Wednesday, October 30, 2019

1918 Flu Pandemic Brings Higher Fatalities than World War 1 Research Paper - 1

1918 Flu Pandemic Brings Higher Fatalities than World War 1 - Research Paper Example The third section investigates the public health and medical issues at the times of the outbreak. Medical response to the pandemic is investigated in the fourth section and finally, the lessons learned from the outbreak are discussed in the fifth and final section. According to CDC (2006), the 1918 flu pandemic killed 2% of the world’s human population because of lack of sufficient knowledge about the virus and ineffective medical response. The 1918 flu pandemic provides important lessons for effective monitoring and management of flu outbreaks. Flu pandemics are serious threat to human existence, because of viral antigenic drift that produces new variant strains in every two to three years (Michael, 1998). Introduction The world today remains under serious threat of influenza pandemics. The last ten years have been characterized by outbreak of flu in different parts of the world causing deaths and widespread panic. Although the scale of the recent flu outbreaks do not compare with 1918 pandemic in terms of infections and fatalities, it is evident that the world population remains highly vulnerable to the infection. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (2006) classifies influenza into three different categories. These include seasonal flu, avian flu and pandemic flu. Seasonal flu also called common flu is a respiratory infection that affects people frequently. Although there is a vaccine for seasonal flu, the immune system of most people is capable of fighting the infection. Bird or avian flu is a zoonotic infection transmitted from wild birds to human beings. The H5NI virus that causes avian flu is extremely infectious and fatal to domestic birds. The main medical concern of the avian flu is that currently, there is no effective vaccine against the infection and people do not have immunity. Finally, pandemic flu is highly infectious ailment affecting human beings and it has the potential of causing global outbreak and severe disease s (United States Department of Health And Human Services, 2006). People have minimal immunity against flu infection and therefore the disease is transmitted quickly across an expansive geographic area. In the last century, devastating flu pandemics were reported in different parts of the globe. CDC (2006) estimated that over 43 million people in the world died from flu pandemics in the last 20th century alone. Some of the major flu pandemics included the 1918 Spanish flu, the Asian flu pandemic in 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu of 1968. Historical Perspective of the 1918 â€Å"Spanish Flu† Pandemic Before investigating the historical background of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, it is important to interrogate the meanings of pandemic and influenza. Michael (1998;51) defines pandemic as an â€Å"epidemic of human ailment that occurs over a wide geographical area, crossing international boundaries and affecting large number of people†. There are different forms of pathogens t hat cause pandemics, including the current HIV/AIDS virus, influenza and in the past, the plague that infected and killed numerous people in the world around 14th century. Flu is the short form of influenza and it causes respiratory disorders in human beings. According to Barry (2004), the common symptoms of flu infection includes fever, muscle aches, cough and in rare circumstances, opportunistic infections such as pneumonia occurs in patients infected with the virus. Flu virus is one of the major causes of death and it affects people of all ages. Human beings are the primary hosts of the virus but it can also spread to domestic animals including horses, pigs and

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Shock And Anaphylactic Shock

Shock And Anaphylactic Shock Shock is a medical emergency in which the organs and tissues of the body are not receiving a sufficient flow of blood. This deprives the organs and tissues of oxygen (which is carried in the blood) and allows the buildup of waste products. Shock can result in serious damage or even death. (Shock, 2008) Shock is usually caused by three major categories of problems: cardiogenic (problems associated with the heart), hypovolemic (total volume of blood available to circulate is low), and septic shock (infection in the blood). Cardiogenic shock can be caused by any disease which prevents the heart muscle from pumping strongly enough to circulate the blood normally. Heart attack, disturbances of the electrical rhythm of the heart, and any kind of mass which interferes with flow out of the heart are all things that affect the hearts ability to pump a normal quantity of blood. Hypovolemic shock happens when the total volume of blood in the body falls well below normal. This can happen when there is excess fluid loss, as in dehydration due to vomiting or diarrhea, diseases which cause excess urination (diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, and kidney failure), extensive burns, blockage in the intestines, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), or severe bleeding anywhere in or througho ut the body. Septic shock can occur when an untreated or inadequately treated infection is allowed to grow in the body. Bacteria often produce toxins which can cause injury throughout the body. When large quantities of these bacteria, and the toxins, begin circulating in the bloodstream, every organ and tissue in the body is at risk of their damaging effects. The most damaging consequences of these bacteria and toxins include poor functioning of the heart muscles, widening of the diameter of the blood vessels, drops in blood pressure, activation of the blood clotting system that causes blood clots, followed by uncontrollable bleeding, damage to the lungs, causing acute respiratory distress syndrome, liver failure, kidney failure, and coma. (Weil, 2007) Treatment of shock includes keeping the patient warm, with legs raised and head down (to improve blood flow to the brain), putting a needle in a vein in order to give fluids or blood transfusions, giving the patient extra oxygen to breathe, medications to improve the hearts functioning, and treating the underlying condition which led to shock. The most preventable type of shock is caused by dehydration during an illnesses with severe vomiting or diarrhea. Shock can be avoided by realizing that a patient who is unable to drink needs to be given fluids intravenously. Other types of shock are only preventable by preventing the underlying conditions, or monitor and manage those conditions well enough so that they never progress to the point of shock. An anaphylactic shock is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening allergic reaction. This allergic reaction can start within seconds of exposure, and rapidly develop to cause airway constriction, skin and intestinal irritation, and abnormal heart rhythms. An anaphylactic shock is caused by the release of histamine and other chemicals from mast cells. Mast cells are a type of white blood cell and they are found in tissues that regulate exchange with our environment. Mast cells have antibodies called IgE (immunoglobulin type E). IgE are made to detect environmental substances to which the immune system is sensitive. A substance that most people can tolerate, but others have an allergic response, is called an allergen. When IgE antibodies come together with allergens, they cause the mast cells to release histamine and other chemicals, which mix into all of the bodys cells. This causes your bodys vessels to leak fluid into surrounding tissues, causing the fluid accumulation, redness, and swelling. On smooth muscle cells of the airways and digestive system, they cause constriction. On nerve endings, they cause itching. (Molle, Durham, Kronenberger, West-Stack, 2004) In an anaphylactic shock, the life threatening response is due to extreme hypersensivity to the allergen. Exposure by ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact causes anaphylaxis. Specific causes are fish, shellfish, nuts, stings of bees, wasps, or hornets, vaccines, antibiotics, insulin, hormones, aspirin and latex. Symptoms of an anaphylactic shock are hives, swelling of the tongue or mouth swelling of sinuses, difficulty breathing, wheezing, cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, confusion, high BP, or loss of consciousness. Emergency treatment of anaphylaxis involves injection of epinephrine which helps constricts blood vessels and counteracts the effects of histamine. Oxygen can be given. Antihistamines can be used for skin rash, and amino-phylline for bronchial constriction. If the airway is obstructed, placement of a breathing tube would be needed as well. (Molle, Durham, Kronenberger, West-Stack, 2004) The prognosis of an anaphylactic shock depends on how quickly emergency medical attention is given. However, death is possible from severe anaphylaxis. For those who receive rapid treatment, speedy recovery is likely. The only reliable method of preventing an anaphylactic shock is complete avoidance of the allergen. For insect allergies, it is recommended to learn nesting sites and habits. To prevent food allergies, have knowledge of prepared foods or dishes in which the allergen is likely to be present and careful observations and questioning about ingredients when dining out. Also, use of a Medi-Al ert tag listing drug allergies is vital to prevent unintentional administration of drugs during a medical emergency. People prone to anaphylaxis should carry an Epi-pen that contains adrenaline for immediate injection. In conclusion, both shock and anaphylactic shock are extreme medical emergencies that should be handled with effectiveness and precision. It is crucial for the medical professional to be educated on the steps needed to respond to this emergency. Additionally patients should be educated on steps to prevent these shocks, and how to properly contact medical personnel.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Pigs Role in Animal Farm by George Orwell Essays -- Animal Farm Georg

Pigs' Role in Animal Farm by George Orwell At the start of the novel Orwell describes the pigs to be the "cleverest of the animals." This is clearly an advantage and so leads to the pigs taking over the farm. There is a sense of leadership very soon after Old Major's death as the three pigs, Snowball, Napoleon and Squealer arrange meetings with the other animals and already begin to give orders. "You do not need sugar," says Snowball. It is evident here that Snowball believes that he has power over the other animals already. Further on during the second chapter Snowball and Napoleon send for a ladder, proving that they think they can use the animals to do jobs and progresses more in chapter 3 when they believe that they can direct and supervise the other animals and not actually do the work themselves. In chapter two Napoleon says, "Comrade Napoleon will lead the way." Using the word "lead" shows that the pigs think of themselves as more than just teachers and even have their own headquarters soon after. It is clear to us that the pigs are using their intelligence to trick the other animals and play mind games with them. Orwell describes Snowball as a "more vivacious pig than Napoleon." We can see this whilst he is still on the farm, as he is always doing things to benefit the whole of the farm, not just himself whereas Napoleon is. "Snowball made a little speech, emphasizing the need for all animals to be ready to die for Animal farm if need be." It is evident from this quote that Snowball is very passionate about the farm and will do anything to improve it. His passion for the farm is very much shown at the battle of the cowshed where he is in charge of the attack against Jones and other farmers. ... ...oleon-we have won every inch of it back again!" Squealer is making it out to be a good thing maybe because Napoleon wants the animals to still think of him as a great leader. The animals soon believe that what they have done is great and so join in with the celebrations. Another use of Squealer by Napoleon is to increase the belief that Snowball is a menace so they think of Napoleon as a better leader and Snowball as a traitor. Napoleon is always maintaining his power throughout the novel and also uses Squealer to do this by giving credit to Napoleon for everything and reminding the animals that he is a great leader even if what he is doing is wrong. This way the pigs are able to benefit greatly from communism which is what they wanted from the rebellion. They show no interest in improving the farm itself but only in the strength of their power over it.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Globalization in the 21st Century Essay

Globalization has become one of the principal symbols of economic, cultural and political life in the 21st century. Although there is no precise definition of globalization, due to the complexity of the term and the varying attitudes towards it, put simply it is the process by which nationality is becoming all the time more irrelevant. International organizations such as Coca Cola, Disney, McDonald’s, Sony, Shell Oil and IBM, symbolize such a process. In layman’s terms, globalization is basically the means by which people around the globe are now more connected to each other than ever before. Information and money flow more swiftly and goods and services produced in one part of the globe are progressively more obtainable worldwide. International travel is also more frequent and international communication is routine. However globalization as we know it today is vastly different from its humble beginnings. The following essay will look at the effect global institutions h ave on a national level and whether they challenge or defend the interests of the nation. Richard Peet’s reading deals with the beginning of globalization, brought on by a struggle for dominance and control of the world’s resources, through the use of coercion. Globalization was heralded by Columbus’s discovery of America in 1492. European capitalists then required labour to develop their new found continent. This came in the form of slavery, â€Å"black slavery had an economic rather than merely a racial basis – it was used because it was cheaper.†(Peet, R. pg.120) This lead to the demise of Africa’s potential for development as millions of slaves were taken from their homeland. This left a void of labour in Africa, therefore inhibiting their ability to develop their own nation. This is still prevalent in today’s society as sweatshops in underdeveloped countries with deplorable conditions are used as labour for many of the world’s global institutions such as Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren (see attached table 9.3, Klein, N. pg.528) Wallerstein reading addresses the rise of socialism and communism as an antidote to the capitalist value of progress at any cost. He ponders whether or not â€Å"historical capitalism represents progress or regression.† (Wallerstein, I. pg.100) He believes â€Å"historical capitalism has developed an ideological framework of oppressive humiliation†¦which today we call sexism  and racism.† (Wallerstein, I. pg.102) Globalization has led to a very small group having a monopoly over world trade. In Australia the richest 10 percent of its population â€Å"own 85% of all shares, 72% of rental investment properties and 60% of business assets.† (Kelly. S, 2001) However, contrasting views do exist in relation to globalization, so it’s important to assess both the positive and negative impact. Globalization has allowed for the creation of a new world politics, in which countries are not isolated units anymore. Globally the world has become united in dealing with issues such as pollution and environmental standards. Recent developments in information and communication technology allow individuals from different regions to communicate speedily across huge distances and access information rapidly. Democracy is spreading rapidly which is leading to the development of a common culture. Between 1975 and 1995 the number of democracies in the world increased from 36 to 75 states, which coincided with the globalization boom, and has lead to much closer links between nations. For less developed countries, globalization offers access to foreign capital, global export markets, and advanced technology, allowing faster growth which in turn promotes poverty reduction, democratization, and higher labour and environmental standards. (www.freetrade.org/issues/globalization.html) In contrast opponents to globalization believe it increases inequality between nations. Such inequality is caused due to the rapid expansion of trade and economic developments without reference to human rights and labour standards. Globalization inhibits governments from subjecting worldwide economic forces to regulation and control. The uneven distribution of wealth associated with rapid globalization may be widening the gap between certain countries and regions. In order for a nation to prosper in today’s economy, they must possess the core foundation of competitiveness. Such competitiveness leads to the exploitation of poorer nations, further contributing to the uneven distribution of wealth. Global organizations increase their profit margins at the expense of the sweatshop worker whose human and civil rights are being violated. Illegal activities such as  terrorism and drug trafficking have been allowed to flourish due to the free movement of goods and persons, the hallm ark of globalization. In conclusion globalization bodes both good and ill for mankind however nevertheless appears to be here to stay, whether we like or not. The challenge that lies ahead is not to try and reverse it, but to harness the positive potential whilst minimising the adverse effects. Unless this opportunity is seized, nations and global institutions will continue to struggle for domination and power. Those nations and institutions unable to compete and adapt in their current global economic climate will continue to be used by those that can. It is now up to mankind to decide wether or not the power will be cleverly used or not. Bibliography Kelly, S. (2001) Australians’ wealth and retirement, http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/10635/20011112/www.onlineopinion.com.au/2001/Jul01/Kelly.htm, accessed 05/05/03 Klein, N. (2000) No Logo, Table 9.3. Sweatshop Profiles, London: Flamingo Peet, R. (1991) Global Capitalism: Theories of societal development, London: Routledge, pp. 114-124 Wallerstein, I. (1983) Historical Capitalism, London: Verso, pp. 97-110) http://www.freetrade.org/issues/globalization.html, The Benefits of Globalization, accessed 04/05/03

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

How Technology Affects Teenagers Essay

Technology has changed the way we as humans live; it changes our understanding of the way things work and changes the way we interact with one another. Technology was once opposed but is now somewhat welcomed into our homes. During the renaissance period, technology was opposed, as the church believed that technology would oppose the beliefs of god. Well they were right. Technology isn’t just computers or TV’s, its engineering science. And in Science, our goal is to progress and understand everything there is to understand about us, our planet and beyond. However, the way we understand and experience this concept the most is that its just to make our lives much more efficient. When you look around, what do you see? Just at an intersection in downtown New York or Los Angeles, you see people walking around with cell phones and carrying around laptop cases, other’s just listening to music. But then the companies that build these types of technology want to make them better and more efficient. So they keep releasing new devices that are smaller and faster and mostly more costly. Technology has changed the way we as humans live; it changes our understanding of the way things work and changes the way we interact with one another. Technology was once opposed but is now somewhat welcomed into our homes. During the renaissance period, technology was opposed, as the church believed that technology would oppose the beliefs of god. Well they were right. Technology isn’t just computers or TV’s, its engineering science. And in Science, our goal is to progress and understand everything there is to understand about us, our planet and beyond. However, the way we understand and experience this concept the most is that its just to make our lives much more efficient. When you look around, what do you see? Just at an intersection in downtown New York or Los Angeles, you see people walking around with cell phones and carrying around laptop cases, other’s just listening to music. But then the companies that build these types of technology want to make them better and more efficient. So they keep releasing new devices that are smaller and faster and mostly more costly. Technology has changed the way we as humans live; it changes our understanding of the way things work and changes the way we interact with one another. Technology was once opposed but is now somewhat welcomed into our homes. During the renaissance period, technology was opposed, as the church believed that technology would oppose the beliefs of god. Well they  were right. Technology isn’t just computers or TV’s, its engineering science. And in Science, our goal is to progress and understand everything there is to understand about us, our planet and beyond. However, the way we understand and experience this concept the most is that its just to make our lives much more efficient. When you look around, what do you see? Just at an intersection in downtown New York or Los Angeles, you see people walking around with cell phones and carrying around laptop cases, other’s just listening to music. But then the companies that build these types of technology want to make t hem better and more efficient. So they keep releasing new devices that are smaller and faster and mostly more costly.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Childhood Obesity as a Serious Health Problem of the World

Childhood Obesity as a Serious Health Problem of the World Childhood obesity is a serious health condition that affects the wellbeing of children. It is a condition characterized by excess fats in the body.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Childhood Obesity as a Serious Health Problem of the World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The condition is an issue of international concern because it affects children in various parts of the world. The condition poses serious challenges to families, the society, and the global economy. The Body Mass Index is applied in identifying the condition in children over the age of two years (Costa, 2006). The disease causes stigmatization because obese children are often referred to as overweight. The Body Mass Index level in children depends on their age and sex. The health practitioners propose that ninety- five percent is the accepted level to declare the child’s health condition obese. Childhood obesity is becoming a health problem in many parts of the world, including the US. It is a cause of health problems, traditionally referred to as the adult and rich man’s diseases. The World Health Organization indicates that an estimated forty two million children are obese. Surprisingly, about thirty five million of children are from developing countries. This shows the effects the condition is having on both low income and middle income earning families. Large volumes of calories cause obesity in children. The condition is worse when children do not practice. If a child consumes more and expends less, the chances of him developing the condition are very high. Globally, people have shifted their eating lifestyles. The eating behavior now leans towards consuming foods with too much fat and sugar content. These foods have very low levels of minerals, vitamins, and many other healthy micronutrients. Urbanization has some effects on the health of children. There are changes in the modes of transport. People no longe r walk to their work places, which has reduced the people’s opportunity to exercise (Sheila, 2004). Recreational facilities are modified to a level that they do not serve to keep people physically fit. Childhood obesity has both long-term and short-term effects. The effects affect children, families, and the society. The condition affects the emotional and psychological state of children. This could result from teasing, harassment, and discrimination. The perpetrators range from friends to family members.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These effects usually result to low self-esteem and depression in children. Another effect is the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. These are mainly non-communicable diseases. They include high blood pressure, liver disease, heart diseases, and diabetes. The condition also leads to early puberty and bad eating habbits such as anorexia. Adolescent obesity generally leads to adult obesity. Childhood obesity is preventable and curable. It is the responsibility of societal members to ensure that children maintain good health. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is one of the prevention measures. This entails changing the eating habits and the lifestyle. Eating habits should be changed to conform to the recommended health standards. This would reduce the chances of developing childhood obesity. Physical exercise plays a bigger role in preventing the effects of the disease. Due to limited chances among children to choose what they consume, special attention should be given to exercise. Clear rules and regulations should be designed, especially those that determine the diet of children. In conclusion, it is clear that childhood obesity is a condition whose effect is global. Therefore, all parties must come together to curb the effects of the disease. References Costa, R. (2006). Obesity in Children and adolesc ents. New York: Public Health Nutrition Academy Sheila, G. (2004). Child and Adolescent Obesity: Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care. New York: Pearson.

Monday, October 21, 2019

How to Form and Use Possessive Adjectives

How to Form and Use Possessive Adjectives Possessive adjectives are used to show ownership of an item or an idea. Possessive adjectives are very similar to possessive pronouns and the two are often confused. Take a look at these examples of possessive adjectives immediately followed by possessive pronouns used in a similar sense. Possessive Adjective Examples My dog is very friendly.Her book is red.Our house is painted yellow. Possessive Pronouns Examples That friendly dog is mine.The red book is hers.That yellow house is ours. If you are unsure focus on the placement of possessive adjectives which are placed directly before the noun they modify. Possessive Adjectives Usage Possessive adjectives are used when the reference to which person or thing is understood. For example: Jack lives on this street. His house is over there. The possessive adjective his refers to Jack because of the context. Remember that possessive adjectives come in front of the noun they modify. Here is a list of possessive adjectives: I - my carYou - your dogHe - his boatShe - her familyIt - its fabric(NOT its!)We - our classYou - your jobsThey - their toys Examples: I took my daughter to the movies.Where is your house?I picked up his book yesterday.Thats her car over there.Its color is red!Our company is doing very well.Your bicycles are located in the basement.Their toys are in the closet. Possessive Adjective Checklist Possessive adjectives are used in place of proper names Place adjectives directly before the noun they modifyPossessive adjectives are very similar in usage to possessive pronouns Possessive adjectives are used when the context is clear who is in possession of an objectNote the similarity in form between possessive adjectives and pronouns Use these resources for more detailed information on other possessive forms: Possessive Nouns - For example, Johns house, the bicycles color, etc. Possessive Pronouns - For example, that is mine, this is hers, etc. This general guide to possessive forms quickly compares all three types of possessive forms.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Sacar la ciudadanía de Estados Unidos por adopción

Sacar la ciudadanà ­a de Estados Unidos por adopcià ³n Es una prctica comà ºn que los ciudadanos americanos, solteros o casados, adopten nià ±os en el extranjero. En estos casos se plantea la cuestià ³n de si los menores adoptados adquieren la ciudadania estadounidense. La respuesta es: depende del caso y del cumplimiento de una serie de requisitos. Adems, hay que tener en cuenta que los trmites muy diferentes segà ºn los dos posibles casos: cuando el menor ingresa a Estados Unidos para vivir aquà ­ con su padre/s adoptivos.cuando el nià ±o residen habitualmente en otro paà ­s en compaà ±Ãƒ ­a de su progenitor estadounidense. En este artà ­culo se explica cà ³mo y cundo los adoptados adquieren la ciudadanà ­a segà ºn los diferentes casos, cà ³mo se prueba, cul es la ley que aplica en estos momentos y estadà ­sticas sobre cuntos nià ±os son adoptados por estadounidenses en Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a. Papeles y ciudadanà ­a para nià ±os en el extranjero adoptados por ciudadanos que ingresan a USA para residir aquà ­ En este caso el proceso se inicia rellenando los formularios I-600 o su variacià ³n del I-600A para peticionar a un huà ©rfano como familiar inmediato o el I-800 o su versià ³n de I-800A, que son para peticià ³n de familiar inmediato de un adoptado en un paà ­s firmante de la Convencià ³n de la Haya. Esta peticià ³n debe ser aprobada por el Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a de los Estados Unidos (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s).   A continuacià ³n y despuà ©s de que el paà ­s de origen del menor dà © su OK a la adopcià ³n tendr lugar una entrevista en el consulado o la embajada de los Estados Unidos. El oficial consular emitir una visa de inmigrante para el menor que podr ser: Una IR-3 cuando la adopcià ³n de un huà ©rfano ha sido completada fuera de los Estados Unidos en un paà ­s que no ha firmado la Convencià ³n de la Haya. Dicha adopcià ³n tiene que ser definitiva y reconocida por el paà ­s del menor y tambià ©n por los Estados Unidos. Adems, el adoptante, si est soltero, o uno de los miembros del matrimonio que adopta, si estn casados, debe haber conocido en persona al menor   Una IR-4, cuando el huà ©rfano procede de un paà ­s que no ha firmado la Convencià ³n de la Haya y se da alguna de las siguientes circunstancias: la adopcià ³n se finalizar en Estados Unidos, b) la adopcià ³n la realiza sà ³lo uno de los miembros de un matrimonio o, c) el/los adoptante/s no conoce al menor personalmente. Una IH-3, cuando la adopcià ³n del menor es definitiva y se ha completado en un paà ­s firmante de la Convencià ³n de la Haya. Una IH-4, cuando la adopcià ³n debe finalizarse en Estados Unidos y el nià ±o procede de un paà ­s acogido a la Convencià ³n de la Haya. Una IR-2, cuando  el menor haya vivido en el extranjero con su padre o madre estadounidense por un mà ­nimo de dos aà ±os y que à ©ste tenga la guardia y custodia del nià ±o. Estos son casos en los que el progenitor decide regresar a Estados Unidos y pide los papeles para su hijo adoptado no mediante los formularios que aplican a las visas anteriores sino mediante la planilla I-130.  Este camino no siempre es posible cuando el nià ±o es originalmente de un paà ­s que ha firmado el acuerdo de la Convencià ³n de la Haya.  ¿Cundo adquieren la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense los adoptados que ingresan a Estados Unidos con una IR-3/IR-3/IR-2/IH-3/IH-4? Los casos son distintos segà ºn el tipo de visa de inmigrante que corresponde para ingresar a los Estados Unidos.   Si se utiliza una IR-3 o una IH-3 y el menor ingresa a USA con menos de 18 aà ±os cumplidos y una vez en el paà ­s vive con sus padres adoptivos (o padre o madre, si la adopcià ³n fue monoparental), entonces se adquiere la ciudadanà ­a automticamente en el momento de cruzar la frontera. En estos casos se recibir en casa y gratis un Certificado de Ciudadanà ­a. Por el contrario, si se ingresa a Estados Unidos con la visa inmigrante IR-4/IH-4,  el menor recibir en su pasaporte un sello que se conoce como I-551 y, a las pocas semanas, se recibir por correo una tarjeta de residencia permanente, tambià ©n conocida como green card. Es decir, en estos casos  el adoptado adquiere la condicià ³n de residente permanente. Sin embargo, se convertir en ciudadano automticamente si la adopcià ³n se finaliza antes de que cumpla los 18 aà ±os de edad.  En estos casos, si asà ­ se desea, se pueden solicitar un Certificado de Ciudadanà ­a aplicando mediante la planilla N-600, pagando la cuota correspondiente. Por el contrario, si el menor no ha cumplido los 18 aà ±os de edad e ingresa utilizando una visa IR-2, adquirir automticamente la ciudadanà ­a tras su ingreso a los Estados Unidos, siempre y cuando viva con el adoptante. Sin embargo, si el IR-2 ya ha cumplido los 18 pero est soltero y es menor de 21 aà ±os, recibir una tarjeta de residente permanente, pudiendo ms tarde solicitar la ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n. En estos casos es importante conocer cà ³mo la edad afecta a las peticiones de green card. Cuando el menor adoptado por un ciudadano reside habitualmente en el extranjero   Puede suceder que un menor adoptado por un estadounidense tiene por residencia habitual un paà ­s distinto a los Estados Unidos plantendose en este caso la duda de si ese nià ±o algà ºn derecho a la ciudadanà ­a americana. La respuesta es que sà ­, siempre y cuando se cumplan una serie de requisitos y, adems, no se produce de forma automtica. Las condiciones para que pueda acceder a la ciudadanà ­a son: el adoptado tiene que tener menos de 18 aà ±os de edaddebe vivir en el mismo hogar que su progenitor estadounidense, quien debe tener su guardia legal.El progenitor estadounidense debe haber vivido al menos 5 aà ±os en los Estados Unidos, dos de dichos aà ±os, tienen que haber sido despuà ©s de que hubiera cumplido los 14. Si no puede cumplir este requisito, es suficiente si lo puede cumplir uno de los abuelos, que debe de estar vivo.el menor debe ingresar a Estados Unidos como no inmigrante. En la mayorà ­a de los casos lo har como turista pero puede utilizar otras visas no inmigrantes. En este punto tener en consideracià ³n que los consulados no estn obligados a aprobar ninguna visa por el simple hecho de que el menor sea hijo adoptado de ciudadano. Es decir, deben cumplirse todos los requisitos para que se apruebe la visa.Por à ºltimo, una vez que el menor adoptado ingresa a los Estados Unidos puede solicitar la ciudadanà ­a americana por el procedimiento de naturalizacià ³n. Dà ³nde solicitar informacià ³n para casos de papeles para adoptados por ciudadanos si se tienen dudas o inquietudes, es posible comunicarse con el Departamento de Estado por medio de un correo electrà ³nico escribiendo a: adoptionUSCAstate.gov, en el caso de adopciones en paà ­ses firmantes del Convenio de la HayaaskCIstate.gov, en los dems casos. Asimismo, estn disponibles los siguientes telà ©fonos 1 888 407 4747, si se marca desde los Estados Unidos 1 202 501 4444, si se marca desde otro paà ­s A tener en cuenta: un cambio de ley Actualmente, la ley que aplica a los casos de adopciones internacionales por parte de ciudadanos estadounidenses es la conocida como The Child Citizenship Act del aà ±o 2000, que dejà ³ fuera de su proteccià ³n a aquellas personas adoptadas en el extranjero que tenà ­an ya 18 aà ±os cuando la ley entrà ³ en vigor.   Como consecuencia, muchos de ellos nunca adquirieron la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense y algunos de ellos incluso han sido deportados por delitos menores. En otro orden de cosas, los estadounidenses que desean adoptar a un menor extranjero que se encuentra fuera de Estados Unidos para traerlo a vivir aquà ­ deben pasar por un examen de su historial (background check) y de huellas digitales. El mismo requisito deben cumplir todas las personas que residan en el hogar familiar y que tengan cumplidos los 18 aà ±os de edad o ms. Paà ­ses de procedencia de los adoptados por ciudadanos estadounidenses En el à ºltimo aà ±o fiscal los ciudadanos americanos adoptaron en otros paà ­ses un total de 6,438 nià ±os extranjeros, una cantidad muy inferior al los 22,991 que fueron adoptados en 2004. En la actualidad los 5 paà ­ses de origen por orden de mayor nà ºmero de adoptados son: China, Etiopà ­a, Rusia, Corea del Sur y Ucrania.   Desde 1999 a 2014, estos son los nà ºmeros de nià ±os adoptados por estadounidenses en los paà ­ses de habla hispana: Argentina: 2Bolivia: 180Chile: 57Colombia: 4093Costa Rica: 329Cuba: 1Ecuador: 451El Salvador: 172Espaà ±a: 2Guatemala: 29780Honduras: 170Mà ©xico: 1077Panam: 117Paraguay: 11Perà º: 437Repà ºblica Dominicana: 220Uruguay: 1Venezuela: 12 Consejos para rellenar los papeles con à ©xito En este artà ­culo se ha hecho referencia a varios formularios oficiales del Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s), como por ejemplo el I-600, el I-800 o el N-600. Todos esos formularios pueden ser descargados gratuitamente de la pgina oficial del USCIS. Deben ser firmados y rellanados con tinta negra. En el caso de que los documentos de apoyo que se deben adjuntar està ©n en un idioma distinto al inglà ©s, es necesario traducirlos a ese idioma e incluir una carta de certificacià ³n de la traduccià ³n.  Es decir, no es necesario obtener el sello de un notario ni pagar a un traductor jurado. Finalmente, mentir en un documento migratorio o de visa o ante un oficial consular o migratorio es considerado una violacià ³n migratoria que puede tener consecuencias muy graves, ya que se puede considerar como un fraude de ley. En caso de duda siempre se recomienda asesorarse con un abogado reputado con experiencia en casos de adopciones internacionales. Este artà ­culo es informativo. No constituye asesorà ­a legal para ningà ºn caso en particular.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The Influences of Culture On Learning and Assessment Among Native Article

The Influences of Culture On Learning and Assessment Among Native American Students - Article Example The author cites information from the national data sources regarding the achievement of the Native American students, and he discusses the principles of assessment and the cultural aspects of assessment. He further uses personal experience to assist others in the reflection of cultural aspects of assessment. Assessment information, data gathered nationally on Native America and educational research is seriously limited. There is a lot to be learned about the Native Americans and other minority students’ assessment and external influences such as environment, context, perspectives culture, and attitudes. Priorities differ in different societies and they influence what the children learn and take as important; there is plenty of opinions and limited research that support this argument. The author concludes by giving several considerations that have to be taken into account in the assessment of a Native American student. An example of such a consideration is the language of inst ruction and the language of home. The article is important because it provides information about the culturally-based curriculum for the Native American students. Three points of relevance; (a) it provides limelight into the present assessment of native students, (b) it attempts to show that the current assessment may be biased because it fails to take into account the influence of culture on the understanding of the world, variety of intelligence we possess, the learning context and the individual’s experiences and, (c) few studies have shown that culturally-based curriculum actually increases the achievement of native students.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Operation strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Operation strategy - Essay Example Customer requirements: This step involves identifying the market segments that is relevant for collection of information regarding the requirements of the customer. This step is important in QFD since it ensures that a firm does not waste resources in obtaining unnecessary information from the non-potential customers. This is also the first step which enables the firm to gain more knowledge about the existing market segments. Regulatory requirements: This benefits the firm during the creation of HOF as it provides the customer with the appropriate information about the requirement of the product. This makes the customer aware of the product and hence can participate in the process. Customer importance: This step allows the customer to rate the significance of the requirements on a scale of 1-5 which the given firm uses in creating the relationship matrix. From the customer importance the company obtains information about the relationship between the needs of the customer its ability to meet the needs. Customer rating of the competition: This is the fourth step and it benefits the given firm with tremendous competitive advantage considering that it obtains information about the strength of the competitors in the market. Through this step, an organization can remodel their strategies to outcompeting its rivals. Core competencies refer to the abilities that guide a firm in meeting the fundamental interest of the customers. The core competencies involve researching about the reason behind a customer choosing one product over another. Core competencies and operation management share a lot. In operation management, there is need for an organization to carry out a production process that is efficient and will maximize the profit realized. Normally, the organization strives for the highest efficiency as far as possible. This shows that the ability of a firm to achieve operation management relies on whether a firm has the core competencies. The organization, in

Vision statement, Core Values statement, Mission statement, Goals & Personal Statement

Vision , Core Values , Mission , Goals & Objectives, and Strategies - Personal Statement Example t working towards a safe, crime and terror free future by pushing for incorporation of intelligent, scientific and technological aspects in service delivery and promoting a healthy and cooperative relationship with the citizens and between the law enforcement agents. My mission is to serve, safeguard and defend the rights of all, promote fairness and public safety. I am committed to promoting peace, demoralizing crime and terrorism acts, protecting property and enforcing laws for economic growth, social cohesion and democratic rights in any manner I deem appropriate without jeopardizing the afore mentioned duties, constitutional rights, ethical and moral concerns. 2. Change people’s negative attitude towards the law enforcement agents through commitment to my duties, respecting the agency’s regulations and ethical standards and using personal judgment and my moral uprightness in the first two years of my service. 3. In my first year of service I will work towards enhancing the relationship between fellow officers and other law enforcement agencies by instilling in them the spirit of team work, togetherness and sharing of ideas. 5. Create a tradition where there will be a change in approach to solving crimes to use of appropriate technology and educated analysis of a situation to reduce chances accusing the innocent in my first two years of service. Staircase to strategic planning comprises of a vision statement, values, mission, goals, objectives and strategies. A vision is blueprint for long term planning. It is a pathway from the present to the future. It comprises of the intended future state of an individual in terms of fundamental and strategic direction. Values are the beliefs which drive an individual’s culture and priorities (Jeanette et al, n.d). The third element in strategic planning is a mission. A mission statement defines the fundamental purpose; reason for existence. Fourthly, is the goals. These are the projected outcomes of what is

Final Exam Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Final Exam - Speech or Presentation Example the three-week training program, and then were tested again.  The dataset also includes (1) a measure of participant confidence in knowledge and (2) a certification exam score. The data are discipline-neutral. Therefore, part of your final project is to create a context for the research that is associated with your discipline or area of interest (e.g., training to assess mental health status; training to work with special education children; training to become a technician or consultant).   This work is an investigation into the impact of a training program on the knowledge base of three categories of employees. The employees are classified as professionals, paraprofessionals and non-professionals. The objective is to evaluate the impact of the training on the knowledge base of the employees in the various categories and establish whether the training had significant impact on the performance of each category. There is high consistency among all variables with the assumptions of normality. For example, the absolute skewness values are all within the range 0

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Norton Lilly International Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Norton Lilly International - Case Study Example The agency's mission is to restore operational efficiency thereby helping to increase its profitability. The company sort to achieve this mission by pursuing growth which would see it double its size (Burton and Gamble 368). In addition, the agency had an objective of ensuring a smooth transition as it was on the verge of being passed over to the next generation of in the family (Burton and Gamble 368). Basically, the company wanted to have a turnaround strategy which would ensure both operational efficiency and profitability. In the first stage of the endeavor to bring about efficiency at the agency required the development of a strategy. The strategy was based on ensuring the company achieves sustainable competitive advantage and could be based on five different perspectives that include; Dominant Industry Economic Features, Five Forces Analysis, Competitive Analysis, SWOT and PESTEL and Financial. Generic strategies may also form the basis for crafting a business strategy. A business can rely on a combination of perspectives or all of them. Based on the dominant industry perspective economic features, Burton first role in developing the strategy was to assess the business to identify the areas that could help the company get a strong foundation for execution (Burton and Gamble 370). Under this approach, core business areas are assessed and addressed given that they support other parts of the company. This is also incongruent with the competitive advantage approach which calls for one to assess the stren gths and maximize them to ensure achieve the mission set out. The crafting of the strategy execution was also based on PESTEL analysis which  postulates that a strategy must assess the social perceptions of the people involved (Goodstein and Burke 5). Consequently, Burton understood that he was bringing change among a group of people who were equally competent and therefore he had to introduce ideas hat could be easily accepted and therefore he chose an incremental approach. The other components of PESTEL require the political, environmental, technological, economic and legal macro-environment within which a business is conducted given that they may affect its growth.

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 13

Reflection - Essay Example As one such leader, practicing honesty in all aspects of my role is paramount. My communication and actions should show honesty. Trust is finds its base on honesty. Honest ethical leader bases his argument on facts and this facilitates employees to depend and rely on him. A leader is about a better position to practice integrity if he is honest. Integrating honesty in my leadership style entails effective reasoning through facts. Claiming that you are honest without actual practice the virtue amounts to poor leadership. Every action of an ethical leadership requires transparency and truthfulness (Reilly, Sirgy & Gorman, 2012). Transparency and accountability are indications of honesty in ethical leadership. Incorporating honesty in decision making for an ethical leader entails using the facts as the basis of reasoning. Communication of the facts to the affected parties should be through truthfulness. The action of the leader during making of such decisions should clearly point toward honesty. This makes it easier for the people on the receiving end to appreciate the decision. The second important value for me as an ethical leader is commitment. It is the dedication of an ethical leader to the organization. Commitment entails not giving up or losing focus when the situation becomes unmanageable. Commitment by an ethical leader calls for perseverance throughout the course of leadership. It is a solemn promise that you will stick to the course even during trying moments. A committed leader invests fully in the organization. The investment is in terms of emotional, mental and physical dedication. Focusing full attention and energy make exemplary committed ethical leaders. Another aspect of commitment, which is important involves being ready to sacrifice personal interests in pursuit of the organizational objectives. To instill commitment among employees in an organization, a demonstration through action by the leader is

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Norton Lilly International Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Norton Lilly International - Case Study Example The agency's mission is to restore operational efficiency thereby helping to increase its profitability. The company sort to achieve this mission by pursuing growth which would see it double its size (Burton and Gamble 368). In addition, the agency had an objective of ensuring a smooth transition as it was on the verge of being passed over to the next generation of in the family (Burton and Gamble 368). Basically, the company wanted to have a turnaround strategy which would ensure both operational efficiency and profitability. In the first stage of the endeavor to bring about efficiency at the agency required the development of a strategy. The strategy was based on ensuring the company achieves sustainable competitive advantage and could be based on five different perspectives that include; Dominant Industry Economic Features, Five Forces Analysis, Competitive Analysis, SWOT and PESTEL and Financial. Generic strategies may also form the basis for crafting a business strategy. A business can rely on a combination of perspectives or all of them. Based on the dominant industry perspective economic features, Burton first role in developing the strategy was to assess the business to identify the areas that could help the company get a strong foundation for execution (Burton and Gamble 370). Under this approach, core business areas are assessed and addressed given that they support other parts of the company. This is also incongruent with the competitive advantage approach which calls for one to assess the stren gths and maximize them to ensure achieve the mission set out. The crafting of the strategy execution was also based on PESTEL analysis which  postulates that a strategy must assess the social perceptions of the people involved (Goodstein and Burke 5). Consequently, Burton understood that he was bringing change among a group of people who were equally competent and therefore he had to introduce ideas hat could be easily accepted and therefore he chose an incremental approach. The other components of PESTEL require the political, environmental, technological, economic and legal macro-environment within which a business is conducted given that they may affect its growth.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Planning Lessons and Assessment in Schools Essay

Planning Lessons and Assessment in Schools - Essay Example The teacher then introduced the lesson of the day by mentioning that it would be a buildup of the previous lesson. The lesson of that day involved learning how to balance basic chemistry equations. The teacher began by introducing basic, acidic, and neutral compound. He then gave basic examples of a base, acid, and a neutral compound. Interestingly, he had an example of each of the compounds in class. A lemon represented an acidic compound, ash represented basic compound whereas water represented a neutral compound. Students were asked to name other similar compounds and at least a quarter of the class responded with accurate results. The teacher then went ahead to demonstrate on the blackboard how to balance the equations. Once he gave five simple examples, he asked the students to volunteer to go to the board and balance an equation. Each student who was able to balance the equations was given an orange. It was interesting to note the profound interest in which the students were re sponding to learning. The interest was actually boosted by the gifts for the students who got the equations correct. Near the end of the lesson, the teacher divided the class into four groups of five students each. He then requested the students to discuss what they had learned in class concerning balancing of equations as well as further examples of each compound. Each group was required to come up with three examples of each compound as well as three examples of balanced equations. The teacher collected the results and told them that the results would be discussed in the next lesson. Lesson planning is one of the fundamental aspect of any teacher. This is because the structure of the lesson determines the effectiveness of the learning process. When making such a plan, it is imperative for the teacher to understand the lesson objectives and most importantly, the strengths and weaknesses of the students. This way, it will be possible to articulate the lesson to benefit the students maximally. It is also important to understand each student so that the needs of every student can be incorporated in the lesson plan (Satterly, 1989). However, it is particularly necessary to classify the student depending on their learning abilities. This is because the bright students are more often than not sidelined in the learning process at the expense of the slow learners. For example, I realized that the teacher was concentrating more on the slow learners in the hope that they will catch up with the rest of the class. Assessment in Schools   A lesson is not complete with the full assessment of the realization of the objectives of the lesson. During the lesson, I noted that the teacher used various teaching and assessments methods. Most importantly, she ensured that the assessment activities are explicitly related to the stated learning objectives. Once the students had completed the given assessment activity, she took some time to reflect upon the results. When the learnin g objectives were not adequately achieved, the teacher revisited the lesson in a different manner. This allowed those students who had not comprehended adequately to gain more understanding of the topic discussed. In order to achieve this, the teacher used various assessment methods. One of them was quizzes. The teacher ordered the pupils to close their books and asked them some questions on what she had taught that day. Most pupils who had

Monday, October 14, 2019

Is Apple Entry Into The Mobile Telephone Sector Marketing Essay

Is Apple Entry Into The Mobile Telephone Sector Marketing Essay According to Michael Porter (1979), industry is being influenced by five forces. The strategic business manager planning to develop an advantage over rival firms can use this model to better understand the industry plans in which the firm operates. Since iPhone is only offered by single networks such as O2 in UK and ATT in US, customers of other networks will have to wait until their contract expires, or pay an early cancellation fee (typically $200). The average duration of a cell phone contract is 2 years, which means that 25% of consumers plans will expire in the next 6 months. Since a $200 switching fee makes the iPhone very expensive. Apple introduced the device at high price for early adopters to earn abnormal profits and it slashed down iPhone price by 50% for rest of market segment. For Reference, In US When it reduce the price from $599.99 to $399.99 consumer were force to deal with the mobile carrier AT T mobility, in service package ranging from $59.99 to 99.99 per month. But in UK, low amount of inclusive minutes was not competitive. For reference, O2s iPhone deal allowed 200 inclusive minutes for pound 35 versus competitors that offers of 750 minutes in addition to a free phone. Apple reduces its prices or introduces new models for price-sensitive consumers, and its sales could expand considerably. Barriers to Entry/ Threat of New Entrants Ultimately the iPhone is going to face the most competition from imitators who can sell a similar or comparable device at a lower price. Most of these threats are going to come from established players in the cell phone industry (such as LG and Samsung) rather than companies trying to enter the cell phone market. Software companies such as Google and Microsoft may pose a credible threat at entering the cell phone market. Apple not only had to face a number of barriers to entry in the development of the iPhone but they must also worry about potential competitors (Google, Microsoft) overcoming them as well. Economies of Scale Apple already had pre-existing experience in manufacturing mass-market consumer electronics devices, many of which share components of the iPhone; so Apple was not adversely affected by this barrier. New entrants, however, may not have that luxury and the cell phone market is almost defined by its mass-market (which requires mass production and consumption) nature. Product Differentiation The iPhone is significantly different than its competitors product. Apple also has a certain amount of protection through the strength of its brand identity. iPhone launch was extremely different technology from other mobile companies. But to keep product differentiation consistent in long run would be challenge for Apple. Capital Requirements Apple enjoys a slight advantage here, though its an advantage that may be quickly lost. The other cell phone manufacturers have a lot of experience making cell phones, but not necessarily software. So, to most effectively compete with the iPhone they will need to invest significantly in certain areas. And Apple also has a lot of experience making hardware and software, which gives them an advantage to some extent over their competitors. In this sense, Apple itself did not face much problem with this barrier because of their experience creating both software and hardware. Future competitors looking to enter the cell phone market are less likely to have that advantage. Distribution Channels The iPhone will be only available at Apple and single network stores and it is only supported by the Single network such as o2 in UK. They are not able to sell iPhone in cell phone market and also they are making it difficult for people to even purchase the phone. A future entrant into the market may be able to make their product available for multiple carriers and multiple retailers. For instance, iPhone was available through 1300 Apple, O2 and Carphone warehouses shops in UK. Supplier Power The iPhone software that brings all features together and allows the user to interact with the phone in a compelling way. And Apple, of course, developed and owns the software. A producing industry requires raw materials labour, components, and other supplies. This requirement leads to buyer-supplier relationships between the industry and the firms that provide it the raw materials used to create products. Suppliers, if powerful, can exert an influence on the producing industry, such as selling raw materials at a high price to capture some of the industrys profits. But in case of Apple, The Software, Hardware, component is developed and owned by Apple itself. Hence, they have less threat from powerful suppliers. Buyer Power Here you ask yourself how easy it is for buyers to drive prices down. Again, this is driven by the number of buyers, the importance of each individual buyer to your business, the cost to them of switching from your products and services to those of someone else, and so on. Although the iPhones functionality would be attractive to business users, its price is considerably higher than that of Blackberries .This makes enterprise purchases unlikely, since businesses are typically price sensitive. However, the iPhones compelling mix of features makes it attractive to a broad set of cell-phone consumers. The iPhones market is limited by two factors: 1) the high price ($499 for 4 GB) and 2) Apples exclusive US carrier agreement with Cingular (For example AT T, O2).In case of Apple the buyers of the iPhone are somewhat more powerful. Given the relatively high price of the iPhone it remains to be seen whether consumers will pay a high price for Apple iPhone features when their needs may be equally met by cheaper alternatives. Threat of Substitutes A threat from substitutes exists if there are alternative products with lower prices of better performance parameters for the same purpose. The iPhone mainly distinguishes itself from competitors over its softwares and hardwares which are driven by a multi-touch screen. Apple claims various patents relating to this technology. However, it is still likely that other players in the market will soon be able to deliver similar products. Synaptics and LG have already disclosed details of coming products which feature touch-screen interfaces, as well. Software companies such as Google and Microsoft may pose a credible threat at entering the cell phone market. Evaluation Being aware of huge competition in mobile phone market, I decided to use porters five forces model to do analysis and based on analysis, I found that there is tough competition for mobile operators who act as both substitutes and new entrant. In the next 3-5 year if we see the industry would be more competitive than today. So many firms will be competing in the market and new firms will be try to come in the market for taking the advantage of profitability, which would reduce the profit of the firms. Consumer will have more choice because of substitution, and they can force the companies to reduce the prices of their product. And the supplier will have the power to raise the price of the raw material because of the high demand on the same time. Word Count: 1,109 words

Sunday, October 13, 2019

William Faulkner Essay -- essays research papers

William Faulkner   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although leading the life of an educated writer William Culbert Faulkner experienced the times of his life as a Hollywood writer. Probably known as the most famous writer/author of his time Faulkner adapted to his new lifestyles rapidly, and still remained well known in both the movie and book industries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faulkner was born September 25, 1897 in New Albany, Mississippi. His named was inherited from his grandfather William Clark Faulkner, a skilled businessman and writer. After relocation to Oxford, Mississippi Faulkner’s father started the First National Bank (â€Å"William Faulkner #3†). As a child in Oxford, William held a very artistic ideal of life, often drawing and writing poetry in school. Faulkner also met his mentor, Phil Stone and his sweetheart, Estelle Oldham in Oxford. Estelle later married a young man named Cornell Franklin in 1918 while still in her youth. Stone on the other hand read Faulkner’s work and instantly recognized his talent and gave him advice and models for study. He also invited Faulkner to stay with him in New Haven, where he worked in a New Haven Arms Company. Faulkner was later invited to be a cadet in the Royal Air Force in Canada. On his application papers Faulkner lied about many things to appear British.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faulkner never served in the war and never finished training. Although his record showed a lack of military experience Faulkner still exaggerated stories of war on his return home. In 1919, Faulkner quit his brief life of a veteran to enroll in the University of Mississippi. During his time at the University, Faulkner wrote for many local magazines and papers along with the school yearbook and newspaper. Among his many other college accomplishments, before he dropped out in 1920, was the founding of the University drama club ‘The Marionettes’ (â€Å"William Faulkner #2†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For about a year Faulkner wrote for the Mississippian and worked several odd jobs until finally he was recommended a job by Stark Young. The job was as a bookstore assistant in New York City (Walsh). In 1924 many of Faulkner’s poetic works were published in a book entitled The Marble Faun.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With his poetry book now published Faulkner moved to New Orleans and fell into a literary group that revolved ... ...and 1962 Faulkner revised his current works and finished his trilogy on the Snopes family. Sadly after a tragic horse accident William Culbert Faulkner died at the exact time of his great-grandfather’s birthday.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, to the many details of Faulkner’s life I can agree that he was probably one of the most versatile writers of his time, as well as, one the most well represented through his works. Stories like Faulkner’s are timeless pieces due to their ability to still be relevant even though the story in point may be up to 4 times a reader’s age. Work Cited â€Å"Faulkner, William† Three Famous Short Stories. Chicago: Vintage Books, 1961 â€Å"Faulkner, William Culbert† Contemporary Authors. Vol. 33. Detroit: Gale, 1991. Latil, Nathan, ed. University Wire Walsh, William, ed. Library Journal â€Å"William Culbert Faulkner† Short Story Criticisms. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1988. â€Å"William Faulkner #1† American Writers. Vol. 2. Minnesota: University of Minnesota, 1974. â€Å"William Faulkner #2† Authors & Artists For Young Adults. Vol. 7. Detroit: 1991. â€Å"William Faulkner #3† MaGill’s Survey of American Literature. Vol. 2. New York: Cavendish,1991. William Faulkner Essay -- essays research papers William Faulkner   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although leading the life of an educated writer William Culbert Faulkner experienced the times of his life as a Hollywood writer. Probably known as the most famous writer/author of his time Faulkner adapted to his new lifestyles rapidly, and still remained well known in both the movie and book industries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faulkner was born September 25, 1897 in New Albany, Mississippi. His named was inherited from his grandfather William Clark Faulkner, a skilled businessman and writer. After relocation to Oxford, Mississippi Faulkner’s father started the First National Bank (â€Å"William Faulkner #3†). As a child in Oxford, William held a very artistic ideal of life, often drawing and writing poetry in school. Faulkner also met his mentor, Phil Stone and his sweetheart, Estelle Oldham in Oxford. Estelle later married a young man named Cornell Franklin in 1918 while still in her youth. Stone on the other hand read Faulkner’s work and instantly recognized his talent and gave him advice and models for study. He also invited Faulkner to stay with him in New Haven, where he worked in a New Haven Arms Company. Faulkner was later invited to be a cadet in the Royal Air Force in Canada. On his application papers Faulkner lied about many things to appear British.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faulkner never served in the war and never finished training. Although his record showed a lack of military experience Faulkner still exaggerated stories of war on his return home. In 1919, Faulkner quit his brief life of a veteran to enroll in the University of Mississippi. During his time at the University, Faulkner wrote for many local magazines and papers along with the school yearbook and newspaper. Among his many other college accomplishments, before he dropped out in 1920, was the founding of the University drama club ‘The Marionettes’ (â€Å"William Faulkner #2†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For about a year Faulkner wrote for the Mississippian and worked several odd jobs until finally he was recommended a job by Stark Young. The job was as a bookstore assistant in New York City (Walsh). In 1924 many of Faulkner’s poetic works were published in a book entitled The Marble Faun.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With his poetry book now published Faulkner moved to New Orleans and fell into a literary group that revolved ... ...and 1962 Faulkner revised his current works and finished his trilogy on the Snopes family. Sadly after a tragic horse accident William Culbert Faulkner died at the exact time of his great-grandfather’s birthday.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, to the many details of Faulkner’s life I can agree that he was probably one of the most versatile writers of his time, as well as, one the most well represented through his works. Stories like Faulkner’s are timeless pieces due to their ability to still be relevant even though the story in point may be up to 4 times a reader’s age. Work Cited â€Å"Faulkner, William† Three Famous Short Stories. Chicago: Vintage Books, 1961 â€Å"Faulkner, William Culbert† Contemporary Authors. Vol. 33. Detroit: Gale, 1991. Latil, Nathan, ed. University Wire Walsh, William, ed. Library Journal â€Å"William Culbert Faulkner† Short Story Criticisms. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1988. â€Å"William Faulkner #1† American Writers. Vol. 2. Minnesota: University of Minnesota, 1974. â€Å"William Faulkner #2† Authors & Artists For Young Adults. Vol. 7. Detroit: 1991. â€Å"William Faulkner #3† MaGill’s Survey of American Literature. Vol. 2. New York: Cavendish,1991.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Marxist Perspective on Education Essay -- Education

Education system is seen as an important part of the superstructure in society. This statement was written in a Marxism perspective by individuals who see education not just an important part of the superstructure but as well an important aspect in a child life. Even though Karl Marx himself did not widely write about education, many of his followers did. This paper will look at how class and alienation which is a theory that Karl Marx wrote, plays a part in education and a general look at the perspective and how it relates to education. Secondly this essay will look at how other perspective not only relates to Marxism but as well as education. Lastly, this paper will look at how Marxism perspective can play an important role in the future of education. Class and Alienation is one of the theories that Marx’s came up with, which can also be used when looking at education. This is a theory that shows how a Marx’s perspective critiques the function of schooling society. According to Marxists, education does not give everybody a fair chance and that it uses the â€Å"alienation of schoolwork† (idea that children will do the work if they are rewarding for doing it), to socially control people until they are ready for ‘exploitation’ in the world of work (Functions of Education According to Functionalists and Marxists , 2009). Alienation for Marx was based on work where to alienated labour there was two steps, the first one was to alienate nature from man and second was to alienate man from himself from his own active function, his life activity so it alienates him from the species (Grusky, 2001). When looking at this statement and comparing it to education, one can see the similarities between the two. Marxist claim that alienation bein... ...rom http://socyberty.com/education/the-functions-of-education-according-to-functionalists-and-marxists/ Cole, M. (2004). US Imperialism, Transmodernism and Education: a Marxist critique. Policy Futures in Education, 633-643. Fekete, P. (2002). Perspectives on Education. 1-6. Grusky, D. B. (2001). Alienation and Social Classes . Social Stratification: Class, Race, and Gender in Sociological Perspective , 87-105. Kellner, D. (n.d.). Marxian Perspectives on Educational Philosophy: From Classical Marxism to Critical Pedagogy . 1-19. Nathaila, P. M. (2010). Not Neo-Marxist, Not Post-Marxist, Not Marxian, Not Autonomist Marxism: Reflections on a Revolutionary (Marxist) Critical Pedagogy. Cultural Studies , 251-262. Small, R. (2005). Marx and Education . Hampshire : Ashgate Publishing Limited . tubbs, N. (1999). Marx. Encyclopaedia of Philosophy of Education, 1-6.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Evil Lives are meaningless lives? Essay

Profound though it may seem we often ask this very basic question:   What is the meaning of our life? This is one question that has existed for a long as humanity has.   It is one mystery that has fascinated many of the great philosophers.   Although many will find it absurd, pretentious even, that we want to answer this question, Julian Baggini thought otherwise. This is proven by his treatise in the book entitled What’s It All About: Philosophy and the Meaning of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Indeed, while many people will shy away from bursting forward with this question, Mr. Baggini was brave enough to try to answer it. He attempted to break down several issues plaguing people – some of which are helping others, serving humanity, being happy, becoming triumphant – and successfully delivered his views without making his ideas sound so ostentatious and metaphysical.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The essential issue in the book actually deals with the question of whether there is a profound and mysterious meaning to life.   It also asks what the ultimate purpose of our existence is. Mr. Baggini argues that there really is no single meaning to our existence. He says that every little thing that we do has meaning in itself so it is pointless to look for one whole package of meaning.   Indeed, the first-two chapters examine if and why the existence of God should make a difference into determining the meaning of our life. The remaining chapters then evaluate the claims of some people as to what they find significant in their life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By planting his feet firmly on the ground and dealing with specific issues, I think that Mr. Baggini effectively shows us that the quest for the meaning of our existence is right here with us everyday.   We don’t need to travel to far places to look for it.   We don’t need to serve in the UNICEF to render ourselves useful to humanity.   Most importantly, we don’t need legislation to render ourselves empowered.   The answer we have always been looking for in our life is in our own hands.   It is how we cope with our everyday existence that will truly define the life that we have lived.   The outside forces are just mere accompaniment, whereas our actions and reactions are the essential factors that will judge us in the end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Corollary to this, the meaning of our life cannot be found in books and idealistic treatise. We don’t need to look for its meaning in our neighbor’s house; it is right at the tip of our nose. Mr. Baggini shows us that we can value happiness even as we accept that it is not everything. We can see the value of success without drowning ourselves in it.   We can even shout â€Å"Carpe Diem† to the whole world even as we help others lead fruitful lives.   In the end, it is still love that powerfully motivates us all. Indeed, Mr. Baggini shows us that the search for meaning is very personal and within our power to find. He supports his stand by drawing from actual experiences drawn from real life of real people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In many ways, those who have read this book will deduce that Mr. Baggini qualifies himself as a modern-day heir of Bertrand Russel. In his own way, he shows us that we can find the meaning of life if we can only be more philosophical and rational.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Chapter 4 of the book subtitled Here to help, Mr. Baggini discusses the proper place of altruism if we are to pursue meaningful lives.   â€Å"If the meaning of life is to help others, then only those doing the helping can lead meaningful life.   The people being helped are thus mere instruments to the end of giving purpose to the altruists.† (65)   Of course, Mr. Baggini does not brush off altruism as a useless virtue. It is still needed if we have to co-exist peacefully with others.   However, he emphasizes that altruism should be put in its proper perspective and that people should make sense in defending values which go beyond itself. Altruism in itself is a virtue but it should not used to define one’s life.   It is just but one part of our existence, not the whole of it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Chapter 7 subtitled Becoming a contender, Mr. Baggini writes â€Å"To raise a happy family, or live your life pursuing your passion, no matter which recognition you get, should be seen as a success.†(123) This in itself shows the kind of philosophical sense that Mr. Baggini follows in this book.   He does not aim for huge successes but makes one feel that no matter how small the achievement is, it is still worth noting because it has helped one become the kind of person that he is today. It is therefore important for us to do our best in every thing we do because these small things can also enrich our life.   Indeed, it does not matter whether the good deeds we have done are great or small.   The most important is we did it.   This is what life should be all about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Chapter 9 subtitled Lose yourself, Mr. Baggini emphasizes that we don’t need a Maya Angelou or a Deepak Chopra to lead us to the real meaning of our life.   He strongly criticizes the promises of religious and ideological beliefs; consequently convincing us that we really don’t need vast esoteric knowledge or a time-tested guru to find the meaning of our life. Here, Mr. Baggini argues that we just have to look into our self and we will find everything that we have always been looking for. Resorting to ideological beliefs may only pose greater danger of losing one’s proper perspective, thus, this is highly discouraged.   Apparently, Mr. Baggini believes that each person is unique and lessons learned from one’s experiences may not be uniform for everyone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Baggini’s main purpose for writing this book is actually to show us that philosophy – rather than our average New Age psychobabble — is a better tool to analyze life’s little mysteries with. This is the reason why he purposely puts forward a largely down-to-earth approach to the issues being raised in the book. In a world where existentialism has morphed into an alienated version of the â€Å"I and me† culture, utilitarianism offers rational discourses where once we had heaven for guarantor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like the movie Dead Poets Society, Mr. Baggini encourages us to seize the day. Each day is a chance for us to define the life we lead.   It is therefore essential that we have to live our life to the fullest everyday.   Of course, he admits that defining our life this way is not an easy task but there is nothing impossible if we only go back to our very selves. In this aspect, Mr. Baggini dislikes paradox and hyperbole and anything too extreme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What’s It All About: Philosophy and the Meaning of Life ends up being a rational and secular inquiry into the meaning of life. Although it is obviously a prà ©cis of Mr. Baggini’s personal views on life, he hopes that this is something many philosophers would mostly agree. Several times in the book he would refer to past experiences as he draws lessons from them. In spite of his bold statements, however, Mr. Baggini takes a cautious approach.   This stance disappoints because at the end of the book, there is little to disagree with. His supposition that the meaning of life is really â€Å"quite humdrum† only sums up his attitude to the question.   In this aspect, he shows that life is just a mirror that reflects back the image of whoever seeks its meaning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To his credit, Mr. Baggini tries to sum up the meaning of life in fewer than 200 pages – a big achievement in itself.   However, it is also because of this that his argument suffers greatly; being that its supporting discourses have been so squeezed together. This problem is apparent in the chapter on the loss of selfhood, where he points out that New Age ideas are quite â€Å"nonsense.†Ã‚   He says that anyone who professes to lose his ego during meditation is being self-righteous.  Ã‚   Anyone who professes to lose his ego during meditation is being smug and self-righteous.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Baggini then saves the best for last when he declares that â€Å"we should forget about the meaning of life and just get on with it.†Ã‚   The analysis made on life stems from a rationalist and humanist perspective. As I said earlier, he proceeds to his main thesis with utmost caution even as he answers each question thrown his way with distinctive directness.   The outcome of this is that the readers are left to form their own conclusion based on the framework that Mr. Baggini has constructed.   Each reader will be able to form his own meaning to life – one that will be personal, more meaningful and sociologically moral.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If a reader has majored in philosophy, this book will be viewed as a bit simplistic.   However, for ordinary readers like me, it makes for an easy comparison of the various isms in life. Sure, it does not dole out definitive answers to specific questions. Still, it’s a good read for someone who is literally searching for a meaning of his existence. For me, Mr. Baggini’s insistence that our life should be led on an everyday basis is congruent to the fact that we should live it in peaceful co-existence with our neighbors.   Doing otherwise (or by being evil) will render our life meaningless.   In a nutshell, Mr. Baggini offers us ideas about life that are balanced, good and practical. The bottom line here is that living itself, for its own sake, is what truly the only thing that gives life meaning.   All the other ascriptions are, at best, plain spices to make the journey fun and enjoyable.    References: Baggini, Julian. (2005) What’s It All About: Philosophy and the Meaning of Life. Granta Publishers, Inc. Williams, Peter. (2003) Sorting the wheat from the chaff http://www.damaris.org/content/content.php?type=5&id=319

Thursday, October 10, 2019

The Impact of Classroom Technology on Student Behavior

Journal of Technology Research The impact of classroom technology on student behavior Angeline M. Lavin University of South Dakota Leon Korte University of South Dakota Thomas L. Davies University of South Dakota ABSTRACT The trend toward technology enhanced classrooms has escalated quickly during the past five years as students have become increasingly tech-savvy. Classrooms across the nation have become â€Å"wired† and textbook publishers now offer a wide variety of computerized teaching supplements. In fact, some may argue that technology is now expected in the college classroom.The objective of this research is to examine whether the use of technology in university classes impacts student behavior and student perceptions of instructional quality. This paper summarizes the results of a survey administered to students enrolled in business courses at a mid-sized Midwestern university. The results suggest that adding technology in courses where it is not currently used is lik ely to have a positive impact on student perceptions of the instructor and on student behavior. However, removing technology from courses that already use it would not appear to have a negative impact on all aspects of student behavior.Overall there are certain aspects of student behavior (the amount of time that students study, the quantity of notes they take, their attendance, and their interaction with the instructor) which appear to be technology neutral. In contrast, technology tends to have a meaningful impact on student preparation for class, attentiveness, quality of notes taken, student participation in class, student learning, desire to take additional classes from the instructor or in the subject matter, and the overall evaluation of the course and the instructor.Keywords: class technology, instructional quality, student behavior, student perceptions The impact of classroom technology, Page 1 Journal of Technology Research INTRODUCTION Technology, it seems, is everywhere these days. As computers have become more commonplace, the use of information technology has become pervasive in most everyone’s lives. For most of us, it is hard to image daily life without the influence of technological devices, be it handheld video games, personal digital assistants, cell phones or any number of computers.This is especially true for younger generations. In academia, we have likely reached the point where the use of technology is expected, by both students and their parents (Christensen, 1999). The trend toward technology enhanced classes has escalated quickly during the past five years as students have become increasingly tech-savvy, classrooms across the nation have become â€Å"wired† and textbook publishers now offer a wide variety of computerized teaching supplements.Lowerison, Sclater, Schmid, and Abrami (2006) suggest that technology has the potential to transform the learning environment from passive to active and more subject to the control of the learner. According to Roblyer (2003), technology may enable the learner to be more actively involved in his or her own learning. While technology may enhance the classroom and engage today’s student more effectively, most do not believe it replaces the need for a structured, content-driving learning process that is grounded in theory.To be effective, technology-based tools must accompany appropriate pedagogy (Laurillard, 2002). That said, a 2001 national study showed that 87% of faculty believe computer technology enhances student learning (Epper and Bates, 2001). Despite this widespread belief that the use of technology in the classroom is generally good, such may not always be the case. Burbules and Callister (2000) suggest technology can be used well or poorly, and thus its effectiveness is dependent on how it used, by whom and for what purpose. Instructors use varying amounts of technology in their classes.For example, some professors utilize PowerPoint slides or s imilar technology extensively or moderately throughout a course, while others seldom or never use technology. There may be several reasons why instructors ultimately adopt technology for classroom use. For some, it may help them to create better organized, more focused lectures. For others, they believe that the use of technology benefits students by engaging them more in the classroom and allowing them to listen more closely without transcribing every word that is spoken.Some professors may choose technology because writing on whiteboards or blackboards hinders their ability to interact with students. Still other instructors may adopt technology as a time saving device because it is readily available today, provided by the publishers who are eager to convince faculty to adopt their textbooks. Although the motivation may differ, theoretically the overall expectation is that technology will improve the course, engage the students and enable them to learn more. There may also be at le ast the implicit hope by the faculty member that teaching evaluations will improve.The study of what makes a college teacher effective is ongoing. Witcher, Onquegbuzie, Collins, Filer, Wiedmaier, and Moore (2003) suggest that students believe that effective teachers possess many if not all of the following nine characteristics, listed in order of importance: (1) student-centered; (2) knowledgeable about the subject matter; (3) professional; (4) enthusiastic about teaching; (5) effective at communication; (6) accessible; (7) competent at instruction; (8) fair and respectful; and (9) provider of adequate performance feedback.Clearly, utilization of technology can impact several of these identified characteristics or traits. Thus, in recent years, the proliferation of technology in an educational setting has sparked considerable interest on the The impact of classroom technology, Page 2 Journal of Technology Research part of researchers, and a number of studies have focused on the posi tives and negatives of technology use from the perspectives of the institution, student and professor.A recent study by Apperson, Laws and Scepansky (2006) examined the impact of PowerPoint on the students’ classroom experience. While they found no differences in grades as a result of the use of PowerPoint in the classroom, they did find that students in PowerPointenhanced classrooms responded differently to the classroom experience. Specifically, students believed that the PowerPoint classes were better organized and more interesting. Students also rated the professor high overall and indicated that they would be more likely to take another class from that professor.Interestingly, students in PowerPoint enhanced courses also found that the instructors exhibited more positive behaviors seemingly unrelated to the use of technology, such as providing helpful feedback in a timely fashion and creating assignments that involve higherorder more critical or creative thought. Further more, Atkins-Sayre, Hopkins, Mohundro, and Sayre (1998) concluded that the use of technology adds to the instructor’s credibility. Lecturers can manage class time more fficiently as less time is spent writing on whiteboards or changing transparencies (Daniels, 1999, Mantei, 2000), and thus lectures may flow better. Overall, Apperson et al (2006) believe that the use of technology in classrooms causes students to have a more favorable attitude toward their education, and benefits accrue to instructors who utilize it in their classes. However, technology usage does not necessarily result in better teaching evaluations for faculty. Lowerison et al found no significant relationship between actual computer use and perceived effective computer usage on course evaluations (2006).Several explanations were offered for this unexpected outcome, including the fact that students may now expect technology to be used in the classroom and no longer see it as a unique class feature that enhan ces their learning. These findings are consistent with the Christensen (1999) study mentioned earlier. It may also be the case that technology is not being used in an appropriate manner, that is, as a transformative, student-centered tool for learning, a concern expressed by Burbules and Callister (2000).Computer technology may also better support diverse needs and capacities of students, providing the potential for deeper processing and understanding of information (McCombs, 2000). While the technology may enhance the classroom and engage today’s student more effectively, most do not believe it replaces the need for a structured, content-driving learning process that is grounded in theory. To be effective, technology-based tools must accompany appropriate pedagogy (Laurillard, 2002).As McFarlane states, â€Å"computer use alone, without clear objectives and well designed tasks, is of little intrinsic value (1997). This paper continues the inquiry into the impact of technolo gy on student perceptions of their own learning as well as their academic behavior. PRESENT STUDY Students taking various business classes in a medium-sized Midwestern university were invited to participate in research study seeking to assess the impact of the presence or absence of technology in the classroom on self-perceived student effort and behavior.Prior to the survey being administered in individual classrooms, instructors who participated were asked whether or not they made moderate or extensive use of technology in their courses. If the instructor used technology moderately or extensively, then the survey given in that class asked the students to give their opinion regarding how the absence of technology would impact various components of The impact of classroom technology, Page 3 Journal of Technology Research student learning.For example, students were asked whether the lack of technology would have a positive or negative impact on their attentiveness in class as compare d to what it had been. Alternatively, if the instructor indicated that he/she did not utilize technology moderately or extensively, then the survey given in that class asked the students to give their opinion regarding how the addition of technology would impact them. Thus, for example, students in these sections were asked whether more technology usage by the instructor would affect their own level of class preparation.Survey questions were based in part on three different student evaluation forms previously or currently being used by the researchers’ university, including an early version developed and used by all public institutions within the state, the Student Instructional Report II and the IDEA Diagnostic Form Report. Both versions of the survey used the following five point scale to collect student opinions: â€Å"1† was significantly positive, â€Å"2† was somewhat positive, â€Å"3† was no difference, â€Å"4† was somewhat negative, and à ¢â‚¬Å"5† was significantly negative.The survey also included numerous demographic questions to facilitate analysis of the responses. Among other things, students were asked whether they were graduate or undergraduate students, their program of study or major, and their year in school (e. g. , freshman, sophomore, etc. ), as well as their grade point average and gender. In total nine business faculty members, including two of the paper’s authors, administered the survey in their classes.Faculty participants were selected on the basis of their rank, varying degrees of technological proficiency and usage, discipline, and gender in order to provide a cross-section of courses being evaluated. Classes chosen included those at the 100 (first year), 200 (second year), 300 (junior level), 400 (senior level) and graduate (700) level. In all, the survey was administered in fourteen different business classes, including multiple sections of a few of the courses.The survey was admin istered near the beginning of last year’s fall semester. Participating faculty were asked to devote class time to allow for the completion of the survey. Enrollment in the sections surveyed totaled 700 students, including some students who were enrolled in more than one of the classes included in the sample. In total, approximately 550 usable surveys were completed and returned. A brief summary of demographic information for the undergraduate survey respondents is included in the Appendix.RESULTS Table 1 and 2 show the preliminary results of the data analysis. In each table, the mean response for each question is compared to a neutral response of â€Å"3† in order to evaluate the effects that each group might anticipate given possible changes in their classroom environments. Recall that each item was based on the following five point scale: â€Å"1† – significantly positive, â€Å"2† – somewhat positive, â€Å"3† – no differenc e, â€Å"4† – somewhat negative, and â€Å"5† – significantly negative, resulting in a lower mean for a more positive perception.The mean is provided for each question as well as the number of students who gave a particular response. Table 1 shows the results for the surveys given in the classes in which the instructor indicated that he/she used technology moderately or extensively. The survey then asked the students to give their opinions regarding how the absence of technology would impact their learning from the course. There were 374 usable surveys returned from this set of classes. The means in Table 1 fluctuate between the â€Å"high 2† range and the â€Å"low 3† range.Responses from the students in these courses that used technology suggest that students anticipate that the loss of The impact of classroom technology, Page 4 Journal of Technology Research technology would have a positive impact (mean is less than the neutral response o f 3. 0 and statistically different from the neutral response) on the amount of time they study for class each day, the amount of time they study for exams and quizzes, the quantity of notes they take, their overall attendance for the class, and their appreciation for the instructor’s effort.Assuming that students would view less study time as more positive, it appears that students feel they would study less if technology is removed from the course. It seems somewhat counterintuitive that the absence of technology would have a positive impact on the amount of notes that students take, however, the â€Å"quantity† of notes taken can be viewed from two different angles. Students may consider it a positive to take fewer notes, and students may perceive that they take fewer notes when technology is used in the classroom.The loss of technology, according to the students, would also have a positive impact on their attendance and their appreciation for the instructor’s effort. Students may perceive that it would be more important to attend class to hear the material presented if the notes were not available via technology outside of class. In addition, it appears that students believe that technology may make teaching â€Å"easier† as the loss of technology would have a positive impact on student appreciate of instructor effort.In contrast, student responses indicate that students expect that the loss of technology would have a negative impact (mean is greater than the neutral response and statistically different from the neutral response) on attentiveness in class, the amount learned from class, the students’ desire to take additional classes from the particular instructor, and the students’ desire to take additional classes in the subject matter. These results suggest that students perceive there are specific benefits associated with technology use in the classroom.Technology may be one way instructors can maintain student interest. Indeed, the responses appear to suggest that students perceive that they might learn less if technology were withdrawn. Students also indicated that they would be less inclined to take additional classes from the instructor if technology were not used, and they might also be less inclined to take more courses in the same subject matter if technology were not a part of the classroom experience.On the other hand, the responses suggest that students might be more likely to attend class and have a greater appreciation for instructor effort if technology were not used in the classroom. Results of the two questions as to how a change in technology use from moderate/intensive to none at all would impact the student’s overall evaluation of the course and the instructor are also presented in Table 1. Students who currently experience technology in the classroom would rate a course less favorably if the technology were removed (mean above the neutral 3. and statistically diff erent from the neutral 3. 0). However, the impact on the students’ ratings of the instructor appears to be neutral under the loss of technology scenario. Table 2 shows the results for the surveys given in the classes in which the instructor indicated that he/she did not use technology moderately or extensively. Those surveys then asked the students to share their thoughts regarding how the addition of technology would impact the how they behaved in the course. There were 183 usable surveys returned from this set of classes.The mean for every question was below the neutral response of â€Å"3,† which suggests that students thought that those courses that did not presently use technology could be improved by the addition of it; a lower mean again reflects a more positive impact. The responses given by the students in the courses that did not include a technology component indicated that its addition of technology would have a positive impact (mean less than and significa ntly different than the neutral response) for all questions except two, i. e. he amount of interaction with the instructor outside of class and the students’ desire to take more classes in the subject matter. These results The impact of classroom technology, Page 5 Journal of Technology Research suggest that in the opinion of the students, the addition of technology would have an overall positive impact on their behavior. The addition of technology would, according to the students, have the most positive impact on the students’ appreciation for the instructor’s effort, the amount the students learn from the course, and the quality of the notes that the students take.According to both Tables 1 and 2, the amount of interaction that students have with the instructor outside of class is technology â€Å"neutral† as the mean was close to â€Å"3† for both versions of the survey. Results of the two questions pertaining to how the addition of technology t o a course that does not currently use it would impact the student’s overall evaluation of the course and the instructor are presented in Table 2 as well. The responses were positive (mean less than the neutral response of 3. and statistically different from the neutral response of 3. 0). These results suggest that the prospect of including technology in the classroom environment appears to increase the likelihood that students would perceive both the course and the instructor in a more favorable light. In addition to comparing the means for each version of the survey to a neutral response of â€Å"3,† the means for each version can be compared to each other. In Table 3, the first set of data (i. e. the left side) shows the results for the surveys given in the classes in which the instructor indicated that he/she used technology moderately or extensively, with the students being asked how the removal of technology would impact their behavior. The second set of data (i. e. , the right side) shows the results for the surveys given in the classes in which the instructor indicated that he/she did not use technology moderately or extensively, with the students being asked how the addition of technology would influence their behavior.Responses from those students in classrooms that currently used technology (left set) appeared to suggest a relatively neutral impact on the students’ evaluation of the instructor if technology were withdrawn (mean close to 3. 0), but a slightly more negative (mean above 3. 0) response to the evaluation of the course if technology were withdrawn [see Table 1]. Students who were in class that did not currently use technology (right set) indicated that the addition of the technology would improve their evaluation of both the course and the instructor (mean below 3. 0) [see Table 2].As might be expected given the different results reported in the first two tables, the differences between the two groups were statistical ly significant for some of the variables as reported in Table 3. Students appear to want technology in the classroom and that desire appears to be reflected in the overall evaluation of the course and instructor. As Table 3 illustrates, students who are not currently exposed to technology in the classroom generally responded more favorably to the prospect of adding the technology than did students who imagined the technology being withdrawn.Eleven of the 17 questions reflected statistically significant differences (? < 0. 050) in the mean responses between the two groups. In other words, students who currently experience technology in the classroom gave significantly different responses from those who currently did not have technology in the classroom. The questions that reflected statistically significant differences are noted with an â€Å"*† in Table 3.For those questions in which a statistically significant difference between the two groups was observed, responses from st udents who currently do not experience the use of technology in the classroom reflected more positive mean responses to the addition of technology usage than did their counterparts who might experience the withdrawal of technology in the classroom. The six items that did not generate statistically significant differences between the two survey groups were as follows: †¢ Amount of time you study for class each day. †¢ Amount of time you study for exams and quizzes.The impact of classroom technology, Page 6 Journal of Technology Research †¢ Quantity of notes. †¢ Overall attendance. †¢ Amount of interaction with the instructor during class. †¢ Amount of interaction with the instructor outside of class. These results suggest that student perceptions of these six items are â€Å"technology neutral. † In other words, the addition of technology where it is currently not used or the loss of technology where it is used is not perceived to have a meaningfu l impact on the amount of time students study, the quantity of notes they take, their attendance, or their interaction with the instructor.In contrast for nine of the eleven items marked with an â€Å"*† in Table 3, technology appears to have a positive impact because the loss of technology (left side) has a mean greater than â€Å"3† (negative impact) and the addition of technology (right side) has a mean less than â€Å"3† (positive impact). Therefore, according to the comparison of the two samples, technology has meaningful impact on student preparation for class, attentiveness, quality of notes taken, student participation in class, student learning, desire to take additional classes from the instructor or in the subject matter, and the overall evaluation of the course and the instructor.The student response to one question [student’s appreciation of instructor effort] is more problematic. In each group student responses suggested a change from the ex isting situation might be viewed more positively than maintaining the status quo, and each group reflected responses that were significantly different from a neutral response on this question [see Tables 1 and 2].Although each group responded more positively than neutral to this question, students in the group without technology for whom it was suggested technology might be added responded more positively than did the students who were asked to imagine a class in which the technology might be withdrawn. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that adding technology to courses where it is not currently used is likely to have a positive impact on student perceptions of the instructor and the course as well as on most aspects of student behavior.However, it interesting to note that removing technology from courses that already use it would not appear to have a negative impact on all aspects of student behavior. For example, removal of technology from a course might, ac cording to student responses, have a positive impact on the amount of time they study for class each day, the amount of time they study for exams and quizzes, the quantity of notes they take, their overall attendance for the class, and their appreciation for the instructor’s effort.However, removal of technology from a course that currently utilizes it would be viewed negatively in terms of the overall evaluation of the course, the students’ attentiveness in class, the amount the students learn from class, the students’ desire to take additional classes from the particular instructor, and the students’ desire to take additional classes in the subject matter. Comparison of the loss of technology in a course that currently uses it versus the addition of technology to a course that does not use it suggests that there are certain aspects which are â€Å"technology neutral. In other words, the addition of technology where it is currently not used or the loss of technology where it is used is not perceived to have a meaningful impact on the amount of time students study, the quantity of notes they take, their attendance, or their interaction with the instructor. In contrast, technology appears to have a meaningful impact on student preparation for class, attentiveness, quality of notes taken, student participation in class, The impact of classroom technology, Page 7Journal of Technology Research student learning, desire to take additional classes from the instructor or in the subject matter, and the overall evaluation of the course and the instructor. The research is not meant to determine how effective technology was in helping students learn or which technology might be most effective. Rather, this research focuses on student perceptions or opinions regarding technology usage and how adding technology to a course that does not use it or eliminating technology from a course that does use it might impact a student’s perception of the course or the faculty member as well as his/her behavior.These results suggest that students taking business classes at this Midwestern University perceive that technology use in the classroom does indeed have an overall positive impact. While technological enhancement may not necessarily be appropriate for all classroom situations and all subject matter, these results suggest that instructors who are comfortable using technology and find that it enhances their teaching experience should continue to incorporate it in their classes. Those who do, however, must remember technology for what it is – a tool which can have a positive impact on student behaviors and perceptions when used appropriately.LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH There are several limitations to the present study. The results were drawn from data collected from students enrolled in business courses at a single Midwestern University and, therefore, the results may not be generalized to hold for different popul ations such as nonbusiness students or students at universities in other parts of the country or even the world. Further analysis is presently underway that considers the impact of the addition of technology to a course that does not use it or the removal of technology from a course that does use it on a student’s perception of instructor effectiveness.In addition, while this particular research focuses on student perceptions of technology use, the ultimate goal of technology integration in the classroom should be to help students learn. Therefore, further research to help to identify which technology uses are most educationally meaningful would help educators to make informed decisions regarding the plethora of technology tools available for the classroom today. Gaining a better understanding of student expectations regarding technology use for students of different ages would also be useful information.Another avenue of future research, which could only occur subsequent to the two avenues previously mentioned, would be a study of whether student perceptions are congruent with the use of technology tools that are found to be most effective in advancing student learning. The impact of classroom technology, Page 8 Journal of Technology Research Table 1 Comparison of Student Responses Relative to a Neutral Response for the Impact on Personal Behavior of the Loss of Technology Where It is Now Used Expected Effect of the Loss of Technology Std testN Mean Dev stat Alpha The level of your preparation for each class session. 72 3. 032 0. 968 0. 643 0. 521 The amount of time you study for class each day. * 373 2. 831 0. 843 3. 870 0. 000 The amount of time you study for exams and 373 2. 721 0. 960 5. 608 0. 000 quizzes. * Your attentiveness in class. * 372 3. 228 1. 197 3. 682 0. 000 The quantity of notes you take. * 372 2. 769 1. 324 3. 368 0. 001 The quality of notes you take. 373 3. 078 1. 302 1. 153 0. 250 Your level of participation in class discussions. 3 72 3. 043 0. 895 0. 927 0. 355 Your overall attendance for the class. * 373 2. 788 0. 823 4. 967 0. 000 The amount of your interaction with the instructor during class. 73 2. 976 0. 824 0. 565 0. 572 The amount of interaction with the instructor outside 373 3. 005 0. 846 0. 122 0. 903 of class. The amount you learn from class. * 373 3. 231 1. 090 4. 084 0. 000 Your appreciation for the instructor’s effort. * 372 2. 849 1. 038 2. 798 0. 005 Your appreciation for the importance of the material. 373 2. 960 0. 925 0. 840 0. 402 Your desire to take additional classes from the particular instructor. * 374 3. 112 0. 981 2. 213 0. 028 Your desire to take additional classes in the subject matter. * 374 3. 104 0. 916 2. 202 0. 028 Your overall evaluation of this course. * 372 3. 290 1. 62 5. 271 0. 000 Your overall evaluation of this instructor. 372 3. 048 1. 008 0. 926 0. 355 Note : Questions with statistically significant differences between mean responses and an expected neutral res ponse [3. 0] are marked with an â€Å"*†. The impact of classroom technology, Page 9 Journal of Technology Research Table 2 Comparison of Student Responses Relative to a Neutral Response for the Impact on Personal Behavior of the Addition of Technology Where It Is Not Used Expected Effect of the Addition of Technology Std testN Mean Dev stat alpha The level of your preparation for each class session. * 183 2. 601 0. 83 6. 112 0. 000 The amount of time you study for class each day. * 183 2. 820 0. 822 2. 967 0. 003 The amount of time you study for exams and quizzes. * 183 2. 634 0. 860 5. 762 0. 000 Your attentiveness in class. * 183 2. 634 1. 111 4. 460 0. 000 The quantity of notes you take. * 183 2. 743 1. 202 2. 891 0. 004 The quality of notes you take. * 183 2. 557 1. 179 5. 077 0. 000 Your level of participation in class discussions. * 183 2. 814 0. 776 3. 238 0. 001 Your overall attendance for the class. * 183 2. 689 0. 959 4. 395 0. 000 The amount of your interaction wi th the instructor during class. * 183 2. 891 0. 41 1. 996 0. 047 The amount of interaction with the instructor outside of class. 183 2. 962 0. 615 0. 842 0. 401 The amount you learn from class. * 183 2. 563 1. 040 5. 684 0. 000 Your appreciation for the instructor’s effort. * 183 2. 546 1. 004 6. 113 0. 000 Your appreciation for the importance of the material. * 183 2. 590 0. 890 6. 227 0. 000 Your desire to take additional classes from the particular instructor. * 182 2. 747 0. 929 3. 668 0. 000 Your desire to take additional classes in the subject matter. 182 2. 901 0. 848 1. 573 0. 117 Your overall evaluation of this course. * 182 2. 571 1. 031 5. 605 0. 00 Your overall evaluation of this instructor. * 182 2. 582 0. 976 5. 775 0. 000 Note : Questions with statistically significant differences between mean responses and an expected neutral response [3. 0] are marked with an â€Å"*†. The impact of classroom technology, Page 10 Journal of Technology Research Table 3 C omparison of Responses to Questions about Student Behavior for the Impact of the Loss of Technology Where It is Now Used (Left Set) versus the Addition of Technology in Classes Where It is Not Used (Right Set) Expected Effect of Expected Effect of the Loss of the Addition of Technology Technology N Mean Std Dev N Mean Std Dev alphaThe level of your preparation for each class session. * The amount of time you study for class each day. The amount of time you study for exams and quizzes. Your attentiveness in class. * The quantity of notes you take. The quality of notes you take. * Your level of participation in class discussions. * Your overall attendance for the class. The amount of your interaction with the instructor during class. The amount of interaction with the instructor outside of class. The amount you learn from class. * Your appreciation for the instructor’s effort. Your appreciation for the importance of the material. * Your desire to take additional classes from th e instructor. * Your desire to take additional classes in the subject matter. * Your overall evaluation of this course. * 372 373 373 372 372 373 372 373 373 373 373 372 373 374 374 372 3. 03 2. 83 2. 72 3. 23 2. 77 3. 08 3. 04 2. 79 2. 98 3. 01 3. 23 2. 85 2. 96 3. 11 3. 10 3. 29 0. 97 0. 84 0. 96 1. 20 1. 32 1. 30 0. 90 0. 82 0. 82 0. 85 1. 09 1. 04 0. 93 0. 98 0. 92 1. 06 183 183 183 183 183 183 183 183 183 183 183 183 183 182 182 182 2. 60 2. 82 2. 63 2. 63 2. 74 2. 56 2. 1 2. 69 2. 89 2. 96 2. 56 2. 55 2. 59 2. 75 2. 90 2. 57 0. 88 0. 82 0. 86 1. 11 1. 20 1. 18 0. 78 0. 96 0. 74 0. 61 1. 04 1. 00 0. 89 0. 93 0. 85 1. 03 0. 000 0. 880 0. 298 0. 000 0. 825 0. 000 0. 003 0. 205 0. 237 0. 534 0. 000 0. 001 0. 000 0. 000 0. 012 0. 000 Your overall evaluation of this instructor. * 372 3. 05 1. 01 182 2. 58 0. 98 0. 000 Note : Questions with statistically significant differences in the mean responses between the two groups are marked with an â€Å"*†. 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The impact of classroom technology, Page 12 Journal of Technology Research APPENDIX Demographic Information for Undergraduate Students in the Sample Technology = Technology Used; Impact of the Absence of Technology No Technology = Technology Not Used; Impact of the Addition of Technology Major for Undergraduate Students in Sample Technology No Technology (N = 329) (N = 155) Accounting 19% 15% Economics Finance Health Service Administration Management Marketing Business Undeclared Other – Non-business 5% 8% 8% 26% 13% 14% 7% 5% 13% 8% 23% 8% 18% 10%Year for Undergraduate Students in Sample Technology No Technology (N = 329) (N = 155) Freshman 18% 3% Sophomore Junior Senior 22% 32% 28% 52% 23% 22% ?2 tests for differences in the distribution of majors between the two groups and for differences in the distribution of undergraduate years did not reject the null hypothesis.It was assumed there were no significant differences in the distribution of undergraduate majors or in the distribution of students in terms of academic progress when comparing the two groups. Technology (N = 329) Female Male Student gender 40% 60% No Technology (N = 155) Female Male 49% 51% A test of proportions suggested no significant difference in the proportion of female to male students when comparing the two groups included in this study. The impact of classroom technology, Page 13