Sport Journalism, a view of the world, or a view generated by the dominant male supremacy?

The media is a powerful tool, which shapes the views and ideas of society, ‘the print media is an influential socializing agent in that it informs and entertains the reader and encourages social integration and social change by values, ideas and attitudes it presents' (Eitzen and Sage, 1995, p78). When the media has such an important effect on society, is it right that male journalists dominate the media, in a sense serving to maintain and preserve patriarchal relationships. Although there have been many changes in the treatment of females in society in the past, many females are still excluded from numerous professions. Certain institutions frown upon the entry of females, as advancements made by females in society decreases the amount of men in dominant positions in society. This is shown by the small number of ‘male preserves' (Elias & Dunning, 1986, p268) left in today's modern society. However, one institution that seems unable to accommodate change, for the sake of protecting its ‘male preserve' (Elias & Dunning, 1986, p268) is the print media. The media is increasingly becoming more of a male preserve, due to ever-growing equality females strive for; many men's clubs have vanished, as they would rather shut than accommodate females, and erase issues of equality. Therefore the print media is an important site for this male preserve, ‘our newspapers are run like old boy's clubs' (Stratford, 1992, p130). Even when females have broken in to the sports journalism profession, it is still under the dominant ideologies of a male supremacy. Entry is possible for women, as long as no attempt is made to alter or even question the status quo' (Stratford, 1992, p130). The only way females can be involved in the sports journalism world, is to reject the issues that display feminine power, in addition they also have to adopt the dominant ideologies of a male society. ‘They wanted the jobs: therefore played by the rules in order to get them, the rules were not changed to facilitate the progress of other female journalists after them. Long hours, drinks with the boys and a disregard for childcare remain the norm' (Stratford, 1992, p130). Although females do break in to the media profession, this most commonly comes in the form if a television reporter. As sports journalism portrays the journalist's personal opinions, where television reporters are presented with scripts to shape the ideals of viewers, the only important thing on television is image, which is more often than not an attractive female. The profession of sports journalism in the print media is one of the most gender specific in modern society. ‘Sport is a male preserve and at the part it plays, relative to other sources, in the production and reproduction of masculine identity' (Elias & Dunning, 1986, p268). The print media has always been run by a dominant male supremacy producing a masculine identity, with jobs of highest priority, which shape the views of society such as journalist, more often than not given to men. This dominance of males in the media raises issues, which are constantly raised over the treatment of females in society, especially over the stereotypical coverage they receive. Therefore, sports journalism in this light can not actually be classed as sports journalism, sports journalism is all about reproducing and portraying the views of society, and giving everyone a equal voice. However, the media is so one sided it clearly cannot achieve this successfully. Although journalists, claim to be reflecting the attitudes of society rather than shaping men, recent national trends indicate that, with respect to women's lives, they lag behind dismally' (Stratford, 1992, p134). Affect of Bias In Sports One major area, which is affected by the dominance of a male hegemony is sports journalism. A large number of achievements are lost in the media concerning female athletes, due to the stereotypical coverage they receive. This negative coverage is the production of having a print media, which is run by men, as they will never be able to write about females from a female perspective. Their ownership by rich, white middle aged men, and their editorship usually by the same type of men, explains the difficulties they have in reflecting recent changes in society in any but the most stereotypical ways' (Stratford, 1992, p130). The media frequently directs the reader away from the success and the strengths of female athletes, and towards the typical stereotypes of women. Journalists achieve this by the use of narratives, which is the forming of a story, ‘narratives provide drama, human interest and appeal necessary to attract and keep viewers' (Higgs and Weiller, 1994, p234). Narratives often demonstrate traditional qualities associated with females, females successes are seen to be more challenging due to the struggles of their personal lives. ‘Women's sport is further denigrated in importance by a heightened focus on the athlete's personal lives' (Duncan, 1993, p234). Furthermore, females are repeatedly represented as being weak and depending on others, more often than not this figure comes in the shape of a man. This shows how narratives often reinforce inequalities in power and gender relations. These inequalities help to construct a hegemonic masculinity, which Humberstone (1990) labels ‘the reproduction of patriarchal gender relations in society' (Humberstone, 1990, p235). Therefore, it can be argued that the media is just a site where men are free to oppress females, and are free from criticisms. In essence, journalists can be seen as originators of patriarchy in society, as they help it develop and manifest itself on to the larger stage of society through their own accounts they present to society. People are inevitably affected by what media present them, if the writers of the media are predominately of one gender, then there is potential that another side of the story or noteworthy athletic accomplishments are being neglected' (Urquhart and Crossman, 1999, p199). Conclusion: In conclusion, sports journalism is a flawed profession. The whole concept journalism is to illustrate and construct an equal argument, giving no one group priority over the next. However, many accounts of sports journalism demonstrate that the majority of the time, coverage is biased towards men and their male perspective. This bias is especially evident when it comes to the case of females in the media, often females voices and opinions are lost and unequal arguments are created. Research into the absence of female journalists in sport has previously demonstrated that not one single article was written by a female until 1976 concerning articles surrounding the Olympics, in two Canadian newspapers. There was also only one article written by a female in the 1992 Olympics, this is one example of a male supremacy in the media. ‘Sports journalism is obviously a male stronghold' (Urquhart and Crossman, 1999, p199). In addition, a recent count showed that in two popular British newspapers, female journalists still suffer from oppression due to the dominant male operated media. With 100% of sport articles written by male journalists for the Independent, and 96% written by male journalists for the Times. This justifies the argument that sports journalism is essentially flawed, as the codes of sports journalism are rejected. ‘For example, the practice of sports journalism should revolve around a set of essentially ethical concepts: freedom, democracy, truth, objectivity, honesty, and privacy' (Belsey and Chadwick, 1992, pXi), yet sports journalism does not. Thus, sports journalism cannot be seen as a democratic and truthful process, sports journalism simply is the production of a dominant male society, trying to hold on to one of its ever-fading male preserves.

How far do you think Twelfth Night succeeds as a comedy?

When one considers the convention of the Elizabethan romantic comedy, a light-hearted tale of love in which obstacles are overcome- often to resolve with a marriage, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night certainly challenges the convention. Although the resolution of the joining of three couples: Orsino and Viola; Olivia and Sebastian and Sir Toby and Maria satisfies the criteria for a romantic comedy in some way, the bizarre nature in which some of these relationships come about makes the audience question the likelihood of their successes. In addition, Shakespeare leaves an open denouement in that the amorous outcomes some characters (Malvolio, Antonio and Sir Andrew) are negative- being left alone or unresolved. The melodramatic manner in which Orsino muses over Olivia at the very start of Act 1 seems to suggest that the unrequitedness of love is more for comedic value rather than a valid representation of true love and thus cannot be taken seriously. Orsino’s hyperbolic soliloquy of his love, â€Å"give me excess of it, so that it may sicken and so die† and later the pun of â€Å"was I turned into a hart, and my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, e'er since pursue me† support this as this painful love is unbelievably developed seeing as he hardly knows Olivia and one could say he is in love with the chase of Olivia- the challenge. To me, this behaviour is reminiscent of the young Romeo’s fanciful love for Rosaline when he soliloquises with confused oxymoronic language, and, as in Romeo and Juliet, it could be interpreted that Shakespeare uses Orsino to make a satirical comment on the shallowness of courtly love. The contrived speech Orsino gives to Cesario to recite to Olivia, a common occurrence in Elizabethan times, includes â€Å"most radiant, exquisite and unmatchable beauty. There is a lack of conviction in these disingenuous words- only used to fulfil the romantic expectation. This disingenuousness is further comedically lampooned by Shakespeare by the way in which Cesario explains that this speech â€Å"took great pains to study† and how she â€Å"can say little more than [she has] studied. † This foreshadows the fact that lack of love or happiness will be present at the ending. However, when one compares this relationship to that between Orsino and the revealed Viola at the climax, it seems as though it was inevitable, as Orsino seems attracted to Cesario’s feminine features from the start, as he states that â€Å"Diana's lip is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe is as the maiden's organ, shrill and sound, and all is semblative a woman's part,† which provokes comical dramatic irony to the audience. In addition, the iambic pentameter which the two share in act 2 scene 4, â€Å"Viola: I should your Lordship. Orsino: And what's her history? Viola: Sir, shall I to this lady? Orsino: Ay, that's the theme† has become synonymous with the inevitability of a couple’s destiny to be together, highlighting the balance the couple share with each other and is used frequently in Romeo and Juliet for this reason. However, it could also be said that the success of this relationship is unlikely due to the fact that Orsino goes as far as to wish death upon Cesario, although I believe that Shakespeare uses this purely to express Orsino’s frustration for having sexual feelings towards a boy, and feelings which seem more genuine than his courtly, more suitable love for Olivia, although Cesario does continue to call Viola â€Å"Cesario† and â€Å"boy,† which could mean that Orsino’s dramatic purpose is to prove that one can be attracted to both the masculine and feminine features of a person, as Shakespeare seemed to have experienced himself as mentioned in the â€Å"two loves† of sonnet 144. Shakespeare portrays a more blatant presentation of homosexual attraction through Antonio. To me, Antonio’s love for Sebastian seems the truest of all, with him revealing the extent of which as he says â€Å"I do adore thee so, that danger shall seem sport and I will go†, and he does keep to his word as he is willing to enter Orsino’s court, going as far as risking his life, yet Shakespeare leaves him â€Å"unhappy and alone. Shakespeare uses this love to make a serious point rather than a comedic one about how the most passionate loves can be found in circumstances other than the conventional man and woman, as at the time of the play, homosexual relationships in theatre were usually presented in a ridiculous manner for comedic value to laugh at the ostensible folly of it, or mere carnal lust, as opposed to the utter devotion spoken of when Antonio says â€Å"if you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant,† whereas in Twelfth Night, the most conventional love, that between Orsino and Olivia, is the least realistic- and Antonioâ⠂¬â„¢s for Sebastian the most. Antonio’s loving actions juxtapose with the disingenuous fancifulness of Malvolio’s mere speeches of love- proving Shakespeare’s intent for the construction of a more genuine homosexual love. Antonio expresses his love beyond words- offering Sebastian his purse for the eventuality that his â€Å"eye shall light upon some toy [he is] willing to purchase. † This selfless sacrifice of something necessary to Antonio for the mere materialistic pleasure of his beloved is quite representative of their quite one-sided relationship of servitude. When Cesario is mistaken for being Sebastian, fitting in with the recurring theme mistaken identity, the intensity of Antonio’s passion is revealed. His feelings of betrayal and solitude are not, however, resolved with the revelation that Cesario is not in fact Sebastian, as shortly after, before Antonio can even think of having Sebastian to himself, he is engaged to Olivia. As Laurie E. Osborne puts it, Antonio’s final predicament â€Å"gives us at this moment an image of loss that it can do little to assuage, since at the end Antonio finds Sebastian only to stand silently by, watching him commit himself to Olivia. † Also, earlier in the play, Sebastian’s â€Å"my kind Antonio, I can no other answer make but thanks, and thanks; and ever thanks; and oft good turns† suggests that Sebastian aware of Antonio’s romantic feelings for him, but respectfully denies him, stating that he’d prefer a platonic relationship. The aforementioned melancholy of Antonio’s predicament at the play’s denouement is a message too sombre to succeed comedically to a modern audience due to the attenuation of heteronormativity over time, thus making empathy for a homosexual love easier. However, this comedic aspect of the play may have succeeded to an Elizabethan audience due to a lack of â€Å"queer love† acceptance. Nevertheless, I believe that, due to Shakespeare’s ostensible bisexuality (evidenced through such works as sonnets 15, 18 and 20) it is probable that Antonio’s misfortune in his love for Sebastian is intended to be sympathised with- most likely failing at this to an Elizabethan audience. However, of course, as it is a Shakespearean romance, it is one of many to consider and thus cannot deem the play a holistic failure with regards to its comedy. The amorous feelings which Sir Andrew has for Olivia throughout the play are completely unrequited, although, unlike Antonio, the audience never really empathises with him due to his function being solely to fulfil the low-comedic aspects of the play- Shakespeare constructing an â€Å"aristocratic fool† stock character in Sir Andrew, seeming almost incapable of emoting the complexity in which love is presented in Twelfth Night, the wittier Sir Toby, who fulfils the high-comedic aspects of the play seem to understand what true love is, therefore Shakespeare succeeds in making Sir Andrew’s unhappiness and aloneness comedic. Sir Toby lampoons Sir Andrew, presenting Sir Andrew’s stupidity to the audience- reinforcing that the audience shouldn’t feel guilty for laughing at him. The ridiculousness of the duel scene between Sir Andrew and Cesario over Olivia makes it one of the most comically entertaining scenes in the play, and yet, beneath the folly of its surface, proves Sir Andrew’s devotion to Olivia, making his feelings seem unimportant to the audience, regardless of their truth, therefore succeeding in being a comical ending in this instance. Malvolio is, like Sir Andrew, left alone without sympathy from the audience. Tricked by Sir Toby, Maria and Sir Andrew and seeking revenge, it could be interpreted that Shakespeare uses Malvolio to lampoon the prudish views of the Puritan- Maria calling him â€Å"a kind of Puritan,† a â€Å"time-pleaser† and an â€Å"affectionate ass† due to the Puritanical traits which Shakespeare had installed into him, the combination of these surely indicating that Shakespeare intended on making â€Å"Puritan† a negative insult because during the period of the play’s release, Puritans tried to close down theatres due to their lack of concurrence with Puritanical doctrines. However, Malvolio’s true religious views are never explicitly mentioned, possibly so that a Puritanical backlash wouldn’t occur. Alternatively, as Allison P. Hobgood interprets, â€Å"Malvolio hides his truer â€Å"appetites†[for higher power and status] beneath a constructed outer persona, a â€Å"shell† of sobriety, moderation, and propriety. The steward merely acts the role of a Puritan, that is, and hence is perhaps much more un-puritanical than one might imagine. † Malvolio’s construction fits the criteria of the Theophrastian stock character Mikrophilotimia, or â€Å"the man of petty ambition,† the word â€Å"petty† in this categorisation enabling the audience to laugh at Malvolio’s misfortune, thus succeeding comedically. The Humanistic revival of the Renaissance Era makes it highly likely that Shakespeare was conscious of this allusion in his production of the play. Feste brings the play to its denouement with his dejected song, repeating the line â€Å"for the rain, it raineth every day† encapsulating the dark, serious undertone of the play-without which it could be easily interpreted as a resolved, conventional romantic comedy, although Feste’s song reminds the audience that not all characters are left happy and fulfilled. The fact that Feste, a mere â€Å"fool,† gets the concluding lines of the play highlights the transposition of social roles which is an important part of the Twelfth Night festival on which the play is based. Feste, contrary to his title of the â€Å"fool† is also one of the wisest characters, and thus has the power to see and tell beyond the play’s superficially happy plot. To conclude, I believe that the characters which are left â€Å"unhappy and alone† are usually characters used by Shakespeare to be laughed at as opposed to sympathised with- with the subtle exception of Antonio, who is meant to send a more serious message to the audience over sexuality, thus succeeding as a comedy, yet one which deviates from the conventions of its time. Considering the alternative title of the play, â€Å"What You Will,† perhaps a conclusion can be drawn that Shakespeare wants us to make what we will of the ending, using an open denouement whose continuation is to be interpreted as being cheerfully comedic or sombrely serious.

An Analysis of the Influence of Music and it’s Contrasting Message on the Youth of Today

Music is a way of life, it is all around us. It can influence who you are and how you go about your daily lives. Music can manipulate the emotions in a powerful way, which can sometimes determine your mood and your conscience. Sometimes different cultures adapt different music into their lifestyle. Example, Reggae is usually listened to by the Black Caribbean Community. Their music is relaxed and optimistic, as is their lifestyle. The style of music quite often reflects the culture. Music in the 21st century can have positive and negative influences. Different types of music give off different impressions on how the youth of today should live their lives. An example of how diverse cultures can influence a music style can be found in artists such as Ms. Dynamite and 50 Cent. In this essay I will be contrasting the different messages both artists give out through what they say and how they present themselves in their videos. The image they convey is partly determined by their background. Both Ms. Dynamite and 50 Cents music were prompted by their own/previous lifestyles. They were both brought up in dominant cultures, but although it had strong influences on them the cultures themselves were very different. Ms. Dynamite aka Naomi Mclean-Dayley, was born in London in 1982, and lived on a council estate. The eldest of 11 brothers and sisters, she was raised by her primary school teacher mother whose passion for roots, reggae and soul had a profound effect on Naomi. This early part of Ms. Dynamite's journey differs from 50 Cent. 50 Cent was born Curtis Jackson and raised in Queens, New York. He grew up with his grandmother after his mother died under mysterious circumstances when he was 8, and his father left shortly after. The influence placed upon 50 Cent from theses early-life tragedies left him with a sense of insecurity and lack of self-esteem, eventually luring him into the Gangster lifestyle. When he was 12 he was used as a runner and at just 15 he owned his own gun. This all left him with an immense amount of responsibility. This was a diverse contrast compared to Ms. Dynamite. She always had that support wherever she went and whatever she did, as she states, â€Å"My life generally, I've bin lucky to have a lot of Intelligent, loving people around me who will take out five minutes to teach me things about myself without preaching at me just showing me naturally. â€Å"Niomi passed up an opportunity to study social anthropology at Sussex University in order to concentrate on music. Her first single ‘booo! ‘ hurled Ms. Dynamite into the spotlight swiftly establishing her as one of the hottest young talents to emerge from the UK Garage scene. On the contrary 50 Cent was entrenched within the gangster industry, so it wouldn't surprise anybody why he'd been shot 9 times. It was only after his first born baby he became a rap artist. Curtis' first album wasn't a success at all. It wasn't until Eminem noticed him and took interest that 50 Cents career took off. After signing a deal with ‘Shady records' he immediately went to work on his new album entitled ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin. ‘ 50 cent soared to popularity with the first single from his new album ‘In Da Club. Ms Dynamite and 50 Cent both introduce past experiences and elements of their cultures into their songs. The songs that most strongly illustrate these elements are Ms Dynamites ‘It takes more' and 50 cents ‘P. I. M. P'. The titles set the foundation of the songs, and have to be well thought out to interest and catch the attention of the audience. The song ‘It takes more' generally promotes an opposing view of the gangster lifes tyle, unlike 50 Cent, who promotes it in ‘P. I. M. P'. Even though both songs have similar themes the artists themselves express the message in very much different ways. The first twenty to thirty seconds of a video can determine what the remainder is about, and how it impacts the audience. In ‘It takes more'Ms Dynamite starts her video with a strong contrast. As she steps out of the trailer there is a background of a divine scenic beach, but as she carries on walking reality begins to kick in and the beach is replaced with strippers and run down sets. Ms Dynamite is wearing casual clothing portray the message of not flaunting yourself. This makes a statement that you don't need to be made up to feel good or be happy with yourself. That is a good approach in to setting the scene and following the message through. 50 Cent however, starts ‘P. I. M. P'by arriving straight into the master bedroom surrounded by girls in underwear. The room is large and white symbolising wealth and a type of heaven on the outside, relating to the phrase ‘don't judge a book by its cover. ‘ Compared to Ms Dynamite's video, 50 Cent gives the audience a false impression because Ms Dynamite expresses the true reality of the gangster lifestyle through her opening scenes The core of both videos is where the biggest influences are established. In ‘it takes more' the image moves from inside the car to a newspaper picture which transforms to a colour image of a man with two women in a club. The camera zooms in on a tattoo on one of the women. It changes from saying ‘Sadie' to ‘aids. ‘ The message put across in that scene is meant to enlighten you to have self-respect and not get caught up in the gangster lifestyle. A complete opposite message is put across in ‘P. I. M. P. ‘ A later scene in the video shows a man holding several dog leads with women on the ends as though he owns them. This implies his control, and lack of respect shown for women. A quote the lyrics that backs up this point is, ‘ I could care less how she performs in bed,' meaning as long as she's good in bed and making money for me, that's all I care about. The message conveyed in that incident is that women are treated no better than dogs in the organised crime business. Comparing the videos the colours illustrated are very different. In Ms. Dynamite's video there are very dull and dry colours, (such as black and grey) giving the effect of gangster life in reality. The contribution of the colour red symbolises death in that joining the lifestyle can mean you are gambling with your life. 50 Cent in P. I. M. P however, uses totally opposite colours like bright whites. This gives an impression of a heaven like environment. White can also signify his involvement in drugs, because the majority of drug colour is white. The camera angles used in both videos accentuate the ways each person wants to be perceived. Ms. Dynamite focuses the camera level with her face to portray the message of equality. In opposition to this 50 Cent uses camera angles from his feet looking upwards. This gives the message that he's bigger than everyone else, God like and worthy of adoration. The way both artists present themselves in their videos gives us an insight into the kind of message they are trying to communicate. The messages and implications of the artist's videos and lyrics are influenced by their similar early life experiences. Whereas Ms. Dynamite presents the reality of the lifestyle, 50 Cent exaggerates and embellishes it into something quite out of the ordinary. The impact both artists have on the audience differs. Ms. Dynamite promotes a social conscience and 50 Cent promotes his underground street culture, by romanticising the gangster image. He relies on people's fascination with violence and the criminal element. In conclusion my essay shows how easily influenced the youth of today can be, through the medium of music. The messages are quite often designed to be relevant to them whether their content is good or bad. I understand that music is important and we all need it as part of our lives, but we need to realise there are many other ways to be motivated and challenged concerning life issues.

Medicare Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Medicare - Research Paper Example However, it is of essence to note that this insurance program is faced with numerous challenges that have led to strains on various stakeholders that access help from this program. This essay will attempt to assess the Medicare Insurance Program and the issues that have faced this program, the costs of the challenge and the possible solutions that could help solve the issues facing the insurance program. As Schieber, et al (2009) write, Medicare has had its share of problems for the longest time. Among the challenges that Medicare faces ranges from financial problems to management issues that have seen the insurance program fail to deliver services as would be expected of them. Failure of Medicare to fully deliver its services is huge challenge as the beneficiaries fail to get the required services. With reimbursement of funds being a major challenge, it is obvious that the persons with chronic conditions will not help as they would wish. On a deeper insight, it is evident that the population is growing by the day. Schieber, et al (2009) write that as soon as the younger generation get to their old age, the healthcare system will not provide the required services to the aged. This fact explains the reason behind the healthcare services being very expensive for a majority of US citizens. The Medicare challenges affect a huge percentage of people, organizations and even government agencies. However, it is very crucial to note that the tax payers are the most affected persons by the challenges of Medicare. As seen in the research conducted by Schieber, et al (2009), the American workers are spending too much of their pay towards the Medicare program, but most of them do not enjoy the outcomes of the health service. Worse still, the authors continue to indicate that some individuals actually spend from their pockets to get treatment (Schieber, et al., 2009). An analysis of this fact

Conseco Company Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Conseco Company Analysis - Research Paper Example The subsidiaries of the company provide life insurances, annuity and other products related to health insurance. The independent agents and the direct advertisements to the customers are used to distribute the products of the organization. The company acquired the Lincoln Income Life Insurance Company in 1986. The company purchased the GreenTree Financial in 1998 which was the largest financier for mobile homes. The objective of the company was to diversify into the financial services (Company Briefs, 2003). In the later part of the same year, the company purchased Colonial Penn, a life insurance company. The company got included in the Chapter 11 reorganization in 2001. GreenTree financial services were divested in the reorganization process and the company under consideration is now solely focusing on the insurance industry (Conseco, 2012). Industry Structure The production of economic goods as well as services within an economy is known as the industry. An industry can be classifi ed into three sectors namely primary, secondary and tertiary. One can also classify industries on the basis of size, raw materials and the ownership of the business. Primary industries involve direct extraction of the resources from the Earth while the secondary industries involves in the processing products delivered by the primary industries. The last type of industry is mainly involved in the provision of services. The firms dealing with the management, investment decisions as well as lending of money processes operates in the financial industry. The financial institutions can actually make money as their business. They are not engaged in selling physical products but offer financial services and fiscal expertise. The markets where no participants have the potential to have the market power selling a homogeneous product are regarded as competitive market. The number of the firms as well as size distribution of the firms within an industry is referred by the term â€Å"industry s tructure†. There may be ‘n’ number of firms. If there are large firms present in an industry there is lack of coordination among them. Therefore, the degree of competition rises with the presence of large number of firms within the industry. The size distribution of the firms is important from the business as well as the public point of view. If the size of the participating firms is small compared with the size of the industry, then the industry is said to be fragmented and otherwise consolidated (Jain, 2002). A form of market where the industry is dominated by small number of sellers is called oligopoly. Each oligopolist is aware of the market conditions as few sellers are present in the market. The decision of one firm can influence or are influenced by other firms. The responses of the participants of the market are taken into account in the strategic planning process by the oligopolists (Mang, 2011, p. 1). Competition in oligopolistic market can give rise to different outcomes. An oligopoly can maximize its profits by producing at the level where marginal revenue equals marginal costs (Krcilkova, n.d, p. 10). Monopolistic competition along with oligopoly constitutes the structure of imperfect competition. Firms that are imperfectly competitive offer many products. All wealth that fulfills the wants of consumers constitutes the wealth of a nation. Therefore, the aim behind expanding wealth is broadening the choices of the consumers is terms of quality, quantity

What does Sartre mean by human beings existence preceding their Essay

What does Sartre mean by human beings existence preceding their essence Do you agree with his notion of radical freedom and responsibility why or why not - Essay Example It is because he himself has denied to follow the right path and indulged himself in bad deeds. So what is more important to Sartre was existence rather than essence. The reason why I agree with this philosophy is that if we think meticulously then we do agree somehow that whatever a man does, only he is himself for that. For example, let us suppose, I have spoken lie to my mother, for petty issues, like for omitting my high school or anything else. Then I do not think that my mother or father is responsible for that. It is also not that my essence is bad. Whatever I am doing, I am doing it with my own mind. I am sensible enough to differentiate between good and bad deeds and if still I opt for bad ones then it is simply my own choice. Moreover, when I keep on lying with everyone and involved in false acts then people will definitely know me as a liar. No one will think about my essence, everyone blames me for my false actions. That is why I think that Sartre is somewhat right in his sayings and notion of radical freedom and responsibility. One reason that makes me think otherwise is that everyone is not bad by birth. Criminal is not a born criminal, a liar is not a born liar. It is our society who made them so. What I believe is that if a person has good essence, then his inner can never feel gratified and contented for his false deeds. One day he surely regrets for all his actions done so far in his life. Conclusively, my opinion is a blend of yes and no to the Sartre’s notion of radical freedom. Though we are free enough to do whatever we wish. Also, sensible enough to draw a line between good and bad deeds, that is why if we are doing something good or bad that totally depends on us as well as the society where we live, our friends whose company makes a lot of difference on our personality and last but not the least our essence

Deliberative and civil society models of democracy Coursework

Deliberative and civil society models of democracy - Coursework Example According to the research there are two central view of democracy. In the republican model of democracy, there is solidarity between disparate groups of people. The different groups who comprise society recognize that they are all unified, and that there is a common good that must be sought after. In this kind of democracy, therefore, there is a societal consensus of norms, so that there is a centralized core of democratic principles which underpin the political process. In the liberal model of democracy, however, there are disparate groups, and these disparate groups do not try to unify with society as a whole. Rather, they compete with one another for political power and resources, and the people vote on whose interests prevail. Therefore, society does not have a centralized core and is in danger of disintegrating. The liberal society is marked by societal preferences, whereas the republic society is marked by societal values. Because of this, some critics, including Habermas and B oesche, believe that liberal societies have a problem with legitimacy of laws, as these laws are not based upon societal norms, but, rather, are based on something less, and these laws are subjected to being dismantled by lawmakers on a seeming whim. The international stage is a macrocosm of these problems, according to Dryzek, as the international relations are marked by competition between disparate groups who do not necessarily agree upon becoming a unified whole. Deliberative democracy may help to overcome the problems which are inherent in a liberal democracy. Deliberative democracy introduces reasoned discourse into the political process, therefore it provides more of a substantial underpinning to the moral arguments which mark liberal societies. The way that deliberative democracy benefits liberal societies is that deliberation provides an educative function, as well as a way of bringing disparate communities together in realizing that they might have common ground. It also i s beneficial in that it introduces an element of reason into procedures which determine the common good, which makes these procedures more legitimate. The outcomes are also based upon rationality, which makes the outcomes more legitimate as well. More than this, however, deliberative democracy recognizes that there are certain fundamental truths which should govern all reasoned discourse, these fundamental truths being such aphorisms as respect for others. In this way, deliberative democracy may benefit both state liberal societies and the international stage, which retains many of the elements of a liberal society. Discussion In order to determine the essential question of how deliberative and civil society models of democracy overcome the problems of the liberal democracy, liberal democracy must be compared and contrasted with republican democracy. According to Habermas (1994), these are the two received views of democratic politics. The liberal democratic process, according to Ha bermas, programs the government in line with societal interest. In this way, the government is an apparatus or tool to achieve the ends of society, and society itself it a connection between individuals. The individuals in this view band together to push government in a way that meets their collective goals. In the liberal democratic process, Habermas states that the government is a mediating process. The republic process, on the other hand, requires solidarity between the disparate groups of people. With the republican view, the different groups of society realize that they are all unified, and there is a recognition that society must be oriented towards the common good. In the democratic process, social integration is achieved through the hierarchical regulations of the state and the decentralized regulations of the market. The orientation towards the common good is the third way that social integration is achieved in the republic view of democracy. It is this horizontal method of social integration

With reference to the Arab Spring, assess the utility of the Essay

With reference to the Arab Spring, assess the utility of the Foucauldian notion of resistance, as opposed to the Critical Theory concept of emancipation - Essay Example ies which were affected, the protestors used common ways of civil resistance such as demonstrations, strikes, peaceful rallies and marches as well as the use of social media platforms to mobilize, raise awareness, organize and enhance coordination between the protestors. Most of the demonstrations were often met with violent repression from the regimes which they sought to challenge. For example in places like Libya, the Gaddafi regime used counter demonstration attacks in its attempt to crush the popular revolt. In an attempt to understand the causes of the recent Arab spring across most Middle Eastern countries, many researchers have increasingly adopted both the use of the concept of emancipation as well as the Foucauldian notion of resistance. According to Leonard (1990, p. 126), critical theory is defined as a critique to the social injustices which result from capitalism, misappropriation of public resources and the commoditification of our contemporary society. Critical theories attempt to explain the present social conditions, how such conditions have transformed as well as how they maintain their validity in the changing society. On the other hand, Foucauldian notion of resistance suggests that resistance such as the events witnessed during the Arab spring are largely a reaction to the domination and pervasive power. According to Foucault, there can be no power without resistance. This paper critically analyzes the critical theories with particular focus on the use of Foucauldian notion of resistance as opposed to the concept of emancipation in the critical theory. The two concepts of resistance and emancipation are closely related in that they both attempt to explain the attempts by individuals and societies to minimize domination, achieve equality as well as the efforts to achieve more political and social rights. There are however a number of differences between Foucauldian notion of resistance and the concept of emancipation. As opposed to

Down Syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Down Syndrome - Essay Example Down believed that those suffering from the condition could lead a better life if given a chance (Bowman-Kruhm 11). The condition came to be referred as Down syndrome in the early 1960s (Margulies 8). Dr. Jerome Lejeune and Patricia Jacobs, in 1959, identified the link between DS and the presence of an extra chromosome (Bowman-Kruhm 12). Symptoms Those suffering from DS exhibit both physical abnormalities as well as health complications. They have delayed cognitive development during early infancy, leading to mental retardation and reduction in intelligence quotient (IQ) from early infancy to late childhood (Rachidi & Lopes). They experience deficiency in speech and language production. The low IQ persists in adulthood and is coupled with a decline in cognition, which is a result of accelerated ageing. By the fourth decade of life, there is often an early onset of neurohistopathology, resembling Alzheimer’s disease (Rachidi & Lopes). Patients with DS have deficient spatial lea rning, behavioral defects, and memory deficits due to development and functional impairments in neurogenesis, myelination, synaptogenesis, etc. in the brain (Rachidi & Lopes). Patients with DS often have some or many of the commonly recognizable traits commonly associated with the condition. They lack normal muscle tone, giving them a â€Å"floppy† appearance (Griffith, Moore and Yoder 270). The head is often abnormally shaped, with an unusually shaped skull. They also have unusual facial features such as flattened nose, large tongues, small mouths, abnormally shaped ears, broad hands with large palm creases, and slanting almond shaped eyes with an abnormal iris... Those suffering from DS exhibit both physical abnormalities as well as health complications. They have delayed cognitive development during early infancy, leading to mental retardation and reduction in intelligence quotient (IQ) from early infancy to late childhood (Rachidi & Lopes). They experience deficiency in speech and language production. The low IQ persists in adulthood and is coupled with a decline in cognition, which is a result of accelerated ageing. By the fourth decade of life, there is often an early onset of neurohistopathology, resembling Alzheimer’s disease (Rachidi & Lopes). Patients with DS have deficient spatial learning, behavioral defects, and memory deficits due to development and functional impairments in neurogenesis, myelination, synaptogenesis, etc. in the brain (Rachidi & Lopes). Patients with DS often have some or many of the commonly recognizable traits commonly associated with the condition. They lack normal muscle tone, giving them a â€Å"floppy† appearance (Griffith, Moore and Yoder 270). The head is often abnormally shaped, with an unusually shaped skull. They also have unusual facial features such as flattened nose, large tongues, small mouths, abnormally shaped ears, broad hands with large palm creases, and slanting almond shaped eyes with an abnormal iris (Griffith, Moore and Yoder 270). It is also observed that the inner corner of the eyes in patients with DS has a rounded fold of skin called the epicanthial fold (Griffith, Moore and Yoder 270). Apart from these, they also often suffer from gastrointestinal and heart defects. Some patients with DS are found to possess normal intelligence, while most others suffer from intellectual deficiencies (Margulies 5).

Community Writing Part 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Community Writing Part 3 - Essay Example Security forces relate and interact with the community in one-on-one basis just like it should be the case under normal circumstances. However, through this interaction, the community is mobilized and actively involved in addressing crime concerns in the society. While this is a positive move for the entire society, security enforcers and the community included, complexities and problems emerge in relation to the effectiveness of this process. This paper is based on the argument that amid complexities and problems of community policing in fighting crime, community policing fundamentally addresses the interests of the entire society involved. In other words arguments for community involvement in fighting crime are presented, taking into account that the process is highly characterized by complexities and problems that are in most cases ignored. To enable the success of this process, stakeholders in community policing have to establish functional relations and interactions. One of the most fundamental points to capture is that the community contributes to the enhancement of its safety and security. The collaboration of the community with the security forces in the community makes this practice an outstanding phenomenon to employ in fighting crime. However, emerging issues in this line cannot be ignored. The key aspects that have to be captured in the evaluation and analysis of this topic are: motivating factors in the involvement of the community in fighting crime, the design and structure of community policing practices, influencing variables that enhance community-police collaboration, the functionality basis of community policing in addressing crime concerns, the flow of information from one party to another, the applicable laws in the legal system, the extent of success in integrating community in fighting crime, and the complexities and problems encountered in the process. These are some of the many aspects that revolve around community policing

The Kissnger Qiestion Essay Example for Free

The Kissnger Qiestion Essay The Vietnam War resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million to 3 million Vietnamese and other Indochinese and 58,000 Americans. It was the catalyst for Richard Nixon’s self-induced disgrace. Henry Kissinger played a pivotal role in guiding America’s foreign policy as the war torn nation reeled under the loss of one president to assassination and another to fraud. The Vietnam War singed the conscience of the world and Kissinger found himself where foreign policy and national security converged. National Security Advisor is the one that holds the most strategic meetings at the highest levels of US administration. External and internal threats to the nation’s security and well being should be calculated well in advance; otherwise the entire fabric of security planning lies in shreds. There must have been some constructive and sensible proposals to avert the Vietnam fiasco. It’s fair to ask what alternative course Americas critics would have followed. Some serious people argued for complete withdrawal, on the grounds that the war was already lost. Some have argued that Nixon, after taking office, should have declared that the situation in Vietnam was far worse than he had thought, blame it on the Democrats and seek a deal with the North Vietnamese like the one that was ultimately reached. Meanwhile, the argument goes, Nixon could have used tough rhetoric at home to appease the foreign policy makers. Whether the approach would have worked can’t be known, but had it worked, it certainly would have been preferable to what happened instead. Once in office, Kissinger and Nixon said they were seeking peace with honor: the abandonment of our South Vietnamese allies would be a dishonorable betrayal and would undermine our credibility in the world. America ended up abandoning them anyway. Even overlooking for the moment how the whole thing turned out, the peace with honor formulation was riddled with flaws. And the South Vietnamese regime was known to have been inept and hopelessly corrupt. In writing about the importance of our allies in South Vietnam, Kissinger gives minimal attention to the Vietnamese people but a great deal to South Vietnam’s president Nguyen Van Thieu, calling him a great patriot and a dauntless leader. McNamara and Kissinger, not unlike some American presidents, including Nixon, had myopic affinity for strongmen like the Shah of Iran, Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos. A student of Metternich, the 19th-century Austrian statesman, Kissinger was a practitioner of the realist (or realpolitik) school of diplomacy, which places emphasis on the state’s interests and the use of military power to achieve them, and he preferred to deal with the strong leaders of nation-states who could deliver. The US administration’s complicity in the 1963 overthrow of South Vietnam’s leader General Ngo Dinh Diem conferred legitimacy on the North Vietnamese claim that the South Vietnamese government was illegitimate. Ironically, when all this was happening in Vietnam, the rest of the world could only look and expect. Even the Nobel society that conferred the peace prize to Kissinger made almost no mention of the American lives lost during the Vietnam War, and none of the fact that USAs pursuit of what many saw as a patently hopeless cause may have damaged Vietnam permanently. To see the US side of the story, Nixon had a peculiar governing style. He hated to give direct orders and sometimes issued orders he hoped or expected would not be carried out. He had an aversion to controversy among his advisers. And after Vice President Spiro Agnew said in one meeting that the South Vietnamese, with American support, should attack two North Vietnamese sanctuaries in Cambodia rather than just one, as had been proposed, Nixon agreed. But, according to Kissinger, Nixon was so annoyed that Agnew had staked out a more hawkish position than his own that he excluded Agnew from the next meeting on the war. Even Kissingers colleagues are portrayed as politically astute Mel Laird, secretary of defense, to be slippery. Though, Laird was often proved right about the likely public reaction to proposed U.S. actions. Unfortunately, the men surrounding the president were accomplished charmers, masterly manipulators in a field where manipulation was the job requirement. The Vietnam War was not without its tragicomic aspects. There was the futile hunt for the elusive COSVN, supposedly the North Vietnamese military headquarters in Cambodia—and a leading rationale for U.S. military incursion into Cambodia in 1970. The South Vietnamese troops and their American advisers found only deserted huts. Nevertheless, USA describes the attack as a success, leading to the capture of documents, arms and ammunition, which, according to Karnow, were quickly replaced. There was also the raid by American commandos on the Son Tay prison in North Vietnam, which was believed to hold American prisoners of war but turned out to be empty. U.S. intelligence had said the prison was closed. The war did infuse sacrifice, though not entirely based on moral lines. Historians omit several relevant matters or deals with them in triumphs of understatement. The two senior members of the National Security Agency, Anthony Lake and Roger Morris, quit in 1970 in protest over the expansion of the war into Cambodia. And as for the national upheaval and constitutional crisis that was Watergate, Nixon felt unappreciated for his effort to withdraw troops, that antiwar sentiment touched Nixon on his rawest nerve and that he saw enemies all around him and so engaged in methods of all-out political combat. That’s it. No mention of Nixon’s enemies list; of the White House’s hiring a goon squad (the plumbers) to conduct break-ins; or of Kissinger’s supplying names to the FBI for wiretaps of his own aides and of journalists, to trace leaks about the war. Vietnamese people had to face brutalities of warring factions and deceit of their power hungry leaders. Many years on, we still cannot confidently classify the leaders who could have been true to the national cause or the people of Vietnam. Some critics persisted in believing that given enough time and resources, Americas Vietnam policy would have succeed. In 1975, after Ford had taken office as president with sole card to prevent Saigon’s collapse was additional money from Congress to fund the war effort—an appropriation that Congress was resisting. The denial of the money may well have sped the collapse of the South Vietnamese government, but how long it could have been sustained is another matter. If leaders truly continued to believe in enforcing the type of government, one is forced to conclude that USA would have deluded the world. Kissinger and Nixon were in a bunker of their own, clinging to the false promise of Vietnamization, holding to a misbegotten concept of national honor and railing at the war’s opponents. Great nations have the intent to make the right decisions in critical circumstances. Unfortunately, the reputation of USA is doomed to carry the fact that they failed to take a timely decision in Vietnam. References    John Prados, LOST CRUSADER: The Secret Wars of CIA Director William Colby, Oxford University Press, 2003

Personal Development Report Essay Example for Free

Personal Development Report Essay This personal development report reflects upon my learning experiences and outcomes during my first year at Nottingham Trent University. It aims to document the ways in which I have developed and areas for further consideration as part of a continual learning process. The report will be structured around 5 main areas as shown below 1. Placing learning on BABM within the wider context of lifelong learning 2. Taking personal responsibility for career planning 3. Taking personal responsibility for the learning process 4. Valuing the importance of developing personal effectiveness 5. Demonstrating an enquiring mind I have also looked at how all this learning at university relates and fits within a wider context of lifelong learning. Conclusions and recommendations for what I am going to do to improve in the months from May 2001 to 2002 are based on the areas I have mentioned in the above. I will do this in the form of a Personal Development Plan using the smart objectives as follows: (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Related to overall life-long goals and set over a Time period). I have made conclusions of the development plans, which have concentrated both on Core Transferable skills and also some softer skills. Introduction 1.My Learning At University Within A Wider Context Of Lifelong Learning 1.1 The concept of lifelong learning The concept of lifelong learning is as relevant now as it has ever been, with the traditional job for life being replaced by shorter periods of work for different firms requiring essentially the same skills and qualities in employees. Therefore the ability for these skills to be transferable is very important. To develop these skills therefore is extremely important with many employers putting greater emphasis upon these core skills and less emphasis upon specific skills. These skills can be used in many different situations and circumstances to allow the employee to perform to the best of their ability. The concept of work is continuously changing. An individual not only has several jobs in a lifetime but may also have several careers. Therefore everybody needs continuous updating of skills and competence throughout their working life ERT report, 1989 The following skills are widely considered to be Core Transferable Skills  · Organisational Skills  ·Ã‚  Interpersonal/ Social Skills  · Analytic and Problem Solving Skills  · Teamwork  · Creativity  · Self Motivation  · Initiative and Leadership 1.2The learning curve It is these skills that have been particularly important to develop whilst at university and it is the experience of university both academically and socially that has provided the ideal environment for these skills to be developed. The combination of leaving home and adapting to a completely different environment both educationally and socially has meant that the learning curve especially in the first semester was very steep. To live away from home for the first time without any contacts in an unknown city is a life changing experience and forces oneself to adapt and mature quickly after leaving the security of the family home. Being entirely responsible for yourself is also a new experience requiring maturity and forward thinking as well as planning to enable yourself to function. The way in which these skills have been developed forms the backbone for lifelong learning, one which employers recognize and actively seek in graduates. 1.3Lifelong learning defined The concept of lifelong learning is complex and is not easily defined resulting in no unilateral definition, however its importance is widely agreed. The Development of human potential through a continuously supportive process which stimulates and empowers individuals to acquire all the knowledge, values, skills and understanding they will require throughout their lifetime and to apply them with confidence, creativity and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances and environment Longworth, 1996 p22 The need for a learning society to convert and compete is not just urgent, it is a matter of economic life and death. It is a matter of social success or disaster. It is a matter of survival Cann in Bradshaw, 1995 The development of these skills both as part of the BA Business Management Degree and the wider University experience is key to becoming an attractive employee This is particularly so as years two and three of the Degree are in company so the development of these skills and the pace at which these must be  developed is crucial. This report will aim to reflect upon my first year experience and where appropriate utilize activities , questionnaires and assignments in an attempt to build a personal development review and action plan for the proceeding 12 months in the form of a personal development plan. 2.Taking Personal Responsibility For The Learning Process The biggest contribution to taking responsibility for the learning process was the decision to further my learning at university. This decision has allowed myself the opportunity to further my learning both academically and socially in ways that I would be unable to had I not made the decision to attend university. Also the decision to accept my place on the BABM course was another way in which I have demonstrated my personal responsibility for learning. The course is intense for each of the three years, more so than most undergraduate courses and the decision to accept a place on this course rather than other courses where workload and intensity were less was important. The course aims to enrich individuals with far greater experience both academically and in terms of transferable skills therefore by choosing BABM I feel I have made the best possible choice to continue my learning in the most relevant way providing me with higher levels of transferable skills than other graduates may have. 2.1 Taking responsibility for myself To be able to take responsibility for the learning process I have had to take responsibility for myself and become more accountable to myself in terms of making myself work harder and setting aside time in which to work. .University work is very different to that I have encountered before in terms of deadlines are much longer, scope for research is much larger, less specific titles to assignments etc etc so being accountable for myself is very important. 2.2 Time management Because the work is very different to that experienced before I have had to manage my time in a much more responsible manner to enable me to fulfill my potential, progress, and attain the best possible marks for myself. Examples of where I have managed my time effectively are physically difficult to produce as the BABM timetable is extremely varied from week to week so to produce a timetable where work and free time could  be planned in advance was very difficult to do. Undoubtedly time management and grades are very much linked and my grades for semester 1 and those received thus far for semester 2 have been good and I feel this has been partly due to my good time management skills. My peer assessment feedback included 5 of 6 people stating that I was well organized and three out of 6 stating that I was disciplined. This is included in appendix 1. 2.3Taking responsibility for learning The DLBM debate where our topic was interviews are the most unreliable method of selection required ourselves to complete a large amount of research. Our group split into two and four with the latter researching that I was a part of. The grade we received for this was high 70% and showed the level of research the group had done and is typical of myself being keen to take responsibility for learning. Development of interpersonal skills I am a member of The Herefordshire Golf Club where in 2000 I was captain. In this role I was required to talk to people of different ages and backgrounds and I feel this role has allowed my interpersonal skills to develop and I have learned a lot from this position as it provides a different scenario from academic studies. This role also developed my leadership skills as well as my organizational skills. 3.Value The Importance Of Developing Personal Effectiveness As part of the Developing Learning for Business and Management module the group completed two sessions on personal effectiveness including ËÅ"assertiveness and ËÅ"effective communication/ active listening These sessions have allowed my awareness to the importance of assertiveness and communication skills to be greatly improved and have highlighted ways in which I can improve on these skills. My level of skills prior to the sessions was of a good level and I believe I have the basic fundamentals to allow myself to develop communication and assertiveness naturally. However my increased awareness brought about by the sessions has allowed myself to take a more proactive approach to developing personal effectiveness. 3.1Demonstrated active listening/ effective communication An example of where I have demonstrated both active listening/effective communication whilst  being assertive was in a role-play with Vanessa Knowles DLBM lecturer as part of a tutorial session. Vanessa played the part of the under performing employee and I played the part of the employer. Vanessa used several different behaviour characteristics in attempt to alter my opinions and decisions. I feel that I learnt a lot by this, the importance of clear communication and active listening whilst not letting some-ones behaviour alter my decisions. 3.2Development of self confidence The session also increased my confidence especially as the role-play was conducted in front of an audience and made me more willing to be assertive rather than passive which is a tendency I will sometimes withdraw to. In the peer assessment feedback session this was something people felt was maybe a weakness of myself. Ben Gasson for example said You should be more confident and forceful, often what you have to say is just as valid if not more so than other people, just say what you think sometimes This analysis is very true of myself and to be more assertive I must first become more confident within myself. 3.3Development of leadership skills In the Belbin peer assessment it was also said that I was sometimes fearful of conflict. This I agree is true sometimes when maybe I am unsure of all the facts or am not in a position to speak confidently, I sometimes let others dominate me when really their ideas are no better than my own. However I feel that the example as mentioned above (role-play) demonstrated my ability not to be fearful of conflict. I am not a person to cause conflict within a group but at the same time I would not say i am fearful of conflict and can be assertive when necessary. One area for development are my leadership skills. Although I feel that I have become much more confident this year and this has enabled me to take a more active or leadership role in certain situations. However I feel that I still have a long way to go to enable myself to be a natural leader and to do so would be a great achievement. To improve this area of personal effectiveness is a definite priority for the next 12 months. My job at Marks Spencers requires me to work on the customer service desk listening to customers complaints and dealing with their problems. This role requires me to have good active listening skills and not be fearful of conflict whilst maintaining good customer service. This shows that my personal effectiveness and assertiveness can when necessary be very prominent. 3.4Ability to effectively communicate My ability to effectively communicate has been demonstrated in many ways this year, presentations, debates, meetings, interviews etc. My peer assessment said that my presentation skills are good and I can speak in confidently at a good pace. This was highlighted in the DLBM debate where it was mentioned in the group mark sheet as well as the business simulation feedback sheets. 4.Work With Others To Achieve Goals The ability to work with others to achieve goals is another very important transferable skill that employers seek. The Belbin team role questionnaire included in appendix __ and states that predominantly I am a team worker co-coordinator. This opinion is held by both myself and my peer group showing that I view myself and my group views me as a team worker. 4.1Working with others in practice My ability to work with others to achieve goals, I believe is one of my biggest strengths. Much of the work on BABM is team orientated as this will be the case when in the workplace in years 2 and 3. Examples of this have included the business simulation module where I feel I made a good contribution to the team. Other examples have included the DLBM debate, the organizational behaviour presentation as well as the smaller group assignments we have be set. 4.2My role within groups The experience I have gained working in groups this year has developed many of my skills far more than a normal undergraduate course may have done. My skill within groups is one of analysis and reflection of what others have said and making rational and coherent arguments from debate. This ability has proved to be very useful this year however I feel than within group work I need to take a more pro active role  stimulating debate and discussion. As was stated in my peer assessment feedback I sometimes need to relax, say what I think, and be more confident and this is an area I need to work on in the next 12 months 4.3Teamwork outside the classroom During 2000 I have played golf for The Herefordshire Golf Club where much of the competition is in team format. Very different to university teamwork where communication is key, playing golf requires analysis of the situation and choosing the best course of action in a short time consulting your partner to achieve the best possible result. Again I feel I have learnt a lot from this sporting experience as often I am under pressure to make team decisions quickly at university and although in an entirely different situation the process is the same. 5.Demonstrate An Enquiring Mind An enquiring mind and to be interested in your work is essential to being successful, without this I feel would result in lack of motivation and a significant reduction in output. My educational background shows how my enquiring mind is diverse and heavily influenced the ËÅ"A level subjects I chose. I tried to choose subjects I was genuinely interested in and felt that I would be most motivated to work hard on. This at the time didnt include business studies but my work experience at Marks Spencers has led me to become interested in business. I wanted to know why decisions were taken at head office, what influenced them and how they took those decisions. My father works in business and as I have always been interested in his work and find it interesting. 5.1Examples of enquiring mind At university it is particularly important to have an enquiring mind as many of the subjects are only covered very briefly in the actual lectures therefore requiring me to be interested in them and to have an enquiring mind to allow myself to get a good knowledge of each subject. This is very different to ËÅ"A levels and I feel that I have improved greatly in this area since attending University. However I also feel that I still have a lot of room for improvement particularly in subjects that I find difficult and those that are maybe less interesting to myself. I should try to complete all the recommended reading rather than completing only that which I find interesting. I found the organizational behaviour module to be particularly interesting and read a lot of the textbook despite the fact that the essay I had to write was only a small proportion of the book. For the DLBM debate I was part of the research team as I enjoy finding information that can be used to form an argument. I enjoy reading national papers and try to do so as often as I can as I am interested in the wider scope of global business. My enquiring mind sometimes get the better of me and I find myself reading about completely irrelevant topics to that I am meant to be studying for and wasting time but I believe this reflects my enquiring mind For the information systems/ information technology module we could either build a website of produce a leaflet. Despite the fact I had never produced a website before I chose to do this as I enjoy using computers and felt that although this would be more difficult it would be more beneficial to myself in the long run. 6.Take a Personal Responsibility For Career Planning Taking responsibility for career planning is very important, and the BABM course demands that students do this much earlier than other students on other undergraduate schemes. Because of this career planning is very important specifically with regards to years two and three of the course to enable me to make the maximum of my interview and company opportunities. The first step in career planning for myself was my work experience at Marks Spencers that motivated me to choose the BABM course. Choosing to be on the BABM course itself also was of great importance to my future career with the uniqueness of the course enabling me to gain more experience earlier. 6.1Interview skills development Whilst on the BABM course I have had to take responsibility for my future career and have demonstrated this in a number of ways. Firstly interview technique was important to develop and the practice interview as part of the DLBM module gave good feedback as to my style and competencies. The feedback I got (see appendix 3) was generally good with areas to improve on including becoming more focused upon the process I went through when giving examples rather than the example itself. Also I tended to undersell myself when given the chance to impress but apart  from this the feedback was generally good 6.2C.V and application form enhancement My C.V and application form was also another area that required me to take personal responsibility. I read articles on the Internet and books from the library on how to write a C.V as well as attending lectures on C.Vs. I got feedback from my dad who takes part in selection processes as part of his job as well as Vanessa Knowles the DLBM lecturer. The feedback I got was very good highlighting areas that needed to be improved 6.3Increasing personal awareness of placements For the pre selection week I researched each company individually, sent off for their annual reports, looked at their web sites and read the national press to gain any knowledge I could before I attended the sessions. This gave me an insight not only into the companies that I was researching but also the industries they operated in. It also allowed me to view the types of placements offered to students such as myself and has increased my knowledge of the type of placement I am looking to secure. 7.Conclusions I feel that in the last 12 months I had developed tremendously as a person and feel that I have become much more confident, outgoing and assertive. My transferable skill base has improved greatly due to my experience on BABM and at university generally. I feel that my value as a person to an organization has increased greatly and I feel confident that the skills I have learnt this year will continue to be used long into the future not only just during the period in company. However I realize that my skills can and will be improved enormously by the experience I will gain whilst in company and that lifelong learning is a valid and very important concept. My personal development plan outlines areas I intend to improve over the next two years and contains ways in which I intend to monitor evaluate and measure myself and my development. I have tried as far as possible to make my targets Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant and Timescaleable to enable myself to develop myself in the most effective manner. The personal development plan will allow myself to continually review my progress and will hopefully prove a useful tool in the next two years whilst on the BABM course

Margaret Atwood, The Circle Game

Margaret Atwood, The Circle Game Her first publication was a book of poetry, The Circle Game 1964, which received the Governor Generals Literary Award for poetry (Canada), Several other poetry collections have followed since, including Interlunar (1995) , Morning in the Burned House (1995) and the latest, Eating Fire: Selected poetry, 1965-1995 (1998). She was also as a short story writer and her books of short fiction include Dancing Girls and Other stories (1982), Wilderness Tips (1991) and good Bones (1992). Margaret Atwood is best known for her novels, in which she created strong and puzzling women characters. Her first novel was The Edible Woman (1969), which is about a woman who cannot eat and feels that she is being eaten. Surfacing (1973); Lady Oracle (1977); Life Before Man (1980); Bodily Harm (1982 and The Handmaids Tale (1986) is a futuristic novel describing a womans struggle to break free from her role. Her latest novels have been; Cats Eye (1989), dealing with the subject of bullying among young girls; The Robber Bride (1993); Alias Grace (1996); The Blind Assassin (2000); and Oryx and Crake (2003), a version of a scientific dystopia. These novels have received many awards. The most vital crisis in the life of a modern man is that of identity. Twentieth century literature reflects this very accurately. The important issue dealt in modern literature is the search for identity or the quest for self. The strength of todays literature is found in its evocation of the individuals predicament in terms of alienation or exile or quest for identity. (Srivastava 130) In fiction, the attention has shifted from the society in the century to the individual in the twentieth century. The individual is given more important and man is seen as one who creates societies rather than one who is created by it. The subject of the self has gained universal importance and it, is most dominant in Common Wealth countries. The Common Wealth countries in the twentieth century feel that they do not belong anywhere as they were under the rule of the British for long time and the suddenly let free. These countries strive to seek a separate identity of their own new and the same is seen in their literature. The Common Wealth writers feel that they have a responsibility in giving a unique identity to their countries. The question of identity first started with the nationality and slowly it narrowed down to the individual itself. Canada being a Common Wealth country faces both the problems of national and individual identity. The very word Canada gives the meaning. It is derived from the Spanish word Canada-aca-nada which means nothing here. 3 The search for a recognizable and meaningful Canadian has been a main Pre-occupation in Canada. M.F. Salat says that the Pre-occupation with self-definition and the search for a distinctive Canadian identity has been such a central aspect of Canadian imagination, it can be said , the discourse on identity is the Canadian discourse. (salat 62) What distinguishes Canadian predicament from other Countries is the continuation of the identity crisis is the continuation of identity crisis over a long period of time. This is because Canada has never been free of what is called the Colonial identity. In the beginning it was under the influence of the British culture and lately it suffers from the psycho- social and economic colonization by the United States of America. The issue of the Canadian identity rose up most vehemently in the post 1960. It was mostly dealt by women writers as it was the period of the womens Liberation Movement. The women writers also had a personal reason behind it as they wanted to establish their identity as writers without any prejudice on gender. The Womens Liberation Movement helped to release Canadian Women from many of the restrictions and inhibitions of the society. It helped to create the new women. This, says Barabara Godard, astonished, amused and frightened Canadians in the period before the First World War. (Janeja 172) 4 Many women took to writing as a profession and portrayed their ambitions and aspirations of the new women Their writings portrayed their yearning for freedom from the limited constrains of a conventional society. In Canada women began to assert consciously and confidently their potential as writers in the post- 1960s. The wide spread preoccupation with the quest for a distinctive cultural identity in Canada in the post 1960s, was responsible for strengthening the desire to assert a distinctive feminine identity comparable to and compatible with the male, in culture as well as in literature. (salat 78) The most important women writers of this period are Margaret Atwood, Margaret Laurence, Ruby Wiebe, and Alice Munro. A among these writers the most noticed and appreciated. Women writers is Margaret Atwood. Atwood has implicit and successfully problematised Canadas quest for identity in her novels by making her women protagonists undergo a similar crisis. She has a predominantly feminine search for a distinctive identity. Atwoods reaction to this sensitive issue of identity has been the most articulate and she has deliberately set out to create all her novels in such a way that towards the end, each of her protagonists emerges as a woman who knows her own self. Margaret Atwood is a Canadian novelist, poet, short-story writer and also a well established critic. She was born in Ottawa in 1939. She spent a 5 Considerable part of her early life in the northern Ontoria and Quebec bush country. She started writing at the early age of five. Her father who is an entomologist often took his family on field trips. This produced in Atwood an early and an avid interest in the wilderness. In 1946, the family went to Leaside, a suburb of Toronto and settled there. This change is also reflected in her writing. The contrasts beween its Christian, middle-class morality and its blatant materialism define the spiritual wasteland through which many of Atwoods characters pass on their way from childhood to maturity.(75) Atwood is a graduate from the University of Toronto, where she won a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. She took her Masters Degree from Radcliffe College. Since 1973 Atwood has live with Graeme Gibson a Canadian novelist and Cultural activist. They have a daughter, Eleanor Jess. They now live in Toronto. Atwood has been a write- in residence at Universities in Canada, the USA and Australia. She has taught in several Universities such as the University of British Columbia, the University of Alberta, Sir George Williams University, Montreal and at York University Toronto. She was the founding member of the writers Union 1984-86. She is still an effective spokesperson, and activist on behalf of Canadian writers and of womens right, Native rights and the environment.

Natural Language Generation Essay -- Computer Science

Natural Language Generation Abstract Natural language generation is a relatively new field in computer science. The two main questions to be solved are "what to say" and "how to say it." What to say includes answering questions not specifically asked by the user, and remembering previous statements made by the user and by the program itself. How to say it involves construction of logical sentences, use of pronouns, and sentence fragments. When speech synthesis is used, it also involves producing intelligible word rhythm, emphasis, and pauses. A new, exciting extension of speech synthesis is the inclusion of "emotion" in speech. User: ELIZA: Men are all alike In what way? They’re always bugging us about something or other Can you think of a specific example? Well, my boyfriend made me come here. Your boyfriend made you come here. He says I’m depressed much of the time. I am sorry to hear you are depressed. It’s true, I am unhappy. Do you think coming here will help you not be unhappy? I need some help; that much seems certain. What would it mean to you if you got some help? Perhaps I could get along with my mother. Tell me more about your family. My mother takes care of me. Who else in your family takes care of you? My father. Your father. You are like my father in some ways. What resemblance do you see? Natural language generation is the generation of printed text as well as synthesized speech. The transcript above is from a system that generates "psychoanalytic" responses to user input. This system is called ELIZA, and was developed at MIT in the 1960s. The program illustrates some of the issues of natur... ...gories such as pitch, voice speed, loudness, and pause length. She wrote a program that output these changes based on the emotion that it was asked to portray. Sample output from this program can be found online. When "emotion" can be output regularly in speech synthesis, a new breed of natural language applications will begin! Natural language generation is a young and exciting subject. There is still much research to be done to find the best way of representing a grammar, and providing a program capable of remembering previous statements, interpreting user input, speaking in sentences and sentence fragments, and providing a "natural" conversation. Even newer is the possibility of adding "emotional flavor" to synthesized speech. The windows that are opened by these studies present such a vast landscape of new applications that it is impossible to imagine them all.

Luis Gutierrez :: essays research papers

Luis Gutierrez The Fourth District of Chicago is rather new to the Chicago land made up largely of Hispanics and Latinos. This District like many others face major problems of crime, health care and education. Democratic representative Luis V. Gutierrez represents the answer to these and other problems. Who is Luis Gutierrez? Is this man making a difference? What are his issues? Is Luis doing his job? What is his impact on the system? These are question that need answering. These problems need solving is Luis Gutierrez really the answer? Gutierrez was born December 10 1954, in Chicago Illinois. He received a Bachelors degree from Northeastern Illinois University, in 1975. His professional experience is as follows: teacher in Puerto Rico from, 1977 to 1978; social worker for Chicago's Department of children and family Services, from 1979 to 1983; An advisor to Chicago mayor Harold Washington, from 1984 to 1987; Chicago city Alderman from 1986 to 1992; President of the Pro. Tem, from 1989 to 1992. Luis V. Gutierrez was elected to represent Illinois district four in 1992. The congressional committees he serves on include Banking and Financial Services; General Overnight and Investigations; Housing and Community opportunity; Veteran Affairs and Hospital and Health Care. Mr. Gutierrez's addresses in Washington and in Chicago are: 408 Longworth House office Building, Washington Dc 20515; 3181 North Elston Avenue, Chicago 60618; 1715 west 47th street, Chicago 60609; 3659 Halsted Chicago 60609; and 2132 West 21st street Chicago 60608. Luis Gutierrez start the road to politics by being a strong supporter on our former late mayor Harold Washington. With the backing of Washington, Gutierrez won the race for Alderman in 1986. After the death of Washington, Gutierrez soon supported Richard Daley for mayor and was appointed to chairman of the housing committee. Gutierrez was now able to instate his "New Homes for Chicago plan". This plan called for the city to sell empty spaces of land to housing contractors to construct homes for as little as one dollar. In 1992, Gutierrez ran for representative of the fourth district election, Gutierrez opponent was Juan Soliz. During the campaign Gutierrez focused more on crime, while Soliz focused on many issues such as: trade and health care. Gutierrez soon showed to be the candidate for his people of all ethnic groups. He became known in the area for the following passage, "If you work hard, sweat and toil and play by the rules, you will be rewarded...with clean street, safer and better schools, the opportunity to send your kids to college." He won sixty percent to forty percent and sixty-four percent to thirty-four percent in the primary.

Summary of The Pearl :: essays research papers

Kino, a young pearl diver in La Paz, enjoys his simple life until the day his son, Coyotito, is stung by a scorpion. The wealthy town doctor will not treat the baby because Kino cannot pay the doctor's fee, so Kino and his wife, Juana, are left only to hope their child is saved. That day Kino goes diving, and finds a great pearl, the Pearl of the World, and knows he is suddenly a wealthy man. The word travels quickly about the pearl and many in the town begin to plot ways to steal it. While the townspeople plot against Kino, he dreams of marrying Juana in a church, buying a rifle, and sending Coyotito to school so that he can learn to read. Kino believes that an education will free his son from the poverty and ignorance that have oppressed their people for more than four hundred years. The doctor comes to treat Coyotito once he learns of Kino's pearl, and although the baby is healed by Juana's remedy, the doctor takes advantage of Kino's ignorance. He convinces Kino that the child is still ill and will die without the care of a doctor. The doctor then manipulates Kino into unwittingly revealing where he has hidden the great pearl. Kino moves the pearl when the doctor leaves. That night, an intruder comes into Kino's hut and roots around near the spot where Kino had first buried the pearl. The next day, Kino tries to sell the pearl in town. The pearl buyers have already planned to convince Kino that the great pearl he has found is worth very little because it is too large. This way they can purchase the pearl for a low price. But when the buyers try to cheat Kino, he refuses to sell the pearl and plans to travel to another city to sell at a fair price. His brother, Tom Juan, feels Kino's plan is foolish because it defies his entire way of life and puts his family in danger. Kino is now on his own, although he doesn't know it yet. Juana warns Kino that the pearl is evil and will destroy his family, but he refuses to throw it away because it is his one chance to provide a different life for his family. That night, Juana takes the pearl and tries to throw it into the sea, but Kino stops her and beats her.

Brainwashing Our Future Essay

Around the globe today, the belief that a perfect body existing is at an all-time high. With airbrushing being used on practically every photo of actors/actresses/models, young adults get the false sense that they have to be a specific way to be prefect or normal even. It’s unjust that airbrushing photos leads these young adults to hate on themselves or on others for not being something that, in all reality, isn’t even real. Airbrushed photos of modern idols case teenagers to participate in unhealthy eating disorders, to bully fellow peers, and to obtain emotional problems that will stay with them for a lifetime. With airbrushing of photos also comes the unhealthy practice of eating disorders in young adult, especially young women, to fulfill the belief that doing so will result in having â€Å"matched up to their beauty and perfection† (Petten Van). Disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating have become most commonly found in the adolescent population because of these photos. In general, teen girls grow up seeing airbrushed photos which cause the desire to be â€Å"perfect†, later resulting in eating disorders. 42% of 1st to 3rd grade girls want to be thinner and 86% females report onset of eating disorder by age 20; 43% report onset between ages 16 and 20 (â€Å"Eating Disorder Statistics†). As a result, death rate of young adults has increased immensely and continues to surrender the hope of ever ending the cycle of teen disorders. Generally, as the number of adolescents who attain an eating disorder increases, so does the number of deaths to the teen populatio n. Airbrushing also contributes to bullying. Young adults are given the idea that one has to be a specific way in order to be accepted, so as a rule, teenagers bully one another out of jealousy or belief that all should fit what is seen as the norm due to airbrushing. But in return, there is the â€Å"5% of Americans that naturally possess the body type portrayed in magazine images† (â€Å"Eating Disorder Statistics†). That 5% is also bullied by those brainwashed by society to see it as the standard form. It makes sense that â€Å"a healthy girl does not have a solid sense of who she is and can be very susceptible to thinking one should look like the models, even though the model is airbrushed and really only a fantasy† (Cooper). Demi Lovato, a young teen pop star, has â€Å"openly aired her troubles† many times, describing the effects eating disorders and bullying that resulted from social media, like airbrushed photos, had on her life (LaPort). Bullying is the result of teens not having many idols that are raw and â€Å"going through what many of them are† (LaPort). Summing up the overall affect airbrushing has on adolescents comes down to these: emotional predicaments that can stay on one’s heart and mind until the very last breath. As a victim of bullying, my cousin Morgan shared her thoughts and feelings on her experiences. â€Å"The things they said were so harsh†¦unforgettable,† she whispered. â€Å"Every day I look at myself and repeat those words, even though I physically know they aren’t true.† She is one of â€Å"160,000 children who miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students† (â€Å"Make Beats Not Beat Downs: Facts and Statistics†). Bullying and eating disorders do not have short term effects, and can affect even the most confident person on the planet. These long term emotional situations are hurting the young minds of society and it all comes back to the pointless use of airbrushing. Some believe airbrushing is â€Å"just and image†¦a fantasy if you will†, regardless of the effect it has on adolescents (Cooper). Which is true, but teenagers are at the point of learning who they are and look to these photos of their idols to help decide, or figure out, who exactly is it that they see themselves being as adults. Others believe that airbrushing protects the eyes of younger minds from inappropriate matters like tattoos, thongs, or smoking. In response, the sooner one learns what the real world has to offer, bad and good, the sooner one realizes that everything isn’t perfect and can make decisions based on actual matters. Parents cannot protect children from the ideas of society surrounding them no matter how much they try. Would one rather children learn by looking at something everywhere around them or by hearing it from a mind not brainwashed by the wrong doings? The governments that allow the use of airbrushing on models and actors could easily pass a law to ban the deceptive practice of airbrushing. But the government won’t act unless the citizens act upon it first. By celebrities themselves opposing the act of an artist reconstructing their photos, and sewing them if done regardless, soon enough there won’t be any airbrushed photos to be released to the public. Previous victims of eating disorders or bullying should take a stand and tell the government, and its people, just how badly these photos affect the generations of society today. If not stopped now, then when will airbrushing ever come to an end? It’s time to end it and stop brainwashing our future. Works Cited A) Catapano, Rosanna. ANAD (The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) n.p. n.d. Web. 22 March 2013. B) Diller, Vivian. â€Å"Is Photoshop Destroying America’s Body Image.† Huffpost Post. N.p. n.d. Web. 22 March 2013. C) Petten Van, Vanessa. â€Å"Photoshop: The Effect On Teen Girls and Why It Needs to be Banned.† Radical Parenting. n.p. n.d. Web. 22 March 2013.

Digital Learning vs Traditional Essay

Teachers are a school’s most critical resource. Research continues to show that effective teaching is the most important school-related factor in student achievement, yet access to effective teaching remains widely uneven and inequitably distributed. The teaching profession faces multiple challenges while serving at the front line of improving outcomes for students. First, the nation’s teaching force is increasingly less experienced; today’s typical teacher has just one to two years of experience, compared to fifteen years in 1987. 15 Compounding the lessening content and pedagogical experience in the classroom, school districts also face shortages of teachers in critical areas like physics and chemistry, meaning that many students do not have access to those courses taught by an experienced, certified teacher. In 2007–08, nearly 60 percent of public school classes in high school physical science were taught by teacher who did not major in that subject area. 16 The challenge of finding certified teachers is particularly difficult in rural areas. The state of Georgia, for example, has 440 high schools but only 88 physics teachers. 17 Even Minnesota, which is considered a high-achieving state, has only 182 certified physics teachers for its 971 high schools. 18 And it is not surprising that schools with lower socioeconomic status have a harder time filling vacancies in key areas such as science. 19 Faced with increased administrative, bureaucratic, academic, and social responsibilities with fewer years of experience, teachers find they are not always able to personalize instruction as much as they would like. Fewer than half (46 percent) of math teachers say they can differentiate instruction a great deal. Seventy percent of teachers who say their students are likely to go to college report that they can offer significantly differentiated instruction, compared to only 50 percent of teachers who are in schools with less of a college-going culture. Even more worrisome, 45 percent of students who say they have considered dropping out of school Simply slapping a netbook on give their teachers a D or an F in differentiating top of a textbook, however, will instruction to meet students’ individual needs. not necessarily lead to significant Recent studies of high-performing urban schools outcomes. and evaluations of successful high school reform models have identified â€Å"personalization† and â€Å"instructional improvement† as the twin pillars of high school reform. Creating a personalized high school experience requires high expectations for all students, reliable information about school performance and students’ needs and interests, the capacity to individualize instruction and support, and multiple pathways to a high school diploma. 20 Research continues to indicate that student engagement is critical to preventing dropouts. 21 Growing Opportunities to Improve Learning for All Students Multiple forces are converging to create a significant opportunity with the power to affect education greatly within the next two to three years. First, the technology available for instruction is improving continuously. Second, the cost of the technology continues to decrease. This paper would become dated instantly if it listed exact items and prices, but the price of computer memory is a useful reference. In 1980, a gigabyte of information cost around $200,000. In 2011, a terabyte—more than a thousand gigabytes, and about 2,000 hours of high-quality audio data—cost around $100. 22 Additionally, more and more students today are what could be called â€Å"digital natives,† already accustomed to the rapid feedback, collaborative nature, and ease of use of many digital technolgies. 23 Page 7 Alliance for Excellent Education Meanwhile, forty-six states and the District of Columbia have adopted the common core state standards, affecting 90 percent of the nation’s students. The commitment to ensuring that students graduate from high school college and career ready will require unprecedented work to implement new content, instructional strategies, teacher preparation, and assessments. The benefit is that curriculum developers, who have had to address fifty different sets of standards in the past, can work from one clear set of standards. Sustained professional learning for teachers will also be able to utilize this uniform set of expectations. Just as significantly, almost all states are now working through two assessment consortia to develop online assessments for the common core state standards to be put in place by 2014. The technology exists to make this implementation possible and to lead a significant transformation of the nation’s education system. The Gap Simply slapping a netbook on top of a textbook, however, will not necessarily lead to significant outcomes. Critical for learning success with digital learning is developing a comprehensive strategy that has a foundation of involvement and sustained career training for teachers—not occasional professional development—which concentrates not just on the technology, but also on the pedagogical skills needed to use the technology in teaching and learning. As Greg Whitby, an executive director of schools in Australia who is implementing a widespread digital learning program across a 40,000-student district in Sydney, stressed, â€Å"It’s first about the pedagogy, then comes the technology. †24 As this paper will demonstrate, effective digital media combined with powerful teaching, rich content, and engaged students has the potential to take learning in the United States to a much higher level and provide all students with experiences that allow them to graduate prepared for college and a career. But education is still slow to adopt these technologies. While the National Center for Education Statistics reports that 97 percent of all teachers had access to a computer in their classroom in 2009, only 72 percent of all teachers, and 64 percent of secondary school teachers, said they used computers for instruction. 25 The use of technology—defined as information technology such as computers, devices that can be attached to computers (e. g. , LCD projector, interactive whiteboard, digital camera), networks (e. g. , internet, local networks), and computer software—for higher-order skill development was much lower.