Hobbes and Locke Social Contract Theory Essay

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are two of the most influential political philosophers of the modern age. Their ideas on political philosophy, among other ideas, have helped shaped the Western World, as we know it. One of the most important theories that the two have both discussed, and written in detail on, is the idea of the social contract. Social Contract Theory is the view that moral and/or political duties depend on a contract that leads to the formation of a civil society. Thomas Hobbes was the first person to come up with the idea of a social contract in his text, Leviathan. As with any concept in history, other political philosophers have used Hobbes’ theory as a stepping-stone. One of those men is John Locke, who presents a very different account of how it is civil society is formed. Although both men have very different accounts on the social contract notion, there are some similarities between the two. Before putting pen to paper Hobbes had a front row seat to a quintessential moment in early English history—the English Civil War. The war was a dispute between King Charles I and his followers, the Monarchists and the Parliamentarians. The Monarchists preferred the traditional authority of the king, while the Parliamentarians demanded more power for Parliament, England’s quasi-democratic institution. Hobbes is somewhere in between the two groups with his own set of views. Hobbes believed that political authority is based on the self-interest of the members of the society, all of who are considered equal. He argued that no single individual had the power to rule over the rest. He also backed the conservative point of view that the sovereign must have absolute authority in order for society to last without disruption. It is in the rejection of the Monarchist point of view, that Hobbes and Locke find their first similarity. Both authors sought out to refute the positions presented by Robert Filmer’s Patriarcha, regarding the issue of the Divine Right of Kings. Filmer believed that God gave absolute authority to the king. Since God gives the power to the king, political society focused on obeying God unconditionally. Although Hobbes did agree that it was necessary for a king to have absolute authority in order to keep the people in line, he believed that authority came from the people living in the community and not God. Locke’s most influential political writings come from his Two Treatises On Government. His First Treatise is focused almost entirely on rejecting Filmer’s theory. Locke is in line with Hobbes in his belief that political authority comes from the consent of the governed. Along with this similarity, both men also agree on the idea that those people in a State of Nature will willingly consent to coming together to form a political society. They also agree on the belief that people would live in fear of each other regardless of their ability to use reason. Human nature allows men to be selfish. All people have the natural right to defend their own life, liberty, health and property. This fear is what leads many people to come together and form a state so that there would be a central authority to protect their life, liberty, health and property of all people within society. Along with creating the outline for the social contract theory, Hobbes was also a major contribution to the idea of the State of Nature, a hypothetical situation used to show how people lived before the establishment of society. In the State of Nature, life was â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,† characterized by self-interest and the absence of rights and laws (Hobbes 89). Hobbes believed that man was fundamentally evil and required a central authority to keep them out of the conditions of the state of nature. Locke, on the other hand, saw individuals as exercising moral limits over their actions. In order to answer the question of why the people should be willing to submit to political authority, Hobbes uses the idea of a State of Nature. This is a completely hypothetical situation through which he imagines what life was like for men before the establishment of civil society. In the State of Nature, men are naturally and entirely self interested, resources are limited and there is no power that forces the people to follow the rules of society. Men are also considered equal to one another in that even the strongest man can be killed in his sleep. There is no ability for men to ensure the satisfaction of their needs and desires as humans, and no prolonged systems of cooperation among men. The state of nature is a state of constant fear and distrust, or as Hobbes puts it â€Å"a state of perpetual and unavoidable war† (Hobbes 90). Based on the previous definition of the State of Nature, it would seem that mankind is doomed for eternity. However, hope is not lost. Using the power of reason, they are able to understand the laws of nature, which lead man out of the state of nature and into civil society. A Law of Nature, (Lex Naturalis), is a Precept, or generall rule, found out by reason, by which a man is forbidden to do, that, which is destructive of his life, or taketh away the means of preserving the same; and to omit that, by which he thinketh it may be best preserved. (Hobbes 91) The first rule of nature is to seek peace when others are also willing to follow in the quest for peace, â€Å"That every man, ought to endeavour Peace, as farre as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek, and use, all helps, and advantages of Warre† (Hobbes 92). In the pages leading up to the natural laws, Hobbes describes what it is that drives us to seek peace. â€Å"The Passions that encline men to Peace, are Feare of Death; Desire of such things as are necessary to commodious living; and a Hope by their Industry to obtain them† (Hobbes 90). These are the things that lead people out of the state of nature and into forming a political society. People want protection of their bodies, property, and commodious living. It is through reason that men are led to the construction of a Social Contract, allowing for a life better then in the State of Nature. The social contract is formed through the establishment of two other contracts. The first contract is that they must agree to establish society by renouncing the rights that they had in the State of Nature. The second is that they must choose a single person, or an assembly of people, that will have the authority to enforce the various parts of the contract. The sovereign has the power to punish those who violate the social contract, which leads people to adjust themselves to the rules of their society. In order to understand the purpose of the Social Contract, Hobbes sets forth a definition of a commonwealth, or civil society: And in him consisteth the Essence of the Commonwealth; which (to define it,) is One Person, of whose Acts a great Multitude, by mutuall Covenants one with another, have made themselves every one the Author, to the end he may use the strength and means of them all, as he shall think expedient, for their Peace and Common Defence. (Locke 121) Without a common power to exercise force, society would be the same as it was while in the State of Nature. The Social Contract is considered to be the fundamental source within society for all that is good, along with being the force that allows us to live well. On the opposite side of the spectrum is another major figure in political philosophy, Locke. Locke’s views are very different from that of Hobbes, besides the fact that Locke uses the State of Nature concept created by Hobbes. For Locke, the State of Nature is a state of complete and perfect liberty to live the best life possible, while being free from interference from others. We must consider what state all men are naturally in, and that is a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other man. (Locke 5) In this state of equality no person has any power over any one else—everyone is subjectively equal. â€Å"The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one; and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind who will but consult it that, being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions† (Locke 5). The state of nature is not a state of license, or a state of authority, in that individuals have the ability to do whatever they want. Although this society is pre-government, morals guide the laws of nature. God gives the natural laws to commands and us that we do not harm others, since we are all equal in the eyes of God. For Locke, the State of Nature is more like a state of liberty that allows the people to pursue their own interests free from interference. It is considered a peaceful state because of the natural laws and its restrictions on the people. Hobbes saw the State of Nature as being a state of constant war, a drastic change compared to the views presented by Locke. Although Locke’s state is predominantly peaceful, there is potential for a State of War. According to Locke, the State of War starts between two or more people when one person declares war on the other. This is usually done by stealing something from the other, or trying to make another man a slave. Since there is no central power to mediate the dispute and the laws of nature allow for self-defense, people are allowed to kill anyone that brings force against them. Without a force to mediate, the duration of wars is much longer and more brutal. Political societies form when men come together in the State of Nature, and agree to give up their power to punish those who disobey the laws of nature and give that power to a central authority. It is through this that the people consent to the will of the majority. Through leaving the state of nature and forming a society, the people create a â€Å"one body politic under one government† and are thus subjected to the will of that particular â€Å"body† (Locke 55). The only way for one to become part of society is through our own individual consent, meaning we cannot be forced to join the society. By joining a society, people gain a few things that they lacked in the State of Nature. These aspects consist of laws, a judge to settle disputes regarding laws and most importantly an executive power to enforce the law. The executive power is created for the protection of the people, their property and general well being. It is when this protection is non-existent, or the King becomes a tyrant by acting against the interest of the people, that the contract can be thrown away. It is with this that the process of establishing a social contract can begin once again, and also the power. Both Hobbes and Locke agree on the fact that people living in a state of nature will come together to form a contract amongst themselves, which ultimately leads to the establishment of society. Both Hobbes and Locke also agreed that people living in a state of nature would be living in a constant state of fear of one another before society is established. Hobbes has a much darker view of Human Nature, seeing them as inherently evil, while Locke viewed man as being guided by â€Å"rational self-interest† with the ability to self-govern without the Leviathan watching over you. These two figures have helped shape our modern systems of government among many other things.

Inclusion Equal Opportunities And Diversity Education Essay Essay

In 21st century classrooms, there are more and more children coming from much more diverse backgrounds. Teachers need to teach these children with effective teaching methods and must therefore have pedagogical approaches that deepen their cultural understanding. Many of these children have a range of ability in language, abilities and culture. Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE) stated that teachers must employ not only theoretically sounds but also culturally responsive pedagogy. Teachers must create a classroom culture where all children, regardless of their cultural or linguistic backgrounds are welcomed and supported and provided with the best learning opportunity. What is inclusion? Inclusive education is concerning equality and human rights. Inclusion is more than an understanding and a policy requirement. It is on the subject of respect and values which welcomes diversity in the classroom and a wider part of society. The inclusion statement n the National Curriculum (DfEE/QCA 1999) stated that differentiation from a wide variety of needs and the planning of lessons to ensure access and participation was part of normal teaching. This point was further emphasised by Overall & Sangster (2007) saying that it is about meeting the different needs of as many children as possible in mainstream schooling. What are equal opportunities? Equal opportunities are about being inclusive and fair in the way you deal with all children. Treating all children the same is not enough. Overall & Sangster (2007) define fair to be when the teacher meets the needs of every child as far as they can. What is diversity? Diversity is something that is becoming more and more popular in the classroom. In simple terms, diversity just means that are is a variety of different types of children in the classroom. Not only is it a professional standard to develop an understanding of the cultural diversity in their class but it is also a legal requirement (Children Act, 1989, 2004), but are these legal requirements being met? Are these evident in schools? Figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families show that last year saw the biggest year-on-year increase in pupils from ethnic minorities. Across the country, they accounted for almost 22% in 2007 compared to 20. 6% in 2006. From these figures it is clear to see that inclusion, equal opportunities and diversity are part of the ‘norm’ classroom and need to be therefore addressed appropriately. I will now discuss what it means for a school to be inclusive and if a school is ‘effective’ does it mean that it has to be inclusive as well? I will also look at barriers to learning and how they are overcome. School Inclusion It is important for schools to be inclusive. Hayes (2004) believes that inclusion is best understood as an aim, aspiration or even a philosophy, rather than as a set of techniques that can be applied to a situation. It is important for a school to aim to be inclusive to everyone in the school, whether this is towards children, teachers or other members of staff. Inclusion tends to be regarded as ‘the right thing to do’ and it is this moral imperative than often makes teachers feel guilty about saying anything negative about inclusive policies and practices. It is important to remember that a positive attitude to inclusion has an impact on the process of developing inclusive teaching strategies (Halliwell, 2003). As a trainee teacher, it is important for me to understand that inclusion is a process that is influenced by a number of different factors and has a different meaning for everyone involved. From experience, I have seen inclusion being carried out. This occurred during assembly when the whole school came together for their Friday ‘celebration assembly’. During this assembly, birthdays were announced and the children came to the front. All teachers and children joined in with singing happy birthday while as the same time signing it. This was a lovely experience to observe. The school as a whole were including everyone. Although there are many different indicators of inclusion to reflect on such as policies, practises and experiences of individuals learning, it is also my aim to carry these out. Such policies include Inclusive Schooling (DfES 2001b). This document provides practical advice to schools and LEA’s on the inclusion framework and sets out seven principles of an inclusive education service. The Every Child Matters Policy (DfES 2003, 2004a, 2004b) has according to Arthur, Grainger and Wray (2006) ‘served to set educational inclusion within the broader context of radical change in the whole system of children’s services including explicitly shifting from intervention to prevention with services working together more effectively’. The overall aim of Every Child Matters is to reduce the number of children who experience educational failure, engage in offending or antisocial behaviour, suffer from ill health or become teenage parents (DfES 2003). The Every Child Matters aims are said to be at the heart of Children Act 2004 (Arthur, Grainger and Wray 2006). Finally, according to Overall and Sangster (2007) the idea of an inclusive school is one that will meet the needs of many pupils in a variety of ways; within special classes, through support for individuals, differentiation in the curriculum and carefully thought through teaching, is an exciting idea. This is something that I should really develop as part of my philosophy of inclusive education. Barriers Inclusion is about looking for ways of reducing the barriers to learning that may exist for children who present more challenging circumstances. Prejudice and stereotyping are often significant in creating and maintaining these barriers (Overall and Sangster 2007). Within The National Curriculum (DfEE/QCA 1999) three principles were set out to develop a more inclusive education. Within these principles, the third is to ‘overcome potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and group of pupils’. These groups of pupils can range from SEN to EAL to Gifted and Talented. Overcoming barriers is further emphasised in Inclusive Schooling (DfES 2001b) with one of the principles stating ‘schools, local education authorities and others should actively seek to remove barriers to learning and participation’. Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment is relevant to all children who have already been identified to have an emotional, mental or physical need. Teachers must plan to meet these needs and also the needs of the rest of the class at the same time. One method of doing this is to pair a pupil with EAL with a pupil who is good at English. Peer encouragement is a great way of encouraging talk. I witnessed an example with an emotionally vulnerable child. This particular child was getting frustrated and upset when they couldn’t do their times tables because other pupils around the table were counting aloud and therefore interfering with this pupil’s train of thought. To resolve this problem, the pupil was sent into a quieter room where there was full concentration of the subject. As a trainee teacher, I need to plan my lessons which overcome barriers which I may face in delivering a lesson or scheme of work. Conclusion Schools should all have an inclusion, equal opportunities and diversity policy in place and one that is being actively carried out by all pupils and members of staff. It is important that I am positive about the right for all children to be valued and to receive the best education available for them. This can be helped by implementing and receiving guidance from local education authorities or attending extra training days. From reading I have learnt to develop my own pedagogy with regard to inclusion, equal opportunities and diversity. As a training professional I have a unique opportunity to contribute to developing my own personal practice and help with developing policies with other colleagues. My aim now is to need all the needs of the children who I will be teaching both on placement now and in the future with my own class of children.

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Reflection - Essay Example However, technological advancements would have some drawbacks. There will be no privacy in travelling since there will be audits of every route and journey. Secondly, internet connection will not be perfect in ‘moving offices’. Furthermore, ensuring the security of car office can be a challenge as the office is susceptible to criminal activities. Amazon Prime Air is an amazing technology. Jeff Bezo’s discovery is applicable in transporting packages from one point to another through autonomous drones (Stern 1). The technology will create the convenience of handling small-sized items as one can deliver a package from the comfort of the house. It would enable performance of tasks at a fast rate. The technology will also save on cost of operation. Instead of spending money to deliver a particular package, an individual can comfortably send it. However, the technology comes along with several challenges. Packages delivery at the doorstep of the receiving address may be challenging if the system does not identify the specific recipient. Unintended recipient at the receiving address can receive the package. Godsmark, Paul. Don’t laugh; the new Google prototype car has implications for your business. May 28, 2014. Web. June 4, 2014. Viewed: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140528072025-142059068-don-t-laugh-the-new-google-prototype-car-has-implications-for-your-business?trk=mp-reader-card Stern, Joanna. Amazon Prime Air: Delivery by Drones Could Arrive As Early as 2015. abc NEWS. December 1, 2013. Web. June 4, 2014. Viewed:

Software Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Software Liability - Essay Example We need to know more about software liability and know who should be held liable. Issues It is therefore helpful to know what should be protected to be able to make sure that software users are sheltered unintended consequences for any malfunction. Every piece of software comes will a license agreement which strips off the creator for any liability that may result using their product (Tompkins, 2000). We cannot just let the companies sell their products and then by just a click of the license agreement, the programmers are not liable anymore. What if the software is used in medical fields where lives are at risk? What protection should be provided for the end users? Do we have existing protection for the software users? Are the creators, programmers, owners protected too? Discussion Software users should therefore be protected with the contract that they had agreed with the providers, developers or programmers. Each software user enters into a contract or license agreement with the p roviders believing that all the statements regarding the product they wanted to buy or use are true. Thus, any defects and malfunctions of each product or software should be given utmost attention and reparation. According to Kaner (1997), there are a lot of theories which a software consumer is protected and software developer can be sued. The software developer or programmer can be held liable for criminal act and intentional tort, which includes intentional tampering of the consumer’s computer or loading viruses (Kaner, 1997). A consumer can also sue for strict liability and negligence which a defective product caused injury and damage to the consumer since each company has duty to take reasonable measures to make the product safe (Kaner, 1997). Kaner (1997) also included fraud, negligent misrepresentation, unfair deceptive trade practice, unfair competition, and FTC enforcement to cover for misrepresentation of product and other fraudulent and deceptive acts of the progra mmers regarding the software. Lastly, a programmer or company can be sued for breach of contract when in each software transaction, a user and a provider engages in a contract which gives obligation to each other (Kaner, 1997). These protections should not be expanded anymore. Venters (2007) stated that we also need to consider the types of failures that happen. As he explained, there is a big difference between intentional failure and accidental failure (Venters, 2007). Even if we say that consumers can greatly be affected by the malfunctions or defects of the product, we must also consider that the providers such as programmers or developers also did their best to provide the best product with good intention. The software producers, programmers, developers and owners are also protected. The scope of protection and likelihood of enforcement of protection varies by country (International Legal Protection for Software, n.d.). They are protected by Trade Act and other intellectual pro perty and copyright laws in several countries. They are also protected by the license agreement that the consumers or users and providers agreed into. Every time the users agree into license agreement, they are agreeing to the contract and therefore waiving their rights to complain regarding the products they are using. The consumers agreed to purchase the product stating that providers are not liable for any problems that may arise after such transaction. This is their

The Management of The Hotel Olympia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Management of The Hotel Olympia - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the management in the hotel will improve on the existing accounting systems as well as be coming up with a work breakdown structure (WBS) in order to define the employees discrete work elements in such a way that it will help organize as well as define the total work scope of the project. The management as part of the project will also apply the top-down strategic planning to ensure that the hotel can compete effectively in the global market. The hotels back office accounting systems had been computerized years ago for the effective functioning of the business and this needs a number of improvements. The front desk functions like the reservations check in and check outs are a mixture of word processor template to produce bills as well as spreadsheets for room bookings and they are usually printed manually every day. The management, therefore, feels important to integrate more systems to avoid manual work and increase efficiency. When ord ering food from the restaurant and drinks from the bar and restaurant, it becomes quite unreliable. With advanced knowledge of bookings would try to ease ordering and booking and with a computerized ordering system which would allow stocks of food to be minimized would reduce food wastage and allow for considerable savings. The Olympia games will be held in the region in three months time and we should take advantage of this great opportunity to expand the ordering and bookings systems since most of the customers would like to book for our services online. The hotel will triple its residency for the period of the games and for several months afterward. Extensive marketing will also be done and the following include the marketing strategies the management will apply.

Nursing Quality of Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nursing Quality of Care - Essay Example All of this has to occur in a very fast ways, keeping in tandem with the pace of the world, the rapidly changing environment that provides little time for reflection. (http://www.nursing.gr/theory/theory.html) (1) (Carol, Susan, 2004) (2) As with the any other field, in nursing profession also new information in the form of research findings are constantly incorporated in the nursing practice. Here the nurses are considered as the critical link between clinical practice and incorporation of research based changes into it. Health care organization, now realizing the need of the hour are trying to create a mechanisms that facilitate the process of information translation from literature into practice effectively. The tremendous inflow of clinical research and easy accessibility of research findings have paved way for a paradigm shift of traditional intuition drive practice to evidence based practice. Although several researches have been undertaken in the way to incorporate evidence based changes in practice, the Rosswurum and Larrabee's "Model of nursing care quality - A model for change to evidence based practice " reigns as an important theory. Based on this many patient outcome based researches has been done, their results paving way for increased quality of health care practices and increased level of patient's satisfaction. The theory of quality of caring nursing, was proposed by Rosswurum and Larrabee, in 1999 as a model for guiding the fraternity of nurses through an orderly systemic process to incorporate the changes, thus modeling it into evidence based practice. This is an six-step model for evidence based practice. It can be described as a theoretical model of quality that is based on a world wide organismic view that renders a framework for better understanding of health care quality. This model encompasses both ethical and economical concepts, giving importance to virtues as value, beneficence, prudence and justice. This model is highly important in present world as it enlightens the concept of patients and families acting as equal partners, complimenting each others in defining, evaluating and achieving health care quality. I feel that this model is important, as it doesn't ends in itself but helps in development of many mid range theories that can be applied in practical nursing, ultimately p aying way for improvement in quality in both ethical and economical manner, giving it a wholesome view.(www.nursingtheory.net) (4) I selected the quality of nursing care as my theory, as the main focus of this theoretical model is to analyze how quality, that is used as a crucial component affects outcome - patients satisfaction. As it is well known, patient's satisfaction with in health care as become a key quality indicator. It is a patient's perceptive that affects how one determines whether a good nursing care is a achieved or not. It can be understood, the patients satisfaction is ultimate goal and result of any health care practice. This model, which is originated from nursing discipline, recognizes that the translation of research into practice can be achieved only through a solid grounding in change theory. The Rosswurum and Larrabee's conceptual frame work 1999 was used to adapt the existing medical evidences based practice to an approach that incorporates an focus on nursing phenomenon, with ultimate goal of teaching nurses the evidence based

Anthropology Reading Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Anthropology Reading Analysis - Essay Example In Anne Fausot-Sterling's article, â€Å"The Five Sexes: Why Male and Female are not Enough,† Ann summarizes her opinions why the two dominant gender identities, which are socially, and medically accepted are not adequate in classifying every gender. Most modern societies accept the two obvious sexes: male, identified by having testicles and a penis and a Y-chromosome, and female, identified as having a clitoris and vagina, developed breasts, and deficient a Y-chromosome. Although the two genders mentioned above are undoubtedly the dominant sex groups, Fausto-Sterling maintains that there are many more intersexual existing in societies worldwide for them to be assumed as being abnormal incidences of nature. In a bid to reinforce her claim, Ann alludes to Johns Hopkins University psychologist John Money, who suggested the possibility that intersexual may constitute as much as 4 percent of the total births. Arguing from a world’s point of view, taking the world's total po pulation to be 7 billion, this would imply that there may be as many as 280 million intersexual on the planet. The author also defined the considerations of her five-sex classification system. We first have the well-known male and female, and then we have three other lesser-known groups. These include, but not limited to hermaphrodites, having one testis and also one ovary, male pseudo hermaphrodites, having certain features of the female genitalia and testes, but no ovaries, and female pseudo hermaphrodites, having some features of male genitalia and ovaries, but without testes. Today’s Society continues to be male controlled. In addition, scientific terms reflect a macho society. In her article, â€Å"The Egg and the Sperm: How Science has Constructed a Romance Based on Stereotypical Male-Female Roles,† Martin maintains that Scientific writing has attempted to present the egg and the sperm with feminine and masculine characteristics respectively. This shows the sperm as the authoritative aggressor while the egg assumes a weak position. This perspective according to Martin is influenced by cultural stereotypes. Recently, the researchers Johns Hopkins University concluded that the sperm and egg attract together because of adhesive molecules on each surface. The egg traps the sperm and continues to wiggle ineffectively. However, this new account of the role of the sperm and the egg did little to help change the stereotype saga. Researchers most of whom made the discoveries continued to err in their time worn metaphor of the sperm being the active member which penetrates the egg. In conclusion, Martin compels us to correct one’s thinking about the science of one’s reproduction. Being conscious not to project stereotyped cultural imagery into studies will help improve one’s capability in understanding nature and avoid harm caused by gender bias in society. M. Miedzien’s intention of writing this article, â€Å"Real men, wimps, and one’s national security was to address the pending issue that failure to equip boys with masculine values will result in raising harmless male who will do anything to avoid violence and war. According to some, this may promote national disaster since other nations train their men ready to fight at the slightest provocation. The realists will say one’s national security is at stake.† He wanted to put this objection to rest, but his intention changed when he initiated his

Discussion board Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Discussion board - Assignment Example By so doing, most employees will work towards ensuring that the organization achieves their goals, and they get paid adequately because there will be job satisfaction as the payment plans are equal among all employees. The fair distribution of merit pay and other incentives makes the employees feel appreciated in the organization because the employer does not allow bias when it comes to compensating employees. In addition, the employer may come up with a payment plan where they can invest in the strong workers, to ensure that the poor workers work towards getting to where the strong workers are or have achieved. Additionally, it is a means of cultivating the stronger skills in the country to ensure that this workers stay in the organization and use their skills adequately in the organization. It is important for the organization to come up with a way to gather data to ensure that pay-for –performance is equitable and does not amount to favoring one group. The kind of data that is required include the objectives of every employee in the organization. This is because the employee’s objectives indicate whether the employee has similar goals as those of the organization. Secondly, the organization requires establishing the performance of the employees by conducting performance appraisals to establish, which employees are using their skills for the benefit of the organization. This is because having another perspective from other employees gives the employer an idea of the strengths and weakness of the employee (Heneman, 2002). The other form of data that can be used by the organization to establish pay for performance is to view the employee’s files and establish their commitment to the organization. By so doing, the employee sees the progress of the emp loyees and establishes areas where they should invest in relation to talent. Linking pay to objective criteria would

Article Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Article Critique - Essay Example To comply with the requirements of writing a critique, one selected the topic which covers the rationale for federalism (why federalism?) and provide insights regarding personal reaction and opinion on the points that were discussed to determine if these points were appropriately supported. Why Federalism? The authors effectively presented a discussion on the topic (why federalism?) by first establishing the rationale for unification. Other terms that were successfully defined included: nation, confederal system, unitary system, self-government, and federalism (Greer, Schiller and Segal 75-77). The expertise and authoritativeness of the authors on the subject have been established in their capacities as professors of political science. As such, provisions of meanings of terms were validly presented through the knowledge they have gained from previous academic pursuits and in their respective professions as educators. In another perspective, the authors used a fairly comprehensible an d straightforward language that aids the students, who are the primary audience, in gaining awareness and knowledge on the subject of discussion. Through the provision of clear examples where students could effectively identify and relate to, the authors thereby are effective in language use and structural presentation. Difficult terms or vocabularies that need to be expounded were effectively provided meanings in straightforward and easily understood manners. Also, by citing other authoritative discourses authored by experts on the subject, Greer, Schiller and Segal (2012) established support and increased credibility on the topics being discussed. For instance, in defining the term ‘federalism’ which is crucial in this section, Greer, Schiller and Segal (2012) made reference to a policital scientist, William Riker, whose definition was explicitly disclosed therein. Likewise, through presenting a visual comparative illustration of conferedal, unitary and federal system s, as Figure 3.1 (Greer, Schiller and Segal 76), students were illumined on the similarities or disparities of one system of government from the other. Visual representations and illustrations are effective means to enhance understanding on topics that could be challenging to comprehend through purely written literary discourse. In subjects such as political science and history where students expect a lot of reading and discussion, as well as references to historical backdrop, using visual aids and illustrations become a welcome and helpul respite. The sources of other secondary references that provided support to the authors’ contentions were cited in two ways: through immediate citation with references under figures or visual illustrations; and through an author index where supercripts where initially added in citations through the text. In expounding on the subject of why federalism, for instance, the authors made reference to only one citation, from the work of William Ri ker in his definition of the term ‘federalism’ (Greer, Schiller and Segal 76). Despite the lack of other citations, the authors used other means of support through the provision of historical narration, examples, and statistics, as deemed applicable: for instance, citing the experiences of participants in the 1787 Constitutional Convention, specifically located in

Rage Against Machine Three Rebels Essay Example for Free

Rage Against Machine Three Rebels Essay The protagonists of the novels Emma by Jane Austen, My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain all share a rebellious streak that both serves them well and causes them trouble in their respective novels. However, these protagonists didnt operate with a wild disregard to the rules of their society and times. Rather, all three characters are constrained in the end by the mores of Victorian England, Orthodox Jewish society and 19th century Southern values respectively. Exploring such aspects of Emma, My Name is Asher Lev, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as theme, historical context, and psychological traits, it will be shown that despite Emma Woodhouses disdain for the institution of marriage, Asher Levs living in the two seemingly opposite worlds of art and Jewish society, and Huckelberry Finns lack of respect for social refinement and rules, the three protagonists did not entirely succeed in their goals of living lives that went against the grain of their societies. Emma Woodhouse was described in the pages of Emma as a â€Å" handsome, clever, and rich † (Austen, p. 1, 1816) young woman who was the apple of her doting fathers eye and the mistress of Hartfield, their family estate. Taking credit for the union of her former governess and a Mr. Weston, Emma decided to further hone her â€Å"matchmaking† skills by setting up her friend Harriet Smith with various men of higher social status. This interest in Harriet Smiths marriage prospects directly contradicts Emmas own quest to remain single in a society that offered women only bleak alternatives to marriage. Despite Emmas twin resolves to remain single and find Harriet a suitable mate, Emma eventually caved into the demands that were made on women of high social status when she gets engaged and realized that Harriet marrying a farmer named Robert Martin would forever alter their relationship. Asher Lev, the protagonist of My Name is Asher Lev, had loved to draw ever since he was small. His father, an important figure in the Ladover community, tried to discourage his son from getting too serious about his art while his mother implored Asher to draw pictures that were â€Å"pretty†, an assault to her sons melancholy artistic temperment. Despite reading in an art book that an artist should be free of religion, country, etc, Asher decides that he will try to balance being a devout Jew with being a passionate artist. Under the guidance of Jacob Kahn, a non-practicing Jewish artist, Ashers art and his knowledge flourishes as he explores the use of crucifixes in his work. Asher is uneasy about showing the crucifixion pictures in a show, but he goes through with it, being true to his calling as an artist. The crucifixes ultimately prove to be Asher Levs undoing as he is shunned by his parents and the Ladover community in general. Huckleberry Finn, the protagonist in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is an adolescent boy who enjoys looking for trouble with his friend Tom Sawyer way more than trying to become a civilized boy at the hands of the widow and Miss Watson. After running away from his drunkard father, he decides to travel with Jim, who left Miss Watsons house after he found out that Miss Watson was thinking of selling him. Even though Huckleberry Fin grows attached to Jim, he harbors doubts throughout the story about hiding a runaway slave. He even thinks about turning Jim in before deciding that having a conscience just wasnt worth the mental agony of losing his friend. In the end, the protagonists rebellious act of helping a slave escape his captors prove to be for nothing as Miss Watson, his former master, decides to set him free. All three novels have themes that somehow relate back to rebellion or freedom. In Emma, the protagonist told her friend Harriet Smith that she never intended on getting married, a bold pronouncement in Victorian England. Her reasons are simple: â€Å"Fortune I do not want; employment I do not want; consequence I do not want; I believe few married women are half as much mistress of their husbands house as I am of Hartfield † (Austen, p. 74, 1816) What Emma was saying was that her social status allowed her the freedom to chart her own course throughout life, an option given to few women at the time. Another way that Emma tried to rebel against the social customs of Victorian England was to find her friend Harriet a mate of high social status. Since Harriets bloodline was unknown, most people would have scoffed at a pairing of Harriet with a man like Mr. Elton or Frank Churchill. Mr. Knightley echoes this sentiment when talking to Mrs. Weston: â€Å"Hartfield will only put her out of conceit with all the other places she belongs to. She will grow just refined enough to be uncomfortable with those among whom birth and circumstances have placed her home. † (Austen, p. 31,1816) Freedom is the overarching theme of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. At the beginning and end of the novel, the protagonist yearns to be free from the rules and civilization of 19th century polite Southern society. For a boy that seemed to be hemmed in by clean clothes and spelling lessons, floating on a raft must have seemed like heaven: â€Å"Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft dont. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft. † (Twain, p. 134, 1985) The novel even ends with Huckleberry Finn promising to run away looking for more adventures, claiming that he â€Å"been there before† (Twain, p. 296, 1985) with the civilized life. One of the themes of My Name is Asher Lev is the protagonists struggle between life as a devout Jew and life as an artist dedicated to his craft. This battle is evident on the first page as Asher Lev introduces himself to a reader that is already familiar with his work. In this passage, Asher tears himself apart yet defends himself at the same time, showing uncertainty years later with his decision to show the crucifixes: I am an observant Jew. Yes, of course, observant Jews do not paint crucifixions. As a matter of fact, observant Jews do not paint at all-in the way that I am painting I am a traitor, an apostate, a self-hater, an inflicter of shame upon my family Well, I am none of those things. And yet, in all honesty, I confess that my accusers are not altogether wrong; I am indeed, in some way, all of those things. (Potok, p. 1, 1972) It was established earlier that Emma rebelled against Victorian society by resolving to stay single and fix up her friend Harriet with a man above her social status. As the novel ended with Emmas engagement to Mr. Knightley and Harriets engagement to Robert Martin, Emma realized that rebellion wasnt quite her cup of tea, deciding to let her friendship with Harriet fall to that of social goodwill: â€Å"The intimacy between her and Emma must sink; their friendship must change into a calmer sort of goodwill † (Austen, p. 435, 1816) At the start of the novel, Emma wanted to live her life according to her rules, but by the end became caught up in the social mores of Victorian England. Sharing the psychological trait of rebelliousness with Emma Woodhouse, Huckleberry Finn did everything he could to escape the stifling life of rules and convention, even traveling the length of the Mississippi River with a runaway slave. However, the protagonist almost gave in to social conventions several times when he seriously thought about turning Jim in to the authorities. Huckleberry Finn even wrote a letter to Miss Watson telling her of Jims whereabouts, feeling better afterward. However, as Huckleberry Finn thought of all the things that Jim had done for him, he tears up the letter, saying â€Å"All right, then, Ill go to hell† (Twain, p. 223, 1985) The rebellious streak in Asher Lev started early. Even at a young age, Asher was willing to defend his gift, no matter the situation. For example, when Asher was called into the mashpias office for drawing a sinister picture of the Rebbe, Asher boldly stood up for his art to his disapproving father, something a polite Orthodox Jewish kid did not do in those times: â€Å"Foolishness is something thats stupid Foolishness is something a person shouldnt do. Foolishness is something that brings harm to the world. Foolishness is a waste of time. Please dont call it foolishness any more, Papa. † (Potok, p. 129, 1972) Like Huckleberry Finn, Asher Lev knew how he wanted to live his life at a very young age. Also like Huck Finn, Asher was willing to thwart social conventions in order to communicate this. Despite the rebellious streaks of Emma Woodhouse, Huckleberry Finn, and Asher Lev, the time periods in which the three novels take place largely serve to mute the three protagonists individuality. In Emma, for example, women of her class were expected to be married. Those who didnt were largely seen as pathetic beings on which to take pity. The character of Miss Bates was presented as a ridiculous character, seen as a clown-like figure by Emma and others, and seen as an object of sympathy such characters as Mr. Knightley. Even Harriet Smith saw Miss Bates as someone to be pitied. However, Emma, Harriet, and even Jane Fairfax, thought to be doomed to a governess position, escaped Miss Bates fate by marrying according to the social customs of Victorian England. Rebellious in her youth, Emma realizes the â€Å"error† of her ways and did her womanly duty. The vile tradition of slavery provided a subtle color to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yes, the protagonist became close friends with a runaway slave. However, it was obvious that Huckleberry Finn was conflicted about this friendship. One example of this conflict occurred when the protagonist meets his friend Tom Sawyer , who was on his way to visit relatives. When Tom suggests that they steal Jim away from the Phelps farm, Huckleberry Finn is flabbergasted: â€Å"Well, I let go all holts, then, like I was shot. It was the most astonishing speech I had ever heard-and Im bound to say Tom Sawyer fell, considerable, in my estimation. † (Twain, p. 235, 1985) In other words, it was ok for Jim to travel with Huck when they were in no danger of getting caught. Once caught, Jim was no longer Hucks problem. He was even surprised that anyone would go to the trouble of breaking the law to help a slave escape. Huckleberry Finn wasnt a bad person. He was just a victim of pre-Civil War America. Growing up an Orthodox Jew who was also a gifted artist in the mid 20th century was a unique situation for Asher Lev. Throughout My Name is Asher Lev, the protagonist had tried valiantly to combine being a devout Jew with being an even more devout artist. He observed the Jewish faith despite studying under a non-practicing Jewish artist and living in Europe for a while. At the end, something had to give in Ashers struggle between Judaism and art, and it ended up being his place in the Ladover community. As Asher walked down the street after the Rebbe cast him out of the community, he contemplates his life thus far: â€Å"I was demonic and devine Asher Lev was the child of the Master of the Universe and the Other Side. Asher Lev paints good pictures and hurts people he loves. † (Potok, 367, 1972) From this passage, one can see how Asher Lev wondered whether the sacrifice was actually worth the love of his parents and his community. The protagonists of Emma, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and My Name is Asher Lev all sought to do things that were not really done in their times. Emma Woodhouse sought to raise the social status of her friend by marriage while remaining single herself in a time when both acts were looked down upon. Huckleberry Finn wanted to escape civilization while bringing along a runaway slave for company. Asher Lev wanted to combine the life of faith with the life of art in a time when no one would even think about the two concepts together. Ultimately, the times of the three rebel protagonists proved to be too much, dulling their mutinous acts.

Developing Resiliency Skills in Childhood

Developing Resiliency Skills in Childhood Arti Pasrija Issues in Young Child and Care Research Question: Is it important to teach and foster resilience skills in early years of childhood? Adversity or negative experiences are faced by all children in their childhood. For example, when a child is trying to learn a new skill on the first day of his/her school, a child maybe suffering from some medical condition or when a child faces a difficult task. In contrast to the above said, whatever are the sources of adverse circumstances or negative experiences, resilience skill makes children mentally tough, helps them to resist the urge to give up in the face of failures and makes them strong to cope with adverse situations (Pearce, 2011). Resilience underpins development of life-long barriers that promote well-being. It is not surprising then, resilience makes children competent to remain focused, composed , optimistic, and more capable to overcome challenges (Khanlou Wray, 2014). In addition, resilience power helps children to rebound and bounce back into the community, despite experiencing negative incidents or adversities (Prince-Embury Saklofske, 2013). Moreover, resilience construct has brought about a paradigm shift from deficit-based approach to a strength based approach and relies on young children’s strengths rather than emphasizing their deficits (Khanlou Wray, 2014). Furthermore , strength based approach fosters development of socio-emotional skills, crucial to children’s well being and enables them to have a sense of connectedness, belonging, self-awareness, and self identity in the social environment (Gilligan, 2008). It is essential therefore, to promote resilience in early childhood (Ca baj, McDonald, Tough, 2013). Mental health problems are experienced by about one in eight children in the world and these problems may continue when they are coupled with unfavourable psychosocial, educational, and health outcomes in adolescence and adulthood. Subsequently, preparing young children to be resilient is a vital step, conditions them to deal with challenges that lie ahead in adulthood. Therefore, resilient children when nurtured with coping skills in childhood are able to live a live with a sense of well-being, despite experiencing negative situations such as divorce, stress adversity or loss of job in adulthood (Cabaj et al., 2013). Evidence based research shows that practitioners must apply appropriate resilience intervention techniques, that are integrated with protective factors in children’s different aspects of everyday life (Cabaj et al., 2013). Moreover, practitioners must situate protective factors that support children’s social and emotional well being in their ecological soc ial environment (Daniel Wassell, 2002). Thus, protective factors support children to develop, repair, maintain, or regain their mental health, despite exposure to adversity (Pierce Zand, 2009). Poverty, violence, substance abuse, family discords are some common examples of potential vulnerabilities that children face in their early childhood. These children at risk may stand a remote chance of attaining their full potential as adults or may be incompetent in adulthood to establish healthy relationships with others if they are not prepared to be resilient (Zolkoski Bullock, 2012).Thus, I want to be a part of this initiative, prepare children to be resilient, help in creating social systems where children are provided with ample opportunities to develop their healthy cognitive and social-emotional skills (Cefai, 2008). This endeavor will help children to become more positive and motivated to cope with everyday challenges, overcome their failures, strength to face adversity and trauma , to be able to solve their problems, relate with others, and treat themselves and others with respect throughout their lifespan (Goldstein Brooks, 2013). References Cabaj, J. L., McDonald, S. W., Tough, S. C. (2013). Early childhood risk and resilience factors for behavioural and emotional problems in middle childhood. BMC pediatrics, 14 (1), 166-166. doi: 10.1186/1471-2431-14-166 Cefai, C. (2008). Promoting resilience in the classroom: A guide to developing pupils emotional and cognitive skills. Philadelphia, PA; London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Daniel, B., Wassell, S. (2002). School years: Assessing and promoting resilience in vulnerable children. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Gilligan, R. (2008). Promoting resilience: BAAF. Goldstein, S., Brooks, R. B. (2013). Handbook of resilience in children (2nd Edition). Boston, MA: Springer US. Khanlou, N., Wray, R. (2014). A whole community approach toward child and youth resilience promotion: A review of resilience literature. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 12 (1), 64-79. doi: 10.1007/s11469-013-9470-1 Pearce, C. (2011). A Short introduction to promoting resilience in children. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Pierce, K. J., Zand, D. H. (2009). Resilience in deaf children: Adaptation through emerging adulthood: Springer New York. Prince-Embury, S., Saklofske, D. H. (2013). Resilience in children, adolescents, and adults: Translating research into practice. New York: Springer New York. Zolkoski, S. M., Bullock, L. M. (2012). Resilience in children and youth: A review. Children and Youth Services Review, 34 (12), 2295-2303. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.08.009 Annotated Bibliography Cabaj, J. L., McDonald, S. W., Tough, S. C. (2013). Early childhood risk and resilience factors for behavioural and emotional problems in middle childhood. BMC pediatrics, 14 (1), 166-166. doi: 10.1186/1471-2431-14-166 This article illustrates a recent study on mothers and children of an urban state called Calgary in Canada. They have been followed since prenatal period and surveyed regularly. The purpose of this research was to inform others about mental disorders prevalent in children that may be restored through early identification and use of protective factors. In addition, research evidence shows that protective factors integrated with interventions can be effective in reducing risk of poor outcomes for children. The research also clarifies that some youth who are entirely free from risk, have the privilege of being surrounded with protective factors. Thus, this research provides information and evidence that proves that protective factors do have a significant role to play in reducing the negative impacts on children and adolescents diagnosed with mental disorders or problem behaviours. Cefai, C. (2008). Promoting resilience in the classroom: A guide to developing pupils emotional and cognitive skills. Philadelphia, PA; London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Author has created a handbook that can help teachers and practitioners to nurture resilience in vulnerable children. The handbook proposes various ways that schools can implement to foster positive qualities such as social competence, problem solving skills, autonomy, and a sense of purpose in children needed to overcome negative experiences. The author has cited many case studies to make readers aware of classroom activities and strategies that can be used to foster cognitive and social-emotional competence. Moreover, the handbook explores a range of classroom practices that can be followed by educators to enhance resilience skills in children. The handbook is a valuable resource for educators and provides practical guidance on how to apply creative and practical possibilities in classroom practice to promote positive school climate that can help in preparing children to have resilient mindsets. Daniel, B., Wassell, S. (2002). School years: Assessing and promoting resilience in vulnerable children. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Authors have created an interesting workbook that can help practitioners to promote resilience in young children. The book explores protective factors and adverse environments and provides a framework of assessments at child’s all three ecological social levels. Moreover, the workbook also includes interventions that can be followed by early childhood practitioners while working with children at risk to boost their resilient power. Additionally, book suggests various ways of fostering resilience in children and encourages practitioners to place interventions in the child’s ecological framework. Furthermore, the book links assessments and interventions to child’s specific areas of life such as home, aptitudes, relationships with others, and friendships. This book is a very useful resource for practitioners as the authors have explicitly described techniques for application of assessments and interventions that can help in promoting positive behaviour in children. Gilligan, R. (2008). Promoting resilience: BAAF. The key theme that runs through this book is the growth of positive psychology and strength based perspective that allows a new way to look into human development and behaviour. This shift has given rise to resilience and sets the stage to think about children in need. Promotion of resilience dynamics allows children to feel loved, protected, acknowledged, complimented and encouraged. These skills allow children to conquer risk. The author in this book provides numerous ways that can help in promoting resilience in early childhood. This book inspires me to adopt the philosophy of resilience and explains the concept of resilience through many examples and suggestions. Goldstein, S., Brooks, R. B. (2013). Handbook of resilience in children (2nd Edition). Boston, MA: Springer US. This book has co-authors and provides readers with understanding and theories about the power of resilience an emerging field. The authors have examined the this emerging field of resilience and focused not only on individuals who overcame adverse circumstances, but also explore more about qualities of resilience that can be applied to all individuals, even though they may have not experienced any significant adverse situations. We have come to appreciate that the qualities of resilience examined scientifically in this volume can in fact protect and insulate not only children at risk, but all of us. This handbook is a valuable resource and aims to provide readers with resilient qualities that have been scientifically examined by the authors to protect not only children at risk but insulate all of us. Moreover, the handbook has been successful in describing resilient qualities that can be natured by parents and educators to shape up children’s future. Khanlou, N., Wray, R. (2014). A whole community approach toward child and youth resilience promotion: A review of resilience Literature. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 12 (1), 64-79. doi: 10.1007/s11469-013-9470-1 This is a literature review and the authors conducted the research in three steps. They reviewed peer published articles since the year 2000, review of grey literature and quasi-realist synthesis of evidence to bring out reliable findings. Child and youth resilience were the focus of the literature review and was conducted on three perspectives; 1) whether interventions can help in building resilience; 2) effects of crisis among different populations; and, 3) indicators that prove positive effects of resilience interventions on health and social outcomes. The review includes definitions and aspects of resilience, relationships of resilience with mental health and social reactions, and provides suggestions to include family, and environmental factors while promoting resilience with the help of interventions. I was able to have a clear understanding of resilience construct, as the information was presented in a very well-defined and clear. Moreover, the knowledge gained through this re view will be useful in my practice later. Pearce, C. (2011). A Short introduction to promoting Resilience in children. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book seeks to explain what resilience is and how it can be fostered in children. It also discusses about building resilience in children, which is a universal concern for parents, care- givers, and educators and everyone wants to shield and protect children from physical and emotional distress. The book is supported with many examples and detailed explanation of nurturing resilience in children and also mentions key factors of resilience such as biological, psychological, and environmental aspects that influence resilience. Additionally, reader is also able get lot of clarity on the interaction and implications of these factors. Moreover, author has presented some strategies that allow the reader to understand how to foster resilience in children and can encourage them to increase their coping capacity with adversity. Moreover, this is a helpful resource for parents, care givers, and educators to have an overview, insight, and awareness, as they all play a critical role in promo ting resilience in children. Pierce, K. J., Zand, D. H. (2009). Resilience in deaf children: Adaptation through emerging adulthood: Springer New York. In this book, the contributing authors highlight family system as a focal point that nurtures resilience for a deaf individual. The book lays its foundation on evidence based research, firmly believes that positive and supportive family are the key factors that help in developing resilience for deaf children. In addition, authors have offered valuable information and opportunities to parents, children, teachers, and other professionals in the community that can support fostering of resilience in deaf children and the ability to handle stressful events. This book provides refreshing lens to enable readers to relook at the positive attributes strengths, and capabilities of deaf children that can help in nurturing resilience in their early phase of life. Moreover, the book hopes that people realize that deaf also can contribute to the society. Prince-Embury, S., Saklofske, D. H. (2013). Resilience in children, adolescents, and adults: Translating research into practice. New York: Springer New York. Resilience in Children, Adolescents, and Adults This book acknowledges the need to re-establish the link between theory, assessments, interventions assessments, and outcomes that can give a firm experimental base to resilience construct. This will result in more practical applications of effective assessments and interventions. The book has provided readers with easy to understand and apply assessment tools and interventions for diverse population and perspectives. Moreover, the book has shared case studies with readers that exhibit practical applications of resilience interventions and interpretations of assessments. As the book is embedded in the context of disaster and enlightens the readers about cultural considerations and age-appropriate interventions that are most needed for all the professionals in the field of psychology to have a strength-based practice. Zolkoski, S. M., Bullock, L. M. (2012). Resilience in children and youth: A review. Children and Youth Services Review, 34 (12), 2295-2303. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.08.009 This article is based on a literature review which gives readers an overview of longitudinal studies dating back to the 1970s to the present on children born in high-risk conditions. The research findings confirm that often children at risk stand remote chances of attaining their full potential in adulthood. These individuals may be incapable of developing social competence. However, the findings also showed that some of youth in spite of growing up in high-risk environments, did develop social competence and were able to lead successful lives. These young adults are considered to be resilient and have strength gained from protective factors that help them to overcome adversity and succeed in life. The review makes it easy for the reader to understand more about environmental factors that situate children and youth at-risk as well as what protective factors can be fostered to build resilience in children. In addition, the research recommends readers to develop resilient building interventions in children’s context, crucial for their psychosocial development and research knowledge can prove to be beneficial for educators to improve and build positive resili ent populations.

Women and Religion Essay -- essays research papers

Religion has existed for as long as man has. Both men, and women believed in a superior being to explain the existence of life. Now with the different varieties of religions, men and women play different roles that are permitted by each one of them. Men are allowed to do as they please in the church as far as the worshipping of god is concerned, but women have been and still are restricted from performing some of the same task. Women are expected to follow and obey the word of God just as much as men are, but they still are denied the privilege of spreading the word of God. The male gender has dominated the world for the past hundreds of years, but times have changed and women are seeking equality. Even in the church, men are categorized as superior to women. Since it is difficult to actually know what God wants from his followers, the Bible is one source that has been used as reference to determine superiority of genders in the church. "Jesus was a man who chose 12 male apostles to carry on his work, therefore only men could be priest" (Connel A1), is a common reference used to the scriptures found in the Bible. This attitude labeled tradition is still around today and is being taught today throughout the world, basically in the Roman Catholic religion. The Bible states "Let your women keep silent in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law" (I Corinthians 14:34). When a p...

Affirmative Action :: Affirmative Action Essays

For the past several years the argument over affirmative action has been a highly debated topic. The issue at hand is whether or not affirmative action is reverse discrimination or not. Affirmative action by definition "means taking positive steps to end discrimination, to prevent its recurrence, and to create new opportunities that were previously denied to qualified women and people of color," (Work & Family). The reason that affirmative action is so controversial is because Americans can't decide what they want. "Poll after poll concludes that Americans firmly support "‘affirmative action'" to create opportunities for women and people of color, while they vigorously oppose "quotas'" and "‘preferences'" for unqualified candidates," (Work & Family). Which is odd considering that the same "affirmative action" that people support does in fact, in some cases, put unqualified personnel in undeserving positi ons. For those people who believe affirmative action works they generally are only focusing on the diversity affirmative action has brought to jobs. Their arguments consist of wanting to see more ethnic and gender diversity in jobs that are usually being worked by white males. To many of these people quality is sometimes put aside for quantity and diversity. The strongest argument that the people who are in support of affirmative action is that having more gender and ethnical diversity brings more to the work place. This argument is very good and very accurate. Having different people in different jobs helps a company to work and receive input from all sorts of different perspectives. Which leads to a better understanding of what a wider cross-section of the target market wants. On the other hand the people who support affirmative action also give some not so strong arguments. The one that stands out the most is that companies don't try and fill quotas in their gender and ethnical h iring. Instead it is done entirely on skill alone. This is their weakest and most disputed argument. Especially when in many cases if two potential employees are close in skill the job will more than likely go to the potential employee who is a minority. As in the case of Paul Johnson versus Diane Joyce. Both had comparable skills, but even though Paul Johnson's oral interview was scored higher than Diane Joyce it was her that was selected for the job. "The Court upheld the county's use of Ms. Joyce's gender as a positive factor in choosing between these similarly-qualified candidates," (Work & Family). Affirmative Action :: Affirmative Action Essays For the past several years the argument over affirmative action has been a highly debated topic. The issue at hand is whether or not affirmative action is reverse discrimination or not. Affirmative action by definition "means taking positive steps to end discrimination, to prevent its recurrence, and to create new opportunities that were previously denied to qualified women and people of color," (Work & Family). The reason that affirmative action is so controversial is because Americans can't decide what they want. "Poll after poll concludes that Americans firmly support "‘affirmative action'" to create opportunities for women and people of color, while they vigorously oppose "quotas'" and "‘preferences'" for unqualified candidates," (Work & Family). Which is odd considering that the same "affirmative action" that people support does in fact, in some cases, put unqualified personnel in undeserving positi ons. For those people who believe affirmative action works they generally are only focusing on the diversity affirmative action has brought to jobs. Their arguments consist of wanting to see more ethnic and gender diversity in jobs that are usually being worked by white males. To many of these people quality is sometimes put aside for quantity and diversity. The strongest argument that the people who are in support of affirmative action is that having more gender and ethnical diversity brings more to the work place. This argument is very good and very accurate. Having different people in different jobs helps a company to work and receive input from all sorts of different perspectives. Which leads to a better understanding of what a wider cross-section of the target market wants. On the other hand the people who support affirmative action also give some not so strong arguments. The one that stands out the most is that companies don't try and fill quotas in their gender and ethnical h iring. Instead it is done entirely on skill alone. This is their weakest and most disputed argument. Especially when in many cases if two potential employees are close in skill the job will more than likely go to the potential employee who is a minority. As in the case of Paul Johnson versus Diane Joyce. Both had comparable skills, but even though Paul Johnson's oral interview was scored higher than Diane Joyce it was her that was selected for the job. "The Court upheld the county's use of Ms. Joyce's gender as a positive factor in choosing between these similarly-qualified candidates," (Work & Family).

Free College Essays - The Power of a Single Act of Iniquity in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter: The Power of a Single Act of Iniquity The world of Puritan New England, like the world of today, was filled with evil temptations. Some people were able to withstand these temptations; unfortunately, many others fell victim to the evil. A single act of iniquity was sufficient to devastate a person's life. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester, Chillingworth, and Dimmesdale were each destroyed mentally and physically by one diabolical act that mushroomed to overcome their lives. Hester's life was the one which most externally displayed the destruction inflicted upon it by wrong-doing. Physically, she "stood on the scaffold of pillory, an infant on her arm, and the letter 'A' in scarlet, fantastically embroidered with gold thread upon her bosom" (The Scarlet Letter 66). Because of the "A", the entire community knew she had sinned, and she became a social outcast. In her attempts to pay penance for her sins, she lived a life of poverty, donating most of her income to charity. However, even the most lowly and wretched of the creatures in Boston, which she helped, "not unfrequently insulted the hand that fed them" (87). Furthermore she left behind her beauty and elaborate dress for a dress of the "coarsest materials and the most sombre hue" (86). Hester's sin also harmed her mind and soul. The joy she found in knitting, "like all other joys, she rejected it as a sin" (87). Also, she suffered each time she saw Dimmesdale. A mutual love remained between them, but they could not show the love. Even a brief encounter with Dimmesdale, the father of her daughter, would cause "a deeper throb of pain; for, in that brief interval, she had sinned anew" (89). Moreover, at one point, she had begun to lose faith in the fact that her daughter was human. She began to believe the sayings of townspeople who "had given out that poor little Pearl was a demon offspring" (100). Hence her body and mind suffered greatly for her sin of adultery. Roger Chillingworth's life was also destroyed by his evil. The most noticeable of his changes was the degradation of his physical appearance. When he was first seen in the novel, "there was a remarkable intelligence in his features, as of a person who had so cultivated his mental part that it could not fail to mould the physical to itself and become manifest by unmistakable tokens" (67).

Social Media on Society

Facebook the world. Since the beginning social networking sites, like Facebook has attracted several types of users, and in most cases, these people have incorporated these websites into their daily practices. While some sites support existing relationships, others help creating new relationships in different interests such as political views, religious, activities or even just gaming! While supporting Facebook on society is beneficial, one can find several factors that go against it, such as cyber bulling. Indeed, social networking provides society a lot of good tools, nonetheless people have taken social networking for granted.One of the main reasons and most popular because people use social networking sites is to keep in touch with friends and relatives while they are away. It aids the fact that several people who live away from their home receive continuous support from friends and people they communicate through Internet. According to a website article (ProCon. org, Page 2), 60 million of Americans received assistance with major life issues from people on their social network. â€Å"These people said social networking sites helped them connect with friends and experts who assisted on their decisions† (ProCon. rg, Page 2). With the technology developed by social networking, long distance communication has become much simpler and accessible to the average person; It has facilitated users to keep up with the face-to-face relationship with their friends and relatives. Not only does it facilitate the â€Å"virtual† contact between its users, but also it can be a technique to arrange personal meetings for different purposes. Taking into account the features social networking offers, it is also considered as a very potential tool that has even substitute traditional methods of communication.It has helped people getting to know deeper statistics about certain general interest topics such as politics. One day before the last US presidential election, the Democratic candidate had more followers than the Republican candidate in most of the social networking sites such as Facebook, My space and Twitter (ProCon. org, Page 2 & 3). I believe that since the majority of people that join social networking sites are a young crowd, their decisions and opinions have a strong influence and have a very solid word out in the world referring to any topic, in this case political.When the Internet boom started years ago, many schools considered the Internet a â€Å"distraction† that was not really necessary. Beginning with scholars, social networking has been playing a very significant system on today’s education. Parents have claimed that their children have improved their writing, reading and conflict resolution skills, and learned how to express themselves better, and meet new students around the world (Cassel, Page1)( Procon. org, Page 2). By expanding the sources of information and feedback students have the ability of gatheri ng more information and learn more about their interests.The fact that is very easy to communicate with their classmates through any chat or website makes their education fun and interactive. Incorporating social networking as a tool of learning, schools and different institutes have developed â€Å"safety policies† that protect users from any harm through Internet. Using social networking to enlarge your business opportunities is a great tool mostly used by young professionals. Getting into an unknown world in your career, young professionals see social networking as a guide and a way of easily targeting their interest in a professional level.Searching for a job or starting your own business requires exposing those services to several people in order to have success. With social networking professionals are a click away of letting the world know who they are and their services. It’s easier to tell your abilities to a large â€Å"virtual† group of people once, t han having to tell capabilities one hundred times individually. It’s time consuming, and a time is money. Because of that and other reasons, social networking has been used as an advertisement method.Big, medium and small size companies are utilizing social networking to deliver to consumers their product and facilitate the access for further information about their services (Accardi, Page 20). Besides companies, people are taking advantage of the â€Å"marketplace† offered by social websites to advertise personal items and make a profit. Just like everything, social networking has its down side as well. It can influence people, especially teenagers, in a negative and/or destructive way.An average of time spent on social networking is 9 hours per day, which could be applied to more productive activities such as sports, and education (ProCon. org, Page 1). Over-communication drives users to the release of confidential and personal information that can be easily taken an d manipulated by anyone. By displaying personal information opens doors to sexual predators, identity thieves, and cyber-bullying which can affect society in many aspects. â€Å"Department of Defense is considering a ban on social networking sites because of concerns over security threats and potential computer viruses† (ProCon. rg, Page 2). Even the government with all its security systems, has taken serious actions regarding social networking with their employees, and members to avoid any leak of information. Furthermore, companies are adopting this system of social networks to either recruit people or firing current employees. Social networking is also highlighted by the fact of joining groups of common interest. However, when people limit themselves to their interests only, they are preventing themselves of growth (Pagliarini, Page 1).Limiting yourself from acknowledging information in certain topics or groups could also isolate you from society that could benefit you int ellectually and professionally. Another harmful aspect of social networking is that it could affect your health, specially children’s brain development as well as mental disorders. â€Å"My fear is that these technologies are infantilizing the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and who live for the moment† (Cassel, Page 1).It has also been stated that the personal contact with people is healthier that looking at a screen. Having more direct contact with the world also benefits the quality of relationships we develop. Sometimes people focus more in the virtual method of networking, rather than the â€Å"non-virtual† and it separates people from actual physical networks that could end up in a good personal or business relationship. Social networking has an enormous impact on today’s society. Many believe that social networking is beneficial, others don’t.Having the opportunity to investigate more into social networking brought up to my attention that it can be very beneficial as long as we can control the web and the web doesn’t control us. The power of social networking is very capable of putting companies on top of the list, or leaving people out in the streets without a job. The ability of shorten distances between families and friends has been the number one use of social networking, unfortunately many individuals take advantage of social networking and start persecuting innocent people and creating harm to society.The benefits provided by social networking have made society and individuals become more productive and updated with today’s world technology. It’s a magnificent tool with a lot of good outcomes, a tool that in some cases is very costly for the wellness of society. Bibliography Cassel, David. http://tech. blorge. com/Structure:%20/2007/08/07/schoolboards-net-dangers-over-rated-bring-social-networks-to-s chool/. 07 August 2007. 14 September 2010. Pagliarini, Robert. www. moneywatch. bnet. com. 6 April 2009. 28 September 2010 . ProCon. org. â€Å"Social Networking ProCon. org. † 24 Septemeber 2010. Social Networking ProCon. org. 28 September 2010.

Moral absolutism Essay

The choices we make in our everyday life all have to do with our ethics. In this paper the topic will discuss the similarities and differences between virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics. In order to understand the similarities, and differences of virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics we must first define them. Virtue theory is defined as a moral excellence. It is a positive trait quality demand to be morally good and is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. It takes the viewpoint that in living your life you should try to cultivate excellence in all that you do and all that others do. Utilitarianism is a theory that suggests that an action is morally right when that action produces more utility for the group than any other alternative. We need to understand what our consequence would be based on our choice. When we make the right choice we will get a positive consequence and are acting morally; if we make the wrong choice the consequences will be acting immorally. Deontological moral is focused on loyalty to independent moral rules or duties. To make the right choices we need to comprehend what our duties are and the rules of our moral perspective. This is a matter of what we view to be moral or immorally based on our beliefs. The similarities between the three theories represent the good in people and how they strive for excellence. The differences are with virtue theory describes a person’s character, cultivating excellence in all we do. Utilitarianism addresses ethical and morality issues by addressing the balance of good over bad consequences. The morality associated with this theory suggests actions that produce a total utility for the group. Deontological ethics have a definition of a definition of a person’s dedication to recognize moral duties. In my current position as an assistant manager I am often put in a situation that includes some type of confidentiality with an associate that falls under me. If I am told about a certain situation that an associate is having in their personal life I have been told in trust and this be unethical for me to tell everyone else what is going on. Also when I have to write up any associate for work performance, that should be kept between me and that associate. For me to be able to keep my word about a particular situation involving any of my associates consist of moral concepts. Values, virtues, and ethics distinguish those actions as being morally right or morally wrong.

Time Warner Analysis

BUSINESS CASE ASSIGNMENT 1 Jie Tian Zhaopeng Li A. As part of strategic planning exercise, describe and analyze the vision and mission statements of Time Warner Inc. There is no explicit vision or mission statements on Time Warner’s website. But according to the description of vision and mission statements on class the â€Å"ABOUT US† statement on the company’s website resembles the mission statement and the â€Å"OUR VALUES† statement fits the definition of vision statement. The â€Å"ABOUT US† statement describes that Time Warner Inc. a global leader in media and entertainment with businesses in television networks, film and TV entertainment and publishing, uses its industry-leading operating scale and brands to create, package and deliver high-quality content worldwide through multiple distribution outlets. First off, this mission statement is a product-oriented mission because it states what products and services it serves its customers. Second, the statement emphasizes that Time Warner is a global leader and provide services worldwide. It shows the scope and domain of the organization is around the globe.And it also clearly describes the organization’s purpose is to create, package and deliver high-quality content through multiple distribution outlets. The â€Å"OUR VALUES† on the website describes that the company encourages risk-taking and divergent voices, makes the highest quality premium content available on every device, creates value by working together within and across our business, upholds editorial independence and artistic expression, attracts and develops the world’s best talent and takes pride in serving the public interest.The â€Å"OUR VALUES† statement falls into seven categories which are creativity, customer focus, agility, teamwork, integrity, diversity and responsibility. The statements show the ambitious long-terms goals of the organization such as recruiting the worldâ₠¬â„¢s best talent and making its content available on every device. It also mentions how the organization will generate value for the future through effective teamwork, innovation and originality and embracing changes and opportunities B. Explain, in detail, its basis of competitive advantages using Porter’s generic strategies (show how this is supported through the firm’s value hain activities) Time Warner has four main subsidiaries which are Turner Broadcasting System, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Home Box Office, and Time Inc. Turner’s entertainment networks include TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, tru TV, Turner Classic Movies and Boomerang. Turner’s news networks consist of CNN and HLN. Each of the subsidiaries of Turner has their own specialties for example that TBS focus on contemporary comedies like The Big Bang Theory, TNT focus on drama, tru TV focus on real-life stories from a first-person perspective.Warner Bros. Entertainment include Warner Bros. wh ich produces and distributes feature films, Warner Bros. Television Group which develops, produces and distributes television series, reality-based entertainment shows and animation programs for the Company’s network and third parties. Other subsidiaries under Warner Bros. Entertainment are Warner Bros. Animation Inc. , Warner Home Video, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Bros. Consumer Products Inc. and DC Entertainment.The third segment of the organization is Time Inc. which is the largest magazine publisher in the U. S. based on commercial avenue and published 21 magazines in print in U. S. and over 70 magazines out of U. S. which covers the topic of style and entertainment, lifestyle, news and sports. Time/Warner Retail Sales & Marketing Inc. is also a subsidiary under Time Inc.. Home Box Office (HBO) is the nation’s most widely distributed multi-channel premium pay television service which consists of recently releas ed uncut and uncensored theatrical motion pictures.Based upon the brief introduction of various segments in the organization above it can be concluded that the competitive advantage of Time Warner is founded on differentiation. Porter suggested that a firm could only apply one of the three generic strategies or the company could be â€Å"stuck in the middle† and will not achieve a competitive advantage. However, he also argued that firms could only succeed at multiple strategies by creating separate business units for each strategy.In Time Warner case differentiation strategy and differentiation focus strategy are both applied in achieve its competitive strategy. For networks and film business the company is competing with other film production and network companies. Television programming, feature films and news are the products of these industries which always have a massive audience scope and the companies try to differentiate themselves from competitors. The uniqueness of the product is the key in the competition that customers would like to pay a premium price for the products.Time Warner exploits its brand recognition and embraces innovation and creativity to product various different focused programs and movies to distinguish itself from its competitors. The competitive advantage is achieved through differentiation focus for HBO and magazines business because of their narrow market focus. Magazines like Essence and Golf face targeted audience instead of the broad scope audience. Time Warner has its own well developed distribution channel and sales& marketing company.Therefore, its differentiation could be effectively supported by the outbound logistics and Sales &Marketing sections in the value chain. C. Mintzberg’s family of strategies. Time Warner is involved in both the midstream and downstream business because it develops, produces and distributes feature films, TV programming and magazines. Time Warner distinguishes itself in achievin g competitive advantage through differentiation strategy and differentiation focus strategy. Time Warner elaborates its core business by market development strategy and diversification strategy.Time Warner develops its market mainly by geographic expansion and technology expansion. For example, Turner distributed 57 networks of it regional entertainment brands in over 200 countries. Time Inc. made all of its’ U. S. magazines available at tablet editions. The CW broadcast network cooperated with Netflix. Inc. and Hulu to expand its distribution channel. Time Warner extends its core business by the strategies of entry and control and listening. The 50-50 joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS Corporation created the CW broadcast network.

Computer Based Learning †The Vikings Essay

The paper analyzes the effectiveness of computer based learning, factors that influence the learning process and the means of enhancing the technology towards a better instructional model. The Vikings – a learning package designed for history students is the base for this study. An evaluation of the package, its level of interactivity, the development model, its learning impact, and shortcomings are discussed in this paper. The paper also elaborates the changes in the design that will improve the learning model adopted in the Vikings package. The purpose of this paper is to establish the parameters that affect the learning process and how the computer based learning system can be used to make this learning process an enriching experience for the students. Computer Based Learning – A Brief The conventional classroom is slowly giving way to the computer based training applications that is universally accessible via the Internet. The personalized learning environment that this method offers has great potentials and can influence the learning process to a considerable degree. A successful prototype of this form of learning needs a high level of interactive media in tandem with an effective presentation of content that is simple to use and easy to relate. The market for this medium of learning has witnessed tremendous growth in the recent years with a wide variety of multimedia based learning tools available for the users. The use of multimedia and flash has not only made learning fun but has also facilitated retention and easy understanding of concepts. Many web based learning environments use innovative technologies that have revolutionized the learning process considerably over the past few years. Joyce A. Overfield and Lesley Bryan Lluka(2003) in their research article on evaluation of factors affecting computer based learning observe that computer based learning can be a valuable learning and teaching resource providing consideration is given to the nature of the student group. Availability and accessibility of computers is essential and students are unhappy if the support is lacking. These are some of the views that can aptly explain the effectiveness of the computer based learning system. This learning tool has improved learning experiences to a considerable extent as it does away with tedious conventional system of learning. The emergence of new technologies in this sector has collaborated to create a unique learning model for the students. This has not only set a new trend in learning but has revolutionized the way a student looks at his classroom project. Vikings – The Package The Vikings package is meant for students of history. The objective of the package is to impart historical facts and milestones to the students in a fun filled learning environment that makes the learning process easy and memorable. History has been labeled as a boring subject for many students and it can be a little tricky remembering facts and figures that relate to the distant past. The package uses maps and graphics to instill interest in the learner. The use of grid lines to mark specific study points and provide relevant information to the learner is a key feature of this package. The user needs to click on the relevant grid line to get details of the particular artefact related to the Vikings era. Terms used in the section are highlighted in red – a click on the highlighted term gives the user an explanation of the same. The developers of â€Å"The Vikings† claim that the package is highly interactive and excellent learning tool for students of history. The presentation of historical facts in a manner that facilitates learning is of prime importance in this application. The tool applies the concept of learning through activity and context based learning that ensures the involvement of the student throughout the learning process. This is in sharp contrast to the classroom learning process that is mostly abstract. A review of the two scenario presented below will make the contrast in both the learning modes clearer: Scenario 1: A teacher giving a lecture on the Vikings era and stating the facts verbally where the student has to be very attentive to relate the facts presented before him. Scenario 2: A student going through the Vikings package where a click of the mouse will give him the relevant information – pictorial description and maps on the screen relate to his cognitive senses and learning happens faster. The application uses the interactive instruction model that is designed to elicit some response in the user in the form of a mouse click. The programmed instruction with the aid of well-designed stimuli in the form of graphics acts as the user interface. A few basic factors that set the scenario 2 apart from scenario 1 are learner control, interaction level, learner motivation, collaborative learning, and navigation system that are discussed below. Learner Control Vaughan (1998) has described Computer Based Learning interactivity as empowering the end user of the package by letting them have control of the content and flow of information. The learning tool, â€Å"The Vikings†, simulates an environment where the control over learning is not completely in the hands of the student. The student decides the pace of learning but the path of learning is guided. In scenario 1 the student has to attend classes at the pre-defined timings and the teacher decides the topic of learning. In contrast the application allows the student the liberty to choose his topic of study and the sequence that he wants to follow at his own pace. It has been observed that by handing over the control of learning to the students enhances the learning experience. The advantages of learner control include greater individualization of instruction, increased sense of personal responsibility for learning, and the potential to optimize learning efficiency. (Interactivity: What is it and What can it do for computer based instruction? Terry K Borsook and Nancy Higginbotham-Wheat – Hannafin and Colamaio, 1987). A student who is a quick learner will have no problem going through the package and grasp the contents in one or two sittings. However, a slow learner will need time to grasp the information handed out – but he has the advantage of taking things slow and pacing his learning to his comfort level. The control of the learner over the entire learning process is seen as a positive reinforcement. The application should allow the student to decide his path of learning. An ideal learning application provides regulated control to the learner with the scope of browsing through the modules, set his learning objectives and pace of learning. Any additional related information or links to these should be provided to enable the student to look up on these extra bits of information. This not only enriches the learning experience but also boosts the confidence level of the learner. A systematic approach and relevant content packaged with attractive and compelling presentation will result in a satisfying learning experience. One of the concerns that have been observed is that giving too much of control over the learning experience may not be good since the learner does not know what is best for him. Borsook and Higginbotham-Wheat (1991) state that too much of control in the hands of the learner can shift the locus of control from one party to another and that diminishes true interactivity. Regulated control with guided flow of information is a better option. The Vikings package gives very less control to the student – the flow of information is directed by the package but this is one of the shortcomings of the tool. Allowing more leverage to the learner will make the learning tool more effective as this results in positive attitude towards learning and motivates them towards their learning goals. Interaction level The most effective teaching method involves a high level of interaction between the teacher and the student. A dedicated teacher is one who understands the student’s learning capacity and his shortcomings and guides him through with effective feedback. A two-way communication between the teacher and the student is very effective in the learning process. Computer based learning applications are continually striving to achieve the human to human interactivity level and have been quite successful in this venture with the aid of multimedia based technologies. The level of interactivity in the learning application tool is of prime importance for it to be effective. The representation of information through graphics and on screen presentation is the required stimuli that elicit some sort of response from the user, such as a mouse click. The application tool then responds to the user with relevant data. This process of interactivity in the application makes the learning process effective. Feedback is an integral part of interactivity. Berlo (1960) states in his work â€Å"feedback provides the source with information concerning his success in accomplishing his objective. † A classroom lecture where the teacher gives lecture to the class without class participation is quite ineffective. It is difficult to gauge in such a situation if the learning process was successful. An understanding of the student’s perception of the contents is essential. This is one of the essential features that a learning application tool should incorporate for it to be a successful learning model. The instructional design should take care that the learning model has scope to interact closely with the learner and guide him through the process for effective learning experience. The level of interactivity and feedback element present in â€Å"The Vikings† application is not substantial. A student going through the package is only following instructions that are being presented to him. Statements like â€Å"Click here to begin† and â€Å"Choose your artefact and click on the square to travel back in time† – these are some of the instructions that are provided to the student. This generates response from the student in the mode of mouse-click and the application narrates the relevant contents on the screen. The student needs to go through this text but this does not ensure learning. The application has no way of evaluating if the student has perceived the information presented to him correctly. There is no feedback mechanism that is applied in this model. This leaves the learning model incomplete. Proper feedback and evaluation gives the student a sense of his learning objectives and how much he has succeeded in this direction. Constructive feedback gives the student a clear picture of how much he has learnt, where he went wrong and what he should do to correct his mistake. Modes of interaction between the learner and the learning application model can be identified at different levels. The basic form of interaction is one that presents the stimuli to the learner and elicits some kind of response in the form of a mouse click or key press. A higher level of interaction that ensures the effectiveness of the learning process involves evaluating activities presented to the learner at the end of a module to gauge his understanding and performance level. This form of interaction gives a clear picture of the learner’s progress as feedback. The inclusion of this parameter in the instructional design of the learning application model is vital. Directing the learner to key learning points and providing links to related concepts enhances the quality of learning and promotes better understanding of the subject matter. Instances of such interactivity are problem-solving modules, puzzles, quiz, and brain twisters that ensure active participation from the learner. Engaging the learner in different kinds of activities related to the context enhances the learning process. This not only ensures that the learner has successfully grasped the contents but also increases the effectiveness of the model. One of the benefits of such activities is the interest level that is created in this type of learning environment. Learning becomes a fun activity and not a dreaded cumbersome experience that one goes through reluctantly. Once the interest level is high the learner is ready for more. He is willing to explore the unknown territories in pursuit of an in-depth understanding of the context. The learning process in such cases is unintentional and not deliberate and hence more effective. The multimedia and other high-end technology available have the potential to achieve this dream-learning model. Another key feature that determines the effectiveness of the learning application model is the quality of content. An application may provide all the features of good interactivity and presentation in terms of graphics and display, but a poor quality of content will negate all the rest. A package rich relevant content with suitable links to additional related information will ensure learning effectiveness. This leaves the control of learning in the hands of the learner. An individual may wish to go beyond the realms of his subject matter and explore other related areas in this way. Simulated learning environment in computer-based interaction is another excellent tool for learning. Simulations use selected elements of some world, real or imaginary, which operate together according to rules (Greenblat 1988). In such cases the learner can experience an imaginary sequence in which he can interact and learn. This kind of learning experience is a gradual process where the learner is allowed to make mistakes and learn. Teaching the history of Vikings era using this mechanism is not only an interesting option but also a powerful learning tool. It might be adventurous to move into the Vikings era and view the events of the past unfold in front of the student. The narration of the events in the background in synchronization with suitable graphics and animation will surely captivate the student’s attention and allow for greater learning experience. But it must be kept in mind that simply viewing the events of the past as an audience is not enough – the active participation of the learner is equally important to hold his interest level and retain the subject matter. Learner Motivation Kruse (2007) states that the success of any computer based learning package depends on learner motivation and even the most sophisticated package will fail if it does not motivate the students to learn. Computer games have managed to captivate the user’s attention to such an extent that everything else is forgotten. This is a classic example of motivation and interest that this type of software generates in the user. Educational models too can apply this theory while designing the learning package. The essential ingredient that is required to hold the learner’s attention is the active role of the learner in the learning process. There are several ways of ensuring that the learner actively takes the control of learning in his own hands. The interactivity of the learning package is one of the deciding factors that motivate the learner to proceed. The system should allow the learner to steer the path of learning. Enabling the student to browse the information and guiding him through the learning process will hold the student’s interest and motivate him to learn more. Structuring the learning content into a story telling format with compelling dramatic sequence will keep the student highly engrossed. The absorption of the learning material will be faster and effective. The Vikings package does not include this feature and the presentation of facts is in form of text that the student needs to go through. The effect of presenting the same facts through narration in the background will hold the student’s attention and interest. The ARCS Model of Motivational Design by Keller provides the direction to successful instructional design in this context. The ARCS model identifies four strategic components for motivating instruction. One of the basic parameters for keeping the student interested and motivated in the subject matter is his attention. Computer based learning has an edge over other conventional tools of learning like books in this context. The visibility and presentation of information through attention grabbing graphics and multimedia tool make this a more effective learning platform. Once the attention of the student is on the learning tool the application needs to stimulate the learner’s curiosity that in turn leads to search for answers and in-depth study of the learning module. The relevance of the content is another aspect that is important in learner motivation. This is a more goal centric strategy that appeals to the objective needs of the student. The objectivity of the study needs to be defined so that the student is aware of the purpose behind this learning activity. This keeps the student focused on his goal and helps him in the learning process. The application needs to arrange the information in such a manner that the student finds it easy to approach and understand. The sequencing and relevance of the information presented to him is vital. Correlating the tasks and facts in the learning module need to be very precise. The next step in motivating students is confidence-building strategy. The goal of this mechanism is to instill confidence in the learner that he is on the right track and that his learning objectives are being met. There are various technologies available that can be effectively used to evaluate the student’s understanding level of the module and based on this evaluation effective feedback is given to the student regarding his progress. Tasks for evaluating should range from simple to challenging levels that test the student’s perception. This challenges the student to go from one level to the other and enhances the learning process. The satisfaction of the learning experience is critical for measuring the effectiveness of the overall package. The achievement of meeting the goals of learning forms the base for a satisfying learning experience. Positive reinforcement and constructive feedback mechanism are instrumental in achieving this strategy. The Vikings package will attract the attention of the user with its graphical and pictorial representation but that is not enough. It is difficult to hold the interest of the learner with only graphical presentation of information. The student will very easily get bored with the facts presented in this manner. The package needs to adopt novel strategies to hold the student’s attention for a longer period of time. Use of storytelling mechanism, simulations and activity based learning modules as discussed earlier will motivate the student and enrich the learning experience. Collaborative Learning When students are able to participate in active learning activities, they find the learning more pleasurable and satisfying than non participative events (Fry and Coe,1980). The principle of collaborative learning provides many learning opportunities and enriches the learning experience considerably. A learning environment that allows interaction between the learners is highly conducive. A classroom environment provides this kind of scope to the students where a group of students sharing the same learning goal coordinate with each other, communicate their ideas, and share their understanding of the subject matter. Jonassen (1988) has stated in his works that the effectiveness of any learning environment is based on the types and levels of cognitive and metacognitive activity engendered in the learners. It is widely accepted that learning is enhanced in instructional settings where students are engaged in processing personally relevant content and are reflective during the learning process. Another feature of this learning principle as suggested by Slavin (1997) is that the reward structures inherent in collaborative environments have been found to have a positive effect on student motivation. Computers provide a stimulus for learning by increasing social interactions and cooperation (eg. Hoyles, Healy & Pozzi, 1992). The application of this mode of learning can be effectively used in computer based learning with the aid of various multimedia and authoring technologies available. The Vikings uses one such strategy in its learning application – the principle of situated learning or situated cognition. This is defined as â€Å"the notion of learning knowledge and skills in contexts that reflect the way the knowledge will be useful in real life† (Brown, Collins and Dugiud, 1989). The application is meant for two or more students at a time with the same learning objectives. The discussion of the facts and information between the groups of learners ensures the understanding of the subject matter. The collaboration between the students and the package offer an effective learning environment. One of the discrepancies of this learning principle is that collaborative learning may not have the desired outcome if the learners do not share the learning goals. Exchange of views and ideas may not enrich the learning experience, as some of the learners may not be attentive to what is being discussed around him. History is a subject that explores the past and discovers the roots of civilization and the world. The Vikings application aims to present the facts from the Vikings era to enable the students an understanding of how things were in those times. As such the application should aim at providing facts from the past that enables a better understanding of the world today. The Vikings package can implement some more principles of collaborative learning to create and effective learning environment. Use of interactive multimedia packages that enable the application to converse with the student and provide scope for evaluating the student’s knowledge and understanding of the subject matter is one method. Other methods involve the use of audio and visual depictions that is bound to impact the learner’s cognitive senses.