. The article speaks much better of Kosovo than Serbia. For instance, the author blames Serbia for Kosovo’s problems. The author speaks of â€Å"the war crimes committed by Serbian military forces against the Albanian population, which led to the bombings by NATO in 1999† (Tesanovic Pg. 1, 2014). He did give any instance when Kosovo did something negative or inhumane.

Economic Downturn Hits Oz clothing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Economic Downturn Hits Oz clothing - Essay Example The focus in this paper is on Oz clothing, a manufacturer of clothing in Australia that is facing serious threats to their operation in the business due a variety of internal problems and also due to the policies incorporated by the Australian government. The organization cannot withstand the competition from the foreign competitors in the market and is facing a threat for existence. The Industrial relations and the practice maintained by the organization were poor in nature and are adding up to the resistance in the process of revival. The importance of Industrial relation has been highlighted over here and efforts have been made to identify that how the success of various elements and process in the organization depends on the proper alignment to the Industrial relations. The impact of the policies of Industrial relation on the employees helps to have a clear understanding on the motivation of the employees. The employees and the laborers of the organization are a prime part and co ntribute a lot to the organizational success. The organizations should provide proper care and maintain their responsibility towards them by framing policies in line with the industrial relations. The overall problems of OZ clothing can be segregated into two factors, internal and external. The internal factors denote the set of issues which are present within the organization and prevent the organization to reach its desired goals, and the external influences are the factors outside the organization which prevents the cause of the organization. ... The primary reason for the failure of the organization can be contributed to lower productivity which has occurred due to the adoption of obsolete technologies used by the firm. As a result of the use of the obsolete technology an overall increase in the price of the products per unit is also increasing. The company is facing serious issues with the process of manufacturing. The increase in cost of the manufacturing is also associated with the high amount of labor costs. The process of effective utilization of labor is absent in the company and thus labor has emerged to be a factor of high cost for the company. The skills of the labors in the production department are also under question. The organization also faces serious issues with the line of products they deliver to the customers. The organization generally deals with underwear as their commodity product. Customers believe that their products are not original and are also not fashionable. In view of the perceptions from the cus tomers; the retailers are canceling the orders of the products. The products are also highly priced than the competitors and it is also acting as a major cause for being unpopular in the market. The product designing team of the organization has not brought any innovation in the design or the quality of the products and has failed to satisfy the needs of the customers. The absence of fashionable products in their product line has also been a major cause for the customers easily falling to the low priced products outsourced from China. The organization also has low source of capital and this further prevents them to opt for the new technologies or look after

Global warming exists Essay Example for Free

Global warming exists Essay The debate over whether global warming is a reality has received contradictory arguments from the various fronts on the global community. Opponents of the phenomenon assert that climate changes from time to time are natural occurrences. On the other side, proponents claim that the world has been experiencing trend of increase in temperatures of the earths near surface atmosphere since early twentieth century. This has particularly been attributed with the onset and increasing industrialization in the global community. Such have the implication that activities by mankind are to be blamed for the issue of climate change in the world. Given the available evidence that the world is experiencing unpredictable climate and weather patterns, global warming is no doubt a reality in the modern society. Causes of global warming According to scientific research findings, global warming is defined as the gradual increase in the temperatures of the earth’s atmosphere near the surface (Johansen, 2002). This has been closely associated with increased emission and accumulation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (Revkin, 2008). These gases are responsible for trapping heat emitted from the earth’s surface and thus increasing the atmospheric temperatures. It is worth noting that greenhouse gases are commonly a byproduct of the production process by industries. As an example to emphasis this claims, mankind activities are estimated to be producing carbon dioxide (which is the major greenhouse gas) at a rate of over 25 billion metric tons annually (Revkin, 2008). In addition, deforestation, which entails cutting down of trees by man has contributed to the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Therefore, although some natural processes such as fossil decay and volcanic eruptions can lead to greenhouse gas emission, mankind kind activities remain the main cause of global warming given the huge amounts of greenhouse gases produced by industries across the globe (Kluger, 2006). Evidence supporting the existence of global warming There are numerous evidences indicating the existence of global warming in the globe. First, the world is evidently witnessing a decline in its mountain ice and glaciers reserves (Kluger, 2006). According to available research findings, the rate Arctic shrinkage is higher than any other time in the history of mankind. Still, the world is experiencing a gradual but real rise in sea levels, a factor which is threatening the submergence of some low laying islands (Johansen, 2002). Such increases are evidently blamed for the increase in the rate of melting of mountain ice and glaciers. Global warming has been blamed for the occurrence of extreme weather conditions. Such include floods, droughts as well as heat waves, which are evident in the world today (Revkin, 2008). It is also claimed that due to global warming, expansion and evaporation of sea waters are high. Just to be appreciated is the fact that such high rates of evaporation of water into the atmosphere leads to increased rate of rain formation along the coastal regions. Such are indeed, the reason behind the frequent flooding witnessed in our coastal regions (Kluger, 2006). Therefore, since no one can refute the evidence of global warming on sea water expansion and increased flooding in the coastal regions, then global warming is a real threat to the sustainable social and economic development of the global community. The world is marked with the problem of unpredictable climate changes. As by the available statistics, the globe is witnessing a changing trend in its wind patterns (Johansen, 2002). It is worth noting that the process of wind formation is dependent on earth surface temperatures which lead to expansion of air. In addition, wind is a crucial factor in influencing the rain patterns across the globe. This is because it acts to carry water vapor from its source to other regions. Based on this reasoning, since wind and rain storms are no doubt a direct result of earth surface temperatures, then global warming must be a real phenomenon. Just to be emphasized here is the fact that such unpredictable wind patterns are responsible for the eminent failure by weather forecasting scientists in giving reliable region specific weather predictions. Therefore, the global temperature swings are responsible for the increasing formation of unpredictable weather patterns across the globe. Another proof in support that global warming is a real phenomenon is the trend of increased incidences of disease outbreaks across the globe (Johansen, 2002). True to the letter, traditionally, diseases were categorized by regions. However, due to climate changes, it is not uncommon it experience traditionally tropical diseases in other regions of the world (Johansen, 2002). According to available evidence, the human community is witnessing an increase in the number of skin cancer diseases. Such have been closely attributed to an increase in the amount of ultraviolet rays reaching the earth surface. It is worth noting here that such increases are a direct result of the evident shrinking of the ozone layer, a phenomenon that is termed as global warming. Conclusion It is clearly established that the world is increasingly witnessing an ever changing trend on its climate. Such are evident from the ever increasing mountain ice and glaciers reserves which lead to expansion of sea waters. This threatens the livelihood of those settled in the low coastal regions. The phenomenon is also blamed for unpredictable wind and rain patterns as well as increased spreading of diseases across the global. Therefore, global warming is a real phenomenon threatening the sustainable existence of the human community. References Johansen, B. (2002). The Global Warming Desk Reference. New York: Greenwood Press. Kluger, J. (2006). Global Warming Heats Up. Retrieved May 17, 2010, from http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1176980,00. html Revkin, A. (2008). A Shift in the Debate over Global Warming. Retrieved May 17, 2010, from http://www. nytimes. com/2008/04/06/weekinreview/06revkin. html

Revenge In Hamlet Essay -- essays research papers

What do you consider to the main theme(s) of Hamlet? Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a complex play where many themes are intertwined – themes that are essential to the development of the play. The issue of death and disease, both physical and emotional is very prevalent throughout the duration of the play, as well as fate and divine providence. The play also questions madness and whether it can be feigned, as well as corruption and its moral implications. Of course, who could forget the famous ‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy, where Hamlet not only questions life and death, but many of life’s other uncertainties as well. Undoubtedly, the most essential theme in the development of Hamlet is revenge and question ‘Does revenge pay?’ Revenge is a frighteningly bloodthirsty emotion, which causes people to act blindly and without reason. Revenge is a theme that is cleverly built upon throughout the extent of the play; with it being the driving force behind two of the main characters in the play. The play is introduced by the appearance of the ghost of Hamlet’s father in the first scene, which automatically gives the impression that something is amiss. This is later clarified by the statement that â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark† (Act1 Scene 4 Line 90). The ghost emerges before Hamlet and insinuates that his death was not as nocent as it may seem. The ghost urges Hamlet to â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder† (Act1 Scene 5 Line25) and informs him that â€Å"The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown â€Å"(Act1 Scene5 Line 38). This appears to indicate that Hamlet’s father’s death was actually murder, and that the deed was committed by King Hamlet’s brother, Claudius, who had now taken over as King of Denmark. The Ghost taunts Hamlet, telling him that it is part of every man’s honour to avenge his death. Hamlet then becomes a part of Denmark’s foulness and wre tchedness when he agrees to avenge his father’s death. This is the beginning of a vicious cycle of hatred, death and revenge that destroys many lives. Soon after Claudius marries Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, Hamlet feigns madness as a ploy to cover up his attempts to avenge his father’s death and to bring him closer to Claudius. One of the first things Hamlet does in his attempt to prove Claudius’ guilt is to have ‘The Mousetrap’ performed in court. ‘The Mousetrap recreates ... ...amned Dane, Drink off this potion. Is thy union here? Follow my mother.† Laertes dies, content that justice has been served and Hamlet himself dies soon after, his father’s death finally avenged. The obsession and need for revenge displayed by our two main characters eventually led them both to their downfall. Not only did it hurt themselves, but many others close to them. Ophelia’s death, for example could be blamed on Hamlet’s desire for revenge, whilst Hamlets death occurred as a result of Laertes quest to avenge his father’s death. Hopefully, it is easy to see why I believe that revenge is the core theme in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Revenge shapes the entire plot of the play and could be blamed for corrupting Hamlet and Laertes, making them almost evil in their final intentions. Shakespeare highlights the moral implications of revenge, and how a person can be corrupted by their need for revenge. The age-old saying ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’ is outlined perfectly in Hamlet. You cannot receive a punch, return a punch and then all sit down together for a lovely dinner. The second that you retaliate, it starts a horrible chain that is almost impossible to break.

Reading Philosophies

Reading Philosophies Katy J. Kaldenberg Grand Canyon University: EED-470 Curriculum, Methods and Assessment: Literacy and Language Arts K-3 Monday, March 11, 2013 Reading Philosophies Chart Reading Philosophy| Brief Description| Reading Activities| Reading Assessments| Constructivist Reading Instruction| Constructivists view the student as an active participant in the learning process who constructs a personal meaning from each experience (Ying-Tien & Chin-Chung, 2005). One Constructivist reading activity for teaching a student a new word is that the student is taught to use picture cues to learn to read (Ying-Tien, & Chin-Chung, 2005). For example, if the student cannot read a word, he or she is taught to look at the picture then go back and to the word and guess the meaning. Another activity for constructivist reading instruction would be that the teacher would have students work in small groups to discuss a book that was read to the class. The small groups of students may then als o create their own story. Constructivist reading assessments would include the teacher collecting daily performance samples of work, observing and recording student’s behavior, audio and videotaping students in different situations, and building a portfolio filled with information about each student (Ying-Tien & Chin-Chung, 2005). The evaluation process is for the teacher, parent, and child. Conferences can also be held to discuss progress. | Explicit Reading Instruction| Explicit reading instruction is teacher directed (Goeke, 2009).The teacher uses explanation and demonstration to teach specific reading skills and strategies (Goeke, 2009). The teacher also provides corrective feedback to his or her students as the students attempt to apply the new knowledge (Goeke, 2009). | An example of explicit reading instruction would be that the teacher would state the sound and spelling of a specific letter-sound correspondence and then demonstrate by modeling how to read words that i nclude that feature to the class (Taylor, Peterson, Pearson, & Rodriguez, 2002).The students then would practice but only after the teacher has modeled the process first. A second example of explicit reading instruction would be to teach decoding to students that have deficits in word reading. A third example of explicit reading instruction would be having students use the mnemonic DISSECT (Discover the context, Isolate the prefix, Separate the suffix, Say the stem, Examine the stem, Check with someone, and Try the dictionary) to read unknown words (Adams & Engelmann, 1996). The teacher would teach each strategy step explicitly (Adams & Engelmann, 1996).An important part of explicit reading instruction is that the teacher always describes the strategy, provides the rationale for its use, and states how and when to implement a strategy explicitly to the students and the instruction is always implemented systematically (Adams & Engelmann, 1996). | Explicit reading assessments would in clude having student answer multiple-choice questions about selected text passage; decoding assessments can also be given (Taylor, Peterson, Pearson, & Rodriguez, 2002).One example of a decoding assessment would be that the student is given isolated words one at a time, and the student is asked to say the word aloud. The words selected for a decoding assessment should be words that are within the student’s spoken vocabulary, and should contain a mix of phonetically regular and phonetically irregular words (Goeke, 2009). Another type of assessment is that of standardized tests such as the Diagnostic Assessments of Reading (DAR) and the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR). | Reading Philosophies Summary The educational realm is not free from disputes.Disputes on reading instructional practices have been ongoing for more than half a century. On one side of this debate is composed of those who believe that students learn best when they are able to discover and c onstruct the essential information for themselves. This type of instruction is often called student-centered or constructivist instruction (Confrey, 1990). On the opposite side of this debate are those who believe that students only thrive when full, explicit instruction is given and student should not have to discover essential content (Goeke, 2009).This type of instruction is often referred to as direct or explicit instruction (Goeke, 2009). When speaking about reading instruction, this debate has often been coined as the â€Å"reading wars†. Constructivist Reading Instruction is derived from the theory of constructivism. One could assume that constructivism is derived from Piaget’s own reference to his views as being a â€Å"constructivist† or possible from Bruner’s description of learning discovery as â€Å"constructionist† (Gruber & Voheche, 1977).Some other terms that have been used to reference a constructivist way of learning include genera tive learning, situated learning, authentic learning, and educational semiotic (Wittrock, 1985; Cunningham, 1992). Constructivists believe that all learning should be student centered. They think that knowledge is obtained only during a meaning-making search where the student is involved in the process of constructing their own interpretations of their experiences.Constructivist generally agree that students much construct their own learning, all new learning is dependent on the student’s existing understanding, social interaction plays a critical role in learning, and authentic learning tasks are necessary for learning to be meaningful (Bruning, Schraw, & Ronning, 1995; Pressley, Harris, & Marks, 1992). According to constructivists, in order for a student to construct new meaning he or she needs to make every effort to make sense of all new experiences and then must relate those to experiences to what is already known (Confrey, 1990).Constructivists also claim that a catalys t for acquiring knowledge is dialogue and social interaction facilitates understanding (Brown, 1994). Constructivist teachers aim to provide cooperative learning tasks and peer tutoring for their students. Constructivist teacher often believe that students learn faster when they are actively involved in dialog with their peers about significant problems (Brooks & Brooks, 1993). The constructivist classroom would be filled with students roaming about the classroom obtaining supplies, conferring with peers or the teacher, and working on self-directed projects (Brooks & Brooks, 1993).Constructivist teachers pride themselves in asking big questions, providing time for student to think and explore to find answers (Brooks & Brooks, 1993). In an actual classroom, there are many flaws involved in practicing constructivist instruction. The first major problem is that often only the brightest students make the discovery that is needed (Pace, 2011). Another issue is that many students become f rustrated. This frustration many cause some students to disengage and other students may simply copy whatever their peers are doing regardless in either case the students never actually discover anything (Pace, 2011).A third issue is that some students may believe they have made a discovery but in fact, they have only learned a misconception (Pace, 2011). These misconceptions can then interfere with future learning and problem solving (Pace, 2011). Studies have shown that once a student has believed one of these misconceptions that even after they have been show the correct answer they are still likely to recall the original discovery and not the correction (Pace, 2011). Along with the above four issues studies have shown that constructivist instruction can result in an increase in achievement gap (Pace, 2011).Decades of research has validated that explicit instruction is much more effective for reading instruction when compared to constructivist reading instruction. Kirschner, Swel ler, and Clark (2006) states, â€Å"After a half-century of advocacy associated with instruction using minimal guidance, it appears that there is no body of research supporting the technique. In so far as there is any evidence from controlled studies, it almost uniformly supports direct, strong instructional guidance rather than constructivist-based minimal guidance. Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006) also reports, â€Å"†¦ Not only is unguided instruction normally less effective; there is also evidence that it may have negative results when students acquire misconceptions or incomplete or disorganized knowledge. † Research has shown that when teaching new skills and content to students, providing explicit instructions accompanied with practice and feedback is more effective than requiring students to discover many aspects of what they are to learn (Hall, 2002). Explicit instruction is teacher directed.The teacher provides the students with a full explanation of the n ew skill or concept that the student is required to learn (Hall, 2002). The teacher also uses a variety of accommodations such as lecturing, modeling, videos and other media, and demonstration to provide the students with proper guidance (Hall, 2002). Students need to be explicitly shown what to do and how to do something first and then they need to be given the opportunity to practice doing it while they receive corrective feedback from the teacher (Hall, 2002). Extensive research supports explicit instruction’s success as an evidence-based practice.Adams and Engelmann (1996) found thirty-seven research publications validating the effectiveness of explicit instruction. These research publications all reported that explicit instruction had a significant outcome on reading instruction. Research also found explicit instruction to be as valuable for typical students, as for students with disabilities. The National Follow-Through Project studied multiple models of instruction to determine the most effective instructional models for students who were economically disadvantaged (Rosenshine, 1995; Taylor, Peterson, Pearson, & Rodriguez, 2002).The results concluded that children who received explicit instruction in literacy and mathematics scored above those taught with other approaches. An additional result was increased self-esteem due to success in school (Rosenshine, 1995; Taylor, Peterson, Pearson, & Rodriguez, 2002). The National Follow-Through Project belonged to a group of studies on teacher effectiveness, which determined that explicit instruction effectively taught students what they needed to learn (Rosenshine, 1995; Taylor, Peterson, Pearson, & Rodriguez, 2002).Baumann and Duffy (2001) reported on five years of research that showed that reading skills and strategies are most effectively taught with systematic and explicit instruction. In conclusion, explicit instruction is vital for initial instruction in skill acquisition (Goodman, Goodman, & Hood, 1989). This is especially the case for struggling readers, who often require intense support to acquire reading skills (Goodman, Goodman, & Hood, 1989). Beginning reading instruction should emphasize explicit instruction, particularly for phonics instruction (Goodman, Goodman, & Hood, 1989).Constructivist instruction is important when generalizing skills to other contexts (Goodman, Goodman, & Hood, 1989). It can also be used when children explore children’s literature. Story structure can be taught with constructivist instruction and may be more meaningful to children than teaching it explicitly (Goodman, Goodman, & Hood, 1989). The Whole Language Movement is built upon Constructivist principles (Goodman, Goodman, & Hood, 1989). References Adams, G. and Engelmann, S. (1996).Research on Direct Instruction: 25 years beyond DISTAR. Seattle, WA: Educational Achievement Systems. Brooks, J. G. & Brooks, M. G. (1994). In search of understanding: The case for constructivist classroo ms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Brown, A. L. (1994). The advancement of learning. Educational Researcher 23: 4-12. Bruning, R. H. , Schraw, G. J. & Ronning, R. R (1995). Cognitive psychology and instruction, 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Baumann, J. F. , & Duffy, A.M. (2001). Teacher-research methodology: Themes, variations, and possibilities. The Reading Teacher, 54, 608-615. Confrey, J. (1990). What constructivism implies for teaching. In R. B. Davis, C. A. Maher & N. Noddings (Eds. ), Constructivist views of the teaching and learning of mathematics (Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Monograph No. 4, pp. 107-122). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Cunningham, D. J. (1992). Beyond educational psychology: Steps toward an educational semiotic.Educational Psychology Review 4: 165-194. Goeke J. L. (2009). Explicit instruction: Strategies for meaningful direct teaching. Boston: Merrill/Pearson . Goodman, K. , Goodman, Y. & Hood, W. (1989). The whole language evaluation book. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Hall, T. (2002). Explicit instruction. Wakefield, MA: National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved Wednesday, March 13, 2013 from http://aim. cast. org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/explicit_instruction. Kirschner, P. A. , Sweller, J. , & Clark, R. (2006).Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work: An analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential and inquiry-based teaching. Educational Psychologist, 41, 75–86 Pace, D. (2011). Best practice: The use of explicit instruction and culturally responsive teaching. Insights on Learning Disabilities, 8(2), 5-14. Pressley, M. , Harris, K. R. , & Marks, M. B. (1992). But good strategy instructors are constructivists! Educational Psychology Review 4: 3-31. Rosenshine, B. (1995). Advances in research on instruction. Journal of Educational Research, 88, 262â⠂¬â€œ268.Stanovich, K. E. (1994). Constructivism in reading education. Journal of Special Education, 28(3), 259. Taylor, B. M. , Peterson, D. S. , Pearson, P. D. , & Rodriguez, M. C. (2002). Looking inside classrooms: Reflecting on the â€Å"how† as well as the â€Å"what† in effective reading instruction. The Reading Teacher, 56, 270–279. Wittrock, W. C. (1985). The generative learning model and its implications for science education. Studies in Science Education 12: 59-87. Ying-Tien, W. , & Chin-Chung, T. (2005). Effects of constructivist-oriented instruction on

Most Writers of Fiction Do Not Earn Enough Money to Live from Their Writing Essay

Here are some conditions under which a novelist could reasonably expect some government suport. In general terms, if the writer has already proved that he or she can write well, and if the stories produced are stimulating and interesting, then I consider that some financial help might be given. Language quality is difficult to define, but if the writing shows, for example, good grammar, a wide vocabulary, and elegance and imagination, then I can see a valid reason for assisting an author to spend some time free from money problems. Such a writing needs to be encouraged. the entertainment value of a book would be also a factor in deciding whether to provide assistance to an author. Further consideration would include social and educational values expressed in the author’s work. However, if the ideas were socially irresponsible, or if the stories contain unnecessary violence or pornography for its own sake, then I would not want to see the author sponsored to write stories which do not benefit society. Other exceptions are the many writers of good books who do not require financial help. Books which proved to be extremely popular, such as the Harry Potter stories, clearly need no subsidy at all because the authors have become rich through their writing. Views on what good quality writing means will vary widely, and so if any author is to be given money for writing, then the decision would have to be made by a committee or panel of judge. An individual opinion would certainly cause disagreement among the reading public.

Website Evaluation Report essays

Website Evaluation Report essays The objective of the Brisbane Media Map database is to provide valuable information and links to numerous media and media-related organisations that serve the Brisbane area, and includes useful links to other online media directories. Since the online Brisbane Media Map database is developed as a tool for potential users, it should stand to reason that it is developed with the needs and abilities of the user in mind. This is because sometimes the users needs can become lost in the complexity of the project, the ease of use is sacrificed to mere functionality and clarity of display is lost in the middle of programming features, such as flashing, frames, and clever graphics. I intend to evaluate whether or not the users needs, and particularly the needs of the user who maybe relatively new to the online world, appear to have been kept uppermost in the minds of those designing the layout and functionality of the course directory. Firstly, the Brisbane Media Map Database (BMM) is a well-structured, easily navigable website. When browsing it, it is obvious that throughout the BMM domain the database's look and formatting are consistent. Users are able to find requested pieces of information in the minimum number of clicks necessary and they can also take advantage of a detailed site map for easy orientation. The clarity of display works well for the database, but the picture title bar at the top of the screen is a problem as it is somewhat distracting resulting in it overshadowing the more important features. In addition, the menu on the left side of the screen serves the intended function of helping users understand where they are and what options are available but it could be improved by enlarging the font. I suggest that the menu either be replaced with a static menu at the top of the screen or that the changing menu is represented with a clearer graphic which would be more attractive to the users eye. ...

Hong Kongs Approach to Financial Stability Essay - 1

Hong Kongs Approach to Financial Stability - Essay Example The fact that during a crisis there is a limited amount of time to solve the crises situation makes it even more difficult. Most of the crises oppose as threats to major organization and thus if not properly dealt with results to serious consequences to the organization. It may be the downfall of the certain organization or company facing the crises. Most of the financial organization lack a crises manager whose main work is to foresee the unpredictable circumstances or events that pose as a threat to the organization. This makes it even more difficult to face the problems. Planning in detail for response to as many potential crises is crucial. Due to the financial constrains that most of the organization face it becomes very difficult to set a lot of funds aside to plan in response for a crisis? Establishing monitoring systems to foresee the threats in an organization is also very expensive. Training and the establishment of a crises management team is very crucial which little financial organization take for granted. It becomes very difficult for an untrained team to handle crises and in many cases; they will mismanage the crises (Chan et al, 102). Because of the recognition that financial crises are probably unavoidable; the authorities in Hong Kong have maintained a conservative approach to regulatory and supervisory policies. a number of policies have been carried out in the Hong Kong’s Approach to ensure that there is financial stability in avoidance of crises. If there were better warning signs and indictors, organization could have the ability of avoiding major crises such as the trans-Atlantic financial crises. Many warning indicators have been set in the many departments to alert organizations in case of any crises to result. Market intelligence is also an important strategy employed by the different organizational departments when dealing with crises. Cooperation between essential organizational departments has also

Ryle's criticisms of Cartesian Dualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ryle's criticisms of Cartesian Dualism - Essay Example This extends to existence as having two separate planes, a material existence and a mental existence, with the two planes diametrically opposed to each other and separated profoundly, having no link of causation between the two. In the physical world, people can communicate, but the mental conscious world is completely hidden from view and unknowable by others. To the question of what kind of knowledge can be obtained by the mind's workings, the Cartesian dualist perspective asserts that consciousness is able to get a good grasp of the present workings of one's mind, which cannot be shaken as unreal, in spite of inputs by Freud with regard to some unconscious, subconscious impulses that can also govern the conscious processes. The data is presented within the immediate time frame, available to the consciousness or mind. Together with this data are the fruits of one person’s going into himself, introspectively, to examine his mind's contents as a kind of self-observation. The o ther, meanwhile, is not privy and is completely shut out of this immediate consciousness experience. Even language is said to reflect this view of consciousness as something innate and to which the external actions in the environment register and make impressions. Ryle calls this whole infrastructure of thought the ghost in the machine dogmatic formulation. He contests this dogma on several grounds and objects to its validity. Ryle testifies that the whole ghost in the machine infrastructure or theory of mind is completely false (Ryle, 1949, pp. 11-16) â€Å"I shall often speak of it, with deliberate abusiveness, as ‘the dogma of the Ghost in the Machine’. I hope to prove that it is entirely false, and false not in detail but in principle. It is not merely an assemblage of particular mistakes. It is one big mistake and mistake of a special kind. It is, namely, a category mistake (Ryle, Descartes' myth, 1949, pp. 15-16, Paragraph #2) The core of the objection is with re gard to the Cartesian view of the dualism of mind and body as a category mistake and a myth of the philosopher, meaning that in essence those mental processes are miscategorized and made to fit a category to which they do not belong. Ryle gives the example of the University tour given to someone who after being shown the facilities asks where the university is as if the university was in the same category as the buildings and the grounds, rather than constituting the entire of it. He cites another example of a first-time cricket game watcher, who mistakes team spirit as being in the same category of the different players and the positions that they occupy, rather than being constituted by the cooperation and camaraderie of the players in the team. These are examples of category mistakes, to which the philosophers subscribing to the Cartesian dualist frame of mind likewise succumb to. In the examples, Ryle notes that the problem lay with the perceivers having difficulty in grasping t he nuances of language and the limitations of their vocabulary. It is the same with an ignorant man perceiving the constitution as something magical and ethereal, or the fictitious John Doe in the same magical and ghostly terms, because that ignorant man is unable to get away from using the categories of thought that he is familiar with when dealing with physical presences concerning the idea of the constitution and of John Doe. In