Legal Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legal Environment - Essay Example When multinational companies operate in countries that do not have high standards, they may be in conflict with both the laws of the host and those applied at home, albeit unnoticed. International operations involve objectives to set high standards of services or goods produced while maintaining corporate responsibility. However, conflicts usually arise, as no clear balance can be arrived at. For instance, US companies such as Pepsi, American Standard and Nestle were punished din China for discharging substandard wastewater into rivers in China (Simone, 2000). This is in spite of their knowledge the US law which strictly condemns such acts (Simone, 2000). It can be said that the human resource manager of the companies involved did not measure up to the task of corporate responsibility. Nevertheless, most US companies attract Americans to work in their foreign subsidiaries, which is in line with the Employment laws the US. This is point however deserves some criticism in that the local people of the countries in which US companies operate are denied employment opportunities. From the two points of view above, one can surmise that US multinational corporations enforce US laws when doing is for their benefit. On the other hand, there is a tendency to violate the US laws if it is evident that the host country is not in a position to raise a red flag. Multinational corporations have to deal with th... If the laws are in dissonance then it becomes difficult for a company to have a clear direction on which ones to adopt. It is interesting that most international investments are usually done in developing countries where competition is law and resources are in plenty. However, such countries usually lack unclear laws standards, which make it difficult for them to appraise activities of the companies. The large companies therefore develop a "big boy" syndrome and use their resources to influence the host counties. On the other hand, if the country that the multinational corporation operates in is of equal or near equal status, the conflicts are solved based on sound judgment. For instance, the UK rejected Dasani, a brand of mineral water produced by a US company, coca cola after it was found to contain bromate, a possible carcinogen (LOHAS Journal Weekly). The allegation forced Coca cola to withdraw the brand from UK. Such a conflict illustrates how some countries all over the world may be ignorantly accepting fake or sub standard products. Nevertheless, it is evident that divergence between country laws should not be so wide since some laws are actually modifications of others. In a case such as the one mentioned above, the multinational corporation has no option but to conform to the laws of the country in which it operates. To summarize it all foreign companies have to submit to the laws of the local country or withdraw their operations. My opinion is that a foreign company should not impose new laws to the country in which it operates. Therefore, such conflicts are justified since they aim at maintaining good standards of products, whether produced by local companies or multinational

US History 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

US History 2 - Essay Example It is important to note that the anti-federalists argued that the proposed constitution posed several challenges to the government. In this respect, they argued that the proposed constitution would encourage the issue of corruption to the government. Corruption was viewed as a major social vice that would threaten the development of several sectors in government, including the developmental sector, economic, social as well as political sectors among others2. The anti federalists also advocated for a weaker federal government as opposed to stronger state legislatures. This is because most of them argued that a stronger government would most likely infringe on the liberties that Americans had fought for and won in the Revolutionary War. In regards to this, it is important to note that the anti federalists viewed liberty as the specific rights of the people that the government had to respect, protect and encourage. They maintained that the government had to observe, respect as well as protect the Bill of Rights in order to protect that

History of the Rule of Law

History of the Rule of Law Law Society Rule The question of the purpose of the rule of law and how the boundaries should be drawn between moral judgement and the need to maintain a basic level of order within a society has been asked, over the centuries, by many eminent theorists from the legal, political and philosophical world. Several different opinions have emerged with varying degrees of agreement, with the concept that the rule of law is the law and we must obey it, regardless of how unjust the rules may appear. Although the exact meaning of the rule of law has been interpreted in different ways by the various different theorists, the very basic principle that the rule of law means that no individual is above the law seems to hold in all interpretations. In England, the prime example of the rule of law is the Magna Carter in which King John agreed to abide by the feudal laws and the placing of limits on fees relating to feudal land. What is the Rule of Law? Before considering whether or not the rule of law consists merely of a body of rules or whether there is more to the way in which the rule of law is applied, it is first necessary to consider exactly what is meant by the ‘rule of law’. Dicey was not, in fact, responsible for the birth of the rule of law, but was instrumental in bringing it into the public arena for debate and consideration. He contended that the rule of law was made up of three key principles. Firstly, that an individual has the freedom to act in any way he so wishes without punishment provided it is not in breach of any law. This gives supremacy to the rule of law over any other arbitrary act of power that is not backed in law. Secondly, that no one is above the law meaning that every subject, regardless of stature, can be held accountable to the law and punished in the courts of the land. Thirdly, that the rule of law is based on the collective rights of all individuals. Essentially, this means that the courts will enforce individual rights on a collective basis to all subjects within its jurisdiction. This basic concept has been somewhat extended in recent years, most notably by Lord Bingham in his lecture given on 16 November 2006 to Cambridge University where he put forward eight sub-rules that should be seen as part of the overall rule of law. These were that firstly, the law should be available and understandable to all it governs, based on the premise that if someone is to be governed by a law they should be able to understand it fully. Secondly, that when faced with the decision of liability or accountability, the law should be used without so far as is possible the use of discretion. Thirdly, that the law in the way in which it is applied should be equal and universal to all. He did, however, recognise that at times it would be necessary for some individuals to be treated differently. Fourthly, that any law must provide a basic level of protection for all fundamental human rights, to every subject, regardless of circumstances. Fifthly, where there is a civil dispute that cannot be resolved, the parties should have access to cost effective and efficient means of dealing with the dispute. Sixthly, that all members of government or officers of the government should act in good faith when carrying out their law enforcement duties and should not act outside of their individual powers. Seventhly, that any adjudicative process should be fair and transparent in the way it arrives at decisions. Finally, the state has to consider its obligations to international law when complying with any national rule of law. In essence, the rules laid out by L Bingham are not substantially different from those laid out by Dicey; they are merely more detailed regarding the way in which the laws should be applied. This offers greater guidance on the subject of what an individual should do when faced with a seemingly unjust law. It also gives greater insight into the way in which the rule of law should be viewed, generally, and applied in relation to other political, religious and moral frameworks. Application of the Rule of Law Having understood the basic principles of what the rule of law contains, it is then necessary to move forward to consider how this applies and actually works, in practice, in relation to society as a whole. Again, this area has drawn attention from some of the great legal theorists of all time and has, in some cases, been hotly debated. One of the fundamental ideas laid down by Dicey is that the government has no greater authority in terms of the way in which it is viewed in the courts. The rule of law clearly indicates that the government must have restraints and cannot simply act in any arbitrary way that it pleases. This has been borne out in several court cases including the early case of Entick v Carrington where it was held that the warrant a Home Secretary had issued to enter a privately owned property was against the law and, therefore, the government was guilty of trespass. Theorists from the very early stages have recognised that there is a need for some central rule to control all individuals. Not to have any central law would, almost certainly, result in anarchy. In its earliest format, the need for a rule of law was established by Plato and Aristotle where they recognised the need for at least a degree of rule or there would be complete anarchy within society. Without any form of law or rule the stronger and more cunning would effectively make the most of their position by exploiting the weak. It is almost universally accepted that someone needs to take overall control of a way that maintains democracy and prevents the weak from being exploited. For this central control to work, the power needs to be vested in some political and legislative authority. Aristotle, in particular, recognised the importance of the role of this central figure. He debated at length whether this central control should be the rule of law or rule of men. His eventual conclusion was that a rule of law was necessary and that the central figure had to be in the form of some higher governmental authority. He concluded that a rule of law was essential as laws are produced as a result of reason and thought and not based on pure passion. Moreover, having one individual leader can clearly lead to tyranny or self-serving actions. As the rules need to govern every adult individual, each individual should have a say in how these rules are established. Finally, a rotation of those in charge of the rule of law is desirable to ensure equality throughout. For these reasons, Aristotle concluded that a rule of law, operated in a democratic manner, is essential to ensure that rules are consistent and not arbitrary in the way they are both established and maintained. Encroachment on the Rule of Law Despite the universal recognition that the rule of law is both desirable and essential for the effective operation and governance of society, there have been several encroachments on the traditional rule of law. There is a body of thought that suggests the government has made several moves to encroach on the individual’s liberties. One of the most notable of these is the removal of the right to a trial by jury in certain limited circumstances. In doing so, it is argued that the equality and fairness of the system is lost. Individuals are not judged by their peers but are instead dictated to by a higher authority. Another area that has faced criticism is the way in which the secret service operates and, in particular, the Official Secrets Act and related gagging orders that have been put on certain individuals. Clive Ponting, who was a civil servant during the Falklands War, was gagged and prevented from speaking about the activities of the government, during this time. It is argued that this encroachment on individual liberties, to the extent that it is necessary to protect the greater good, should not be seen as a breaking of the overall essence of the rule of law. Although these governmental powers are seen as overpowering the individual’s rights, it is also argued that these encroachments would not in the normal course of daily activities come into contact with these encroachments. Similarly, it is also argued that governmental bodies such as the secret services are overseen by independent bodies and, therefore, are not able to act in a way that is arbitrary or discriminatory. Based on this, it can be concluded that whilst the rule of law is sometimes bent to accommodate the needs of the public as a whole, it cannot be carried out in an arbitrary way. Further, there are checks and balances in place to make sure that no single body exercises too much power over another. The Role of Customs One element of the rule of law which has to be considered when determining how the rules are established and how general customs should be dealt with in the creation of such laws is that of customary practice. This is particularly difficult as customs vary depending on regions, religions and even social classes and are therefore very difficult to control or legislate to take account of. Nevertheless, it should be noted that customs do not create laws, as such; they are simply used by judges when applying the law, which can at times result in an arbitrary application of customs in relation to the rule of law. In order to be recognised as a law, a custom must meet very stringent tests including the fact that it must have existed since ‘time immemorial’, i.e. it must have been in existence since at least 1189 (in accordance with a statute enacted in 1275). The custom must also be certain in terms of scope and application. The case of Wilson v Willes held the customary right to remove as much turf as was necessary from the manor common land. It was held that this custom was not sufficiently certain to be considered a valid law, as it was not clear what limits there were on the amount of turf. Other requirements include the locality of the custom as customs are only ever applied on a local and not national basis. They must have been consistently exercised and exercised as a right rather than an irregular whim. In short, the recognition of a custom as a legal rule is only applied in extreme circumstances and provided that it does not conflict with an existing law. The Role of Morality As established as early on as Aristotle’s works, the rule of man or general morality cannot be relied upon to provide the basis of legal structure for all individuals. Everyone has a different idea of what constitutes moral behaviour; to allow every individual to follow their own moral code would result in chaos and disorder. Whilst everyone has their own moral standards, most individuals recognise that there is a need for universal laws, even if they do not always fall in line with their own moral judgments. The difficulty comes when there is no apparent overall benefit to the law in question. For example, where the act does not harm another and there is seemingly no common purpose then, under the rule of law, there should be no law preventing such actions. This has been the case with homosexuality which is now not considered to be illegal. There are other activities that are thought of as illegal but not immoral, by some at least, such as driving over the speed limit, smoking marijuana or filing a false tax return. It is clear that although law and morality are interlinked, they are not directly and inextricably thought of as one. Despite this, individuals, on the whole will recognise that there is a need for a legal system and will consider it moral to follow these rules even if they do not fully agree with them. Are Unjust Laws, Laws at all? This differentiation between law and morality leads us to consider the ultimate question of whether the rule of law requires individuals to follow the law, even if it is manifestly unjust. Are individuals in fact obliged not to obey rules that they see as unjust as stated by Martin Luther King when he wrote from his jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, stating ‘one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws’? Where an individual is governed by the rule of law but decides to break one of these laws as he views them as unjust, provided he accepts the resulting responsibility it can be said that he maintains his adherence to the rule of law. The rule of law states that he should be dealt with fairly and expediently and, therefore, spans a much greater remit than simply setting down the laws that must be followed. As stated by Dworkin, simply because the rule seems to be unjust does not give any individual the right to believe that it is a law at all. It does, however, give individuals the right to be dealt with fairly if they choose not to follow such a rule. Conclusions The rule of law is an essential part of any democratic society. A central set of rules that everyone must follow is required to prevent arbitrary rule and, ultimately, total anarchy. Having said this, the rule of law does not simply lay down a set of rules and apply them tyrannically. The rule of law has a much wider scope and considers how the laws should be applied and adapted to deal with societal changes and local customs. It is this overall framework of rules tainted with a degree of political and judicial discretion that makes the rule of law an ongoing success in dealing with the vagaries of human nature. Bibliography Aristotle, Ethics Book V, in K.S. Chukkol, ‘Enforcement of Judgements Against Public Officers and the Institutions and the Rule of Law’, in Ayua (ed.), Law, Justice and the Nigerian Society (NIALS, Lagos 1995) p. 61 David Brink, ‘Legal Positivism and Natural Law Reconsidered’ (1985) The Monist 68 364–387 Ronald Dworkin, Taking Rights Seriously (paperback ed., Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. 1978) John Finnis, Natural Law and Natural Rights (Clarendon Press, Oxford 1980) Lon Fuller, The Morality of Law (revised ed., Yale University Press, New Haven London 1969) Robert George (ed.), Natural Law Theory: Contemporary Essays (Clarendon Press, Oxford 1992) Matthew Kramer, ‘On the Moral Status of the Rule of Law’ (2004) Cambridge Law Journal 63: 65

Sexual Selection as a Determinant of Certain Traits :: essays papers

Sexual Selection as a Determinant of Certain Traits If you were a male would you rather have a beautiful, impressive, long tail that attracts a lot of women or would you rather have a shorter, less attractive tail that enables you to escape from predators more easily? Living out in the wild among many potential predators, a shorter tail would seem more logical since it would be a more useful trait than a good-looking one. Though the most logical choice, it is not always the case. In many species, traits that would normally be considered awkward or cumbersome are actually favorable. Hard to believe as it may be, these seemingly maladaptive traits can prove to be very useful to certain members of many different species as shown by Darwin’s Theory of Sexual Selection. They enhance the ability of the individual to obtain mates and are therefore very important in the reproductive and evolutionary success of many animals. It is first necessary to understand the basics of Natural Selection before being able to show how Sexual Selection leads to extravagant traits. The main idea behind natural selection is that living organisms change and adapt in order to enhance their ability to survive and reproduce. Those animals that adapt will be more likely to survive and produce more offspring than other animals in the same environment that do not (Boyd and Silk 2000, p. 5), as maintained by Darwin’s second postulate. Phenotypes that are favored by Natural Selection include the ability to care for offspring, acquire resources, and avoid predators. The correlation between Natural Selection and Sexual Selection is the next necessary step to understanding how Sexual Selection accounts for awkward traits. The later of the two can be considered a special category of natural selection. It involves selection for traits only concerned with increasing the probability of mating (Krebs and Davies, 1993, p. 89). It is expressed most strongly in the sex whose access to mates is most limited. In mammalian males, sexual selection tends to have a greater impact on behavior and morphology than does other forms of natural selection. Due to the combination of females investing more in the care of the offspring and the one-to-one population sex ratio, males are usually the ones in competition for females. Male reproductive success also varies much more than that of the female.

Angela’s Ashes Essay

â€Å"When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood. † (McCourt, 1996). Angela’s Ashes was a memoir based on the life of Frank McCourt, which ranged in various anecdotes and stories of Frank’s childhood and pursuit to his dreams to live in America. Frank faced various struggles especially his drunken father, who spent his paycheck, if he even had a job to a pint of beer to show his friend’s the money he has earned. With this it causes Frank’s family to go through struggles as to broken shoes, harsh conditioned homes, poor sanitation, plumbing, heat, and hope that they’ll survive through the great depression in Limerick, Ireland. Frankie was a boy who seemed to have high potential to be a great independent man. He always had a mind of his own, his own opinions, great responsibility, and determination. During his childhood he saw his Mother’s suffering, with the fact that she had to rely on the Father of her children to help them survive the great depression but with only giving them false hope, which resulted into his father, Malachy leaving the family. As Frank reached the age of teenage maturity Frankie, went out of his way to get a job and help out the family. With the qualities that Frank McCourt posses and learns throughout the memoir he improves himself and ventures back to America to achieve greatness. During the final days of Frank McCourt after the suffering of the passing of his first love, who died from Typhoid, the great Frank McCourt at a young age had finally saved up his paychecks from his hard-work to venture of into America. While eating a celebratory dinner with his family, a lunar eclipse had seemed to appear at that night. So they quickly race outside to witness this outstanding, once in a lifetime scene of magnificent scenery, which his uncle had said it symbolizes good luck towards his ventures into America. After witnessing the lunar eclipse and his neighbors wishing him arewell to leaving Ireland. As the neighborhood emptied he saw a little boy, who was very unfamiliar to him, as he got closer he recognized it was him as a little boy. From there he sees how he has got to where he is today. As people grow older, facing various obstacles and challenges, people learn and grow from who they were as little as one day. In Buddhism we see the law of Impermanence come into play with everyone’s life, with this we tend to look back and see how much we have grown, how we have survived our lives whether it be physical, mental, or spiritual obstacles that we have faced in our lives. As teenagers we see have a mentality of wanting the independence and earning bigger responsibilities to prove ourselves to our parents, others, or even ourselves that we can achieve the goals we set for ourselves. Though, with this in mind we tend to still make many mistakes that we try to grow out from and strive for better. Though it is ironic the fact that when our mistakes show it is what others see and highlight among us and not the effort we have tried to become a better person. But this is what growing up is all about. As we grow older we see ourselves â€Å"fall in love† with that significant other, which you will never let go and even though they might not be present in our lives we still care about them. Regardless of how much you have changed or the other person has changed you know that deep down when you with them everything is still the same as it was. Not only do we just fall in love but also the love we show our friends. My memoir talks mostly about significant friendships and what I have learned from each and every one of them. We see that as grow a special bond with these friends you exchange mistakes or even experience mistakes together which you can conquer as a team and grow from them. Regardless of fights, obstacles that are put in front of the laps of many friendships, if it’s worth it you don’t give up. In my friendships, especially with Steven, even though he was mad due to the unaccepted friendship with Chris and the betrayal that he felt from it, I have never tried to not fix it, and to have communication with him to solve it. Though he chose to put his guard with his pride he refused to say nothing was wrong and that he didn’t care. As time passed, and took many messages to pass through a friend to show that I was willing to give up on my other friendship, which I truly miss; we have finally overcome that obstacle and have grown closer than ever before. After the feeling of every obstacle has been tackled, every fight has been fought, and you have claimed victorious over any problem that occurs you get the feeling that everything is smooth sailing from then. We look up and think positive that everything will be okay, but until we end our course through life there’s always a new challenge interrupting our trajectory. At this point in time I am satisfied to what I have achieved and where I have ended up, I see myself still constantly looking back at my old self, seeing what I could improve on, changed to reach higher satisfactory, and better myself from I have learned from the past. Even though I have felt that I have reached my goal, as Frankie has reached America to better his life. The act on looking back at yourself, depicts the scene of how Frankie saw himself as a child and how much obstacles he has gone through and achieved to pursue his dream to America, just like the goals we achieve we look back and see what we have gone through. With Impermanence constantly occurring in our lives we are introduced with new challenges and new chapters to open in our lives. Looking back at ourselves does help us learn, but we must apply these new found lessons and look forward to our future to not repeat our mistakes and misguided actions.

Developmental psychology Essay

Within the characteristics of effective learning there are seven areas of learning and development made up of three prime areas and four specific areas. The areas describe what children learn through play and exploration, active learning and creating and by thinking critically. Prime areas – If a child is not secure in the prime areas between the ages of 3 and 5 years, the absence of these may make other areas of their learning more difficult to achieve. This makes the prime and specific areas so interdependent. The prime areas occur in all cultures and communities and are not dependent on the specific areas. Personal, Social and Emotional Development Making relationships Self-confidence and self-awareness Managing feelings and behaviour Communication and Language Listening and attention Understanding Speaking Physical Development Moving and handling Health and self-care Specific areas – These are less time-sensitive. The specific areas reflect what children have understood and their cultural knowledges which can develop during various stages through life. The specific areas of learning will not take place easily without the prime areas. Literacy Reading Writing Mathematics Numbers Shape, space and measure Understanding the World People and communities The world Technology Expressive Arts and Design Exploring using media and materials Being imaginative The documented expected outcomes are the early learning goals within the EYFS. The early learning goals are the 17 learning and development requirements covered in the characteristics of effective learning – the three prime and the four specific areas. The early learning goals summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding that all young child should have gained by the end of their reception year. However, not all children will reach the early learning goals by this stage and as all children are unique, their learning will be supported by practitioners to help them progress at their pace. The ‘Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage’ document provides, in detail, guidance for observing what children are learning. It also provides examples of what early years practitioners can do to enable environments and support positive relationships across all of each area. The documented outcomes are assessed and recorded in a variety of ways and come together to help finalise the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile which is completed at the end of a childs reception year. Leading up to this point, the development of children will have been observed and their progress tracked. Some of the methods used to record progression towards the early learning goals are: Daily observations when children are in session – At nursery all staff observe all children, not just their keychildren. The  observations are linked to the EYFS and recorded in the children’s folders 2 year check – this consists of a short written summary of a child’s development when they are between 24 and 36 months Learning and Development Summary – observations are used to complete this document on a termly basis for each child. These are shared at parent consultation appointments. Contributions from parents – very useful as parents information is essential and helps support early learning in the home environment.

Henry David Thoreau essays

Henry David Thoreau essays American literature during the first half of the nineteenth century took many forms and ideas that still effect our ever so changing society today. Henry David Thoreau was among the notable writers during this time, and his impact of American literature will not soon be forgotten. His perseverance, love for nature, and humanitarian beliefs helped to mold the ideas and values of early American history. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12 in 1817. His parents, both abolitionists of slavery, were John and Cynthia Thoreau. During his childhood years his parents, along with Henrys older siblings John Jr. and Helen, often took the family on long walks though the valleys and hills of Concord. The seeds of Henrys love for nature were planted during this time. As a young school boy, at the Concord public school and later at the Concord Academy, many of his peers sought after him as loner who took everything too serious. In 1833 Henrys parents had saved enough money to send him off to college at Harvard University. Even though he barely passed the entrance exam, he would later become one of the top students in his graduating class. In 1836 financial and health problems forced Thoreau to postpone his studies at Harvard and seek a job. He taught school for a semester in Canton, Massachusetts and returned to Harvard in the Spring of 1837. He took a full load of classes that Spring and Summer semesters and graduated in August of 1837. After graduating Thoreau had no idea what he wanted to do with his education. After debating over many different careers he finally concluded that teaching would be his calling. He landed a position at Center School in 1837 in Concord, however he resigned two weeks later after many teachers and students complained of his teaching methods and strictness in the classroom. Over the next year he worked many small jobs arou...

Keynesian Economics essays

Keynesian Economics essays John Maynard Keynes is uncertainly one the most important figures in the history of modern economics. The son of the Cambridge economist and logician John Neville Keynes, John Maynard Keynes was born in Cambridge, England on June 5, 1883. Keynes was educated in Britains most elite institutions, Eton and then King's College Cambridge. In 1906, he entered the British civil service for a little while and worked in the Indian Treasury as a junior clerk. However, unsatisfied with the work he returned in 1908 to teach economics in Cambridge. In India he learned the demands of government service. In 1911 he became the editor of the Economic Journal, a position he would hold almost until the end of his life. During this time Keynes wrote his first economic book first book on Indian currency which was directly related to his experience at the India office. From 1914 to 1918, Keynes was called to the UK Treasury to aid with the financing of the British war economy. He excelled at his job and the authority he gained earned him a position with the British delegation to the Versailles Peace Conference in 1918. Keynes was dismayed at the unfair nature of the peace settlement, and was particularly opposed to the overwhelming consequences of the heavy "reparations" payments forced on Germany. In 1919 he resigned from the conference and in respond to the treaty he published his Economic Consequences of the Peace disapproving the Treaty of Versailles After returning to Cambridge in 1921, Keynes published his Treatise on Probability, where he took apart the classical theory of probability and started what now known as the "logical-relationist" theory of probability. Throughout the 1920s, Keynes remained active in public policy debates, guided mainly through his many articles in the Nation and Atheneum. He also wrote two famous pieces in condemnation of laissez-faire economic policy. In 1925 he married the R ...

The Aztec Triple Alliance

The Aztec Triple Alliance The Triple Alliance (1428-1521) was a military and political pact among three city-states who shared lands in the Basin of Mexico (what is essentially Mexico City today): Tenochtitlan, settled by the Mexica/Aztec; Texcoco, home of the Acolhua; and Tlacopan, home of the Tepaneca. That accord formed the basis of what was to become the Aztec Empire that ruled Central Mexico and eventually most of Mesoamerica when the Spanish arrived at the very end of the Postclassic period. We know quite a bit about the Aztec Triple Alliance because histories were compiled at the time of the Spanish conquest in 1519. Many of the native historical traditions collected by the Spanish or preserved in the towns contain detailed information about the dynastic leaders of the Triple Alliance, and economic, demographic, and social information comes from the archaeological record. The Rise of the Triple Alliance During the late Postclassic or Aztec Period (AD 1350-1520) in the Basin of Mexico, there was a rapid centralization of political authority. By 1350, the basin was divided into several small city-states (called Altepetl in the Nahuatl language), each of which was ruled by a petty king (Tlatoani). Each altepetl included an urban administrative center and a surrounding territory of dependent villages and hamlets. Some of the city-state relationships were hostile and plagued by nearly constant wars. Others were friendlier but still competed with one another for local prominence. Alliances between them were built and sustained through a vital trade network and a commonly shared set of symbols and art styles. By the late 14th century, two dominant confederations emerged. One was led by the Tepaneca on the western side of the Basin  and the other by the Acolhua on the eastern side. In 1418, the Tepaneca based at Azcapotzalco came to control most of the Basin. Increased tribute demands and exploitation under the Azcapotzalco Tepaneca led to a revolt by the Mexica in 1428. Expansion and the Aztec Empire The 1428 revolt became a fierce battle for regional domination between Azcapotzalco and the combined forces from Tenochtitlan and Texcoco. After several victories, the ethnic Tepaneca city-state of Tlacopan joined them, and the combined forces overthrew Azcapotzalco. After that, the Triple Alliance moved quickly to subdue other city-states in the basin. The south was conquered by 1432, the west by 1435, and the east by 1440. Some longer holdouts in the basin include Chalco, conquered in 1465, and Tlatelolco in 1473. These expansionist battles were not ethnically-based: the bitterest were waged against the related polities in the Puebla Valley. In most cases, the  annexation of communities simply meant the establishment of an additional layer of leadership and a tribute system. However, in some cases such as the Otomi capital of Xaltocan, archaeological evidence indicates that the Triple Alliance replaced some of the population, perhaps because the elites and commoner people fled. An Unequal Alliance The three city-states sometimes operated independently and sometimes together. By 1431, each capital controlled certain city-states, with Tenochtitlan to the south, Texcoco to the northeast and Tlacopan to the northwest. Each of the partners was politically autonomous. Each ruler king acted as the head of a separate domain. But the three partners were not equals, a division that increased over the 90 years of the Aztec Empire. The Triple Alliance divided booty recovered from their wars separately. 2/5 went to Tenochtitlan, 2/5 to Texcoco, and 1/5 (as the latecomer) to Tlacopan. Each leader of the alliance divided his resources among the ruler himself, his relatives, allied and dependent rulers, nobles, meritorious warriors, and to local community governments. Although Texcoco and Tenochtitlan began on a relatively equal footing, Tenochtitlan became preeminent in the military sphere, while Texcoco retained prominence in law, engineering, and the arts. Records do not include reference to Tlacopans specialties. Benefits of the Triple Alliance The Triple Alliance partners were a formidable military force, but they were also an economic force. Their strategy was to build on pre-existing trade relations, expanding them to new heights with state support. They also focused on urban development, dividing the areas into quarters and neighborhoods and encouraging an influx of immigrants into their capitals. They established political legitimacy and fostered social and political interactions through alliances and elite marriages within the three partners and throughout their empire. Archaeologist Michael E. Smith argues that the economic system was taxation, and not tribute since there were regular, routinized payments to the Empire from the subject states. This guaranteed the three cities a consistent flow of products coming in from different environmental and cultural regions, increasing their power and prestige. They also provided a relatively stable political environment, where commerce and marketplaces could flourish. Domination and Disintegration The king of Tenochtitln soon emerged as the supreme military commander of the alliance  and made the final decision on all military actions. Eventually, Tenochtitln began to erode the independence of first Tlacopn, then that of Texcoco. Of the two, Texcoco remained fairly powerful, appointing its colonial city-states and able to fend off Tenochtitlns attempt to intervene in Texcocan dynastic succession right up until the Spanish conquest. Most scholars believe that Tenochtitln was dominant throughout most of the period, but the effective union of the alliance remained intact through political, social, and economic means. Each controlled their territorial domain as dependent city-states and their military forces. They shared the expansionist goals of the empire, and their highest-status individuals maintained individual sovereignty by inter-marriages, feasting, markets and tribute sharing across alliance borders. But hostilities among the Triple Alliance persisted, and it was with the help of Texcocos forces that Hernan Cortes was able to overthrow Tenochtitln in 1591.

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Research paper - Essay Example The difference here is that the Fences represents an African-American family while the Death of a Salesman is a story of the middle class American Caucasian of the 1940s. The story of Death of a Salesman centres around the disillusioned Willy Loman’s inability to stay focused on things and is replete with flashbacks. Willy’s family is struggling to survive and Biff, the son is unemployed and constantly fighting with Willy. There is a constant failure in jobs. The flashbacks reveal that Biffs career was jeopardized in high school when Biff finds his father having an affair. Eventually Biff accepts himself for what he is, but his father is unable to come to terms with failure and kills himself. Fences though written in was written in 1986 portrays a family of the fifties. It is a play that portrays the life of an African-American family living in a difficult period when Africans were being segregated. Byungho Han (2001) describes the setting of the play thus: â€Å"The setting of Fences intends to reveal their dreams of happiness, and subsequent sense of loss, and frustration in the fifties of America.†Ã‚   This play tells the life of a middle-aged African American, Troy Maxson, who struggles to raise his son, keep his family together in an ever changing society. Laura Hitchcock while comparing him with Willy Loman says, â€Å"Like Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, Troy Maxson is one of the most recognizable anti-heroes of the American stage. Hes monstrous, honourable, and a huge charismatic presence in the life of his family†. He has survived a brutal childhood and a prison term and works as a garbage man. Troys son, Cory, wants to play football and get a college scholarship. Troy believes that the whites will not allow his son to play. He also feels that football will interfere with Cory’s job at a grocery store. He makes Cory leave football for his job as he wants Cory to become

Sports and Entertainment Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sports and Entertainment Management - Case Study Example The most important part of this whole project was the redevelopment of East Village. People were beginning to be drawn away from East Village because they were running out of reasons to be there. The location was such that was once very lively but it had little left to attract local people and the visitors. This area required some serious redevelopment and its prayers were answered when Padres choose it for the construction of their new ballpark. It was the very first time that redevelopment was made integral part of a project in which a sports facility was being publicly financed. Further, the Padres made redevelopment a part of the Memorandum of Understanding in which they obtained the approval of public. This meant that even politicians were unable to disallow this project as they had to do what the people wanted. The road to success was not a smooth one for Padres. They had had to face many bumps in the form of oppositions and lawsuits by the people who had to relocate. The prota gonist of this case, John Moores, faced a very difficult time because of all the lawsuits and the delays. There was a two year delay in the construction in the area which was now known as the Ballpark District. Conditions had significantly changed in the two year period due to 9/11 and the bursting of the Internet Bubble. One of the setbacks was the departure of Larry Lucchino. Lucchino kept the people of San Diego, particularly the diehard baseball fans, involved in the process so that their support and sympathy was always with the team. This was very difficult to maintain as Lucchino left. Moores handled the matter with great patience and maturity. There were times when it felt like Moores might leave San Diego and take his team to another city. Instead, Moores kept his head poised in the game in which he was involved. He knew that the redevelopment of East Village was not only good for the area itself, but it was also the biggest argument in favour of his project. PETCO Park was an enormous success. From this experience, one can learn that there are always numerous extraneous circumstances that are to be accounted for while pursuing a project of such magnitude. No matter how careful one is, there is always a potential of oversight. ‘There is no such thing as a perfect research’. We can look at the experiences of others and we should learn from them. Similar mistakes must not be repeated. We can clearly see that Moores’ team selection was brilliant but not flawless. He made sure that the team that was working on this project was diverse. Therefore, everyone brought something new to the table. However, it was a slip by one of the team members that resulted in the allegations of corruption. Moores, of course, was not guilty but the two year delay was like a punishment for him too. A punishment for a wrong he did not commit himself, but one of his team members did. Perhaps, everyone else who was involved in the project also suffered greatly. But one tends to think that maybe Moores could have done something to avoid all of this. There might have been no corruption if the team members had a clear knowledge of their limits and boundaries. Moores could

Why Is Teen Pregnancy So High Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why Is Teen Pregnancy So High - Essay Example Many young girls grow up unaware of the dangers that may await them in the outside world. In order to be fully prepared for what may come in their teenage years, young girls need to be taught the dangers and consequences of teenage pregnancy. If this knowledge is obtained before an opportunity arises, then there is less of a chance of pregnancy occurring. Some people would say that talking about subjects such as sex only increases its frequency, yet most international studies show that teen pregnancy rates decrease in conjunction with proper teaching. Even if a girl is unable to avoid a situation, she may be able to make herself safer due to her knowledge about the issue. Another reason why teenage pregnancy rates can be so high is because of poor parenting. Education starts in the home, and as such, parents should take responsibility for their kids. Many children live in single-parent homes, which can be tough, yet there is no excuse for not properly forewarning someone of the effects of teenage pregnancy. As parents are the closest people to a young child, they are more likely to be listening to because of the influence they hold over their children. A parent who is a good role model will affect the way their kids think over certain issues, one of which is teenage pregnancy. Finally, perhaps the most significant cause of teenage pregnancy is peer pressure. Young people are always so concerned with what their friends or peers are saying about them. This is a stage in someone’s life where parents do not have the same hold over them. Friends influence the decisions and feelings of most teenagers because no one wants to look out of place. Even if someone’s peers are not encouraging someone to make a bad choice, it may be that the person feels like their friends do.

Higher education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Higher education - Essay Example While university attendance rates increased generally for women, there was significant variance among different segments of the population because of factors such as age, race and ethnicity. This is because especially in this age of globalization we all have multiple identities such as age, race, ethnicity, religion, full or part time student, employment status, recent immigrant or native, etc. Intersectional theory shows that ones’ various identities intersect with each other influencing how we think and act, sometimes in opposite directions. For example, a Muslim woman from a conservative family may want to attend college, but is discouraged from doing so by her strict upbringing stipulating that education is unnecessary for women. Thus while the general trend is for increased female university attendance, the actual increase varies among different population segments because of the intersection of influences prevailing in specific populations which can either encourage or d ampen the trend. Table 5-8 This table in the provided reading analyses the proportion of undergraduate degrees earned in 2004 in the US by gender, race, ethnicity and age. For example, it tells us that 61% of all graduates were â€Å"traditional†, that is full time students under 24 while the remaining 39% were over 25, presumably either part time students possibly employed or full time who may have interrupted their work career in order to upgrade their skills. In the under 24 age group 34% within the 61% were women, and in the older group 24% within the 30% were women, or more than half in each case. However, while the proportion of women exceeded men for all racial/ethnic categories, the margin of difference varied considerably. For example, African Americans of both sexes were 50% of their graduating population for both the under 24 and over 25 age groups. However, for the under 24s 30% within the 50% were women 34% within the over 24 50% were also women, that is in both cases especially in the older group over half of the African American graduates were women. In contrast, for the Asian Americans under 24 33% within the 65% were women, although they constituted 21% within the remaining over 25 proportion. It is also noticeable that for most racial/ethnic groups women are a higher proportion of graduates for the over 25 age group than they are for the younger graduates, although in each case they exceed the male rate. Although the table tells us that there are differences among racial/ethnic groups in the degree to which the proportion of female graduates exceed that of males and the higher proportion is generally even more pronounced for the over 25 age group, it dos not tell us why. Unfortunately, in the social sciences unlike in the physical sciences, one cannot easily manipulate the quantity and quality of variables in a lab experiment to determine the exact effect of each variation. Instead, one must examine different population segments and di fferent hypothesis about what economic and/or social factors are likely driving their behavior, for example, the higher proportion of African American women pursuing higher education compared to females of other races/identities. Is this because they are generally of a lower socio-economic

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 13

Questions - Assignment Example On the other end, Google only managed to keep some of its products popular where the number of clients using their app was used to determine the company’s application store superiority. Compared to Google’s Android operating system, Apple’s application stores are better since users maintain that they are safe for storing data and allow easier access from whichever Web-activated device (Gale Emerging Industry Overviews, 2011). If all brands had a mobile app, it would be great for application store users. However, due to a number of reasons, it is not advisable for all brands to have a mobile app. For one, most people who use apps feel grateful to app developers yet they do not understand that these app developers may be misleading at many times. Actually, when a customer abandons an app after using it once, it turns out that the high download numbers happens to be part of the high churn rate present in the world. This is not good at all and therefore not all brands should have a mobile app (Pak, 2011). In conclusion, some of the success factors that would be substantial for any mobile application include simplicity and planning. In this case, the former means that there will be broad awareness that will enable the manufacturer to understand the needs of a customer (Gale Emerging Industry Overviews, 2011). On the other end, the latter would help the customer be in a position to choose wisely from the many apps out there in the market. Pak, M. (2011). Mobile apps. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.2&thid=13ca3e70377d6688&mt=application/pdf&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D53dcd4b10d%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13ca3e70377d6688%26attid%3D0.2%26disp%3Dsafe%26realattid%3Df_hcr8r0ka1%26zw&sig=AHIEtbRAv_ISfwY3tGnBi-byrPCFoxBIkA on February 4, 2013. Gale Emerging Industry Overviews, (2011). Mobile

Race & Racism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Race & Racism - Essay Example Racism defines the power of a particular group to eliminate other minorities in various ways. It does not have to rely on physical distinctions though, because it can be in the form of distinguishing the culture and behavior of a certain group. Social and political areas of the society can contribute to the idea of racism as they stand for the general population. Racism affects not only the people who are responsible enough to handle such discriminations but also the children or the young generations (Coombs, 1994; Semchison, 2007). The young generation is corrupted as to how the government used them in order to control the indigenous people. Commonly, skin color determines the opportunity for a child from schools, jobs and even in marriage (Smith, 2003). Discrimination among the aboriginal Australians have been a feature of its history. Stealing the generation is just one of the marks of racism in Australia; racism also includes segregating the aborigines and forced them to work for a mission. This scenario largely impacted the health of the aborigines. Their lives have been put into an unvarying threat and losing their lands created more tension. Relocating can be treated as the main reason why the aborigines have developed health problems because of the frustrations and other deprivation they have encountered. They have been put into a violent discipline where they were restricted to take advantage of what belongs to them at first (Semchison, 2007). A concrete example of deprivation is that, funds for healthcare are not adequate to respond to the needs of the people. Moving into the urban life made it difficult for the aboriginal people to deal with their health problems because they cannot, for a fact, afford the medications. Mostly, people are being dominated by those of power because of their poverty. Results are reflected through the poor health, substance abuse, unemployment, violence against women, deprivation on

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 13

Questions - Assignment Example On the other end, Google only managed to keep some of its products popular where the number of clients using their app was used to determine the company’s application store superiority. Compared to Google’s Android operating system, Apple’s application stores are better since users maintain that they are safe for storing data and allow easier access from whichever Web-activated device (Gale Emerging Industry Overviews, 2011). If all brands had a mobile app, it would be great for application store users. However, due to a number of reasons, it is not advisable for all brands to have a mobile app. For one, most people who use apps feel grateful to app developers yet they do not understand that these app developers may be misleading at many times. Actually, when a customer abandons an app after using it once, it turns out that the high download numbers happens to be part of the high churn rate present in the world. This is not good at all and therefore not all brands should have a mobile app (Pak, 2011). In conclusion, some of the success factors that would be substantial for any mobile application include simplicity and planning. In this case, the former means that there will be broad awareness that will enable the manufacturer to understand the needs of a customer (Gale Emerging Industry Overviews, 2011). On the other end, the latter would help the customer be in a position to choose wisely from the many apps out there in the market. Pak, M. (2011). Mobile apps. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.2&thid=13ca3e70377d6688&mt=application/pdf&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D53dcd4b10d%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13ca3e70377d6688%26attid%3D0.2%26disp%3Dsafe%26realattid%3Df_hcr8r0ka1%26zw&sig=AHIEtbRAv_ISfwY3tGnBi-byrPCFoxBIkA on February 4, 2013. Gale Emerging Industry Overviews, (2011). Mobile

Steroids in the World of Sports Essay Example for Free

Steroids in the World of Sports Essay During the 1930s, scientists discovered that anabolic steroids could help the growth of muscle in laboratory animals, which led to abuse of these drugs by bodybuilders and weightlifters and then by athletes in other sports. Ever since the beginning of sports there has been different techniques used in order to gain an edge over opponents. The question that has been most frequently asked is, which of these techniques is considered cheating, and which ones are fair game. The use of steroids is now the most well known form of cheating in recent sports history, and has drove many sports commissioners into a full investigation, that has lead to unique unprecedented punishments. Professional stars must realize that they are huge role models in today’s society, and are influencing young athletes all over the world. Any player in today’s society knows that there is a major punishment for using any kind of performance enhancing drugs. Not only do they get suspended immediately but if and when they return are often booed by fans, and are basically embarrassed in front of the entire league. Since steroids has been such a major subject of late, and such closely watched, I think anyone who tries is just asking for trouble. If an athlete in one of the major sports is caught using performance enhancing drugs there is immediate media frenzy. Many people believe that if your caught using performance enhancing drugs, any accomplishments you made during your career should be erased. You then might ask yourself, what would drive an athlete to risk their playing career by using steroids? Steroids are manufactured to enhance testosterone and are usually taken to build muscle, boost performance, and improve appearance. Often older players use steroids when they are injured because they do not recover as fast as they usually would when they were younger. In sports, size is extremely important, and that extra thirty or forty poun ds will have a major factor in how an athlete will play. One of the biggest problems with performance enhancing drugs is that scientist keep coming up with new drugs that the public doesn’t know about. All of the major sports now drug test their athletes, but since these newly developed drugs aren’t well known there is no way they can regulate the test. We have seen baseball players like Mark McGwire and Jose Conseco admit to the use of a drug called Andro. Andro is now one of the performance enhancing drugs being tested by the league. During the time that Mark McGuire and Jose Conseco were playing not to many people knew about the drug, and was considered to be legal. As the major sports try to put an end to this steroid era, we see some of the biggest stars being linked to steroid use. It is very easy to link this to the amount of teenagers in high school and college that are now using performance enhancing drugs. Over the past decade the percentage of young adults that have admitted to using steroid has almost tripled. Since most of the players being caught are major stars, it is easy for young adults to think all they need to do is take steroids and they’ll have that extra edge. The sport that has been affected most by this steroid era has been Major League Baseball. Ninety-five percent of the people who vote on the Baseball Hall of Fame agree that if a player has been associated with the use of steroids, they would never vote that athlete into the Hall of Fame. This is a very important subject because there have recently been a number of baseball players that would be a lock for the Hall of Fame if they were not linked to steroid use. It is very hard to determine the penalty for these players because nothing like this has ever happened before. Some fans believe that the use of steroids have very little effect in certain sports, and do not understand the big deal. Some have actually suggested making steroids legal, and the athletes can take them at there own risk. Although I think this idea is fascinating, I do not believe I could ever happen. The pressure for players to use steroids would be almost impossible to resist, and would lead to everyone to take them. The style of play in most sports would change from skill and technique to power and strength, which would take away from the beauty of the game. The most important reason they could never legalize steroids in sports is because of the health reasons involved with taking steroids. Steroid use is one of the most controversial subjects in today’s society because of many different reasons. There are so many supplements that are considered to be legal, but there is just as many that are considered to be illegal. Athletes must ask themselves if it is worth it to risk their careers on trying to just get an edge. The problem with this is that most people do not think of the consequences until after they get caught. The most important thing most major league players don’t think about when they use steroids is how it affects young athletes in today’s society.

The Use Of Technology To Improve Mathematics Education Essay

The Use Of Technology To Improve Mathematics Education Essay This project is based on the use of technology to improve mathematics in secondary schools of Mauritius. It discusses about the various theories associated in the application of new means of communication and teaching-learning mathematics, as well as the available technological tools and their applications. After much research work, this project has been successfully completed and applied on a sample of Lower six students. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Mathematics is a very important subject at the primary and secondary educational level. The subject finds its own place in all sciences, accountability, economics and technology. To be able to understand concepts or application of statistics in the latter subjects, a good foundation in mathematics is highly recommended. Also, after completion of secondary education, a student is required to give evidence of a good analytical and numeracy skill through his/her mathematics results so as to qualify for a seat for most of the field of the tertiary education locally or overseas. Consequently, teachers and the school administration should leave no stone unturned in creating an efficient teaching-learning environment and incentives for their students. THE PROBLEM Mathematics is a subject which has been regarded as being very difficult by many students and parents. This stereotype way of thinking has acted as a demotivating factor and has lead to a downfall in the performance of students in mathematics, especially in upper secondary classes (Form 4 Upper 6). Many students take the subject as a burden since it is a compulsory subject to their study stream. Hence, Mathematics, including Additional Mathematics, is neglected resulting in homework undone or uncompleted and poor performance in assessments and exams. JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY At the start of every academic year, lots of problem are faced by teachers and school administration to convince students and explain to them the importance of mathematics in their subject combination for Lower Six. Also, after the first few weeks of following Additional Mathematics classes, many students wish to drop the subject, but since the subject is mandatory for science, economics and technology streams, students find no alternative. This situation arises because students are being exposed to more abstract mathematics than the basic. As a solution to this mathematics crisis, efforts have to be done to develop the educational psychology and mathematical pedagogy. Technology is the tools or the ways used by individuals to improve the standard of living or comfort of living in their civilization. The youngsters of this era are highly and easily fascinated by technology. In other words, it can be said that it is the fashion of technology; consequently, technology can be more easily used as a teaching-learning tools to achieve educational goals. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The use of technology in teaching mathematics will attract students towards liking the subject, thus motivating them to work harder, get a clearer understanding of concepts, develop their reflex, logical thinking and problem-solving skills, and improve their performance as a whole in the subject. LIMITATION OF THE STUDY Despite all the theories and technological tools existing, it is very depressing that due to limiting resources, materials and finance in our educational system, it is very difficult to apply all instantaneously. Also, though technology is reaching the society very fast, there are still families who cannot afford to provide their children with all technological facilities. Therefore, children from such families would feel very underprivileged if technology is fully applied to teaching and learning. For instance, these children will be deprived if any computer-based or internet-based homework is given. SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTERS (Yet to be written) CHAPTE TWO LITERATURE REVIEW PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION Piaget and the learning of Mathematics Jean Piaget (1896 1980) was a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher known for his epistemological studies with children. He placed great importance on the education of children. Piagets theory is a theory of intellectual development rather than a theory of learning, teaching, instruction or curriculum in general or with respect to mathematics in particular. But much writing and many investigations have been directed toward hypothesized implications of Piagets theory for mathematics learning, teaching and instruction, for the nature and sequence of curricular content, and for classroom structure, organization and management. Also, concerns have been expressed regarding ways in which Piagets theory has been applied to different aspects of education and mathematics. Very often it has been suggested that certain Piagetian tasks (conservation tasks, for instance) provide a good basis for determining students willingness for learning one aspect or another of school mathematics. But Hiebert and Carpenter (1982) have indicated that the available research evidence suggests that Piagetian tasks are not useful willingness measures. The hypothesis was that Piagetian tasks can be used to identify children who would be unable to benefit from instruction in mathematics, but all the available evidence clearly suggested that the hypothesis was null. Instead, many children who fail Piagetian tasks are able to learn mathematical concepts and skills. Kirby and Biggs (1980) indicated that Cognition returned to psychology in the 1960s and flourished in the 1970s, permeating most areas of psychology. Its metaphor, information processing, became dominant in that discipline. More directly to the point, Groen and Kieran (1983) pointed out that A few years ago, research on childrens mathematics was dominated by Piaget. To many in the field, the task was to extend Piagets theory or reinterpret it. Information-processing theory, broadly conceived, has replaced the Piagetian framework as a broad explanatory model. The significance of information-processing theory in cognitive development has grown concurrently with a retreat from the Piagetian framework. Within the present-day context of cognitive science, emphasis is placed upon understanding and comprehension. The learning of mathematics and research associated with such learning is more and more commonly being described or explained in relation to a system that includes provision for the intake of information, for its compilation within a working memory, and for interaction with other information stored within and retrieved from a long-term memory. Latest research associated with the learning of mathematics is much more likely to focus upon individuals than upon groups. It looks beyond observable performance related to behavioral objectives for its data base. Romberg and Carpenter (in press) have indicated that internal cognitive processes are acknowledged. Rational task analysis, which is based on a logical analysis by experts, has evolved to empirical task analysis, which focuses on what children actually do when they solve mathematics problems. Some of this doing may be observable in a students explicit actions, but much of the doing may be not only terms of a students observable but self-reportable thinking. The term metacognition refers to a persons awareness of and sensitivity to her or his own thought processes, and includes the ability to monitor and control such processes to some degree. There is growing evidence that learning associated with problem solving is facilitated or enhanced by a students increased awareness of metacognitive aspects of the problem-solving process. Also, there is evidence that some of the differences between expert and novice problem solvers may be attributed to differences in metacognitive skills. Romberg and Carpenter (in press) believe that We currently know a great deal more about how children learn mathematics than we know about how to apply this knowledge to mathematics instruction. Research is clearly needed to explore how knowledge of childrens learning of mathematics can be applied to the design of instruction. Furthermore, Although the emphasis in research on learning has changed dramatically in the last 15 years, the connection between theories of instruction and theories of learning remains an issue. Cognitive Guided Instruction Cognitively Guided Instruction is a professional development program based on an integrated program of research on the development of students mathematical thinking; instruction that influences that development; teachers knowledge and beliefs that influence their instructional practice; the way that teachers knowledge, beliefs, and practices are influenced by their understanding of students mathematical thinking. CGI is an approach to teaching mathematics rather than a curriculum program. At the core of this approach is the practice of listening to childrens mathematical thinking and using it as a basis for instruction. Research based frameworks of childrens thinking in the domains of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, base-ten concepts, multi-digit operations, algebra, geometry and fractions provide guidance to teachers about listening to their students. Case studies of teachers using CGI have shown the most accomplished teachers use a variety of practices to extend childrens mathematical thinking. It is a belief of CGI that there is no one way to implement the approach and that teachers professional judgment is central to making decisions about how to use information about childrens thinking. The research foundation on childrens mathematical thinking upon which CGI is based shows that children are able to solve problems without direct instruction by drawing upon informal knowledge of everyday situations. For example, a study of kindergarten children (Carpenter, et al., 1993) showed that young children can solve problems involving what are normally considered advanced mathematics such as multiplication, division, and multistep problems, by using direct modeling. Direct modeling is an approach to problem solving in which the child, in the absence of more sophisticated knowledge of mathematics, constructs a solution to a story problem by modeling the action or structure. The motivation for learning Another crucial assumption regarding the nature of the learner concerns the level and source of motivation for learning. According to Von Glasersfeld (1989) sustaining motivation to learn is strongly dependent on the learners confidence in his or her potential for learning. These feelings of competence and belief in potential to solve new problems are derived from first-hand experience of mastery of problems in the past and are much more powerful than any external acknowledgment and motivation. This links up with Vygotskys zone of proximal development, where learners are challenged within close proximity to their current level of development. By experiencing the successful completion of challenging tasks, learners gain confidence and motivation to embark on more complex challenges. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY The term educational technology is often associated with, and includes, instructional theory and learning theory. Educational technology, also known as e-learning, instructional technology and learning technology, is the use of technology to support the learning process. It is an innovative way to design, deliver, facilitate, and manage instruction for learners of all ages, whether it is face-to-face in a classroom, online, or a combination of methods. While instructional technology covers the processes and systems of learning and instruction, educational technology includes other systems used in the process of developing human capability. It includes, but is not limited to, software, hardware, as well as internet applications and activities. Although technology is widely used in the administration, management of education and in research, educational technology is only concerned with the impact of technology on the learning process. In other words, technology is used as a tool or su pport to deliver learning materials, to facilitate communication and to provide assessment and feedback. In this present information age, the demand for knowledge is growing at a very fast rate leading to the emergence of e-learning at a much higher pace. Some of the various types of technologies which can be used in todays traditional classrooms are: Computer With a computer in the classroom, a teacher would be able to demonstrate a new lesson, present new material, illustrate how to use new programs, and show new websites. Class website In todays society, children know how to use the computer and navigate their way through a website. Therefore, a class web page is an easy way to display students work. Once a web page is designed, the teacher can post homework assignments or other student works. Class blogs and wikis Blogs allow students to maintain a running dialogue, such as a journal, thoughts, ideas, and assignments. They also provide for student comment and reflection. Wikis are more group focused to allow multiple members of the group to edit a single document and create a truly collaborative and carefully edited finished product. Wireless classroom microphones Noisy classrooms are a daily occurrence, and with the help of microphones, students are able to hear their teachers more clearly. Children learn better when they hear the teacher clearly. The benefit for teachers is that they no longer lose their voices at the end of the day. Mobile devices Mobile devices such as clickers or smartphone can be used to enhance the experience in the classroom by providing the possibility for professors to get feedback. SmartBoards An interactive whiteboard provides touch control of computer applications. These enhance the experience in the classroom by showing anything that can be on a computer screen. This not only aids in visual learning, but it is also interactive, that is, students can draw, write, or manipulate images on the SmartBoard. Online media Streamed video websites can be utilized to enhance a classroom lesson, for instance, United Streaming, Teacher Tube, etc. Podcasts Podcasting is a relatively new invention that allows anybody to publish files to the Internet where individuals can subscribe and receive new files from people by a subscription. The primary benefit of podcasting for educators is quite simple. It enables teachers to reach students through a medium that is both the new style of todays youngsters, as well as a part of their daily lives. For a technology that only requires a computer, microphone and internet connection, podcasting has the capacity of advancing a students education beyond the classroom. When students listen to the podcasts of other students as well as their own, they can quickly demonstrate their capacities to identify and define quality and develop their creativity. This can be a great tool for learning and developing literacy inside and outside the classroom. Podcasting can help sharpen students vocabulary, writing, editing, public speaking, and presentation skills. Students will also learn skills that will be valuable in the working world, such as communication, time management, and problem-solving. There are many other tools being utilized depending on the local school board and funds available. These may include digital cameras, video cameras, document cameras, or LCD projectors. EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP Educational leadership, also known as school leadership, is the process of enlisting and guiding the talents and energies of teachers, pupils, and parents toward achieving common educational aims. Educational leadership came into attention in the late 20th century since demands were made on schools for higher levels of pupil achievement, and schools were expected to improve and reform. These expectations were accompanied by calls for accountability at the school level. The concept of leadership was favored because it conveys dynamism and proactivity. The school head is commonly thought to be the school leader. However, school leadership may include other persons, such as members of a formal leadership team and other persons who contribute toward the aims of the school. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY THE MAURITIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BRIEF HISTORY The education system in Mauritius, prototyped after the British model, has improved greatly since independence. After the country became independent in 1968, education became one of the main preoccupations of the Mauritian Government to meet the new challenges awaiting the country. New dimensions have been added to education, which have gradually democratized the whole system. The government made an effort to provide adequate funding for education, occasionally straining tight budgets. Considerable investment of resources, both human and material, has been put into the Education sector and impressive progress has been achieved in terms of free and universal education. Since 1976, education has been free for all and from the year 1991, education has become compulsory for both boys and girls. As from the year 2005, with the introduction of 11-year schooling, education has been free at all levels and compulsory for all up to the age of 16. STRUCTURE From Primary school onwards, education has been structured in a 6-5-2 system, whereby a child follows a minimum of 6 years free and compulsory Primary Schooling leading to a Certificate of Primary Education (CPE). This is followed by a minimum of 5 years Secondary Schooling which is free and, compulsory until the age of 16. This 5 years schooling leads the pupil to a School Certificate (SC) or General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level, which henceforth enables him to pursue another 2 years schooling leading to a Higher School Certificate Advanced Level (HSC), which is the key towards Tertiary Education, either locally or overseas. Students who fail to attain a CPE are admitted to pre-vocational schools set up specially by the government to enable them to learn only basic subjects such as Mathematics, English and French, and some skilled works such as plumbing, electrical, handicrafts, art and painting, agriculture, etc. MASTER PLANS Today the education sector is being marked by a series of reforms based on innovation and creativity from pre-primary to tertiary level. The reforms are aligned on developments worldwide and they focus on empowering the Mauritian child to face the challenges of the new millennium and to use information and technological tools available. One of the main components of the reforms is the National Curriculum Framework for primary and secondary education. It brings about an all-around development of the individual, hence allowing him to lead a balanced, active and productive lifestyle together with an understanding of the biological, physical and technological world. Education would also make the child conscious of the notions of equity and social justice. As concerns secondary and tertiary education, innovations brought are mainly designed to enable schools and institutions to respond effectively to local, national and international priorities. Further, the new reforms 2010 aim to meet individual learning needs of all students, provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning and instill in all learners the skill they need to adapt to an ever-changing world. The curriculum framework for secondary education is based on the need to engage students in meaningful and integrated learning experiences. Sustainable development, citizenship, developing and maintaining a culture of peace and coping with stress are elements that will cut across the learning process. The curriculum base programme at the secondary level has been broadened with emphasis on the teaching of science and technology to those not intending to take science as their field of study in higher classes. General Science will become compulsory till Form V for students not opting for a pure science subject in view of the increasingly important role of science. Changes at the secondary level also comprise the vocationalization of the curriculum through the introduction of new subjects like Travel and Tourism, Physical Education, Marine Science and Environmental Management and the pedagogy will be reinforced by the use of ICT and multimedia. The inclusion of extra and co-curricular activities for all in secondary schools is also proposed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Human Resources. Thus students will have activity time during which they can choose from a range of co-curricular activities. These activities include arts and crafts, computing, debating, drama, dance, music, singing and a wide range of physical activities. Students at the end of Form III will be initially assessed at national level in literacy in English and French, Numeracy, ICT and Social Studies, leading to a National Certificate of Achievement. This certificate will provide a statement of the level achieved by each student in these core competencies. The new secondary education curriculum has been developed by keeping in view the following key characteristics: Holistic Flexible Contextually relevant Promoting global awareness Integrated with other disciplines Acceptable to the community Thematic / Spiral in approach Fair to the learner Despite the fact that major innovations have been introduced into the system, there are still a number of challenges that need to be faced and overcome as a complement to the reforms undertaken. Today, the major challenge is the reorganization of the secondary education to ensure the fostering and development of the skills and knowledge required for socio-economic growth. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT Since the year 1991, all state schools have been equipped with a television set and VCR player so that educators could make the most of the tools in the process of teaching and learning, by providing more visual support. Lately, the VCR players have been replaced by DVD players and schools have been provided computers and projectors. For the past 5 years, most schools even have internet connection to enable teachers to do their research work in preparation of their lessons. Also, students are allowed to use internet in school libraries to improve their research skills. However, only 33% of secondary schools in Mauritius have ADSL connection and others are still using the dial-up connection. In 2009, the Ministry of Education launched the EDU-WEB project. This project enables live broadcast and interactive session in real time between the Minister and senior officials and heads of both primary and secondary schools and the education staff. Furthermore, two State Secondary schools have been equipped with Interactive Whiteboards by the Ministry of Education on a pilot base. Subsequently, the government, in collaboration with the Sankorà © Project, is coming with the setting up of at least one Interactive Whiteboard in each of its primary and secondary schools by the end of this year. The Sankorà © Digital Education for all in Africa programme is part of the French contribution to the Franco-British partnership designed to achieve the Millennium objectives in education in Africa. In its 2010 2015 programme, the Sankorà © project is providing digital classroom equipment, resource creation and sharing, professional and schoolmaster training. The equipments provided include computers, projectors and Interactive Whiteboards (IWB). AIMS OBJECTIVES PROCEDURES Synchronous and asynchronous Learner-centered environment ANALYSIS There is a growing body of evidence that young children invent or construct much of their own mathematical knowledge, and that they come to school with some well-developed, although understandably immature ways of dealing with various mathematical situations. We do not seem to take full advantage of childrens conceptions in our programs of mathematics teaching and instruction. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS VISION STATEMENT MISSION STATEMENT SURVEYS QUESTIONNAIRES SURVEY RESULTS EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS EMPHASIS ON TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION The ultimate objective of any educational enterprise is to improve student achievement so that individuals may fulfill their personal aspirations and become contributing members of society. This requires meaningful change in the way educators do their work. It requires new structures, new tools and new knowledge. But more than anything, the culture of the education system must change. And creating a culture of achievement throughout an education system requires a different mindset altogether. MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT ON APPLYING TECHNOLOGY RECOMMENDATIONS Equipment Lab Internet LMC Training of teachers and students

Comparing Solomon and Gaeynor to Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay

Solomon and Gaeynor is little more than another,   more modern version of Romeo and Julliet.   The basic story line in Solomon and Gaeynor is about a couple who fall deeply in love,   but face the problem that their families are very different,   and would never agree to a marriage between the two of them.   Similarly in Romeo and Julliet,   a young couple fall hopelessly in love,   but due to the dispute amongst the two families,   it is not possible for them to marry,   and live happily ever after.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Solomon,   a young Jewish man meets a welsh girl,   whilst he is going from door to door in order to sell cloth for making clothes.   They fall in love within a short period of time,   however Gaeynor is not aware that Solomon comes from a Jewish background.   Likewise his family do not know of his Welsh lover.   After he meets Gaeynors family and is halfway accepted by the them,   Gaeynor becomes rather suspicous that he is keeping their relationship so secret,   and that he has never presented her to his family. In Romeo and Julliet a similar barrier stands between the two lovers,   however in this case both the lovers were aquainted with the fact.   The main difference however is that in Romeo and Julliet the lovers are being held apart by a war,   which divides the two families.   In comparison,   Solomon and Gaeynor are being kept apart by the fact that they derive from different religious backgrounds.   Gaeynor is of Jewish origin,   and as has often been so in the course of history,   the Jewish people have been hated by the local population,   and were blamed for local... ...meo and Julliet there was no baby that added to the confusion of the situation.   However in Solomon and Gaeynor,   the latter becomes pregnant,   and as a result creates a greater bond between the two lovers,   aswell as adding to the complication of the situation. All in all though,   both of these couples suffered a very similar fate,   and had their love and feelings for each other surpressed by the society,   and especially the family.   Certain subtle differences do appear in the two stories,   as well as a difference in the location and time,   but when one looks at the basic structure of both stories,   we arrive at the same result.   Two young people fall in hopelessly in love,   and everything ends in a disaster,   as one of them (or both) die fighting for something that their family hated them for.

Gender Discrimination in Nursing :: Nursing Essays

Today, most people perceive nursing as a women profession. Men who enter this field have been looked at as outcasts. Many individuals feel that a man does not belong in a "feminine? profession. I believe that statement to be untrue and unfair. The issue of gender discrimination in nursing is the same as other professions. The only difference is nursing is dominated by women, and men are the minority fighting for equality. Gender or sex discrimination involves treating an employee or a class of employees differently because of gender. Whenever this discrimination affects the terms or conditions of employment, it is illegal. Gender-based disparate treatment of employees with regard to pay, title, position, hours worked and vacation time is generally considered illegal and morally wrong. Just 2.7 percent of the working nurse population in the United States are men. To understand why nursing is dominated by women we have to examine the it?s history. Male nurses may belong, but there?s still not many around. According to the U.S. Labor Department statistics, "6.7 percent of registered nurses were male"(statistics). Gender discrimination in nursing exists because of prejudices male students encounter in the classroom, in the workplace and with the patients. Over the years discrimination of males in the nursing has declined but just like racial discrimination it still exist. To understand gender discrimination in nursing we must first understand the past. Nursing was found in the 3rd century in ancient Rome and was dominated by men. (Gender) Since the 20th century women have dominated the nursing profession. (Gender) Actually in the 1917 American Nurse Association was founded, and no men where allowed. (Gender) The rule eventually changed in 1930, allowing men the right to be a nurse Classroom prejudice is my first reason of discrimination against male nurses. In an interview I conducted with Derrick Johnson a registered nurse he stated that "In most of "his" classes the curriculum and teaching styles where centered towards women"(Johnson). Johnson goes on to state that " While [he] was in nursing school he could never recall a time he read some thing in one of his textbooks referring to men as nurses"(Johnson). These examples given by Johnson proves that nursing educators fail to acknowledge the needs of male students. I myself am a sophomore in the Col lege of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati. In the year in and a half that I have attended this university I too have experience gender discrimination by professors in nursing.

After Hope And Change

Despite winning reelection, President Obama had joined a group of three to her previous incumbents (Eisenhower, Wilson, and Clinton) who had all entered office origin anally with a united government in their very first term and then won reelection with a did vided government. Obama had lost his seats on the House of Representatives. Will on was the only other president in history to lose more seats than President Obama. The novel speaks on how five incumbent presidents since 1 896 had lost reel action and then begins to explain why those same factors didn't apply to President Obama.Us memorize the four arguments the authors make. There are multiple reasons Barrack Beam's 201 2 presidential reelection was slight victory although he won reelection, it was fairly close in the polls. The opponent NT Mitt Rooney didn't have a proficient performance when he had to present his plan NSA on if he was to be elected, not only did this show some of his flaws as a speaker but al so as a candidate . Rooney had way too many weak points that Obama was able to TA eke advantage of to convince the American people he was still their best option. R money pushed his few advantages way too far.He stayed on one topic the entire Tim e and would mindlessly talk about that same subject, which was a flaw on his part especial Y close to the elections. If Mitt Rooney had given better speeches and realized some of his mistakes before elections, the outcome may have been different in 2012. Summarize the arguments that the authors made concerning the results from the 2012 elections and what they may tell us about the 2016 elections. The first point made by the authors uses statistics to predict that the president till election in 2016 will be a battle for the most swing states.In 2012, Barrack Obama had gained the states that he won in his previous election. These states had also been the as me couple dates that the last three democratic presidential candidates had also won as well. Rooney had also won the states that previous republican candidates had won as well. There were only n,vow states that had changed between the 2008 and 2012 elections. Became use of how the republicans have lost the last two presidential elections (Including the 201 2 elections), they have some serious work to do and they must pull off swinging multiple s dates in the 201 6 elections (something that hasn't happened in half a century).The second point of the chapter speaks on the changes in demography. In bet when the ears of 2008 and 201 2 percentages of the ethnic groups that vote democrat increased very high. These voter increases were very noticeable with an increase in youth h support, especially for democrats. Without any explanation the numbers of ethnic race s that vote republican dropped. The very republican votes that dropped during the elect On W ere surprisingly white males. This made an impression that the youth were in co melt support of Obama. This is important because in the futu re it would seem that they will go on to support the democrats.At the same time it is very possible that the turn UT was quite low in the 201 2 race turnout for many favorable republican categories w as quite lower than expected. Minorities refused to vote for Mitt Rooney simply because SE their identity with him was almost nonexistent if he would become the next preside .NET. This very fact coupled those not in support of Obama, this led to people not voting at all, which severely hurt the republican parry's chances of winning the race. Minor ties can always change their mind on who they will vote for or even if they should vote at all depending on the status of the economy at that time.That very fact may lead o the republicans doing better with appeal to the minorities in the 2016 elections, a ND they could sway them, especially if no democrat could like President Obama. The final point discusses the reasoning of both democrats and republicans. D emaciates have always been focused on social justice, and the use of more federal govern moment plans, and redistributions policies. Democratic policies will be in full support of those whose jobs are given to by the government and those who receive benefits FRR mom the government (welfare, healthcare, etc).Meanwhile, the republicans are focuses on lowering taxes from the government, dividend liberty in the economic arena, a achieving a small federal government. The Democrats Will have those who chi goose to receive benefits from the government policies gravitate to their side, while re publicans will always focus on bringing rich businessmen who support themselves to the Eire side. Many republicans have joined the party because they are tired of an overpower erring federal government and paying high taxes.Chapter 2 Questions What were the issues and characteristics of politics arising from President b mama's first term hat figured in the 201 2 election. Give brief summaries Of what was involved I n these issues and the positions that Democrats and Republicans held in order to demonstrate t hat you have a general understanding of these issues. The unemployment rate during the recent recession was very shaky going up and down during the years of 2010, 2011 , 2012. There was a brief boom of jobs created during this period, this would end up disintegrating within a short period of time.Demo rats had originally said that during the time of President Beam's first term that he ha d actually ordered the high unemployment rate in America. Republicans were found to have said that because of how slowly the improvement of the economy has been, press dent Beam's policies in office slowed down the natural progress of improving the economy. This made their case for the recession being one of the longest ever. The flourishing of the nationwide deficit and debt rolled over onto President Beam's first term in 2008. In the â€Å"Obama era†, the national debt never fell below the amount off trillion dolla rs.The average in the first term was 1. 33 trillion dollars. This peer entangle was appalling because no one could have possibly predicted such a number a coo plea yea RSI before Beam's election. The overall federal spending amount of the GAP ha d increased nearly 5% from 2007 to 2012. Republicans went on to say that Barrack Obama presidency was the true cause of all of the spending. To counter that statement NT, Democrats had responded saying that an increase in the deficit was just as UN avoidable as the last President who happened to be a republican (George W.Bush) who ha d originally put America in this very predicament. Political popularization had become a big problem during Beam's first term. In such a divided government, reaching an agreement between both democrats and re publicans was extremely difficult. What did the 2010 midterms reveal about politics nationally? It was revealed that the American people were heavily in support of Republican NSA Simply because President Be am's first term had not been the best in the â€Å"popularity y contest†. It exposed many of the ideologies of the American people with the unveiling of a now completely divided government.How did President Obama improve his political position leading into the election? President Obama began to improve his political position by lowering the socio I security tax by two percent of the original price in December of 201 1. This was to been fit lower income workers whose payroll tax was more than their income tax. Such a pop were play in office proved that Obama was in support Of the lower and middle classes and that unlike republicans the upper class wasn't a priority. The Occupy Wall Street Movement that began in mid September 2011 also boo Existed President Obama.The movement/ strike blamed the top â€Å"one percent' of the country (Rich) for all the problems with the current economy. The movement also bell paved that he 1% has benefited while the rest of the country is in suf fering. Obama had decided that he was indeed support of those who weren't wealthy which politically is a strong decision because it accounts for 99% of the nation President Obama benefited from the reports of his speech after the beginning Eng of The Occupy Movement stating that the unemployment rate had actually fallen fro m 9% to 8. % within the time period of early December 2011 to late March 2012. Chapter 3 Questions What reasons do the authors give as to why it was unlikely that Mitt Rooney would win the nomination? It was very unlikely that Mitt Rooney would end up winning the nomination f president because he was seen as â€Å"an uncomfortable fit† because he only fit n one of the three factions of the GOP.He appealed to many of the old school republicans with his strong corporate background in big business, but was considered to be very weak with the other two factions of the GOP (social and Christian conservatives care about t he laws of abortion, same sex marriage, and other concerns). The book describes two structural changes that had an impact on the amino Zion process: Republicans limiting winner aka all primaries until after April 1 and the changes in the laws regulating campaign finance. Summarize both changes and the effect they ha d on the nomination campaigns.