Friday, June 7, 2019

Cultural Differences In Education Essay Example for Free

Cultural Differences In Education EssayIt has been a widely cognize fact that the cultures differ in their rearingal goals and on that point is major difference in this respect when Asian and American cultures are taken into consideration. unless on that point are several positives and negatives in both form of cultures in terms of cultural difference in education but at the akin while it could be stated that each culture can canvass the positive aspect from the another(prenominal) to proceed towards the betterment of the generations to come. The topic would be evaluated and analyzed with hard-core connections back to writings of Ho in Cross-Cultural Roots of Minority Child Development in your paper.Since family is such a basic and vital genial unit in all societies, persons of all political persuasions drop at-times visceral opinions nearly what things promote the institution and what forces degrade it. In the United States, conservatives and liberals view family truly differently. In ext leftovered families, more than two generations of the same kinship line lived together, either in the same residence or in nearby d headings as mostly in Asian family structure. each adults in these extended families shared responsibility for child-rearing which is distinctly different from the Western method.This important social change would have profound effects on how children were raised. In their book Cross-Cultural Roots of Minority Child Development Greenfield and Cooking mention that the key fact about human culture is its intergenerational transmission through the socialization process. Socialization is used in the broadest sense to include informal education in the family as well as formal education. (Greenfield, 1994) According to David Y F Ho in his text Cognitive Socialization in Confucian heritage cultures he mentions that family and community reconciles are part of the curriculum.The kids know that we are all different. These same youngste rs also know we are all alike in other ways. In todays society the American people represent many different cultures. Each unrivalled has its own viewpoint, traditions, values and political ideas. The challenge is to cement them all together as one. The multicultural education system is the way to go. Not only does it educate the children. The kids go home and pass the information on to their parents and other siblings. Also the teacher learns as the lesson is delivered. Thus, all of society begins to learn about each others, each other.Culture can be defined as the way a particular group of people, live their lives at a certain time. The question we are waiting for is what can Asian and American cultures learn from another? American Civilization is basically a multi cultural objective that has the essence of freedom and opportunity. There are multi strata perspectives of history and history without these layers becomes meaningless schoolman foliage. These layers of history could be defined as perspective and perceptions related to politics, economic, sociology, cultural and religious.Without the intervention or analysis of these subjects and subsequent incorporation and investigation in unanimity to these subjects history would be wrongly incepted. Thus the streamline of education in this regard stands in a midpoint where the system demands an open format to alter maximum space available. This is where Asian culture of philosophy and self development can excel and help the overall perspective of the American education and thereby influence the way of life in the positive aspects. On the other hand it can be said that the Asian perspective of like and placement towards education appears to be some what rigid and outdated.In this context the implementation of American system of education would certainly be beneficial for the future generations to come. So it can be said that it is eastern philosophy for the Americans and the American system for the Asians and thus a confluence would be formed that would be beneficial for all. However in the modern world the perception and goal of education and its purpose is guided by a large number of variables and can be termed as heavily accountable to the society as a whole. One such variable can be enumerated as the financial factor that is involved in the comparatively higher strata of education system.Standers are set and limitations are imposed regarding the social, economical and financial variables. To precede the higher range of education a subject needs the accumulation of finance. The subject needs to incorporate it in the respective educational institution that has other obligations too like lodgings and such other detailed expenses. For the accumulation of this finance, therefore, the subject must work out a method like part time job which would simultaneously curb out valuable study time and energy. Thus the end purpose of education would be lost by a margin in the process.Moreover there are family obligation whereby an individual is forced to provide for the family in terms of both economics and social quality timings. This also depletes the purpose or end goal of education where it becomes difficult to pursue the availability of education in the first place. (Lamb, 2004) However, the norms of the society are high and difficult to achieve but one must achieve it at the end by formulating the individual priorities in accordance to his or her needs. It should be understood that the education or knowledge is a power in certain senses and to achieve this power one needs to pay a price.This price may be in form of miserliness or social obligations like devoting time for the family. The idea of education a tool of power has been recognized down the ages. At the time of slavery in the United States slaves were barred from education. This helped their owners to operate them in a better and effective manner as the slaves were unable to conceptualize the actual situat ion and outcome in a proper manner. More so they were not able to estimate the brighter opportunities of tomorrow thereby were locked in the pothole of slavery. This was just one example how education develops the human mind or being deprived of education depletes it.If this example is taken into account and exercised in practical ways of the modern world the same would stand to be true as the motive of education is to yield awareness and awareness can be utilize into harvesting success. However it should be noted that the main concern is the individual and it is up to the individual who would be responsible in the end to formulate an individual time and energy attention process. The society does have its share of obligations but the achievement of an individual must sort a way out beyond limitations.Nothing should be considered as a free meal in this existence of modern world and it is determination of an individual that would be instrumental in achieving the target in the end. Al l in all it can be stated that the end purpose of education is to prepare a person to deal with all seen and unseen problems and vote out them. References Greenfield, Patricia M Cocking Rodney edited 1994 Cross-Cultural Roots of Minority Child Development Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers Hillsdale, New Jersey Hove, UK Lamb, Davis 2004 Cult to Culture The Development of Civilization on the strategical Strata National Book Trust.

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Good cancer pain management can help patients feel better Essay Example for Free

Good cancer pain perplexity can help patients feel better EssayMost cancer patients suffer from pain in varying degrees during their illness. The management of this pain and its relationship in amend the wellbeing of the patient is the primary focus of this study. This paper approached the study by inquirying articles that dealt with pain management from different angles. After critical analysis of these articles this paper will arrive at a conclusion that addresses the research question. The topics reviewed included1. The use of a clinical instruction module (CLIM) for hospice nurses to upgrade their skills (Plymale, M. et al, 2001)2. The role of cognition in promoting the psychological well being of the patient (Chen, Mei-Ling. 2002)3. The use of pain management autobiographies to discover how scoop to deal with pain management (Schumacher, K. et al. 2001)4. Overcoming patient related barriers to pain management by educating them (Chang, Ming-Chuan. 2002)5. Providing a des cription of advanced cancer pain in dwelling house hospice subjects to enable the caregivers to alleviate their suffering (Dobratz, M. 2001)The material for this study was searched from the University of Wollongong database of Medline. The key words in the search for journal articles were nursing, research and cancer pain. Articles were chosen for their relevance to the research question and the findings they came up with. Information that was obtained from these studies enabled the writer to draw beta conclusions as concerns pain management in cancer patients with pain.The research is of extreme importance to the writer. I lost my husband to cancer. The trauma we all went through watching him in pain gave me a new impetus to do all in my effect to ensure that no other patient will need to go through the same suffering as he did. As I insure to practice, I would like to contribute to breaking new g hertz in pain management in cancer patients especially as concerns alleviating th eir pain and improving their quality of life.Article 1In an article entitled Cancer Pain Education A Structured Clinical Instruction Module For Hospice Nurses, visual aspect in the journal Cancer Nursing ,Plymale M. et al (2001) studied the effect of pain education on the quality of service by caregivers. The research aimed to consider whether educating nurses on pain management will improve their ability to assess and manage pain in cancer patients. A clinical instruction module (CLIM) based on cancer pain management and assessment skills was administered to 25 hospice nurses whose average field practice was 4.1 years (Plymale M. et al. 2001, p. 424).The course involved the nurses going round 8 stations focussing on different aspects of cancer pain, assessing 5 cancer survivors and angiotensin-converting enzyme actor. They carried out tests on various aspects of pain management. Prior to and by and by the exercise the nurses self-importance assessed their skills in pain manage ment using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1( non competent) to 5(very competent). They also evaluated the CLIM on a similar scale. (1= strongly disagree 5= strongly agree)All participants agreed that the course helped improve their competence in the education items that were being addressed. The use of patients with cancer was considered more beneficial as debate to having actors. Nurses that felt competent enough before the course did not perceive any noticeable improvement in their abilities in the post exercise self assessment. This finding is consistent with the view that hospice nurses are more competent in dealing with cancer pain management than those nurses working in hospitals. Those who assessed themselves as not competent indicated a higher assessment of themselves after the course.In a further study conducted among post instruction medical students, those trained using a CLIM on pain management did better than those schooled it traditional methods. (Sloan P.A. et al., 2001, 112) There is an urgent need to introduce CLIMs addressing pain assessment and management in the teaching courses for all nurses and caregivers in a bid to improve their skills and service delivery. The more competent the nurses the better will be the treatment of patients in prolonging their lives and alleviating the pain they go through. A significant observation of this study is the competence level of hospice nurses was higher than that of their counterparts. It is advisable to seek their input in developing manuals and modules of this nature as they live first hand knowledge that is invaluable to this area of study.Article 2Pain And Hope in Patients with Cancer, an article written by Chen, Mei-Ling and appearing in the journal Cancer Nursing (2003) examines the relationship between pain and try for in cancer patients. Hope is a therapeutic factor in the treatment of any disease including cancer. Patients with high levels of rely coped better with the disease than did those who dwelt on the hopelessness of their situation. The hopeful patients on average tended to live longer and had lengthy periods of remission. This study had three main purposesi. Examine the effect of disease status on hope levels among patients with cancer who have painii. Compare the level of hope between patients with cancer that have pain and those who do notiii. Determine which dimensions of pain are associated with hope (Chen, Mei-Ling. 2002, p.62)The conceptual framework for the study was based on the self- regulation model of coping with health threats. (Chen, Mei-Ling. 2002, p.62) The main emphasis is on how people cope with their health problems in their own unique ways. Personal beliefs, ghostlike orientation, cultural practises and previous experiences all work to determine a patients attitude towards his illness.(Donavan, H.S., Ward, S., 2001, pp. 211 216)Any one of the factors mentioned will have a burster on the hope levels of the individual. The study e mployed the use of the Herth Hope Index (HHI) to assess the level of hope. It sampled 274 inpatients with cancer at two medical centres in Taiwan. 226 of them finalised the glance and the analysis was based on their responses. The study used Perceived Meaning of Cancer Pain Inventory (PMCPI) to measure the meanings that patients ascribed to their pain. Four subscales were used and these were challenge, threat, spiritual consciousness and loss.The findings showed that in cancer patients with pain and those without pain, the hope levels did not differ. However, sensory dimensions of pain showed a link between the bearable pain intensity and level of hope (Chen, Mei-Ling. 2002, p. 65) The findings supported the view that the hope levels in patients were higher in those who were able to tolerate more pain. Perception of ones pain played an important role in the way one held on to hope. Those who viewed the pain as a challenge were more hopeful than those who took it from a negative pe rspective. In assessing ones reaction to treatment, it is notable that the findings showed no difference in hope levels for those patients who were unsure of the effect of treatment and those who affirmed that the treatment was working positively.

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

What Is Symbolic Interactionism Sociology Essay

What Is Symbolic Interactionism Sociology EssayThe increased interest to the problem of communication in sociology of the 20 century actualized, in dowericular, importance of understanding each other at differing positions, defining own views to the opposite.Gradually in the sociology was formed an integrationists branch, that studied the virtue of the human I and his soulfulnessal self-de full termination in microsocial environment.The term emblematical means that there is an emphasis on the sense which souls put in their actions when they rise into interactions with each other, and in this theory the society is considered from the standpoint of behavior of individuals involved in the interaction.In other words, society can only be explained by considering the principles of human behavior, because only here can be found a significant symbol that defines the act of behavior.Defining of a meaningful symbol takes military position in the human consciousness, which is filled with meaning and knowledge from the outside world.General PrinciplesSymbolic interactionism focuses on the analysis of the symbolic aspects of social interactions.The basic principle of interactionism is that an individual perceives (estimates) be call for in accordance with attitudes of other lot, that is, a person is for himself the one, whom he presents to others in the social world.Symbolic interactionists be united by not a rigorous theory, plainly a common vision of social process, defined as a process of pausement and changing social set, a unalterable definition and redefinition of situations, the interaction of their participants.In the process of this redefinition is changing the aimive (from the view points of interacting individuals)of the medium of social activities, because the world, according to interactionists, has a completely social origin. Different groups develop different worlds, which change in the process of changing the value in the course of social inter action.Symbolic interactionism is based on three basic premise First that plenty react to the environment based on those values symbols, that they have in the environment. Second, these values (means of connection of events and characters) are the product of the social frequent interpersonal relations interactions. And finally, the socio-cultural values are subject to change as a result of individual perception within such interactions. (West, 2010)That is why I and others form a unified whole, like society, which is the sum of the behaviors of its constituent members, but which imposes social restrictions on individual behavior.Although theoretically it is possible to separate I from the society, interactionism comes from the feature that the first understanding is connected with an equally deep understanding of the second in terms of their interdependent relationship.Representatives of symbolic interactionism emphasizes that people are social creatures.However, contrary ant s, bees, termites and other insects leading a public emotional state, people almost do not have the innate models of behaviors, that connect them with each other.If we have essentially no inherent nature of the mechanisms of social behavior, how can society be?Representatives of symbolic interactionism find the answer in the ability of people to communicate by symbols. (West, 2010)In the theory of symbolic interactionism a sign is any element of the medium, which is another element in this environment.The signs are of two types firstly, it is natural signs (such as discoloration of leaves), which contain something else (like the arrival of autumn) second are artificial signs, elements that were created (such as a flag) to represent something else in the social world, for example, patriotism and duty.These artificial signs are only effective if people agree on their meaning, so thatthey are interactive two or more people must agree to continue to react to this sign in relatively c onstant manner.It is also necessary to distinguish signals from symbols signals are artificial attach, providing a predictable reaction (such as traffic signals) and symbols are artificial marks that have no definite reactions (a flag).Thus, the signals are used for regulatory policy of normative behavior in the society, and symbols are used to facilitate communicative behavior. historical development of the TheoryAs a broad theory, symbolic interactionism appeared in the 20-s of XX century, in the Chicago school, its founder was an American sociologist George Mead.George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) is an American sociologist and social psychologist, who is considered a true founder of symbolic interactionism.Mead was known in his lifetime as a gifted lecturer, and author of numerous articles, publication and republication of his lectures and articles, as puff up as the fundamental work Mind, Self and Society (1934) brought him international fame.He has developed a theory that explai ns the essence of the individuals perception of other individuals, and developed the excogitation of generalized other that is to some extent complementary to the theory of specular I.In accordance with the concept of I, Mead believed that the emergence of human self as a holistic mental phenomena, in essence, is nothing else but social process inside the individual, in which he first pointed by I conscious andI-like-object.Further, Mead suggested that through the assimilation of culture (as a complex set of characters that share common values for all members of society,) the person is able to predict the behavior of another person and how this other person is predicting own behavior.According to Mead, I-as-object is something that people can call their own.In this area, James identifies four components and arranges them in order of importance the spiritual self, significant self, social self and physical self.Another American philosopher and psychologist, who first began to deve lop a responsive self-concept was William James (1842-1910). James has made the first and very level-headed concept of personal I, considered in the context of self-knowledge, and he conjectured that the dual nature of the integral I, with many of his statements concerning the descriptive, and emotional evaluation of categorical I, anticipated the later developments of the caprice of I-concept. (Meltzer 1975)As for other concepts of symbolic interactionism, we can name an American sociologist and social psychologist Herbert Blumer, who was a representative of the Chicago school of interactionism, referring to the second generation of symbolic interactionism, founded by J. Mead.He further developed the original framework of symbolic interactionism. Bloomer was the first who interested in the problem of mass society. According to Blumer Symbolic interactionism rests on three basic premises People are more likely to act according to the values that they attach to objects and events, rather than just react to international stimuli, such as social forces.Symbolic interactionism suggests determinism of values. Values are not just fixed and formulated in advance, but more often are created and change in interactive situations. Values are the result of interpretations that took place in interactive contexts. (Nelson 1998)Significant attention in his works Blumer paid to bodied behavior of people. Basis of collective behavior are common values, expectations, which are separated by a group of individuals.However, it often can be notice a spontaneous collective behavior, like overflowing passion, panic, etc.This behavior occurs in violation of established values, habitual forms of existence. Blumer distinguishes those forms of spontaneous behavior (such as Pounding, incorporated excitation, SocialInfection), which under certain conditions can lead to new forms of group and institutional behavior Acting crowd (a spontaneously formed group, without common values and expectations, there is no recognized leadership) Expressive crowd (emotional groups carnivals, ritual dance) Mass crowd (spontaneous collective grouping of people who are excited with some event) state-supported (spontaneous collective group, but in public individuals interact with each other, demonstrate the rational, critical action). (Nelson 1998)Although Mead has first formulated his ideas in 1930, symbolic interactionism has become an important part of the study equations of mass communication only in 1970, 1980.Since Meade made emphasis on interpersonal interaction and not interested in media, it is not surprise that theorists of mass communication rather slow realized the relevance of his ideas in their research.Symbolic interactionism as the direction is not uniform, as it is possible to distinguish at least two schools.The first is the so-called Chicago instill led by one of the prominent scientists Cove J., Mead H., Bloomer.This school continues to socio-psychological t radition of Mead in the most Jewish-Orthodox way.It is opposed to the another Iowa school of symbolic interaction-mechanism, headed by M. Kuhn professor at the University of Iowa. This school is trying to modify several individual Meads concepts in the spirit of neo-positivism.The briny difference between these schools are in methodological issues, primarily in the definition of concepts and relationships to various methods of socio-psycho-logical investigation.Among other representatives of the theory we can name Becker and Strauss members of the Chicago School of symbolic interactionism, who were interested in the procedural aspects of interaction.Kuhn and Partlend are representatives of Iowa schools, and were more interested in stable symbolic structures.To this generation also belongs K. Burke and Goffman, who explained social life as the realization of the metaphor of drama by analyzing the interaction in such terms as actor, mask, scene, script and soon.Moreover, Burke used the term theater, almost literally, small-arm Hoffman was apply theater and drama as metaspheres of society while preserving its spirit, but developing its own conceptual line.The modern theory of symbolic interactionism, as a direct expression of concepts of J. Mead, has practically the same advantages, shortcomings and contradictions of the J. Mead concept.On the one hand, it is important to point interactionists effort to isolate the specific human traits in human behavior, the view on the individual as a social phenomenon, to find a socio-psychological mechanisms of identity formation in interaction with others in society, to tenseness active creativepersonal traits of the individual.However, the subjective idealist position of interactionists lead to the fact that all the social connections they see only in interpersonal communication, and while the analysis of communication they ignore the contents and the substantive work of individuals, not seeing that the process of form ation of the personality includes not only the exchange of views, but more importantly, the exchange of activities. (Reynolds 1993)theory importance and ApplicationThe advantage of this approach is that it introduces people in the field of sociological research.It directs attention to the activities of individuals in their daily lives and sees that people are not robots, mechanically carrying out the requirements of social rules and institutional norms, but leading the public life of beings with the ability to feel and think.In the interaction they run away with symbols and values which enable them to evaluate and interpret situations of social life, assess the advantages and disadvantages of certain actions and then choose one of them. Thus, representatives of symbolic interactionism suggest the image of man as an individual, actively forming his behavior, rather than passively reacting to external environment and structural constraints.However, the approach of symbolic interactio nism has its weaknesses.In everyday life people do not have complete freedom in forming and changing their actions.Although representatives of symbolic interactionism recognize that many human actions are guided by the established systems of symbols and meanings, including culture and social system.Critics represent that the theory of social interaction based on the symbols makes an excessive emphasis on short-term situations and exaggerates attention to transient, episodic and temporary. (Reynolds 1993)Thus, the theory is applied to describe and canvass human behavior, as through the process of socialization people can more or less consciously interpret stimuli and expected responses.ConclusionFrom the spatial relation of interactionists, human society is composed of individuals with personal I, who themselves form norms and values. Individual action is a construction, not just a commission, as it is carried by the individual using the estimation and interpretation of the situat ion in the social environment.Personal I am can serve as a persons target for his actions.Formation of values is presented as a set of actions in which the individual sees the object, gives it value, and decides to act on this matter.Interpretation of the actions of another is a definition of the value of certain actions of others.From the perspective of interactionists, an object is not just external stimulus, but something that distinguishes man from the outside world, giving him certain value.This theory explains how individuals interact with the environment and how behave in the process of socialization.

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Dystopian And Utopian Elements Film Studies Essay

Dystopian And Utopian Elements Film Studies EssayWith close reference to no more than three postmodern films discuss the dystopian and utopian elements patent in their mise-en-scene. This essay will analyze Ridly Scotts Blade Runner (1982) and Alfonso Cuarons Children of Men (2006) in order to discuss dystopian elements lucid in their mise-en-scene. The film begins with a panoramic view of the directors vision of Los Angeles in 2019. The night sky of the cityscape is lit an un indispensable reddish hue and broken up by towering smuggled skyscrapers and chimneys out of which sheets of flame erupt. This shot has the set up of immediately setting the scene for a post apocalyptic dystopia with the city being portrayed as darned in the judeao- Christian tradition. At pass level the sense of alienation the protagonist, Deckard, feels is reflected in the ethnic mix of his fellow Los Angelians. Hordes of Orientals throng well-nigh him. This sense of ethnical alienation is compounded by witnessing Deckard struggling to order food from an oriental street vendor who struggles to under concentrate what he is saying. The following scene further affirms this when a police officer arrests Deckard in order to bring him in for an as fall guyment. The officer female genital organt even arrest Deckard in English and the proprietor of the noodle stand has to translate for him. Another way in which the mise-en-scene incurs themes of dystopia in this sequence can be observed in the attire worn by the people in the street around Deckard. An eclectic mix of mismatched, castoff and recycled clothing is unambiguous which seems somewhat contradictory when one considers this is also a monastic order where sgait travel is dominion and there is an abundance of flying cars. Continuing on this theme, the streets of Los Angeles are presended as being thoroughly dank, dirty and are perpetually strewn with ref intention. Technologically advanced society where the common people still l ive in dirty, squalid conditions is a common trope of dystopian SF. Its function is to interrogate contemporary anxieties regarding late capitalist economy and its effect on society. The mise-en-scene effectively conveys to the viewer this anxiety surrounding late capitalism and its dystopian undertones in a number of ways. The first and close symbolic way is through the commencement shots of the Tyrell Corporation buildinga gleaming glass and concrete pyramid reaching so far above street level as to be lit by natural sunlight everything and everywhere else is dark and wet. Tyrell, Batty ironically observes, is the God of bio-mechanics and bio-mechanics is the citys ruling technology. Andrew MilnerThis immediately has the effect of emphasising the fact that it is corporate power that has shaped and moulded this apocalyptic vision of Los Angeles. Further examples of mise-en-scene which convey dystopian anxieties pertaining to late capitalism can be found in the repeated shots of e normous neon billboards which advertise various commodities, notably Coca-Cola, the product that perhaps best sums up the multinational corporate power of late capitalism. Additionally, a huge metal airship circles the city. Studded with searchlights, emblazoned with adverts and bellowing advertisements out of loud speakers it appears several times throughout the film. It could be argued that there is something inherently dystopian about such an imposing and intrusive contr sharpion, especially during one scene where it shines its searchlights on Pris and Sebastian through the holes in the roof.Alfonso Cuarons vision of an infertile Britain in 2027 also makes effective use of mise-en-scene to convey dystopian themes. Unlike the corporation dominated future of Blade Runner, the society in which the protagonists inhabit in Children of Men is dystopian in fragmentise due to a fascistic, totalitarian British government that controls its subjects through venerate and oppression. The se quence when Theo catches the train home from work (355) contains several elements of mise-en-scene that convey these dystopian themes. It is seeming that the Government broadcasts propaganda on public transport, in this instance its function being to warn the population about the insidious menace of irregular immigrants Hes my dentist, shes my housekeeper, hes my cousin, they are illegal immigrants. Hiring, feeding or sheltering illegal immigrants is a crime. This is followed by a reminder to citizens that whilst the rest of the world has apparently collapsed, Only Britain soldiers on. This is command and control through fear in a classically Orwellian sense of the idea. These recordings bare a strikingly similar resemblance to the ubiquitous propaganda spouting telescreeens of 1984. Further aspects of mise-en-scene with dystopian undertones can also be identified in this scene. The train has metal grills protecting its windows, an ominous signifier of the level of crime in this s ociety. They are quickly proved to be necessary when large group of adolescents pelt the train with rocks as it goes past. Graffiti is also used as a frequent reminder both(prenominal) of the level of antisocial behaviour and also the despair and nihilism that is felt in this society. Daubed on a billboard behind the group of youths is a guide word that reads Last one to die, turn out the lights. After alighting at the station, Theo walks past several armed soldiers and cages full of wailing immigrants. These cages are a sad sign of how this society has become utterly desensitized to human suffering, it is apparent that nobody pays the people inside them the slightest bit of attention as they walk past.Throughout the film it is evident that although the narrative takes place 21 years after the films release, the technology of this future world has not improved in any significant way. This helps to convey the ecumenical trend of atrophy and stagnation that is an important theme i n Children of Men. Throughout the narrative there are numerous instances where the mise-en-scene reflects this trend. For example, unlike Blade Runners rather approbatory portrayal of flying cars in 2019, British cars in 2021 appear pretty much identical to contemporary cars. If anything, they actually appear inferior, embodying perhaps a natural culmination of the modern trend for plastic, ugly Japanese manufactured cars that exist today. In certain instances it is apparent that technology has actually regressed. This is evident in the opening sequence where motorized rickshaws can be observed travelling down a street in capital of the United Kingdom. In a further example of how the pace of technological advancement has in effect halted, the army and fatherland Security forces appear to use only contemporary weapons and hardware. It appears there have been no improvements in arms technology at all in the 21 years since the films release. For example, in the scene where Theo walks past the cages of immigrants at the tube station, the guards are armed with XM8 round rifles weapons that were designed for the United States military in the nineties. The only minor exception to this lack of technological advancement can be found in the terminal battle sequence. Several soldiers in this sequence appear to be wearing some kind of HUD eyepiece device on their helmets, although this technology has been under training for some years and is not in itself particularly revolutionary.The governments control through fear and intimidation is evident in many of the scenes set in London and later in the Bexhill refugee camp. Again returning to the scene where Theo alights from the train, after walking past the cages he passes an army checkpoint complete with sniffer dogs and vehicle mounted heavy elevator car guns. This is reminiscent of Britain during the height of the terror alerts when Scimitar tanks and road relegates were deployed to defend airports against the thr eat of suicide bombers. In this sequence the fact that none of the public appears troubled by the exhibition of all this hardware arrayed against them is a further indication of just how routine this state of alert has become to the British people in 2021. A further example of this theme can be found in the sequence at 1120 where Theo walks past a tower block that is being raided by security forces. The mise-en-scene in this sequence is inherently dystopian. A line of imposing riot police officers armed with truncheons and shields denies access to the public whilst the black-suited Homeland Security forces menace the huddled occupants of the tower with assault rifles before throwing them into cages.It has already been mentioned that part of the reason for the dystopian nature of Children of Mens society is down to the totalitarian government. The mise-en-scene pertaining to the apparatus of their rule reflects this. For example, the face slight, abusive black suited government off icials which appear throughout the film are a common motif in dystopian fiction. in any case the vehicles the Homeland Security forces use are intimidating and authoritarian. For example, the vehicle that Sid the immigration official drives is a black, heavily armoured 44. It is also kitted out with what appears to be a remote-controlled Gatling gun mounted on the roof which swivels to track Theo as he emerges from the derelict school. All the government vehicles also appear to be fit with loud-speakers which their occupants use to shout at the civilian population. This serves to further highlight the level of state oppression. The most powerful themes of dystopian governmental oppression are evident in the mise-en-scene during the Bexhill processing sequence. The protagonists are forced aboard a Homeland Security bus and driven past a heavy military forepart outside the camps entrance. The camera angle changes to a first person perspective inside the bus looking out of one of th e wire mesh cover windows. Somehow the view outside of two black Chinook helicopters flying in the opposite direction over a bleak moor manages to convey the sheer sense of hopelessness and futility of the protagonists situation and appears at the same time uniquely dystopian in nature. The mise-en-scene in the following sequence is perhaps the most useful to analyze in order to identify dystopian themes. The bus stops at a check point and search lights pierce the repulsiveness and illuminate the busses occupants. A soldier with a large dog on a chain boards the bus and drags people off more or less at random if he doesnt like the look of them. From the activity that is visible outside it is easy to deduce that anybody taken off the bus will be systematically stripped, beaten and shot. This scene seems to be constructed to be reminiscent of the way that Jews were treated upon entering similar camps in World War 2. A Nazi commandant would often stand at the entrance and Jews that h e deemed that fit for labour would be sent off to the right whilst the once that werent would be sent off to the left and summarily shot. The Homeland Security soldiers in this scene behave in a similar fashion. The guard departs from the bus with the final input signal You people fucking disgust me, uttered in such a way that there can be no doubt about their impudently status as beings that are less than human. A quote by Slavoj Zizek sums this scene upAnd is it not that, in a strictly homologous way, the braggy warriors are so eager to fight the anti-democratic fundamentalism that they will end by flinging away freedom and democracy themselves if only they may fight terror?This is an apt quote, especially when one considers the hooded detainees in cages outside the bus which appear chillingly reminiscent of our contemporary equivalent, Guantanamo Bay, and the politics of fear that surround the Wests War on Terror.Word seem 1928

Monday, June 3, 2019

The impact of SATs

The mend of SATsSpecial Study What impact do Standard Attainment Tests (SATs) have on the study of primary coil school children in the final course of instruction of each keyst integrity comprise?Standard Attainment Tests (SATs) have been an integral die of summative estimation in primary education since their introduction in the 1990s. These hearings, occurring at the end of each of the freshman two distinguish periods, usually take place in May, when Year Two children sit tests in English and Maths, and Year Six children be tested in English, Maths and Science.The rationale for these tests was that the results should, first, genuinely give randomness about how children were doing in the National Curriculum (Sainsbury and Sizmur, 1996). Secondly, these assessments should provide an authentic reflection of the kinds of work children have to do in following the curriculum (Sainsbury and Sizmur, 1996). However, from the outset, SATs have attracted sizable criticism in t he media, non only from teachers and p atomic number 18nts, but as well as from education researchers and government officials (Yarker, 2003). This criticism stems from the nonion that these groups do non believe that either part of the above rationale is being ideologically or practically adhered to. In the first instance, they argue that the most important reason for collating the test results is not to recover individual childrens attainment levels, but alternatively to compare the overall attainment of one school with others. In the second instance, they argue that the tests, and their implementation, do not accurately reflect the range of educational tasks downstairstaken by children in school by posing a series of predominantly closed questions under strict, timed test conditions, all the test results indicate is a level of the childrens competence at fetching tests, and not their ability in the subject in question.According to Wintle and Harrison (1999), these test res ults are the most signifi passelt performance indicator used by teachers, inspectors, parents and other professionals. However, one major component group is missing from this statement the children victorious the tests. It is crucial to examine the douses surrounding the impact that SATs have on these children, so that an overall view of the situation can be established. These issues can be sort into three broad categories. Firstly, it is important to apportion how and why childrens learning is affected by SATs. Secondly, childrens attitudes, both(prenominal) towards this aspect of their schooling and likewise to the test itself, need to be discussed and analysed. Finally, it is vital to examine the emotional effects SATs have on children, and the causes and consequences of these effects.One of the principal effects on childrens learning, according to research by Connors et al (2009), is the issue of children being taught to the test in the months and weeks preceding the eventu al sitting of the SATs. This involves schoolroom activities such as children learning how to answer typical SATs questions and the taking of practice tests, in addition to the delivery of the National Curriculum in the relevant subjects. In roughly respects, this can be beneficial to children. For example, they should be well prepared for the face of questions that bequeath be posed in the SATs it might be concluded from this that they will gain higher mark. Moreover, it may incontrovertiblely impact on childrens behaviour, as argued by Hall et al (2004), where the taking of practice tests improves childrens concentration and greatly reduces classroom disruption, as they regularly need to display these attributes under test conditions. on that point are, however, other respects in which the methodical approach of teaching to the test may be disadvantageous to childrens learning. For instance, due to the importance of SATs for summative assessment purposes, teachers looking a t personally accountable for their pupils results (Connors et al, 2009). This is for two main reasons firstly, they are responsible for the academic progress of the children in their class, and therefore feel that whatever marks these children obtain in their SATs reflect their competence as practitioners. Secondly, on a broader scale, they also feel pressurised into teaching to the test in order to maintain or improve the schools smear in the SATs league tables, and also to meet national targets. This can have a negative impact on childrens learning as, during these heavily SATs-focused lessons, children are taught query technique rather than developing the knowledge and skills the test is designed to assess (Hall et al, 2004). This limits a holistic approach to their education, as this teaching method revolves around retrospect and repetition, rather than skills and application. Furthermore, because teachers are limited as to how far they can deviate from the curriculum, the s plow for creativity in these lessons is greatly reduced.Another expression in which SATs impact upon childrens learning concerns the event that an increasing percentage of the school timetable is being dedicated to the teaching of the SATs subjects, according to research by Webb (2006). Although English, Maths and Science, due to their long-established importance crossways all Key Stages, have always featured prominently in the school schedule, the danger exists that a disproportionate amount of the school week will be spent on the teaching and learning of these subjects, primarily caused by the teachers feeling of personal accountability (Connors et al, 2009). Consequently, the rest of the primary curriculum subjects, especially art, medical specialty and physical education (Webb, 2006) may not have as much time devoted to them. This would adversely affect the childrens right to receiving a broad and balanced primary school curriculum. Taking this potential curricular imbalan ce a stage further, some schools organise weekend and after-school SATs clubs, and some parents enlist close tutors for extra SATs coaching sessions (Byrne and McGavin, 2004). On a positive note, these courses of action may help to increase childrens confidence and competence in the target subjects. However, these constant levels of coaching, both during and after school hours, may change childrens attitudes towards SATs-orientated teaching and learning, and their eventual participation in the tests themselves.According to research by Connors et al (2009), some children, especially those taking the Key Stage Two SATs, regard both the prior preparation and the test itself to be ways of challenging themselves at school. This sense of challenge can increase childrens motivation and application levels in the classroom (Drummond, 2003), as children testify to meet the demands of an increasing, more intense academic workload, and acquire new knowledge and skills. What is unclear, howeve r, is whether these change magnitude motivation and application levels are mirrored in non-SATs subjects. Another positive aspect of the challenge of SATs is that many children associate hard work with higher marks (Webb, 2006), which can be an additional motivational factor. Although it could be argued that aptitude, rather than attitude, contributes to higher levels of outlook uponment, it is nevertheless important to encourage this positive thinking. This idea is extended on a social level by Byrne and McGavin (2004), who argue that the achievement of higher marks can add a competitive element to educational proceedings, as children try to achieve more highly than their peers do. However, it is important to note that this has the potential to cause emotional di line to the child who does not perform as well as others, even if the competition is meant to be friendly and light-hearted.In contrast, many children have a much more negative attitude towards SATs and the teaching and learning associated with it. Referring seat to the challenge of SATs, according to research by Hall et al (2004), some children, rather than viewing them as a challenge to be overcome, regard them instead as either a bridge too far or, even worse, a complete waste of time. In the case of these children, these negative attitudes may be caused by a variety of factors. For example, they may be lower achievers who find the increased intensity of, and the amount of time devoted to, SATs preparation herculean to cope with. This can cause them to become disillusioned about the SATs, which, in turn, can have an adverse affect on their behaviour and motivation levels. At Key Stage Two level, many schools place children into ability groups in the SATs subjects (Webb, 2006) this can alleviate this problem to a certain extent, as their individual learning of necessity can be more appropriately catered for. Nevertheless, it could be argued that, although the level and pace of such learning wo uld be more appropriate for lower achieving children, this solution does not directly address these childrens possible concerns about the amount of time allocated to the SATs subjects. A further concern for lower achieving children, according to Yarker (2003), is that, if they do not achieve what they consider to be good marks in the tests themselves, they will be labelled as failures. It is, however, important to clarify that these children are never labelled in this way by teachers, but by the children themselves, who are concerned about the effect that SATs results will have on their future, both academically and motivationally.Another factor that may cause children to have a negative attitude towards the SATs is highlighted by Wintle and Harrison (1999), who argue that the concentration on SATs preparation is linear and regimented to such an extent that children no longer have any ownership of it. This can have a distinct attitudinal effect on the children. They may become disil lusioned by the fact that, because of the focus on SATs work, they are simply undertaking activities and tasks for the sake of knowing how to do them for SATs purposes, rather than for the benefit of their own learning. Cullingford (2006) echoes this view, stating that, with regard to SATs preparation, children perceive their task in school as not so much to think as to guess what it is that the teachers want.Moreover, further research conducted by Cullingford (2006) suggests that many children, particularly those at Key Stage Two level, are surprisingly aware of the importance of SATs and even the significance of league tables. It can therefore be argued that they consider SATs to be one of the most, if not the most crucial aspect of their schooling during the final year of each Key Stage. This attitude can have a positive or adverse effect on their commitment to the SATs and the preparation for them again, this depends on the attitude and aptitude of individual children.This surpr isingly common awareness of the importance of both the SATs and the results they achieve in them is one way in which children can become not only attitudinally affected, but also emotionally affected by them. In this instance, because of the laborious focus on preparing for the tests, children may feel pressurised, and in many cases excessively so, for two main reasons. Firstly, according to a study by Connors et al (2009), some children put themselves under push to perform well because they have worrisome thoughts and concerns about the consequences of failure if they do not. It could be argued that this level of worry should have no place in the mind of a child of primary school age, although it does further illustrate the importance the children place on SATs. Secondly, many children realise that SATs results are important to their teachers consequently, the children also perceive them as important (Webb, 2006). This realisation, generally speaking, is a subconscious one the ch ildren are not told outright by the teacher that the SATs are important. Instead, the curricular focus on the preparation for the SATs signifies their importance in the childrens minds. Furthermore, if the children respect their teacher (the way they should in an ideal situation), then they may feel under pressure to perform well in the SATs to attempt to prove that their teacher has taught them well, thus enhancing their reputation. One final important point about this kind of pressure is that it may not necessarily have a negative effect on all children conversely, some children may thrive on it, and work harder and achieve higher as a consequence.It can be argued that any increase in pressure will increase the likelihood of stress and anxiety, particularly in the case of children, who will not have had the experience of coping with such pressure increases at this stage of their lives. According to Yarker (2003), children, particularly at Key Stage One level, become stressed throu gh constant teaching to the test and test practice, due to both its intensity, and its implementation to the apparent exclusion of the rest of the curriculum. However, Byrne and McGavin (2004), whilst acknowledging the stress that this may cause to children, argue that it is the thought of, and the participation in, the tests themselves that cause the highest levels of stress and anxiety in children. In certain severe cases, research has even observed a direct link between these SATs related stress levels that can be detrimental to the childs health and their life outside school, such as going of sleep (Yarker, 2003), loss of appetite (Hall et al, 2004) and headaches (Connors et al, 2009).With regard to childrens emotions about the prospect of being formally tested, some children were excited and were looking forward to taking the tests, according to a survey by Connors et al (2009). A possible reason for this could be the fact that they may regard the tests as the culmination of their hard work, and they offer them the chance to put their newly acquired skills and knowledge into practice. They can prove to themselves and to their teachers that they have learnt what the tests require them to learn. In contrast, other children can display signs of nervousness and apprehension during the period right off prior to taking the tests (Connors et al, 2009). Reasons for this could include the fear of getting a poor result, which may not only adversely affect their self-esteem, but may also make the child think that their teacher (and possibly their parents and their peers) will think less of them as a result. They may also worry that they have not worked hard enough, or not achieved enough in the target subjects to obtain the level that they want to achieve. Furthermore, children can often have problems during the taking of the test itself (Byrne and McGavin, 2004), not only for the aforementioned reasons, but also due to other factors. For instance, many children, particularly at Key Stage One level, may find it difficult to formulate answers and recall previous learning and knowledge under the pressure of timed test conditions. Furthermore, if the child is not in a prepared, focused raise of mind before the test starts, this can affect their performance on the day, which could lead to a lower, potentially misleading test result.In conclusion, it is clear from the certify that primary schools take the process of preparing children for the SATs tests very seriously. However, the way in which this issue is approached depends on the individual school concerned, and the ways in which they implement their teaching and classroom procedures. One thing remains constant, though. Regardless of the methods used, and the reasoning behind them, SATs will have an academic, attitudinal and emotional impact on childrens education in the final year of each Key Stage. Although the evidence available has predominantly shown a bias towards SATs having a negat ive impact in these respects, they can have a positive impact under the right physical and mental conditions. In the same way that the approach to SATs depends on the individual school, the level and the inclination of the impact depends on the individual child, and their individual level of aptitude, dedication, self-belief and resolve.Reference List / BibliographyByrne, K. McGavin, H. (2004) A parents guide to primary school. London ContinuumConnors, L. et al (2009) Causes and consequences of test anxiety in Key Stage 2 pupils the mediational role of emotional resilience. In British Educational Research Association Annual Conference. University of Manchester, 2-5 September 2009.Cullingford, C. (2006) Pupils views of the school experience. In Webb, R. (ed) Changing teaching and learning in the primary school. Maidenhead Open University PressDrummond, M. J. (2003) Assessing childrens learning. London David FultonFielding, S. et al (1999) The (mis)use of SATs to examine gender and a chievement at Key Stage 2. Curriculum Journal, 10 (2), pp. 169-187Gipps, C. V. (2002) Beyond testing towards a theory of educational assessment. London Routledge FalmerGreen, C. et al (2001) Children put the national tests to the test. Education 3-13, 29 (3), pp. 39-42Hall, K. et al (2004) SATurated models of pupildom assessment and inclusion/exclusion. British Educational Research Journal, 30 (6), pp. 801-817Headington, R. (2003) Monitoring, assessment, recording, reporting and accountability meeting the standards. London David FultonSainsbury, M. Sizmur, S. (1996) Curriculum-based assessment and the search for authenticity. In Sainsbury, M. (ed) SATs the inside story the development of the first national assessments for seven-year-olds, 1989-1995. Slough NFERTennent, W. et al (2008) Assessing reading at Key Stage 2 SATs as measures of childrens inferential abilities. British Educational Research Journal, 34 (4), pp.431-446Webb, R. (2006) Teachers perspectives on teaching and lea rning in a performativity centre. In Webb, R. (ed) Changing teaching and learning in the primary school. Maidenhead Open University PressWhetton, C. (2009) A truncated history of a testing time national curriculum assessment in England 1989-2008. Education Research, 51 (2), pp. 137-159Wintle, M. Harrison, M. (1999) Coordinating assessment practice across the primary school. London Falmer PressYarker, P. (2003) The hours of folly settling accounts with SATs. Forum, 45 (3), pp. 98-101

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Black Boy :: essays research papers

Richard Wright writes Black Boy. It is a story of a boy, Richard Wright living in a racist world. He is exposed to many another(prenominal) things such as fear, death, discrimination, moving from place to place, and hunger. By reading this book I understand more about the lives of the blacks, back then.Richard Wright fought to survive in a world of mischief. He tried everything to get away from hate, he would run away from home, and he went to drinking at a point. Prejudice affected his family in bad ways. His family began to hate also, they would take out their anger on others and it was difficult living with one another. As time went on they learned to deal with their prejudice world better.Richard Wright learned to hate because thats what he was exposed to. He didnt have the life that people have today. He was beat for things he didnt do and was falsely accused of. There were times when he would get aggressive, one time he took out a knife so he wouldnt get beaten.Hunger played a big role in Richard Wrights life. He lived without food for a while. Then thither were times when he rejected food because he believed it wasnt right. He grew up poor so food was something he didnt have often of. Then he did survive, and he kept on going with his life. Some examples of Discrimination laws are that they have to sit in separate places than the blacks, and they dont have to the right to do or say what the white people dont like. The blacks get abused and killed for the pleasure of the whites, which is wrong. I think that Richard Wright motionless wouldnt be one hundred percent pleased with the American society today, but he would have liked it more than the society from then.

Saturday, June 1, 2019

The Evolution of Tragedy in Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and Desire Under the E

The Evolution of Tragedy in Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and Desire on a lower floor the Elms There argon many genres of literature. Because of the age of this genre, it stands to reason that many variations have occurred throughout the years to engender it reflect that time period. The genre of tragedy tends to be considered vast because it occurs during great periods of history, it is about great men, and it is written by great writers. The evolution of tragedy and the characteristics of tragedy are exemplified in the relation of Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and Desire Under the Elms. In the comparison of Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and Desire Under the Elms the characteristics of tragedy are revealed. One characteristic is that tragedy appears during great time in history. It is thought that tragedy only occurs during great times in history because the people during those times have a sense of faith that they can handle the horror of tragedy. Oedipus Rex was written during ancient Gree ce, which is considered the birthplace of the westerly culture. Ancient Greece is a time of great enlightenment in all of the arts, so it is not surprising that this is one of the beginnings of the tragedy. During this time Greece is rising in authority so the people could enjoy watching others face hard times. Hamlet was written during another great period of history, the Renaissance. During this time people are despicable out of the Middle Ages into a time of enlightenment, where a rebirth of interest in the arts occurs. This time also is marked by a confidence in one having a prosperous future and the country as a whole looking toward a good life. Finally, Desire Under the Elms appeared during what is called the ripe period. The Modern period is anot... ...e determined. All three of these plays are great tragedies even if not all of them follow the characteristics of tragedy. It further proves that each period must make their own personal mark on the ideas of the arts in order to establish themselves as a distinct and great time period. very good pick-up of earliest point Without the evolution of these ideas, cultures would be stifled in the creative process and not stand out as an individual expressing the feelings of their time period. Works ConsultedONeill, Eugene. Desire Under the Elms. In Nine Plays by Eugene ONeill. New York Modern Library, 1941.Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet. ca. 1600-1601. Ed. Edward Hubler. A Signet Classic. New York Penguin Publishers,1963.Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. The Oedipus Cycle. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald, trans. San Diego Harvest, 1976