Review on Lawrence of arabia essays

Review on Lawrence of arabia essays For a brief background of this film, Lawrence of Arabia is based on the retelling of T.E. Lawrences adventures during WWI. This film is thought to have had the best cinematography of any film of that era, shot with a Super Panavision 70-mm scope. The film tells of the life of a British officer who aided the Arabian Bedouins against the Turks during WWI. The Arabian Desert serves as a back drop for the making of this film. This film focuses on four main events in Lawrences life; the defeating of Aqaba, Lawrences capture and torture in Deraa, the massacre at Tafas, and the fall of Damascus. This film is rated two stars, during this film I tended to lose interest due to the dull graphics of that time period. I also began to fall asleep during some of the uneventful scenes. This film could have easily been broken down to about 45 minutes to an hour. I must however take into consideration what time period this movie was shot in. Maybe I am spoiled with the new technology we have in todays society and that is why I cant get into this movie or it could just be an outdated movie, past its prime of giving us continuous viewing pleasure. Maybe this is not the kind of movie I enjoy or maybe its just a bad movie. Whatever the case, I had to give the movie two stars for mediocre acting by the leading actor and lack of guts and gore that I have come so accustomed to seeing in my day. I do have to say that the movie had a surprising crispness to it that I dont usually see with films from that time period, but that is the only thing that kept it from the dreaded zero stars th at it deserves. So in closing, do yourself a favor and watch Titanic for the 5,000th time and save your money, dont rent this movie. ...

How a Cabinet Toe Kick Enhances Kitchen Ergonomics

How a Cabinet Toe Kick Enhances Kitchen Ergonomics A Matter of Ergonomics Ergonomics is the study of human efficiency and comfort in a working or living environment. Ergonomics is of great concern in the workplace, but it is also an issue in residential construction, where dozens of different design standards are aimed at making the rooms of a home more comfortable and safer for family members.   Home ergonomics is of particular concern in the kitchen, since this is a primary workplace and a space where people spend a great deal of time. Apart from the kitchen work triangle,  the toe kick space beneath base cabinets may be one of the most important  ergonomic elements in your kitchen design. The importance of the toe kick space in base cabinets holds for cabinets in other locations, as wellsuch as bathrooms, laundries and home offices.   What is a Toe Kick? A toe kick is a notch-shaped recess at the bottom front of a base cabinet.  It provides a recess for your feet so you can get slightly closes to the countertop. This improves your balance,and also reduces the fatigue that would result if you were forced to reach across a countertop to work. Without a toe kick, users typically find themselves standing well back from a base cabinet in order to avoid stubbing the toes, a posture that leads to leaning over and putting considerable strain on the back, shoulders and arms. Working in this way is quite uncomfortable and can lead to chronic pain and posture issues.   The answer is a very simple design alteration - a small notch at the bottom of the cabinet that allows you to move slightly closer to the countertop. The toe kick is typically only 3 inches deep and about 3 1/2 inches high, yet it makes a huge difference in the comfort of using your countertop. Although toe kicks are not required by building codes, they are a traditional design standard followed by manufacturers and tradesmen. As a result, you will find toe kicks on virtually every factory-manufactured cabinet sold, and woodworkers or carpenters building custom cabinetry will always follow typical design standards for the shape and size of toe kicks in base cabinets.

The explanation of the various management problems Essay

The explanation of the various management problems - Essay Example All of these fields are characterized with problem solving and decision making on the various management issues which is vital to the success and better performance of any organization in the context of the various department that are comprised in an organization. Through the study the student is able to make accurate, reliable and valid decisions on the management issues following the procedures and the guidelines that are consistent, feasible and in conformity with the better management practice and theories that aim at solving the underlying problems. With the effect of globalization and the advent of the new technologies taking its action in the various organizations, management has become an important tool and a vital aspect in the achievement of the set goals and objectives thus emerging the need to have a quality management team that is able to deliver the goal and objectives of the organization. Solving management problems requires the student to have adequate skills, qualifi cations and extensive understanding on the management and leadership which involves decision making. Although decision making has the tendency of being a natural and characterized with personal attributes it is important to integrate the various concepts of the management to improve the management decision quality and effectiveness. This implies that the management theories are acts as the facilitators of an effective, reliable, consistent and valid decisions made by the individual students who are the prospective managers of the various fields of management in the various contexts. The management theories assist management master’s degree students to be able to accurately interlink the management problem solving and the management decisions that are made at the various levels of management depending on the situation of an organization. The study of the management masters degree enables the students as potential managers to be able to apply the basic principles, laws and guid elines of the management process with the aim of optimally utilizing resources which are bound to be scarce. This process involves minimizing cost with anticipated maximum profitability and returns, and the whole process is facilitated by the modern management science and the availably technologies. In the field of management science and engineering the students of master’s degree will have acquired skills from the general management theories, operations management which is the core functional strategy of an engineering field, management system engineering, and information technology management - all these are incorporated with the decision making, game theory and the organizational theory. These theories mainly involve the designing of the economics management in engineering and the evaluation methods of the best engineering management practices. Secondly, there is the business administration where the study of the management theories is applied in the management of the corp oration businesses as well as the non-profit making organization. The

Insurance Going Web-Based Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Insurance Going Web-Based - Research Paper Example This research paper aims to describe web based insurance that is faced with many problems that will take time before it can match other internet services like internet banking. Though there are benefits of a company moving towards web based insurance, the problems are still many. The first problem is the lack of customers’ willingness to purchase and handle their insurance issues over the internet. The second problem is the fact that insurance companies and firms will always go on to design their own internet products and services unique to their company and will not corporate in the field. The third problem is that the internet is particularly suitable for products where contact with the company is more frequent. The fourth problem is that little knowledge exists in web based insurance as compared to other internet services like internet banking. The fifth problem is that, it is very difficult to standardize claims settlement for example, as this involves a lot of decision ma king. Looking at the above issues we can conclude that web based insurance is something difficult as insurance is different from other services that are offered online. However, the researcher also discusses several benefits of web-based insurance. It can be concluded that there exist many problems in insurance going web based from the manual method. The many complexities in insurance products make it difficult to implement it. There are a few benefits that can be identified but the problems are still many and difficult to solve.

Group Concepts Essay Example for Free

Group Concepts Essay Elements of an effective group. An effective group has several essential elements: positive interdependence (group members are linked with each other and are aware of this connectedness, they feel that their personal success depends on group success and group success depends on their personal success); two-way communication (exists when communication channels work in both directions and feedback is appreciated); distributed leadership (having more than one source of leadership, seeing every member of a group as an expert who is capable of making a difference); power based on expertise (those in power are those who hold the expertise; expertise becomes a source of power and an expert can influence others). Comprising all these elements, a group is â€Å"more than the sum of its parts† (Johnson Johnson, 2009, p. 20). These characteristics foster creativity and open-mindedness, for everyone can freely express his or her thoughts feeling that the feedback is appreciated. Such an environment allows challenging one another’s views, which helps seeing problems from different points of view and finding the optimal decision. 2) Team versus Group. Positive synergy is what distinguishes teams from groups. A group is a collective of individuals who share information and make decisions but who do not have a need for joint work. A group’s performance is the sum of its members’ performance. At the same time, a team is a collective of individuals united by a common goal and the need for joint efforts. A team’s performance is more than the sum of its members’ performance. Team members depend on each other and are interconnected, whereas each of group members primarily works on their own. Different tasks require different types of groups – for some, joint effort is not necessarily needed and the summation of individual performances of experts will bring the desired results; in other cases, working together is absolutely necessary for achieving the goal. It primarily concerns creative tasks that require innovation and more than one perspective. In such cases, teams can produce a better result than groups. To work in teams, not merely expertise is needed but also the desire and the ability to collaborate (Lecture 1. 1). 3) Team Effectiveness. Effective teams have the following characteristics: the goals are clear and coordinated with the individuals’ goals so that each team member is committed to achieving the team goals; conflicts are not suppressed but managed as the sources of creativity and innovation; there is two-way communication instead of one-way communication, open relationships rather than closed relationships, and feedback is asked and provided openly; all team members participate in group work, nobody is left behind; leadership is shared among team members; decision-making and problem solving involves all team members and participation is encouraged at all levels; risk taking is encouraged and mistakes are treated as the sources of learning rather than failures that deserve punishment (Lecture 1. 3). This is a rather long list but meeting all these criteria is not that complex as it seems to be, for most of these characteristics are interconnected and acquiring one entails another. For me, open relationships and two-way communication are the crucial skills; they involve opportunities for providing feedback, open discussion of goals, of conflict situations, participation in decision-making, etc. These require open mindedness and results in group’s being â€Å"more than the sum of its parts†, which is an essential characteristic of a work team that distinguishes it from a work group (Johnson Johnson, 2009, p. 20). 4) Sources and Value of Diversity. There are three major sources of diversity: demographic characteristics (ethnicity, race, religion, sex, language, age, social class, regional differences); personality characteristics (educational level, different attitudes, lifestyles, etc. ); abilities and skills (expertise in different areas, different technical or social skills, etc. ). Diversity can be a source of conflicts, misunderstandings, and hostility. However, if there is tolerance and respect to others, diversity is a powerful source of learning and creativity. If the mind is open, diversity brings in many new ideas and perspectives. People of different cultures and/or backgrounds often see the same things very differently, and acknowledging their different perspectives allows adopting a new creative and innovative approach. 5) Avoidance of Controversy. Controversy is often avoided in groups and perceived as a negative and stressful phenomenon. Thus, fear and ignorance stops group members from engaging in controversy. Yet, it should be valued and even stimulated. Controversy is an important part of any decision-making process. It means that more than one view on the problem is presented. Controversy helps weigh all possible views and find the optimal decision. In most situations, there is more than one view on the problem, and controversy helps find out the advantages and disadvantages of each view. Without an opportunity for controversy, the drawbacks of the chosen position may remain unnoticed and lead to tragic consequences. 6) Groupthink (how does leadership identify and prevent? ). Groupthink is one of the factors hindering group decision-making. It takes place when a group adopts an uncritical view of its own judgments. Usually it comes out when the group is homogeneous, values consensus, and has little time for producing a decision. It can be identified by its symptoms which include: belief that their judgments are right; illusion of invulnerability; collective rationalizing of poor decisions; sharing stereotypes concerning out-groups; self-censorship; maintaining illusion of unanimity; exercising pressure on those who disagree; protecting authority (PowerPoint Lecture 2. 2). Some of the strategies to prevent negative effects of groupthink include: resort to the help of outside experts; one of group members should be assigned a role of a critical evaluator who will question all decisions; the leaders should avoid making their own preferences explicit; allow time for discussion and elaborating alternative decisions. 7) Group Norms and how they are created. Group norms are implicit or explicit modes of conduct within the group that guide group members’ behavior without the direct application of power. Norms establish the rules and define what can be regarded as acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Group members should conform to group norms if they want to be a part of the group. Those who disobey usually experience pressure from the other group members up to the exclusion from the group. Group norms are created as a result of interaction between individuals and agreement on what can be considered right. They experience influence from the dominant culture in which the group operates. It is a kind of synergy of cultural norms, adopted organizational practices, and individual norms of every group member. Group norms regulate things from how much one can talk at a group meeting to how many times a day one can drink tea without being suspected to be lazy. 8) Experiential Learning (Lewin’s 12 principles). Experiential learning is, in short, learning through experience. It helps change learner’s attitudes, behavioral patterns, and action theories. Lewin defined 12 principles of experiential learning which describe the process of experiential learning and its effects. This kind of learning is more effective than simply acquiring new information. One of Lewin’s principles states that people tend to believe more in knowledge they discovered themselves than in knowledge taught by others. Experience is a form of active learning that is more effective than a passive process and that is able to change one’s attitudes and action theories. If action theories and attitudes do not change, the effect of learning will be only temporary. For changes in attitudes to occur, perception of oneself and one’s social environment must change. This kind of change can be easier achieved in a group context than in an individual context, and this context has to be a friendly and supportive one in order to facilitate the person’s ability to experiment with new attitudes. In fact, these 12 principles are the elaboration of the simple truth that we all learn from mistakes and experience. Like a child gets to know that fire hurts from firsthand experience rather than from the precautions of adults, we all tend to acquire new knowledge and change our behavioral patterns according to our own experience rather than taking somebody’s theories on trust. 9) Epistemic Curiosity. Epistemic curiosity is a state of mind that forces the person to search actively for more information in an attempt to relieve tension from conceptual conflict. Conceptual conflict or discrepancies in the existent practices and conditions point out that there is an information gap, which results in uncertainty and dissatisfaction. To eliminate dissatisfaction, the person strives to get more information and fill the information gap thus explaining to himself the discrepancies and acquiring certainty. Thus, epistemic curiosity is a powerful drive for knowledge. It is one of the ways by which controversies can be resolved. Stimulating data gathering and learning, it helps find optimal ways and grounds for adopted decisions. 10) Group Dynamics (what does this mean? ). The term group dynamics refers to the study of group development and of interactions within the group. Understanding group dynamics, one can diagnose how well the group is functioning, what can be done to improve performance, and intervene to make the required changes. It requires understanding of group processes and stages of group development. The essential point here is that the group is viewed not as a collection of individuals but as a real unit bound by positive interdependence. Simply put, group dynamics means the development of group over time, the processes that take place within the group, the relationships and interactions, changing attitudes, etc. B. A. R. T. analysis is a useful tool for studying group dynamics as it reveals major dimensions: boundaries (in terms of time, territory, tasks), authority (both formal and informal), roles (multiple formal and informal roles), and tasks (visions, missions, different understandings of the task, practical challenges, etc. ). 11) Stages of Group Development. Different authors describe different stages of group development. Tuckman elaborated a 5-stage model that comprises forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Johnson and Johnson (2009) list 7 stages of group development: (1) defining and structuring procedures, (2) conforming to procedures, (3) recognizing mutuality and building trust, (4) rebelling and differentiating, (5) committing to and taking ownership for the goals, procedures, and other members, (6) functioning maturely and productively, and (7) terminating (p. 28). Both models describe group development from its formation to its dismissal, but Johnson and Johnson’s model is a more elaborated and detailed one. In fact, it breaks the initial stage of forming to three stages that include defining procedures, conforming to procedures, and building trust. Thus, it underlines the normative element at the initial stages of group development. It is interesting also that according to both models rebelling, or storming, should take place before the group begins to function maturely. It once again proves the value of conflict. 12) Leadership Styles. There are three major leadership styles: autocratic, when the leader dictates his will and makes decision by himself without consulting group members; these decisions are enforced then; democratic, when the leader encourages involvement of group members into decision-making process, values opinions of others, and takes into account different views; laissez-faire, when the leader’s participation in decision making is minimal and group members are allowed maximum freedom. It cannot be concluded that one of these styles is better than the other, for the choice of style usually depends on the situation, on the leader’s personal abilities, and on company values. Some situations require autocratic leadership (for example, when there is no time for discussion and the decision, either good or bad, has to be made and implemented quickly), whereas in other cases democratic or laissez-faire leadership will work better. Giving freedom to employees make them feel valued and trusted which stimulates them. 13) Sources of Power. There are five major sources of power: legitimate power, having its source in the person’s position (group members believe that the person has a right to influence others in virtue of his or her position in the organization); reward power, having its source in the person’s ability to reward certain types of behavior; coercive power, having its source in the threat of punishment; expert power, having its source in the skills and knowledge of a person (group members believe that the person has a right to influence others in virtue of his or her expertise); referent power, having its source in person’s being liked and respected by others (group members comply out of respect). Legitimate, reward, and coercive power are usually associated with a formal position of the person, whereas expert power and referent power have its sources in the person’s abilities. Coercive power is very likely to produce resistance, and referent power results in commitment to the person. For leaders and managers, it is better to combine more than one source of power and have expert and/or referent power in addition to power based on formal position. In this case the followers will comply more willingly. 14) Organizational Culture. Organizational culture is a set of basic assumptions, norms, values, and behavioral patterns that regulate how people interact within an organization and with outsiders. It comprises rules, customs, symbols, visions, organizational environment and structures, etc. It is formed under the influence of the national culture, the management beliefs and values, and the sum of individual beliefs. None of these factors can form organizational culture on itself, but each of them can influence the formation and development of organizational culture. In fact, organizational culture is what distinguishes one organization from another. It is strong when it can stimulate a sense of belonging in the employees. Changing organizational culture is a very complex task that requires much time and care. The attempts to impose new values at once are likely to rouse a good deal of resistance. 15) Social Interdependence. Social interdependence among group members is the essence of a group. It means that one’s outcomes depend on the others, and vice versa. Social interdependence theory states that the type of interdependence existing in a group defines the type of interaction among members and, therefore, the results. Positive interdependence facilitates promotive interaction, when group members promote each other’s efforts to achieve the goal. Negative interdependence facilitates oppositional interaction when group members oppose and obstruct each other’s efforts to achieve the goal. When there is no interdependence, no interaction occurs, and group members focus on their individualistic efforts. Social interdependence makes a group a whole, because when a group member cannot achieve a goal on his own he has no choice but to interact with others. Positive interaction results in higher level of performance, because it creates supportive and collaborative working environment that stimulates each member’s efforts. 16) Gaining and loosing trust. Trust is a complex notion that is difficult to define, but without trust normal functioning of a group is impossible. Distrust increases competition and often results in conflict leading to destructive consequences. To gain trust, risk and confirmation are necessary. Risk and disconfirmation lead to losing trust. Thus, in both cases risk is an essential factor. A person should risk by disclosing his personal thoughts and feelings to another person, and in case his openness is accepted trust is built, whereas when the person’s openness is betrayed trust is destroyed. Trust is easier destroyed than built. It is enough to betray one’s feelings only once to lose trust, but it takes much time and efforts to restore it. Therefore, one needs to behave very carefully in order not to destroy trust and not abuse the other’s vulnerability. 17) Superordinate Identity (4-steps). Developing a superordinate identity is one of the four steps of the process of recognizing and valuing diversity in groups. This process includes: (1) appreciating one’s own identity (culture, religion, gender, etc. ), (2) appreciating the others’ identities; (3) developing a superordinate identity, and (4) learning a pluralistic set of values. The superordinate identity is the summation of all personal identities existent in the group; it unites and comprises diverse values in a single group identity. It is based on a pluralistic set of values and does not exclude any of the personal identities of group members. It helps overcome otherness and value differences. 18) Language Sensitivity. Being language sensitive means understanding which words and expressions are appropriate and which are inappropriate for communication with diverse groups and people of different backgrounds. It is clear that we communicate differently with our friends than with our boss. Similarly, what is good for people of one background may be inappropriate in communication with people of a different background? To avoid misunderstandings and miscommunication, individuals should heighten their language sensitivity and avoid using language that can be abusing for others. In some cases, the difference between communication patterns is obvious (like in the example with friends and boss); in other situations, we may not even be aware of differences (for example, when communicating with people from different cultures who can be used to absolutely different communication patterns). Therefore, language sensitivity often requires not merely â€Å"sensitivity† as it is but sensitivity supported by knowledge about different cultures. 19) Egocentrism. Egocentrism is the opposite of perspective-taking, or adhering to one’s own point of view so that other viewpoints are ignored. Egocentric person may even not be aware of the other points of view and of possible limitations of his or her own perspective. One’s own views are accepted uncritically whereas others’ views are criticized, and valued only if they agree with one’s own (Johnson Johnson, 2009, p. 297). Egocentrism limits the ability to see things objectively and therefore hinders decision-making process. When each member is uncritical about his personal views, a competition develops that aims not at producing the optimal decision but at proving that â€Å"my† view is the best one and making others comply. It often results in low-quality decisions. 20) Team Ethics. Team ethics is a set of moral principles adopted in a team that govern members’ behavior and define what is right. In this respect, it is related to organizational culture and group norms, for it also relies on common values. Team members are expected to comply with these moral principles, for unethical behavior is never praised. Team ethics develops alongside with team culture and experiences the influence of ethical systems adopted in the national culture and of the ethical beliefs of management and team members. However, it is usually more than a sum or a compromise of many ethical considerations. Team ethics should not level off individual ethical systems; it should rather provide a more elevated and demanding understanding of what is right. For team ethics to create a collaborative and supportive environment, it has to comprise such values as respect for others, acknowledging each member’s rights and needs, valuing liberty and diversity, respect for human rights, etc. 21) 5 steps to effective problem solving. Five steps to effective problem solving include: 1) identify the problem (formulating a single question the answer to which is likely to resolve the problem; that is why this tactics is also called Single Question Format); 2) create a collaborative setting (an agreement on principle for discussion should be reached and any assumptions and biases brought to surface); 3) identify and analyze the issues (to fully understand the nature of the problem, some minor issues, or sub-questions, should be identified and discussed); 4) identify possible solutions (several possible courses of action as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages should be defined); 5) resolve the single question (choose the optimal solution among those proposed that answers the single question). (Lecture 2. 4. ) This approach has a benefit of focusing attention on the most important issue without dispersing it to minor issues. Defining a problem correctly is a half of success in problem-solving. When the single question is defined correctly, it gets to the root of the problem, and answering it is likely to resolve all minor problems associated with the greater one. 22) Reflections on Virtual Groups and Teams. During this course, we participated in virtual groups. This experience is very different from participating in face-to-face communication. Many limitations impede group development. First of all, virtual team members communicate directly with each other only rarely, which gives only few opportunities for knowing each other better and developing trust and confidence. Then, technical issues (like the problems some of us had with microphones) may interrupt communication from time to time. Finally, I think that the lack of nonverbal communication is also an obstacle, for we often perceive the other’s feelings and intentions from facial expressions, eye gaze, etc. In this case, we only had to rely on words. I believe that all these obstacles result in the need for more time for a group to become a team and for trust and confidence to develop compared to face-to-face communication. However, the need for joint work and effort united us, and by the end of the course we were feeling quite confident. Therefore, to unite virtual groups, there is a need for regular and frequent communication and tasks that require joint efforts. References Johnson, D. W. , Johnson, F. P. (2009). Joining together: Group theory and group skills. 10th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn Bacon.

Symbolism in Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston Essays -- Hurston Sweat Symbo

Symbolism in Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston "Sweat" by Zora Neale Hurston is filled with symbolism ranging from images that are easily captured to things that require a little bit more insight. Religion has apparently played a major role in Hurston's life, readily seen in "Sweat" with the references to a snake and Gethsemane. Symbolism plays a big part of this story and after analyzing these, they give the story a deeper meaning and can enlighten the reader as to the full meaning of "Sweat". The most apparent symbol in the story is the title, "Sweat". It is also mentioned in the story, "Looka heah, Sykes, you done gone too fur. Ah been married to you fur fifteen years, and Ah been takin' in washin' fur fifteen years. Sweat, sweat, sweat! Work and sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat" (Hurston 679). The "Sweat" is the product of Delia's hard work supporting them. It stands for her work ethic and how she has tried to make her work as best as she can, it is a big part of her life. Another easily recognized symbol in this story is that of the snake. "Sykes, what you throw dat whip on me like dat? You know it would skeer me - looks just like a snake, an' you knows how skeered Ah is of snakes" (Hurston 678). The snake is the main symbol in this story, it ties it together because it is mentioned at the beginning of the story and at the end. Sykes decides to bring a snake into their home, "Look in de box dere Delia, Ah done brung yuh somethin'.Syke! Syke, mah Gawd! You tak...

Vygotsky’s Socio Cultural Learning Applied to Teaching

VYGOTSKY’S SOCIO – CULTURAL LEARNING INTRODUCTION Who is Lev Vygotsky? Birth: Lev Vygotsky was born November 17, 1896 Death: He died June 11, 1934. Vygotsky's Early Life: Lev Vygotsky was born in Orsha, a city in the western region of the Russian Empire. He attended Moscow State University, where he graduated with a degree in law in 1917. He studied a range of topics white attending university, including sociology, linguistics, psychology and philosophy. However, his formal work in psychology did not begin until 1924 when he attended the Institute of Psychology in Moscow and began collaborating with Alexei Leontiev and Alexander Luria.Vygotsky's Career: Lev Vygotsky was a prolific writer, publishing six books on psychology topics over a ten year period. His interests were quite diverse, but often centered on topics of child development and education. He also explored such topics as the psychology of art and language development. Lev Vygotsky is considered a seminal thin ker in psychology, and much of his work is still being discovered and explored today. While he was a contemporary of Skinner, Pavlov and Piaget, his work never attained their level of eminence during his lifetime.Part of this was because his work was often criticized by the Communist Party in Russia, and so his writings were largely inaccessible to the Western world. His premature death at age 38 also contributed to his obscurity. Despite this, his work has continued to grow in influence since his death, particularly in the fields of developmental and educational psychology. http://psychology. about. com/od/profilesmz/p/vygotsky. htm What is Sociocultural Theory? http://www. docslide. com/vygotskys-sociocultural-theory/This theory stresses the interaction between developing people and the culture in which they live. Sociocultural theory states that children’s learning and cognitive development is a result of social interactions with more knowledgeable others and their culture . Children learn behavior and ways of thinking from interactions with others. Sociocultural theory is an emerging theory in psychology that looks at the important contributions that society makes to individual development. This theory stresses the interaction between developing people and the culture in which they live.Vygotsky explained areas in how social processes form learning and thinking. The areas are: * The Social Sources of Individual thinking * The role of Cultural tools in Cognitive Development * The role of Language in cognitive development We will also discuss how we can apply Vygotsky’s theory to teaching through: * Assisted learning – Scaffolding and Zone of Proximal Development. The Social Sources of Individual thinking Vygotsky believed that the social source of individual thinking is their interactions with people who are more capable or advanced in their thinking.He assumed that â€Å"every function in a child’s cultural development appears t wice. † First, it appears in an interpsychological way and then in an intrapsychological way. Interpsychological means on the social level – interaction with others. Intrapsychological means on the individual level or inside the child. Higher mental processes first come about through a co-constructed process between people during shared activities and then later on it is internalized by the learner.For example, the solving of problems during class group discussions, a student may not know how to solve the problem before but after the group discussion and the help provided by all members of the group, he is able to solve the problem on his own. In other words, the steps of solving the problem have been grasped by the individual and he is now able to solve the problem on his own. This problem solving process has been adopted by the learner and now it has become part of the learner’s cognitive development. So for Vygotsky, social interaction is not merely an influen ce on a person but also a staircase to higher mental processes.Vygotsky unlike Piaget believed that the more knowledgeable others fosters the cognitive development of children because of the children’s interactions with such people who are more advanced in thinking, experiences and behavior. These people can be their parents and their teachers. Cultural Tools and Cognitive Development mortempo. net donsmaps. com What are cultural tools? These consist of the real tools and the symbolic tools that allow people to communicate, solve problems, think and acquire new knowledge.The real cultural tools can be the abacus which is commonly used by the Chinese, rulers, printing presses, scales for measuring weight and modern tools such as what we mainly use – computers, cell phones, calendars, clocks or wrist watchers and the internet to name a few. The symbolic tools can be numbers and the mathematical system. The Roman numerals are an example of a symbolic tool that is widely u sed today. Sign language and Braille system for the blind, maps, works of art, signs and codes and language which is the most integral part of acquiring knowledge and learning which contributes greatly to cognitive development.These tools are used by adults in a day to day basis and are taught to the young and passed down to younger generations. Today, people use modern technology such as computers and the internet to find information that they need and they acquire new knowledge from such real tools. Vygotsky emphasized that these tools are what the young use to make sense of what is around them. He also believed that higher mental processes are accomplished through the help of language, signs and symbols. He concentrated mainly on language which is a common factor to all societies.The Role of language In the case of language acquisition, children learn to associate sound with meaning or actions. Talking is one of the earliest cognitive developments in a child – How a child associates the sound with an action or what something means. Another way is through private speech. Have you watched a child play with a toy and talk to himself at the same time? Studies have found that children who frequently talk to themselves at play or any other time learn challenging tasks more effectively than children who seldom use private speech.Later on in life, private speech is no more said out loud but becomes silent. For example, when trying to fix something or when you are attempting a critical thinking question do you silently talk to yourself during the process? Or when you are in bad situation some people mutter swears to themselves either out loud or in silence. These are just examples of private speech and how it relates to cognitive development. Furthermore, communication with more knowledgeable others are done through language. Here is where the role of the teacher, parents and peers comes in.They serve as guides and mentors in providing the support and informa tion that the learner needs in intellectual development. All these guidance and support is communicated through language. But we have to be mindful that not all learning takes place through talking. In some cultures, observance of a skilled performance is sufficient enough to guide the learner. For example, mat weaving, dancing, and sewing involve more observance than relating myths and legends through speech. These are some ways according to Vygotsky, in which language helps in cognitive development and learning.Implications of Vygotsky’s theory to Teaching The Zone of Proximal Developmentwww. glogster. comThis is an implication of Vygotsky’s theory. Vygotsky believed that children’s learning take place when they are working within this zone. What is this zone of proximal development? It is the level of development immediately above the present level of the learner. Tasks within this zone of proximal development are ones that a learner cannot tackle alone but o nly with temporary assistance from teachers and peers who are known to be more knowledgeable.This zone describes tasks that a learner has not yet mastered but will master later on after all the assistance that will be provided. This is where the idea of scaffolding comes in to place. Scaffoldingurpages. com. auScaffolding is the assistance provided by teachers, peers and parents to the learner. This is just the support provided to the learner at early stages but as the learner is more capable the learner is left to tackle the problem or the task alone. For example, the teacher can give problems for the students to solve.Before the students are able to solve the problems, the teacher will be assisting the students by showing them the steps that need to be taken in to consideration in solving the problem. Once that assistance is given, the teacher then leaves students to solve the problem on their own. Once a student gets the answer wrong the teacher then assists the student again. So here the teacher intervenes only when the need arises but does not solve the problems for them. Application of Vygotsky’s theory to Teachingoisbengaluru. blogspot. omTeachers should allow for group activities where more capable students are grouped together with the less capable ones. * Apply scaffolding in teaching methods so that students learn to be responsible and not be spoon fed most of the time by the teacher. * Reciprocal teaching – where the teacher starts up a discussion by asking questions on materials that require reading and then turn over the responsibility of the discussion to the students * Teacher must prepare a lesson plan which includes activities that not only can be performed individually but which involves the help of others. Allow for activities where students interact with each other such as games, group work, class picnics and social nights etc. This will help develop their social skills and self-confidenceConclusionIn conclusion, Vygotskyâ₠¬â„¢s theory is widely practiced today. He believed that children learn through their interactions with more skillful people – this can be their peers, parents and teachers. He also believed that culture shapes the mind of people and their view towards what is around them.Cultural tools help people make sense of the world in which they live. Language is one such tool in which contributes greatly to cognitive development. Providing the idea of scaffolding in teaching will help students to be responsible independent learners. Therefore, taking in to consideration Vygotsky’s theory will help us as future teachers to be aware of what teaching methods that we should implement and how we should deal with students effectively in regards to their learning and task performance and also how to enhance their social skills. | | Reference * Slavin, R, ‘Educational Psychology – Theory and Practice,’ 7ed(2003), Pearson Education Limited, USA, pgs 43-47. * Woolwort h, A, ‘Educational Psychology,’8ed(2001), Allyn and Bacon, Pearson Education Co, USA, pgs 44-51 * https://sites. google. com/site/jfielportfolio/philosophystatement * www. docslide. com * http://psychology. about. com/od/profilesmz/p/vygotsky. htm * www. glogster. com * www. donsmaps. com * www. oisbengaluru. blogspot. com * www. urpages. com. au * Lecture notes

Raise the Red Lantern by Zhang Yimou Essay

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) directed by Zhang Yimou was based on a novel called Wives and Concubines by Su Tong. This film takes place in the early 1900s which tells the story of a woman named Songlian (played by Gong Li) who was struck by the harshness of reality. Her father died during the Chinese Civil War when she was nineteen. Facing the death of her father and the severity of the family financial situation, she was left with no choice but to marry the wealthy Chen family. Upon arrival to the Chen’s estate, Songlian was greeted with open arms and was treated like royalty. She later came to the realization that it was just a mere fantasy as she experience more of the traditions and rules set by the Master Chen. The Master has four mistress, Songlian being the fourth, and all was in competition with one another for the master’s affection and attention. Each mistress has her own quarter in the castle and her own personal servant. The routine on a daily basis was to stands in front of their quarters and awaits the Master’s decision on his sexual needs. Once his decision is made, the quarter of the mistress chosen was lit up with red lanterns. For that day, the chosen mistress is rewarded with foot massage, meal of her choice, and the respect of all the servants in the estate. At first glance, Songlian finds Zhuoyun, the Second Mistress, to be trusting and kind. She laters found out that Zhuoyun was said to â€Å"have a face of the Buddha, but the heart of a scorpion.† Songlian, yearning for her husband affection, decides to fake her own pregnancy. Yan’er backstabbed Songlian by revealing the bloodstain undergarment to Zhuoyun. Feigning her concern for Songlian’s pregnancy, the second mistress requested the family doctor to examine Songlina’s condition. Infuriated by Songlian’s deception, the master ordered all the red lantern in her quarters to be covered by a black canvas. As an act of revenge, Songlian revealed Yan’er secret obsession with the master and ordered all the red lantern in Yan’er’s room to be burned. Yan’er’s refusal to apologize to Songlian kneel all night which eventually led to her death. During Songlian’s birthday, she drunkenly professes the Meishan, third mistress, affairs with the family doctor. Being manipulative as she is, Zhuoyun caught the third mistress and the doctor in the act of adultry. As punishment for infidelity, Meishan was hanged. The following summer, the master marry yet another concubines. At this point, Songlian has finally went completely insane and was just wandering around in her own quarters. In order for this film to be called a Classical Hollywood Narrative, it must adheres to the four simple stages in which this narrative composes. First stage, the hero, is established clearly at the beginning revealing his/her strengths and flaws. This film adhere to the first stage in which it did reveals who is the main protagonist at the very beginning. However, it is very hard to determine whether Songlian is actually a hero in this film. At the beginning, it did shows that her motive is very admirable in accepting her fate in order to save her family from poverty. As the story progresses, in my opinion, she is reveal to be weak and unforgiving. Her weakness shows in her selfishness as she yearn for affection and attention. Her unforgiveness shows when after her deception was reveal in her pregnancy. She became very vengeful and it causes the death of Yan’er and Meishan. For those reason, it is hard for me to consider her only as a protagonist. Instead, I see her as protagonist with the negative traits of an antagonist. Second stage, the goal, is established for the protagonist to pursue. In this case, Songlian’s goal is to become a concubine to a wealthy family to save her family from poverty. The success of this goal is very simplistic. Although her long term goal is unclear, the sense of belonging is very clear. Clearly Songlian did not want to live a life as a concubine. She does belong here, but her fate is inevitable. Third stage, the obstacle, can be established as the lifestyle of the concubines and upholding the traditions and rules set by the master of the house. Unlike most obstacles which has a clear time period of resolution, the obstacle in this film appears to be never ending. Final stage, the success, is established when the protagonist finally achieve his/her goals and overcome the obstacle with great success. Unlike Classical Hollywood Narrative, the ending to this film left the protagonist’s problems unresolve and distraught. She just went insane and became mentally ill at the end. That is a complete failure for a hero of a narrative. I believe a better way to become successful in this film’s obstacles would be death because it is the only escape for the fate a concubine.

Bonfire of the Vanities essays

Bonfire of the Vanities essays I recently read the book Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe. Mr. Wolfe holds a doctorate in American Studies from Yale University and is the author of many non fiction books such as The Right Stuff, In Our Time, and Clutter and Vine. Bonfire of the Vanities was his first fiction work. This book was published by Bantam Books Inc. and was I believe the theme of this book to be true to oneself and trust no one but oneself. It is show many times in this book that people will go below their morals simply for personal advancement. It is also shown that human nature allows for many changes of The main character in this book is Sherman McCoy. Sherman begins the story as a wealthy bonds salesmen living in a $3,200,000 apartment on Park Avenue. Sherman refers to himself as Master of the Universe many times throughout the story. This shows his feelings of superiority over the rest of the human race. Sherman was well brought up and from all the right schools. His father is a retired, wealthy, successful businessman that is well respected throughout the world. Shermans wife, Judy, is somewhat cool too him. She is very extravagant and gives the impression that she may be in the marriage simply for the money. Their daughter Campbell is six when the story begins and is very innocent to the ways of the world. Maria Ruskin is a young woman of about thirty who is married to Arthur Ruskin, a wealthy man of about sixty. Maria and Sherman are in the process of a drawn out affair when the story begins. This book tells about the events that occur in New York City over the course of a year. This story begins when Sherman and Maria go out on a date one evening and end up lost in the Bronx. As they are coming through a run-down neighborhood in Shermans black Mercedes, two African-American teenage boys approach the car. ...

Scientific Hypothesis, Theory, Law Definitions

Scientific Hypothesis, Theory, Law Definitions Words have precise meanings in science. For example, theory, law, and hypothesis dont all mean the same thing. Outside of science, you might say something is just a theory, meaning its a supposition that may or may not be true. In science, however, a theory is an explanation that generally is accepted to be true. Heres a closer look at these important, commonly misused terms. Hypothesis A hypothesis is an educated guess, based on observation. Its a prediction of cause and effect. Usually, a hypothesis can be supported or refuted through experimentation or more observation. A hypothesis can be disproven but not proven to be true. Example: If you see no difference in the cleaning ability of various laundry detergents, you might hypothesize that cleaning effectiveness is not affected by which detergent you use. This hypothesis can be disproven if you observe a stain is removed by one detergent and not another. On the other hand, you cannot prove the hypothesis. Even if you never see a difference in the cleanliness of your clothes after trying a thousand detergents, there might be one more you havent tried that could be different. Model Scientists often construct models to help explain complex concepts. These can be physical models, like a model volcano or atom  or conceptual models, like predictive weather algorithms. A model doesnt contain all the details of the real deal but should include observations known to be valid. Example: The  Bohr model shows electrons orbiting the atomic nucleus, much the same way as the way planets revolve around the sun. In reality, the movement of electrons is complicated but the model makes it clear that protons and neutrons form a nucleus and electrons tend to move around outside the nucleus. Theory A scientific theory summarizes a hypothesis or group of hypotheses that have been supported with repeated testing. A theory is valid as long as there is no evidence to dispute it. Therefore, theories can be disproven. Basically, if evidence accumulates to support a hypothesis, then the hypothesis can become accepted as a good explanation of a phenomenon. One definition of a theory is to say that its an accepted hypothesis. Example: It is known that on June 30, 1908, in Tunguska, Siberia, there was an explosion equivalent to the detonation of about 15 million tons of TNT. Many hypotheses have been proposed for what caused the explosion. It was theorized that the explosion was caused by a natural extraterrestrial phenomenon, and was not caused by man. Is this theory a fact? No. The event is a recorded fact. Is this theory, generally accepted to be true, based on evidence to-date? Yes. Can this theory be shown to be false and be discarded? Yes. Law A scientific law generalizes a body of observations. At the time its made, no exceptions have been found to a law. Scientific laws explain things but they do not describe them. One way to tell a law and a theory apart is to ask if the description gives you the means to explain why. The word law is used less and less in science, as many laws are only true under limited circumstances. Example: Consider Newtons Law of Gravity. Newton could use this law to predict the behavior of a dropped object but he couldnt explain why it happened. As you can see, there is no proof or absolute truth in science. The closest we get are facts, which are indisputable observations. Note, however, if you define proof as arriving at a logical conclusion, based on the evidence, then there is proof in science. Some work under the definition that to prove something implies it can never be wrong, which is different. If youre asked to define the terms hypothesis, theory, and law, keep in mind the definitions of proof and of these words can vary slightly depending on the scientific discipline. Whats important is to realize they dont all mean the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably.

International Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

International Business - Assignment Example advantages and better marketing position where as many firms have failed in their international expansion efforts as they didn’t heed the basic tenets ingrained in the critical business environments. In today’s increasingly competitive and international free market economy contexts, transnational exchanging of technology, infrastructure and demographic movement have become increasingly important (Johnson and Turner, 2003, p. 1). The ultimate outcome of this growing importance of international business is that a customer, no matter whether he lives in Europe, Asia, Africa or Australia, will be familiar with a large number of world-class brands like Apple, Cadbury, Coca-cola, Dell, Ford, HP, Nestle, Nokia, Toyota and so on. The effect of globalization is that new brands are seemingly born global, For this research paper, Apple Inc- specifically its Smartphone sector- has been chosen to conduct detailed analysis on the literature related to the international business and organizational factors. This research paper presents an analysis on internal and external environment of the chosen organization- Apple Inc and examines its strategies for international marketing in terms of effectiveness and usefulness for its international operation. Apple inc, founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in the 1970s is one of the most internationally influential and highly successful companies of today. It is an American multinational company that designs, makes and markets PCs, portable music players, cell phones, software, computer peripheral and services. It markets through its own retailing, online stores and third party sellers (Sander and Slatter, 2009, p. 81, Linzmayer, 2004). Apple was the first mainstream marketer for personal computers and is still an important market player worldwide and it has become a niche player by setting the pace for ease of use, innovative design and customer loyalty. Apple’s story is that one off-hobby machines that a most

US should enact stricter immigration laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

US should enact stricter immigration laws - Essay Example US should enact stricter immigration laws: America has for long been home to illegal immigrants from all over the world. These immigrants work in America, avail the benefits and deprive America of money by moving it out of America. There is dire need for more implementation of severe illegal immigration laws. Too many illegal immigrants in US have bilked the American economy. Illegal immigration feeds on the strength of American economy. This is the fundamental reason why poverty in America is increasing day by day. Jobs in which poor Americans need to be employed are indeed being given to people who are not Americans and who send the money earned to their homelands as remittance. In this way, money is slipping away from the hands of Americans. According to an estimate, more than US $ 200 billion have been sent by illegal immigrants to their homelands since 1996 (Hopkins). This has given severe blows to the American economy. Americans being replaced by illegal immigrants is another h arsh reality. Owing to the widespread economic recession that has occupied the whole world in the recent years, business entrepreneurs have taken all possible steps to reduce their expenses and maximize their profits. Workers have been asked to put in the same amount of effort as before but for a lower compensation. Many Americans have refused to accede to such plans of the employers, and have thus given resignations as a protest. This has hardly affected the employers as they have got many illegal immigrants that would love to work for the lowered compensation.