Teaching Mathematics and Science in Schools

The way teachers go about their teaching; each day in their classrooms is reflected as ‘teaching style’ or ‘approach’. This approach is better understood when the teachers are observed while they teach. Some teachers prefer activities for children associated with the curriculum, allowing students to chose their activity and complete it by themselves. Some other teachers would want the class to be attentive to them for most of the time. Certain teachers would like students to work in groups. Thus the methods adopted in the teaching-learning process is broadly reflective of the teacher’s viewpoint of what is ‘learning’ and how it should be brought into children.The process of learning is more successful when children are fully involved with the subject or topic of their learning. This is all the more important when teaching science. Life sciences involving plants and animals; and non-living things are real and can be felt. Experiencing the reality through interaction, makes science not only more interesting, but also easier to understand. Mathematics on the other hand involves a bit more abstract level.Yet, the symbols, signs and figures associated with mathematics with which children work, are self-created reality. In their effort to learn science and mathematics, children proceed further into the subjects, than just at the surface or base encounter. They analyze and interpret the object of focus and attempt to understand ‘how it works’, ‘why its required’ etc. Thus the child begins to develop reasoning for the facts it sees or understands. It may be the development of a new concept, or altering a previously thought concept, or even rejecting an assumption held till then. The teacher  who wants to interestingly engage children in learning science and mathematics must personally sense excitement in learning so as to share it with the children.The teacher should approach the topic of learnin g and the query asking children in a balanced and parallel manner. The teacher must be sensitive to the requirements of the children and help them to see relationships and understand explanations. For teachers to be proficient and confident in their teaching, it is essential that they understand the triple interactions involved in learning. The teacher must be conscious that while the child is interacting with him or her, the child is also simultaneously interacting with the focused subject. The focused subject or subject matter interacts with both the teacher and the child; while the teacher also interacts with the querying children and the focused subject.It is important to know the development of a child’s understanding and ability to reason, with their growth. Such an understanding is absolutely necessary in developing appropriate contents. For instance in the grades K-4, a child associates a comparison, a description, or a manipulation for all objects, it sees around. Al though the child doesn’t understand the science of motion while in this grade; activities like pulling, pushing, dropping of objects gives the child an idea of the cause of motion and its control.Similarly sound, heat, light, magnetism, electricity are broadly perceived through learning, observation and experimentation. However, the child would not be able to identify elements of temperature, magnetic forces, static electricity etc. In the grades 5 to 8, the concept of energy is developed through investigations into the properties of light,  sound, electricity and magnetism. In these grades, there is a considerable shift towards quantitative aspects of subjects. In the 9 –12 grades, students are geared up completely to deal with motion, force, energy; being familiar with theoretical observations and laboratory investigations (NJSC). Here they understand the reasoning behind the laws of motion and why energy is conserved. They are also capable of dealing with technolo gical designs and its problems, using the concepts and principles learnt.The association of brain functioning and educational practices is increasingly becoming an important factor in education. Brain-based findings have been closely monitored by specialists involved in education. The findings of cognitive neuroscience research has considerable bearing on the methodology of education. A new approach connecting brain functioning with education was emphasized in 1983. Leslie Hart, in his book ‘Human Brain, Human Learning’ suggested that by ignoring the brain functioning of students, the success of students is not achieved to its fullest potential.The philosophy of the newly developed ‘brain-based’ education is that the brain is used for everything we do; we should therefore know more about it and use it effectively. Contemporary models of brain-based education are multidisciplinary, relying on several disciplines like psychiatry, psychology, cognitive science , sociology etc. Brain plays an important role in the effect of classroom groupings, assessments, physical activity, lunchroom foods etc. Schools’ can affect students’ brain in several ways including through social conditions, stress, nutrition etc. These factors induce brain-based  influences by altering cognition, memory and attention.Neuroscientists Gerd Kempermann and Fred Gage discovered that the new neurons in the brain are intensely associated with memory, mood and learning. The process of neurons can be enhanced through good nutrition, low stress and proper exercise. The brain has the ability to remap itself due to its neuroplasticity (Jenson, 2008). This process can be influenced through reading, meditation, skill-building, career and technical education, and thinking skills, which contribute to student success.The importance of physical education is also emphasized by brain research. Cognitive scientists, physiologists, educational psychologists and physica l educators have strongly endorsed this view. Today more and more schools of education are incorporating the knowledge gained from brain research. Harvard University’s Mind, Brain and Education or MBE program produces postgraduates and doctors who eventually get engaged in interdisciplinary positions, both in research and practice.A report by the National Research Council Committee in September 2006, on the state of K-8 science education, has determined that science instructions offered in schools today are outdated. These are predominantly based on research findings of about three to four decades early. The report offers groundwork for the next reforms and is based on the recent understandings of how children learn, and recommends a narrower and better focus on important areas of science. It seeks to improve professionalism among teachers and have each aspect of instruction and  learning, better integrated with each other.The Council’s Committee on Science Learning, responsible for science learning in kindergarten to eighth grade had reviewed both, the reforms undertaken in science education in the last decade and the recent understandings of learning and cognitive science. The committee emphasized that young children are capable of intricate thinking and that each student develops an individual understanding of the nature around him. It also stated that the current debate on the importance of teaching content versus teaching process skills, should be put aside and both be replaced by interweaved aspects of science expertise.The committee has suggested that the curriculum, instruction and assessment should be properly integrated with the focus of fewer, central elements in each discipline, rather than surface level study of a wide topic. It points out that the current science education is based on relatively old assumptions. The current science education underestimates children’s ability of complex thinking and is more attributed to dif ficulty level in children rather than their ability.For instructions to be successful, teachers need to have a sound understanding of the subject, know how to teach it effectively and also be familiar with the recent research on student learning (AIP, 2006). Proper, effective instructions can clear misunderstandings and bring understanding closer to perfect. The instructions should include student encounters with science in a sequentially designed and strategic way. Students identified as proficient in science must be capable of explaining the scientific perception of the natural world. They need to be capable of introducing andn  analyzing scientific explanations, understand all aspects of scientific knowledge development, and participate in science-based exercises/discussions.The role of philosophy in developing the intellectual skills of children has been widely acknowledged. The induction of philosophy into the high school academic curriculum is gaining momentum, emphasizing n ot only the importance of the subject among them, but also the capability of the children for philosophical thinking. Dr. Matthew Lipman (1991), a philosophy professor at Montclair State College in New Jersey, emphasized that bringing philosophy into schools would only enhance the educational experience of children.The argument here was, philosophy could contribute to critical thinking, which is vital for all other subjects. Empirical evidence also shows that the cognitive and academic skill of children is vastly improved by teaching them reasoning skills early in life, banking on children’s natural inquisitiveness and sense of wonder. Obviously, such development would also contribute to the understanding of science and maths.It is estimated that about half the secondary teachers in the United States quit teaching within five years. Studies on the selection and services of secondary science and maths teachers reveal their inhibitions of isolated profession, lack of mentoring and dwindled prospects (KSTF, 2005).It is also important to address these issues, for the success of teaching and learning reforms. The new methods of education for school  children, particularly for maths and science should reflect the latest research into children’s ability and brain functioning. Engaging children in philosophical dialogues, also contributes to their ability of sophisticated thinking.REFERENCESAmerican Institute of Physics. (AIP, 2006) NRC Report Finds Much of Current K-8 Science Teaching Outdated.   FYI Number 142: December 20, 2006 [Electronic Version] downloaded on 24th Feb. 2007 from https://www.aip.org/fyi/2006/142.html

Frostbite Chapter 13

Thirteen PEOPLE STOOD UP AND SHOUTED, everyone wanting their opinion to be heard. As it was, most of them held the same view: Tasha was wrong. They told her she was crazy. They told her that in sending out Moroi and dhampirs to fight the Strigoi, she'd be expediting the extinction of both races. They even had the nerve to suggest that that was Tasha's plan all along- that she was somehow collaborating with the Strigoi in all of this. Dimitri stood up, disgust all over his features as he surveyed the chaos. â€Å"You might as well leave. Nothing useful's going to happen now.† Mason and I rose, but he shook his head when I started to follow Dimitri out. â€Å"You go on,† said Mason. â€Å"I want to check something out.† I glanced at the standing, arguing people. I shrugged. â€Å"Good luck.† I couldn't believe it had only been a few days since I'd spoken to Dimitri. Stepping out into the hall with him, I felt like it'd been years. Being with Mason these last couple of days had been fantastic, but seeing Dimitri again, all of my old feelings for him came rushing back. Suddenly, Mason seemed like a child. My distress over the Tasha situation also came back, and stupid words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them. â€Å"Shouldn't you be in there protecting Tasha?† I asked. â€Å"Before the mob gets her? She's going to get in big trouble for using magic like that.† He raised an eyebrow. â€Å"She can take care of herself.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah, because she's a badass karate magic user. I get all that. I just figured since you're going to be her guardian and all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Where did you hear that?† â€Å"I have my sources.† Somehow, saying I'd heard it from my mom sounded less cool. â€Å"You've decided to, right? I mean, it sounds like a good deal, seeing as she's going to give you fringe benefits†¦.† He gave me a level look. â€Å"What happens between her and me is none of your business,† he replied crisply. The words between her and me stung. It sounded like he and Tasha were a done deal. And, as often happened when I was hurt, my temper and attitude took over. â€Å"Well, I'm sure you guys'll be happy together. She's just your type, too- I know how much you like women who aren't your own age. I mean, she's what, six years older than you? Seven? And I'm seven years younger than you.† â€Å"Yes,† he said after several moments of silence. â€Å"You are. And every second this conversation goes on, you only prove how young you really are.† Whoa. My jaw almost hit the floor. Not even my mother punching me had hurt as badly as that. For a heartbeat, I thought I saw regret in his eyes, like he too realized just how harsh his words had been. But the moment passed, and his expression was hard once more. â€Å"Little dhampir,† a voice suddenly said nearby. Slowly, still stunned, I turned toward Adrian Ivashkov. He grinned at me and gave a brief nod of acknowledgment to Dimitri. I suspected my face was bright red. How much had Adrian heard? He held up his hands in a casual gesture. â€Å"I don't want to interrupt or anything. Just wanted to talk to you when you have time.† I wanted to tell Adrian I didn't have time to play whatever game he was into now, but Dimitri's words still smarted. He was looking at Adrian now in a very disapproving way. I suspected he, like everyone else, had heard about Adrian's bad reputation. Good, I thought. I suddenly wanted him to be jealous. I wanted to hurt him as much as he'd hurt me lately. Swallowing my pain, I unearthed my man-eating smile, one I hadn't used to full effect in sometime. I walked over to Adrian and put a hand on his arm. â€Å"I've got time now.† I gave a nod of my own to Dimitri and steered Adrian away, walking close to him. â€Å"See you later, Guardian Belikov.† Dimitri's dark eyes followed us stonily. Then I turned away and didn't look back. â€Å"Not into older guys, huh?† asked Adrian once we were alone. â€Å"You're imagining things,† I said. â€Å"Clearly, my stunning beauty has clouded your mind.† He laughed that nice laugh of his. â€Å"That's entirely possible.† I started to step back, but he tossed an arm around me. â€Å"No, no, you wanted to play chummy with me- now you've got to see it through.† I rolled my eyes at him and let the arm stay. I could smell alcohol on him as well as the perpetual smell of cloves. I wondered if he was drunk now. I had the feeling that there was probably little difference between his attitudes drunk or sober. â€Å"What do you want?† I asked. He studied me for a moment. â€Å"I want you to grab Vasilisa and come with me. We're going to have some fun. You'll probably want a swimsuit too.† He seemed disappointed by the admission of this. â€Å"Unless you want to go naked.† â€Å"What? A bunch of Moroi and dhampirs just got slaughtered, and you want to go swimming and ‘have fun'?† â€Å"It's not just swimming,† he said patiently. â€Å"Besides, that slaughter is exactly why you should go do this.† Before I could argue that, I saw my friends round the corner: Lissa, Mason, and Christian. Eddie Castile was with the group, which shouldn't have surprised me, but Mia was as well- which certainly did surprise me. They were deep in conversation, though they all stopped talking when they saw me. â€Å"There you are,† said Lissa, a puzzled look on her face. I remembered Adrian's arm was still around me. I stepped out of it. â€Å"Hey, guys,† I said. A moment of awkwardness hung around us, and I was pretty sure I heard a low chuckle from Adrian. I beamed at him and then my friends. â€Å"Adrian invited us to go swimming.† They stared at me in surprise, and I could almost see the wheels of speculation turning in their heads. Mason's face darkened a little, but like the others, he said nothing. I stifled a groan. Adrian took me inviting the others to his secret interlude pretty well. With his easygoing attitude, I hadn't really expected anything else. Once we had swimsuits, we followed his directions to a doorway in one of the far wings of the lodge. It held a staircase that led down- and down and down. I nearly got dizzy as we wound around and around. Electric lights hung in the walls, but as we went farther, the painted walls changed to carved stone. When we reached our destination, we discovered Adrian had been right- it wasn't just swimming. We were in a special spa area of the resort, one used only for the most elite Moroi. In this case, it was reserved for a bunch of royals I assumed were Adrian's friends. There were about thirty others, all his age or older, who bore the marks of wealth and elitism. The spa consisted of a series of hot mineral pools. Maybe once they'd been in a cave or something, but the lodge builders had long since gotten rid of any sort of rustic surroundings. The black stone walls and ceiling were as polished and beautiful as anything else in the resort. It was like being in a cave- a really nice, designer cave. Racks of towels lined the walls, as did tables full of exotic food. The baths matched the rest of the room's hewn-out d? ¦cor: stone-lined pools containing hot water that was heated from some underground source. Steam filled the room, and a faint, metallic smell hung in the air. Sounds of partygoers laughing and splashing echoed around us. â€Å"Why is Mia with you?† I asked Lissa softly. We were winding our way through the room, looking for a pool that wasn't occupied. â€Å"She was talking to Mason when we were getting ready to leave,† she returned. She kept her voice just as quiet. â€Å"It seemed mean to just†¦ I don't know †¦ leave her †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Even I agreed with that. Obvious signs of grief were written all over her face, but Mia seemed at least momentarily distracted by whatever Mason was telling her. â€Å"I thought you didn't know Adrian,† Lissa added. Disapproval hung in her voice and in the bond. We finally found a large pool, a little out of the way. A guy and a girl were on the opposite side, all over each other, but there was plenty of room for the rest of us. They were easy to ignore. I put a foot into the water and pulled it back immediately. â€Å"I don't,† I told her. Cautiously, I inched the foot back in, slowly followed by the rest of my body. When I got to my stomach, I grimaced. I had on a maroon bikini, and the scalding water caught my stomach by surprise. â€Å"You must know him a little. He invited you to a party.† â€Å"Yeah, but do you see him with us now?† She followed my gaze. Adrian stood on the far side of the room with a group of girls in bikinis much smaller than mine. One was a Betsey Johnson suit I'd seen in a magazine and coveted. I sighed and looked away. We'd all slipped into the water by then. It was so hot I felt like I was in a soup kettle. Now that Lissa seemed convinced of my innocence with Adrian, I tuned into the others' discussion. â€Å"What are you talking about?† I interrupted. It was easier than listening and figuring it out myself. â€Å"The meeting,† said Mason excitedly. Apparently, he'd gotten over seeing me and Adrian together. Christian had settled onto a small shelf in the pool. Lissa curled up beside him. Putting a proprietary arm around her, he tipped his back so it rested on the edge. â€Å"Your boyfriend wants to lead an army against the Strigoi,† he told me. I could tell he was saying it to provoke me. I looked at Mason questioningly. It wasn't worth the effort to challenge the â€Å"boyfriend† comment. â€Å"Hey, it was your aunt who suggested it,† Mason reminded Christian. â€Å"She only said we should find the Strigoi before they find us again,† countered Christian. â€Å"She wasn't pushing for novices fighting. That was Monica Szelsky.† A waitress came by then with a tray of pink drinks. These were in elegant, long-stemmed crystal glasses with sugared rims. I had a strong suspicion the drinks were alcoholic, but I doubted anyone who made it into this party was going to get carded. I had no idea what they were. Most of my experiences with alcohol had involved cheap beer. I took a glass and turned back to Mason. â€Å"You think that's a good idea?† I asked him. I sipped the drink, cautiously. As a guardian in training, I felt like I should always be on alert, but tonight I once again felt like being rebellious. The drink tasted like punch. Grapefruit juice. Something sweet, like strawberries. I was still pretty sure there was alcohol in it, but it didn't appear strong enough for me to lose sleep over. Another waitress soon appeared with a tray of food. I eyed it and recognized almost nothing. There was something that looked vaguely like mushrooms stuffed with cheese, as well as something else that looked little round patties of meat or sausage. As a good carnivore, I reached for one, thinking it couldn't be that bad. â€Å"It's foie gras,† said Christian. There was a smile on his face I didn't like. I eyed him warily. â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"You don't know?† His tone was cocky, and for once in his life, he sounded like a true royal touting his elite knowledge over us underlings. He shrugged. â€Å"Take a chance. Find out.† Lissa sighed in exasperation. â€Å"It's goose liver.† I jerked my hand back. The waitress moved on, and Christian laughed. I glared at him. Meanwhile, Mason was still hung up on my question about whether novices going to battle before graduation was a good idea. â€Å"What else are we doing?† he asked indignantly. â€Å"What are you doing? You run laps with Belikov every morning. What's that doing for you? For the Moroi?† What was that doing for me? Making my heart race and my mind have indecent thoughts. â€Å"We aren't ready,† I said instead. â€Å"We've only got six more months,† piped in Eddie. Mason nodded his agreement. â€Å"Yeah. How much more can we learn?† â€Å"Plenty,† I said, thinking of how much I'd picked up from my tutoring sessions with Dimitri. I finished my drink. â€Å"Besides, where does it stop? Let's say they end school six months early, then send us off. What next? They decide to push back further and cut our senior year? Our junior year?† He shrugged. â€Å"I'm not afraid to fight. I could have taken on Strigoi when I was a sophomore.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said dryly. â€Å"Just like you did skiing on that slope.† Mason's face, already flushed from the heat, turned redder still. I immediately regretted my words, particularly when Christian started laughing. â€Å"Never thought I'd live to see the day when I agreed with you, Rose. But sadly, I do.† The cocktail waitress came by again, and both Christian and I took new drinks. â€Å"The Moroi have got to start helping us defend themselves.† â€Å"With magic?† asked Mia suddenly. It was the first time she'd spoken since we'd got here. Silence met her. I think Mason and Eddie didn't respond because they knew nothing about fighting with magic. Lissa, Christian, and I did- and were trying very hard to act like we didn't. There was a funny sort of hope in Mia's eyes, though, and I could only imagine what she'd gone through today. She'd woken up to learn her mother was dead and then been subjected to hours and hours of political bantering and battle strategies. The fact that she was sitting here at all seeming semi-composed was a miracle. I assumed people who actually liked their mothers would barely be able to function in that situation. When no one else looked like they were going to answer her, I finally said, â€Å"I suppose. But†¦ I don't know much about that.† I finished the rest of my drink and averted my eyes, hoping someone else would take up the conversation. They didn't. Mia looked disappointed but said no more when Mason switched back to the Strigoi debate. I took a third drink and sank into the water as far as I reasonably could and still hold the glass. This drink was different. It looked chocolatey and had whipped cream on top. I took a taste and definitely detected the bite of alcohol. Still, I figured the chocolate probably diluted it. When I was ready for a fourth drink, the waitress was nowhere in sight. Mason seemed really, really cute to me all of a sudden. I would have liked a little romantic attention from him, but he was still going on about Strigoi and the logistics of leading a strike in the middle of the day. Mia and Eddie were nodding along with him eagerly, and I got the feeling that if he decided to hunt Strigoi right now, they'd follow. Christian was actually joining the talk, but it was more to play devil's advocate. Typical. He thought a sort of preemptive strike would require guardians and Moroi, much as Tasha had said. Mason, Mia, and Eddie argued that if the Moroi weren't up to it, the guardians should take matters into their own hands. I confess, their enthusiasm was kind of contagious. I rather liked the idea of getting the drop on Strigoi. But in the Badica and Drozdov attacks, all of the guardians had been killed. Admittedly the Strigoi had organized into huge groups and had help, but all that told me was that our side needed to be extra careful. His cuteness aside, I didn't want to listen to Mason talk about his battle skills anymore. I wanted another drink. I stood up and climbed over the edge of the pool. To my astonishment, the world started spinning. I'd had that happen before when I got out of baths or hot tubs too quickly, but when things didn't right themselves, I realized those drinks might have been stronger than I thought. I also decided a fourth wasn't such a good idea, but I didn't want to get back in and let everyone know I was drunk. I headed off toward a side room I'd seen the waitress disappear into. I hoped maybe there was a secret stash of desserts somewhere, chocolate mousse instead of goose liver. As I walked, I paid special attention to the slippery floor, thinking that falling into one of the pools and cracking my skull would definitely cost me coolness points. I was paying so much attention to my feet and trying not to stagger that I walked into someone. To my credit, it'd been his fault; he'd backed into me. â€Å"Hey, watch it,† I said, steadying myself. But he wasn't paying attention to me. His eyes were on another guy, a guy with a bloody nose. I'd walked right into the middle of a fight.

Antilock Brake System Abs Model Based Design Computer Science Essay

Antilock Brake System Abs Model Based Design Computer Science Essay An Antilock Brake System (ABS) is a closed loop control system that modulates the brake torque that is applied to the wheel in order to prevent the controlled wheel from becoming fully locked. ABS is among the most important safety systems in a vehicle. In automatic highway system, automatic brake actuation is a very important part of the overall vehicle control system. It prevents the wheel lock-up under critical braking conditions, such as those encountered with wet or slippery road surfaces and driver panic reaction (Bosch, 1995). By preventing the wheel lock-up, ABS ensures that the vehicle remains responsive to steering wheel inputs. Reduced stopping distance on account of ABS is more evident on wet or slippery road surfaces (Garrick et al., 1998). 1.2 MODEL BASED DESIGN Designers of embedded control system software face difficult challenges. In addition to the need to complete projects at low cost and within tight schedules, embedded control system software designers must prov ide predictable performance and competitive features for the products they deliver. Traditional methods of designing, testing, and implementing embedded control systems cause designers to wait until late in the design effort, when actual or prototype products and real-time embedded targets become available, to find out if software really works as it was intended to. Only then, as system integration occurs, can the designer uncover the errors that may have found their way into the product during the early design stages. Model-Based Design with MathWorks tools provides a proven technique for creating embedded control systems. It is used today for satellites, aircraft, and many other aerospace applications, in the automotive industry, and for process control, computer peripherals and industrial machinery. Through Model-Based Design, embedded control system design teams can begin evaluating software designs without using prototype products and real-time targets. The MathWorks environmen t for Model-Based Design allows engineers to mathematically model the behavior of the physical system, design the software and model its behavior, and then simulate the entire system model to accurately predict and optimize performance. The system model becomes a specification from which you can automatically generate real-time software for testing, prototyping, and embedded implementation, thus avoiding manual effort and reducing the potential for errors. Fig 1.1. Model-Based Design for embedded control system software Changes or corrections to the system requirements and specifications are easily incorporated into the model, fully evaluated by simulation, and automatically reflected in the final real-time embedded software. 1.3. MODELING AND SIMULATION To effectively design an embedded control system and accurately predict its performance, designers must understand the behavior of the entire system in which the control system will reside. MATLAB and Simulink form the core environm ent for Model-Based Design for creating accurate, mathematical models of physical system behavior. The graphical, block-diagram paradigm of the MathWorks environment lets you drag-and-drop predefined modeling elements, connect them together, and create models of dynamic systems. These dynamic systems can be continuous-time, multi-rate discrete-time, or virtually any combination of the three. You can create custom model elements or reuse legacy code-based models by incorporating C, Fortran, or Ada code directly into the modeling environment.

Jacques Derrida Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Jacques Derrida - Essay Example The book wa' tran'lated in Engli'h and publi'hed in U'A in the year 1970. (Gla', John , Leavey and Richard , 86-98) 'ection' of the book and what they contain:Thi' i' no ordinary writing. The common man would not be able to gra'p the import of the content' of thi' book. Even for the intellectual', it i' a tough reading exerci'e. The fir't half of the book contain' the famed e''ay on De'carte' and Foucault. It focu'e' on the development of Derrida'' method of decon'truction. Derrida carefully elucidate' the traditional nature of 'ome nontraditional current' of modern thought. The 'econd half contain' Derrida'' intelligent analy'i' 'howing how and why metaphy'ical thinking mu't exclude writing from it' conception of language. The'e e''ay' are on Artaud, Freud,Hegel, Bataille and Leve-'trau'-'ort of Derrida'' rejoinder to their argument'. Thi' i' the untran'latable formulation of a metaphy'ical 'concept' which doe' not exclude writing. We find Derrida at work on hi' 'y'tematic decon'truction of We'tern metaphy'ic'. The book'' fir't half, which include' the celebrated e''ay on De'carte' and Foucault, 'how' the development of Derrida'' method of decon'truction. ... Hi' new way' of thinking, reading and writing are ba'ed on the total under'tanding of the old way', in their pure and unadulterated form. The chapter-wi'e content' of the book are1. Force and 'ignification, 2. Cogito and the Hi'tory of Madne'', 3. Edmond Jab'' and the Que'tion of the Book,4. Violence and Metaphy'ic': An E''ay on the Thought of Emmanuel Levina', 5. "Gene'i' and 'tructure" and Phenomenology, 6. La parole 'ouffl', 7. Freud and the 'cene of Writing, 8. The Theater of Cruelty and the Clo'ure of Repre'entation,9. From Re'tricted to General Economy: A Hegeliani'm without Re'erve 10. 'tructure, 'ign, and Play in the Di'cour'e of the Human 'cience', and 11. Ellip'i'. Jacque' Derrida wa' born to 'ephardic Jewi'h parent' in Algeria in 1930. He did military 'ervice in France. He began hi' 'tudie' in philo'ophy at the Ecole Normale 'uperieure in Pari' in 1952. Derrida attended Harvard on 'cholar'hip in 1956-57. What the author i' pre'enting in the book:Derrida advocate' for the rejection of We'tern metaphy'ic' 'tating and 'howing that written word' did not 'tand for the 'poken word'. 'poken word' on the other hand did not 'tand for thought. Thought proce'' doe' not 'tand for Truth or God. All thought proce'' end' at the barrier called mind. The thought' can not have any exi'tence beyond the mind-level. That i' the domain of 'piritual experience, where thought' have no role to play becau'e at that level they are not there at all. (Gla', John , Leavey and Richard , 86-98) How it ha' been utilized in the field of communication:Derrida'' contribution to the communication enterpri'e i' mixed one -it i' negative and po'itive. A' for the po'itive 'ide, hi' argument' contribute to the awarene'' of mankind'' common apprehen'ion of being mi'under'tood. No writer can

Women Suffrage and Civil Rights Movement Research Paper

Women Suffrage and Civil Rights Movement - Research Paper Example The suffrage movement of women represented many issues which till date appeared trivial but they surfaced when it was realized that it was the right to vote which could resolve the problems faced by the women in the patriarchal society where the father and the husband dominated and controlled a woman’s life. This gradually led to anti-discriminatory movements, which was renowned as the Civil Rights movement. The paper traces the development and importance of both these movements in American history. The women’s suffrage movement commenced in order to advocate the right for women towards voting. Abigail Adams could be recalled as the first female personality of the suffrage movement. Ladies were not given the power to make decisions after marriage according to the New Jersey’s law only single women could be eligible to vote since after voting all rights went into the hands of their husbands. Divorce was even more painful by law and since they had no right to vote, the lawmakers paid hardly any attention to their problems (Durrett, 25-27). The spark was initiated when the 15th Amendment was passed after the Civil War to ensure ‘voting rights for all â€Å"citizens of the United States â€Å" regardless of race or color’.... The members of the conference were previously associated with other processes of reform such as Lucretia Mott (associated with anti-slavery movement) and this also included some male personalities like James Mott who took over the role of chairperson and Frederick Douglass, the secretary. Issues like equal position of women in the eyes of law and access to quality education were picked up. (The Beginnings of the Women's Suffrage Movement) Stanton was introduced to Susan B. Anthony in the Seneca Falls and turned out as a significant leader of the movement. Stanton was a powerful writer, which Anthony delivered her influential speeches along with the support of her husband and Mott provided the essential wisdom to the movement. Initially the leaders worked in favor of property right of women after marriage and gathered signatures of 60 women in support of the Married Woman’s Property Act which was finally passed. Then came the dress reform and suffragists began wearing the loose fitting pants instead of the uncomfortable gowns. (Keller, 17-20) The woman suffrage movement’s history stands for an important period in American reform. The faith in republican citizenship status as derived from the American Revolution was the key to the demand for the right to the ballot. The evolution of the suffrage movement might be categorized into three stages. Prior to the Civil War the movement was more of a reform targeting the universe. During the Reconstruction period, the reform group got divided into divided groups and after 1885 the movement came up as a well-knit organization at the national level. The split occurred with respect to the 15th Amendment where Stone (Anthony’s husband) and others believed that the Amendment

What makes people like to stay on their jobs Essay

What makes people like to stay on their jobs - Essay Example Based on developed level of satisfaction and happiness, employees determine whether to continue working for an organization or not. The factors also determine the employees’ productivity level, should they choose to remain in an organization. It is therefore important to investigate conditions that determine employees’ happiness and satisfaction to stay in jobs and reasons why employees may not like their jobs. Non-monetary factors Non-monetary factors are essential determinants of employees’ utility in a workplace. As a result, they are able to make an employee happy or not. An employee will for instance be happy if considered non-monetary factors meet his or her expectations. A match between job descriptions and an employee’s traits or abilities is one of the non-monetary factors that determine a person’s happiness in a job. This is because of the different expertise that each type of job requires and the involved strain in performing a job, shoul d an employee lack the required skills or traits. Matching employees with jobs that require their skills, level of experience and traits therefore eliminates strain in work, improves utility, and induce happiness. Employees in such working conditions like their jobs and would prefer to remain in the jobs and work effectively towards productivity. Mismatching employees’ ability with job requirements however identifies strains and incompetence in work that may discourage employees and lead to job dislike (Gaurav 9). Appreciating and recognizing employees are other non-monetary factors that influence employees’ happiness (Gaurav 9). This is because of the associated self worth that leads to self-confidence and internal motivation among employees. Examples of appreciation include congratulating an employee for an achievement such as meeting set objectives or doing an outstanding work. Recognition is, however, achieved by identifying an employee’s performance or char acteristics before peers. An appreciated or recognized employee therefore develops a self worth into satisfaction and happiness while lack of appreciation and recognition demoralizes employees who may consequently develop negative attitude towards their jobs. Presence of stress in a work environment is another non-monetary factor that determines employees’ happiness and developed attitudes towards a job. Stress primarily reduces people’s level of happiness and utility. Stressed employees will therefore be unhappy and would not like their jobs while employees who work in a stress free environment are likely to be happy and like their jobs (Gaurav 9). Monetary factors Monetary factors define direct financial advancements to employees. Remunerations, rewards, and appraisal-based advancements are examples. Even though not regarded as principal determinant to employees’ satisfaction in a job, money is instrumental. Employees will for example be comfortable when their basic remunerations match their competence and their level of input to an organization. A relatively low remuneration level would therefore not satisfy an employee and would lead to unhappiness. An underpaid employee will also most likely not appreciate the job and would be ready to leave for an opportunity that can match competence with pay. An organization’s reward system is another monetary factor to employees’ satisfaction and happiness that is directly associated with non-monetary aspects of appreciation and recognition. A performance-based reward for example indicates an organization’s appreciation of an employees’ performance and initiates the employees’ satisfaction in the work. Rewarded employees will therefore be happy and satisfied in their work. Similarly, those who have

Causes of the 2007-08 Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Causes of the 2007-08 Financial Crisis - Essay Example Due to this the mortgage originators had lesser incentive to motivate them to take careful underwritings (Chapra, M., 2009). The economy of the real estate industry was affected seriously by the step. With these kinds of effects that the real estate industry had on the economy of the world, it is quite evident that real estate industry is an economic to reckon. More attention was accorded to loan volumes rather than loan quality as banks fought to increase their investment opportunities hoping to maximize their profits as a result of the economic crunch (Torres, 2010). In Greece alone, investors became reluctant to do business or even finance the Government deficits (Torres, 2010). With the decline in the confidence in government, falling by around 10% in many countries, it became very evident that the masses were discontent with the short term measures that were being taken by governments to try and solve the situation (Torres, 2010). The effects of the meltdown were felt quite deep down the social ladder. Starting at the top with the banks not trusting one another and the interbank credit being anemic, the unequal economic incomes affected the wage growth in countries where it would have been justified by the productivity

Nutrition in a pill Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nutrition in a pill - Research Paper Example What they do not seem to care or think of is the undeniable fact that these efficient meals, although economical, have an underlying dangerous effect to their health. Years of depending on these have evidently been affecting many and have consequently caused growing concern about health. Consequently, because of demand and need, many have come up with, yet again, new ideas. Among the most sellable is the use of vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements, but their widespread use has had questions arise. Do they really work? Are their effect really worth the money? When people make the decision to take in supplements as the replacement for the nutritious food they are expected to eat, they begin to lose sight of what supplements and vitamins can never replace: a healthy lifestyle that only proper diet and exercise can give. Yes, although supplements do indeed, at a certain extent, become the solution to specific health problems such as cholesterol or high blood pressure, they simply do not give the same effect as nutritious diet and regular exercise do. Therefore, supplements, vitamins and minerals are not for everyone, are not for most. These only greatly benefit the elderly and those who suffer from specific health conditions and illnesses, not for the majority who eat moderately and exercise regularly. On the September issue of Time Magazine, in its special health and nutrition issue, is an article of five pages that is entitled: â€Å"Nutrition in a Pill?† It features the writer’s journey of taking roughly three thousand dietary supplements for about five months to test if vitamins, minerals and supplements indeed are worth the thousand dollars they cost, and the results it has brought about. Summarizing the results of John Cloud’s five-month journey is in an article in Science-Based Magazine. â€Å"Only two measurements changed significantly: his vitamin D level†¦ and his HDL level†¦ He felt better on the supplements, but he attributed that to placebo

Strong and weak states Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strong and weak states - Essay Example Current paper focuses on the presentation and the explanation of the differences between strong and weak states – as these differences are highlighted in the relevant literature. Emphasis is given on both the characteristics of strong and weak states and the reasons for the existing differences between the above types of states. The understanding of the criteria and the reasons for the categorization of states to strong and weak could help to explain the format of relationships among states in the context of international community. More specifically, strong states are most likely to show their power in influencing key international policies by intervening in the political, social and economic decisions of the weak states (Nelson et al. 2002). Moreover, the presentation of the causes for the differences between strong and weak states would help to identify the strategies that would help inequality in the global politics to be effectively controlled. 2. Strong and weak states à ¢â‚¬â€œ characteristics and differences In the context of the international community, two different major types of states can be identified: a) the states which are strongly centralized and where the social needs are effectively addressed using appropriate economic (for instance, the industrialization) and political schemes; these states can be characterized as strong (Migdal 2001), b) on the other hand, there are those states where the government is not able to monitor the social and the economic changes developed across the national territory; these are the weak states where changes in society and economy are inevitable under the pressure of ‘uncontrollable forces coming from large powers and the world economy’ (Migdal 2001, p.58). In practice, a series of different criteria can be used in order to decide whether a particular state should be characterized as a strong or weak. For instance, in the study of Kopstein et al (2005) it is noted that the autonomy of a state in developing its own decisions on issues that are key for its existence and development should be considered as the key criterion for characterizing the specific state as strong. In other words, strong states are characterized by the ability of their leaders to make clear their preferences on the state’s priorities and initiatives – both in the short and the long term (Kopstein et al 2005). Moreover, capacity should be regarded as another key criterion for characterizing a state as strong; capacity in this case, as the term is used in the study of Kopstein et al (2005), is related to the existence of adequate resources for the development of the various plans of the state. Reference is made not just to financial resources, i.e. the funds available for the realization of the governmental plans, but also to the social resources, i.e. the people who are willing and capable of supporting the relevant initiatives (Kopstein et al. 2005). As for the weak states, it can be c oncluded – referring to the issues highlighted in the study of Kopstein et al. (2005) – that these states are expected to have limited autonomy and capacity, as these two terms were explained above. However, at this point, the following issue should be highlighted: the level of autonomy and capacity of a state cannot be always clearly identified. Even if many indications exist that show a high