24th Amendment

The amendment was one of the last legal vestiges of segregation that tried to keep the black population and the poor people from participating in the vote. As today, the 24th Amendment to the Constitution guarantees that no person can be denied the right to vote due to an inability to pay a tax prior to voting. The â€Å"poll tax† is now considered unconstitutional. The poll tax was levied on an individual used as a prerequisite for voting. Poll taxes are the same for all persons subject to them, regardless of their income, property or other taxes paid.It was grateful that this amendment is in the constitution. It was needed because the poll tax was keeping certain individuals from voting because of their income and/or their race, and that is unconstitutional according to the Fourteenth Amendment. It is so ridiculous to have to pay to vote for something especially when you are voting to see who is going to run your own country. Voting is one of the many rights of every America n citizen and as long as you are an American citizen you should be able to vote without paying. This amendment is a step forward in equal rights and you can really see that today.Without the Twenty-fourth Amendment the Americans citizen cannot vote regardless of his or her race or financial status. Therefore, we need to thanks for this amendment. As today, every American citizen is allowed to vote as long as he/or she are eighteen and registered. I do not think that this amendment could go much further. I think it has gone as far as it cans because nobody has had to pay to vote for an election since. I am a USA citizen and I did not realize that in the old days the poll tax was based on racism and that you could be barred from voting because you did not pay taxes.I have read articles on men and women that have never been able to vote until this amendment was passed because they were poor and could not afford it. Some people were in their forties before they could vote and it would n ot surprise me if there were people that had not been able to vote until they were much older or someone who never have a chance to vote at all. I think today the younger population is taking advantage of being able to vote at eighteen and not having to pay a tax to do so.Hopefully with time my generation will see the importance of voting and will do so in the future. It is a great honor and privilege to vote and to have the freedom to voice your opinion in a free election. I love my country because every four years we have a mini revolution where the powers of the white house are either changed or stayed the same without a single shot being fired, without a single life being sacrificed, without races, religion, ethnic background, political stance and social status being road blocks to keep us from voting backed by the Constitution and this amendment.In conclusion, it is a shame that so many people do not realize the value of voting. It’s sad that they do not exercise their r ight to vote. Just imagine that we still have the poll tax, I believe that we would be right where we are today. On the other hand, I know that the poll tax to me was unconstitutional and that no matter what, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment was a must to bring American civilization together. In some way, that makes us all equal. This is what this country has been trying to do for a long time.

Introduction to Michael Porters Five Forces

Michael E. Porter's five forces framework is used to evaluate the competitiveness, and hence the attractiveness and profitability of different markets and market segments. It is important for business managers to realize that a 5 forces analysis should be conducted at the level of strategic business units (SBUs), and not at the level of the whole organization. Many larger companies have several SBUs conducting business in different markets that serve many different customer segments. Likewise, these SBUs may have completely different suppliers, competitors and substituting products. Every SBU should therefore conduct its own analysis, and try to evaluate the attractiveness and profitability of its own markets and market segments. The five forces are shortly described below: Competitive Rivalry The evaluation of the rivalry between competitors helps to examine the degree of head-to-head competition in an industry. In Porter's â€Å"five forces† framework this issue is of course included, but is only seen as one of several forces that determine industry attractiveness. Commen reasons for high rivalry are depicted below:  § Low industry growth rates  § High exit barriers Undifferentiated supply of products  § Price wars to cover high fixed costs Threat of new entrants The threat of new entrants is usually based on the market entry barriers, which can be said to provide obstacles for newcomers to gain a foothold in any given industry. These barriers can take many different forms. Briefly, it can be said that entry barriers exist whenever it is difficult or not economically feasible for an outsider to copy or imitate the existing players' competitive capabilities. Common forms of entry barriers are depicted below:  § Economies of scale  § Capital requirement of entry Access to supplies and distribution channels  § Customer or supplier loyalty  § Lack of experience in industry  § Legal restrains such as trade barriers Threat of Substitute Products The threat of substitute products, depends on the relative price difference between different products that can equally satisfy the same basic customer needs. Switching costs also affect the threat of substitution – which can be defined as the costs found by buyers in switching to a rivals product or service.  § Product for products substitution (e. g. e-mail instead of postal service) New products make older products obsolete (e. g. better cars require fewer automobile services) Bargaining Power of Buyers Important determinants of buyer power are the size and the concen tration of customers. Other factors are the extent to which the buyers are informed about other vendors and suppliers, and to the extent to which buyers can quickly identify other sources of supply. Common reasons for great bargaining power of buyers are depicted below.  § Great concentration of buyers – few buyers  § The cost of switching supplier is low  § Many equally competent suppliers  § Backward integration Bargaining Power of Suppliers If there are few suppliers of e. g. raw materials, these suppliers may eventually be very strong, and able to put pressure on the buying company. Likewise, if the switching costs related to switching supplier are high, the respective supplier may be very strong, and thus be able to put pressure on the buying partner concerning e. g. prices, quantities and quality. Common reasons for great bargaining power of suppliers are depicted below.  § Great concentration of suppliers – few suppliers  § Great switching costs related to changing supplier  § Forward integration The competition and attractiveness in an industry is strongly affected by these suggested forces. The stronger the power of buyers and suppliers, and the stronger the threats of entry and substitution, the more intense competition is likely to be within the industry, where less competitive industries are seen as more attractive and profitable. Using the 5 forces framework, business managers may conduct an analysis of the attractiveness and profitability of different markets, so that business managers can evaluate different courses of strategic action, and evaluate which forces may be most important for current and future business success.

Classroom Management debate Essay

Set of procedures the teacher uses in order to ensure the smooth and motivational interaction among learners. It also involves the e? cient use of audiovisual aids and other forms of realia and equipment. Critical points to consider: †¢Teacher Talking Time †¢Student Taking time †¢The use of L1 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT https:// docs. google. com/open? id=0B5T z9DyyMdqCQjNZX0dkZkdvYmM Why is teacher talking time (TTT) important? ?Teacher talk = Organization of the classroom = Process of language acquisition. ?The quantity of TTT is important and so is the quality. A good balance should always be the target. Factors to be considered: Nunan (1995: 190) 1. The point in the lesson in which the talking occurs. 2. What prompts the teacher talk (planned or spontaneous) 3. The value of the talk as potentially useful for acquisition. Students Talking Time STT STT is the opportunity students have to talk in the classroom. Learners need to: †¢Attend to information †¢Volunteer original ideas †¢Ask relevant questions. †¢Work with other learners †¢Solve problems co-operatively. †¢Work independently in class or at home. STT is enhanced by: †¢Promoting a ‘listening culture’ in the classrooms. †¢Asking more challenging questions. †¢Being ready to accept unexpected answers †¢Allowing silences and time for thought †¢Planning and building in meaningfultasks to encourage productive talk †¢Encouraging students to ask questions, to initiate talk and to seek for meanings CONCLUSIONS THE USE OF L1 IN CLASS. 1. Facilitate teacher-student communication 2. Facilitate teacher-student rapport 3. Facilitate learning 4. Systematize comprehension of L2 structures Harbord, J. (1992) : ? The use of the mother tongue in the classroom in The ELT Journal, Vol. 46/4. IN CONCLUSION†¦ †¢There must be a balance in the TTT and the STT if teachers really want to achieve their objectives in class. †¢The use of L1 should be done taking into consideration students’ needsand environment. Nevertheless, it must be used e? ciently. †¢I think that†¦ ?   

OperationManagement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

OperationManagement - Research Paper Example The ideologies of conducting business that were born during this era are still applicable in businesses today. In the scientific management, the use of scientific methods to improve businesses was embraced. This can be observed in organization today by the employment of scientific tools to know the client and improve the operation of an organization. The human relations movement revolutionized the management of labor in most organization. These concepts are used in labor management I most industries to date. The management science in the mid-1900s played a big role in how managers to their work. Some of the standards of management and problem solving that were studied in this era are still applied by managers to date. The computer age is one of the most important development is operations management; this introduced the use of computer systems in the running and management of an organization’s activities. This led to improved services and better management. Environmental issues take into consideration the external environment of a business. This is very vital for proper management. In any business, the customers always demand the best quality products or services at the fastest speed and with competitive prices (Reid and Sanders, 2009). For an organization to be able to deliver this their management of resources has to be good. Operations management ensures this is done. Multinational organizations have systems that are more complex. This is due to their size and number of operations. Organizations that effectively use operations management have operations that are more efficient. Operations management also ensures better and increased cross-functional decision-making. Operations management is essential in any organization to be enabling it to keep up with current trends. Operations management also works very closely with other business

Accounting methods of Asset Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accounting methods of Asset Management - Essay Example 2. The are many ways the long term assets can be presented in the balance sheet per reference to AASB 1010 and AASB 1041. AASB 38 has recently been replaced by AASB 1041. AASB 1010 and AASB 1041 speaks of new ways of presenting the long term assets like buildings, equipment, plant, etc. usually with concentration on presenting them using the fair value1. Comparison of the various benchmarking methods is enumerated below:4) Revalued at Replacement Cost - Buying a new item to replace damaged or outmoded equipments etc. Due to the continuous rise of inflationary goods and services, replacement cost has a higher probability of going up. 3. There are other parameters for generating value added when what is being benchmarked is not in goods production but involved actively in the government health department, service company, local council, etc.For local government health departments and councils , prompt delivery of health programs and services, without the usual redundant application forms, is highly recommended. Doctors track patients and refer them to specialists, when needed. Most sponsors and charitable organizations will donate medicines and other related health and economic needs to poor patients. Doctors may share patients' information with other health workers so there is lesser medical history interview time resulting in public health being handled faster.

Wells fargo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wells fargo - Assignment Example Among the managers in Fargo Wells is the financial supervisor. This is senior personnel who are charged with lots of important duties and responsibilities in the company such as the development and implementation of policies, analyzing credit and financial data, coordinating the activities and performing any other activity given to them. To ensure that these activities are properly done, the financial supervisor should ensure that he follows the organizational behavior. Since the major goal of the company to satisfy the needs of its clients, the financial supervisor should stick to the culture of ‘One Wells Fargo.’ It is a culture that requires all the employees to adopt a behavior of punctuality, enthusiasm, team play, critical listening and respect at all times. These are sets of organizational behavior that have been put in place by the company to help in guiding its employees to diligently serve its customers and efficiently satisfy their financial needs. In their capacity as a senior management, the financial supervisor needs to conform to the organizational behavior expected of them. For example, the culture of punctuality requires that all employees should come to the office at the expected time and attend all meetings without being late. This is an activity that should be done by the financial supervisor. They need to do it to effectively serve the customers and as a way of motivating other employees to do the same. Meanwhile, the financial supervisor should put the interest of the clients first and serve them with all the honesty and respect they deserve. In conclusion, Fargo Wells has clearly outlined the organizational behavior to be inherited by employees, complied with and passed to the new ones joining the company. So, as a leader, the financial supervisor must follow these behaviors in order to enable the company to achieve its short and long-term goals and

W4 Disc Balanced Scorecard Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

W4 Disc Balanced Scorecard - Essay Example Office of Personnel Management, n.d.). The process was evaluated in terms of its ability to link the organization’s mission and vision into the development of strategies that are deemed to be instrumental in the attainment of identified goals. The potential outcomes would depend on the objectives stipulated under each of the four perspectives. For instance, under financial perspectives, the outcome could be indicated as increase of 20% in profits; while under customer’s perspectives, the outcome could be increased customer satisfaction and retention. The strengths of the balanced scorecard method are as follows: (1) the ability to assess the direction of the organization using the designed strategies through measuring outcomes as against stipulated objectives; (2) it provides a holistic view of the performance of the organization from the short-term to the long-term time frame (Bowen, 2011); and (3) strategies could be adjusted, corrected and improved according to indicated performance metrics. On the other hand, the weaknesses of the balance scorecard include: (1) the extensive amount of collaborative effort to define objectives and designing strategies that fit the performance metrics; (2) exclusion of competition; and (3) fitting the requirements of this performance tool to cater to the needs of the organization (Bowen, 2011). U.S. Office of Personnel Management. (n.d.). Using a Balanced Scorecard Approach to Measure Performance. Retrieved from opm.gov:

Monetarization of Environmental Assets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Monetarization of Environmental Assets - Essay Example While this approach was reasonable in the past, the industrial revolution and its associated effects such as increased rate of population growth started to cause a substantial degree of human impact on the environment. Over the past two centuries, it has become increasingly clear to most environmentalists that human impacts on the environment are irreversible and this might eventually limit the ability of humans to continue thriving on the planet (Khalil, 1999). Over a period spanning the last three decades, there has been a global concern over this problem and the search is currently underway for the establishment of strategies that will aid in the minimization of human impacts on the environment while at the same time improving the quality of life of the billions of people that are currently living in abject poverty across the globe.Cost-benefit analysis is generally a comparison of the various increases in human well-being (benefits) and the reductions that humanity experiences in social welfare (costs) as applied to a given policy or action.In this regard, for a given policy or project to be able to qualify as being viable as based on cost-benefit grounds, its total social benefits must be found to exceed its total social costs. Whereas cost-benefit analysis is usually conducted for the specific project, the scope of this analysis can easily be extended to wider limits such as the assessment of the policies that have been designed to aid in the combating of climate change (OECD, 2007).

Consider a perfectly competitive market in long-run equilibrium where Essay

Consider a perfectly competitive market in long-run equilibrium where all firms operate under the same cost conditions. Suppose - Essay Example (70 marks) Market is a place where buyers and sellers meet each other for fulfilling needs and generating profits. The form of market is of great importance in business and economics as it is responsible for defining its overall characteristics including the numbers and categories of suppliers, the variable or identical nature of the products offered by different firms operating in the same or different industries, is the market exhaustive enough or it allows the entry of some new competitor and most importantly the nature of the competition; is it a perfect competition or not? The major decisions of different firms revolve around these basic features which lead to the analysis of offering price and the number of inventory to be produced (McEachern, 2011). As far as perfectly competitive market is concerned then it has the following features: There is relatively quite a small number of sellers and buyers as compared to the needs of the customers and the overall market size. In this s ituation one firm has a very low effect over the market price and trends. As a result not a single firm can practice complete control over the cost and price ratios. The perfectly competitive market deals in identical products i.e. all the firms in the market sale the same product with minor or negligible variations. The customer choices are therefore independent of the quality of the product and other characteristics of the products excluding the price factor. The market forces such as demand and supply work freely to decide the equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity, in addition to this the government policies affect the price and quantity ratios through taxes and subsidiaries. There is a free entry for all the firms in the market. They can leave or enter the market in any geographical location without facing any obstacles in their way. They can also apply whatever factors of production they want to with whatever variations and manipulations. The market offers complete and com prehendible information about the products and services. Therefore the firms are aware of the quality and characteristics of their products which leads them towards better performance. It is an ideal market to work in as it ensures the profits and flexibility of operations. In addition to free will related to entrance and exit hence giving numerous advantages to the consumers and sellers both (Dodd & Hasek, 1952). Now let’s consider the example of Rice market where the competition is perfect in nature. All the firms operating in this particular market are having the same costing conditions which are expected to remain at the equilibrium stage in the long run as well. The Automation Technology has become available to few of the firms in the market. This technology is pretty much useful for the production and packaging purposes as it lowers the marginal cost per unit and therefore contributes in increasing the profit margin of the seller without the need of increasing the price of the commodity rather decreasing the cost of the product. The usage of the Automation Technology will have some short run and long run effects over the rice market whereas the factor prices and the demand of the product remain same. This will disturb the equilibrium state of the perfect competition. Application of some new technology is always beneficial for both the industry and the individual firms operating in the market as it is more effective and efficient than the previous

Various Influences on the Development of Social Policies Term Paper

Various Influences on the Development of Social Policies - Term Paper Example The death penalty was also part of the Fourteenth Century B.C.'s Hittite Code; in the Seventh Century B.C.'s Draconian Code of Athens, which made death the only punishment for all crimes; and in the Fifth Century B.C.'s Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets. Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and implement. (Randa, 1997). Britain influenced America the use of the death penalty. When European settlers came to the new world, they brought the practice of capital punishment. The first recorded execution in the new colonies was that of Captain George Kendall in the Jamestown colony of Virginia in 1608. Kendall was executed for being a spy for Spain. In 1612, Virginia Governor Sir Thomas Dale enacted the Divine, Moral and Martial Laws, which provided the death penalty for even minor offenses such as stealing grapes, killing chickens, and trading with Indians. Laws regarding the death penalty varied from colony to colony. The Massachusetts Bay Colony held its first execution in 1630, even though the Capital Laws of New England did not go into effect until years later. The New York Colony instituted the Duke's Laws of 1665. Under these laws, offenses such as striking one's mother or father, or denying the "true God," were punishable by death. (Randa, 1997). Media is a powerful source of information. There are cases wherein cases are being trialed publicly thru media. This has influenced the development of policy in the death penalty. Before death penalty execution is being seen by people thru television. After that incident a lot of people reacted differently, some agree and some think that it is inhuman.  

The Principle of Double Effect Essay Example for Free

The Principle of Double Effect Essay The Principle of Double Effect (PDE) states that it is â€Å"morally permissible to perform an action that has two effects, one good and the other bad† (Harris, 71) if certain stipulations are met. A person would need to make use of the Principle of Double Effect in any situation in which there is what would also be called a moral quandary. A situation in which an action must be performed to achieve a good, but as a result of achieving that good, a bad is also achieved, would be cause to make use of the PDE. The PDE is basically a morality barometer—yes, this effect is bad, but how bad is it really when taking this good into consideration. The PDE strives to determine whether an action full of gray moral area is ultimately morally permissible, and it does so by judging the action through a number of set criteria. These criteria are, in brief, as follows: (1) The act in itself is morally permissible; (2) The good effect from the act cannot be achieved without the bad effect occurring as well; (3) The bad effect is merely a side effect, and not the means through which the good effect is achieved; (4) The good and bad effects are both equally balanced in importance (Harris, 71). In order for the action to be considered morally permissible, all four criteria must be fully met. Take, for example, the story of Mary and her ectopic pregnancy. Mary and her husband are practicing Catholics, and as such they have very strong beliefs against abortion and do not want to do anything that would go against the Church. However, regardless of the course of treatment chosen, Mary’s baby is lost, so this element should automatically be discounted as a determining factor. This in itself is a gray area. The four choices of treatment that Mary is given all have their own set of risks—some have higher risks to her, the mother; others have risks to the future of Mary’s and her husband’s efforts to have another child; all ultimately mean the termination of her pregnancy. Mary’s options include waiting for the egg to pass naturally, which poses a high risk to her the more time passes; taking a drug to thin the egg and force it to pass on its own; one surgery with a risk of making conceiving difficult in the future as well as the common surgical risks to Mary, and another surgery with less risk of complications in the future but also with the common risks of surgery. Because the pregnancy is lost regardless, I would advise Mary on deciding on a course of treatment as quickly as possible, because it is morally right to save oneself. She has already agreed to get treatment, given that the treatment doesn’t violate the Church’s teachings and that she can still bear children in the future. Because of the different levels of risks involved with each procedure, I would recommend the drug therapy. Both surgeries are risky due to the fact that they are surgeries, and the one is even riskier because it can lead to complications in Mary getting pregnant later. The option to let it pass naturally is probably more in line with the Church’s teachings, but it puts Mary at too great a risk and the pregnancy can’t be saved anyway. I would be loathe to think that any Church would encourage waiting it out so as not to be actually physically performing an abortion, when it is a given that the embryo will die regardless. Unfortunately, taking the drug treatment does not fully satisfy the criteria of the PDE: first, the act itself of a woman taking a drug to save her life is morally permissible. However, it is not necessary that she receive this treatment (or any other, for that matter) in order to survive. She can still survive without treatment; it’s just that the risks of her not surviving (or causing damage to her fallopian tube) is greater—note, NOT imminent. Second, there is no way for the good effect (saving Mary’s life) can be achieved without the bad effect (the embryo being killed)—especially when considering that the embryo is dead regardless. This bad effect is unavoidable because if she waits to pass the embryo on her own, she could die too. Third, and this is where the treatment fails to satisfy the PDF criteria, the bad effect is the means of achieving the good effect. The â€Å"abortion,† for what it’s worth, is the only way to guarantee Mary’s life will be saved—and that goes for the drug treatment as well as both surgical options. The fourth criteria is, however, satisfied because the death of the embryo—again, especially considering it will die regardless—balances saving Mary’s life. Based on the third criteria of the PDE, the only morally permissible way to â€Å"treat† this problem is to wait for the embryo to pass through the fallopian tube naturally, putting Mary at the greatest risk. All other options, despite how ridiculous it might be to even be referring to this as an â€Å"abortion,† especially considering the embryo will die regardless, require that the abortion, for what it is, must be performed in order to reduce the risk to Mary’s life. Therefore, no treatment is morally permissible and Mary has to take her chances.

Warfare During The Crusades Essay Example for Free

Warfare During The Crusades Essay Medieval warfare is the combat of the middle Ages. In Europe several changes like technological, cultural, and social developments had brought about a dramatic alteration in the nature of warfare from ancient times, altering military procedures and the function of cavalry and artillery. Analogous transformations in patterns of warfare as well were introduced in other parts of the world. The Crusades were a succession of military conflicts of a religious nature which took place in the years 1095–1291, more often than not authorized by the Pope in the name of Christendom. The Crusades in the beginning had the purpose of recapturing Jerusalem and the consecrated Holy Land from Muslim canon and were instigated in rejoinder to a call from the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine realm for help in opposition to the spreading out of the Muslim Seljuq dynasty into Anatolia. The European and the Muslim styles of warfare during the time of the First and Second Crusade had developed several distinct characteristics which decided the success of the crusades. The warfare of middle ages demonstrated the superiority of mounted cavalry over traditional ground forces, which helped to set the nature that medieval warfare that would maintain for the next several centuries. According to The Second Crusade and the Cistercians by Gervers the perchance the most significant technological change in warfare in Europe was the introduction of the stirrup, which was introduced in Europe in the 8th century, but was previously in use in the Middle East. The stirrup, accompanied with horse breeding and more sophisticated iron and steel working, helped in development of far more powerful cavalry. In European warfare, the heavily-armored knight became central where as in Muslim warfare lightly armored horse archers did so. The book The Invention of the Crusades by Tyerman describes that it is almost certainly a mistake to have a discussion of medieval European armies during the middle ages, as Europe was culturally varied continent and each region in it had their characteristic style of warfare. Medieval Anglo-French armies could be divided into three segments termed as battles or battalions such as the vanguard or forward, the center or main-battle, and the rearguard or backward. The front line was often composed of archers and other elective long-range weapons, like slings and stones and the rare lightweight simple catapults, while the center was composed of infantry and armored cavalry (knights), and the rearguard was sometimes comprised of more nimble cavalry. The usual order of March was front line, center, and rearguard, and the three battles took their position on the battlefield with the vanguard on the right, the center in the center and the rearward on the left. On the other hand, as armies grew larger and more cumbersome they often positioned as they arrived on the field. Each section in European army were positioned in either linear or block formation Where as, in the countries of the Middle East following Muslim tactics of warfare, the main forces were positioned in the battle field somewhere in the between. The main determinant of the Muslim tactics during the crusades was the predominant position of the horse archer in their army. As a light cavalry, the horse archers that made up the bulk of the Islamic armies were highly mobile. This mobility was used in four ways which gave the Turks an advantage over the European armies which could be highly dangerous when they approached for close combat. Where as, the Eastern European armies were in general high in horse archers and noble cavalry. The nobles were light lance cavalry in armor, until the armies were westernized, like the Polish knights. The light cavalry were also effective against similar cavalry deployed by the Muslims and, afterward, the Golden Horde. The heavy cavalry wore brigandine, and later on, plate armor. The light cavalry were dressed in leather or brigandine if they could afford it. Eastern Europe as well produced decent foot archers, because of the horse archer custom, but they usually had poor weighty infantry, more often than not spear or axe-armed levies. In European army cavalries were made depending on the situation. While a group of horsemen was undoubtedly efficient, cavalry in tight formations wielding lances became devastating forces. The most ordinary formation was the line or linear form. The horsemen arranged themselves in a long line, commonly three or four ranks deep and then charge. On the other hand, in Muslim cavalry a well-trained infantry force capable of withstanding any attack employed forces in a wedge formation. The horses were arranged in a large triangle, with the most heavily armored cavalry at the front. When the wedge came into contact with the infantry line, customarily it used to cave in on itself, allowing an infantry charge to move in and scatter the remaining forces. According to Medieval Canon Law and the Crusader by Brundage, as a light cavalry, the horse archers that made up the bulk of the Islamic armies were highly mobile. This mobility was used in four ways which gave the Turks an advantage over the European armies which could be highly dangerous when they approached for close combat. As Muslim cavalry became the prevailing force on the battleground, it in addition became necessary for European forces to come up with ways to counteract them. One accepted method was the use of pikes, which were spears that sometimes reached lengths of twenty feet. As the cavalry charged, the pike men arranged themselves in a tight square or orb formation, which prevented the horses from penetrating too deeply into the infantry line. With a large block of pikes shielding the stern and flanks, armies could move into an effective position without being routed. The experience level and tactical choreography aptitude of medieval armies different widely, were depending on the period and region. For larger battles, both in European and Muslim warfare pre-battle planning characteristically consisted of a council of the war leaders, which could either be the common laying down a plan or a loud debate between the different leaders, depending on how much authority the general possessed. Battleground infrastructure previous to the advent of strict lines of announcement and were naturally very difficult. Interactions often took place with the help of standards, oriflammes, banners, flags, etc. The book Medieval Canon Law and the Crusader by Brundage provides that the infantry, including missile troops, were typically employed by the European army at the onset of the battle to break open infantry formations while the cavalry shot to defeat its opposing force. When one side acquired superiority in cavalry or had it at the onset of battle it attempted to make use of the loss of cohesion in the conflicting infantry lines caused by the infantry conflict to hit the opposing infantry and attempt to rout it. This was often difficult, and careful timing was essential for a direct cavalry assault, as an ordered infantry line may often be able to beat off the cavalry attacks. Where as Muslims used to fight with arrows. The mobility of the Muslims helped them in attacking the enemy and forcing him to fight on the march. Instead of the Europeans sitting in a circle and gradually being killed by arrows, they marched toward either safety or where they supposed the enemy to be. This allowed for even greater possibilities of the use of the Muslims mobility in battle to come into distance, attack with arrows and move back away from the distance in which the slower loading crossbow could be used against them. Cannons were introduced to the battleground by European cavalry in the later medieval period. The Invention of the Crusades by Tyerman describes that on the other hand, their very poor rate of fire, which over and over again meant that only one shot was fired in the course of an entire battle and their imprecision, made them more of psychological force multiplier than an effectual anti-personnel weapon. Later on in medieval warfare, the rate of fire improved only to some extent, but the cannons became far easier to aim, mainly since they were smaller and much closer to their wielder. Their users could be easily protected, because the cannons were lighter and could be moved far more quickly. Arab warriors respected archery as a valuable skill for war and even as a sport in times of peace. The great number of archers in the armies of Islam often gave them a decisive advantage and helped them win in the wars. According to The Second Crusade and the Cistercians by Gervers the flights of arrows were used mostly by the Muslims to obliterate any consistency that the Europeans possessed, and cause them to lose horses on top. This loss of horses was a major blow to the main weapon of the Crusaders especially to the heavy cavalry charge with lances in rest. The horse archers themselves could loose their arrows from the saddle without halting or dismounting, and even shoot backwards while in retreat. The complex bow was a light weapon which frequently did not penetrate the armor far enough to cause injury to the wearer. Because of thick pads of felt and the mail worn by knights, the arrows were often seen sticking out of warriors who just continued on their way. Breakdowns in federal states resulted in the rise of a number of Muslim groups that turned to large-scale pillage as a source of income. As these groups were by and large small and required to move quickly, building defenses was a good way to endow with refuge and defense for the people and the wealth in the region. In the Medieval period surrounding armies used a wide diversity of siege engines as well as scaling ladders, battering rams; siege towers and different types of catapults like the mangonel, onager, etc. Advances in the action of sieges gave rise to the development of an array of defensive counter-measures. According to Medieval Canon Law and the Crusader, by Brundage, in particular, medieval fortifications in Muslin warfare became increasingly stronger for instance, the arrival of the concentric castle from the period of the Crusades and more hazardous to attackers, witness the rising use of machicolations and murder-holes, also the preparation of boiling oil, molten lead or hot sand. Arrow slits, hidden doors for sallies, and deep water wells were also integral to oppose siege at this time. Constructors of castles paid meticulous attention to shielding entrances, protecting gates with drawbridges, portcullises, etc. Wet animal skins were frequently draped over gates to hold back fire. Moats and other water military protection, whether natural or increased, were also imperative to protectors. In the European Middle Ages, practically all large cities were encompassed within city walls. Dubrovnik in Dalmatia is a remarkable and well-preserved instance and more vital cities had citadels, forts or castles. Great endeavor was expended to make certain an excellent water supply inside the city in case of blockade. In some cities, long tunnels were built to carry water into the city. According to Anatomy of a Crusade by Powell, the main determinant of the Muslim strategy during the crusades was the prime position of the horse archer in their army. As a light cavalry, the horse archers that made up the bulk of the Islamic armies were highly mobile. This mobility gave the Muslims an advantage over the European armies which could be highly dangerous when they approached for close combat. High mobility allowed the Islamic army to maintain a distance from the enemy and choose the moment at which they would close with them. Use of this mobility was the feigned retreat which allowed them to lead the Europeans into ambushes or to cause a fake retreat to last for some days to tire the enemy. Good mobility allowed them to attack the weakest points in the enemys army. This caused chaos while traveling, and in a battle it allowed the Muslims to attack the crusaders without ever coming into a pitched battle with the main body of the Europeans until they were worn-down and had lost all support from the flanks of the attack in battle. Another positive side of Muslim warfare was well built fortification system. These factors facilitated the Muslims in the battle. The Crusaders Kingdom by Prawer defines that the infantry, including missile troops, were typically employed by the European army at the onset of the battle to break open infantry formations while the cavalry shot to defeat its opposing force. Another method utilized by the English was the use of massed archers. The English longbow was a particularly devastating weapon of warfare. With the invention of gunpowder, the traditional methods of defense of the Muslims became less and less effective against a determined siege. Cannons were introduced to the battleground by European cavalry in the later medieval period. These factors gave the European side an advantage in the battle. In conclusion it could be mentioned that history helps out us to identify ourselves, recognize who we are and be acquainted with the origin where we come from. We over and over again shrink back from hearing about our chronological times of yore for the reason that so much of it is excruciating. The European and the Muslim styles of warfare during the time of the First and Second Crusade had developed several distinct characteristics like modification in cavalry, invention of gun powder, canons, new methods of fortification, etc. Instead of all developments it could only be concluded that battles in all ages have brought only destruction. References: Brundage, C; Medieval Canon Law and the Crusader (HBT Publishers Pvt.Ltd. 2000) Prawer, H A; The Crusaders Kingdom (Allied Publishers 1998) Powell, M; Anatomy of a Crusade (ABP Ltd 2001) Gervers, V; Second Crusade and the Cistercians (HBT Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2000) Tyerman, J; Invention of the Crusades (Allied Publications 2001) Kar, P; History of Europe; Vol. III (Dasgupta Chatterjee 2005) King, H; Introduction to War; Vol. II (HBT Brooks Ltd. 2005) Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata. (National Book Trust. 2004)

Teacher Accountability For Quality Education In Mauritius

Teacher Accountability For Quality Education In Mauritius There are various papers and reports on teacher accountability worldwide. Our paper focuses on teacher accountability in the Mauritian context. In this study, we argue that even though these studies are stepping stones to conduct pedagogical survey, however they are not sufficient for qualitative research since a recent review from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development claims, rigorous experimental and qualitative research that defines and characterizes effective teaching methodologies that demonstrate improved student performance is limited. This model has been developed from teachers perspective and analyzes their role in the success and failure of students. The conditions identified are based on a literature review on school and teacher accountability. Questionnaire data were collected from a representative teacher sample (N = 206) in 6 State Secondary Schools in in the four educational zones of Mauritius. Keywords: accountability, Qualitative INTRODUCTION The need for teacher accountability is to evaluate a teacher, like evaluating any other professional, one needs to determine what that professional needs to know and be able to do , and then how that professional demonstrates this knowledge through performance (John Schacter). Reports from education policy specialists help us see how we come to have failing schools, low-performing students, and little accountability (Unicef report, 2000) and how we can devise the affordable, reasonable, and workable accountability systems and incentives we need to raise student learning. Therefore, following Earl LeMahieu (cited in Earl, 2005:7) we understand that, Accounting is gathering, organising and reporting information that describes performance. Accountability is the conversation about what the information means and how it fits with everything else that we know, and about how to use it to make positive changes. In fact various literatures stress upon how accountability has become a cornerstone of schools reforms. Gurr (2006:2) notes that, in recent time there has been intense interest in most parts of the world to create systems for monitoring school performance. De Grauwe and Naidoo (2004:20) refer to the worldwide trend towards school evaluation. The Mauritian School is presently experiencing a need to assure academic success and development for all students and the focus is on providing opportunities for students achievement and removes barriers to students access (Strategy Plan 2008- 2020). In this light the focus is on finding ways to reach more students and on the implementation of strategies for successful teaching and learning. At a time of rapid technological advances, there is a need to increase standards-based education through a foundation of accountability to account for academic achievement (Strategy Plan 2008-2020). Global Perspective Recent reform initiatives have laid increasing emphasis on teacher accountability. The aim of President Clintons Goals 2000: Educate America Act of 1994 was to shift the focus from inputs to results and this reform initiative led to a national development of standard-based educational reform (Herrera Murray, 2006). According to McLaughlin and Shepard (1995), standards-based education can be defined as setting standards of performance in academic subject areas as a means of improving the substance of school curricula and increasing the motivation and effort of students, teachers, and school systems and thereby improving student achievement. In addition to setting high standards, the reform aimed at making educators feel accountable for what students learned and their performance on standardised tests (McLaughlin Shepard, 1995). The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law (2002) mandates that USA states adopt comprehensive accountability systems for identifying and improving underperforming schools. The major focus of NCLB is to provide all children with a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain high quality education. The moves towards a more balanced and sustainable approach to school accountability processes in England followed the release of the Governments Green Paper in 2003 called Every Child Matters. Under the accountability and integration proposal outlined in this paper, the creation of an inspection framework for childrens services was to be actioned with the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) taking the lead in bringing together joint inspection teams. School and teacher accountability relates to an ongoing pursuit of quality improvement and at the same time providing public assurance. De Grauwe and Naidoo (2004:39) conclude that the challenge is not to choose between accountability and quality improvement, but to find the right balance between these aims, between internal and external evaluation, between the criteria set by central authorities and those set by the school staff itself, between the demands of the public and the needs of the professional community. Opinion is divided on the impact of school evaluation and accountability processes on the performance of schools. Many authors question the inherent value of the components of some systems. Elmore (cited in Gurr, 2006:3) disputes the long-term worth of external accountability environments and suggests that for real and sustained school improvement, teachers and principals need to take more responsibility for the outcomes they influence. Hattie (2005:12-13) argues that we must develop an accountability system that is located from the student level upwards, directly involving and influencing the teacher and principal level, as such a system is more likely to have major effects on the quality of teaching and learning. Leithwood (2005) proposes the adoption of a reciprocal, professional approach. Together with the assessment of student progress, he emphasizes upon the importance of developing and appraising teachers performance against professional standards. The Reports on School Accountability Framework Review, National and International Perspectives and Approaches help to have an insight in the accountability processes in other countries: In Scotland a system of proportional response has been established linked to the findings of school inspections. In some USA and Australian states various regional and district based services are called upon to support schools in response to reviews and the analysis of test results. Finland, South Korea and Singapore have a strong focus on teacher training and continued professional development for serving teachers and principals. In Finland the initial selection process for students applying for the teacher education program is very rigorous. All teachers graduate with a Masters degree (5 years). South Korea has recently introduced an evaluation system for teachers and principals, while in Singapore teachers and principals are appraised using the Enhanced Performance Management System. Every school is to have a School Staff Developer to ensure that training and professional development programs encompass teacher needs while maintaining a focus on school goals. Experienced teachers in Ontario, Canada are formally evaluated every three years. Inexperienced teachers are mentored, closely monitored and evaluated. An unsatisfactory rating for any teacher can result in a recommendation for termination. In contrast with general trends De Grauwe (2004:78) notes that in Finland, a country that consistently performs at the highest level in international tests, the national inspection system was discontinued in 1991. Decision-makers felt that the benefits from external inspection and advice services were minimal and that, in view of the high level of training and professionalism of teachers and the strong parental interest in the schooling of their children, quality control could be entirely trusted to them. Accountability as an Auditing Tool An accountable educational system can be set up and managed through strategic planning processes, which shape and guide the system, where it is going and how it is going to get there (Kaufman et al, 2002). In the work world, management and employees are held accountable. Those that do well gain merits and are promoted. The marketplace creates incentives for their efficient performance, holds them closely accountable, and rewards success. Likewise, the accountability principle extends to most sectors of Mauritian life more significantly the private sector. Unfortunately, the Mauritian school system lacks the marketplace accountability, which is seen only at the level of large-scale examination systems associated with higher achievement, Cambridge School Certificate and Higher School Certificate. Educators resistance to testing and accountability is not surprising and is rather to be expected. Neither doctors nor bricklayers would choose to be accountable for their effort, it would be much easier for them to say that alls well as they request higher compensation (Evers et al.) Government-generated movement for accountability is generally welcomed by the public, vigilantly accepted by the school personnel responsible for implementing them and skeptically viewed by the teachers who are to be appraised (Odhiambo, 2003). Accountability is a contentious and divisive issue regardless of the context within which it operates. It is not unusual for teachers to openly, or covertly, resist involvement in appraisal schemes for numerous reasons, ranging from a fear of negative information becoming public to a complete lack of trust in the appraiser (Dimmock Walker, 2005). According to the report prepared by Michael Heim for Hawaiis School Leadership Academy on Accountability in Education: A Primer for School Leaders, the author based on different literature review comes up with the Conceptual model for accountability. Heim writes that, The evaluative nature of accountability, i.e., using authority justifiably and credibly, is an essential characteristic. The evaluative dimension is what distinguishes accountability from reporting. Furthermore he asks a simple question, Who is responsible for what to whom? The Who is Responsible? and To Whom? components contain numerous accountability providers and recipients: policymakers, the government, education officials, school staff, parents, students, the general public, and special interest groups. It can be noticed that there is an internal-external dimension to accountability. That is, accountability relationships arise internally within the same organization, and also externally that is with recipients outside the organization The following diagram tries to integrate various accountability frameworks found in the literature with the definition of accountability used herein. The diagram contains the necessary components required of a conceptual model for accountability. Conceptual Accountability Model C:UsersAdminDesktopAccountability in Education A Primer for School Leaders_filesAccountability.png Source: M. Heim, Hawaiis School Leadership Academy on Accountability in Education: A Primer for School Leaders Teachers are responsible for accomplishing tasks such as aligning curriculum, classroom instruction, and student assessment practices. Teachers are also responsible for truly involving others so that the co-production of learning can be successful. Attention must be given throughout these efforts to thoughtfully cultivate a relationship with students. Accountability between students and teachers, teachers and parents, and students and parents, can only exist on a mutually agreed relationships and responsibilities among them. Student learning is not a one way traffic or unidirectional, it encloses many factors, some of which are within the authority of school and its staff to control, and others which are not. Whatever the educational circumstances and limiting factors contributing to educational goals, teachers must make a difference in the lives of children and youth. Teachers accountability for student outcomes, then, must highlight the ways and extent to which they have contributed to making a difference. Testing students performance is useful, but information that shows growth or improvement over time is essential (Heim, ). 1.3 Reform Initiatives on Accountability and Quality in the Mauritian Educational System International commitments such as Education for All, Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategies, and the Millennium Development Goals increasingly influence strategy decisions and planning in the Mauritius education sector. Over the past decades, through the different policy papers and reports, the Government has aimed at creating an education system responsive to the emerging needs of society. Besides, the new Programme-Based Budgeting (PBB) system demands achievement in return for investment, and it requires a system of performance measurements at all levels of the education system. According to the Strategy Plan 2008-2020, the vision of the Government is to ensure Quality Education for all. Teacher performance, student assessment and the structure of the system are specifically designed to improve the quality of education and ensuring excellence for all. Quality in the education system requires accountability on the part of teachers for both the learning environments they provide and the learning outcomes they enable their students to achieve (Strategy Plan, 2008). In 1991, the Master Plan pointed out that there were insufficient accountability and poor communication within the educational system as duties and responsibilities were not clearly defined. There was no School Management Division. The Master plan therefore proposed an improved and more effective system of management by re-establishing policy and operational management of responsibilities at all levels to achieve accountability (Parsuramen, 1991). One of the recommendations of the White Paper (1997) was that Heads of Schools should manage their schools within clear policy guidelines and accountability parameters (Pillay, 1997). Moreover, the Action Plan (1998) insisted on accountability and transparency at each level and the setting up of a Quality Assurance Division in order to achieve increased quality and cost effectiveness in the education system. At the turn of the new millennium, Obeegadoo in his reform plan Ending the Rat Race (2000) highlighted that for colleges to be centres of excellence, it is necessary to have a close monitoring of standards with clear lines of accountability. The Strategy Plan 2008-2020 also indicated that performance indicators should be set up so as to increase the accountability of school personnel to produce results. Existing Framework The Mauritian System has developed accountability frameworks which consist the components of school planning, school self-assessment, school reporting and school review (internal or external). Self-assessment and reporting are usually annually based, planning is often both longer term (3-5 years, strategic) and annual (operational) with review cycles. With the purpose of ensuring the accountability of teachers within the educational system, the following indicators are in place: Guidelines such as, the National Curriculum Framework, define the task and responsibilities of teachers. The Personnel Management Manual of the Ministry ensures uniformity and stability of employee action through specified rules and regulations. Quality Assurance Teams assess teaching and learning. Heads of Schools monitor the work of teachers through regular class visits. A Performance Management System (PMS) is in place. After being on a pilot basis in 2009, the system will be fully operational in 2011. Establishment of clear reporting guidelines and schedules. Performance Analysis Report provide statistical data on student achievement results and progression Percentage pass rate at SC and HSC level. 1.5 Barriers/ Limitations that exist 2 levels: one general, second specific (related to our topic) According to David Blake (Quality Assurance in Teacher Leadership Education, A case study) the emerging framework for quality assessment in teacher evaluation is clearly problematic because many problems such as definition, workload, funding, bureaucracy and values are involved. Furthermore, sanctions and rewards are elements of the accountability processes and as mentioned above, teachers as the appraisee are scared of the appraiser. Furthermore to hold the appraisee accountable there needs to be valid and reliable assessment mechanisms. Teacher accountability, as per various studies, is very broad Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to find out whether state secondary school teachers feel accountable for their students performance. This study examines the roles and responsibilities of state secondary teachers and it aims at transforming teachers into accountable, responsible competent collaborators, demonstrating best practices. This article reviews the research on teachers accountability for quality education and proposes that by implementing firm teacher performance based accountability systems (The Milken Family Foundation, 2000), can improve teaching practices and ultimately students success. METHODOLOGY Survey Method The survey method is a research method to gather data about people, their opinion and behaviours (Wikipedia, 2010). The survey method was selected as it is an efficient way of collecting information from a large number of respondents. Survey is flexible as it produces a wider range of information compared to other methods, like direct observation, experimentation (Wikipedia, 2010). Several questions can be asked about the given topic, thus conferring considerable flexibility to the analysis, and standardised questions make measurement more accurate. Statistical tests can be used to determine validity, reliability and statistical significance (Wikipedia, 2010). There are two types of surveys, namely questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaires are usually paper-and-pen instruments which the respondent completes whilst interviews are completed by the interviewer based on the say of the respondent (Trochim, 2006). For the purpose of our study, we found that the Questionnaire method would be best for our situation. Questionnaire Design Data was collected through the use of questionnaires. Our survey used the quantitative measure, i.e. forced-choice questions were used. Cross-sectional survey was used, as information was gathered on a population of State Secondary College teachers, as of October 2010. Once we had selected Questionnaire as our survey method, we had to construct the survey itself by tackling a few issues, including the different types of questions, decisions about question content and purpose, decisions about question wording, decisions about response format, and, question placement and sequence in our questionnaire. Our survey consisted of close-ended questions, where the response options were exhaustive and mutually exclusive. Two types of response scales were used, namely, dichotomous, and four-point Likert. Five main sections have been duly taken into consideration while designing the questionnaire namely Respondent Profile, Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, Professional Responsibilities and Support and Demand. These are essential components regarding collection of data in connection with teacher accountability for quality education. Participants A representative sample of State Secondary School teachers was selected from a population of 3439 teachers so as to collect questionnaire data. The study was explained to the teachers and they were asked to fill in a questionnaire. The questionnaire data was collected from a sample of 206 teachers from 6 State Secondary Schools from the four Educational Zones in Mauritius. 3 of the schools are termed as State Colleges and are high-performing schools with an average pass rate of 80%, whilst the other 3 schools are low-performing schools with an average pass rate of 75%. The sample was 59% female and 41% male; the age ranged between 23 and 60 years with an average age of 30-40 years. The participants belonged to 14 different departments. Limitation of the study Though there are advantages to the questionnaire method, we would, however, like to point out that there are a number of weaknesses to the method. For instance, the quality of responses cannot be judged and respondents honesty cannot be proven. Human biases for e.g. ego of the respondents are there. High response rates were not achieved; out of the 300 questionnaires distributed, only 206 were retrieved. The period during which the survey was carried out was not appropriate due to the fact that many teachers were involved in Cambridge examinations at that given time. Moreover, some respondents did not attempt a few questions whilst others, although having the best of intentions, could not find the time to respond to the questionnaire. Others misplaced the instrument or forgot to return it. It was also noted that though secrecy was assured, some respondents were unwilling to provide certain information as they felt this would somehow intrude on their confidentiality, for e.g. some omitted to specify whether they were the Head of Department or not. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Purpose of study The purpose of the study is to find out whether state secondary school teachers feel accountable for their students performance. This study examines the roles and responsibilities of state secondary teachers and it aims at transforming teachers into accountable, responsible competent collaborators, demonstrating best practices. Respondent Profile Male (%) Female (%) Age group 30-40 41-50 >50 10.6 58.8 12.9 17.6 30.0 55.0 10.0 5.0 Teaching experience 5-15 yrs 16-25 yrs >25 yrs 13.4 54.9 13.4 18.3 25.2 59.7 9.2 5.9 Educational zone 1 2 3 4 12.9 58.8 15.3 12.9 22.3 41.3 9.9 26.4 Posting Gaetan Raynal SC Shrimati Indira Gandhi SSS Quartier Militaire SSS Sookdeo Bissoondoyal SC Sir Leckraz Teeluck SSS Sharma Jugdambi SSS 13.1 21.4 3.6 14.3 34.5 13.1 26.4 11.6 15.7 9.9 14.0 22.3 Type of posting Permanent Supply Medco 88.2 7.1 4.7 89.2 6.7 4.2 Department English French Mathematics Science Social Studies Computer Economics Accounts Home Economics Art and Design Design and Technology Physical Education Oriental Languages/ Hinduism Music and Dance 5.1 8.9 20.3 17.7 3.8 1.3 7.6 10.1 0 2.5 6.3 5.1 8.9 2.5 16.5 13.0 7.8 9.6 1.7 1.7 5.2 3.5 4.3 5.2 0 1.7 25.2 4.3 Head of Department Yes No 23.5 76.5 19.2 80.8 Working periods 16-20 21-25 >25 2.4 3.6 22.6 71.4 4.1 5.8 25.6 64.5 Qualifications Diploma Degree Masters 4.8 69.0 26.2 5.0 65.3 29.8 Professional training Yes No 64.6 35.4 49.6 50.4 Teacher Accountability/Effectivess Performance Management System One of the governments principal stated reasons for introducing performance management into schools was that it claimed doing so would help improve the professional development of teachers (DfEE, 2000, p.3). The PMS (Performance Management System) in Mauritius allows the educator to be assessed based on a variety of competencies, of which he/she has to choose at least ten. This new tool of performance appraisal of teachers is still at its initial stage in Mauritian schools. The results obtained are provided below. Table 1: Educators self-rating based on competencies enlisted in PMS Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Always 83 40.3 41.3 41.3 Often 82 39.8 40.8 82.1 Rarely 25 12.1 12.4 94.5 Never 11 5.3 5.5 100.0 Total 201 97.6 100.0 Missing System 5 2.4 Total 206 100.0 The study carried out by Brown, A (2005) showed that performance management can, under certain circumstances, help to improve the quality of primary education in England. with new challenges in the field of education, teachers also basically need to be assessed by such appraisal systems so as to maintain accountability. However, the study by Monyatsi, P. et al (2006) in the context of teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of teacher appraisal in Botswana concluded that though some teachers consider teacher appraisal as an axe ready to chop teachers which is contrary for the appraisal process to serve the purposes of accountability, yet, through the appraisal process as practiced in Botswana secondary schools, teachers can gain increased knowledge and skills, which ultimately enhance their performance in their daily duties in the schools Our study supports this fact as out of 205 respondents in this section, 146 educators organise and manage their classrooms effectively whereas on 2 of hem rarely do so. To bring about a rise in performance through efficiency and effectivenss, there are two major aspects which need to be taken into account. One, professional development of the teacher and second, accountability. The Strategy Plan 2008-2020 caters for this aspect by focusing onlifelong learning of the educator. With the growing challenges in education, teachers roles are changing rapidly. Globalisation and meeting international educational standards demand the teacher to be more professional in his/her teaching tasks. Teachers are expected to be equipped with updated trainings in pedagogy, teaching skills and professional development. Many countries are coming with teacher appraisal management systems so as to make the teacher of today become accountable at various levels. (ON DEMAND SUPPORT ?) The study conducted on teacher accountability demonstrated that the expectations of educators as far as support in the form of trainings, opportunities to work with experienced teachers or even participation in decision making are much below and somewhere, there is a co-relation between support and the accountability of educators towards their multiple tasks they perform. Though, many educators (107 often give remedial work, 94 often encourage group learning and 94 collect feedback on students performance whereas on 1 educator never does so in all the cases) are accountable towards their modes of instruction and are satisfied with their teaching practices, yet,some seem to be less accountable as far as performance of students on an overall basis is considered (18.9%). Many have held the rector responsible for the overall rate of failures or passes while detaching themselves from the schools performance. Normore (2004) mentions that being accountable means, among other things, being o bligated or subject to giving an account. In saying that someone is accountable we could imply that he/she is obligated to give a report, description, explanation, justifying analysis, or some form of exposition of reasons, causes, grounds, or motives for what we have observed Table 2: Educators feel rector is accountable for acedemic success/failure of students Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Always 49 23.8 24.7 24.7 Often 51 24.8 25.8 50.5 Rarely 64 31.1 32.3 82.8 Never 34 16.5 17.2 100.0 Total 198 96.1 100.0 Missing System 8 3.9 Total 206 100.0 It implies that, based on our survey, educators in Mauritius are normally very much satisfied with performance at their departmental level rather than at the institutional level. Many (144 educators) assert that they are satisfied with their classroom teaching only. As for the Planning and Preparation aspect, most educators do prepare their Lesson Plans and their Scheme of Work on a regular basis (135 out of 206 always do so). Out of 203, only 1 educator never preprares the Scheme of Work. Out of 203, 13 rarely align their objectives with the National Curriculum Framework. Hanley, C. (2009) documents a number of the ways in which accountability pressure has changed school instructional policies and practices in Floridas low-performing schools, and relate these instructional policy and practice changes to increased student performance. Many educators also felt that demonstrating a general feeling of warmth, care and respect towards their students make them accountable and thus, contribute to their professional development (140 always do so whereas only 3 never do so). Feeling responsible towards the classroom setting and oraginsing and managing classrooms effectively has an impact on the performance of students and therefore bring quality teaching, they believed. This is why, a considerable number of educators take care of these aspects with existing infrastructure at their particular schools. However, some educators (40 rarely and 4 never do so) do not feel responsible/accountable for preparing their students for competition and collaboration in a global economy. This confirms that the vision of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, as stated in the Strategy Plan 2008-2010, has not totally reached the understanding of educators. Another reason might be that though the vision is noble yet appropriate infra structure and training are hardly to be provided to schools for implementation. 3.4 Teacher Experience a

The Harrapan Civilization Essay -- essays papers

The Harrapan Civilization The Indus Valley, or Harrapan, civilization was discovered in 1920-21 when engraved seals were discovered near present-day Sahiwal in Pakistani Punjab at a place called Harappa. Excavations at Mohenjodaro in Sind discovered the buried remains of a civilization with a pictographic script. The Harappans first settled sites along the Indus River. This civilization extended to the Yamuna along the bed of the river Ghaggar in Rajhastan, Gujrat and up to the mouths of the rivers Narbada and Tapati. The Harappan culture extended from the Indus Valley through northeastern Afghanistan, on into Turkestan. Most of the major sites of this civilization are in Pakistan. In fact it is in Pakistan that an earlier phase of it has also been unearthed. This happened between 1955-57 when a Pakistani archaeologist, F.A.Khan, discovered a town of the pre-Indus period 3300 to 2800 BC at Kot Diji in Khairpur, Sind. Such sites were also discovered by Rafique Mughal in Bahawalpur, in the Cholistan desert, extending the area of this culture to the whole of southern Pakistan. The first appearance of this civilization was the early Harappan/Ravi Phase. This Ravi Phase, named after the nearby Ravi River, lasted from approximately 3300 BC, or even 3500 BC, to 2800 BC. This phase is related to the Hakra Phase, identified in the Ghaggar-Hakra river valley to the west, and predates the Kot Diji Phase (2800 -2600 BC), named after a site in northern Sindh near Mohenjo-daro. I...

Drugs, Money, Media and Advertising Essay -- Drugs Argumentative Persu

Drugs, Money, Media and Advertising Ads for pharmaceutical drugs are everywhere. They are in magazines, on television and radio, on billboards, and on the little bags that you get from the pharmacist. These days it is difficult to get away from all the drug advertising. All these ads are for products that require a doctor's prescription. The goal of advertising is to increase profits. By advertising so heavily for drugs that the majority of the population does not need, pharmaceutical companies attempt to create as large a consumer base as they can. In advertising directly to the consumer, the drug companies accomplish two objectives. First, they get information directly to the consumer. Second, they promote the product and generate demand for their particular drug. Whether this type of direct-to-consumer advertising is good or bad depends on your perspective. The controversy about drug advertisement lies in how drug companies use the money generated by ads and how they choose to advertise their products. Some argue that the pharmaceutical companies just pocket the profits generated by ads, while the companies themselves say that the money is needed for the research and development of new cutting-edge drugs. The information that the drug companies provide in the ads can be both informative and misleading. Deciding which side is right or wrong may be more difficult than we think, as both sides make good arguments for their case. More likely than not, the answer lies somewhere in between, with both sides being right and wrong. Allergy drugs such as Claritin, Allegra, and Flonase have become very popular in recent years. In 2000, Claritin was fifteenth in the 200 most prescribed drugs in the US, wh... ... No. 21 Public Citizen. (31 Aug. 2000). Schering-Plough Political Money Pushes Claritin Patent Extension and Distorts Report. Public Citizen. http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=369. (7 Oct. 2001). Sanes, K. (2000). The Fake Haven of Claritin. Popular Culture. http://www.transparencynow.com/claritin/claritin.htm. (7 Oct. 2001). Scott-Levin (2001) The Top 200 Prescription for 2000 by Number of US Prescriptions Dispensed. http://www.rxlist.com/top200.htm. (6 Oct. 20001). Secondwind (2001) Direct-to-Consumer Advertising. Second Wind. http://www.secondwindmagazine.org/issues/2001/spring/feature.html. (7 Oct. 2001). Swanson, Jack. (2001). Personal Interview. 17 Aug 2001. Tidwell, J. (31 Aug. 2000). Claritin Patent Gets Extension. Allergies. http://allergies.about.com/library/weekly/aa082100a.htm?once=true&. (7 Oct. 2001).

Plath’s Daddy Essay: Father and Husband as Vampires -- Plath Daddy Ess

Father and Husband as Vampires in Plath’s Daddy   Ã‚   The poem "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath concludes with the symbolic scene of the speaker killing her vampire father.   On an obvious level this represents Plath's struggle to deal with the haunting influence of her own father who died when she was a little girl.   However, as Mary G. DeJong points out, "Now that Plath's work is better known, ‘Daddy' is generally recognized as more than a confession of her personal feelings towards her father" (34-35).   In the context of the poem the scene's symbolism becomes ambiguous because mixed in with descriptions of the poet's father are clear references to her husband, who left her for another woman as "Daddy" was being written.   The problem for the reader is to figure out what Plath is saying about the connection between the figures of father and husband by tying them together in her poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A clue lies in the final image she uses, the vampire.   In today's movies and books vampires are portrayed as humans who have gained immortality and power in exchange for the need for blood and avoidance of sunlight and crosses.   However, Plath wrote her poem in 1962, and since then our culture's image of the vampire has changed drastically.   Historically, people who were transformed into vampires were no longer the same human beings.   Instead, they became monsters who retained only the physical appearance of their former selves.   Our interpretation of the poem is affected if we assume that when Plath wrote about a vampire she had in mind the older conception of a monster which took over the body of a now dead human.   With this image in mind we will tend to look for ways the duality of father and husband in the poem correspond to the vampire's dual i... ...the memory of her father's equally painful though unintentional abandonment.   Despite the mixing of father and husband in the antagonist of "Daddy" it is obvious which man Sylvia Plath is addressing with the poem's last line, written during the breakup of her marriage and three months before her suicide: "Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I'm through" (80). Works Cited Cam, Heather.   " ‘Daddy': Sylvia Plath's Debt to Anne Sexton."   American Literature 59   (1987): 429-32. DeJong, Mary G.   "Sylvia Plath and Sheila Ballantyne's Imaginary Crimes."   Studies in   American Fiction 16 (1988): 27-38. Ramazani, Jahan. " ‘Daddy I Have Had to Kill You': Plath, Rage, and the Modern Elegy."  Ã‚   Publications of the Modern Language Association of America 108 (1993): 1142-56. Srivastava, K.G.   "Plath's Daddy."   The Explicator 50 (1992): 126-28.               

Doping in Sports is a Problem Essay

Doing steroids, which is known as doping, is a problem in sports that needs to be stopped and needs to be stopped fast. Ask anyone with a decent knowledge of sports and current events, and they will tell you: nearly every week, another high-profile doping story makes its way to the headlines of newspapers around the world. A quick Google News search for â€Å"doping† revealed over 7,500 results from the past week alone. The stories ranged from the lesser known 2 Youth Olympic Games Wrestlers who were recently suspended to the more famous 2010 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador’s positive test. This month, Brent Musburger (an ABC/ESPN sports commentator) told a group of students at University of Montana that steroids work. Musburger blamed â€Å"journalism youngsters† who â€Å"got too deeply involved in something they didn’t know too much about† for the negative image steroids and doping now have. He went on to say that steroids had no place in high school, but â€Å"under the proper care and doctor’s advice, they could be used at the professional level.† (Quotes take from the Missoulian article.) If you know me (or have been in a class with me), you know how I feel about doping in sports. In fact, anti-doping was one of the reasons I came to law school, and more specifically to Marquette. My view is that doping has no place in sport. The story of how I came to become so staunchly against doping is for another day (and perhaps a different venue), but basically involves my love for the sport of cycling and the systematic doping that plagues that sport. Suffice it to say that I take a firm stance against doping in all sports in all forms. It probably goes without saying that I could not disagree with Musburger more. Doping, least of all in the form of anabolic steroids, has no place in sports – amateur or professional. I think all anti-doping arguments come down to two basic principles, only one of which Musburger addresses in his blanket approval of steroid use in professional athletes. First, doping threatens the health of athletes. Musburger argues that with proper medical supervision, steroids can be healthy. While this might be true in some (and I would suggest limited) cases, it would certainly not be true in all cases. The use of steroids can have serious health repercussions, including affected liver, endocrine, and reproductive function, tumors of the liver and kidneys, heart conditions, and psychiatric symptoms. Additionally, the article just linked goes on to mention the increased probability of side effects when 1) steroids are used more than the recommended dose, 2) steroids are used in conjunction with other performance enhancing substances, and 3) counterfeit or tainted steroids are used. Legalizing steroid use would not solve these problems. The side effects listed in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (a part of the National Institute of Health) article are not restricted to improper use of steroids. I will not detail out the side effects of not only steroids, but also the use of hGH and EPO (often used in cycling), the NCBI does a nice job of listing those and providing citations to studies. Furthermore, the drive to win will always encourage athletes to take â€Å"just one more.† Sure, proper medical supervision would ensure that an athlete receives the proper dose from that doctor, but when that athlete fails to win the next race, game, or match, he or she is more likely to increase the dose or combine other methods of doping. Second, and unaddressed by Musburger, doping affects the integrity of sport. Sport is not about simply winning. The saying â€Å"It’s not about whether you win or lose, it’s how you played the game,† although clichà ©, is absolutely correct. The Olympic Movement identifies the Olympic spirit – mutual understanding, spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play – as fundamental to sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was founded on the principle that integrity of sport is fundamental to the spirit of sport, and that integrity is threatened by doping. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) division on anti-doping believes that â€Å"doping jeopardizes the moral and ethical basis of sport and the health of those involved in it.† The National Football League itself created its own steroid policy because steroid use threatens â€Å"the fairness and integrity of athletic competitionâ€Å" and †Å"sends the wrong message to young people who may be tempted to use them.† Sports are about competition on equal footing, with respect for the opponent, and with respect for the rules of the game. Permitting the use of steroids under proper medical supervision would threaten the fairness and integrity of the game. First, athletes who choose not to use steroids are at an unfair advantage – most will be unable to compete at the same level as athletes who are using steroids. Second, the integrity of the game is compromised because it is no longer about which athlete has the best skills or talent, it’s instead about which athlete has the best steroid cocktail or the money to buy the best steroids. Thus, steroid use is contrary to the spirit of sport – fairness, respect, and solidarity. The concept of mutual respect between competitors is thwarted when one (or both) athletes would rather use steroids to improve his or her performance than compete based on individual strength, skill, or talent. However, if health and integrity concerns aren’t enough to convince you, consider this final point. Law students, and indeed lawyers, are fond of the slippery slope argument. I think it finds a comfortable place in this debate. It’s a slippery slope between allowing steroid use with proper medical supervision and eliminating anti-doping regulations. Where is the line to be drawn? Will it now be illegal to use steroids only if taken without proper medical supervision? How can proper medical supervision be proven? How does an athlete prove that the steroids in his or her body were as a result of proper medical supervision and not other means? What about athletes who use more than the recommended dose? What about other forms of doping (hGh or EPO)? Are those next to be permitted under proper medical supervision? It’s difficult to see how regulating the use of steroids in sport is workable. The only way to preserve integrity in sport and protect the health of athletes is through a serious anti-doping approach. Anti-doping efforts are most successful when the â€Å"law† (anti-doping policy) sets forth clear, bright-line rules about when and what substances are prohibited. Although a long way from perfect, WADA has created the most comprehensive anti-doping program in the world (indeed the only anti-doping program most of the world outside of the US models and implements). American professional sports leagues should be looking at ways to model the WADA code in its own anti-doping policies (like the United States Anti-Doping Agency is doing), not seeking ways to excuse steroid use or compromise anti-doping efforts. Steroids have no place in sports.

Globalization & concept Essay

Globalization is a concept that has emerged over recent past that have gained a lot of attention from the global people. Globalization is not anew concept because it has developed over time due to the interaction of people from ti me to time. The definition of globalization takes new direction every time because of its usage and transcends all spheres of life (Oregon State 2008). According to Robertson (1992) socialist define it a the comprehension and intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole unit. It has been elevated by the fact that the world has become more interdependent than before as from 20th century. The term is loosely used to symbolize meaning of consciousness, receptiveness and understanding of cultures, appreciation of the world socio-economics and ecological aspects. The term global village emerged in early 1960s to mean a shrinking world which was popularized by the media. The media has also tried to emphasize on the global community concept. The subject of globalization has shaped its objectiveness and subjectiveness. The evolution of globalization has been triggered by events such as wars and conflicts, the emergence of third world countries, expansion of international and supra international corporations and organizations. This is also accelerated by the idea of global economy(Robertson 1992). Globalization cuts across all academic disciplines and have implications on morals and values of people in the world. This is a problem that has generated other terms as deglobalization and globalism. Deglobalization attempts to reduce the impact of globalization while the globalism used used negatively to mean one worldism and cosmopolitanism (Robertson 1992). According to Scott (1997) globalization is visible and powerful order that directs the former concern to the geopolitical stage. It can be measured across the globe by consumers taste identity and by its homogeneity of taste. In the context of global culture it is evident in the distribution of the product. Globalization can also be defined as the historical structures established by societies over time that has exponentially increased in the present time. This has been achieved through mobility of goods and services necessitated by infrastructural development. The idea is largely cordoned by the elites terming it inevitable but the masses view it as danger to traditional life, livelihoods and values (GPF 2008). Herman (1999) emphasize it as the active process extending beyond borders, cross border structural facilities and link of corporate organizations. He adds that it is an ideology that wants to surpass its resistance and uphold it as beneficial and unstoppable. The emergence of globalization has led to theories defining its relevance and importance to world inhabitants. This has been ans issue of international systems that make demarcation of countries l which systematically create and partition separated by economic and process factors. These form the basis of global events that bring a perspective of the world as a systematic entity. This is virtually so because of given set of societies that dictate world unity trends and systems. This is referred to the capitalistic advancement of nations like America to which is characterized by division of labour, political and military relations that accompany economic trends while religion and culture follows simultaneously (Robertson 1992). Instability in the domestic and foreign structures have caused the rise of globalization as seen by the growth of communication and cultural academies, rise of movements, organizations and special interest groups. Globalization has therefore grown through several stages such as universalism, natural sociologies, internationalism, indigenization and later globalization (Robertson 1992). In this context universalism refers to scientific provision to humanity of basic principles and laws where ideas human fraternity is adhered to. While national sociologies emphasized on the professional academies that held intellectual products with high esteem. This is followed by the concept of making all countries follow the systems through internationalism as depicted by the third world creation. This was fostered by the indigenization stage that made such countries to adapt to methods and systems. Thus globalization emerged as the interaction of nationalism and internationalism which is punctuated with problems and conflicts at different life stages. The causes and mechanism behind this are the ones driving up globalization (Robertson 1992). Global issues as refer to in the context of culture have varied significance and measures. First Soules (2002) define culture as knowledge, acts, beliefs, laws, customs and aspirations of inhabitants in different settings around the world. This is identical to certain group of people. However mass culture which appeals to world wide audience is generally referred to popular culture. Any change in the traditional values, norms and daily order raise eyebrows of which is considered deviation from the normal life. But as people move there is interaction of cultures that fuse and transform into new culture that is can be described as global culture (Soules 2002). Therefore, popular culture is symbolic of globalization because of its persuasive nature which cuts across all national cultures. The popular culture referred to here represents popularity of certain personality in areas of music industry. These include stars, products and infrastructure associated with it commonly described as global communication (Scott 1997). Although globalization affects politics it has not received much attention as popular culture but film industry has been discussed at international level whether to be associated with it. It is paramount to not that though politics has not extended beyond its national jurisdiction it is much important in the global culture. Politics is limited by its weak structures at international level than popular culture that is advanced by its network of transnational corporations (Scott 1997). However, global culture may not be a definite evidence that it exists across the world because of its dependence on time, space and distributional mechanisms. But it passes across all nations based on several factors such as global production and global distribution. Whereby global production is brought about by the presence of transnational corporations which control 70 percent of the entertainment industry such as Sony and Tristar Corporations. The global distribution of this popular culture products signify the extend by which it reaches world wide audience. Technological advancement such as use of television cinema and satellite communication media channels have made popular culture received to wide audience in the world (Scott 1997). However, global culture just like the popularity of English language has received its share of criticism. For instance the spread of world single culture as advocated by the entertainment industry does not necessarily mean that the audience practice the same. It can only lead to global multiculturalism where diverse culture can be integrated in order to appeal to popular audience. Although this may lead to cultural plurality but their merger could lead to the a synthesized global culture (Scott 1997). More so the availability of the product does not mean it used for the intended purpose. For example the Soviet Union abused it as such spreading capitalistic ideology of Americans. Most view popular culture as the Americanization of the world. Hence it cannot be received globally without struggle and negotiation through the political and national structures. Global culture also faces a couple of restrictions that is largely dependent on the institutional frameworks, policies of governments, and levels of operations. Institutional frameworks play crucial role in the supply and distribution regulatory structures, education, industrial and economic climate for its operation. Policies that regulate broadcasting, copyright rights and taxation or subsidies play a significant role in the advancement of popular culture (Scott 1997). Most governments do not have cultural policies but have several that indirectly implicate culture within their national jurisdiction. this reflects their priority is promoting culture in their own country. Therefore, global culture faces an uphill task to be accommodated institutionally and into the policies of the respective governments(Scott 1997). Herman (1999) states that globalization is an ideology that is perpetuated by corporate organizations for their own interest. This is seen in the deregulation of several government on its budget, entitlement and free trade.. it does affect the nationalistic protection of indigenous companies while allowing the entry of international multinationals. This ideology has significant impact on economic status of weaker countries. Although it yields economic benefits its impact of whole society is detrimental (Alston 1998). Globalization is argued as one that weakens democracy in several countries. This is a result that governments are forced to enact regulations that give due advantage to the business community. For instance international agreements signed like the4 North American Free Trade Agreement and European Monetary Union. This has been used under the disguise of democracy to weaken the country’s ability to fight for improved wage salary of its workforce. Instead they are supposed to cut labor costs in order to obtain investment from the corporations giving the business community an upper hand to make huge profits (Herman 1999). Through such agreement most countries have fallen victim of deteriorating welfare standards of its citizens. Countries with high cost of labor have lost foreign investment because of relocation to cheap labor countries. Labor movement have also been weakened as opposed to the democratic freedom given of bargaining. This has med policy makers to make business friendly policies at the expense of state welfare. This countries have also advanced restrictive legislation that has tight grip national budget so as to absorbing inflation shocks hence accelerating unemployment and underemployment (Herman 1999). The ideological campaigns advocated b y the business community has reduced government responsibility to support its public hence making its citizens vulnerable to the corporation demands. Also limited financial sources by the individual government have accelerated their dependence on global sponsors that devise policies more favorable to them. It far negates the ability of leaders to develop mechanisms that favor its masses (Tabb 2002). This is evident in the efforts advanced by IMF and World Bank together with media support. This organizations developed conditions that were supposed to be met before funds are released to the countries in need. For instance, IMF developed structural adjustment programs to third world countries outlining conditions such as lean government and privatization. The implications was loss of jobs, increased poverty, increased wealth gap between the rich nations and poor nations (Herman 1999). Globalization in its basic fact is the ideological concept of business elite that send strong signal to people that it cannot be brushed away easily and it is better. Although it has the benefit of increasing interest rates in the stock market and income, inequality rise is more across all countries. For example in the United States productivity rose by 35 percent while underemployment, job security, loss of benefit and lean production system increased in bigger margin (Herman 1999). CONCLUSION Globalization is a new concept that cuts across a all spheres of life such as culture, academic, political, economic and socially. In this paper i have discussed mainly how globalization influenced global culture and its implications. Global culture is defined as mass culture that appeals to world wide audience. It is particularly advanced by popular culture through different media channels. Globalization also touches political and economic aspects of several countries this has a direct effect on the democracy, economic status and welfare of its citizens. Globalization has beneficial impact on the government and citizens with varied margins. REFERNCE Alston, P, 1998, ‘Statement’, UN committee, Available at: http://www. globalpolicy. org/globaliz/define/unstate. htm Global policy forum, 2008, ‘globalization’,Global policy forum, Available at; http://www. globalpolicy. org/globaliz/index. htm Herman, E, S, 1999, ‘Treat globalization’, New politics, vol. 7, No. 2, Available at: Oregon State, 2008, Definition, Available at: oregonstate. edu/instruct/anth370/gloss. html Robertson, R, 1992, Globalization, SAGE, London. Scott, A, 1997, Global culture, Routledge, London. Soules, M, 2002, ‘Culture’, History, Available at: http://www. mala. bc. ca/~soules/media112/culture. htm Tabb, W, 1999, ‘Progressive globalism’, Monthly review, Available at: http://www. globalpolicy. org/globaliz/define/progglob. htm