Thursday, October 31, 2019

Affects of globalisation on children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Affects of globalisation on children - Essay Example For a child a happy home is the heaven on the earth. It turns to the saddest part of life when they are left as orphans on the street for no fault of theirs. Parents are no able provide essentialities whether physically or mentally through all the corners of the world as the world is a small global village.The surrounding environment to which the child gets exposed could mould their attitudes. And this can be highly influenced by globalisation through various options. Their communication levels, their capabilities, their positive traits and their negative qualities can be monitored, and rectified with all the security.If a child has a special diseases and needs some group of blood or bone marrow or any thing else or any serious health query it can be placed on the net and it is a global news within no time and there is more than 90% of chance that the problem could be solved. An organization for drought hit children has opened site on the net to collect relief funds through email and it successfully collected lot of funds. But all this is possible only to those who are rich. What about the poor families who cannot afford a computer or have enough knowledge to help themselves to come out of the problematic situations So the globalisation is justifying only the rich and catering their needs. Health is wealth and the proverb is but for those who don't have wealth may die for medicine when seriously ill. Also World Health Organisation conducts health check-up camps and often helps out the needy. One thing can be appreciated; these camps have eradicated to a great extent as much as 90% the Polio among children by giving Polio drops freely to all. Present dreadful disease Aids, which is affecting children, are experiencing a very secluded life. The health camp organizations are providing them dormitories but still a global awareness is needed to protect children falling prey to such diseases that are infectious. Those who don't opt for family planning are providing very poor quality of life for their unlimited children. Education Standards Poor standard may result in a poor talent of the youth. So the young generation needs a good standard of education for them to shine in the fields that they are interested. They are kept in good disciplined and are imbibed good habits, a good friends circle and a good social life. But too much long hours of dedication towards school and study hours can be cause for their stress and strain that they don't deserve. Financial Access Those whose have a special interest for child's development can go for loans and other sources and schemes which are specially meant for children's education and marriage in insurance companies and trusts etc. and also some government policies for girl child's education and marriage. Modern technology Children use computers for video games with lot of interest and enthusiasm. And recently World Games Authorities, which conducts competitions annually. They also use Internet and many electronic toys, which needs some intelligence. Children are also given computer education right from the school days. Ideal childhood This is the period have no care and anxiety. They must get something to eat, something to wear and something to enjoy. Child hood is the best part of any ones life. One is the monarch and every one fall at the beck and call. The lovely tricks of childhood, the innocence, the obedient attitude, the devotion for parents, elders and gurus all come from a

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Rooms Division Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rooms Division Operations Management - Essay Example oup of customers of a Company, who are willing to pay distinct set of prices for that specific perishable and same resource owned by a Company, and thus, it can increase or maximize its overall revenue base   (Airlines, 2014). Moreover, a revenue management is quite different from yield management in a way that it specifically targets revenue expansion and its expansion with the effective management of Company’s inventory capacity, prices of its products and customer demands. However, a company with the help of revenue management, especially room divisions and operations management enterprises, on a consistent basis can lead to achieve their revenue targets in shortest possible time span. As, the basic component of revenue management is the understanding the wide variety of customer behavior related to the Companies product and then accordingly, applies the researched data of customers in such a way that the management could form a group of customers for their same range of products, in order to charge different rates and tariff for such products from them as per their set criteria and thus, in this manner not only the overall market of the business would be extended, but it will also able to enhan ce its revenue structure as well (Netessine and Shumsky, 2002). In addition, the perfect application of yield management and room management in room service industry could be applied with the help of introduction of some group promotional schemes on reservations of multiple rooms, offering discounts on repeat business from regular customer, and etc. All in all, with the help of yield management, the overall occupancy of rooms in a room’s service industry can be effectively managed, control and thus maximizes its overall revenue earning aspects. The room’s service and operations management enterprises could enhance their revenue earnings to the maximum level, with the help of following possible sales techniques to attract the wide range of customer; Welcoming the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Why Science is Difficult to Learn

Why Science is Difficult to Learn Johnstone (1991) confirms that science was once easy to learn and teach. This was a time before modern scientific advancements when everything was clearly defined and separated into distinct sections and no learner was asked to apply their knowledge to an abstract situation. But Johnstone asks: Was this science? There seems to be an inherent idea held within society that science is difficult to learn. This essay will highlight some of the barriers to learning science and address why the idea is held that science is difficult to learn; it will then progress to identify some strategies which could be used in order to lower these barriers and make science more accessible. Part One Why can science be difficult to learn? Through classroom observations and wider reading it is apparent that there are many different barriers to learning science. These barriers can be due to many different factors; cognitive development, practical, financial and psycho-social; especially motivation and relevance of the subject material. Appendix 1 shows the 10 hardest GCSEs ranking chemistry, physics and biology as 7, 8 and 9 respectively. The research shows that the sciences are difficult to learn when compared to other subjects studied at the same level; but why is this the case? Cognitive demand In 1956 Benjamin Bloom proposed a hierarchy of educational objectives which ordered cognitive processes from simple to higher order thinking skills (Capel et al, 2009, p.254). The taxonomic pyramid (Appendix 2) shows knowledge retention as the basic foundation for higher order cognitive ability with analysis, synthesis and evaluation shown as high level skills. It should be noted that within science, knowledge retention and understanding, although low on the hierarchy, can involve a great deal of information for learners to process. For example when learners start secondary school at 11 years old they are introduced to scientific equipment they have never seen before and have no idea what it is called. Yet they need to be able to recall the name of apparatus and understand their uses within a practical investigation. Science lessons in many secondary school settings aim to incorporate as much practical as possible in order to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. This type of investigative learning requires the learners to access and use higher cognitive skills such as analysis and evaluation hence making the requirements of the lesson much more difficult. It is the conclusion and evaluation of investigative work that is the most valuable in assisting pupil progress yet inevitably the most difficult and challenging. From this it is evident that higher order cognitive skills are required and used much more frequently in science than in many other subjects hence making it more difficult. Jean Piagets cognitive development theory (1963) linked a childs maturation with cognitive ability. Capel et al (2009, p.254) states: He saw intellectual and moral development as sequential with the child moving through stages of thinking driven by an internal need to understand the world. In a secondary school science lesson, based on Piagets development theory, it would be appropriate for the teacher to assume that the learners would be in one of the final two stages: concrete operational or formal operational. You can see from the diagram in Appendix 3 that the concrete operational phase covers from 7-11 years old and suggests that learners can think logically; at 11 years old they can then apply their ideas to abstract situations and become concerned about the future. If you were to assume that all learners followed these stages in the rigid format implied, then it would be correct to assume that all learners in a year 7 class would be able to use logical thought processes yet their ability to apply their logic to new abstract situations and make hypothesises would still be quite limited. This causes problems with learning the Key Stage 3 (KS3) science curriculum as it is full of abstract ideas which do not follow the learners logical thought processes. There are more abstract ideas in science than in any other subject and if learners are not yet in the final stages of cognitive development suggested by Piaget, they are going to find the context very difficult indeed. Learners in the concrete operational stage of development are going to experience barriers to their learning when their logical cognitive abilities are challenged by new abstract ideas. This conflict between different thought processes and accepting that their logical reasoning is in fact incorrect can be damaging and prevent further progress in their immediate learning. It takes time to teach abstract ideas and this is even more of a challenge if your learners do not reach the final stage of development. Piagets stages of development are rigid and somewhat flawed when applied to a real classroom setting where you can have 30 year 7 pupils all at varying levels of cognitive ability. Teachers will always have learners in their class who have progressed through the stages very quickly and have their own ideas and thoughts about many different abstract situations. On the other hand there will be pupils in the class who may never fully complete the final stage of development. The use of correct scientific language is difficult as learners may, through their own life experiences, hold different meanings for scientific words. These are known as heteronyms; words that have a different meaning in one context and then another in a scientific context. These alternative meanings make understanding more difficult, especially for learners where English is not their first language. It also means that learners can struggle to accept the scientific meaning hence making their learning more difficult. Research carried out in America by Sruggs and Mastropieri (1993 cited by Sullenger, n.d) indicated that over 750 scientific words were introduced from kindergarten through to sixth grade, and the story is no different in Europe. Science is a subject of high cognitive demand; learners will struggle to be successful in the subject if they are unable to access higher thinking and communication skills. If learners lack the vocabulary to share their scientific observations and explain their ideas they are going to underachieve; not through lack of understanding but through poor literacy. When relating these ideas regarding literacy and language to Piagets theory it can be noted that learners should be able to use language to represent objects during the pre-operational stage which is experienced from 2-7 years old. The abundance of difficult words used in science means that learners need to have well developed language skills and could experience a setback in their cognitive development. They need to do this whilst teachers are also expecting them to think logically and apply ideas to abstract situations. It is a lot to ask of an 11 year old especially one who is already behind in terms of their cognitive development. Osborne (1996, p274 cited by Henderson and Wellington, 1998) says of learning physics that it is: more akin to the learning of a foreign language than it is to the learning of historical facts. This is equally true of the other sciences. Everyone it seems considers science to be a practical subject but fail to realise the complexity of the language which needs to be learnt in the first instance. Orey (2010) discusses the educational implications of Piagets theory. They stress the importance of the consistency between the content of the lesson and the developmental stage of the learner. They also state that opportunities should be provided to allow learners of different developmental stages to work together. I have seen this method used in secondary school; it is called challenge groups and works well to allow learners to scaffold each others learning. This idea is also given strong focus by the work carried out by Vygotsky. Vygotsky (1962) believes in the importance of a Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in order to develop higher level thinking skills. The ZPD is the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (Vygotsky, 1978 cited by Chaiklin et al, 2003 p.39). Please see Appendix 4 for a visual representation of Vygotskys theory. The work of Vygotsky highlighted the importance of talking, and research in the UK has highlighted its importance to learning (Capel, 2009). Communication is the essence of the socio-cultural experience when students are learning and problem solving. Through language and culture, teachers and students negotiate meaning (Connell and Charles, n.d). Vygotsky strongly believed that talking and socialisation facilitate higher order thinking skills; however the idea of requiring full social interaction in order to learn can become problematic when trying to apply the ideas in the average secondary school science lesson. Group work can easily take place in small, safe classrooms with small class sizes however when there is only one teacher to over 30 learners in a science lab this can become much more difficult. It can become even less practical during experiments and investigations where health and safety is of upmost importance. It is clear from the analysis of these three different learning theories that the content of the science National Curriculum requires learners to use higher level cognitive skills in order to learn and achieve in the subject. These skills can take a long time to develop and learners need a lot of practice before they become competent high level thinkers and have the language skills necessary to access higher cognitive skills such as analysis and evaluation. In is also clear that social interaction is very important however in practice it can be limited in a laboratory especially when class sizes are large. Practical and financial barriers Based on personal observations, and discussions with staff from various secondary schools, it is clear that some science departments are limited in their delivery of the National Curriculum based on the availability of equipment/ resources and their cost. This can have an impact on the quality of teaching and learning which can take place and therefore support the idea that science is difficult to learn. It is beneficial for learners to experience science within a laboratory not only for safety and practical reasons but also to help pupils put science into a real-life context and help with understanding of the relevance of the subject. It is not a surprise however that fitting laboratories is very costly as is replacing old equipment and replenishing resources for use in practical investigations. Laboratories not only require the usual resources provided in a normal classroom such as interactive whiteboards and a teacher computer, which are very costly, they also require specialist desks and stools, an isolated gas, electricity and water supply, fume cupboards and space; space for the equipment, space for the large class sizes and most of all space so learners can work safely. The question is can learners still experience an outstanding lesson and learn science when not in a laboratory. I would say that a huge amount of appropriate learning can take place outside of the laboratory if good technology is available; however learners need to experience scientific theories in context in order to develop and confirm their own ideas. For example it is very easy to teach the structure of the heart in an ordinary classroom and learners will be able to repeat the knowledge in an exam; but give a learner a heart to dissect and suddenly their understanding is much greater. Another barrier to learning in science can be the availability of specialist staff such as lab technicians. As with everything extra staff comes at a cost but it is essential to have well trained, experienced technicians if the department is going to deliver science in such a way that is conducive to learning. Technicians are of upmost importance when it comes to delivering practical lessons. Teachers would not be able to deliver their lesson effectively if it was not for the vital support offered by the technicians. If there is not enough money available to employ technicians then there would be a massive impact on learning. In these times of financial difficulty there needs to be a balance between where cuts are made in order to have the least impact on learning. A huge barrier to learning can be caused by the teacher themselves. If the teacher lacks confidence in their abilities, has poor subject knowledge and is not effective in their transmission of information then the content of the lesson is going to be even more difficult to learn. Teaching science is a demanding job with most teachers expected to teach across four disciplines at KS3 (biology, chemistry, physics and earth sciences) and at least 2 disciplines at KS4. To be competent in all these areas and to be competent in their delivery requires great cognitive ability and perseverance. Effective teachers in the future will need to deal with a climate of continual change (McBer, 2000, p.4). Research carried out by McBer (2000) on behalf of the DfEE found that there were 3 main factors linked to the effectiveness of the teacher which influenced learning and progress: teaching skills, professional characteristics and classroom climate. The research identified that effective teachers use their professional knowledge in order to use appropriate and effective teaching skills effectively and consistently, successfully apply subject knowledge and incorporate the use of the national numeracy and literacy strategies. It is again made clear from the research that science is a very difficult subject to teach consistently to an outstanding level; made more difficult than other subjects by its diverse nature and large content across the 4 disciplines. This raises the question: is science difficult to learn because of poor teaching, or because the teachers have so much content to cover with potentially little resources at their disposal? Psycho-social barriers Due to the continuous variation of social context within a classroom environment learners are frequently involved in unfamiliar learning situations (Boekaerts, 2002). In some learners this creates a sense of challenge; for others it causes uncertainty and some level of distress. Boekaerts (2002, p.8) states that: Students try to make sense of novel learning situations by referring to their motivational beliefs. Motivational beliefs refer to the opinions, judgements and values that students hold about objects, events or subject-matter domains. The research she carried out found that motivational beliefs can result from a range of different experiences: direct learning, observation, verbal statements by teacher, parents of peers and social comparisons. As a teacher you can have a vast range of different abilities within your class; ability can have a direct impact on the motivation of the learner. It is quite often found that higher ability students show greater self-motivation to learn than their peers who have special educational needs or struggle with certain subjects. It is important that as a teacher to know the motivational level of your students and encourage those who lack motivation to be more engaged in the lesson. It is important to know which learners have developed unfavourable motivational beliefs about a topic as this can greatly impact on their learning. Another barrier which contributes to a lack of motivation is the learners perception that the science topic is not of relevance to them. If a learner can see how the topic is of relevance to them or to their future aspirations or even if they just consider it useful they will definitely be more motivated to learn; therefore a teacher must consider the relevance of a topic to their learners and if necessary find an innovative way to make it relevant. Staver (2007, p17) states: Cognitive learning theory emphasizes the importance of learning something new by relating it to things that are already meaningful and familiar. Science teachers must remember that their own intrinsic motivation to learn science is likely not shared by many of their students, whose motivation is more likely activated instrumentally, by connecting science to things that are already familiar and important to them. It is especially important to motivate females in science as they often find it more difficult to find relevance in the topic especially when studying physics. It is important that teachers set high expectations for learning as this will directly influence that learning (Staver, 2007). It is important that expectations are high for all students regardless of their gender, background or cognitive ability; special educational needs or gifted and talented. Part 2: What can Science teachers do to help? Past surveys have found that Some 51% of teenagers think science lessons are boring, confusing or difficult (BBC News Online, 2005). This view has not changed and research is showing that if anything learners are finding science more difficult and do not recognise its importance or relevance to everyday life. Todays teenagers are the scientists of tomorrow so things need to change in order to make science more accessible and enjoyable for all. Lowering the language barrier The correct and appropriate use of language is important across the curriculum regardless of the subject. In Part One literacy and language were highlighted as a barrier to learning due to the complexities of its use in a scientific context. Henderson and Wellington (SSR. 1998 p.35) quote from the science national curriculum: Pupils should be taught to express themselves clearly in both speech and writing and to develop their reading skills. They should be taught to use grammatically correct sentences and to spell and punctuate in order to communicate effectively. This was interpreted and adapted by the QCA to state that pupils should be taught to use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe and explain the behaviour of living things, materials, and processes. Vygotsky highlights the importance of talking and listening as part of socialisation to facilitate higher order thinking skills. It has been highlighted that it is important to let learners speak not only to the teacher but to each other, and learn through speaking (Henderson and Wellington, 1998). Learners must be provided with opportunities to communicate and collaborate with their peers in order to explore their own ideas on a certain topic (Henderson and Wellington, 1998) as well as develop their language skills. Discussion-based learning is important in developing the learner not only in a science lesson but also socially. This helps to lower the language barrier as learners gain a lot from their peers who can usually word complex scientific concepts in a simple way a teacher never could. Some learners will not like this style of teaching and will find it embarrassing to talk to their peers even if in small groups rather than to the whole class. It is important that the teacher facilitates the discussion and thinks carefully about the groups. It would be useful to group learners based on their abilities as mentioned in Part One using a method observed called challenge groups. A great deal of science teaching involves the teacher telling and there is little opportunity for pupil talk. How can we be sure that the class have understood the science if they are given no chance to discuss, exchange ideas, or interpret? (Henderson and Wellington, 1998 p.36). Grouping pupils of varying abilities in order to discuss different scientific concepts helps to scaffold the learning of weaker pupils and secure the knowledge of the more able pupils. It is important that the teacher ensures the correct terminology and language is used which can sometimes be difficult especially in a laboratory where seating arrangements are not always ideal for group/class discussions. For lower ability groups who struggle with literacy it is important to use other strategies to ensure they are able to fully access the content of the lesson. The teacher could use visual representations of the words in order to assist understanding. They could use diagrams to show methods rather than a list of words if the learners struggle to read and use wordmats and glossaries to help support the learners in their written work and spellings. It is important that the spelling of key terms is addressed consistently and is a cross-curricula responsibility for all staff. Developing thinking skills From reading and applying the learning theories in Part One and based on my observation in school it is apparent that many secondary school learners are behind in their cognitive development and will struggle to access higher cognitive skills in lessons. Focussing on methods to improve critical thinking skills and problem solving skills highlighted by Blooms Taxonomy is important in order for learners to gain confidence and competence in their scientific knowledge and understanding. Ideally these skills need to be written within the scheme of work for each topic and the best way to improve these skills is through investigation and problem solving tasks. This can have an impact on lesson time available to cover all of the content but is a crucial factor which needs to be accounted for. Without developing these crucial thinking skills at KS3 learners are going to struggle to access the more demanding content covered at KS4. It would be ideal if these skills were covered across all subjects however different departments may have different delivery techniques which could cause further confusion. In order to address the development of thinking skills a new initiative emerged in 1995 called Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE). The intervention was based partly on the theories of Piaget; it was designed to accelerate development so that pupils progress from concrete thinking to formal operational thinking by the end of the two-year programme (Jones and Gott 1998). The programme was aimed at year 7 and 8 pupils who were previously identified as vulnerable in terms of cognitive ability. Please see Appendix 5 which details the five stages of the CASE approach. The stages encourage learners to use discussion to resolve cognitive conflicts and reflect on their own thinking before applying their new ideas to abstract contexts. It is easy to see the influence of Vygotsky as well as Piaget in the application of CASE. A very important part of the intervention is giving learners time to think before they answer. All too often teacher expects an immediate answer therefore not allowing learners time to process any new information. The principles of CASE have also seen success in both English and Maths (Angus Council, 2001). The results clearly show an improvement in the attainment of pupils who received CASE intervention however the results also show that females benefit from an earlier intervention than boys (Shayer 1999); this could have huge implications for policy in mixed gender schools. The fact that this intervention appears to have been used in only the core subjects: science, English and maths, appears to reinforce the view that these subjects are more difficult to learn as they require higher order thinking skills and intervention to achieve them. Over the past 17 years CASE has helped learners to overcome the demands of the content of the science National Curriculum. In schools where CASE was applied up to 25% higher grades were seen in English, maths and science when compared with non-CASE schools (Shayer 2000). Conclusion It is clear that the teaching and learning of science is difficult due to the high cognitive skills which are required in order to understand the subject content and apply knowledge to answer questions on abstract situations. The language skills required in order to access these higher skills in science cause a barrier to learning along with other barriers such as a lack of motivation from learners who cannot see the relevance of science in their everyday lives. Applying the learning theories of Bloom, Piaget and Vygotsky can help schools to employ strategies to try to overcome these barriers. It is important that interventions such as CASE continue to be used as well as other strategies to encourage the uptake of science based subjects in further education especially by females. Science is difficult to learn; however this makes the sense of achievement, both as a teacher and a learner, even greater. Word Count: 3,999 References: Angus Council (2001) Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education. Monifieth High School, Angus. Last accessed on 28th December 2012 from http://www.cognitiveacceleration.co. uk/documents /ca_stories /secondary/developing_science_in_KS3.pdf Atherton, J. S., (2011) Learning and Teaching; Piagets developmental theory [Online] last accessed on 27 December 2012 from http://www.learningandteaching.info /learning/piaget.htm BBC News, 2005. Science dull and hard, pupils say. [Online] (Last updated 16th June 2005). Last accessed on 28 December 2012 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/ education/4100936.stm. Boekaerts, M., (2002). Motivation to learn. Educational practices-10. International Bureau of Education. Available at http://www.ibe.unesco.org. Capel, S., Leask, M., and Turner, T., (2009) Learning to Teach in the Secondary School. 5th Ed. Oxon: Routledge Chaiklin, S., (2003) Vygotskys educational theory in cultural context, Chapter 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Henderson, J., and Wellington, J., (1998) Lowering the language barrier in learning and teaching science. [pdf] School Science Review, 79(288). Last accessed on 28th December 2012 from https://www.ase.org.uk/journals//1998/3//SSR288Mar1998p25.pdf Johnstone, A. H., (1991), Why is science difficult to learn? Things are seldom what they seem. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 7, 75-83. Jones, M., and Gott, R., (1998): Cognitive acceleration through science education: alternative perspectives. International Journal of Science Education, 20:7, 755-768. McBer, H., (2000) Research into Teacher Effectiveness, A Model of Teacher Effectiveness. DfEE Research Report No216. Last accessed on 27th December 2012 from https://www.education.gov.uk/ publications/ eOrderingDownload/RR216.pdf. Orey, M., (2010). Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching and Technology. Switzerland: The Global Text Project. Retrieved from http://textbookequity.com/oct/Textbooks /Orey_ Emergin_Perspectives_Learning.pdf on 27th December 2012. Richardson, K., (n.d) Cognitive Development and Learning [online]. Last accessed on 27th December 2012 from midnightmelody.pbworks.com. Shayer, M., (1999) Cognitive acceleration through science education II: its effects and scope, International Journal of Science Education, 21:8, 883-902. Shayer, M., (2000) GCSE 1999: Added Value from schools adopting CASE intervention. Centre for the Advancement of Thinking, Kings College, London. Staver, J. R., (2007). Teaching Science. Educational practices-17. International Bureau of Education. Available at http://www.ibe.unesco.org Sullenger, K., (n.d) Fostering Higher Levels of Scientific Literacy: Confronting Potential Barriers to Science Understanding .University of New Brunswick. Appendix 1: Image taken from http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/languages-are-the-hardest-gcses-research-finds-13423306.html Appendix 2: Image taken from http://www.bio.unc.edu/Courses/2009Summer/Biol202/ Appendix 3: Image taken from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/piaget.htm Appendix 4: Image taken from http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/omcadre6/BookProject/vygotsky.htm Appendix 5: Image taken from http://www.cognitiveacceleration.co.uk/documents/ca_stories /secondary/developing_science_in_KS3.pdf Bibliography Anon (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Book 1, Cognitive domain [online]. Last accessed on 27th December 2012 from http://centeach.uiowa.Edu/materials/Taxonomy%20of%20 Education%20Objectives.pdf Cimer, A., (2012) What makes biology learning difficult and effective: Students views. Educational Research and Reviews Vol. 7(3), pp. 61-71. Last accessed on 27th December 2012 from http://www.academicjournals.org/ERR Jenkins, E. W., (2000) Changing science teachers work: a question of professionalism. School Science Review 81(297). Last accessed on 27th December 2012 from https://www.ase.org.uk/journals Palmer, A. J., (2001). Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education: From Piaget to the Present. London: Routlledge. Appendix 1 10 hardest GCSEs 1. Latin 2. German 3. Spanish 4. French 5. Statistics 6. Vocational engineering 7. Chemistry 8. Physics 9. Biology 10. IT Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Stages of Cognitive Development Stage Characterised by Sensori-motor (Birth-2 yrs) Differentiates self from objects Recognises self as agent of action and begins to act intentionally: e.g. pulls a string to set mobile in motion or shakes a rattle to make a noise Achieves object permanence: realises that things continue to exist even when no longer present to the sense (pace Bishop Berkeley) Pre-operational (2-7 years) Learns to use language and to represent objects by images and words Thinking is still egocentric: has difficulty taking the viewpoint of others Classifies objects by a single feature: e.g. groups together all the red blocks regardless of shape or all the square blocks regardless of colour Concrete operational (7-11 years) Can think logically about objects and events Achieves conservation of number (age 6), mass (age 7), and weight (age 9) Classifies objects according to several features and can order them in series along a single dimension such as size. Formal operational (11 years and up) Can think logically about abstract propositions and test hypotheses systematically Becomes concerned with the hypothetical, the future, and ideological problems Appendix 4 http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/omcadre6/BookProject/images/vyg1.gif

Friday, October 25, 2019

Its Time to Stop the Censorship Music with Explicit Lyrics Essay

It's Time to Stop the Censorship Music with Explicit Lyrics Music with explicit lyrics or content started having black and white parental advisories on them in 1994 (http://www.riaa.org/Parents-Advisory-4.cfm). Are these labels necessary? Is controversial music molding our society and causing teenagers to turn to drugs? Is censorship necessary to protect the youth of our nation. Generally, younger people are against censorship on this issue. Music is an outlet and even an anti-drug for many teens; however, parents and society feel differently. Should parents censor their children or society, many parents would like to raise their own children. â€Å"Censorship, like charity should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there,† is a quote by Clare Boothe Luce (Fitzhenry, 84). Many believe that the â€Å"explicit† lyrics and content in this controversial music like Eminem will turn their children to crime and drugs. Music censorship started in the United States in the late fifties and continues till today. Will it ever go too far or stop? Society causes a lot of music censorship. Starting in the late fifties and early sixties members of society made efforts to censor R&B music(http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). They were concerned that the music endorsed wild living, promiscuous sex, and lewd dancing (http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). â€Å"During the late sixties and seventies, Jim Morrison’s dark and suggestive lyrics stirred up communities, and parents were appalled to see Elvis Presley’s hip-thrusting† (http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). Society censors music like this because they are afraid of it. They think it will alter the minds of their children and cause them to do things they would have never done if it were never suggested in a song’s lyrics. â€Å"Music mirrors the society that creates it† (http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). Some people believe this, while others believe that mu sic causes problems in our society such as crime and drugs. â€Å"For every person who believes certain lyrics portray a frightening world, there is another person who finds them deep and powerful because that world is all too real† (http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). A number of people believe there is a correlation between album sales and the parental adviso... ...ost, I believe that music censorship infringes our first amendment to the Constitution, freedom of speech. Saying that music artists may not use certain words is the same as saying a newspaper cannot print a certain article in my opinion. Yet it seems that music is an easier target because pro-censorship groups claim that they are helping the youth of America. Sources 1. â€Å"About R.O.C.† 11 February 2002. http://www.theroc.org/aboutroc/roc10.htm 2. â€Å"Controversial Music, The Beat Goes On.† 7 February 2002. http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm 3. Fitzhenry, Robert I., ed. The Harper Book of Quotations. New York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers Inc., 1993. 4. Hoffman, Hank. â€Å"Wal-Mart Blues.† 18 February 2002. http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/01.09.97/walmart-music-9702.html 5. Record Industry Association of America. 7 February 2002. http://www.riaa.org/Parents-Advisory-4.cfm 6. â€Å"The 2 Live Crew.† 11 February 2002. http://music.lycos.com/artist/bio.asp?QW=2+Live+Crew&AN=The+2+Live+Crew&MID=66486&MH 7. Winfield, Betty Houchin and Davidson, Sandra, eds. Bleep! Censoring Rock and Rap Music. Wesport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Effects of Global Warming on Animals Essay

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated various environmental campaigns to gradually resolve the increasing impacts of climate change towards the environment (Silverstein et. al. , 2003 p. 5). The public’s increased attention to such problem is not anymore surprising as it threatens every creature with potentially devastating consequences. However, the subjects of animal health have received lesser attention compared to the economic, industrial and social impacts of climatic changes brought by global warming (Sherman, 2002 p. 204). According to Root, Price and Hall et al. (2003), the primary concern of ecologists is the rapid increase of climatic change consistently altering the natural ecology of wildlife in various ecosystems. Based on the annual measurement of atmospheric carbon dioxide (ACO) concentrations, two major signals depicting dramatic ecological patterns have been observed, namely (1) â€Å"seasonal cycle that reflects the metabolism of terrestrial ecosystems in the northern hemisphere†, and (2) â€Å"accelerating increase in tropospheric concentrations of ACO since 1957† (Vitousek, 1994). As supported by various studies (Root, Price and Hall et al. , 2003; Vitousek, 1994; Tylianakis, Didham and Bascompte et al. , 2008), global warming effects, namely (1) increases in temperature, (2) alteration of food chains, and (3) atmospheric gas imbalances, dramatically affect the conditions of animal kingdom. II. Literature Review a. Global Warming: Ecological Imbalance The basic principle of global warming consists of the accumulation of radiation energy from the sun resulting to the warming of the planet’s surface (Houghton, 2004 p. 14). Based on 688 published studies on global warming, the three major environmental impacts affecting the ecological systems of animals and plants are (1) temperature changes, (2) alterations of animal symbiotic relationships, and (3) imbalances in the atmospheric gases (Tylianakis, Didham and Bascompte et al. , 2008). Based on the study of Root, Price and Hall et al. (2003), global temperature has increased to approximately 0. 6 degree C since 1880s, and projected to increase consistently with the coming generations. The continuous alterations of climate may be due to the three following reasons: (1) sunspot cycles, (2) volcanic eruptions producing large quantities of fine ash in the air, and (3) the occurrence of El Nino Southern Oscillation (Gupta, 1998 p. 86). In the literary reviews of Root, Price and Hall et al. (2003) using 143 different studies, majority of the studies reveal the endangering situations of approximately 80% of species that are now gradually adjusting to various ecosystems due to the physiological constraints brought by ecologic changes. In fact, according to the study of Thomas, Cameron and Green et al. (2004), animal habitats and survival expectations have been altered by the effects of global warming increasing the projected extinction risks to approximately 20% among the sample ecosystems, namely Queensland, Mexico, South Africa, Amazonia and Europe. b. Increases in Temperature With the advent of modernization, auto engines, power plants, industrial mills, and residential heating systems burn coal, oil, or natural gas accounting to 98% of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere, while the other 2% id due to the increased deforestation and mining (Tomera, 2001 p. 113). According to Root, Price and Hall et al. (2003), rapid temperature increases and ecological stresses brought by the alterations of ecosystems are disrupting the natural communities of various species, which lead to forced adaptations of species, numerous extirpations and possible extinctions. As supported by the study of Pounds, Bustamante and Coloma et al. (2006), one example of massive animal extinctions occurred in the mountains of Costa Rica wiping 67% of the various 110 species of Atelopus, such as harlequin frog (Atelopus Sp. ) and golden toad (bufo periglenes) and pathogenic chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), which are endemic to American tropical habitats. In a study conducted by Penuelas, Fillela and Comast (2002), life cycles in a Mediterranean environment (Cardedeu, NE Spain) has been observed from 1952 to 2000 in order to determine possible alterations in the ecosystems and increasing climate changes. With the temperature increase amounting to ? 1. 4 degree C (1952 to 2000), results reveal significant phonological alterations among the different species of animals (e. g. spring migratory birds arriving 15 days later in 2000 compared 1952, etc. ). Noting the mentioned temperature increase in the latter study, Hanson, Sato and Ruedy (2006) suggest that a relative increase of ? 1 degree C is likely to affect the sea levels and exterminate various species. c. Symbiotic Relationships: Predisposing Species Extinction Temperature, climate, and gas imbalances are the leading global warming effects altering the different levels of ecologic symbiosis. The rise of global temperature affects the geographical distribution of ectothermic animals, decomposers and mostly those with lesser thermal tolerance (Portner, 2001). For example, thermally intolerant metazoans and other decomposers have markedly shown increase mitochondrial oxygen demand parallel to the rise of temperature, which resulted to the reduction of their population (Portner, 2001). Using species-area and endemic-area relationships, Malcolm, Liu and Neilson et al. (2006) have identified the projected percent extinctions of sample biodiversities (Cape Floristic Region, Caribbean, Indo-Burma, Australia, and Tropical Andes, etc.) ranging from

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Activities of Youth for Environment in Schools Essay

Background of the Study Pursuant to its promising mission and vision, the Department of Education (DepEd) for years, has been implementing and adhering numerous means and methods to improve and empower the quality of education in the Philippines: be it a new alternative teaching method or a new policy that shall formalize education or any possible way. One of the DepEd’s accredited organizations is the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) with the mission: to preserve and conserve our natural resources through environmental awareness of the community resulting in their active involvement on environmentally-related issues to achieve sustainable development and to protect mother nature; and vision: the Youth for Environment in Schools-Organization as an effective and respective school- based environmental organization linked with the agencies/ institutions for conservation and preservation of natural resources towards sustainable development. (DepEd Region V) Article XVIII: Mandated Projects and Activities of Youth for Environment in Schools-Organization’s Constitutions and By-Laws for School Year 2010-2011 includes the projects and activities that YES-O should implement through the School Year 2010-2011. The study aims to determine whether the activities and projects stated in Article XVIII of YES-O by-laws has been implemented throughout the school year 2010-2011. Specific Questions: 1. What is the mission and vision of YES-O in the Bicol Regional Science High School for the School Year 2010-2011? 2. What are the projects, programs and activities implemented by Youth for Environment in Schools Organization as indicated on their accomplishment report or year-end reports in accordance of Article XVIII: Mandated Projects and activities? 3. Which among their projects, programs and activities in accordance to the mission and vision indicated in the Article XVIII which is not implemented? 4. What are the factors affecting the implementation of Article XVIII of Mandated projects and Activities? Significance of the Study The Article XVIII: Mandated Projects and Activities which is stated in YES-O By-Laws states that the Youth for environment in Schools- Organization shall be required to implement, conduct or attend the following programs, projects, and activities; namely, clean-up drives, waste management, segregation and recycling, awareness campaigns, symposia or training, nursery establishment, tree planting activities, fun run and Youth for environment Summer Camp. Through this, the researchers will analyze the year-end report of YES-O in BRSHS school year 2010-2011 to determine whether all the mandated projects and activities stated in Article XVIII of YES-O by- Laws were implemented through the school year. Teachers, students, officers of Youth for Environment Schools- Organization and other organization will be benefited with this study through the improvements of their projects and activities. Also, through this study the researchers will be able to determine the factor that affects the implementation of the projects and activities. With this, other organizations including YES-O would have solutions to those factors and can have better improvements with their programs and activities. Scope and Limitations The study will only focus on the implementation of Article XVIII: Mandated Projects and Activities of Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) of Bicol Regional Science High School (BRSHS) through the school year 2010-2011. The study aims to determine whether all the mandated projects and activities stated in Article XVIII was implemented by YES- O through the school year 2010-2011. Also, the study aims to determine the factors affecting the implementation of Article XVIII of YES-O by-laws. Conceptual Framework Article XVIII Mandated Projects and Activities The Youth for Environment I Schools- Organization (YES-O) shall be required to implement, conduct or attend the following programs, projects and activities; namely, clean-up drives, waste management, segregation and recycling, awareness campaigns, symposia or training, nursery establishments, tree- planting activities, fun run and Youth for Environment Summer Camp. Vision The Youth for environment in Schools organization as n effective and respective school-based environmental organization linked with the other agencies/ institutions for conservation and preservation of natural resources towards sustainable development. Mission To preserve and conserve our natural resources through environmental awareness of the community resulting in their active involvement on environmentally related issues to achieve sustainable development and to protect mother nature. Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature and Studies The Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technological Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in coordination with OCD, the National Youth Commission (NYC), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the DILG- BFP, the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD), and other relevant agencies, shall integrate disaster risk reduction and management education in the school curricula of secondary and tertiary levels of education including the National Service Training Program (NSTP), whether private and public, including formal and non-formal, technical-vocational, indigenous learning and out-of-school youth congress and programs. (Sandra C. Velacruz,2011) It is important to put a prime on disaster risk reduction and management. When our systems are efficient, it increases and enhances human security. Republic Act No. 10121 also known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) of 2010 strengthens the Philippine disaster risk reduction and management framework, institutionalizes the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRM), and appropriate funds for the use of its implementers. It calls for the development of a framework that taps the different sectors, agencies, and communities that will address disaster risk reduction and management concerns. (Sandra C. Velacruz, 2011) The Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), establishes the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) as the only recognized co-curricular environment club or organization in the school with the main and primary programs or projects for the environment on ecology in the said organization. (DepEd, 2003) The Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) is the youth arm of both Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to heighten pupils and students’ participation and action towards environment protection and conservation at the school level. As a co-curricular organization, it shall implement programs, projects, and activities that address various environmental issues and concerns such as global warming, climate change adaptation, deforestation, watershed protection, disaster risk reduction, among others. (Yolanda S. Quijano, 2010) The Regional and Division Education Supervisors in Science, as Regional and Division coordinator respectively, shall lead, coordinate and monitor the conduct of activities pertinent to the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization in the respective areas of jurisdiction. The Science Department Head/ Coordinator and Teacher, herein designated as School –based Moderator respectively, shall lead operate the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) activities in the school level with the guidance of School Head/ Principal. (Edilberto C. De Jesus, 2003) In view of the increasing global concerns for environmental action against threats to mother earth and consequent need to consolidate all efforts in safeguarding, protecting, and conserving the environment, and pursuant to the Department of Education order No. 72, s. 2003 on the establishment of the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is announcing the Thrusts and Activities of the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O). (Vilma L. Labrador, 2007) The Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) on its partnership with concerned government and non- government organizations undertake tree planting and growing, awareness campaigns and symposia on Environmental Issues and Actions, Outreach programs, Waste management, Segregation, Recycling and Entrepreneurship programs, watershed Protectin and Conservation, Environmental/ Science Camps. (Vilma L. Labrador, 2007) The Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) which is one of the Department of Education accredited organization helps to strengthens the government program concerning global warming, climate change, adaptation, reforestation, watershed protection, and disaster risk reduction. The Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) is advised to conduct the activities in increasing global concerns for environmental action against threats to our planet in partnership with the government agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) . Chapter 3 Methods of Research and Procedures Methods of Research The method of research used in the study is the descriptive method, specifically the content analysis. Content analysis focuses on the documentary materials that shall be analyzed. The documents to be analyzed are the year-end report or the accomplishment report of the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) for the school year 2010-2011. The programs, projects, and activities which were stated in Article XVIII: Mandated Projects and Activities of Youth for Environment in Schools Organization will be the basis for the analysis of the year-end report. The year-end report of the YES-O contains the projects, programs, and activities which were implemented in the school year 2010-2011. Method of Collecting Data and Development of the Research Instrument The researchers will conduct interviews with selected members and non-members of the YES-O and its officers in Bicol Regional Science High School. Interview Schedule will be the instrument to be used during the interview. This will include specific questions on how the YES-O implemented the mandated projects and activities which are stated in Article XVIII of the YES-O Constitution and By- Laws. Sampling Design The study will determine if the programs, projects, and activities stated in Article XVIII of the YES-O Constitution and By-laws for the school year 2010-2011 are implemented through analyzing their year-end report or accomplishment report. The organization has forty-three members, twenty of them will be chosen through random or lottery sampling. This type of probability sampling is used so that everyone in the population has equal chance of being selected to be included in the sample. Since the population has no differentiated levels or classes, pure random sampling is used. The researchers will conduct three separate random samplings for the YES-O members and non- members. The size of the population for the YES-O members is forty- three (43) and the study population is twenty (20). For the non-members of YES-O, the size of population is one hundred thirty- one (131) and the study population will also be twenty (20) and for the officers, the study population is seven (7). Statistical Treatment The researchers conducted an interview with the members, non-members, and officers of the Youth for Environment in Schools- Organization (YES-O). With this, the researchers will use tables and other graphical forms for the interpretation of data as statistical treatment. Interview Schedule 1. Are you aware of the mission and vision of the YES-O? ____ Yes ____ No If yes, what do you think are the mission and vision of the YES-O? 2. What are the projects, programs and activities conducted or implemented by the YES-O that you are aware of? 3. How satisfied are you with the programs and activities of the YES-O for the school year 2010-2011? ___ Very satisfied ___ Satisfied ___ Poorly satisfied ___ Not satisfied 4. Do you think the projects, programs and activities implemented by the YES-O in the school year 2010-2011 would benefit the students, teachers, the school, and other organizations? ___ Yes ___ No 5. What do you think are the benefits of the students, teachers, the school, and other organizations from the implementation of the projects, programs, and activities by the YES-O? 6. What do you think are the factors affecting the implementation of the programs, projects, and activities of the YES-O? Chapter 4 Results and Discussions The study shows the implementation of Article XVIII: Mandated Projects, Programs and Activities of Youth for Environment in Schools Organization in the school year 2010-2011. The researchers had conducted interviews with the members, non-members and officers of the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization to determine if the programs, activities, and projects were implemented throughout the school year 2010-2011. The tables below show the results of the interviews: The interview shows that among the twenty selected members of the YES-O, three are aware of the mission and vision, while seventeen of them are not. On the other hand, four of the twenty non-members are aware of the mission and vision, and sixteen of them are otherwise. Ninety-five percent of the YES-O and non-YES-O members convey that the students, teachers, school and other organizations can be benefitted by the projects, programs, and activities implemented by the YES-O while 5% of the said that there is no benefit. On the other hand, 100% of the YES-O officers say that the students, teachers, school and other organizations can be benefitted by the projects, programs, and activities implemented by the YES-O. From the interviews with the YES-O and non-YES-O members, and the officers of the organization, environmental awareness is the most identified benefit with 15 responses from the members, eight responses from the non-members, and three from the officers. The budget for the projects of the YES-O has the highest number of responses from the members, non-members and officers, with 14, nine and five, respectively. Five YES-O officers also cited the factor of time and schedule. Article XVIII: Mandated Projects and Activities includes clean-up drives, waste management, segregation and recycling, awareness campaigns, symposia or training, nursery establishments, tree-planting activities, fun runs, and the Youth for Science and Technology Environment Camp (YSTEC). In the YES-O accomplishment report for school year 2010-2011, all projects and activities stated in article XVIII are included, except for the waste management, segregation and recycling and nursery establishments. The interview results show that the students are all aware of all the projects and activities stated in article XVIII. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary The main purpose of the study is to determine if the projects, programs and activities held by the YES-O is in accordance to Article XVIII: Mandated Projects and Activities of the constitution and by-laws of the YES-O. The method of research used is the descriptive method, specifically the content analysis. Based from the results of the interviews, all the activities stated in Article XVIII, except for waste management, segregation, recycling and nursery establishment are implemented. Conclusion With reference to the results gathered, it can be concluded that the clean-up drives, awareness campaigns, symposia or training, nursery establishment, tree-planting activities, fun run, and Youth for Environment Summer Camp stated in Article XVIII: Mandated Projects and Activities are implemented by the YES-O school year 2010-2011, while the waste management, segregation and recycling and nursery establishment are not implemented based on their constitution and by-laws. Recommendations The researchers recommend that researches on future YES-O year-end reports be conducted in order to strengthen the foundation of this study. The researchers further recommend conducting studies to answer why most students are not aware of the mission and vision of YES-O.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Writing reflection of the story called The poor man

Writing reflection of the story called The poor man Name: „ Ã‚ ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ·ng Th ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚‹ Qu ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ³nh TrangClass: 13E4WRITING REFLECTION 1I was impressed by the story in the English class last week which was called "The poor farmer". In this reflection, I want to give a brief summary of the story based on my remembrance from last lesson.The story reflected the persistence of a farmer in asking Jade Emperor for the answers to the questions that he, a carp and a tree could not come up with. The three questions were why the farmer could not escape the poverty, why the carp could not turn into a dragon and why the tree could not bear fruits despite their hard effort. After a long and hard journey, in a dream, he met Jade Emperor and had a chance to ask the Emperor only two questions. Eventually, he decided to sacrifice his own question. Given the answers to their questions, the tree and the carp were very happy and expressed their gratitude towards the farmer by giving him a pearl and a chunk of treasure which were, according to the Emperor, the obstacles that prevented them from achieving what they wanted.English: ploughingSince then, the farmer had had his dream of being wealthy come true.The messages delivered in the story required us to think deeply in order to fully understand as they do not appear in the spoken words themselves. The first thing I learned from this story was the necessary, good qualities to achieve what we desire, which were mostly possessed by the farmer. Obviously, this man was so ambitious. He had an ambition of becoming rich and determinedly sought for the reason why he was still poor no matter how hard he worked. In his longest and hardest journey imaginable, the journey to the heaven, he appeared to be...