Research Methods Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research Methods - Coursework Example The value of the statistic is too small and the probability is too high to reject the null hypothesis. Thus, from the F-test we conclude that all coefficients could be jointly equal to zero. (ii) H0:?2=0 against H0:?2?0 using a significance level of 0.05 Since the alternative hypothesis is that of non-equality but no direction (greater or less than) is specified, the test will be two tailed. The computed t- statistic is equal to -2.66937 which is greater in terms of absolute value than the two-tailed 5% critical value of 2.018 (given the number of observations and variables, the degrees of freedom are 42), we reject the null hypothesis that the coefficient of 1990 GDP per-capita is not statistically significantly different from zero. (iii) H0:?3=0 against H0:?3>0 using a significance level of 0.05 Since here the alternative hypothesis is of the greater than type, the test will be right tailed. For the given number of observations and variables, the critical one sided 5% t value is 1. 682. Our computed t-value is 2.598522 which is greater than the critical value. Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected at 5% level of confidence. This implies that we have statistical evidence of secondary enrollment having a positive impact on GDP growth. (iv) H0:?7=0 against H0:?7>0 using a significance level of 0.1 Again, the alternative is of the greater than type, implying a right tailed test. The critical 1% t-value is 2.418. From the table above, we find that the computed t-statistic is 1.50471. Since this is smaller than the critical value, we fail to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, we fail to find any evidence that credit ratio has any statistically significant impact on GDP growth. Therefore, we find a contradiction between our conclusions in (i) and (ii). While in (i) we fail to reject the notion that all the coefficients on the predictor variables are jointly zero, we reject the hypothesis that the coefficient on the first explanatory variable, the 1990 percap ita GDP is zero. But if this is true then (i) should have rejected the null in favour of the alternative which requires atleast one of the coefficients to be non-zero. Typically, such contradictions arise because of the violation of one or more of the basic assumptions underlying OLS estimation. Particularly, if there are outliers that distort the estimates, then such contradictory results can emerge. 3. Advice for choosing between alternative spending From the fitted model in the previous part we have found that secondary enrolment has a positive impact on GDP growth as does the private credit ratio. Infact the coefficients are quite close though that of private credit ratio is slightly lower. However, only the former is statistically significant. This implies that there is no evidence of increases in private credit ratio having any impacts on the GDP growth. Therefore I would recommend investing the sum of money on policy measures that will increase the country’s rate of en rolment in secondary education. 4. Diagnostics for evaluating the validity

Looking for Alibrandi essay Essay Example for Free

Looking for Alibrandi essay Essay Essay question: Family has a strong influence on our lives. It affects the way we view ourselves and those around us. How has family influenced Josephine and what impact does it have?Family is one of our main influences in our lives, although we are not always aware of it. It shapes the people we are and the choices we make in our lives. In the text Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta, Josephine Alibrandi is seeking to be free from the world and its misunderstood societal regulations throughout her twelfth year of high school the year of change and new ways of thinking. Throughout her journey, her family influences her way of thinking. She grows and learns through family and structure, accepting her Italian heritage and family members. Family shows who she is, and by accepting that, Josie is able to live freely to the life she dreamed of, although not in the way she originally expected. Throughout the book, family influences Josephine to reach her goal of emancipation, creating a connected family and a liberated perspective on life. Throughout the book, Josies way of thinking changes immensely, from negativity towards her family and culture, to a new understanding and perspective towards life. This is the effect from family, personal experiences, and sharing truths and feelings. Which teaches Josie how she feels about her culture, family and find the part of herself which is embedded in her family. Showing that her family influences and changes the way she feels about life and gives her a new perspective towards it. As the book progresses, Josephine learns to appreciate family the sacrifices they make her, her Italian heritage and the community of family. Josie became respectful and thankful towards her family as apposed to resentful, because they loved her and her individuality. This has influenced Josie to learn her own truths, make her own rules and way of life, but most importantly, to figure out where her place in life is, I know where my place in life is. Its not where the Seras or the Carlys of the world have slotted me†¦ Im an Australian with Italian blood flowing rapidly through my veins. Ill say that with pride, because its pride that I feel. (page 259). Once Josie realises that her family had confided with her and had sacrificed all these things for her and the Alibrandi/Andretti name, she took action, to change her life for herself and her family, to be a better person. A lot has  changed at home†¦ Maybe because Ive changed. (page 259), this shows that from what her family has taught her, Josephine has changed for the better. Maybe not in the way she expected to, but in the way she can learn to accept herself and her family, which has changed her family life to a more loving, excepting community. Every family has structure, just like Josephines family. Josephines family has a very significant structure, which is generally influenced by their Italian culture and society, making them blind to Josephines way of life, They stifle me with their rules and regulations they have bought with them from Europe, but they havent changed with the times†¦ Theres always someone I have to respect. (p40). This indicates that Josies family is stuck in the old Italian ways, so ignorant and stubborn. Expecting respect even though they have done nothing but age, I am an old woman now and I deserve respect. (p36). This is why Josie dislikes the culture and traditions, because she feels that those traditions are what hold her down and not let her live the free life she dreams of. But through experiences and feel she can not do anything that she wants with her life, her family will always look down upon her, only remembering the bad things and they will always talk, no matter what which is what Josie learns to accept †¦I think that if I lived like a saint and walked with two feet in one shoe; If I wore the clothes of St Francis of Assisi and suffered like a martyr; if I lived by the rules and never committed a sin, people would still talk. Because human nature. Theyll always, like me, find someone to talk about. (p261). Culture and its traditions is another thing Josies family is buried in, which brings Josie down with it as well, Josie: Culture is nailed into you so deep you cant escape it. (p175). All this is what holds Josie down from being free and doing what she wants. Family in Josephines life is what influences Josie to who she is and what decisions and actions she makes. Even though her family is who she thinks has trapped her life and social standing under the floor, Josie can not help the fact that family and culture and traditions and wealth is what makes Josie the person she is. And it is not until she realises this is when her emancipation can happen. I just sat there thinking back on the year and I  realised that I was emancipated long ago†¦ I remember feeling socially out of it at St. Marthas, yet when the†¦ walk-a-thon happened, I realised I wasnt. I thought my birth circumstances were a cross Id bear for the rest of my life, but†¦ it had never been my cross. I had only made it mine. (p258) Josie feels emancipated because she had taken the time to reflect back and look at the bigger picture. She realised that she didnt care what people though of her anymore because what difference is it really going to make in her life. Josie will always be Josie, and no matter how much others disagree it cant change her, You cant hate what you are a part of. What you are. (p152). Her family will always be the ones who she will look up to, And I cried because I was loved by two of the strongest women I would ever meet in my lifetime. (p226) These strong characteristics are what have influenced Josie the most to stand up for herself and be strong for herself. You know a wonderful thing happened to me when I reflected back on my year. One day came. Because I finally understood. (p261), throughout her journey Josie learns through her family a new way of thinking, she grows and learns through family influences and family structure, accepting her Italian heritage and family members. Family shows who she is, and by accepting that, Josie is able to live freely to the life she dreamed of, although not in the way she originally expected. Throughout the book, family influences Josephine to reach her goal of emancipation, creating a connected family and a liberated perspective on life.

Using Talk for Learning in the Primary School

Using Talk for Learning in the Primary School Historically, talk was discouraged in a classroom.  It was a place for the teacher to give instructions and the class simply to  listen. However, the use of talk for learning has been studied in recent years, indicating that it can in fact be constructive. In this study, I explored how talk could be used for two particular purposes. Firstly, as a tool to optimise childrens learning in a classroom environment; secondly, for a teacher to assess the childrens understanding by listening to the childrens talk in return. Alexander (2008: p.93) states, If children need talk in order to learn about the world, teachers need talk in order to learn about children.   My theory was that talk is not the obstruction to learning that it was considered in the past, but rather a powerful tool in the classroom. I believed that teachers could use talk constructively in order for children to gain a deeper understanding of the material presented to them. To investigate how to use talk in the classroom effectively, I looked at past research and conducted my own observations and investigations during a four week placement. This will help me to develop my own teaching techniques in the future. I conducted this study at a Grade 2 Leicester city school with nearly 400 children on roll, aged from 4 to 11. The pupils within the school were mostly from minority ethnic backgrounds, predominantly Asian and Asian British and speaking English as a second language (Ofsted, 2009).   I was based with 27 children in one of two Year 3 classes. Literature Review It is only during the last 40 years or so that the quantity and quality of talk in the classroom has been studied and evaluated. A key concern is that constructive talk in the classroom is still underused (Alexander, 2008: p.92). The Primary National Strategy which was introduced in 2003 barely touches upon talk at all (DfES, 2003a cited in Cambridge Primary Review, 2009: p.15) and as a result teachers are left with little advice on how to use talk effectively for learning. This isnt the case elsewhere in Europe. Alexander (2008: p.99) reported that in France dialogue has a much greater emphasis in the classroom. He noted that good skills in speech, reasoning and the ability to argue would identify an educated person in France, whereas in Britain good readers and writers are valued higher in society. Despite this emphasis on reading and writing skills in Britain, the Confederation of British Industry reported in 2006 that spelling and grammar skills are of a low standard (Alexander, 2008: p.99). The National Curriculum requires children to read from age five, but Sage (2000: p.135) thinks that children are sometimes being required to read before they have developed the necessary language and communication skills to read with comprehension. The National Strategies argue that talk is an acquired skill rather than one that can be taught (Alexander, 2008: p.100), but this does not mean that the teacher cannot support childrens talk development. Language can be modelled and encouraged in the classroom and this would particularly benefit children with English as a second language, where it may not be spoken or supported effectively at home. Alexander (2008), cited in Mercer and Hodgkinson (2008: p.105), gave five principles to outline the key features of dialogic teaching, all of which can encourage classroom talk and increase these language and communication skills. The first three principles were teaching must be collective, reciprocal and cumulative. To achieve this, the teachers and children must learn together as a group, share ideas and build on the ideas of their peers as well as their own. The fourth principle was the teachers plan must be purposeful with particular learning objectives, a matter that is now generally used in every lesson. Finally, Alexander (2008: p.185) emphasised the importance of a supportive learning environment; children should be able to express ideas without the worry of being embarrassed if they give what the teacher sees as an unsatisfactory response. Alexander (2003, 2004b), cited in Alexander (2008: pp. 115-116), found that following a period of dialogic teaching, children answered questions with more clarity and confidence, listened better, thought aloud more and were more helpful and respectful to their peers. Furthermore, following the increase in talk, the childrens skills in reading and writing showed improvement, especially the less able. This supports Sages theory that language is essential for literacy. However, Smith et al. (2004 cited in Alexander, 2008: p.108) found that, in the classes they studied, childrens answers only lasted an average of five seconds and in 70% of occasions were limited to a maximum of three words. This indicates that dialogic teaching is not being widely used. Question-answer methods are more commonly used, aiming to develop understanding, improve recall and encourage imagination (Sage, 2000: p.64). Questions encourage children to verbalise their thoughts (Van Ments, 1990: p.77), which can provide the vital link between language, reading and writing. Questioning techniques are popular because they enable the teacher not only to control the use and context of talk, but to also gauge the childrens level of understanding, knowledge and creativity. Questions allow for another perspective to be added and misconceptions to be corrected immediately, making them more accessible than written comments, which can easily be ignored. However, Barnes (1976/1992, cited in Barnes 2008: p.6) noted the difficulty in teachers gaining a full understanding of a childs thinking by relying on short answers to questions. Thus, although questioning provides an immediate way of informally assessing the children and giving feedback, it can be a vague and narrow minded approach to assessing a childs ability, so it should be used alongside other methods. In England, open questions are generally thought of as preferable; children think through the answers themselves rather than merely repeating a teachers pre-determined answer. However, teachers still tend to ask a large proportion of closed questions (Barnes et al, 1986, Alexander, 1992; both cited in Myhill and Dunkin, 2005: p.416). Myhill et al. (2006: p.72) used a complex model, creating four categories of questions; process, procedural, factual and speculative. We may generally think of factual questions as closed and speculative as open. They found that the majority (60%) of questions asked by teachers were factual. Sometimes closed questions are preferable. Sullivan (1992) found that using open questions to teach mathematics had no advantage. This may be due to the extremely factual nature of mathematics, with a right or wrong answer which is not negotiable. Open questions are more effective when the child can use their personal experiences and ideas to extend their understanding. Barnes (1976/1992, cited in Barnes 2008: pp.5-7) constructivist approach divides talk into exploratory and presentational. Exploratory talk defines the child verbalising ideas, taking others contributions into account and ordering these to develop their own understanding. Open questions can encourage children to use exploratory talk. Presentational talk takes the audience into account and happens frequently when children recall information, allowing the teacher to assess their knowledge (Barnes, 2008: p.6), thus the teacher can ask closed questions to encourage presentational talk. Barnes believed a child should have the opportunity to order their ideas through exploratory talk before being asked to present them through presentational talk (Barnes, 2008: p.7). In the classroom both talk types are vital, but teachers must use them appropriately by being aware of the benefits of both; many teachers dont give children enough time to grasp new ideas through exploratory talk before using presentational talk (Barnes, 2008: p.7). Children need time to talk, develop and share before they can gain a firm understanding (Barnes, 2008: p.2). Piaget understood the importance of exploratory talk. He believed that a childs intelligence is based on their interactions with their environment and their commitment to develop their own understanding (Mercer and Littleton, 2007: p.8-9). Piaget believed that every child has a schema an understanding of the world around them. Exploratory talk supports new knowledge and experiences to be either assimilated if they fit a childs existing schema, or accommodated if the schema must be changed corresponding to the new information (Piaget and Inhelder, 1969). Piaget labelled the teacher simply as the assessor and provider to give children these facilities to learn actively (Moore, 2000: p.13). Group work provides children with this opportunity, since it allows the children to self-discover and share their ideas with one another. Piaget believed that children worked most efficiently when grouped into similar stages of development. Children are less likely to be intimidated if placed with others of a similar ability, encouraging them to talk through their ideas together. Vygotskys theory contradicts this. He named the bridge between a childs current level of knowledge and their potential level the Zone of Proximal Development and described the support given to reach this potential level as scaffolding (Mercer and Littleton, 2007; pp.14-15). Due to the structured and guided nature of scaffolding, Vygotsky believed that dialogue worked best when children were guided by an adult or a child of a higher level of knowledge. Methods and Procedure My investigation was based on two science tasks on floating and sinking, a topic in which the children had very little prior knowledge. The same four children attended two twenty minute sessions and my aim was to develop their knowledge on why objects float or sink (see Appendices A and B for lesson plans). I planned the tasks after observing the teacher and children in a wide range of subjects (Appendices C and D) to gain an understanding of the teachers practices and record how talk was used in the classroom. I particularly observed the types of questions the teacher used, the use of exploratory and presentational talk, how the children were grouped together and the use of dialogic teaching, to see their influence on the childrens learning and the teachers assessment opportunities. Reflecting upon the effectiveness of these methods influenced my own lessons within the class (Appendix E). I used a lot of talk within these lessons, so the post-lesson evaluations (Appendix F) allowed me to observe which talk methods were the most effective, which in turn influenced my science task plans. My TE1 partner observed and took notes of the discussion and activities during these tasks (Appendix G). Worksheets also allowed me to record the childrens ideas (Appendices H and I). The first science task was to assess the childrens initial understanding of floating and sinking. I documented the general misconceptions that were stated during this session (Appendix J). The second science task, influenced by these misconceptions, provided the children with experiences aimed to develop their understanding. Analysis and Interpretation of Evidence I analysed the areas of dialogic teaching, exploratory talk, questioning and ability grouping with relation to talk for learning and assessment. Dialogic Teaching Alexanders dialogic teaching principles were all present in an observed lesson (Appendix C). The children were sat on the carpet for the starter, sharing and developing their ideas. The teacher had a specific learning objective and used questions to structure the lesson and assess the childrens understanding. This technique was successful in forcing the children to think for themselves and vocalise their ideas aloud, so that their ideas could be shared and developed together. Using talk in the classroom allowed the children to gain a deeper understanding, as misconceptions could be discussed and good contributions verbally rewarded, which encouraged the children to carefully think through their answers. Dialogic talk kept the children engaged, whereas in lessons that did not include much dialogic talk, I observed that the children tended to lose interest sooner, suggesting that talk can aid concentration. Aspects of dialogic teaching were present in all lessons but not necessarily all five principles, supporting previous research which indicates that dialogic teaching is not widely used (Smith et al, 2004). The lessons always had a purposeful plan and usually incorporated a collective approach, for example via class discussions. However, the other three aspects (reciprocal, cumulative and a supportive environment) were not always present; children didnt always have the opportunity to share and develop ideas together and the teacher often expected a certain answer, which resulted in many children not being confident enough to answer in case they were wrong. Shy children and those of a lower ability struggled more in these lessons, possibly due to a lack of structured idea sharing. Appendix K shows the work of a less able child during a literacy lesson before and after dialogue; the improvement of her writing after using talk based on dialogic teaching is astounding. This supports Alexanders (2008) findings; the writing of less able children improved following dialogic teaching. Thus, Alexanders principles of dialogic teaching are all important and dictate how talk can be used constructively to create a positive learning environment. I included dialogic teaching myself within my tasks. I used talk to assess the childrens knowledge, develop their understanding and encourage them to share their ideas without being intimidating; the children had time to express and develop their ideas, or expand on their peers ideas. They gave long answers, such as I was surprised that the wooden cube floated because I thought it would sink because of its shape. This contradicts Smith et al.s (2004) research, which found that 70% of answers didnt exceed three words. The children added to each others ideas politely and seemed genuinely interested in the opinions of others. For example, when one child stated that wood sank, another pointed out that in a film they had recently watched as a class, the boat was made from wood and floated. The first child then admitted that this was true; this new insight allowed them to assimilate this new concept into their schema. Without conversation different perspectives like this, which can be the link to understanding, might be lost. Exploratory Talk Within the observed science lesson the teacher set up an experiment. A lot of exploratory talk was encouraged (Appendix C) before the children made their own predictions. During the follow up lesson, the experiment was completed; the children used presentational talk to explain the results. This allocation of talk types worked well, supporting Barness (2008: p.7) theory that giving children time for exploratory talk is favourable, allowing them to gather their ideas before expressing their conclusions using presentational talk. I found exploratory talk to be very beneficial in my second science task to encourage self-discovery. I found that the childrens talk didnt always flow fluently, but as Barnes (2008: p.4) observed, exploratory talk is hesitant and incomplete because it enables the speaker to try out ideas, to hear how they sound, to see what others make of them, to arrange information and ideas into different patterns. Using exploratory talk allowed the children to express opinions and consider everyones experiences, thus gaining a deep understanding of the topic. Questioning My findings extend the research of Barnes et al (1986), Alexander (1992) and Myhill at al (2006), who found closed questions were dominant in the classroom overall. I found that in numeracy and some foundation subjects, closed questions were dominant; they simply follow the facts, e.g. What is half of 50? According to Sullivan, although open questions are generally preferable, they have no advantage in numeracy. However, within literacy and science most questions were open, e.g. Why do you think the egg will disappear? (Appendix C). The children were encouraged to refer to their own experiences and ideas to construct their own predictions. Therefore, the dominant question type depended on the subject. I found open questions to be an advantage in my science task; children were encouraged to provide and develop their own original ideas, e.g. Why did you think the cork will float? Soon the children offered developed ideas without encouragement, e.g. I think the cork will float because it is made from wood. Open questions allowed me to model responses until children expanded their answers naturally. Ability Grouping The groupings I saw generally supported Piagets approach of ability grouping, which is common practice across the UK. Numeracy consisted of two ability groups and lower ability children were often grouped together in literacy. I found this approach preferable to encourage peer talk within a familiar topic, since they were not intimidated to discuss their ideas. Vygotskys approach of putting a learner with someone of a higher level of knowledge was rarely used on a peer level. It concentrates on developing the skills of the lower ability child and is of little aid to the higher ability child. However, this scaffolding was present in adult-child teaching, for example an autistic child had a teaching assistant someone of higher ability who supported his development. It was a very effective method, but this level of personalised teaching is too time-consuming and impractical to use on every child. My science task consisted of both the children developing their ideas together (similar ability teaching) and myself aiding them (higher ability teaching). I found that when I wasnt controlling the discussion the children were very enthusiastic share ideas, but often presented inaccurate ideas to one another as facts. Therefore, I needed to step in to avoid the children sharing their misconceptions. The children were more relaxed by having no input from someone of a higher ability, but I found that this method did not work in this case. This may have been because it was a new topic; therefore the children had little experience to call upon. Validity I have based this study on a series of observations within a wide range of subjects to gain a thorough insight into talk for learning within a particular class. However, I concentrated on one teacher, one class and my science task was based on only four children. Therefore, my conclusions assume that other classes would act similarly. On the other hand, my findings are often supported by other studies which have used a larger test sample. These studies increase the validity of my own findings. Conclusion of Findings Dialogic Teaching Dialogic teaching is very effective when encouraging new and creative ideas. It builds confidence, as the children are encouraged not to rely too heavily on their teacher, but to be in charge of their own learning. Children can share ideas, develop their own, improve their communication skills and the teacher can assess the childrens talk content. I found that dialogic talk improved childrens imagination and understanding. My research supported Alexanders (2003, 2004b) findings that dialogic teaching encourages children to answer questions confidently and clearly and listen respectfully to their peers. Using dialogic teaching also allowed me to assess the children quickly and subtly. Children who needed extra help could be identified before the main activity if dialogic talk is used during the lesson starter. Exploratory Talk I found that it is good practice to give children time for exploratory talk when starting a new topic, to discuss and develop ideas in an informal setting. Only when children have personally ordered these ideas should presentational talk be introduced. Exploratory talk allows new concepts to be assimilated or accommodated into the childs existing schema. Questioning I think open questions are vital to encourage children to think for themselves, allowing the children to achieve a deeper understanding. However, closed questions are appropriate in factual based subjects such as maths, since there is not much room for opinion. Questioning can gauge the general understanding of the class and encourage the children to share and develop their ideas. Individual knowledge can be assessed and immediate feedback given. However, as Barnes (1976/1992) notes, it is difficult to gain a deep understanding of individuals knowledge, so questioning should be used alongside other methods. Ability Grouping Placing children with someone of a higher ability was preferable when developing a new concept, to avoid misconceptions being shared and amplified. However, ability grouping was best to encourage talk when the children were applying and developing their understanding, since the children could discuss their work at the same level and without being intimidated. Conclusion of Investigation Focusing on specific areas of classroom talk allowed me to produce a focused analysis. My study was carefully planned, based on my areas of focus and observations of existing practice to analyse the use of talk for learning. I compared my findings to those of existing studies, drawing links between my literature review and my own research to increase validity. The small test sizes within this investigation may have negatively affected my results. For example, I found dialogic teaching effective, stating that the children were comfortable in expressing their ideas. However, the small group size might have created a less intimidating environment and in fact be the cause to the effect, rather than dialogic teaching itself. My observations were based on the same class, so discrepancies in location, age and teaching will not have been picked up. Therefore, to improve the accuracy and validity of my results, I would have to look at a wider range of schools and age groups. Overall, by developing my investigation in a structured and focused manner, I gained a well rounded insight into the best ways of using talk for learning, which I will apply in my own teaching. (Word Count: 3500) Referencing Alexander, R. 2008: Essays on Pedagogy. London, UK: Routledge. Alexander, R. 2008: Culture, Dialogue and Learning: Notes on an Emerging Pedagogy. In Mercer N. and Hodgkinson S. (ed.). Exploring Talk in School. London, UK: Sage Publications, pp.91-114. Barnes, D. 2008: Exploratory Talk for Learning. In Mercer N. and Hodgkinson S. (ed.). Exploring Talk in School. London, UK: Sage Publications, pp.1-15. Cambridge Primary Review. 2009: Towards a new Primary Curriculum. Accessed 27/10/10: www.primaryreview.org.uk/Downloads/Curriculum_report/CPR_Curric_rep_Pt1_Past_Present.pdf Mercer, N. and Littleton, K. 2007: Chapter 2 How Does Interaction Help Learning and Development? in Dialogue and the Development of Childrens Thinking: A Sociocultural Approach. London, UK: Routledge, pp.8-23. Myhill, D. and Dunkin, F. 2005: Questioning Learning. UK: University of Exeter, Vol. 19, No. 5, pp.415-428. Accessed 10/12/10: http://eric.exeter.ac.uk/exeter/bitstream/10036/15292/1/MyhillDunkinQuestioningLearning.pdf Myhill, D. et al. 2006: Chapter 4 Questioning and Learning in Talking, Listening, Learning: Effective Talk in the Primary Classroom. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp.68 -84. Ofsted (2009) Section 5 Inspection. Accessed 05/12/10: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk Sage, Rosemary. 2000: Class Talk: Successful Learning Through Effective Communication. Stafford, UK: Network Educational Press Ltd. Sullivan, P. 1992: Using Open Questions For Teaching: A Classroom Experiment. Victoria, Australia: Australian Catholic University. Accessed 17/11/10: www.merga.net.au/documents/RP_Sullivan_1992.pdf Van Ments, Morry. 1990: Active Talk: The Effective Use of Discussion in Learning. London, UK: Kogan Page Limited. Jones, P. 1988: Lipservice: The Story of Talk in School. Milton Keynes, England: Open University Press. Sharp, E. 2005: Learning Through Talk in the Early Years Practical Activities for the Classroom. London, UK: Paul Chapman Publishing, A SAGE Publications Company. Moore, A. 2000: Teaching and learning: pedagogy, curriculum and culture. London, UK: RoutledgeFalmer.

Dropping the Atomic bomb on Japan :: Essays

Dropping the Atomic bomb on Japan Currently, the United States of America is in the aftermath of a military action in which the U.S. used a preemptive strike with a weapon of unmatched technology and power. The United States went after an enemy who had attacked without warning (the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001)†¦ or at least they went after whom they thought had attacked us. By heading into Iraq, the U.S. was attempting to finish what could become a messy, complicated war. The United States has tried this before, lets see how it worked. On August 6, 1945 the United States dropped an unprecedented atomic bomb on Japan, which effectively ended the second World War. The dropping of the atomic bomb was a momentous event in history. The decision to drop the bomb has been scrutinized as to its necessity and morality, and the question has arisen: if the United States had to do it again, would they drop the atomic bomb? The official government story is that the atomic bomb was the quickest way to end the war and saved millions of lives. Another option says that the United States dropped the bomb in large part to threaten the Soviet Union. What caused the United States to build the bomb and why was it that it was deemed necessary? What other means of battle were there, and why were they unable to end the war? Why was the atomic bomb dropped, and if offered the chance to replay history, would it happen again? Even if they knew then what they know now, I believe that the United States would again drop the bomb. Japan is small island country with few natural resources, lacking especially in iron and oil. Starting before World War I, Japan moved to ease these limitations by working to acquire new territory. Within a period of 15 years (1894-1909), Japan took over the Pescadores Islands and Formosa, defeated the Russians, and annexed Korea [Smurthwaite p.12]. These actions forced the rest of the world to recognize Japan as one of the strong powers in the East. As a result of the Treaty of Versailles (January, 1919), they gained the former German territories in the Mariana, Caroline and Marshall Islands [McKay p.

Learning Disabilities in Society Today Essay

The modern society has advanced very much compared to the earlier society, for example of the mid twentieth century. This advancement can be attributed to various technological innovations and inventions that have taken place in the society. The various spheres of change have impacted both positively and negatively on the welfare of the people. This is together with the welfare of those with disabilities. Disability has been and remains to be a major aspect of social inquiries and studies that has been conducted in the society. This is given that the disabled persons are part and parcel of the society. In this regard, the issue of disability as an area of study encompasses various aspects. This is for instance the kind of relationships between disability and work, disability and oppression, disability and education and disability and discrimination among others. In addition, studies on disability have centered on the measures that have been taken or ought to be taken to address the issue. The measures taken range from medical interventions and efforts to change the attitude of the members of the society towards the disabled people. Disability and the Society Today: Overview There are several definitions that have been proposed for the term disability. The definitions depend on the orientation and experiences of the scholar. For example, in law, the term disability can be used to connote a physical or mental impairment of an individual (Shah & Priestly, 2009). For the impairment to qualify as a disability, the law requires that it must have a substantial and long term negative effect on the individual’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities (Valentino & Skeletonk, 2009). However, not all such conditions qualify as disabilities. For example, individuals with ailments such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and those who are blind or partially sighted are not considered as been disabled. According to the legal definition given above, impairments considered to make an individual disabled include sensory impairments, such as sight and hearing, or mental impairments such as learning disabilities, dyslexia and mental illness (Bradley, Danielson & Hallahan, 2002). Some severe disfigurements, for example those affecting limbs and other physical organs, are regarded as a disability. Some conditions that can worsen over time such as multiple scleroses are also regarded as a disability as soon as they are diagnosed, even before they start to affect the individual’s day to day activities (Lerner, 2000). There are criteria that have been put in place to determine whether a disability is long term or not. For example, for a disability to de regarded as long term, it must have lasted for at least one year (Bradley et al, 2002). Disabilities that have lasted for less than one year can also be classified as long term. This is when there are sufficient grounds to expect the disability to last for at least one year after its onset (Barnes, Fletcher & Fuchs, 2007). For example, a loss of both limbs can be considered as a long term disability even if the loss is barely one month old. Also, for a disability to be regarded as long term, it must be expected to last for the rest of the individual’s life (Barnes et al, 2007). As earlier alluded to in this paper, there are several types of disabilities affecting people in the society. These range from physical disability, mental disability among others. Another type of disability that affects people in the society, albeit not so visible, is learning disability. This paper is going to look at learning disabilities within the context of the modern society. A general overview of disability has already been provided to create a context within which learning disability will be located.

How does Priestley present the theme of responsibility in “An Inspector Calls” Essay

The play ‘An Inspector Calls’ is a political satire written by a devoted socialist, J.B Priestley – an ex-soldier who fought in World War I. The play was set in 1912, 2 years prior to World War I; however it was written and published in 1945 – just after world war II. Priestley uses this time difference effectively to emphasise the British society of 1912, where there were firm class and gender barriers; Priestly detested this and was passionate towards the need of collective responsibility – he believed that if there was no change, the consequence would be ‘blood, fire and anguish’. Nonetheless most of these barriers were violated by 1945; Priestly wanted to make the most of these changes. Throughout his play, he influences his audience of 1945 to take advantage of the opportunity the end of the war had set them to reform an enhanced, more compassionate society. J.B Priestly portrays Mr. Arthur Birling as an arrogant, hard-headed, selfi sh capitalist who is only concerned about his reputation. Priestley intentionally exaggerates this character to corroborate his own political agenda. Birling’s thoughts towards socialist ideologies about the significance of community is ‘nonsense’ and that â€Å"a man has to make his own way†. This indicates that he has no interest whatsoever in social responsibility – through his business or his family. In Act One, Mr Birling dictates his predictions for what he thinks is going to happen in the future. He states that â€Å"The world’s developing so fast it’ll make war impossible.† the readers already know that World War I and II have already taken place. Furthermore, he says that the Titanic is ‘absolutely unsinkable’; the audience already know that t he Titanic has sunk. Moreover, he believes that there will be ‘peace and prosperity and rapid progress everywhere’. To the audience of 1945, this character would have been viewed as laughably optimistic and short -sighted; however these were common assumptions of those living in 1912. Priestley does this to show the lack of responsibility Capitalists had for predicting what will happen in the future and causes the audience to doubt whatever Mr Birling says because he could be wrong once more.

Gonorrhea Essays - Sexually Transmitted Diseases And Infections

Gonorrhea Essays - Sexually Transmitted Diseases And Infections Gonorrhea Gonorrhea We chose the bacterial disease gonorrhea. We were not able to find when the disease was discovered or who discovered it. Gonorrhea is a bacterial disease that is an infection caused by gonoccocus bacteria. This bacteria is round shaped and can live only in dark, warm, moist places. These places would include; inside your body, cervix, penis, throat, and rectum. It usually involves the urethra in males, and vagina, cervix, and fallopian tubes in females. For 2-9 days there are no symptoms of Gonorrhea. Then some do occur. There can be frequent burring urination and thick green-yellow discharge from the penis or vagina. Also, there may be rectal discomfort and discharge, joint pain, a mild rash, or sore throat and swollen glands. For men, the opening of the penis may be red and sore. Symptoms of gonorrhea show up more in males than in females, in fact, about half of the women with gonorrhea have no symptoms. Effects of this disease could include; gonococcal eye infection, blood poisoning, infectious arthritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, epididnmitis, endocarditis, sexual impotence in men, and infertility in women. Also, pregnant women can infect unborn babies. Gonorrhea can be diagnosed by tests that include blood studies. There could be laboratory cultures and microscopic analysis of the discharge from the reproductive organs, rectum, or throat. Of course, you will have to obtain some of the symptoms before the doctor will confirm that the tests be administered. This disease is transmitted by sexual contact. Any form of sexual penetration, oral, anal, and vaginal can transmit gonorrhea. There are other means of catching the disease, but they are not common. A person with gonorrhea can infect another area of their body by touching the infected area and transferring the excretions. Gonorrhea may also be spread in clothing or wash clothes if used by an infected person, and then soon after by someone who isnt infected. Sometimes infected secretions from the vagina drip down around the anus causing infection in women. Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics. Common ones include: ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, cefixime, certriaxone, azithromycin, you can also take non-prescription drugs such as Tylenol or aspirin to reduce discomfort and inflammatory pain. To prevent getting gonorrhea, avoid sexual partners whose health practices are uncertain. Also, always use a latex condom during intercourse. Also, always be responsible and visit your doctor for regular check-ups. If you do find out you have it, you should stop sexual activities until cured. Gonorrhea can be transmitted through any kind of sexual intercourse. The symptoms are all but pleasant, and probably arent fun to experience. The disease will probably go away in 1-2 weeks with treatment. Gonorrhea will not go away by itself, even if symptoms disappear. A mans chance of catching gonorrhea from an infected women is from 30-50%. A womens risk with an infected man is much higher, being 60-90%. Remember, you can get gonorrhea over and over again, use a condom!