Discussion forum 1 and 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion forum 1 and 2 - Essay Example We observe all factors related to development of health policies on the basis of nursing experiences through the present article According to WHO, â€Å"health policy refers to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific  health  care goals within a society† (Buerhaus & Needleman, 2000, p.10). This definition speaks a lot about the cumulative approach that health policy development ends up being. The development of health policy creates a vision for the forthcoming generations and establishes targets and reference points towards achieving the specific health goals in the society. In a way, having set norms in health policy helps keep health institutions catering to patients in an uniform manner. Executive agencies and health departments are instructed to publish the norms related to the use of different treatment and healthcare protocols all across the area. This brings in a direct impact on the kind of patient care imparted in different organizations. Awareness of the latest health policies and their practice is very important to ensure the growth of stability in society. The main focus on the use of payment tables which are important sections in the rule book and the medicare conditions of participation is very important and while health institutions, nursing and medicare personnel are aware of these policies, the common man reaps complete benefits only when he is aware of them too. As is observed in every society, health policies have a definite impact on the quality of care, staffing and payments in these institutions (Buerhaus & Needleman, 2000, p.10). The role of the nurse in policy making is very important today (Toofany, 2005, p.27). Nursing professionals are given complete freedom to register their recommendations to the government and policy making bodies. Nurses can easily make their recommendations and cases studies heard by contacting the elected representatives in their state and use technology to reach out to

Gay Marriage Opinion Essay Example for Free

Gay Marriage Opinion Essay Mainwaring goes on to argue that because â€Å"Only a little more than 53%† of the signers were Republican, and the rest an assortment of parties, gay marriage is a â€Å"common, mainstream concern†, to be shared among citizens of all backgrounds. Mainwaring defends the signers of this petition, stating that because they signed an anti-gay marriage petition, their actions cannot be chalked up to homophobic motives. He says that â€Å"the vast majority simply view ‘marriage’ as an immutable term that can only apple to heterosexuals†, and that â€Å"’we’ shouldn’t mess with [the term marriage]†. I mentioned before that Mainwaring’s opinion on this topic is considerably unique. This is because he himself is, in fact, gay. It was not only the fact that Mainwaring decided to mention this, but also the juxtaposition of this statement that was mildly infuriating to me. To me, placing the fact that he is gay directly after his statements defending the people who signed the petition is a bit like an African-American saying â€Å"I think blacks should be subject to a lower standard of living than whites†¦and it’s okay for me to think this because I’m black! If a black person were to say this today, this would be considered socially unacceptable from nearly every person in this country, and it should be the same for Mainwaring and all other gays. It’s extremely difficult for me to even begin to wrap my head around how Mainwaring can even have this opinion. How he can blatantly undermine the oppressed minority he has categorized himself into, simply because â€Å"we should not attempt to force into an old construct something that was never meant for same-sex partnerships† is appalling. Mainwaring believes that simply because the term â€Å"marriage† has meant one thing for the past two hundred years, it simply cannot be open to interpretation, like many other dated laws. So many different sections of the constitution have been twisted and bent toward various opinions, just as the following should be. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The argument that Mainwaring is trying to make is ill-supported and weak. It is less credible that the late 1920’s â€Å"Separate but Equal† mantra, considering civil unions, which Mainwaring proposes for gays, are in no way even close to being equal to a â€Å"traditional† marriage. Before the Civil Rights Movement, many people were raised to believe that blacks were meant to be inferior. However, as awareness arose, people began to realize that this simply is not true; under the eyes of the law, there should be virtually no difference between a black person and a white person. Likewise, there should be no difference between a gay or a straight couple. A civil union is in no way a reasonable alternative for gays, and if us as Americans were to make that statement the new â€Å"traditional†, there one day in the future may be no limits on the term â€Å"marriage†.

Parking the Car :: Short Story New York Papers

Parking the Car Today has been like most days. I wandered in a dreamlike state from class to class, across a campus with falling fiery leaves, up three flights of beer-stained stairs, into a room littered with the debris of my chaotic existence, and straight back into a chronically unmade bed. I chased images and thoughts in my mind, getting nowhere, while faintly aware of music drifting from my computer. I closed my eyes without trying, and dreamt without sleeping, and thought without thinking real thoughts. I spent as much time luxuriating in nothingness as I could, before the bar of guilt and responsibility clamped down on my shoulders, compelling me to do homework, to think about thinking. Now it is back to nothingness. I am lying on our dorm room floor delighting in an unexpected snack. "This is damn good stuff," I say, shoving a tortilla heaped in salsa into my greedy mouth. "This is amazing," Thea agrees, shutting her eyes to intensify the already orgasmic experience of eating homemade chunky salsa. I disregard the desperate and pained pleas of my hall mates as small pieces of tomato fly from my overloaded tortilla onto the rug. The poor chip is terribly weighed down and breaking under the pressure, causing salsa to slide off on all sides. I remember that in a moment of frenzied sanitary obsession last week, I actually cleaned the toilet. There is, therefore, no reason to be clean now. I recline in a salsa-induced stupor, squinting in vague curiosity at a plate of cookies in the kitchen. I try to ignore them, but I just can't. Eat us, they hiss. I saunter lethargically into the kitchen and engage in a momentary face-off with the provocative plate of cookies. My heart speeds up for a moment as I weigh the attributes of each cookie. I don't want to make a mistake and take the wrong cookie. That always happens, and I end up resenting my cookie and asking it why it can't be more like the other cookies. I finally settle on the biggest one, though it does seem to have fewer raisins than the others, a drawback that bothers me. Nonetheless, I secure my fingers around the cookie in a defensive death-grip, which means I'll be eating a cookie as well as a little bit of everything else I've touched today. Oh well.

Democracy And Democratic Education Education Essay

IntroductionWhen I worked in the Affiliated High School of National Chengchi University and observed the Forest School and The Seeding Experimental School in Taiwan, I found that in their specific acquisition atmosphere, the pupils can believe and move more creatively and critically. We can ever see their originative merchandises in the campus, such as verse forms, postings, pictures and statues. Furthermore, the schools are full of freedom, regard, trust and grasp, it is common to see their pupils spontaneously singing and dancing in campus. Due to these interesting findings, I started to inquire myself a inquiry: ‘are there any connexions between the democratic ambiance and the student ‘s creativeness? ‘ Further, ‘to what extent can the democratic attack to education support more originative acquisition? ‘ I later searched for the literature about the two constructs ; as a consequence, I found some valuable information about the connexions between demo cratic instruction and creativeness. However, it is rare to see the surveies that are straight look intoing the connexions between the two educational attacks ( democratic instruction and originative instruction ) , the motive to carry on this survey has hence emerged. In order to turn to the issue, this essay is designed to foremost research the nature of democracy, democratic instruction, and so creativeness and originative instruction. After researching those constructs, this survey turns to look into the connexions between democratic instruction and originative instruction, besides replying the inquiry that ‘how can a democratic attack to education support more originative acquisition? ‘ This paper is organised into the undermentioned three subdivisions: the first subdivision discusses democracy and democratic instruction, whereas the 2nd high spots the constructs of creativeness and originative instruction. In the 3rd portion, I chiefly use Rhodes ( 1961 ) Four Ps Model ( Person, Place, Process and Products ) of creativeness to analyse/ compare the two sorts of attacks to instruction, complementing with a treatment of two democratic schools in Taiwan – the Forest School and the Seeding Experimental School.Democracy and Democ ratic Education‘Two innovations of adult male must certainly be viewed as the most hard: the art of authorities and the art of instruction ‘ – Immanuel Kant, Kant on Education ( Ueber Padagogik ) Translated by Annette Churton ( 1992, p.12 ) Democracy can be applied to many contexts, from narrowly political position to loosely personal life. In political degree, Danziger ( 1998 ) stated that democracy is the leader of a state who is elected by all eligible citizens, as echt options to do some political determinations for the populace. Vanhannen ( 1997 ) further argued that as a political signifier, democratic society should hold different groups or parties every bit viing for power, every bit good as to be responsible to the people, through the manner of elections. John Calhoun ( paraphrased by Roper 1989 ) besides mentioned that democracy itself is non a bulk regulation but stand foring the public involvements and at the same time recognizing the minorities. On the other manus, sing democracy as an facet of life, Dewey ( 1916 ) stated that ‘Democracy is more than a signifier of authorities: it is chiefly a manner of associated life, a conjoint communicated experience ‘ . It is just to state that democracy ca n be regarded as a regulating power for a state, and all the people can fall in for doing its corporate involvements. In the same manner, holding the rights to do determinations would perchance impact their lives every bit good. Sing democratic instruction ( hereafter DE ) , it is believed that to set up, keep and develop of a democratic society, citizens ‘ engagement is needed, and taking to make this end citizens should be equipped with the cognition and therefore understand the values of democracy, and instruction has ever been regarded as a good mode. John Dewey, the male parent of progressive instruction, placed DE the premiss of his work in the early 20th century, as he claimed that in order to advance a state that genuinely valued democratic rules, all of its citizens must be empowered to prosecute in a democratic discourse. Greene ( 1995 ) mentioned in the book ‘Releasing the Imagination ‘ , proposing that the impression of instruction is to link with others, enabling people to develop high quality of democratic behaviors and to be communicative in their societies. Nussbaum ( 1997 ) stated that people should be antiphonal to others in order to raise their democratic achievements as citizens. Therefore instruction and schooling, in order to further future citizens the sense of democracy, is taking an of import function ( Dewey 1916 ; Gutmann, 1987 ; 1999 ) . In the tendency of prioritizing DE, many have attempted to do clear definition and happen its embedded aspects. Since DE is full of pluralism and complexness, after a long argument throughout the past decennaries, a by and large agreed definition has non been reached. However, I found that DE inherits most of the characteristics of democracy[ 1 ]and have been mentioned invariably, including a. freedom of pick, b. equal entree, c. shared duty, d. regard and trust, and e. student-centred acquisition. Sing the understandings made by DE related administrations, the 13th International Democratic Education Conference ( IDEC ) in Berlin 2005, clearly stated their understanding on DE that ‘in any educational scene, immature people have the right: 1. to make up one's mind separately how, when, what, where and with whom they learn, and 2. to hold an equal portion in the decision-making as to how their administrations – in peculiar their schools – are run, and which regulations and countenances, if any, are necessary ( www.idec2005.org ) . ‘ On the other manus, the European Democratic Education Community ( EUDEC ) stated that DE is ‘self-determined larning ‘ and ‘a larning community based on equality and common regard ‘ ( www.eudec.org, 2012 ) . As the facet of equality, in other words, equal entree, the instruction for low category of the society did non have public attending and go something for the Commonwealth until the nineteenth century, when Leo Tolstoy founded a school: merely for the peasant kids, where students are allowed to make up one's mind whether to come to school or listen to the instructors ( trans. Leo Wiener, 1967 ) . Sing the concluding facet of student-centred acquisition, Moswela ( 2010 ) pointed out that it is a good manner of democratizing their school and schoolroom acquisition: ‘placing the pupils in the Centre of learning embodies the rule of democracy ‘ . Learning is meaningful when subjects are relevant to the pupils ‘ involvements, the thought that pupils can take what and how to analyze is that merely when they have motive, they can actively build their ain cognition. Some basic democratic experiences are important in back uping pupils to show their ideas and thoughts Democra tic attack enables pupils to find their manner of lives and demands, which should be regarded every bit granted as a intent of instruction. In order to implement these thoughts, the democratic schools have been established in over 30 states. The UK has long been regarded as the innovator of democratic schooling, it is undeniable that the earliest democratic school that we have known, and still be, is Summerhill School.[ 2 ]It was founded in Germany in 1921, and moved to England subsequently on. The laminitis is A. S. Neill, a Scots pedagogue, who has written several books about the subject of democracy and democratic instruction, such as That Dreadful School ( 1937 ) , and Hearts Not Heads in the School ( 1945 ) . In fact, most of his books have later influenced many of the democratic schools founded subsequently on. The school tally as a democratic community, which means that the running of the school is conducted in the school meetings that every individual individual in this school are available to go to every bit good as to vote for the issues they addressed in the meetings. Sudbury Valley School, on the other manus, is another sort of democratic school that founded in the United States in 1968, which has been the theoretical account for a figure of Sudbury schools loosely around the universe. The theoretical account has three basic dogmas: a. educational freedom b. democratic administration, and c. personal duty. Students are allowed freely to set up their acquisition agenda, they believe that larning should be a personal attempt that based on single involvements, but non necessary to be experienced through classs or standard course of study ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sudval.org/index.html ) . In drumhead, there are assorted sorts of definitions of democracy and DE, nevertheless, five subjects have been found to be indispensable to both constructs, including a. freedom of pick, b. equal entree, c. shared duty and d. regard and trust. And, it should be noted that all the elements can lend to a more student-centred acquisition.Creativity and Creative EducationAlbert Einstein one time said that ‘Creativity is intelligence holding merriment ‘ , it is believed that creativeness is something instead absorbing and graphic, something kids ain since the really first twenty-four hours they were born. ‘All kids are creative persons. The job is how to stay an creative person one time he grows up. ‘ , said Pablo Picasso. Although many creative persons, authors and bookmans advocated the importance of creativeness, it is still a instead elusive one to trap down for research workers. Creativity, similar to democracy, is full of pluralism and complexness ; hence, b ecause it is highly hard to do clear definitions, some even argue that it has been unsuitably overused ( Abinun, 2012 ) . Therefore, it is suggested that creativeness should be explained in a clearer mode, and sometimes it varies in different contexts. However, most scholarly works agree that creativeness has two characteristics, viz. originality/novelty and usefulness/valuable ( Boden, 1999 ; Feist, 1999 ; Gruber & A ; Wallace, 1999 ; Lumsden, 1999 ; Lubart, 1999 ; Martindale, 1999 ; Nickerson, 1999 ) . Csikszentmihalyi, in add-on to originality and utility, advanced the construct and asserted that there is another indispensable characteristic of creativeness – execution ( Csikszentmihalyi & A ; Wolfe, 1995 ) . He suggested that it is of import to convey the advanced and utile thoughts into being. Similarly, Edwards stated in her book Pulling on the Right Side of the Brain ( 1979 ; 1989 ; 1999 ; 2012 ) that creativeness is ‘ †¦ the ability to happen new solutions to a job or new manners of look ; therefore it brings into being something new to the person and to the civilization. ‘ Rollo May ( 1975 ) besides had a similar account on creativeness, claiming that creativeness is the procedure of conveying new things or thoughts into world. Creativity can be invetigated by using many attacks. For illustration, Mayer ( 1999 ) asserted that it can be investigated through psychometric, experimental, biographical, biological, computational, and contextual ; whereas Ivcevic ( 2009 ) summarised that the attacks of single traits and beliefs, biological temperaments, interactions with environment, societal groups, situational elements, and inexplicit state of affairs are normally used. However, more bookmans agreed that the major methodological attacks, which have been employed from 1950s, are the undermentioned: a. personality ; b. knowledge ; c. ways to excite creativeness, and d. creativeness and societal systems ( Craft, 2001 ; Ryhammar and Brolin, 1999 ) . Research refering personality in creativeness embracings assorted facets, such as personality appraisal, personal traits, and personal motive. Two major attacks lending to the field are biographical and biological methodological analysiss. While the biographical attack has particular involvement in analyzing personal traits, biological methodological analysiss chiefly focus on the biological features of originative or non-creative individuals. Another attack, knowledge on the other manus, pays more attending to an person ‘s cognitive procedures, such as intelligence, unconsciousness, and mental procedures. Psychological and psychometries are the two major attacks of creativeness probe under the knowledge umbrella. Mayer ( 1999 ) concludes that while psychological research workers efforts to depict cognitive procedure involved in originative and non-creative thought, psychometries attacks try to develop creativeness related measurings or appraisals. The most well-known psychomet ries work is arguably Guilford ‘s attempts in 1950 and 1967 in mensurating to prove divergent thought. This is regarded as the starting point for all psychometric steps of creativeness. The 3rd major attack to creativeness research is to research the ways to excite creativeness. For illustration, knowledge psychologists advocate assorted signifiers of programmes for exciting participants ‘ thought procedures, whereas behaviourism research workers believe that creativeness is something that can be learnt from environment, something which like all other behaviors can be explained in footings of support, and be trained for in the stimulating-responding procedure. In contrast with these earlier developments, research into creativeness in the 1980s and 1990s became rooted in a societal psychological model, which recognises the of import function of societal constructions in furthering single creativeness ( Rhyammar & A ; Brolin, 1999, Jeffrey & A ; Craft, 2000 ) . This has been described as being a 4th, consistent country of survey ( Jeffrey & A ; Craft, 2000 ) : creativeness and societal systems, which is a more consistent model to transport out a co-ordinated set of surveies therefore is needed for switching focal point from one â€Å" specific dimension † such as personal traits to a â€Å" system † . Some research workers such as Csikszentmihalyi ( 1988, 1996, 1998, 2000a ) , Amabile ( 1983, 1996 ) , and Sternberg & A ; Lubart ( 1991, 1995 ) , hence advocate the survey of creativeness in the societal context. To the bookmans above, irrespective of whether creativeness is considered as a personal trait, originative behavior, co gnitive procedure, or something that can be trained, creativeness should be finally linked to societal contexts, and be understood through interaction procedures. Amabile was the first bookman to develop a theoretical account within a societal context. Amabile foremost published the Componential Model of Creativity in 1983, discoursing the societal influences on originative behaviour. The theoretical account can be regarded as the first one to comprehensively take into history cognitive, personality, motive, and societal influences on the originative procedure, and is besides the first to look into how these factors influence the different stairss in originative procedure. In Amabile ‘s ( 1983, 1996 ) theoretical account, creativeness is the originative production that emerges in a five stairss procedure, viz. : ( 1 ) job or undertaking designation ; ( 2 ) readying ; ( 3 ) response coevals ; ( 4 ) response proof ; and ( 5 ) result rating. Further, the procedure interacts with undertaking motive, domain-relevant accomplishments and creativeness relevant accomplishments. Figure 1.3 Amabile ‘s ( 1983 ; 1996 ) Componential Model Beginning: Amabile, T. M. ( 1996 ) . Creativity in context: Update to â€Å" The Social Psychology of Creativity. † ( p. 113 ) . Boulder, CO, US: Westview Press. Another societal context creativeness research worker Csikszentmihalyi investigates the relationship between creativeness and cultural development. Inspired by the procedure of species development, Csikszentmihalyi developed the DIFI[ 3 ]model in 1988. The DIFI model has three subsystems: person ; sphere ; and field, each of the subsystem interacts with others. Csikszentmihalyi revised the DIFI model and named it Systems Model of Creativity in 1999, and harmonizing to the theoretical account, creativeness can be best understood as a â€Å" meeting † of three subsystems[ 4 ]. The sphere includes a set of regulations and practises. Any civilization is composed of 1000s of independent spheres, and most human behavior or activities are affected by regulations of some spheres. An person is the most of import one from a psychological position. An single makes a fresh fluctuation in the content of a sphere and the fluctuation will be evaluated by the 3rd portion of the system, which is the field. The Fieldss are held by assorted gatekeepers, such as experts and bookmans, who have the right to take which fluctuations can be reserved in the spheres. McIntyre ( 2007 ) refers to Csikszentmihalyi ‘s analysis of creativeness as an synergistic system. Merely as air, kindling and a flicker are all vitally necessary to make fire. Csikzentmihalyi ( 1999 ) takes the place that creativeness means â€Å" the ability to add something new to the â€Å" civilization † . The creative activity by an single must be â€Å" sanctioned by some group entitled to do determinations as to what should or should non be included in the sphere † ( Figure1.4 ) . Figure 1.4 Csikszentmihalyi ( 1999 ) System Model of Creativity Beginning: Csikszentmihalyi ( 1999 ) . Deductions of a systems position for the survey of creativeness. In R. J. SternbergiEd. ) , Handbook of Creativity. United kingdom: Cambridge University Press. Sternberg and Lubart besides investigate creativeness in societal contexts, and hence developed the Investment Theory of Creativity in 1991. Unlike research workers like Csikszentmihalyi or Amabile who focus on depicting the subsystems and its interactions, Sternberg and Lubart have investigated the different factors that might act upon creativeness. The factors include intelligence, believing manners, personality, cognition, motive, and environment. Nonetheless, compared with other theoretical accounts suggested by Amabile or Csikszentmihalyi, Sternberg ‘s and Lubart ‘s Investment Theory of Creativity is simply a heuristic theoretical account, and it falls short on many elements. The inside informations of the operation and how different factors interact with each other still need to be clarified. â€Å" Buy low and sell high † is the nucleus construct of the investing theory, and originative people are those willing and able to purchase low and sell high in the k ingdom of thoughts[ 5 ]. Due to the word bound of this essay, I merely articulate the two more related attacks for current survey, including the ways to excite creativeness, aboard with creativeness and societal systems.Ways to Stimulate CreativitySince the 1950s, there has been a strong concern that instruction should prioritize the development of creativeness. Implicit in this is the premise that creativeness can be so influenced. Since so, a scope of efforts to excite creativeness have been developed, although there is, as Ryhammer & A ; Brolin ( 1999 ) point out, a serious deficiency of systematic, controlled ratings of such programmes. It is besides the instance that the methods and standards for measuring these are underpinned by differing theories of creativeness. In add-on, whether looking at efforts by cognitive psychologists, psychodynamicists, humanists or behaviorists, there is no grounds of transportation into new contexts. See the subdivision on patterned advance and development for farther tre atment of transportation issues. There was besides work done in the 1980s which suggested that early household duties and chances for independent action promote originative accomplishment and that creativeness developing programmes in schools are more effectual when teacher engagement is high ( Benjamin, 1984 ) .Creativity and Social SystemsBy contrast with these earlier developments, research into creativeness in the 1980s and 1990s became rooted in a societal psychological model which recognises the of import function of societal constructions in furthering single creativeness ( Rhyammar & A ; Brolin, 1999, Jeffrey & A ; Craft, 2000 ) . This has been described as being a 4th, consistent country of survey ( Jeffrey & A ; Craft, 2000 ) : creativeness and societal systems. Some important theories have been put frontward in which creativeness is seen from a systems position ( Cziksentmihalyi, 1998, Sternberg, 1998, Sternberg & A ; Lubart, 1991a, 1991b, 1995 ) , where assorted elements of the overall societal and cognitive context are seen as extremely relevant to the activity of making. Three major surveies were undertaken – 1 in Europe ( Ekvall, 1991, 1996 ) and two in the USA ( Amabile, 1988, Isaksen, 1995 ) – which explored the organizational climes which serve to excite creativeness. The consequences from these three programmes have converged at several major points, proposing that, in a originative clime, the participants in the administration: feel challenged by their ends, operations and tasksfeel able to take enterprises and to happen relevant informationfeel able to interact with othersfeel that new thoughts are met with support and encouragementfeel able to set frontward new thoughts and viewsexperience much argument within a prestige-free and unfastened environmentfeel uncertainness is tolerated and therefore risk-taking is encouraged.In add-on, Amabile ‘s ( 1983, 1996 ) theoretical account suggests that single creativeness may be affected by even really minor facets of the immediate societal environment ( relevant theoretical account please refer to appendix ) . For illustration, creativeness may be impeded where wagess are determined in progress, where there is undue clip force per unit area, over-supervision, competition or where picks are restricted in footings of attack or working stuffs, or where rating is expected. The function of the context or capable sphere has been progressively emphasised since the early 1990s. In 1970s, arguments on creativeness within doctrine regarded creativeness as traveling off from merchandise results and being connected with imagination ( Elliott, 1971 ) . During the 1980s a new line was developed, born of societal psychological science and systems theory, where environmental conditions were taken into history. Within these four lines of development, ( personality, knowledge, exciting creativeness and societal theories ) there were specific focal points such as the individ ual who creates, the originative procedure, environmental factors, and the result ( a fourfold set of focal point, originally proposed by Mooney in 1963 as indicated above ) . Later on, during the 1990s, due to the development of the attack from societal psychological science, research into creativeness became more comprehensive, incorporating these specific focal point. Research began to concentrate more on the creativeness of ordinary people within facets of instruction. At the same clip the methodological analysis for look intoing creativeness in instruction besides shifted, within a general tendency, from rationalist, large-scale surveies taking to mensurate creativeness, toward ethnographic, qualitative research concentrating on the existent site of operations and pattern, every bit good as philosophical treatments around the nature of creativeness. In instruction in the United Kingdom, for illustration, Beetlestone ( 1999 ) focused on creativeness in the early old ages ‘ schoolroom, Woods ( 1995 ) and Woods & A ; Jeffrey ( 1996 ) explored teacher creativeness, and Craft ( 1996 ) looked at how to nurture the originative instructor. Beetlestone paperss practical schemes for furthering creativeness within the early old ages course of study, utilizing illustrations from a big assortment of early old ages contexts. Woods & A ; Jeffrey work through in-depth instance surveies to document ways in which a little group of instructors operate creatively in the face of a wider context which arguably suppresses the creativeness of the instruction profession. Craft explores in deepness the positions of 18 pedagogues involved in a holistic graduate student class specifically designed to foster their ain creativeness. There are, of class, some convergences in these periods. For illustration, from the applied instruction context, Fryer ( 1996 ) undertook a large-scale study of instructors ‘ attitudes towards creativeness in their day-to-day professional work. Creative Education There is a strong principle for researching creativeness and acquisition and instruction: they are cardinal, interdisciplinary issues. Within instruction, creativeness is normally associated with invention, synthesis and doing connexions in the procedure of acquisition and instruction, ( Reid & A ; Petocz, 2004 ) . Robinson ( 2001 ) positions creativeness and originative drama as a planetary educational precedence, indispensable to effectual acquisition and instruction, the modernisation of our educational systems, employability, and concern success and economic prosperity. Howard Gardner defines creativeness as the ability to ‘knit together information from disparate beginnings into a consistent whole ‘ and believes that ‘the head most at premium in the 21st century will be the head that can synthesise good ‘ ( Gardner, 2006, p.46 ) . The penetrations and deductions in developing creativeness through instruction can be scrutinized into three facets. The first facet is concerned with ‘teaching ‘ , including how to supply originative and advanced patterns which stimulate the development of multiple intelligence ( Armstrong, 2000 ; Chen, 1997 ; Torrance, 1963 ; Torrance & A ; Myers, 1970 ; Woods, 1995 ) , possibility thought ( Craft, 2000, 2005 ) , and higher-level thought ( Cropley, 1992 ; Fryer, 1996 ; Yeh, 2006 ) , or how to affect the chance of researching and work outing jobs ( Cropley, 1992 ; Fryer, 1996, 2003 ; Torrance, 1963 ) . The 2nd facet of the deductions suggests making an ‘environment ‘ , both external and societal, that is exciting and supportive to scholars ‘ motivation/enthusiasm ( Collins & A ; Amabile, 1999 ; Hennesay, 1995, 2007 ; Woods & A ; Jeffrey, 1996 ) and originative behavior ( Craft, 2001a ; Esquivel, 1995 ; Lucas, 2001 ; Torrance, 1995 ) . The 3rd concern of fostering creativeness is about ‘teacher ethos ‘ , which includes keeping an unfastened attitude towards originative thoughts or behaviors, demoing a humanistic student control political orientation ( as opposed to being autocratic ) , being flexible, and valuing independency thought ( Chen, 2008 ; Craft, 2001a, 2005, 2007 ; Cremin, Barnes, & A ; Scoffham, 2009 ; Esquivel, 1995 ; Hennessey, 1995 ; NACCCE, 1999 ) . Many states have hence launched several programmes advancing invention and creativeness, such as the European Union embarked on a undertaking called European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009[ 6 ]. In the specific country of instruction, Burnard ( 2006 ) mentioned that in the United Kingdom there have been an extended figure of creativeness enterprises in instruction during the past decennary, and important public deliberation and promotion around the creativeness. Significant sum of attempt and support devoted to gestating and developing creativeness in both acquisition and teaching method. Some creativeness instruction programmes can besides be found in other states. It should be noted that many believe the developments of creativeness instruction programmes in the UK ( including England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland ) have to a great extent based on the NACCCE ‘s ( National Advisory Committee on Culture, Creativity, and Education ) study to OFSTED in 1999, viz. â€Å" All our Futures, Creativity, Culture, and Education † . Similarly, in Taiwan, the Chinese Ministry of Education ( MOE ) published the ‘White Paper on Creative Education[ 7 ]‘ in 2002, aimed at steering the populace to endeavor toward a ‘Republic of Creativity ‘ ( MOE, 2002, p. 1 ) . Taiwan accordingly launched creativeness programmes in instruction at primary, secondary, and third degrees. The MOE proposed 10 rules so that creativeness instruction could be implemented more strictly and efficaciously. Harmonizing to the 10 rules, 20 schemes were developed, which can be categorised into four wide dimensions-School, Societal, Industrial, and Cultural. In order to implement these schemes more expeditiously, the MOE proposed that six action programs be initiated to actively advance creativeness instruction in our society. For illustration, the Creative High School Programme and Intelligent Ironman Creativity Contest are executed at secondary instruction degree, whilst the Local Creative Education Programme is performed in primary schools. Reviewing the ‘White Paper on Creative Education ‘ , it is found that Taiwan has complex aims refering schools and instructors. There are six action programs stated in the paper ( p.16~p.19 ) as follows: a. Nurturing trips for originative scholars ; B. Professional development for originative instructors ; c. Comprehensive direction for originative schools ; d. Creative life in action ; e. Online acquisition via a originative intelligence bank ; and f. Ongoing consolidation of creativeness cultivation. Ultimately, the MOE purposes to make a user-friendly environment and clime for the publicity of participants ‘ divergent thought and motive for invention, every bit good as to promote them to bask the making procedure. Alongside with the outlook on po sitive alterations in the attitudes or behaviors of all instructors, students, and originative practicians, the MOE besides wants to see some merchandises come out from its intercession. With respect to the effectivity of the creativeness enterprises, some publications in Taiwan revealed that the publicity of related programmes have brought important benefits to pedagogues, pupils, parents, schools, and even for our educational system and society.Dancing with Democracy and Creativity: How can a democratic attack to education support more originative acquisition?By using Rhodes ( 1961 ) Four Ps Model and the creativeness theories suggested by Csikszentmihalyi ( 1999 ) and Amabile ( 1983, 1996 ) , this subdivision critically analyses the connexions of democratic attacks and originative acquisition. The two instance schools of Taiwan- Forest School and Seeding School will besides used to back up the statement. The Four Ps Model was foremost claimed by Rhode ( 1961 ) that creativeness can be understood by Person, Place/ Press, Process and Product. I found that, based on the theoretical account, there are a broad scope of similarities between the two sorts of instruction. First, sing Person, people are ever the most of import portion in instruction, particularly in democratic and creativeness attacks. It is reported that many personality features are typically associated with creativeness, including brave in strong beliefs ; funny, seeking ; independent in opinion ; independent in believing ; intuitive ; going preoccupied with undertakings ; airy, idealistic ; willing to take hazards ( Torrance, 1965 ; Csikszentmihalyi, 1976 ; Simonton, 1984 ) . Interestingly, most of the features are someway, to some extent, related to the purposes of democratic instruction. For illustration, the intent of democratic instruction is to fit people with the ability to understand their nature involvements, and to hold the ability to separate right from incorrect, so that they can keep the democratic society every bit good as the system. It is about furthering kids with the ability to believe independently and critically. Last, ‘student-centred ‘ instruction is both pursued by the two attacks, which can be described as the displacement in power from the instructor to the scholar, driven by a demand for a alteration in the traditional environment ( Rogers, 1983 ) . Nonetheless, until now there are still many schoolrooms which are seen as teacher-directed ( Young, 1984 ) , and this seems to be harmful to pupils ‘ creativeness. Place/ Press refers to the relationship between you and your environment – those things pressing on you, including physical, psychological, societal and emotional safety and comfort in your environment, which besides help or impede your creativeness. In originative acquisition, it is suggested that a alimentary environment should be constructed for stimulating and back uping scholars ‘ motivation/enthusiasm ( Collins & A ; Amabile, 1999 ; Hennesay, 1995, 2007 ; Woods & A ; Jeffrey, 1996 ) and originative behavior ( Craft, 2001a ; Esquivel, 1995 ; Lucas, 2001 ; Torrance, 1995 ) . Furthermore, in Csikszentmihalyi or Amabile ‘s theories, motive is suggested to be indispensable for creativeness. Similarly, democratic instruction besides advocates the publicity of scholars ‘ motive, particularly the intrinsic 1, as they can follow their ain inner counsel in finding what and how they are traveling to larn. More than the physical scenes, the ethos – a common respected and trusted clime is indispensable to both originative and democratic attacks. Merely as pointed by Inter American Children ‘s Institute ( 2009 ) and Hanson & A ; Howe ( 2011 ) , it is needed for a civics instruction to demand of its pupils to be reciprocally respected, besides grownups and kids are more likely to develop common regard and learn to treat struggles. In originative acquisition, to keep an unfastened attitude towards originative thoughts or behaviors, demoing a humanistic student control political orientation ( as opposed to being autocratic ) , being flexible, and valuing independent thought ( Chen, 2008 ; Craft, 2001a, 2005, 2007 ; Cremin, Barnes, & A ; Scoffham, 2009 ; Esquivel, 1995 ; Hennessey, 1995 ; NACCCE, 1999 ) . The 3rd facet is Process ; it explains the method and pattern that is used to do people more originative. In school scene, procedure largely uses to mention instruction, includes how to supply originative and advanced patterns which stimulates the development of multiple intelligence ( Armstrong, 2000 ; Chen, 1997 ; Torrance, 1963 ; Torrance & A ; Myers, 1970 ; Woods, 1995 ) , and to affect the chance of researching and work outing job ( Cropley, 1992 ; Fryer, 1996, 2003 ; Torrance, 1963 ) . Fryer mentioned that some instruction ways are helpful in fostering creativeness in schoolroom, including ‘encouraging inquiries ‘ , ‘providing firsthand experiences ‘ , ‘giving some pick ‘ , ‘building assurance ‘ , ‘developing creativeness by non making, and ‘valuing students ‘ thoughts and parts ‘ . I found that four major subjects are every bit of import to both originative and democratic instructions, including freedom an d duty, regard and trust. Sing freedom, it is believed that students have the capacity to ‘developing creativeness by non making ‘ . Fryer ( 1996 ) stated that in the interviews with five instructors, the instructors noted that non-interference aids: â€Å" If you ‘re seeking to develop creativeness in immature kids, you set up tonss of things and you hope they will interact with them, you talk about what they ‘re making and demo involvement, but you do n't make everything for them, there ever has to be an gap left for them. † ( ibid, 1996, p.83 ) Duty, in the portion of giving some pick to kids, instructors believe that if students are given pick, their attitude to a piece of work will be more originative. Some of these instructors even see pick as a agency of giving kids a sense of ownership of their work, which they find additions their engagement in it. In some sense, this is about doing students take duty for their work. They have their ain determination of what to make and how to make it, . Refering Respect and Trust, it is widely believed that promoting pupils to inquire inquiries is one of the cardinal points in development of creativeness ( Torrance, 1965 ) . Young ( twelvemonth ) suggested that instructors should be really careful to every treatment from every pupil in the schoolroom, but non being selective to those, which did non back up their thoughts or statements. Which means, regard. It is, in fact, the same thought which democratic instruction is underscoring, to be respectful, and promote pupils to hold inqui ries is a manner to reflect that how grownups are giving infinites to allow kids show themselves. On the other manus, regard should non merely be between grownups and kids, but should besides be among students. It is believed in instructors who are seeking to advance creativeness in category that valuing students ‘ thoughts and parts is besides indispensable. Teachers should value all of their students thoughts and ideas, every bit good as to learn their pupils to be respectful to others in the category. Merchandise, no affair whether touchable or intangible, originative thoughts, results or merchandises are new to the Godhead, has some degree of usefulness, and has been produced and communicated in some manner. The merchandise could be seen as the least related portion between democratic and originative attacks. No affair how the environment is fostering a student ‘s creativeness, or how the attack in democratic instruction is exciting more originative thought, it is still in demand of specific accomplishments in order to make a merchandise that can be valued by others, for case, one has to cognize some basic music theories in order to compose a vocal, or to larn how to pull in oil pigments before really pigment in oils. Therefore, in order to make more originative acquisition, some other elements should be incorporate into democratic instruction, including originative accomplishments and specific sphere knowledgeaˆÂ ¦ etc.The two instances in Taiwan:The Forest School and The Seeding Experimental School‘Here, instructors, pupils and animate beings are equal. No 1 bullies the Canis familiariss here. ‘ ( Teresa Hong, pupil of FS ) . Because ‘Humans are animate beings excessively, so we ‘re all equal. ‘ ( Ellen Wei, another pupil of FS ) The Forest School ( FS ) in Taiwan offers a different manner of instruction concentrating on creativeness, harmoniousness with nature and independent thought ( Teh, 2006 ) . The school have around 60 pupils in entire, and their town hall meeting ( the meeting that is held to put up school ordinances ) is chaired by the pupils themselves. Bing the really first alternate school in Taiwan, FS has long been confronting a figure of troubles and critics from the society and parents who do non truly understand their rules of schooling. As a school based on humanitarianism, they believe it is merely when schools stop bodily penalty will the childs can bask their survey every bit good as their school lives. Located in a mountain country in Taipei, FS believe that pupils should populate with nature and develop independent thought. ‘We hope that kids in this school can finally go person with the ability to pass on and to populate independently, besides to develop their personality in a more positive and kind-hearted manner. ‘ ( Lin, manager of the FS, 2011 ) . They besides pointed out that it is truly of import for pupils to cognize more about their place state, so one of the one-year classs in FS is to go around Taiwan with instructors. For illustration, in some countryside topographic points pupils really involved in agriculture, this provides them the first manus experience and cognition alternatively of reading them in a text edition. It is besides believed that the existent life experience can broaden their skyline and assist them to be more originative. The Seeding Experimental School ( SES ) locates in a vale surrounded by mountains, which is a school founded by a group of parents who are seeking for a better instruction for their kids ( Currently SES has approximately 90 pupils with 9 instructors in school, which makes their teacher-student ratio of 1:10 ) . Whilst visiting SES, one bookman noticed a miss sitting on the grass entirely. He thought she might hold some issues so he went nearer, but when he stepped following to the miss, he heard she said, ‘Come. Let ‘s bask the sunlight. ‘ Then he saw a smiling with felicity on her face. SES believes that freedom, regard, response, support, openness, trust and democracy should be integrated both into course of study and ordinary life in campus. Merely the topics of linguistic communication and mathematics are mandatory, and pupils are free to take to analyze in an advanced degree if they believe they have the ability. At the last twelvemonth in this school, pupils have to make something before graduating, and they are allowed to make up one's mind their subject or topic ; besides, they will hold to complete a challenge, such as encampment and hike in a mountain, or travel on a trip by siting a motorcycle. Apart from this, there is nil that pupils in SES have to make or hold to larn. They write a composing because they were inspired by the creek in forepart of the campus, or they sing because they were touched by flowers on the trees ; and that is the purpose of the SES: to love, to populate, to larn, to make ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.seedling.tw/ ) . FS and SES are both categorised as alternate school, and more exactly, democratic school in Taiwan. Hence, it is sensible for them to incorporate all the indispensable elements of democratic instruction, that I came up with on page XY, into their schooling, among them freedom of pick, regard and trust, shared administration and duty, equal entree and pupil centred acquisition ( can be seen on Table x.x ) . However, the thought of equal entree can non be wholly actualised, it is impossible for all the Chinese kids to analyze at that place, as the tuition fee is about 10,000 USD for an academic twelvemonth, in contrast, the tuition to go to a public school is less than 700 USD. In fact, ideally, the school should supply the high quality instruction for a bigger population of pupils ; nevertheless, their budgets do non let them to do it possible. Bing private self-funded schools, the entire tuition fees the two schools received are less than 2/3 of their outgo on schooling. Rather than trying to procure some support from the authorities, the two schools choose to be to the full self-funded to guarantee their independent place without any governmental influence. Sing the student ‘s originative public presentation, it has been reported repeatedly that their schooling can advance creativeness ( Yuan, 1994 ; Chang, 1999 ; Teh, 2006 ) . By utilizing the Four Ps Model to analyze their schooling, I found that the democratic instruction enables the pupil to come out with originative thoughts and merchandises. With respect to topographic point and procedure, the thoughts of freedom, regard and trust, shared administration and duty are employed throughout their schooling. Refering the facet of individual, it is all about freedom of pick, because the pupils can make up one's mind what and how to larn, they become more self-motivated, which is an indispensable component for making. These three Ps, individual, topographic point and procedure work with democratic instruction absolutely, and therefore build a good foundation for the students to do something both advanced and valuable. However, if we use the creativeness theories of Csikszentmihalyi and Amabile to analyze the two schools, some sphere cognition ( such as the cognition of linguistic communication, mathematics, scientific discipline ) and creativeness relevant accomplishments ( such as divergent thought and convergent thought ) are besides needed. Democracy Creativity Freedom Respect & A ; Trust Equal Access Duty Person Students are allowed to find their acquisition that are triggered by intrinsic motive, which has been proved as an of import factor to better creativeness Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’ Teachers and staffs have faith in kids and believe that they have the ability to do the right determinations. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’i?’ Ideally, every kid should hold the equal entree to analyze at these schools Forest i?â€Å"iˆ Seeding i?â€Å" With more freedom in doing determination, pupils are besides holding more duty towards their plants. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’i?’ Topographic point An environment without restrictions halting them from researching anything new. Students are allowed to believe and move freely and go more originative minds. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’ i?’ Adults and kids are mutual-respected in the topographic point that full of regard and trust every bit good as grasp. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’i?’ An environment that opens to everyone. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’i?’ School governed by grownups and kids together, so that pupils can really find something that is act uponing their school lives. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’ i?’ Procedure Teachers provide stimulation and alimentary ethos that facilitate the student ‘s thought. In order to allow the students think more creatively, critically and independently, instructors choose non to make everything for them. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’i?’ Teachers encourage and value every inquiry that has been asked in category, every bit good as every pupil ‘s plants. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’i?’ Children and instructors have equal power in the determination devising for learning and larning Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’ i?’ The manner of sharing the authorization every bit good as duty with kids is one sort of methods to do pupils experience more involved. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’ i?’ Merchandise Students have the rights to make their ain merchandises such as verse forms, Hagiographas, pictures, statues, vocalizing, and dance. Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’i?’ Creative thoughts and merchandises are extremely valued and appreciated. Furthermore, the schools cherish and have willingness to show the merchandises Foresti?’ i?’iˆ Seedingi?’ i?’ i?’ Not applicable Not applicableDecisionIn this paper I wanted to look into aˆÂ ¦ By reexamining the scholarly plants, I found that, although the significances are somewhat different in the constructs of democracy and democratic instruction, some common characteristics have been clearly stated including freedom, regard and trust, equal entree and shared administration and duty. Some outstanding illustrations of democratic schools are the Summerhill School and Sands School in England, and those later established 1s including the Forest School and the Seeding Experimental School in Taiwan. Creativity is full of pluralism and complexness, although it is ‘notorious hard to specify and step ‘ ( Runco, 2004 ) , late many research workers indicate that the cardinal elements of it are novel/originality and valuable/usefulness ( Boden, 1999 ; Feist, 1999 ; Gruber & A ; Wallace, 1999 ; Lumsden, 1999 ; Lubart, 1999 ; Martindale, 1999 ; Nickerson, 1999 ) . For heightening creativeness, a broad sc ope of subjects have been introduced into instruction, demuring the often cited Four Ps Model ( 1961 ) , still others such as cognitive, psychodynamic, humanitarianism and behaviorism attacks. However, a more dynamic attack emerged late, viz. the perusal of creativeness though societal contexts, sing creativeness as the results appear in a status of dynamic interaction, for illustration, the Systems Model of Creativity, which was suggested by Csikszentmihalyi ( twelvemonth ) , claimed that creativeness appears when the three subsystems including single, sphere and field work together. Analyzing the literature of democratic instruction and originative instruction, non surprisingly, there are many overlapping facets. By the employment of the Four Ps Model ( Place/Press, Process, Person and Product ) to analyze their connexions, I found that the most similarities are in the facets of place/press and procedure, for illustration, they both pursue a more broad clime, preferring the more student-centred acquisition, prioritizing more weights on the pupil ‘s freedom, voice and creative activity, furthermore, they both seek for a mutual-respected environment. Broadly talking, when sing creativeness as ‘Mini-C ‘ – novel and personal meaningful reading of experiences, actions and events ( Beghetto and Kaufman, 2007 ) , or merely simple as what Piaget said ‘To understand is to contrive ‘ , or the celebrated citation from Dewey ‘Learning by making ‘ , so, creativeness can be a procedure or merchandise that happens as a consequen ce of a strictly democratic instruction. Similarly, humanist Maslow one time argued that what pedagogues need is supplying a alimentary environment assisting the students to ‘climb ‘ to the highest degree of its hierarchy of demands – self-actualisation, where creativeness, job resolution, morality and democracy appear. That is, democratic instruction can be regarded as a necessary status every bit good as a sufficient status for creativeness. However, when we see creativity as Big-C ( high creativeness ) or Little-C ( mundane creativeness ) , which means that creativeness demands to be evaluated or valued by others. The democratic instruction may non be regarded as sufficient status but a really supportive factor for creativeness. It can be seen as a basis for originative acquisition, for illustration, no affair Csikszentmihalyi, Amabile or Sternberg all suggest that environment is a important factor lending to the successful creativeness, and the democratic environment can work with creativity instruction absolutely. Nonetheless, for the research workers, creativeness is something more directional and functional. It relies on job designation and bring forthing thoughts to its terminal, that is, creativeness still needs to hold some back uping elements such as cognition, domain-relevant accomplishments and creativity-relevant accomplishments. In other words, democratic instruction can be supportive to more originative acq uisition by building a back uping environment and a more student- centred acquisition, but, in order to do more originative merchandises ( particularly those are extremely valued by others ) , the proviso of cognition and relevant accomplishments are every bit of import. Mention

Modern society Essay

The modern family is obviously in many ways different from the traditional family types that existed in the past. A number of trends are at work nowadays shaping the modern, or, as some scholars put it, post-modern family (United Nations University). These factors affect the basic foundations of the family and reconfigure the roles of all members of this institution, receiving different evaluations of psychologists, economists, and sociologists. Professor Yount from Emory University notes that modern American families have undergone a dramatic sociological change in the past decades. Thus, the size of household declined among Caucasians and African Americans and rose among Hispanics, the â€Å"percentage of households headed by married couples declined from 78 percent to 53 percent in the period from 1950 to 1998† (Yount, 2005). In addition, the proportion of dual-earning couples has increased significantly, creating a new economic reality (Yount, 2005). Today, the woman is increasingly contributing as much as or even more than the man to the family budget, a fact that has implications for her economic role in the family. A woman is more likely to remain financially independent after divorce or even lose money in divorce proceedings to her husband. This has positive implications for children that are less likely to remain without support after the parents’ separation and benefits the society, creating a new workforce pool. Against this background a noticeable trend is certainly an alarming divorce rate. In a certain sense, this trend works against growing importance of women as bread winners, contributing to insecurity of children’s well-being and putting heavy financial pressure on spouses that take custody of children. On the other hand, divorce rates are connected to â€Å"the new level of women’s involvement in the workplace, as well as modernization of women’s roles in general† (Swanson 2004:1). In a sense, divorce is the result of growing egalitarianism in family relations, a trend clear from the psychological perspective. Families become more and more egalitarian in the sense that younger and older members, women and men are achieving a more equal status in many ways. However, Swanson (2004) also points out that perfect egalitarianism remains elusive. Most men and women aspiring to build egalitarian families in the times of their courtship face a reality in which they cannot attain this desired ideal and instead lapse into traditional rigid gender roles. This becomes even more of a problem with childbirth. Although men tend to have a greater role in parenting than before, women are still responsible for most of it, and it tends to re-shape the roles in the family toward greater participation of the woman in household duties and increases her workload relative to that of the man. Thus, a study conducted in Switzerland â€Å"reveals some moderate tendencies towards less sex typing of task allocation in such items as administrative contacts, gifts, holidays, cleaning, but there seems to be a hard core of tasks showing very little change (cooking meals, washing)† (Levy, Widmer, Kellerhals 2002). There are many other changes obvious in the psychological realm. Values and priorities in family life are undergoing a constant change. United Nations University in its article on the post-modern family notes that today’s families see â€Å"optional participation in most aspects of communal life, high levels of privacy and choice† as opposed to â€Å"compulsory participation in all aspects of communal life, lack of privacy and personal choice†. Because of lower level of required participation in communal activities, people experience a shift in the nature of identity, often associating themselves with a greater number of fluid social groups. Values become less constant, and social roles are changing. One interesting trend pointed out by Professor Gillis of Rutgers University is the growing virtual character of people’s connections with home. Many spend little time at the place associated with their home, something underscored by the fact that â€Å"homemade† and â€Å"homecooked† is likely to be made anywhere but at home† (Gillis 2000:7). On the other hand, modern communication possibilities in the form of Internet, cheaper long-distance calling and other ways allow for greater connection with relatively remote places. This creates prerequisites for a deep psychological change in the mentality of people who feel at the same time estranged and closer to their relatives who they see less frequently, but can communicate with from a distance. A word should also be said about the emergence of non-traditional households, starting from cohabitation prior to marriage that can now last decades to homosexual households and those including several couples. Welcomed or abhorred, these families also have a presence in the modern society. As to homosexual couples, we see these days a clear trend toward legitimizing these relationships. This can have far-reaching consequences for modern families. There is a greater scope of opportunities for adoption of children, greater security for members of such families that previously lacked social security, and other economic and social advantages. However, there is also an opinion that the prevalence of these arrangements destroys the foundations of the regular family. Thus, families nowadays undergo a profound change that occurs on sociological, psychological, and economic plane. Most often, these planes prove to be deeply interconnected in many ways. Thus, divorce has roots in growing egalitarianism and shift of values that affect the psychology of young people who get married. On the other hand, it has profound economic ramifications, creating instability and jeopardizing the financial well-being of women and children in most cases. Overall, the modern family demonstrates many trends, increasingly exhibiting diversity and fluidity in definition of patterns and values. Bibliography Gillis, John R. â€Å"Our Virtual Families: Toward a Cultural Understanding of Modern Family Life†. Emory University’s Center on Myth and Ritual in American Life Newletter Working Paper No. 2 (2000). 19 November 2006 . Levy, Rene, Widmer, Eric, and Jean Kellerhals. â€Å"Modern family or modernized family traditionalism? : Master status and the gender order in Switzerland†. Electronic Journal of Sociology (2002): Universite de Lausanne. 19 November 2006 .

Effects of Electricity essays

Effects of Electricity essays In this lab, the effects of electricity were studied. This was done by observing the effect on a strip of metal foil when a charged rod was brought closer to it and by completing other similar experiments. These other experiments included examining the charge on common scotch tape and the various ways to give a rod charges. In the first experiment, a piece of tape was peeled off of the table and held close to some bits of tape, which it attracted. This showed that simply by removing the tape from the table, the tape became charged enough to attract the paper. Next, two pieces of tape were stuck to the table and when they were held together they repelled. The repulsion got stronger the closer together the pieces were held. Then, a piece of tape was hung off the edge of the table. A second was stuck on the table and a third was stuck on top of it. They were pulled from the table together and the peeled apart. When the bottom piece was brought close to the hanging tape, it repelled it. This shows that two pieces of tape, peeled from the same table, will share like charges, and thus repel each other. Next a series of experiments were completed using an ebonite rod, a glass rod, wool, silk, and an electroscope. In the first experiment, the ebonite rod was charged by rubbing it on wool and brought close to the hanging tape, which it repelled. This shows that the charge from the wool would easily transfer to the ebonite rod, and then share the same charge as the table and the tape. Next, the glass rod was charged with the silk and when brought close to the hanging tape it attracted it but when it was brought close to the straw in the electroscope, it repelled it, which shows that the tape shared the same charge, but the straw held an opposite charge. Then, the electroscope was neutralized with a finger and the charged ebonite rod was brought near the plate and the opposite side of the plate was touched with the finger...

Taking the Train in France Master Typical French Train Announcements

Taking the Train in France Master Typical French Train Announcements Youve studied the train related French vocabulary, read my 7 tips you should know before taking the train to France, read my 20 questions and answers to know when traveling by train, so now, lets practice with some typical train announcements in French. â€Å"Le TGV 8330 en provenance de Paris Montparnasse et destination de Tours va rentrer en gare voie 6.   Il dessert les gares de ..., et Tours, son terminus. Les rà ©servations sont obligatoires dans ce train. Nous vous rappelons que dà ©sormais, l’à ©tiquetage des bagages est obligatoire. Pour votre sà ©curità ©, à ©loignez-vous de la bordure du quai†. The TGV coming from Paris Montparnasse and going to Tours is going to enter the station track 6. It stops at the stations of... and Tours, it’s final stop. Bookings are needed for this train. We would like to remind you that from now on, writing your name on your luggage is compulsory. For your security, please stay away from the edge of the platform†. â€Å"Bienvenue dans le TER 5506 destination de Guingamp. Ce train desservira les gares de Paimpol, ...† Welcome in the TER 5506 going to Guingamp. This train will stop at the following stations: Paimpol, ...† â€Å"Gare de Pontrieux. Une minute d’arrà ªt. Correspondance pour Paris voie A. Pour votre sà ©curità © attention l’espace entre le train et la bordure du quai†. Pontrieux station. One minute stop. Connection to Paris on track A. For your security, mind the gap between the train and the platform†. â€Å" cause de travaux sur la route, nous vous informons que notre TGV va rester en gare pendant 10 minutes. Nous nous excusons pour le retard occasionnà ©Ã¢â‚¬ . Because of roadworks, (we are telling you that) our TFV is going to stay in the station for 10 minutes. Please accept our apologies for the delay†. â€Å" cause des grà ¨ves, le TGV en provenance de Lyon sera retardà © de 30 minutes. Merci de prendre contact avec un agent de la SNCF pour plus d’informations†. Because of the strikes, the TGV coming from Lyon will be 30 minutes late. Please contact an SNCF agent for more information. â€Å"Mesdames, messieurs, dans quelques instants notre TGV desservira la gare de Pontrieux. Une minute d’arrà ªt. Assurez-vous de ne rien avoir oublià ©.† Ladies and gentlemen, in a few minutes our TGV will enter Pontrieux station. One minute stop. Make sure you don’t forget anything. â€Å"Toute l’à ©quipe de la SNCF vous remercie pour votre confiance et espà ¨re vous revoir trà ¨s bientà ´t sur le rà ©seau†. The SNCF team thanks you for your trust and hopes to see you again very soon on our network. â€Å"Au nom de la SNCF et de l’à ©quipe TGV, je vous souhaite une bonne journà ©e.† On behalf of SNCF and the TGV team, I wish you good day. I post exclusive mini lessons, tips, pictures and more daily on my Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest  pages - so join me there! https://www.facebook.com/frenchtoday https://twitter.com/frenchtoday https://www.pinterest.com/frenchtoday/ Follow these links for more of my taking the train in France related articles: - ​French Train Vocabulary,- 7 Need-to-Know Facts Before You Take the Train in France- 20 Typical QA Youll Use When Taking the Train in France- Master Train Announcements in French- Lets Take the Train Together - Bilingual French English Story​

Event Marketing Plan How To Make Sure Yours Is Perfect

Event Marketing Plan How To Make Sure Yours Is Perfect If an event happens and nobody hears about it, did it really happen? Maybe thats not the philosophical question of the decade, but its a good one for content marketers to ask. Id hazard a guess that if not very many people heard about the event, it didnt really happen. Everything You Need To Know For The Perfect #EventMarketing Plan via @JulieNeidlingerWhy Hold An Event? Planning and hosting an event is a lot of work, and it may not seem worth the effort. You have enough going on with your blog, your social media, and all of the various content marketing efforts that help build your audience. Events, though, are one of the few ways you actually get personal  with your audience. This does two things: Your audience sees you as a person.  Events are a good way for you to connect to your readers in a human way. Your audience gets to meet others like them.  Events  can almost be a reward for a great audience, providing an event or venue where they can meet others with the same interests as them. Why is it important that people see you as people? Conversation and engagement online is one thing, but as every politician knows, you have to get out and meet the people.  Meeting people face-to-face increases loyalty to you, your message, and your brand. It removes that invisible layer that somehow allows people to say and do things online that they'd never do in person. And, while I'm sure your audience isn't made of trolls, that still allows for them to dismiss you easier than if they knew you in real life. If the research is true, and 90% of how we communicate is through non-verbal communication  like gestures and vocal quality,  a face-to-face meeting is more powerful than any blog post you'll ever write. 90% of how we communicate is non-verbal. That's why face-to-face is so  powerful.So an event strengthens the bonds between members of your audience, and it strengthens their loyalty to you. 4 Elements Of A Simple  Event Marketing Plan We make a planning app, so of course, we're going to tell you that the first thing you need to do is some serious planning. But that's not just prejudice talking- you need to plan your marketing for your event as much as you plan for things like venue, speakers, and catering. Think of your event as if it is the core of an apple. All of that stuff that surrounds it is pretty important for the person consuming it. An apple with only a core is an event without a marketing plan. No one reaches for an apple core  just like  no one comes to an event without the marketing that brought them there. Marketing your event is the only way to get people to show up. #eventmarketing1. Start by asking broad questions. Let's start with a few questions that you and your team can ask to get the ideas flowing in your initial planning meeting. You should have the planning and marketing team present. Order the answers you collect based on the most important or the most likely: What's the story behind your event? What is the theme behind your event? Why are you holding the event? Who do you hope will come? Who do you think will really come? What is the value of this event for those that will come? Is this event more important to us than to our audience? What do you hope people will take with them when the event is over? Will this event make your attendees' lives better? How will you know if your event is a success? What is the measurement? What is the most wildly amazing success that could happen from this event? What kind of budget is there for each team to work with? There is a subtle thread running through these questions: Are you planning an event because you need it, or because your audience needs it? The latter is the best choice, but either might be a reality. Are you planning an event because you need it, or because your audience needs it?It's not enough to start your planning with the idea of "we're going to have a few speakers  and a good brunch" and call it good. You must start with a broad understanding of the goal of the event. It's hard to create fantastic event marketing around the choice of fruit at the buffet. 2. Confirm details and lay out a budget. The budget. Never a sexy thing for most of us. But, after you've gotten a better understanding of the event, you need to create a budget before doing anything else. The event planners have (hopefully) been hard at work lining up everything from venue to speakers to  giveaways. You should now have an idea of: Date and/or  time Location Speakers Event format Even if these kinds of details aren't fully locked down, the marketing team should have enough to  get started on their marketing plan. And a marketing plan starts with a budget. You must not  proceed without a budget. It's tempting to get wrapped up in the excitement of what content you'll create, but a budget needs to be in place first. Planning #eventmarketing without a budget is like planning an  event without speakers. It's not...You must  know how much your marketing team is able to spend before you can plan your marketing approach. Without a budget, you could end up dumping a lot of money on huge glossy banners  and leaving very little for  other kinds of content marketing that might work better with those who are attending. 3.  Create a dedicated website and social accounts for your event. Let's start with the one piece of content that your event should have no matter what: a dedicated website. Your event (especially one that is a recurring event) should have its own Web page. It's better to send people to a website solely for the event rather than a page buried elsewhere in your site. Content Marketing World, from Content Marketing Institute, has a website to market their event. You should have a simple website for your event, too. If you follow these tips, your site might even be better than Content Marketing World's. If you aren't able to do this, at least consider a landing page with a custom domain name pointing to it. According to Orbit Media's Andy Crestodina, this dedicated website should have: Copy. You'll need, of course, compelling copy describing the event. And that compelling copy, of course, needs to somehow  tell the vital details of when, where, and what. Curation. All of the pre-event content should be curated in one place. Collect the social feeds, or use an app like Twubs to pull together all of the Tweets with your event's hashtag(s). Make it easy for those who find your site to get involved promoting it on social media. Speakers. Images and bios of the speakers who will  be at the event. You could even post videos of brief interviews of the speakers if you really wanted your attendees to get a feel for what their message is. Registration. Prominent registration button, making it super easy to register. Social proof. You need a way to display social proof. In other words, if you are getting some social buzz surrounding your event, it should be displayed prominently on your site. In a way, it's a bit like testimonials for how awesome the event is going to be. Along with a dedicated website, you should also have dedicated social accounts. While it's fine if your brand tweets and publishes content about the event, you should have separate accounts, too. Why? Your audience can reach out to you with questions easier. You can follow people with the event social accounts and make that part of your publicity efforts. Your tweets and posts won't get lost in other brand messages in news feeds and on your profile pages. It is easier to curate pre-event social content because the content is all in one account. It's also easier to measure the success of your social media plan because there is only event-related content present. You get twice the exposure, once on your brand account, and another on your dedicated account. Create a dedicated website and social media accounts as part of your event marketing plan.Your event matters. Give it its own Web and social media properties. It deserves that much. 4.  Plan the 3  major points of attack with 2  types of event content. Your event content marketing plan has three major points of attack: pre-event, during the event, and post-event. The content you create for each of those points is slightly different. There are also two kinds of content marketing that surround an event: informative and buzz. Let's take a look. Informative event content marketing tells attendees what they need to know. This might include information on registration  and deadlines, or sharing informative blog posts. If you notice a common questions popping up from attendees, you can answer it. This isn't "sexy" content, but it is useful content, and it's the information people need to know. Buzz event content marketing is self-explanatory. It's all about building the buzz and excitement for the event. It helps increase word-of-mouth, and its goal is to get more people to register for the event. This might include hints and event surprises  or  giveaways of event schwag. If you've planned a hashtag or other community-generated content idea around your event, that content fits here. Both of these event content types can be used by the three major points of attack. Pre-event content marketing happens long before the event happens. You have to get this one right. Before the event happens, your content marketing must: Let your audience know about your event. Get them excited enough to register and tell others. Keep your audience updated on the event so they feel in the know. Help your audience remain excited about the event. It's tough to keep the energy level of people up, but your event content marketing really needs to do that. During the event, your content marketing takes on a kind of "live reporter" feel. You're keeping both the event attendees informed, as well as those who are following along back home. And, you are still keeping the buzz alive. Even though many of your followers might not have made it to the event, you're still building buzz for future events. It's important to post social content throughout the event featuring inspirational quotes from speakers, photos of the fun everyone is having, and so on. Post-event content marketing is the one most content marketers forget. We all need a bit of closure, especially if your event is going to happen repeatedly. This is your chance to get testimonials or collect social posts that are enthusiastic about  your event. Reach out to attendees on social media. Thank them for coming. Ask their opinions on the event. Post some buzz content from the event, and hint at the next event. Share downloads, videos, and helpful related content that both attendees and non-attendees find useful.

Point-of-Purchase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Point-of-Purchase - Essay Example Products and services must be developed that appeal to a mass of individuals. Common wants and needs that pertain to the social, regional, educational, economic, psycho- logical, national, or other group interest of a market segment must be recognized and translated into profitable opportunity. I am satisfied with this new product and I am going to buy it again and recommend to my friends. In general, point-of-purchase (POP) decisions are influenced by spontaneous desire to try a new product. POP is most effective where products can be differentiated, where demand is expanding, where hidden product qualities cannot be identified at the time of purchase, and where favorable company images or strong emotional buying motives exist. The purchasing process and the related acts of accumulation and consumption are means of achieving goals both of the purchaser and those he represents. The acts of accumulation and consumption indicate the differences between consumers and purchasers, and bet ween consumption and buying. Both industrial purchasing agents and "consumer purchasing agents" are essentially engaged in solving problems (Boone and Kurtz 2002). Another product selected for analysis is a new anti-aging crme by Clinique. Product is advertised by many local specialty shops and cosmetic departments through in-store ads and personal selling. This POP campaign annoys me because I do not use this brand and do not need this product. I suppose that this example shows that considerable confusion exists over the meaning of consumer wants and needs. In a most restricted sense, needs refer to things we cannot do without, items that are indispensable to life. Food, shelter, air, and water are needs in this absolute sense. For marketing purposes, however, this definition is much too narrow. Buyers are not totally inept or irrational in making purchases, particularly household purchases. Actually, consumers have become quite professional in some areas of consumption. Veritable purchasing agents, they often plan their purchases, especially of high-priced durable goods such as automobiles and washers and dryers. Information is important to them about the advantages and limitations of various types of items. I did not buy this product and will not recommend it to other people. This example shows that buyer behavior is also concerned with ways of reducing perceived risk. Two types of uncertainty inhere in product decisions. First, products may not be as functional or durable, or perform as well, as anticipated. Second, there is the risk of unfavorable product reflection on one's self image. Product risk is a function of the degree of product knowledge, the price of the product, product visibility, and the social significance of products and their newness (Crawford 2003). In many cases, POP campaign is ineffective and does not meet the needs and wants o manufacturers. However, for many products such as television, stereophonic components, and air conditioners, it should be noted that even given the technical information, consumers do not have the background necessary to interpret the data and make the wisest purchasing decisions. Purchase responses are shaped by communications which, in part, are controlled by the seller in the form of advertising and selling. But seller-dominated market communications do not furnish all the information necessary to satisfy the curiosity and needs of buyers.

New Media Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New Media - Term Paper Example To those who are not able to compete with the latest and best gadgets, what is generally considered is the ability to have access to new media. This has become a necessity to the modern person who seems to be unable to live in a world which has become so small with the use of the internet. On top of such media, other media within the medium like social networking sites become equally important especially to people who like to get in touch with their loved ones here or abroad. The latest social networking site that made the youngest billionaire in the person of Mark Zuckerberg, a former Harvard student is making the life of a lot of people easier and cheaper. Loved ones who are miles apart can contact each other through the internet and can exchange messages in a matter of seconds. This is not to mention the availability of the medium of communication to be the cheapest as compared to telephone bills. The world has become smaller with people able to find their partners from one end of the earth to another through the use of the popular networking site.

Commodity paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Commodity paper - Essay Example From the manufacturing facility to the client, a bicycle may pass through a variety of processes that could be hard to define unless one understands the merits and demerits of globalization. Various prototypes emerged over the years. The initial bicycle model had two large tires with pedals added to move it around. However, the dwarf version that led to the current bicycle was a prototype J.K Starley produced in 1885. The aim was to reduce the difficulties noted when trying to steer and pedal at the same time (Glaskin, 2013). Latter versions were now concerned with the increasing of comfort and making the bicycle easy to pedal and as a source of transportation. Today, bicycles are categorized based on dynamics, performance, and functions. This means that coming up with the full frame of a bicycle will require the utilization of certain features that will define the end product. As such, certain aspects of globalization may come to play when dealing with the assemblage or manufacture of certain parts, leading to either increased purchase costs for the client or reduced operational costs for the company (Bathurst, 2011). Whichever way the balance strikes, the important th ing is to understand that the benefits accrued will depend on several aspects of the global market. Manufacturing of a bicycle includes the assemblage of certain aspects such frames, gearing systems, steering, seats, brakes, suspensions and tires, and accessories. The process could be costly given the accessibility of raw materials, and that may implying outsourcing of products from various countries (Bathurst, 2011). Globalization has made it easy to reach out to various companies in least developed nations and attain the same product for almost half the price or even less. This shows that the company will have lower operational costs that may allow them to produce more at lower costs and higher profits. Just as noted by Rivoli (2009), the bicycles coming from various international

The Case for Literature-Based Reading Programmes at the Elementary Essay

The Case for Literature-Based Reading Programmes at the Elementary School Level - Essay Example The publication of children's literature has increased substantially and its incorporation into reading programmes has also increased significantly (Harris, 1992). At the same time, there has been a simultaneous interest in literature-based reading instruction. Nonetheless, the importance and the usefulness of children's literature have been questioned. The nature of these attacks, however, seem to have less to do with the value of the instructional approaches and substantive materials than a preoccupation with preparing students for standardized tests and a stubborn adherence to traditional methods. Of particular concern is the use of children's literature as a means for teaching children how to decode information in order to perform better on standardized tests. This instructional method, without more, neglects the very purposes of literature-based reading instruction and renders the inclusion of children's literature in elementary reading programmes an almost tangential inclusion. The strict emphasis on decoding and on standardized testing, while of some relevance to literacy, is harming the very goals and usefulness of literature-based reading instruction. This essay will argue that the inclusion of children's literature is of fundamental importance to effective reading programmes at the elementary school level. ... As a preliminary matter, it is essential to identify the theoretical foundations of literature-based reading instruction. This is because the mere inclusion of literature in a reading programme, without a corresponding shift in instructional methods, may defeat or diminish the very purposes of the programme. Serafini argues that in order for elementary teachers to implement a quality literature-based reading program and make a substantial shift in the way that children's literature is used in the curriculum, they must first make a parallel shift in the theoretical perspectives they use to ground their practice. Without this parallel shift, teachers may simply change the materials they use to teach reading, relegating children's literature to an instructional device in the service of higher test scores. In order to make a shift, however, one must first understand what the theoretical perspectives are and how they influence classroom practice (2003, np). The modernist approach to reading and literacy is a major obstacle to more comprehensive literature-based reading goals. This approach begins with the premise that the meaning of a text is located solely within that text. This is an extraordinarily limited and strict perception of reading. In short, there is one true meaning in the text and children are required to decipher or decode this meaning from the text. This type of reading perspective excludes an interactive approach to the text; more troubling, perhaps, is the fact that it subordinates rather completely the context in which the text is examined and enjoyed. This type of approach is typically implemented as part of a reading skills programme. Teachers teach students how to decode true meanings, students

Financial statements for Blacksea plc for the years ended 30 June 2009 Assignment

Financial statements for Blacksea plc for the years ended 30 June 2009 and 2010 - Assignment Example The assets can be bifurcated to have current and fixed assets. Current assets can be quickly converted into the cash within a few months time in the normal course of operations. Fixed assets, also called long term investments of the company in land, plant, building, equipment, fixtures, furniture etc. have longer life period and they last for several years or decades over its useful life. It is nature of the business that decides whether the company will have more capital employed in the current assets or in the fixed assets. There is nothing good or bad per se where assets are deployed; however, when it is compared with the other companies in the same industry group, it can provide an idea whether assets are deployed efficiently or not. So goes with liabilities of the company. They can be bifurcated in the current and long-term liabilities. Current liabilities constitute those payments which are to be paid within a few months. Long-term liabilities mean long-term loans, mortgage payments and other liabilities of similar nature that are to be paid in several years. The financial analysis based on these factors will tell us about the liquidity of the company. This will also tell us about the risk that investors carry by investing in the company. It is important to know whether company’s current assets are sufficient enough to pay for the current liabilities. (Atrill & Mclaney1997) Current ratio of the company in the year ended June 2009 was noticed at 1.46:1, which further improved to 2.73:1 during the year ended June 2010. This is quite safe for the company. The current ratio for the same industry group is noticed at 2.5:1 so it can be said that Blacksea enjoys somewhat superior current ratio as per the year 2010. Creditors should have no problem in lending to the company based on the existing current ratio. Similarly, gearing ratio (debt/equity) in the year 2009 was pretty

The Case for Literature-Based Reading Programmes at the Elementary Essay

The Case for Literature-Based Reading Programmes at the Elementary School Level - Essay Example The publication of children's literature has increased substantially and its incorporation into reading programmes has also increased significantly (Harris, 1992). At the same time, there has been a simultaneous interest in literature-based reading instruction. Nonetheless, the importance and the usefulness of children's literature have been questioned. The nature of these attacks, however, seem to have less to do with the value of the instructional approaches and substantive materials than a preoccupation with preparing students for standardized tests and a stubborn adherence to traditional methods. Of particular concern is the use of children's literature as a means for teaching children how to decode information in order to perform better on standardized tests. This instructional method, without more, neglects the very purposes of literature-based reading instruction and renders the inclusion of children's literature in elementary reading programmes an almost tangential inclusion. The strict emphasis on decoding and on standardized testing, while of some relevance to literacy, is harming the very goals and usefulness of literature-based reading instruction. This essay will argue that the inclusion of children's literature is of fundamental importance to effective reading programmes at the elementary school level. ... As a preliminary matter, it is essential to identify the theoretical foundations of literature-based reading instruction. This is because the mere inclusion of literature in a reading programme, without a corresponding shift in instructional methods, may defeat or diminish the very purposes of the programme. Serafini argues that in order for elementary teachers to implement a quality literature-based reading program and make a substantial shift in the way that children's literature is used in the curriculum, they must first make a parallel shift in the theoretical perspectives they use to ground their practice. Without this parallel shift, teachers may simply change the materials they use to teach reading, relegating children's literature to an instructional device in the service of higher test scores. In order to make a shift, however, one must first understand what the theoretical perspectives are and how they influence classroom practice (2003, np). The modernist approach to reading and literacy is a major obstacle to more comprehensive literature-based reading goals. This approach begins with the premise that the meaning of a text is located solely within that text. This is an extraordinarily limited and strict perception of reading. In short, there is one true meaning in the text and children are required to decipher or decode this meaning from the text. This type of reading perspective excludes an interactive approach to the text; more troubling, perhaps, is the fact that it subordinates rather completely the context in which the text is examined and enjoyed. This type of approach is typically implemented as part of a reading skills programme. Teachers teach students how to decode true meanings, students

Technical Efficiency of China's Banking Industry Literature review

Technical Efficiency of China's Banking Industry - Literature review Example Nonetheless, most economies have been able to exhibit resilience and remained stronger. Economic turbulences and dynamisms have affected different industries within various global economies. China’s banking industry has not been spared from such turbulences and dynamisms hence the need to analyze its technical efficiency. The following chapter provides a chronological description and critique of relevant theories in respect to technical efficiency within China’s banking industry. The chronological description and critical review entails empirical papers linked to the concept of the study. Different theories of efficiency with respect to technical efficiency are discussed within this chapter. 2.2 Overview of China’s Banking Industry China has being operating economic and financial system on the basis of social principles until 1978. Amazingly, the People’s Bank of China (PBC) had for a long time been in-charge of issuing currencies as well as being the fina ncial hub of all the economic plans of China. After 1978, China realized the need for serious economic and financial reforms. The objective of such reforms was to increase economic and technical efficiency of financial and economic sectors within the country (Jiang, 2001). Jiang (2001) adds that China aimed at enhancing resource allocation through such reforms. Albeit gradual, serious reforms were carried out in major sectors of the economy, banking being the main recipient (Adams, Berger, & Sickles, 1999). China decided effect the reforms in two main stages; from 1979 to 1992 and from 1993 to the present time. The first stage was characterized by development of two tier banking systems; People’s Bank of China (Central Bank) and four state-owned banks that included Bank of China (BOC), China Construction Bank (CCB), Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), and Commercial Bank of China (CBC). Despite high degrees of functional segmentations, these banks were permitted to accept depos its and offer credit facilities to households and corporate organizations by 1985 (China Daily, 2006). The first stage formed the basis of further reforms, which was characterized with development of small and medium sized commercial banks. The main reason for allowing entrance of commercial banks within Chinese banking system was to enhance competition, which was aimed at providing high quality and differentiated services and products (Jiang, 2001). Examples of small and medium commercial banks created during this period included CITI Industrial Bank, Guangdong Development Banks (GDB), China Merchants Bank (CMB), Hua Xia Bank (HXB), and China Everbright Bank (CEB) (China Daily, 2006). Notably, most of these commercial banks were joint-stock owned unlike the previously mentioned state-owned. The second stage, which was flagged off by State Council in 1993 saw various decisions made within the financial system reforms (Leigh and Podpiera, 2006). In this stage, the main aim was to enh ance c