Teacher Attitude Towards Performance Incentives in Georgia Dissertation

Teacher Attitude Towards Performance Incentives in Georgia - Dissertation Example The effectiveness of the teachers has a greater influence on the learning of students, than any other factors affecting the student learning in the control of schools in the world that include the size of the school, the size of the class, and the effectiveness of â€Å"after-school programs† (Bacharach & David 2009). There have been concerns on Georgia about the contribution of teachers towards the studying of students and the quality of the teacher workforce and there have been calls to reform the compensation of teachers. The survey result would be an indication of how the teacher attitudes differ by personal characteristics such as subject area, school assignment, or experience as well as the teacher workforce that include the school performance and the level of trust among teachers and principals. There have been calls by policymakers, analysts, and education advocates that the criterion used on teacher compensation is inappropriate and therefore it has been criticized as being too uniform and rigid. Critics claim that the present system in Georgia is not efficient as it concentrates on the experience of teachers and the qualifications they hold alone and this makes the teaching profession unattractive to result oriented people who might be having technical skills (Michael, 2007). Moreover, the critics of this compensation system for teachers argue that the present system does not do much in regard to motivate and reward effective teachers. Therefore instead of the uniform pay of teachers that goes ahead to ignore the labor market realities, reformers argue that they have provided the teachers with a varied incentive. However, despite the reformers claiming of the different incentives to teachers, this does not have any effect on the teacher motivation. The incentives have given too little as compared to the teaching assignments (Ballou, 2009). The Problem in Question According to a US study, there has been the comparison of the effectiveness of rew arding a select group of teachers against all the teachers in the school (Baugh, 2009). An analysis of the National Education Longitudinal Study, the US Department of Education's School, and the data from the Staffing Survey on performance pay came up with a conclusion that rewarding a select group of teachers was effective in student learning as compared to the whole school (Brodie & Ron 2008). However, several recent studies reveal that rewarding of the entire group of teachers in the whole school have a positive affect on the test scores of students. In addition, the research shows that through rewarding the teachers uniformly the teachers have an opportunity and encouraged to cooperate with the other teachers in the school by sharing their experiences. Critics of the selected pay program believe that the whole-school performance pay system are more acceptable to the teachers and less â€Å"controversial† (Donald & James, 2010). Regarding this, evidence of the problem that calls for farther research on the problem before policy recommendations are made. The purpose of this study is to find out why the teachers have different views regarding the pay for performance initiative. Definitions In this section, the definition of performance pay is dealt within general to set up a context on how it applies to the teachers specifically in Georgia. Therefore the key word in this paper is pay for performance in Georgia. This is the plan to have a direct relationship between the employee pay and the output of the employee. The pay for performance plan often considers of a select group of persons or the whole group of people. This plan is in line with the mostly held belief in humans that employee need to be rewarded depending on their

Realism In International Affairs Essay Example for Free

Realism In International Affairs Essay Realism in politics is a political philosophy, which tries to observe, shape and predict political relations. It is based upon assumption that power should be the primary goal of any political act, both in international or domestic sphere. As far as domestic affairs are concerned, this theory states that political figures are supposed to direct all efforts to maximizing their power. Accordingly, in the international sphere nation should aim at maximizing its power among other states. This theory can be regarded as a prescription to be followed by politicians and states or as a description of current affairs of the state or politician pursuing self-interest. Realism in politics is often defined as a principle of power supremacy, and it has a long history since the ancient times. It was reflected in Peloponnesian War by Thucydides. This theory was also touched by Machiavelli in his writing The Prince, as well as by other outstanding philosophers like Spinoza, Hobbes and Rousseau. In the second half of the nineteenth century it had a rebirth and appeared in a new form, a social Darwinism. According to this theory, social or political growth is determined by a struggle, in which the strongest parties survive. According to the theory of political realism, interests should be satisfied by means of power exercise, and the world is defined by competing powers. In this context, the adherents of Marxist theory refer to classes, while other political theorists to states. (Ahrensdorf) Political realism is explained in the following way: â€Å"Prior to the French Revolution in which nationalism as a political doctrine truly entered the worlds stage, political realism involved the political jurisdictions of ruling dynasties, whilst in the nineteenth century, nationalist sentiments focused realists attentions on the development of the nation-state, a policy that was later extended to include imperialist ambitions on the part of the major Western powers-Britain and France, and even Belgium, Germany and the United States were influenced by imperialism. † (Viotti, Kauppi). Important difference between social darwinism and other branches political realism is as follows: adherents of the former state that some nations are destined to rule over other nations, while other part of realists pays most attention to the need of ensuring that nation, culture or politician sets or secures own needs before needs or interests of others. Political realism in international affairs Political realism of an expressive kind stands for the suggestion that international commonwealth is distinguished by anarchy, since there is no absolute world government, that could rule with an all-purpose policy code. Since the anarchy does not need a chaotic nature, thus allowing member nations be involved into trading schemes or treaties, the theorists mostly agree that morality or law are not the dominating factors outside one particular state. In this particular characteristic this hypothesis agrees with the Hobb’s theory: Where there is no common Power, there is no Law: where no Law, no Injustice ? if there be no Power erected, or not great enough for our security; every man will and may lawfully rely on his own strength and art, for caution against all other men. (Hobbes, Leviathan , Part I, Ch. 13 Of Man, and Part II, Ch. 17, Of Commonwealth, cited in Griffiths, O’Callaghan). Respectively, without any supreme international force, nations treat each other with hostility or fear, and it damages the system. Another aspect of the theory is an assumption that a state can promote its interest against the needs and interests of other states, it proves that international surrounding is not stable. Any order is affected if states compete for the same need, and under such circumstances, as the realists state, the nation may rely on itself only. There are definite contradictions that can be found in the concept of political realism: descriptive realism may be regarded as a true theory or false concept. Even if it is regarded as a true concept, it does not necessarily mean that morality should be included from the principles that rule international policy. One of the strong forms if descriptive type of political realism states that states should be self-seeking, that they should build their policy basing upon desired gains of the nation and should not ignore their interests and demands. Simultaneously, â€Å"if descriptive realism is held, it is as a closed theory, which means that it can refute all counter-factual evidence on its own terms (for example, evidence of a nation offering support to a neighbor as an ostensible act of altruism, is refuted by pointing to some self-serving motive the giving nation presumably hasit would increase trade, it would gain an important ally, it would feel guilty if it didnt, and so on), then any attempt to introduce morality into international affairs would prove futile. † (Stern) The assessment of expressive kind of political realism power depends upon the chance of understanding political reasons, which requests understanding the causes of state diplomats and representatives. The pattern of officers’ relations, their motives and actions is complex. Waltz says that the closed nature of expressive realism includes a oppose scheme that nations does not serve any needs at all, or can serve the needs of others only. The logical value of the three theories resulting from this concept offers that preferring one condition to another is an optional decision, if an assumption is accepted, or not. (Waltz) The present international sphere of nations’ interaction is defined by the lack of supreme power. In the past, wars were a strong argument in support of political realism – there have been more than 200 wars since the middle of the 17th century. This condition seems to have a chaotic nature, and some thinkers are likely to compare it to domestic anarchy, when state government is not able to rule the state: ‘Without a world power, war, conflict, tension, and insecurity have been the regular state of affairs; just as a domestic government removes internal strife and punishes local crime, so too ought a world government control the activities of individual states-overseeing the legality of their affairs and punishing those nations that break the laws, and thereby calming the insecure atmosphere nations find themselves in†. (Kegley, Wittkopf) At the same time, such comparison leads to a conclusion that the relations between the state and the individuals are alike. Such argument includes the personification of the states and collectivization of individuals. Some theorists state that the relations between states and the citizens cannot be compared to the relations between the states and the relations of the individuals, and therefore should be differently judged. In addition to the propositions of descriptive realism, there are notions offered by prescriptive political realism, for instance, the statement that a certain nation should follow its own interests and needs independently of the relevant state of international relations. This theory can be divided into various aspects, depending upon proclaimed interest of the nation and the allowability of the tools that would be used to reach desired goals. As far as the national interest is concerned, there are distinct opinions of what it should be, but all of them agree that the state should be self-efficient in economical and political sphere, cutting dependency on other nations. (The Globalization of World Politics: an Introduction to International Relations) The statement supporting the supremacy of self-sufficiency of the state has appeared long time ago. Plato and Aristotle referred to this aspect as a ground necessary to provide security of the national power, they insisted that nation should import only insignificant commodities. This economic theory has been used for supporting political realism, especially in the 18th century the theorists of political sphere stated that the political power of the nation is reached and supported in the terms of reduced import and increased export only. Difference between neorealism and classical realism Conflict is regarded as a key element in politics, including international affairs, by all realists, however, there are two different sources of conflict, pointed out by different realist authors. For instance, classical realism theory starts with a pessimistic viewpoint on the human nature. As the adherents of this theory believe, selfish, competitive and striving for power behavior in inherent for the humans. Hans Morgenthau states that each individual is enforced to act uncaringly to protect himself, and this situation leads to the disagreement: â€Å"What the one wants for himself, the other already possesses or wants, too. Struggle and competition ensue. Man cannot [therefore] hope to be good, but must be content with not being too evil†. (Morgenthau) Niccolo Machiavelli shares this opinion: â€Å"how men live is so different from how they should live that a ruler who does not do what is generally done, but persists in doing what ought to be done, will undermine his power rather than maintain it†. (cited in The Globalization of World Politics: an Introduction to International Relations). These ideas performed specific approach to a strategy applied in international affairs: a careful statesman must avoid optimistic view on others’ aims and intentions and limits their initiatives to those that may help if the situation goes better. For instance, Henry Kissinger warned the leaders of the USA and Israeli against the intentions of Syria and Palestine, during the negotiations on Middle East conflict: â€Å"It is likely that agreements will be reached because the alternatives will, in the end, seem more dangerous. But when this happens, we must avoid euphoria. An agreement will represent a strategic interlude for the Syrians and most of the Palestinians, not a commitment to a new world order. † (Legro, Moravcsik) In other words, classical type of realism regards conflict and competition as essential element of international affairs, referring the origin of conflict to the human nature. Humans struggle with each other for resources they need and strive for power to rule over other people. This is a set pattern, which cannot be changed. Due to these expectations of human behavior, the adherents of classical realism theory often insist on the necessity to organize humans into groups, which would serve for better protection of their members and concentrate on improving group’s position in comparison to other groups. Another theory, neorealism or structural realism, refers the origin of conflict to interstate condition, the lack of legally restricting rules in particular, rather than to human nature. The adherents of neorealism state, that â€Å"the absence of a neutral authority that can enforce rules and agreements creates an insecure, self-help situation in which all policy makers are pressured to act competitively, regardless of their individual natures or personal preferences. † (Kegley, Wittkopf) This statement is not new, it appeared in the 17th century in the work of Thomas Hobbes. In his writing Leviathan he states that the in the world, which lacks supreme power that could provide security, people has a right to use any tools to protect themselves. Besides, he assumed that â€Å"all mankind [has] a per ¬petual and restless desire of power after power that ceases only in death. † (cited in The Globalization of World Politics: an Introduction to International Relations) Modern tradition in neorealist theory declines the assumption that individuals strive for power due to a natural inclination, and concentrates on the motives produced by a lack of a neutral power that can set rules for interstate relations. For instance, Kenneth Waltz says that â€Å"the main cause of war must lie in some regularity at the level of the interstate system, rather than within particular leaders or states, since war has been waged for all sorts of specific reasons and by good as well as bad leaders. † (Waltz) According to Waltz, this regularity is the pressure, produced by anarchy: â€Å"Without enforceable interstate rules, states must either resist possible domination by others through a policy of balancing against others power capabilities, or by bandwagoning-joining a coalition that supports an aggres ¬sive state, in hopes of turning its aggression elsewhere†. (Waltz) Waltz states that large states possess the capacity and desire to withstand the strength of other states. This results, as he sees it, in a tendency of competitiveness among states independently of the views of their leaders concerning domestic policy. Actually, the prediction of this statement is not much different from the assumption made by the adherents of classical realism. As soon as it is based on the assumptions concerning human nature, classic realists expect that the makers of policy also act competitively. The difference lies in the way this conclusion is reached. As Waltz sees it, this is the pressure of competitiveness, produced by anarchy, which significantly influences the human behavior. Those strategies that are oriented on power, appear because the leaders are forced to struggle for security, rather than because they desire just to obtain power. Realistic approach in modern international affairs Realism was a concept for analyzing world politics since remote times, because much of humankind history was characterized by wars. As soon as the states’ interests come across in conflict, it is expected that leaders pay much attention to their positions in power. â€Å"The classical realist worldview appealed to many statesmen during the period that states were evolving in Western Europe-an era rife with conflict, as medieval forms of rule broke down and rulers asserted new claims to authority against feudal lords or the Pope. It jumped to the United States when the experiences of World War II were followed by the onset of the Cold War. Neorealism later emerged when the bipolarity of the Cold War drew analysts attention to the effects of the structure of the interstate system†. (Lieven, Hulsman). At present, ethical realism is offered to the USA as a leading principle that should define the foreign policy of this state. As it is described by the supporters of this type of realism, it bases upon â€Å"prudence; a concentration on possible results rather than good intentions; a close study of the nature, views and interests of other states, and a willingness to accommodate them when these do not contradict Americas own truly vital interests; and a mixture of profound American patriotism with an equally profound awareness of the limits on both American power and on American goodness† (Lieven, Hulsman). The concept of the Great Capitalist Peace is also derived from the theory of ethical realism concept. It is based upon the ideas of Kennan and Morgenthau, including the concepts of diplomacy purposes and international order. It proclaims that a global order is needed to be agreed by the largest states, to provide the promotion of their interests and reduce the threat of terrorists. Accordingly, the USA power is treated as an element, vital for keeping the Great Capitalist Peace. At the same time, it is added that the limits should be put on the US power, in order to legitimate interests and needs of other states should be satisfied. Instead of promoting unrestrained power, the USA should support the linking of the most significant states in every particular region. For instance, in the Middle East region the USA should use its power and resources to support creation of a regional patter for the states, including Syria and Iran, and to make this pattern functional enough to regulate Iraq conflict after withdrawal of the US troops from this country. (Lieven, Hulsman) As far as the Far East is concerned, the USA should paid attention to the primary role, which should be played by China in this region, but not by the United States. China is treated as a state, ready to act in cooperation with other states and act responsibly, that’s why USA should allow China to occupy a leading position in finding resolutions to the actions of the regime in the North Korea, and other possible challenges in this region. (Lieven, Hulsman) Sources Waltz, K. N. Structural Realism after the Cold War. International Security. Summer. 2000 Morgenthau, H. J. Politics Among Nations: the Struggle for Power and Peace. McGraw Hill: NY, 1993. Stern, G. The Structure of International Society. London: Pinter Publishers, 2000. The Globalization of World Politics: an Introduction to International Relations. edited by Baylis, J. and S. Smith. Oxford University Press, 2004 Griffiths, M. , O’Callaghan, T. International Relations: The Key Concepts. London, Routledge, 2002 Kegley, C. Wittkopf, E. World Politics. Thomson/Wadsworth, 2005. Viotti, P. R. Kauppi, M. V. International Relations Theory: Realism, Pluralism, Globalism. Macmillan Pub Co, 1993. Legro, J. W. Moravcsik, A. Is Anybody Still a Realist? International Security. Fall 1999 Jervis, R. Realism, Neoliberalism, and Cooperation.. International Security. Summer 1999 Ahrensdorf, P. J. Thucydides realistic critique of realism. Polity Winter 1997 Lieven, A. Hulsman, J. Americas World Role Has to be Realistic and Moral. October 17, 2006, retrieved at http://www. realisticforeignpolicy. org/archives/2006/10/americas_world. php.

Alexander Graham Bell :: essays research papers

Alexander Graham bell was a very important man, not only to Canada but to the whole world as well, and it was not an easy road to success. His contributions to the world of communication were unmatched by any one. This essay will be arguing the facts about Bell that have been stated through 3 main topics, which are, Bell’s contribution to deaf people. Graham Bell made a contribution to the communication world. Finally he ran into many problems while in innovations were occurring. Alexander made an extremely large contribution to the deaf people by doing many things. Before he was born Alec’s father was trying to develop a method of speech for deaf people while this experimenting was going on he had a son who little did he know would rock the world with the invention of the phone. During his early years Bell and his father perfected this method of visible speech for the deaf. Alexander invented a glove whit visible speech letters printed on different parts of the glove so when touched by different fingers spelled different words. He and his family toured around the country showing this item off and soon gained much respect. After bell moved to Canada he decided that this glove was not enough. Soon he opened schools meant specifically for the deaf people to learn and there are still some schools to this day that have been founded by Bell just for deaf people. During one of his many visits to one of his school he met a young student by the name of Mabel Hu bbard “I have discovered that my interest in my dear pupil… has ripened into a far deeper feeling'; (always inventing, 28) this caused some controversy between the two families because of the significant age difference and the fact the she was deaf, also they didn’t want them to have kids for there was a possibly of deafness being hereditary (Alexander Graham Bell An Inventive Life, 16). Also people in the community were talking about how Bell was going to marry a deaf girl, but despite this wishes of the families the got married and had children who turned out fine. Mabel describes her first meeting wit Bell “I did not like him. He was tall, with jet black hair and eyes but dressed badly and carelessly in an old fashion suit… he seemed hardly a gentleman'; (Alexander Graham Bell An inventive life, 16).

Madurai Essay

Madurai has been a major settlement for two millennia and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world with a recorded history from 3rd century BC. [3]Megasthenes visited Madurai during 3rd century BC, with the city referred as â€Å"Methora† in his accounts. [9] The view is contested by some scholars as they believe â€Å"Methora† refers to the north Indian city of Mathura as it was a large and established city in the Mauryan Empire. [15] The city is also mentioned in Kautilya’s (370–283 BC)[16] Arthashastra. Madurai finds mention in the works of Roman historians Pliny the Younger (61 – ca. 12 CE), Ptolemy (ca. 90 – ca. CE 168), those of the Greek geographerStrabo(64/63 BCE – ca. 24 CE). and also in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea After the Sangam age, most of present day Tamil Nadu, including Madurai, came under the rule of the Kalabhras dynasty, who were ousted by the Pandyas around 590 CE. The Pandyas were outsted from Madurai by the Chola dynasty during the early 9th century. The city remained under control of the Cholas until the early 13th century, when the second Pandyan empire was established with Madurai as its capital. After the death of Kulasekara Pandian (1268–1308 CE), Madurai came under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate. , The Madurai Sultanate, then seceded from Delhi functioned as an independent kingdom till its gradual annexation by the Vijayanagar Empire in 1378 CE. Madurai became independent from Vijayanagar in 1559 CE under the Nayaks. Nayak rule ended in 1736 CE and Madurai was repeatedly captured several times byChanda Sahib (1740 – 1754 CE), ArcotNawab and Muhammed Yusuf Khan (1725 – 1764 CE) in the middle of 18th century. In 1801, Madurai came under the direct control of the British East India Company and was annexed to the Madras Presidency. The British government made donations to the Meenakshi temple and participated in the Hindu festivals during the early part of their rule. The city was devolved as a political and industrial complex through the 19th and 20th centuries to become a district headquarters of a larger Madurai district. With the effect of urbanisation, the temple no longer retained the unitary form, but continued to remain the centre for Hindus. In 1837, under the order of the then collector John Blackburn, the fortifications around the temple were demolished to accommodate the growing population of the city. The moat was drained and the debris was used to construct the new streets – Veli, Marat and Perumaal Mesthiri streets. The city was constituted as a municipality in 1866 CE. The British government faced initial hiccups in land ceiling and tax collection in Madurai and Dindigul districts under the direct administration of the officers of the government. The district at large was resurveyed between 1880 and 1885 CE and settled between 1885 and 1893 CE. The survey showed an under assessment of around 8 per cent in the old survey. Five municipalities were constituted in these two districts and six taluk boards were derived for local administration. Police stations were established with Madurai city as the headquarters of the District Superintendent. It was in Madurai, in 1921, that Gandhi, pre-eminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India, adopted loin cloth for the first time as his mode of dress after seeing agricultural labourers wearing it. [29] The independence movement in Madurai was led by leaders such as N. M. R. Subbaraman and Mohammad Ismail Sahib.

Everything is Illuminated-Jonathan Safran Foer

Introduction – The consequences of the grandparents' silence Many people have to bear heavy psychological burdens from the second world war without talking to anybody about their experiences. Because of the terrible war-experiences many of these people have a stubborn point of view, a total indifference towards new subjects and an incomprehensible behavior (cf. Bode 18). Moreover many â€Å"war-grandchildren† indicate huge problems with their parents and / or grandparents (cf. Bode 13). Furthermore many â€Å"war-grandchildren† tell about an uncertain awareness of life and their general lack of assurance (cf.Bode 13).The sentence â€Å"My own parents don't know who I really am† is not a rare occurrence (cf. Bode 17). Lots of these people are looking for the trails of their families' past and therefore try to research on their own behavior (cf. Bode 14). Dealing with the past and self-discovery are the main themes of the book â€Å"Everything is Illuminate d† from Jonathan Safran Foer. A following Analysis and Interpretation will show the process of coming to terms with the past and the self-discovery of the protagonists Jonathan Safran Foer, Alexander Perchow and his grandfather. The heavy searchThe following quotation from Cicero goes in line with Alex's and Jonathan's point of view. â€Å"Not to know what happened before you were born is to be a child foreverâ€Å". Jonathan, an American Jew, goes in quest of a woman, Augustine, who apparently saved his grandfather in the second world war from the Nazis. Jonathan particularly wants to find the small Jewish village Trachimbrod where the whole story of his family started. This search ends up in the Ukraine. With the help of the Russian interpreter Alex and his grandfather he wants to discover the history of his family.Pilgrimage is a centuries-old tradition and an important possibility of looking for one's roots and for one's self-discovery (cf. Và ¶kler). Jonathan takes a p hoto with him depicting his grandfather and a young woman (the woman who rescued him from the Nazis). The idea of his grandfather loving this young woman seems incredible to him, because he can't imagine that his grandfather loved other women than his grandmother. â€Å"It seems so improbable that he could have loved her. But isn't there something strange about the picture, the closeness between them, even though they're not looking at each other?The way that they aren't looking at each other. The distance† (Everything is Illuminated 61). â€Å"Part of me wants him to have loved her, and part of me hates to think it† (Everything is Illuminated 61). Jonathan notes everything in his diary he experiences during the journey. He points out that putting his thoughts down in writing releases him (cf. Và ¶kler). Alex tells that the less they see on the journey, the more he writes down (cf. Everything is Illuminated 115).This is also for coming to terms with the past and for h is self-discovery, he wants to capture every little experience of this voyage to get closer to his past and to get enough subjects for his story about his ancestors, that he writes after the journey. Ashamed Jonathan is a very dissatisfied person, he is dissatisfied with himself. This arises when Alex says that there is a darkness in Jonathan's laugh and when they both talk about their future (cf. Everything is Illuminated 69). When Alex says to Jonathan that he's a writer, he denies it at first, furthermore Jonathan doesn't want to admit that he has already published books (cf.Everything is Illuminated 69).The following dialog between Alex and Jonathan proves that Jonathan is everything else but self-satisfied. â€Å"I would love very much to read your stories. † â€Å"You probably won't like them. † â€Å"Why do you say that? † â€Å"I don't even like them. † (Everything is Illuminated 69). When Alex asks him for the reason of his writing, Jonathan answ ers that he used to think he was born to write but in the same moment he denies it again (cf. Everything is Illuminated 69-70). Jonathan feels that the sentence â€Å"I'm born to write† sounds cheap and terrible and he finds it hard to express himself (cf.Everything is Illuminated 70). He says that he wants to do something he's not ashamed of – not proud – just not ashamed (cf. Everything is Illuminated 70). The self-discovery Jonathan is a â€Å"war-grandchild† and his behavior perfectly goes in line with the statement that many â€Å"war-grandchildren† have an uncertain awareness of life and a general lack of assurance. These problems change at the end of their journey. Although they think they don't find Augustine nor get to know anything about Jonathan's grandfather, Jonathan finds himself because he discovers the trails of his family, Trachimbrod.He writes a fictive story about his ancestors that takes place in Trachimbrod, therefore he puts t he past behind and focuses up on his future. Jonathan can finally be happy. The self-confident young man Alex's development is much more discernible than Jonathan's and the process of his self-discovery is much clearer as well. Alexander Perchow lives with his parents, his brother and his grandfather in Odessa in Russia. In the beginning, the reader gets the impression of Alex as a tall, popular and self-confident young man. â€Å"I am unequivocally tall.I do not know any women who are taller than me† (Everything is Illuminated 3). â€Å"I have an aristocratic smile and like to punch people† (Everything is Illuminated 4). Alex says that he has many girls and that they all want to have sex with him, moreover he mentions that he often visits famous clubs (cf. Everything is Illuminated 2). It becomes obvious that Alex is looking for recognition by his family. For example his father asks him about his knowledge of English and he says that he speaks fluently although he doe sn't, he only wants to make his parents proud (cf.Everything is Illuminated 4). The relationship to the grandfather Alex is worried about his grandfather crying at night but this problem is hushed-up in the family. He doesn't talk a lot with his grandfather but when he does, it sounds always queer to him (cf. Everything is Illuminated 110). Alex is afraid of being alone with his grandfather because there is a distance between them and he knows that there is something wrong with this old man. His grandfather is hiding something that happened in the war.Because of this supposition Alex asks himself which terrible things he had done during the war (cf. Everything is Illuminated 74). Alex doesn't really know his grandfather, neither his real personality nor his past but his sadness frightens him a lot. When Alex's Grandfather talks for the first time about his parents he is astonished and does not know how to react. â€Å"It was the first occasion that I heard Grandfather speak of his parents, and I wanted to know very much of them† (Everything is Illuminated 111). â€Å"But I felt that it was a common decency for me to be quiet on the matter.He would speak when he needed to speak, and until that moment I would persevere silence† (Everything is Illuminated 111). This is a proof of the respect of the post-war generations towards the war-generation but also a proof for the interest in the past of Alex's grandfather. The â€Å"war-grandchildren† feel awkward about confronting the older generation with anything (cf. Bode 20). The relationship between them improves when the grandfather told Alex and Jonathan about his tragedy that happened in the war because therefore Alex can finally understand the sadness of his grandfather.At the end of the book, when Alex is at the beach and his grandfather tries to find him to ask for money it is the first time it doesn't feel weird to talk to his grandfather and the oppressive atmosphere doesn't exist anymore (cf. Everything is Illuminated 217). When his grandfather asks him not to tell anybody about his request for money, Alex feels relieved. â€Å"It had not occurred to me until he uttered it, but we have a secret. We have a thing amid us that no one else in the world knows, or could know. We have a secret together, and no longer asunder† (Everything is Illuminated 217).America, the last hope? Alexander has the dream of a better life in America and when his father asks him to travel with and translate for Jonathan, he can't wait to see an American. Alex wants to improve his life and wants to show that he also could be an American and become an accountant (cf. Everything is Illuminated 28). During the journey Alex asks Jonathan a lot about America and he tells him that Odessa is a city like Miami, although both know that Odessa isn't like Miami at all, but Alex doesn't want to make the impression that his life isn't very special.During their journey it gets clear that Alex isn't the self-confident, popular young man he pretends to be, one indication for this statement is when Alex says that he and Jonathan are like friends and therefore he feels entirely good for the first time he can remember (cf. Everything is Illuminated 72). Furthermore, at the end of the journey Alex says that he isn't a smart person and in a letter to Jonathan he admits that he mistakenly thought it might be more impressive pretending to be very tall (cf. Everything is Illuminated 24).These statements would have been impossible at the beginning and it shows a developing process. Alex doesn't deceive himself anymore (cf. Everything is Illuminated 179). In his letters to Jonathan he tells the whole truth and doesn't want to delude himself and others. He admits that he doesn't go to famous discotheques but spends many hours alone at the beach (cf. Everything is Illuminated 52), he also admits that he never became intimate with a girl (cf. Everything is Illuminated 144). Moreover Alex re alizes that he will never move to America nor visit the States (cf.Everything is Illuminated 241). The conflict The following dialog between Alex and his father at the beginning of the book proves that Alex is very dissatisfied with his life, that their point of views vary a lot and that his father doesn't know who his own son really is. â€Å"Why is it that I cannot go forth to America after I graduate? † â€Å"If you want to know why you cannot go forth to America, it is because Great-Grandfather was from Odessa, and Grandfather was from Odessa, and Father, me, was from Odessa, and your boys will be from Odessa.Also, you are going to toil at Heritage Touring when you are graduated. It is a necessary employment, premium enough for Grandfather, premium enough for me, and premium enough for you. † â€Å"But what if that is not what I desire? What if I do not want to toil at Heritage Touring, but instead toil someplace where I can do something unordinary, and make very much currency instead of just a petite amount? † (Everything is Illuminated 28-29). The relationship between Alex and his father is very bad, his father isn't important to him and he hates him because of his drinking problem (cf.Everything is Illuminated 103,145), but at the beginning of the book he has not the courage to resist. This changes the first time when Alex's father told him to come home with a girl after going to a club but Alex refuses to and just said â€Å"shut up† (cf. Everything is Illuminated 214). The second time Alex resists his father is at the end of the book, Alex asks his father to leave the family and never come back, he also flings not seeing him as a father in his teeth and gives him the money he originally saved for America (cf. Everything is Illuminated 274).This is the high point of the development of Alex's self-discovery. He frees himself of his father, doesn't lie to anyone anymore and especially not to himself. The transgenerational tran smission If parents from the war-generation didn't come to terms with their psychological injuries, according to Brisch, it could lead to a â€Å"transgenerational transmission of traumatic experiences, although the following generation itself wasn't exposed such trauma†. Therefore the consequences could be serious for children of the war-children (cf. Bode 80). This statement goes for the grandfather.He suffers from a depression because his wife died two years ago and since then he claims that he is blind (cf. Everything is Illuminated 5). The grandfather is blind in a different way, he can't stand to face the past and without his wife he doesn't have her support anymore, his life doesn't make sense anymore and he has no one to take his mind off the terrible war experiences. It gets clear that not only the death of his wife nags him, the roots of his sadness lie far deeper than that. The grandfather is the keeper of a dreadful secret that eventually destroys him and his depr ession deepens during the journey (cf.Everything is Illuminated 25). This is because â€Å"the journey becomes very painful to grandfather, because it forces him to relive terrible events and admit the things he's done† (cf. docstoc). The turn When Jonathan, Alex and the grandfather find the woman of whom they think she was Augustine, the grandfather's behavior changes in a jiffy. For the first time in the book he laughs with all his heart. â€Å"He was smiling so much, and I am not lying if I tell you that I had never seen him smile so much since grandmother was alive† (Everything is Illuminated 147-148).It becomes obvious that Alex's grandfather and Augustine become fond of each other and the impression that both know each other is given. The woman denies being Augustine but everyone feels certain about it. Alex recognizes her from the picture of Jonathan's grandfather and the grandfather says something interesting that is attributable to his own behavior. â€Å"It was her eyes that let me understand that she was, without a query, the Augustine from the picture† (Everything is Illuminated 148). â€Å"We must help her to remember. Many people try so rigidly to forget after the war that they can no longer remember† (Everything is Illuminated 151).The same is for the grandfather, he suppresses his past as well but with the return to his former home, the finding of Augustine and the questioning grandchild, he has no choice but telling the truth sooner or later. The truth When Augustine tells about two men, Herschel and Eli, who used to be best friends but Eli kills Herschel, the grandfather gets furious (cf. Everything is Illuminated 152). In this situation it gets clear that Augustine knows more about the grandfather than Alex and further that they know each other. The grandfather was called Eli prior to the second world war, but because of a tragedy he renamed himself Alexander.Eli tried to become someone else after the terrible thi ng he had done in the war. After leaving Augustine's place, grandfather admits the whole truth about his past. The Jew Herschel lived with Eli and his wife in Kolki, a village near to Trachimbrod. He used to be Eli's best friend but the Nazis put their friendship to the test. The Nazis demanded to betray the Jews otherwise everyone was shot dead. After that, Eli betrayed his best friend and pointed at Herschel because he didn't want to die (cf. Everything is Illuminated 250-251).First Alex is shocked about his grandfather and doesn't understand why he didn't tell anything. â€Å"I am not understanding. I am not understanding any of this. I do not understand that you are from Kolki, and why I never knew. I do not understand why you came on this voyage if you knew how close we would be† (Everything is Illuminated 247). This whole situation is very difficult for Alex but later he forgives his grandfather and is able to understand him. In the following quotation of Eli he talks t hings over and understands that he is the reason for his son's behavior and the bad relationship between Alex and his son.â€Å"I knew that I had to change everything to leave everything behind and I knew that I could never allow him to learn of who I was or what I did because it was for him that I did what I did it was for him that I pointed and for him that Herschel was murdered that I murdered Herschel and this is why he is how he is he is how he is because a father is always responsible for his son and I am I and I am responsible not for Herschel but for my son because I held him with so much force that he cried because I loved him so  much that I made love impossible and I am sorry for you and sorry for your brother and it is you who must forgive me† (Everything is Illuminated 251-252). It is important for the grandfather that he admits everything in the end, otherwise he could never get some peace.He comes to terms with the past and therefore kills himself so he can b e together with his wife and doesn't have to suffer anymore. Conclusion The demons of the past dog us everywhere in our lives. In the novel â€Å"Everything is Illuminated† from Jonathan Safran Foer, memories and a journey back to the past become the source of self-discovery (cf. Và ¶kler).Jonathan is very insecure about himself and can't stop the thoughts about his grandfather's former life until finally he can put the past behind because of writing down his fictive story about his ancestors. Alex doesn't really know himself because he doesn't know the past of his grandfather and therefore his relationship to his father is disturbed. At last Eli, Alex's grandfather, tells his secret from the war, so he can get some peace and therefore Alex knows the truth about him and the reason of his father's behavior. The journey to the past helps them all to open their eyes, find themselves and to put the past behind.

Criminal Justice Essay Writing Guide

Criminal Justice Essay Writing Guide Criminal Justice is an academic discipline that is very interesting for many learners across the world.   Enrollment in the field of criminal justice studies has significantly been increasing over the past years. More students are evidently finding interest in studying crime. One of the most important activities students learn in the course of their criminal justice program is essay writing.   The criminal justice course is focused on developing an all-around individual who has both practical and theoretical skills to combat crime and bring justice. However, you cannot attain this objective if you are not armed with effective essay writing skills. Proficiency in essay writing helps criminal justice students to develop effective reports in police, corrections, parole, probation, and social work services. Good reporting, communication and documentation are also necessary in creating case notes, miscellaneous court documents, victim advocate reports, press releases, op-ed essays, grant applications and others.   Essay writing is the cornerstone of contemporary practice in the field of criminology. Writing a criminal justice essay may be very hectic for students. Most students often prefer a one-sided learning method. This involves acquiring concepts from the instructors but not reproducing the learned information through writing. This is an easy way of learning. However, it is not possible for the instructor to assess the extent to which the learning has influenced the students. Writing a criminal justice essay can be fun if different considerations and tips are put in place. The first aspect of the topic they are expected to write about. Besides proficiency in writing and the skills in written communication, the instructor is also testing relevance or adherence to the subject matter. How to Choose a Topic for an Essay in Criminal Justice Criminal justice is a wide discipline with a broad range of topics.   Depending on the area of focus, you are expected to select the most suitable topic that addresses the objectives they have. First, it is important to point out that instructors can present questions that they require the students to discuss. You may be expected to choose their own topics in some cases. The most important thing is to understand what the instructor needs and fine-tune your writing in a way that meets the objectives. In case the topic is not given, you should consider the following issues before they begin writing their essay: Tune to the History Channel: It is important to explore the historical aspect of the criminal justice issue one wants to write about before commencing. Taking a past case and critically examining it might do the trick. A good essay writer does not go â€Å"blind.† You must create a strong starting point. The historical cases might present an intriguing way of developing the topic for the essay. Research, do not just google: The easy way out is to connect to the internet and google. This might not work out for you in criminal justice essays. It is important to take time and research crime stories, cases, even biographies. This activity provides an important insight into the criminal justice world. Stay Factual: Criminal justice and law are closely related in the sense that they all deal with facts. Any small error can lead to a huge impact. It is important to stick to facts even when developing topics. It is advisable that one plays the lawyer when reviewing the cases and stories. Consider both sides of the story and draw an informed conclusion. In addition, one should try to be fair to the reader by presenting both sides of the story in the topic. Topic Breakdown: An essay topic should be designed in a way that grabs the attention of the reader. This can be down by breaking down the topic into subheadings and points. Crime is an emotional subject that triggers the feelings of the readers. It is important to keep a patterned connection between the reader’s feelings and the criminal issue. Relevance: A topic that one chooses should be current and top-of-mind. It should attempt to address a problem that is experienced in the contemporary society. Some of the relevant topics one can discuss in a criminology paper include: Police brutality Racial profiling in the criminal justice system The death penalty Extradition of criminals Impeachment It is up to you to understand the instruction requirements and appropriately choose the topic that is most suitable. Once you have chosen a good topic, you should proceed to the pre-writing preparation stage. Pre-Writing Tips Even with a clear prompt and a grasp of a sea of ideas, writing an essay can be very challenging. Before you begin to write a criminal justice essay, it is important that you consider the following issues: Review the allocated time: Every essay comes with specific instructions including the amount of time allocated. Some instructors may allocate weeks or even months for relatively small essays. Others may instruct that the essays are written and submitted the same day. It is important to evaluate the allocated time and no exactly the level of urgency. This will help plan the proceeding steps. For instance, a two-page essay that is needed in two weeks gives enough time for thorough research, drafting and proofreading. CAUTION!   Long deadlines should not translate to laziness. Rather, they should help in ensuring thoroughness. Brainstorming: This technique involves randomly noting down the ideas as they come. While brainstorming, one should understand that there is no such thing as â€Å"bad idea. Everything that comes to the mind should be noted down. Writing in the brainstorming stage does not have to be formal. The primary objective in this activity is to develop a wider perspective on the topic. Example:   While brainstorming on death penalty, the following ideas can cross the mind: human rights, the aim of punishment, justice to the victims, ethical implications, and religion among others. Free-writing: Although it is related to brainstorming, free writing uses formal sentences as opposed to creating a list of ideas. However, you should not be worried about writing mechanics such as punctuation, grammar and the like. The aim is to note down ideas as they come in sentences. In addition, it is important to avoid censoring ideas. You should write freely and openly. The image shown in Criminal Justice Essay (1) illustrates the aspects of free-writing: Example: Free-writing on the death penalty: I believe no one, not even the state should be granted the right to take another person’s life. I also think killing criminals implies the government would be destroying the only evidence that â€Å"crime does not pay†. How will children learn that criminals suffer? Mind-Mapping: Just like free-writing and brainstorming, mind-mapping involves taking an inventory of ideas that relate to the chosen topic. However, this strategy involves developing a central word and generating â€Å"sub-words† from it (Elbow, 2008). The ideas are developed in a manner that answer the central question in the topic as shown in Criminal Justice Essay (2) Asking Questions: It is possible that all the strategies listed above may not work for some students especially if they do not have any idea about the topic. When confronted with such a case, a solution can be found through question-asking technique. This involves asking questions that relate to the topic in order to gain an insight. You should endeavor to contemplate answers to the questions that you ask. The trick is to have as many questions as possible to help you get started (Baroudy, 2008). You generate many ideas and thoughts on the topic through asking questions. Example: How does death penalty relates to my studies? Why would the government execute its own citizens? Isn’t death penalty an ethical/ moral issue? Exploration of Terminologies and Concepts in Criminal Justice Writing a criminal justice essay paper may be significantly different from any other essay writing. The terms and concepts used may have different meanings in the common language. It is important to consider the common concepts and terms before you begin writing. Some of the common concepts and terminologies you will encounter include: Crime: An action or omission that violates the penal code. It is punishable by fine or imprisonment or sanction. Criminal intent: A provable motivates to violate the law. Felony: A serious crime that is punishable by over one-year imprisonment (Roberts, 2018). Evidence: A legal proof or omission or action. Crime scene:   An environment where a crime is suspected to have occurred. It is important to note that these are just but a few of the many terms used in criminal justice essays. The student should take time and explore some of those that apply to their essays. The Ultimate Writing of a Criminal Justice Paper After you have collected all, the necessary information from diverse databases, one should begin writing. The first step involves developing a format ad an outline. You may have the information but your essay will be meaningless if the ideas are not properly arranged.   A criminal justice essay paper uses the same structure as in other disciplines. It begins with the introduction, proceeds to the body and ends at the conclusion. Introduction This is the part where you explore the topic in a rather general fashion. You present background information on the problem, its prevalence and the impact it has created on the selected population. As previously indicated, some criminal justice essays may require students to argue and counter argue on given topic. Regardless of the topic, a criminal justice essay must begin with the introduction. You should attempt to let the reader understand the issue you are arguing about by providing a brief overview. You do not want to spend half of your paper explaining to the reader about the topic. To avoid such, be concise and relevant. Do not gather and present a lot of unnecessary information that add no value to the paper. Create a positive impression in the introduction. Tip: Make it concise and relevant! Main Body This is the heart of the paper. It is what earns you points. You would want to showcase your ingenuity, positive writing skills and extensive understanding of the topic in this part. The first consideration that one must make relates to paragraphing. As previously stated, it is pointless to spend time gathering ideas only to aimlessly throw them on the paper. You must organize your ideas in a way that allows for fluency and coherence. The paragraphs you choose for your criminal justice essay should be between 100 and 150 words. This allows the reader to follow the ideas you are putting across. Students are often tempted to write extremely large paragraphs to justify they have mastered the content or concept. The positive gesture much appreciated. However, it may bring more harm than good to your paper. The readers may get lost along the way trying to understand your ideas. If you want to write a good essay, avoid the temptation of long paragraphs and lengthy sentences. You should also not forget to begin each paragraph with the topic sentence. It is the main idea that you intend to support through different arguments. Moreover, â€Å"equality before the law† applies in every criminal justice paper. Try to present both sides of the argument in the main body. It is advisable that you consider arguments and counterarguments when compiling your information for a criminal justice system. For instance, when arguing about the death penalty, do not restrict yourself to the perspectives that support it. Also, present the arguments of those who oppose the policy. This creates the impression that you are an objective law-enforcer. Tip: Let the Main Body Speak for You! Conclusion This is the part where you summarize the contents you have written from the introduction to the main body. Recap on the main ideas and state your position on the topic. You need to restate the thesis and explain if it is justified. When You are Done Writing: Criminal Justice Essay Tips from Our Writers When you are done writing, proofread! Read over and over again to ascertain that the ideas you intended to put on the paper are exactly as you desired. You may put your essay paper away for a moment after you are done writing and grab a cup of coffee before you begin proofreading. The intention is to refresh your mind. Some of the proofreading techniques you may use include: Keep the work away for some time until your mind refreshes. The time you take for this activity depends on the deadline; Subdivide the proofreading sessions. You may go through the introduction part in the morning and the body in the evening; You may ask a third party to review your paper to check if it is error-free.

Black Majority; Book Review essays

Black Majority; Book Review essays Peter Woods Black Majority is a social history examining the cause and effects, both explicit and implicit, of the black majority that emerged in colonial South Carolina. His study spans the time period from the settlement of Carolina through the Stono Rebellion, which took place in 1739. He also takes into consideration and examines certain events that took place in the years immediately preceding the settlement of 1670, as well as those that immediately followed, as a direct result of, the Stono Rebellion and their respective relationships to the black majority that existed in the colony. Wood introduces the book as possibly the first real study of this black majority and its impact on the colony in its earliest years. Wood also proposes that many preceding social-historical studies of colonial South Carolina generally ignore or discredit the significance this overwhelming segment of the population played in the most developmental years of the colonies establishment. Through his studies of various contemporary documents, Peter Wood illustrates a South Carolina that was largely shaped by the numerical majority of the population far more than previous studies have acknowledged. Furthermore, he also suggests a South Carolina that was, in fact, shaped more by the majority of the population than by the whites who, while in the minority, had considerably more power within the social order of the colony. Wood begins his examination of the black majority in colonial South Carolina by explaining the development of the colony itself as a business venture led by a group of men known as the Lords Proprietors. The Proprietors both initially encouraged the use of slave labor and later organized a headright system which would grant land to men bringing servants, black and white alike, with them to the colony. As a result of this headright system, many of the first slaves brought into the colony were forced to migrate along with th...

SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission

SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission The well known and widely scorned court case Citizens United has been credited with paving the way for the creation of super PACs, the hybrid political groups  that are allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations and unions  to influence American elections. But there would be no super PACs without a lesser known, companion court challenge to Federal Election Commission fundraising laws,  SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission. The nonprofit political group, organized under Internal Revenue Service Section 527, is just as instrumental in the creation of super PACs as Citizens United.   Summary of SpeechNow.org v. FEC SpeechNow.org sued the FEC in February 2008 claiming the $5,000  federal limit  on how much individuals can give to a political committee such as its own, which therefore limited how much it could spend supporting candidates,  represented a violation of the Constitutions First Amendment guarantee to freedom of speech.   In May of 2010, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of SpeechNow.org, meaning the FEC could not longer enforce the contribution limits to independent groups.   Argument in Support of SpeechNow.org The Institute for Justice and the Center for Competitive Politics, which represented  SpeechNow.org, argued that the fundraising limits were a violation of free speech, but also that the FECs rules requiring it and similar groups to  organize, register, and report as a â€Å"political committee† in order to advocate for or against candidates was too burdensome. That means that while Bill Gates one his own could spend as much of his money as he wanted on political speech, he could contribute only $ 5,000 to a similar group effort.  But since the First Amendment guarantees individuals the right to speak without limit, it should be common sense that groups of individuals have the same rights.  It turns out that these limits and red tape made it virtually impossible for new independent citizen groups to raise start-up funding and effectively reach voters.   Argument Against SpeechNow.org The governments argument against SpeechNow.org was that allowing contributions of more than $5,000 from individuals  could â€Å"lead to preferential access for donors and undue influence over officeholders.† The government was taking the tack that its ruled are designed to prevent corruption. The court rejected that argument, though, in the wake of the January 2010 decision in Citizens United, writing:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Whatever the merits of those arguments before  Citizens United, they plainly have no merit after  Citizens United†¦.Contributions to groups that make only independent expenditures cannot corrupt or create the appearance of corruption.† Difference Between SpeechNow.org and Citizens United Cases Though the two cases are similar and deal with independent  expenditure-only committees, the SpeechNow court challenge focus on federal  fundraising caps. Citizen United successfully challenged the  spending limit on corporations,  unions, and  associations. In other words, SpeechNow focused on raising money and Citizens United focused on spending money to influence elections. Impact of  SpeechNow.org v. FEC The  U.S. District Court for the District of Columbias ruling the case, combined with the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Citizens United, together paved the way for the creation of super PACs. Writes Lyle Denniston on SCOTUSblog: While the  Citizens United  decision dealt with the spending side of federal campaign finance, theSpeechNow  case was on the other side - raising funds. Thus, as a result of the two decisions put together, independent advocacy groups can raise as much and spend as much as they can and wish to do to support or oppose candidates for federal office.   What is SpeechNow.org? According to SCOTUSblog, SpeechNow was created specifically to spend money advocating for the election or defeat of federal political candidates. It was  founded  by  David Keating, who at the time headed the conservative, anti-tax  group  Club for Growth.

Gender. media and diversity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gender. media and diversity - Assignment Example Therefore, identity is an act of performance where individuals adopt certain behavioral habits, and perform them to a niche group of audiences (Farrell 39). Similarly, the readings liken the social element of gender to identity. As opposed to being biologically determined, gender is considerably regarded to as a performance. In this case, repetitive practice of habits reserved for a specific gender invariably amounts to construction of an underlying gender. Therefore, feminine and masculine genders can be socially constructed by anyone, regardless of an individual’s biological sexuality. Primarily, social construction of gender implies that feminine qualities are not necessarily associated with being sexually female, while masculine qualities are not necessarily reserved for male persons. In essence, biological sexuality is natural whereas gender is culturally defined. In American societies, the aspect of gender is used to assign roles to men and women. For example, American societies perceive women as being physically and mentally weak, while their male counterparts are physically and mentally strong. As a result, mental and physical weaknesses are attributes reserved for the feminine gender, while strength is reserved for the masculine gender (Julie and Smith 155). Whenever men display weak mental and emotional composures like crying, they are criticized by the society as possessing feminine qualities. In this case, the performance of displaying weak emotions is used to construct the feminine gender, while performances related to display of strong emotional and ph ysical attributes is used to construct the masculine gender. Therefore, categorization of masculinity and femininity has less to do with biological sexuality, and more to do with social and cultural contexts. Undeniably, media plays a significant role in construction of gender in societies today. For example,

Workable methodology II Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Workable methodology II - Research Proposal Example In this regard, in order to have an insight of the current situation, the study will gather information from incarcerated offenders and facilities staff. The study will be concerned about the current programs used by Alabama Department of Corrections and their effectiveness in relation to modifying the behaviors of women offenders. The women will be requested to provide their views in relation to what contributed to their incarceration, how different they feel being in the correction center, and what they expect after their release. This will give a base on what can be done to improve the situation. On the same note, the study will also gather information from former incarcerated women. This will help the researcher in gaining an insight of their experiences in prison and after they were released. Basically, the respondents will provide information such as their views on whether the programs they were subjected to during their jail term helped in modifying their behaviors or not. In addition, the researcher will seek to know if there are any after release/follow up programs in place, and if there are, their perception on their effectiveness as far as behavior modification is concerned. In addition, since the current programs seem to be applied to both male and female offenders, it would be necessary to have male offenders included in the study. This will help the researcher to have an understanding of the differences of effectiveness that these programs have for female and male offenders. This will help to modify the existing treatment programs or identify new programs that will be more effective than the current ones. In this regard, the researcher will purposively sample male offenders and former male offenders, who have been subjected to treatment programs similar to those that selected female offender participants, have been subjected. This will help to evaluate the impact these programs have to both male and female offenders. In addition, facilities staff will play a crucial role in highlighting major challenges or achievements they experience in their line of duty. The use of questionnaire The questionnaire will be utilized to collect information from the service provider (staff members) because they are help to be straight forward and less time consuming for both the researcher and the participants. Use of questionnaires will make it possible to reach correction centers staff members participating in the study since they will only be required to fill in the questionnaire at their own convenient time (Bryman & Bell, 2003). The questionnaire will contain closed and open-ended items that are meant to capture the responses of the participants regarding the issue under investigation. Use of the interview guide On the other hand, interview method will be used to gather information from offenders since it offers high response quality, and offers an in-depth scrutiny of the phenomena at hand information (Bryman & Bell, 2003). This will be useful in determining how treatment programs are effective in behavior modification of female offenders. Validity and reliability/pilot project In regard to testing the validity and reliability of the instruments to be used for the study, the instruments will be given to two independent experts from the counseling psychology. The views from the two experts will be welcome. The recommended changes in the instruments will be made accordingly. This process is vital because it will ensure reliability and consistency of measurement before the actual research. With a sensitive case like the current phenomena, it is always important to have accurate instruments in place. In addition, before the actual study, there will be a pilot test of the instruments, which will be

DROPPING THE ATOMIC BOMB RIGHT OR WRONG DEBATE Essay

DROPPING THE ATOMIC BOMB RIGHT OR WRONG DEBATE - Essay Example This in turn forced U.S to use force to compel them of thinking otherwise (Wainstock, 76). 2. The decision was right because it would bring a swift end to the war that if left alone would have carried on for many years. This would in turn lead to millions of people being killed only because of a war that both sides would have agreed. The Japanese had Kamikazes, and this turned out to be one of the most expensive operations that the United States had encountered. Most of the U.S navy suffered since they were on the offensive. The United States had to move in order to reduce their casualties on land (Wainstock, 91). 3. The bombing was the right decision because it proved that the United States of America were the world’s dominating world power and thus they wanted to prove that they could have ended the way with the flick of a switch. The United States had acquired a new device and was willing to try it on anyone who would challenge their power. At the time, they were in conflicting terms with Japan and this meant that Japan would face the brunt of their actions. Had the U.S chosen to march into Japan to fight the enemy, they would have lost because Japan had the numbers. There was no way that America would win with the convectional force that awaited them on land (Wainstock, 136). 4. America was racing with time because the Japanese ministry had decided that they would leave no prisoners when the war ended. Anyone who was caught would have to deal with Japan and the punishment for being caught was death. There were about 1 million Chinese people who had been caught during the war and out of these; only about 55 remained by the time they wished to surrender. They were killing them in masses such as burning them alive in groups. If the war had continued longer, it would have meant that there would be more people who would have

MPH522 - Public Health Law and Policy, Mod 3 Case Assignment Essay

MPH522 - Public Health Law and Policy, Mod 3 Case Assignment - Essay Example The Association of Dietary supplement manufacturers brought suit against the Food and Drug Administration stating that it did not have the right to require single dose packaging of iron supplements and nutritional supplements with iron in them. According to the Dietary Association this is not a case of possible adulteration and therefore does not fall into that jurisdiction for the FDA. The FDA, however, there were risks and one of those was poisoning as well as the possibility of adulteration and had required all of these drugs be packaged in single dose (Westlaw) The Association of Dietary supplement manufacturers felt that the FDA had overstepped its bounds in requiring this kind of packaging for dietary supplements and iron. It was much more expensive to do this and though the FDA had been given quite a lot of authority, this was not included. The courts eventually agreed with the Association of Dietary supplement manufacturers even though there had been many deaths related to the overdose of children with iron compounds from these supplements. This is an example of public health law that is outdated does not help but a policy might possibly have (Hall, 2003). Public health officials are tasked with protecting the public, taking whatever actions are necessary to protect health (Hall, 2003). It would seem then that the FDA was still in the right as they were protecting the health due to many deaths related to the use of these drugs by children and overdosage on iron which could be prevented with single dose packaging. The FDA felt it was their duty to protect under these circumstances and this writer believes that review of the literature would support that perspective. When we view public health law we should see the use of duty, power, and restraint (Gosten, 2001). One likes to believe that the restraint is common sense. Yet often, it appears, public health officials use the duty and power and forget to use common

The Success of Apples iTunes Download Service and the iPod Developing Literature review

The Success of Apples iTunes Download Service and the iPod Developing - Literature review Example The evolution of the Internet model has produced significant downturns in CD sales and the global recorded music market is in steep decline and the empirical data demonstrates a continued trend in falling physical CD sales in significant major markets. In contrast, the new digital business model has fuelled a sharp increase in digital sales, which whilst offsetting part of the decline in the physical CD sale market, has not managed to entirely redress the balance in stabilising sales. It is evident that the recorded music sales are in steep decline and rising digital sales are offsetting in part the physical market decline, which could potentially offset part of the physical market by the end of this year, with analysts estimating the figure to be around $23 billion. However, this is in stark contrast to the peak of $45 billion in 1997 and leading analysts Enders Analysis posit a negative forecast for global recorded music sales figure of 4.4% for the period of 2006-2012. Moreover, i t is submitted that the contemporary marketplace, the evolution of the internet business model has forced the music business in particular to rethink corporate marketing strategy and this is further highlighted by the proliferation of the multi-channel retailing paradigm as required retailers to â€Å"innovate† in order to maintain position in the marketplace. On the other side of the spectrum, the digital revolution has resulted in multiple distribution streams, challenging pre-existing methods of information dissemination.

MPH522 - Public Health Law and Policy, Mod 3 Case Assignment Essay

MPH522 - Public Health Law and Policy, Mod 3 Case Assignment - Essay Example The Association of Dietary supplement manufacturers brought suit against the Food and Drug Administration stating that it did not have the right to require single dose packaging of iron supplements and nutritional supplements with iron in them. According to the Dietary Association this is not a case of possible adulteration and therefore does not fall into that jurisdiction for the FDA. The FDA, however, there were risks and one of those was poisoning as well as the possibility of adulteration and had required all of these drugs be packaged in single dose (Westlaw) The Association of Dietary supplement manufacturers felt that the FDA had overstepped its bounds in requiring this kind of packaging for dietary supplements and iron. It was much more expensive to do this and though the FDA had been given quite a lot of authority, this was not included. The courts eventually agreed with the Association of Dietary supplement manufacturers even though there had been many deaths related to the overdose of children with iron compounds from these supplements. This is an example of public health law that is outdated does not help but a policy might possibly have (Hall, 2003). Public health officials are tasked with protecting the public, taking whatever actions are necessary to protect health (Hall, 2003). It would seem then that the FDA was still in the right as they were protecting the health due to many deaths related to the use of these drugs by children and overdosage on iron which could be prevented with single dose packaging. The FDA felt it was their duty to protect under these circumstances and this writer believes that review of the literature would support that perspective. When we view public health law we should see the use of duty, power, and restraint (Gosten, 2001). One likes to believe that the restraint is common sense. Yet often, it appears, public health officials use the duty and power and forget to use common

I Think, Therefore I am Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

I Think, Therefore I am - Essay Example This means that he is allowing credibility to only his consciousness and cognitive powers, and not to that of any other objective audience. Indeed his method leaves no room for the derivation of a third-person truth, which would require the acknowledgement of premises beyond the perceiving being's conscious self. Descartes arrives into this insight into the nature of existence after undergoing the three 'waves' of doubt. The first of these brings up the fact that knowledge based on sensory inputs has not always been shown up as reliable. The second is a doubt that all that we experience and feel, indeed, our very existence itself maybe only a dream, because a lot of our thoughts that take place while dreaming, are not in fact real, but they are very similar to our waking thoughts. The third, and the most diabolical one of them all, is that we may be the subject of deception by an evil demonic force that presents to us as irrefutable knowledge, that which is not true at all. The conclusion of "I think, Therefore I am", has been criticized on various grounds.

Education in Schools Essay Example for Free

Education in Schools Essay The Inspectorate wishes to thank the following for the use of photographs: Clonakilty Community College, Clonakilty, Co Cork Saint Mark’s Community School, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Saint Mac Dara’s Community College, Templeogue, Dublin 6W Scoil Barra Naofa, Monkstown, Cork Scoil Nano Nagle and Talbot Senior National School, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 Whitechurch National School, Whitechurch Road, Dublin 16  © 2008 Department of Education and Science ISBN-0-0000-0000-X. Designed by Slick Fish Design, Dublin Printed by Brunswick Press, Dublin Published by Evaluation Support and Research Unit Inspectorate Department of Education and Science Marlborough Street Dublin 1 To be purchased directly from Government Publications Sales Office Sun Alliance House Molesworth Street Dublin 2 or by post from Government Publications Postal Trade Section Unit 20 Lakeside Retail Park Claremorris Co Mayo â‚ ¬20 Contents Foreword Executive summary xi xiii Part 1 Introduction Chapter 1 ICT in primary and post-primary education in Ireland 1. 1 1. 2 1. 3. Introduction Background ICT policy and investment in education 1. 3. 1 1. 3. 2 1. 3. 3 1. 4 1. 4. 1 1. 4. 2 1. 4. 3 1. 4. 4 1. 5 Policy for ICT in education ICT in the curriculum Investment in ICT in education Computers in schools Other ICT equipment in schools Expenditure on ICT and technical support Other areas covered in the census 1 2 3 6 6 9 11 12 12 14 15 16 16 17 18 18 20 21 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 30 30 30 30 30 ICT infrastructure census in schools (2005) Summary Evaluation methods Chapter 2 2. 1 2. 2 2. 3 2. 4 Introduction Approaches to evaluating ICT in schools Overview and aims of the evaluation National survey of primary and post-primary principals and teachers 2. 4. 1 2. 4. 2 2. 4. 3 2. 4. 4 Survey sampling methods Survey research methods Response rate Comparison of respondents and population 2. 5 2. 6 Case-study school evaluations 2. 6. 1 2. 6. 2 Primary schools Post-primary schools Observations during classroom inspections (primary) and subject inspections (post-primary) 27 2. 7 2. 8 On-line evaluation Evaluation outputs and terms 2. 8. 1 2. 8. 2 2. 8. 3. Outputs Junior and senior classes Quantitative terms used in this report iii ICT in Schools Part 2 Chapter 3 3. 1 3. 2 3. 3 3. 4 3. 5 ICT infrastructure and planning in schools ICT infrastructure in primary and post-primary schools 31 32 33 37 38 41 41 42 45 45 49 53 56 57 59 59 61 64 64 66 69 70 70 72 73 75 79 80 81 90 98 99 99 101 102 102 105. Introduction The ICT advisory service ICT and funding ICT maintenance, technical support, and obsolescence Access to computers 3. 5. 1 3. 5. 2 Access by teachers Access by students Organisation of ICT facilities in case-study primary schools Organisation of ICT facilities in case-study post-primary schools 3. 6. The use of computers in schools 3. 6. 1 3. 6. 2 3. 7 3. 8 3. 9. ICT peripherals Software Use of e-mail 3. 10. 1 3. 10. 2 3. 11. 1 3. 11. 2 The learning platform The school web site Main findings Recommendations ICT planning in primary and post-primary schools 3. 10 The on-line environment 3. 11 Summary of findings and recommendations Chapter 4 4. 1 4. 2 Introduction The planning process 4. 2. 1 4. 2. 2 4. 2. 3 4. 2. 4 The ICT steering committee The ICT co-ordinator The ICT plan The acceptable-use policy Teachers’ professional development Using ICT in classroom and lesson planning and preparation Planning for using ICT in teaching and learning Principals’ priorities for ICT development Teachers’ priorities for ICT development Main findings Recommendations. 4. 3 Implementation of ICT planning 4. 3. 1 4. 3. 2 4. 3. 3 4. 4 Forward planning 4. 4. 1 4. 4. 2 4. 5 Findings and recommendations 4. 5. 1 4. 5. 2 iv Part 3 Chapter 5 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 ICT and teaching and learning in schools ICT and teaching and learning in primary schools 107 108 108 111 111 112 113 114 116 120 126 127 127 127 128 129 130 131 133 134 134 134 135 135 137 139 140 141 141 145 148 149 151 152 153 155 163 167 Introduction Teachers’ ICT qualifications and skills Classroom practice and ICT 5. 3. 1 5. 3. 2 5. 3. 3 5. 3. 4 5. 3. 5 5. 3. 6 5. 3. 7 Planning Frequency of ICT use Organisation of ICT use Focus of ICT use Use of resources and applications in the classroom Quality of provision Provision for students with special educational needs by mainstream class teachers Access to ICT Planning for the use of ICT Frequency of ICT use Focus of ICT use Use of resources and applications Quality of provision 5. 4 ICT in special education 5. 4. 1 5. 4. 2 5. 4. 3 5. 4. 4 5. 4. 5 5. 4. 6 5. 5 5. 6. Assessment Developing ICT in the classroom 5. 6. 1 5. 6. 2 Factors that constrain the development of ICT in the curriculum Factors that facilitate the development of ICT in the curriculum Main findings Recommendations ICT and teaching and learning in post-primary schools 5. 7 Findings and recommendations 5. 7. 1 5. 7. 2 Chapter 6 6. 1 6. 2 Introduction ICT qualifications and skills 6. 2. 1 6. 2. 2 Teachers’ ICT qualifications and skill levels Students’ ICT skill levels Timetabling of dedicated ICT lessons Curriculum and content of dedicated ICT lessons School principals’ support for the use of ICT in the classroom ICT in practice in the classroom Quality of provision 6. 3 Dedicated ICT lessons 6. 3. 1 6. 3. 2 6. 4 Classroom practice and ICT 6. 4. 1 6. 4. 2 6. 4. 3 6. 5 ICT and special educational needs v ICT in Schools 6. 6 6. 7 Assessment Developing ICT in the classroom 6. 7. 1 6. 7. 2 Factors that constrain the development of ICT in the classroom Factors that facilitate the development of ICT in the classroom Main findings Recommendations. 168 168 168 170 172 172 174 6. 8 Findings and recommendations 6. 8. 1 6. 8. 2 Part 4 Chapter 7 7. 1 7. 2 Summary of findings and recommendations Main findings and recommendations 177 178 179 179 181 182 184 184 186 188 188 189 191 194 197 Introduction Main findings 7. 2. 1 7. 2. 2 7. 2. 3 Infrastructure ICT Planning ICT in teaching and learning ICT infrastructure Professional development needs of teachers ICT infrastructure in schools Planning for ICT in schools ICT in teaching and learning 7. 3 Main recommendations for policy-makers and policy advisors 7. 3. 1 7. 3. 2 7. 4 Main recommendations for schools 7. 4. 1 7. 4. 2 7. 4. 3 References Appendix vi Abbreviations. AP AUP BOM CAD CEB CESI CPD DES ECDL EGFSN ERNIST ESI EU FETAC ICD ICT ISC LC LCA LCVP LSRT MLE NCC NCCA NCTE NPADC OECD PCSP PISA SCR SDP SDPI SDPS SDT SESE SESS SIP TIF VEC VLE WSE assistant principal acceptable use policy board of management computer-aided design Commercial Examining Board Computer Studies Society of Ireland continuing professional development Department of Education and Science European Computer Driving Licence Expert Group on Future Skills Needs European Research Network for ICT in Schools of Tomorrow Education Services Interactive (Project). European Union Further Education and Training Awards Council in-career development information and communications technology Information Society Commission Leaving Certificate (Established) Leaving Certificate—Applied Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme learning-support resource teacher managed learning environment National Competitiveness Council National Council for Curriculum and Assessment National Centre for Technology in Education National Policy Advisory and Development Committee Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Primary Curriculum Support Programme Programme for International Student Assessment student-computer ratio school development planning School Development Planning Initiative (Post-primary). School Development Planning Support (Primary) special-duties teacher Social, Environmental and Scientific Education Special Education Support Service Schools Integration Project Telecommunications and Internet Federation Vocational Education Committee virtual learning environment whole-school evaluation vii ICT in Schools Tables Table 1. 1 Table 1. 2 Table 1. 3 Table 2. 1 Table 2. 2 Table 2. 3 Table 2. 4 Table 3. 1 Table 4. 1 Table 4. 2 Table 4. 3. Table 4. 4 Table 4. 5 Table 4. 6 Table 5. 1 Table 5. 2 Table 5. 3 Table 5. 4 Table 5. 5 Table 5. 6 Table 5. 7 Table 5. 8 Table 5. 9 Funding of ICT in education policy initiatives Student-computer ratio (SCR) in each school sector in given years Proportion of schools having at least one fixed and one mobile data projector Comparison of survey sample. and population, primary schools Comparison of survey sample and population, post-primary schools Number and level of lessons observed, post-primary schools Quantitative terms used in the report Awareness and use of NCTE and ICT advisory services among teachers Teachers’ attendance at NCTE and ICT advisory service training courses Professional development preferences of post-primary teachers, by subject Teachers’ use of internet resources in planning and preparation for teaching Primary principals’ views on the strategic development of ICT Post-primary principals’ views on the strategic development of ICT Teachers’ priority areas for the development of ICT Proportion of primary teachers who rated their proficiency in ICT skills as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced†. Proportion of primary teachers who rated their ability in each of three ICT tasks that facilitate teaching and learning as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced† Inspectors’ observations on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching and learning in classrooms Teachers’ use of software and the internet to facilitate learning Most frequently used applications in the teaching of individual curricular areas Applications used by members of special-education support teams to promote the development of skills. Most frequently used applications to promote the development of individual learning priority areas Comparison of inspectors’ ratings of the quality of ICT provision in supporting children with special educational needs in mainstream and special-education support settings Table 5. 10 Table 6. 1 Table 6. 2 Table 6. 3 Sample of inspectors’ comments on the quality of ICT use in special-education support settings Proportion of post-primary teachers who rated their proficiency in ICT skills as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced† Proportions of post-primary teachers who rated their ability in each of three ICT tasks that facilitate teaching and learning as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced† 144 Timetabled dedicated ICT lessons in post-primary schools 149 142 133 132 131 130 113 117 117 111 109 12 13 14 24 25 29 30 36 83 88 93 100 100 102 Inspectors’ comments on the quality of use of ICT observed in teaching and learning 123 viii Table 6. 4 Table 6. 5 Table 6. 6 Table 6. 7 Table 6. 8 Table 6. 9. Commonly taught topics in dedicated ICT lessons Principals’ descriptions of how ICT is used in some subjects Principals’ views on the impact of ICT on teaching and learning Location of lessons observed during subject inspections ICT resources available in the classrooms of lessons observed Use of the internet and software in teaching and learning 151 153 154 155 155 161 Diagrams Fig. 2. 1 Fig. 2. 2 Fig. 2. 3 Fig. 3. 1 Fig. 3. 2 Fig. 3. 3 Fig. 3. 4 Fig. 3. 5 Fig. 3. 6 Fig. 3. 7 Fig. 3. 8 Fig. 3. 9 Fig. 3. 10 Fig. 4. 1 Fig. 4. 2 Fig. 4. 3 Fig. 4. 4 Fig. 4. 5 Fig. 4. 6 Fig. 4. 7 Fig. 4. 8 Fig. 4. 9 Fig. 4. 10 Fig. 4. 11 Fig. 4. 12 Fig. 4. 13 Fig. 5. 1 Fig. 5. 2 Fig. 5. 3 Survey response rates Mainstream lesson observations in primary schools Subjects reviewed at post-primary level Teachers’ ratings of NCTE and ICT advisory services Access to computers by primary teachers Access to computers by post-primary teachers Access to computers by fifth-class students Access to computers by fifth-year students Frequency of use of ICT peripherals by primary teachers Frequency of use of ICT peripherals by post-primary teachers Provision and use of e-mail address by subject taught, post-primary schools. The primary school web site: teachers’ responses The post-primary school web site: teachers’ responses Contents of ICT plans, primary schools Contents of ICT plans, post-primary schools Staff ICT training in primary schools within the previous three years Staff ICT training in post-primary schools within the previous three years Principals’ and teachers’ views on ICT training requirements, primary schools Principals’ and teachers’ views on ICT training requirements, post-primary schools Use of computers for lesson preparation Resources provided by mainstream primary teachers using ICT Use of the internet in planning and preparation for teaching, by subject Scoilnet visits by teachers. The most popular sections of Scoilnet among teachers Teachers’ ratings of Scoilnet Teachers’ views on what Scoilnet should contain Use and related proficiency of applications in teaching Extent to which mainstream teachers plan for the use of ICT Organisation of teaching and learning during use of ICT 23 28 29 34 41 42 43 44 54 54 58 62 62 77 77 81 82 86 87 90 91 93 94 95 96 97 110 112 113 ix ICT in Schools Fig. 5. 4 Fig. 5. 5 Fig. 5. 6 Fig. 5. 7 Fig. 5. 8 Fig. 5. 9 Fig. 5. 10 Fig. 5. 11 Fig. 5. 12 Fig. 5. 13 Fig. 5. 14 Fig. 6. 1 Fig. 6. 2 Fig. 6. 3 Fig. 6. 4 Fig. 6. 5 Fig. 6. 6 Fig. 6. 7 Fig. 6. 8 Fig. 6. 9 Fig. 7. 1. Frequency of ICT use to promote learning in curricular areas Frequency of ICT use among mainstream and special class teachers to facilitate development of skills Frequency of use of individual internet resources by internet users Inspectors’ rating of the quality of use of ICT in teaching and learning Students’ proficiency in individual tasks Level of ICT support for students with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms Level of access by students with special educational needs in special-education support settings. Extent to which special-education support team members plan for the use of ICT Inspectors’ observations of the use of ICT to facilitate teaching and learning in special-education support settings Frequency of ICT use in special-education support settings to facilitate development of skills Inspectors’ ratings of the quality of use of ICT in teaching and learning observed in special-education support settings Proficiency and use of applications in teaching Students’ use of computers Students’ ICT skill levels Use of ICT in the planning and preparation of observed lessons Main uses of ICT in teaching and learning in the subjects inspected, as reported by teachers. Frequency of use of computers in teaching Settings in which ICT is used in classrooms Use of the internet and applications, by subject area Inspectors’ rating of the quality of use of ICT in teaching and learning observed International student-computer ratios from PISA 2003 114 115 119 122 125 126 127 128 128 129 132 143 146 147 156 157 158 159 162 164 179 x Foreword. Information and communication technology has brought profound changes to almost all aspects of our lives in recent years. It has transformed activities as basic as how we work, communicate with each other, treat illnesses, travel, shop and enjoy our leisure time. The pace of change shows no sign of slowing: indeed, the development of ICT and its applications to areas such as the integration of media, are continuing at even faster rates than heretofore. In a relatively short period of time, ICT skills have become as fundamental to living a full life as being able to read, write and compute. Ireland has been a leading player in the development of the ICT industry. We have been a leading exporter of ICT hardware and software, and many of the key businesses in the industry have important bases here. Like other countries, we have also recognised that if our young people are to live full lives in a world transformed by ICT, they need to have opportunities to acquire and develop ICT skills from an early age. Since the late 1990s, we have made considerable investments in ICT infrastructure in schools, and in training for teachers and other professionals. Until now, little national research evidence has been published on the impact that the new technologies have had on schools and especially on teaching and learning. This report examines the extent to which ICT has been used in schools at both primary and post-primary levels and, more importantly, assesses the impact that ICT has had on teaching and learning, including the ways in which ICT is used to support the learning of students with special educational needs. The evaluation shows that while much progress has been achieved in the roll-out of ICT in schools, considerable challenges remain. The report presents findings and recommendations that will be of interest to teachers, principals, school support services, curriculum developers and policy-makers. I hope that it will inform debate and policy decisions on how we can ensure that young people have the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to benefit from the opportunities presented by this powerful technology in the years ahead. Eamon Stack Chief Inspector xi ICT in Schools xii Executive summary xiii ICT in Schools Executive summary. An evaluation of the infrastructure, planning and use of information and communications technology in teaching and learning was conducted by the Inspectorate in primary and post-primary schools during the school year 2005/06. The objectives of the evaluation were: †¢ to examine the extent to which ICT was used in primary and post-primary schools †¢ to evaluate the impact of ICT on teaching and learning †¢ to assess the ICT skills of students at selected points in the education system and to obtain their views on their experience of ICT in their schooling †¢ to obtain the views of principals and teachers on their ICT skills and their opinions of the impact and future role of ICT in education †¢ to make recommendations for policy development regarding ICT in schools. xiv Executive summary. The evaluation methods comprised: †¢ a national survey of primary (234) and post-primary (110) principals †¢ a national survey of primary (1,162) and post-primary (800) teachers †¢ case-study school evaluations by inspectors (32 primary schools, 20 post-primary schools) †¢ observations during classroom inspections (77 primary schools) †¢ observations during subject inspections (111 post-primary schools) †¢ a follow-up on-line survey of teachers in case-study post-primary schools. Summary of main findings The findings and recommendations are summarised here and are elaborated in chapter 7. Infrastructure †¢ The student-computer ratio (SCR) in Irish schools is 9. 1:1 at primary level and 7:1 at post-primary level. Information available from the OECD suggests that countries that have taken the lead in the provision of ICT in schools are aiming for or achieving a SCR of 5:1. †¢ In the main, schools make effective use of the grants provided by the DES for developing their ICT systems. However, schools generally spend considerably more on ICT than the sums made available through these grants schemes. †¢ The lack of technical support and maintenance is a significant impediment to the development of ICT in schools. †¢ At primary level, computer rooms are generally a feature of the larger schools. However, access by students to computers was found to be superior where the computers were located in the classrooms. At the post-primary level there is a greater permeation of computers in specialist rooms than in general classrooms. †¢ Schools were found to use a limited range of ICT peripherals, mainly printers, scanners, and digital cameras. Digital projectors were found in post-primary schools. At primary level, interactive whiteboards were present in a small number of schools. †¢ Schools that made dedicated computer facilities available to teachers reported that it led to the use of more high-quality and creative teaching resources in classrooms. xv ICT in Schools Planning †¢ Responsibility for ICT in a school can lie with an ICT steering committee, the principal, the deputy principal, an ICT co-ordinator, or a combination of these personnel. Greater efficiency is achieved where a named person has responsibility for ICT within a school and where their role is clearly defined. †¢ The majority (71%) of primary schools surveyed, but fewer than half (46%) of post-primary schools, were found to have a written ICT plan. These plans tend to concentrate more on infrastructural issues than on how ICT can be used to enhance teaching and learning. †¢ Most schools (83% of primary schools, 87% of post-primary schools) were found to have an acceptable-use policy (AUP). This is a product of the requirements of the Schools Broadband Access Programme and the safety-awareness initiatives of the NCTE. It is also an indication of the seriousness that schools attach to the risks associated with the use of the internet. †¢ The majority of teachers make some use of ICT in lesson planning and preparation. Newly qualified teachers are more likely to use ICT for this purpose than their more experienced colleagues. However, fewer teachers were found to plan for the use of ICT in teaching and learning. At the post-primary level, planning for the use of ICT in teaching varies between subjects. The programmes for Transition Year, LCVP and LCA specifically encourage planning for the use of ICT in teaching and learning. Teachers of these programmes regularly reported that their involvement also encouraged them to use ICT in their teaching with other class groups. †¢ School principals and teachers identified the provision and maintenance of hardware in schools and the provision of professional development opportunities in ICT as being strategically important for the development of ICT in their school. Generic programmes of professional development, because of their wider appeal, were found to have a greater take-up among teachers than topic-specific programmes. Teaching and learning †¢ Only 30% of primary teachers and 25% of post-primary teachers rated their ability as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced† with regard to using teaching and learning methods that are facilitated by ICT. Recently qualified teachers had a higher perception of their ICT skills than more experienced teachers. †¢ At the primary level, the inspectors reported evidence of the use of ICT to facilitate teaching and learning in 59% of the classrooms visited. However, the inspectors observed ICT actually being used in only 22% of the lessons observed. Nearly a quarter of all inspections showed a competent or optimal level of performance in relation to the use of ICT in the classroom. xvi Executive summary †¢ Where ICT is used in primary classrooms it predominates in core curricular areas, such as English and Mathematics, and in Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE). †¢ The evaluation found that many fifth-class students in primary schools do not have the competence to complete basic tasks on the computer. While most students reported being able to perform many of the most basic computer tasks, such as turning a computer on and off and opening or saving a file, more than 30% reported that they were not able to print a document or to go on the internet by themselves. Almost half (47%) reported not being able to create a document by themselves. The majority did not know how to create a presentation (72%), use a spreadsheet (86%), or send an attachment with an e-mail message (88%). Competence in the use of ICT is limited for the most part to basic ICT skills, centred on the use of word-processing. †¢ Only 18% of the post-primary lessons observed by the inspectors involved an ICT-related activity. Students’ interaction with the technology was observed in only about a quarter of these instances. The most common ICT-related activity observed was the use of a data projector to make a presentation to a class group. Inspectors judged that effective integration of ICT in teaching and learning was occurring in approximately half of the lessons in which the use of ICT was observed (i. e. in approximately 11% of all lessons observed). †¢ Dedicated ICT lessons at the post-primary level are more prevalent among first-year classes, and are provided less frequently as students progress towards the Junior Certificate. The majority of schools concentrate on providing students with such lessons in their Transition Year, in the LCVP, and in the LCA. †¢ High levels of integration of ICT were found at the post-primary level in the science and applied science subjects and in subjects in the social studies I group. 1 Subjects were also identified that rarely made use of ICT, the most notable being Irish. †¢ The evaluation found that fifth-year students in post-primary schools had the confidence to perform many basic computer operations by themselves, for example saving, printing, deleting, opening and editing a document. However, it also found that they generally needed some assistance to perform more complicated tasks, such as moving files, copying files to external storage devices, and writing and sending e-mail. A relatively low proportion of these students reported being able to create a multimedia presentation. Students required most help with attaching a file to an e-mail message, constructing a web page, or dealing with computer viruses. While the post-primary inspectors generally commented positively on the students’ ICT work that they observed, they were also concerned that the tasks undertaken by the students were largely word-processing and presentation tasks. 1 Social Studies I group includes History; Geography; Art, Craft, and Design; and Music. Social Studies II group includes Religious Education; Physical Education; Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE); and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE). xvii ICT in Schools †¢ ICT is widely used to facilitate the provision by schools of special education. Generally, ICT is used more frequently by members of the special-education team rather than by mainstream class teachers. The emphasis in students’ engagement with ICT in special-education settings is mainly on the support of literacy. Support for ICT †¢ The level of awareness among teachers of the ICT advisory service is generally low, with fewer than half the respondents at both the primary and the post-primary level reporting an awareness of it. Awareness is higher, however, among ICT co-ordinators than among other teachers. †¢ The use of the ICT advisory service is also low. At the primary level only 22% of all respondents reported having used the service, while at the post-primary level the corresponding figure was 15%. Summary of key recommendations for policy-makers and policy advisors †¢ The level of ICT infrastructure in schools needs to be improved. Specifically, Ireland should be working towards equipping not just all schools but all classrooms with an appropriate level of ICT infrastructure. Consideration should be given to equipping all classrooms with a computer for use by the teacher, broadband internet access with adequate bandwidth, and a fixed data projector and screen for use by the teacher in presentations. Furthermore, to ensure appropriate access to ICT by students, Ireland should strive to reduce its student-computer ratio (SCR) from the present 9. 1:1 in primary schools and 7:1 in post-primary schools. International evidence suggests that countries that have taken a lead in this area are aiming for or achieving a ratio of 5:1 or less in all schools. †¢ Improvements in ICT infrastructure will need to be supported by the introduction of a national ICT technical support and maintenance system for schools. Schools also need to be provided with the capacity to regularly upgrade their own ICT infrastructure. †¢ The pedagogical dimension of the ICT advisors’ role in an education centre could be more appropriately provided by the relevant school support services, in liaison with the ICT school coordinators. The technical dimension of the ICT advisors’ role could be provided in a number of ways, including for example, by having a commercially supplied ICT maintenance and support for schools. With an effective IT maintenance system in place, the pedagogical role of ICT coordinators within schools could be enhanced and supported with appropriate training. xviii Executive summary †¢ Support services should give priority to the integration of ICT in teaching and learning. There is an opportunity for such services to work more closely with schools, and with school ICT coordinators in particular, to determine staff training needs and assist in organising appropriate professional development courses for teachers. Support service personnel should aim to be proactive in providing examples of how ICT can be used to facilitate teaching and learning in any programmes provided. Furthermore, course organisers should take greater account of the wide range of ICT abilities and experiences commonly found in groups of teachers and should provide differentiated ICT learning experiences for course participants. †¢ Additional guidance should be provided to schools and teachers of students with special educational needs so that the needs of learners may be matched more appropriately with the technology available. †¢ There needs to be an increased emphasis on the application of ICT in teaching and learning in teacher education at pre-service, induction and continuing professional development stages. It is recommended that teacher education departments in third-level colleges should provide student teachers with the skills necessary to effectively use ICT in teaching and foster in them a culture of using ICT in their work. Consideration should also be given to extending and expanding significantly the current range of professional development courses available for teachers. A major focus of such an initiative should be on how ICT may be integrated fully in the teaching and learning of specific subjects and curricular areas. The ICT Framework for Schools, which the NCCA will issue in the near future, will be a further assistance to schools in this regard. Key recommendations for schools †¢ Schools and teachers should regularly review the use of ICT in their work. In particular, they should strive to ensure greater integration of ICT within teaching and learning activities in classrooms and other settings. †¢ Teachers should exploit the potential of ICT to develop as wide a range of students’ skills as possible, including the higher-order skills of problem-solving, synthesis, analysis, and evaluation. †¢ Principals should encourage and facilitate suitable ICT training for teachers. Schools should liase with relevant support services and should endeavour to establish mechanisms to facilitate the sharing of good practice among members of the staff. †¢ Schools should endeavour to provide all their students with an  appropriate and equitable level of experience of ICT at all class levels: at the primary level and at both junior and senior cycle at the post-primary level. xix ICT in Schools †¢ Schools should plan for the maintenance and upgrading of their ICT systems. †¢ Computer rooms, where they exist, should be used to maximum effect. Staff members and students should be provided with adequate access to the internet. Post-primary schools in particular should aim to increase the permeation of ICT in general classrooms. †¢ A designated staff member should be responsible for ICT development. An ICT plan should be developed, using a consultative process, and an appropriate-use policy (AUP) should also be established. †¢ Teachers should endeavour to integrate ICT more in their planning and preparation for teaching. †¢ Schools need to ensure that ICT is used to support students with special educational needs in the most effective and appropriate way. Schools need to ensure that they match students needs to the most appropriate technology available, and that ICT is used to support not only the acquisition of literacy but the widest range of students needs. †¢ Schools should exploit the benefits to be had from ICT in their assessment procedures and also in their administrative practices. xx Chapter 1 ICT in primary and post-primary education in Ireland Part 1 Introduction 1 ICT in Schools †¢ Part 1 Introduction 1. 1 Introduction Information and communications technology (ICT) is an accepted element in all our lives and has a central role to play in education. Since the appearance of the first Government policy on ICT in education in 1997, a substantial investment has been made in ICT facilities and training in Irish schools. In Ireland, as in other countries, the debate about ICT in education concentrates on the potential impact of ICT on teaching and learning and on the measures that need to be adopted to ensure that the potential of ICT to enrich students’ learning experience is realised. This Inspectorate report presents the findings of a major evaluation of the impact of ICT on teaching and