Response Journal for “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro Essay

Alice Munro’s â€Å"Boys and Girls† tries to view a young girl’s rite of passage into womanhood, through a limited feminist perspective. The narrator battles with conformity on a 1940’s Canadian Fox Farm. As this time period was still centred on male dominance, her desire to become a powerful woman wastes away when she finally submits to the rules that society has imposed on her. The story is written in first person narration and is seen through the eyes of a young and free-spirited girl. The themes of this story are self-discovery, stereotypes, and rebellion. To portray these themes, literary devices such as allusion, similes and situational irony were used. Allusion is present in the line â€Å"his favourite book in the world was Robinson Crusoe,† as the author attempts to portray the father’s inventive nature by relating it to a well-known novel. Similes can be seen in the narrator’s descriptions of her environment as she states that the â€Å"snowdrifts curled around the house like sleeping whales,† to bring to attention the howling of the winds. Situational irony is evident throughout the story because the narrator despises her mother for being a woman and working in the house, but in the end, she too develops into a woman and takes on the roles of the title. This story of inequality between the sexes appropriately opens with a detailed account of the narrator’s father. The narrator describes every aspect of her father’s life, including his occupation, and even his friends. Throughout this first part of the story, the narrator’s mother is virtually inexistent, outside her disapproval of her husband’s pelting business. The reader is left uncertain about the mother’s whereabouts, but is aware that the father figure is somewhat of an idol in the narrator’s mind. As a young girl, the narrator, holding on to her carefree spirit and strong sense of individualism, is unaware of the constraints of her gender. Although she is the main character, the narrator is not given a name. This seems to enhance her lack of purpose in society, and stresses that the attitude of the narrator is not that of just one woman, but women in general. Munro’s decision to allow the narrator to remain nameless assists in the progress and significance of the character. The narrator’s brother, however, is given the name of Laird. Synonymous with â€Å"lord,† the boy’s name plays an important role in outlining the rules society has forced upon the narrator. This name symbolizes society’s favouritism towards men, and how the male child was superior in the eyes of the parents. The fact that the narrator remained anonymous, whilst her brother was given the name of Lord, signifies the difference between the sexes at the time. It is quite odd that Munro used the girl to portray the feelings of female stereotyping of this story. Munro captures the attention of her audience through the lines, â€Å"It was an odd thing to see my mother down at the barn. She did not often come out of the house unless it was to do something- hang out the wash or dig potatoes in the garden.† These lines are full of sexism and serve only to relay the common roles that women were forced into. Although aware that the girl would much rather spend time with her father, the family constantly attempts to encourage her to act as a proper girl should. The fact that the narrator idolizes her father, just provides further proof of her strive to gain equality. As the girl grows older, the pressure from her family becomes more intense. The narrator’s grandmother comes off as the perfect example of the how women were thought of at the time. Having been raised in a time where the rules imposed on women were even stricter, the grandmother best voices what the attitude of a girl should be. The narrator, however, refuses to listen to the advice offered to her, and responds with defiance. The girl still seems to believe that if she does not conform to society’s rules, she can hold on to her freedom and will somehow be able to escape with her individuality. It is only through the killing of the horse, Flora, that the narrator finally assumes her appropriate gender roles and enters her rite of passage. To help Flora escape her inevitable fate, the narrator leaves the gate open. It seems as though the narrator believed that it was the gate that held Flora back from the freedom she was entitled to. Flora, however, could never escape her fate and was eventually caught and killed. Through Flora’s death,  the narrator comes to realize that her acts of disobedience will always be in vain because her fate is unavoidable. The gate symbolizes the girl’s hope of liberation outside of the farm. The war against society could not be won, so she gives up and proceeds to help her mother with dinner. By assuming the roles of a woman, she completes her rite of passage into womanhood. The killing of Flora also leads to Laird’s rite of passage, though in his case this is the cause of different reasoning. Whereas the narrator learns that she cannot escape her fate, Laird visualizes a new life for himself. He reaches maturity by priding himself in his kill, symbolized by the horse’s blood. He boasts to his mother about the blood on his arm, and feels as though he is finally man enough to stand beside his dad. This is part of the symbolism behind the name â€Å"Boys and Girls,† as the contrasting natures of the two children are portrayed. In order to advance her feminist viewpoint, Munro touches upon only the minor aspects of the female stereotypes. She focuses on the girl’s newfound interest for fashion, beauty and decor to portray her femininity, rather than the harsher traits that were frequently placed on women. The author uses this limited feminism to stress the fact that this protest and change were the actions of a mere child that had not yet seen the full effects of prejudice. When taking into consideration the time period and setting, it can be clearly understood why the narrator and her brother both conformed to their gender-specific roles. As the world entered into the Second World War, women replaced their husbands in the workforce and started gaining recognition. However, because this story takes place in the rural side of Canada, the war’s social impact does not seem to have yet reached this area. The narrator’s mother being just a simple housewife causes the narrator to have a negative bias towards her, illustrating how women are looked down upon by society. Through her ultimate disapproval of her father’s inhumane occupation, the narrator reveals a side that is driven by emotion. Her concern for the helpless animal’s well-being displays her affectionate and loving character. Alice Munro’s story of â€Å"Boys and Girls† is an enlightening tale of the struggle that each child undergoes in discovering their own identity. The author insists throughout the story that the narrator’s acceptance of her place in society is influenced by her family and setting. Her resistance is useless because she has no choice but to conform into a proper woman. She is forced to hide her yearning for individualism in order to be socially acceptable. Current literature uses the feminist approach to convey the views of oppressed women, but Munro’s use of the limited amount of feminism allows the reader to make up their own opinion on the matter.

Every Day Science for Css

PMS/CSS Everyday Science Compiled by: Engr. Syed Muhammad Umer www. css. theazkp. com [email  protected] theazkp. com Ph: +923336042057 It’s just an effort to merge all relevant data of Everyday Science in a single document, which will be used in the preparation of Competitive Examinations like PMS/CSS and other such exams. The primarily source of these information is mainly from internet. PMS/CSS Notes Contents Topic 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28.Nature of Science Contribution of Muslims Scientists Impact of Science on Society Universe Galaxy Solar system Sun Earth Atmosphere Weather Cloud Rain Acid Rain Minerals Rock (Mineral) Mineral Deposit Lava Solar and Lunar Eclipses Day and Night and their variation Energy Sources and Resources of Energy Energy conservation Ceramics Plastics Semiconductors Radio Television Telephones Page No. 3 3 4 5 5 7 7 7 8 9 12 13 14 17 17 19 20 22 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 30 30 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. Topic Page No.Camera 31 Lasers 31 Microscopes 34 Computers 36 Satellites 42 Antibiotics 42 Vaccines 45 Fertilizers 46 Pesticides 47 Microwave ovens 47 Immunization 48 Fingerprinting 49 Infra Red Radiation 50 Greenhouse Effect 50 Antimatter 53 Magma 54 Brain 55 Heart 60 Tissues 68 Epithelial Cell 68 Origin of Modern Humans 68 Pest Control 72 Protein 73 Vertebrate 74 Invertebrate 76 Liver 79 Enzymes 80 Organisms (Common to all living things) 82 2 1. NATURE OF SCIENCE Definition: Science can be defined as study â€Å"mainly concerned with the phenomenon of physical universe any or all of natural sciences or biological sciences. Or Science as the â€Å"the field of study which attempts to describe and understand the nature of the universe in whole or part. † Science is the faculty to reason out the how and why of the things as they occur in the phenomenal world or t he objective world†¦ Basically science is the study of laws of nature and man has developed science by observing. Infact this subject has completely transformed our power over nature and the world outlook. Development of the modern technology is directly the outcome of the development of modern science.Without the scientific revolution the industrial revolution would not have been possible. It has raised the human activity level by significant observations in the various fields of human existence. Whether it‘s the exploration of human health, industrial progress, agrarian developments and modern communication technologies, the benefits gained from this major subject are enormous. Infact it would not be wrong to say that we are living in the age of science and is a dominant factor in our day to day existence. 2. CONTRIBUTIONS OF MUSLIM SCIENTISTSMUHAMMAD BIN MUSA AL KHWARZIMI: Made lasting contributions in the fields of Mathematics, Astronomy, Music, Geography and History. He composed the oldest works on Arithmetic and on Algebra. The oldest Mathematic book composed by him is â€Å"Kitab ul jama wat tafriq† He is the first person who used zero and wrote†Hisab ul jabr Wal Muqabla† which is conceived to be an outstanding work on the subject which included analytical solutions of linear and quadratic equations. In the field of Astronomy he compiled his own tables which formed the basis of later astronomical pursuits in both East and West.He also contributed in the field of geographical science by writing a noteworthy book KItab ul Surat al ard. In Arabic. His book ? kitab al Tarik† is also a memorable work regarding history. AL BERUNI: Born in Afghanistan Beruni made original important contributions to science. He is conceived to be the most prominent scientists of the Islamic world who wrote around 150 books on various significant subjects concerning human existence. These subjects include Mathematics, History, Archeology, Biol ogy, Geology, Che m is try, Religion etc.He discussed the behavior of earth, moon, and planets in his book â€Å"Qanoon Almasudi† which is also considered as an outstanding astronomical encyclopedia. He also discovered seven different ways of finding the directions of north and south and discovered mathematical techniques to determine exactly the beginning of the seasons. Another notable discovery he made was that the speed of light is faster than sound . His wide range of scientific knowledge is also revealed through his books† kitab al saidana† and â€Å"kitab al jawahar† dealing with medicine and the types of gems their gravity respectively.He was a prolific writer whose works showed his versatility as a scientist. AL RAZI: The famous philosopher and a notable surgeon of the Muslim world, Zakriya Al Razi was born in Ray near modern Theran Iran. His eagerness for knowledge lead him to the study of Alchemy and Chemistry, philosophy, logic, Mathematics and Physics. He was a pioneer in many areas of medicine and treatment of health sciences in general, and in particular he worked alot in the fields of paeditrics, obsterics and ophthalmology.Al razi was the first person to introduce the use of Alcohol for medical purposes and opium for the objective of giving anesthesia to his patients. In the field of ophthalmology too Al razi gave an account of the operation for the extraction of the cataract and also the first scientist to discover the effect of the intensity of light on the eye. The modern studies confirm his understanding on the subject thus making him a great physician of all the times. ABU ALI IBN E SINA: Endowed with great powers of absorbing and retaining knowledge this Muslim scholar also made valuable contributions to he field of science. He is considered to be the founders of Medicine and also added his great efforts to the fields of Mathematics, Astronomy, Medicinial Chemistry, Philosophy, Palae ontology and Music. His most famous book is â€Å"Al Qannun† which brings out the features of human physiology and medicine. Sina is also considered as a father of the science of Geology on account of his invaluable book on mountains in which he discussed matters relating to earth's crust and gave scientific reasons for earthquakes.He is the author of 238 books which are fine instances of his thoughts regarding various subjects in diverse ways. JABIR BIN HAYAN: Introduced experimental research in chemical science which immensely added its rapid development and made him the Father of Chemistry. He devised methods for preparation of important chemicals like hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and white lead. 3 Jabir's work also deal with the refinement of metals ,preparation of steel, dyeing of cloth and leather, use of magnese dioxide in glass making, distillation of vinegar to concentrate acetic acid.Jabir also explained scientifically two principle functions of chemistry, i. e. , calcination, and reduction and registered a marked improvement in the methods of evaporation, sublimation, distillation and crystallization He wrote more than 100 books which are one of the most outstanding contributions in the field of science especially the chemical science. ABDUL HASSAN IBN AL HAITHAM: One of the most outstanding Mathematicians, Physiologists, and Opticians of Islam. He contributed to the realms of medicine and philosophy. He wrote more than 200 scientific works on diverse subjects.Haitham examined the refraction of light rays through transparent objects including air and water. Infact he was the first scientist to elaborate two laws of reflection of light He made a number of monumental discoveries in the field of optics ,including one which locates retina as the seat of vision. His book on optics â€Å"Kitab Al Manazir† vividly shows his grip on the subject. He constructed a pinhole camera and studied formation of images . Due to his noteworthy contributions he is regarded as one of the prolific Muslim scientists of all times.OMAR AL KHAYAM: He was an outstanding Mathematician and Astronomer. He was also known as a poet, philosopher and a physician. He travelled to the great centers of learning of the era i. e. Samrakund, Bukhara, and Ispahan. He classified many algebraic equations based on their complexity and recognized thirteen different forms of cubic equation. He also classified algebraic theories of parallel lines. On the invitation of Sultan Jalal-ud- Din, he introduced the Jilali calendar which has an error of one day in 3770 years.He also developed accurate methods for determination of gravity as a poet too, he is known for his Rubaiyat. He made great contributions in the development of mathematics and analytical geometry which benefitted Europe several years later. NASIR UD DIN TUSI: Al tusi was one of the greatest scientists, Mathematicians, Astronomers, Philosophers, Theologians and physicians of his time. He was a prolific writer and wrote many treatises on varied subjects like Algebra, Arithmetic, Trignometry, Geometery, Logic, Met aphy sics, medicine, ethics and Theology.He served as a minister of Halaku Khan and persuaded him to establish an observatory and library after the destruction of Baghdad. He worked at the observatory and prepared precise tables regarding the motion of the planets. These are also known as â€Å"Tables of Khan† ZIA UD DIN IBN BAITAR: Was a famous botanist and pharmacopeias of middle ages. Because of his intensive travels, he was able to discover many plant species. He wrote many books regarding his field of specialty and is always considered as a prominent scientist among his Muslim counterparts 3.IMPACT OF SCIENCE ON SOCIETY Science is the organization of knowledge in such a way that it commands the hidden potential in nature. This hidden potential is surfaced out by the subject of science through the process of understanding. Science has proved to be of enormous beneficial nature . It h as made lasting impact on regarding each and every field of human existence. Whether it is concerned with our day to day lives or whether it is related with the various modern developments which have resulted in elevating the living standards of the individuals.The significant contributions which the study of this subject has made are enumerated below. SCIENCE AND HUMAN ATTITUDE: The various noteworthy scientific advances have helped the individuals in raising up of their self confidence . This subject has enabled the human beings to control and modify their needs and requriements. With greater understanding of the scientific phenomena human beings have now become more confident about the environmental issues as compared to the people in the past. Infact science has promoted and paved the way for the independent and logical thinking.SCIENCE AND HUMAN HEALTH: Before the development of modern medicinal factors, a large number of people used to lose their precious lives because of the unavailability of the sources and medicines for a proper health care. With the advancements of science now the human life expectancy rate has increased as the various modern developments in the field of health care has helped in warding off the dangerous diseases†¦ The revolutions in surgery and medicine the infectious diseases like small pox, malaria, typhoid etc. have been eradicated. Thus science has improved the health standards of the people. SCIENCE AND TRAVEL: People used to travel on foot before the inventions of automobiles,aeroplanes and steam engines. They also used animal carts and camels for the purpose of moving from one place to another. However, the modern scientific inventions have proved to be of great significance as it has added speed to the area of travel. The quick means of transportation have decreased the distances and are a source of saving time. In fact it would not be wrong to regard that these inventions have added much peace to the lives of the mode rn men.SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATION: Science has also played a significant part in the development of the modern communication technology. Earlier people were living in isolation because of the slow means of communication. Now the well developed, efficient media have made it possible to communicate with each other more rapidly and quickly. The impact of mass media is enormous. The use of computers and televisions has made the world a global village where an event in one part of the world leaves an influence on the other.DEMERITS OF SCIENCE: Every invention of science has got its own merits and demerits. The most serious invention that science has contributed to is the development of the weapons of mass destruction like the atom and nuclear bombs. The recent wars have greatly showed that how much destruction can be brought about with the use of these lethal weapons. In fact these modern inventions of science have resulted in the elevation of the anxiety and unrest in the modern societie s. Another notable demerit which the study of this subject has lead to the rise in the environmental deterioration.Day by day the pollution factor is increasing which has proved to be very toxic and harmful for the human health. Not only the human health it is also proving fatal for the animals as well as the existing plants. The rapid developments of science and industrialization have also divided the world. The developed and the undeveloped. This division has lead to a widening gap between the status and the living standards of people. There is economic disparity which has also given rise to class distinction 4. UNIVERSEThe BIG BANG THEORY about the universe is the most widely acceptable theories with regard to the origin of the universe. According to the big bang, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that hurled matter and in all directions. All the galaxies were formed from this matter. Observations of these galaxi es show that they are still moving apart from each other . The universe is expanding Some scientists have suggested another theory as â€Å"steady theory:† to explain the process of the evolution of the universe.However the general notion on which all scientists agree is the theory of Big Bang. Steady theory is the theory about the universe and the observations by the astronomers have shown that the galaxies are moving away from each other and the universe seems to be expanding. The theory shows that the new matter is always being created to fill the space left by this expansion. The new matter moves apart and forms galaxies which continue to move apart. This means that the universe always look exactly the same. It has no beginning or end but in a steady state.However many observations have suggested that the universe has not always looked like the same. THE FUTURE OF UNIVERSE: At present the universe is expanding but the astronomers have questioned that whether or not this e xpansion will continue . Certain observations which have been made in this regard is that one possible ending of the universe will be the â€Å"big crunch?. The galaxies and other matter may be moving apart but their motion is restrained by their mutual gravitational attraction. If there is a sufficient matter in the universe gravity will eventually win and egin pulling the galaxies together again causing the universe to experience a reverse of the big bang i. e. , the BIG CRUNCH. However there is a possibility that there is not enough matter in the universe for the big crunch to happen. This means that if it happens then the universe will continue to expand forever. 5. GALAXY Galaxy is a huge number of stars grouped together. The term galaxy can also be described as a collection of dust, gas and stars measuring thousands of parsecs across. Galzxy contains 10000million stars and looks like a disc with a fat centre and spiral arms.From the front it looks like a convex lens‘s C lasses of galaxy: Two broad classes of galaxy are there. 1. Elliptical 2. Spiral the spiral galaxies are further sub divided into normal which constitutes of majority of spirals and barred spirals. Barred spirals have their centre in the form of the bar. The elliptical galaxies range from E 0 to E 7 from an almost spherical shape to a flattened disc. 5 Milky Way: Our galaxy is a spiral galaxy about 30,000 parsecs across. There are more than 200 billion stars in the galaxy.Its disc appears as a faint white band that is responsible for dividing the white sky at the night into two. The name of our galaxy is Milky Way. The galaxy has three spiral arms called the Orion, Perseus, and Sagittarius arms and the whole system is rotating in space. The sun revolves around the nucleus of the galaxy once in 225 million years. This duration is also called the cosmic year. I -INTRODUCTION: Milky Way, the large, disk-shaped aggregation of stars, or galaxy, that includes the Sun and its solar system. In addition to the Sun, the Milky Way contains about 400 billion other stars.There are hundreds of billions of other galaxies in the universe, some of which are much larger and contain many more stars than the Milky Way. The Milky Way is visible at night, appearing as a faintly luminous band that stretches across the sky. The name Milky Way is derived from Greek mythology, in which the band of light was said to be milk from the breast of the goddess Hera. Its hazy appearance results from the combined light of stars too far away to be distinguished individually by the unaided eye. All of the individual stars that are distinct in the sky lie within the Milky Way Galaxy.From the middle northern latitudes, the Milky Way is best seen on clear, moonless, summer nights, when it appears as a luminous, irregular band circling the sky from the northeastern to the southeastern horizon. It extends through the constellations Peruses, Cassiopeia, and Cepheus. In the region of the Northern Cross it divides into two streams: the western stream, which is bright as it passes through the Northern Cross, fades near Ophiuchus, or the Serpent Bearer, because of dense dust clouds, and appears again in Scorpio; and the eastern stream, which grows brighter as it passes southward through Sputum and Sagittarius.The brightest part of the Milky Way extends from Sputum to Scorpio, through Sagittarius. The center of the galaxy lies in the direction of Sagittarius and is about 25,000 light-years from the Sun (a light-year is the distance light travels in a year, about 9. 46 trillion km or 5. 88 trillion mi). II -STRUCTURE: Galaxies have three common shapes: elliptical, spiral, and irregular. Elliptical galaxies have an ovoid or globular shape and generally contain older stars. Spiral galaxies are disk-shaped with arms that curve around their edges, making these galaxies look like whirlpools.Spiral galaxies contain both old and young stars as well as numerous clouds of dust and gas from whic h new stars are born. Irregular galaxies have no regular structure. Astronomers believe that their structures were distorted by collisions with other galaxies. Astronomers classify the Milky Way as a large spiral or possibly a barred spiral galaxy, with several spiral arms coiling around a central bulge about 10,000 light-years thick. Stars in the central bulge are close together, while those in the arms are farther apart. The arms also contain clouds of interstellar dust and gas.The disk is about 100,000 light-years in diameter and is surrounded by a larger cloud of hydrogen gas. Surrounding this cloud in turn is a spherical halo that contains many separate globular clusters of stars mainly lying above or below the disk. This halo may be more than twice as wide as the disk itself. In addition, studies of galactic movements suggest that the Milky Way system contains far more matter than is accounted for by the visible disk and attendant clusters—up to 2,000 billion times more mass than the Sun contains.Astronomers have therefore speculated that the known Milky Way system is in turn surrounded by a much larger ring or halo of undetected matter known as dark matter. III -TYPES OF STARS: The Milky Way contains both the so-called type I stars, brilliant, blue stars; and type II stars, giant red stars. Blue stars tend to be younger because they burn furiously and use up all of their fuel within a few tens of millions of years. Red stars are usually older, and use their fuel at a slower rate that they can sustain for tens of billions of years.The central Milky Way and the halo are largely composed of the type II population. Most of this region is obscured behind dust clouds, which prevent visual observation. Astronomers have been able to detect light from this region at other wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum, however, using radio and infrared telescopes and satellites that detect X rays (see Radio Astronomy; Infrared Astronomy; X-Ray Astronomy). Su ch studies indicate compact objects near the galactic center, probably a massive black hole. A black hole is an object so dense that nothing, not even light, can escape its intense gravity.The center of the galaxy is home to clouds of antimatter particles, which reveal themselves by emitting gamma rays when they meet particles of matter and annihilate. Astronomers believe the antimatter particles provide more evidence for a massive black hole at the Milky Way‘s center. Observations of stars racing around the center also suggest the presence of a black hole. The stars orbit at speeds up to 1. 8 million km/h (1. 1 million mph)—17 times the speed at which Earth circles the Sun—even though they are hundreds of times farther from the center than Earth is from the Sun.The greater an object‘s mass, the faster an object orbiting it at a given distance will move. Whatever lies at the center of the galaxy must have a tremendous amount of mass packed into a relatively small area in order to cause these stars to orbit so quickly at such a distance. The most likely candidate is a black hole. Surrounding the central region is a fairly flat disk comprising stars of both type II and type I; the brightest members of the latter category are luminous, blue supergiant.Imbedded in the disk, and emerging from opposite sides of the central region, are the spiral arms, which contain a majority of the type I population together with much interstellar dust and gas. One arm passes in the vicinity of the Sun and includes the great nebula in Orion. See Nebula. 6 IV -ROTATION: The Milky Way rotates around an axis joining the galactic poles. Viewed from the north galactic pole, the rotation of the Milky Way is clockwise, and the spiral arms trail in the same direction. The period of rotation decreases with the distance from the center of the galactic system.In the neighborhood of the solar system the period of rotation is more than 200 million years. The speed of t he solar system due to the galactic rotation is about 220 km/sec (about 140 mi/sec). 6. SOLAR SYSTEM The solar system includes nine planets and sun being at the centre. All the planets revolve around the sun . The solar system also includes the asteroids, meteors and numerous comets. All of these travel around the sun in a particular orbit . The planets which are the significant part of the solar system namely,Mercury,venus,earth,mars,Jupiter,Saturn

Compensation and Benefits Strategies Essay

Employees are worth more than their hourly wage, even though, that is typically all that is considered by an employee while looking for a new job or considering a move to a different job or employer. Employers see employees as much more than the hourly or salary that they are offered to do a specific job. The benefits package that employers offer to employees is worth a substantial amount of money. Health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance and other benefits, and even some discount programs are part of the entire compensation and benefits package. Employers, and employees alike, need to understand and educate themselves on the added value they have by looking at the entire compensation and benefits package and comparing it to other companies before taking a position for a higher hourly or salaried rate. Centura Health is evaluated throughout this paper regarding their compensation and benefits strategies. Market Evaluation Companies in competing markets need to know what their competitors are offering in terms of compensation and benefits packages so that they are able to stay current with what other organizations are offering their employees. Researching and understanding the compensation and benefits of competitors is a vital process in hiring and recruiting new employees from the regular job market of employees and when trying to recruit employees away from their current employer. Understanding the compensation structure of your own company, and of your competitors, will make evaluating the current structure easier and then making it more appealing to employees wanting to be employed by the organization will be a more informed decision making process. Centura Health, Kaiser Permanente, and the University of Colorado Hospital will be reviewed. Centura Health Centura Health is one of the largest employers in Colorado. Centura Health’s website states, â€Å"Centura Health takes pride in providing a comprehensive benefits package that’s designed to inspire health† (Centura Health, n.d., p. 1). Centura Health is looking for talented employees that will help them continue their mission and support their key values. Centura Health offers competitive wages, health insurance, prescription coverage, vision, and dental through their health benefits package. Centura Health offers short-term and long-term disability packages along with life insurance and accidental death insurance for an additional low fee. Centura Health offers a paid time-off (PTO) that accrues during each pay period and 401k and other retirement programs. An employee assistance program is offered by Centura Health for employees who may need counseling or a referral to a counselor to help them cope with issues in their work or home life. Centura Health also has an associate discount program that offers discounts on many services such as cell phone carriers, life, and car insurance among many other discounts. Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente (KP) is another one of Colorado’s largest employers and a dominate player in hiring talented health care employees. Kaiser Permanente’s website states, â€Å"we understand that providing excellent service to our employees enables you to provide excellent service to our members. As a result, we offer a total compensation package designed to enhance the lives of you and your family member† (Kaiser Permanente, 2015, p. 1). Kaiser Permanente offers a wide range of benefits to their employees with enrollment into the KP health insurance being at the top of their list. Kaiser Permanente also offers â€Å"flexible spending accounts (FSA), health savings account (HSA), supplemental life insurance, occupational accident insurance, mental health, care, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, health care on-site, and retiree health and medical† (Kaiser Permanente, 2015, p. 1). Kaiser Permanente also has other benefits under the following categories for employees, financial and retirement, family and parenting, vacation and time off, perks and discounts, and professional support. All of these categories expand into additional areas of benefits  to employees. The University of Colorado Hospital The University of Colorado Hospital is also one of Colorado largest employers in healthcare. The University of Colorado Hospitals (UCH) website states, â€Å"We are proud to provide competitive and comprehensive health and welfare benefits as part of our Total Rewards program† (University of Colorado Health, 2014, p. 3). The University of Colorado Hospital, like the previous employers, offer a medical health plan, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short and long-term disability insurances, and dental and vision plans. The UCH offers a dependent day care spending account (DCSA) to their employees to help pay the cost of day care with tax-free dollars. The UCH also offers their employees the ability to sign up for a group legal plan. The University of Colorado Hospitals benefit enrollment guide states that their UltimateAdvisor program, â€Å"offers you a wide range of legal services to help you prevent and resolve everyday legal issues† (University of Colorado Health, 2014, p. 17). The daycare and legal programs offered by the UCH are not offered by their competitors and make them more desirable when comparing compensation and benefits packages. Compensation Structure Centura Health uses an annual employee review system called Performance, Feedback, and Development (PFD) to review employees to determine if they are eligible for a yearly raise. This process involves the employee rating themselves on how they are meeting their job performance in accordance with Centura’s seven core values. The seven core values are compassion, respect, integrity, spirituality, stewardship, imagination, and excellence (Centura Health, n.d., p. 1). This process is time intensive and cumbersome for employees and managers to sit down and write scenarios and narratives for these values. Employees skip the self-assessment section by doing the bare minimum of just checking the auto-populated response available to meet their required timeline for turning in the assessment. Market Position Centura Health’s market position falls into the large-sized companies. Centura Health employs â€Å"17,100 employees and associates† (Draper, 2014, p. 1). Centura Health is expanding into a new health campus and new physician  buildings in the northern Denver Metropolitan area. Centura Health had a net income of $61.5 million â€Å"(Sealover, 2013, p. 1). Centura Health operates 15 hospitals throughout Colorado after the recent expansion into the St. Anthony North Health Campus. Compensation and Benefits Centura Health needs to stay competitive when offering their compensation and benefits package to new employees. The existing compensation package that Centura Health offers is solid and market comparable to their competitors. As Centura Health continues to expand their locations and the need for employees continues to grow it would be advised that Centura Health looks at daycare benefits to their employees with children and, to include, elderly family members who may need assistance of daycare programs as well. Centura Health promotes health and wellness throughout their system and has recently stopped hiring any employee that smokes. Employing healthier employees does several things for Centura Health. Sick time will be reduced by hiring healthier employees, reduced profit loss by having more employees at work than on sick time and reduced health insurance costs for both Centura Health and the employee. Work-life balance is important for Centura Health to review in their compensation and benefits packages. Centura Health can benefit from telecommuting for many administrative jobs and to support more flexible work schedules for employees who need to start earlier or later and can stay for the full shift amount of time because of their home life requirements. Work-life balance is important to employee’s health and wellness and offering additional options into the preconceived mold of being a healthcare worker will make Centura Health a more desirable employer for the talented employees they want to employ. Performance Incentives and Merit Pay Centura Health would benefit from a reward-based program that would include bonuses, for employees who are doing the non-management and non-executive jobs. Incentive Compensation for employees creates a work environment of higher performance and competition between employees. Employees and lower level management can give each other a pat on the back for a job well done, cost savings identification or a heroic moment with a patient, but those moments are short-lived. Rewarding employees speaks volumes when trying to  create a positive work-life balance in an organization. Creating an incentive-based program that management can reward on-the-spot accomplishments creates the need to do better with the other employees in the organization. Recognizing employees for a job well done with an incentivized program using gift cards, bonuses, or additional PTO motivates others to try and receive these awards. Creating a positive competitive work environment encourages employees to strive to wo rk better, do better, and be better. Laws The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was originally created to address issues with pension plans and did not address health, life, disability, or medical benefits. ERISA has been modified, for the most part, to address pension plans, but the medical coverage area was modified with the creation of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). COBRA was created â€Å"to provide continuation of group health coverage that otherwise might be terminated† (United States Department of Labor [USDOL], n.d., para. 1). COBRA COBRA is offered to employees who have been terminated, either voluntarily or involuntarily, without any gross misconduct or because of the reduction of work hours by the employer. COBRA is paid for out-of-pocket by the employee and at higher rate than offered through their plan when they were employed. The qualified employee must be offered identical coverage to the plan they had while employed. COBRA is usually an overly expensive option for employees that have been released from their jobs. HIPAA HIPAA is a federal law that â€Å"limits pre-existing condition exclusions, permits special enrollment when certain life or work events occur, prohibits discrimination against employees and dependents based on their health status, and guarantees availability and renewability of health coverage to certain employees and individuals† (United States Department of Labor [USDOL], n.d., para. 3). Special enrollment examples are exhaustion of COBRA benefits, marriage, and new child by birth or adoption. The employee is to be given a 30-day period to request the special enrollment option regardless of the plan’s set enrollment dates as provided by the employer. Conclusion Centura Health is one of Colorado’s largest providers of healthcare services and largest employers. Centura Health has invested in understanding the health care market so that they can provide a competitive and attractive compensation and benefits package to entice talented employees. There is a benefit to Centura Health and the employee regarding understanding the package presented to them during the hiring process so that both parties understand the worth they are gaining with employment. The compensation and benefits process for an employer is worth an in-depth review of their competitors and the market the organization is in. References Centura Health. (n.d.). Compensation, Benefits and Tuition Reimbursement. Retrieved from http://www.centura.org/careers-and-education/compensation-benefits-and-tuition-reimbursement/ Centura Health. (n.d.). Mission & Values. Retrieved from http://www.centura.org/about-us/mission-and-values/ Draper, E. (2014). Colorado hospital giant Centura Health to stop hiring tobacco users. Retrieved from http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_26977759/colorado-hospital-giant-centura-health-stop-hiring-tobacco Kaiser Permanente. (2015). Benefits, pay, and enrollment. Retrieved from http://www.kaiserpermanentejobs.org/employee-benefits.aspx Kaiser Permanente. (2015). Kaiser Permanente Benefits. Retrieved from http://www.glassdoor.com/Benefits/Kaiser-Permanente-US-Benefits-EI_IE19466.0,17_IL.18,20_IN1.htm Sealover, E. (2013). Denver hospitals post healthy profits. Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2013/05/30/denver-hospitals-post-healthy-profits.html United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). Applicable Laws, Regulations, Publications and Related Links. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/elaws/ebsa/health/7.asp United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions COBRA Continuation Health Coverage. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_compliance_cobra.html University of

The Concept of Divinity or God According to Parmenides Essay

The Concept of Divinity or God According to Parmenides - Essay Example Philosophers, Presocratic philosophers as they are called, pursued knowledge in a different perspective in an attempt to etch their own reasons on how the universe evolves. It was a complete renascence of the spiritual beliefs in Greece. It was a religious rebirth from traditional theology for the Presocratic. The theologies that they present ignored and even rejected the gods of Homer and Hesiod which were the traditional basis of the Greek religion. One of these Presocratic philosophers is a man named Parmenides, a nobleman who established a new law in Elea stating that all new officials of the city should pledge to follow the Parmenidean law before they were inaugurated. He also built a philosophy Eleatic school which has become a strong inspiration for Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Parmenides was the teacher of Zeno ( Curd 3). They both advocate a single reality of oneness and reality. In Parmenidean doctrine, the â€Å" the One†, who is indivisible and unbounded in time and space is the only true being but is not conceived by Parmenides as we do with God. Instead, he thinks of it as a quantifiable being with infinite extensions which was significant to his logical reasoning (Thomas J. McFarlane, â€Å"Plato’s Parmenides"). Parmenides claims that the senses is deceitful, making our perception of the world different from what it really is. He states that the world is something we cannot comprehend and can only be explained through logic. Parmenides even denied the evidence of the senses, saying that even the distinction between the knower and the known, between the thinker and the object of thought, are illusions. Parmenides argues that since the perception of movement and change can always be thought and spoken of, they are just illusions and everything that is, has always been and will ever be. The core of the argument is: The things that you speak or think is related to something that actually exist, that is both thought and language requ ire objects outside themselves otherwise they would cease to exist in thought. He assumes monotony in the meaning of words and comes up with a conclusion that everything constantly exists and that there is no change because all can be conceive in the mind at all times. Parmenides doctrines regarding the canon of infinity and the perpetuity of the One was rendered in clearer pros by Melissus, an eminent citizen of Samos and an admirer of Parmenides states that everything that exist has a beginning, everything that has no beginning cannot exist, but what exists has not manifested. Therefore it doesn’t have a beginning. Yet again, there is which end in destruction and there are ones that are everlasting. Therefore what exists, being indestructible, has no end. Those which have has no beginning and are everlasting would in fact be infinite. Therefore, what exist is infinite. If something would be infinite, it would be unique. Thus, if there were two they could not be infinite but would have limits against each other. But what exist is infinite; therefore there is no plurality of existence. Therefore what exists is one. (Thomas Knierim, â€Å"Presocratic Greek Philosophy†) What we can see from these pros is a perfect example of classical monism. Parmenides inferences are logically correct but in truth, he is wrong. Even if the resulting theory is flawed, still his methodology was an unpretentious innovation. The problems aroused from his axioms; his assumption of the logical world and the things themselves having a common form of existence. These axioms were where Parmenides derived his logical conclusions in an attempt to build his metaphysics. Hence, in simple words, divinity as defined by Parmenides is one and unchanging. It is an assertion that goes against the usual laws of the world

LEAP organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

LEAP organization - Essay Example The non-profit organization was separated from its own body by the initiator through the assistance of Becky Moore of the United Way and Pastor Tommy Vallejo. It later on became the leap and got its IRS 501 (c) 3 statuses on 29th April, 2009. In addition, Pastor Harris was also active in opening the Emmanuel Family Life Center for the organization to function (Clarksville Online, 2015). The leap organizations have made strong partnerships with the home, business community, media and organizations helping the youth in the society since it opened its doors. The leap organization expects all middle and high school students to take part in a media contest (Leaporg.net, 2014). The students make multimedia products like videos, posters, websites, games, photo essays, public service statements, and documentaries. These products focus on the importance of institution learning and how to get ready for it. The leap organization build up and reinforce communities of dynamic nationality with values of enlightenment, academic achievement, leadership, and perseverance through hope, faith and love by offering tutoring, mentoring, affordable housing, and various assistance programs (Leaporg.net, 2014). The organization also give educational field trips, counseling, career development, and community service learning opportunities for students’ aged 11 to 18 years at no cost. These are some of the services and products of a leap organization: The youths that willingly register in the organization’s agenda benefit from inventive and amusing leadership forums. The youths gain knowledge and apply necessary skills of leadership, for instance, conflict resolution, team building, goal setting, public speaking, and etiquette. The leap organization provides a project based, hands on learning understanding for the youth during interactive job inclination training (Leaporg,

Workforce planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Workforce planning - Essay Example Sloan (2010) notes that the strategic work force planning seeks to look into the current, transitional and future needs of the business. Operational workforce planning, on the other hand, takes about twelve to eighteen months. It forms the basis of the strategic workforce planning. Work force planning occurs in five basis steps. The first step is the context and environment consideration. It entails looking at why the process is required and the goals that the business seeks to achieve by having a workforce plan. It is in this stage where the performance measures for the plan are also identified and spelt out. Bechet (2002) notes that one of the key procedures in the initial stage of workforce planning is linking the strategic goals and objectives of the business with the plan. It allows for the team involved to know how to shape the plan so that it is part and parcel of the overall goals of the business. The second step is the generation of the current workforce profile. It requires focusing on the current skills, competencies, experience and strengths of the workforce that the business has. Step two also necessitates the identification of the key issues which need to be considered so that the capability of the workforce can be improved. Step three of the plan is the generation of the future workforce profile. According to Hill & Jones (2001) a plan is supposed to take an organization to a desired future state. It therefore means that the business must look at the implications that the plan will have on its future as well as the environment which will be needed for the effective implementation and use of the plan. Future priorities must also be identified at this stage. The fourth step is the analysis of the gaps and coming up with strategies to close them. Step four entails the identification of the key areas where action will be obligatory so that the gaps are filled for the benefit of the business. The final step is the conclusion,

Cap-and-Trade Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cap-and-Trade - Assignment Example This approach is based on credits which are issued to corporations by governments or a set authority. A corporation is issued with a set limit of the pollution level that they can cause in a given region. If it can achieve that, they can transfer their credits to another company for a given fee (Burney, 2010). Therefore, cap and trade approach creates a marketing system for those companies that are better or are able to reduce their emissions and at the same time is punishes those companies that can not be able to do so financially. On the other hand, carbon tax is a tax imposed on carbon fuels. This approach offers corporations and governments a cost effective way of reducing greenhouse emissions in to the atmosphere. Carbon tax approach is mostly applied in OECD countries based on energy products and motor vehicles (Burney, 2010). There has been increased opposition to this approach citing concerns that it can lead to firms relocating and people losing jobs. On cap and trade approach, there are no emissions costs but the influence is on the broader economy. Therefore, this approach favors the corporations. That means that whenever anyone at a personal level does any mistake he or she will not be involved. On the other hand carbon emissions are always monitored by the carbon in the fuel (Burney, 2010). I also find that very far fetched because homesteads emit as much greenhouse gases as corporations. Therefore, in my opinion I believe these measures are not enough to combat climate

Michael Bronner Profile as an Entrepreneur Essay

Michael Bronner Profile as an Entrepreneur - Essay Example Among the renowned entrepreneurs is Michael Bronner who made a fortune, as the founder of a marketing company and his venture into business is admirable. Although a college dropout, he founded a digital advertising firm in 1980 known as Bronner Slosberg Humphrey incorporation, whose enormous success saw it rise to be one of the leading traditional advertising companies in America with a subsidiary company formed. Furthermore, the two companies were later merged to form Digitas incorporation in a bid to enhance productivity and the company was sold twenty years later for more than one billion dollars (Needleman). Furthermore, using the proceeds, Bronner founded Upromise incorporation, a company that prides itself in contributing funds towards college education of its clients. Hence, the company aims at generating a means of saving funds to be used for college fees by enrolled clients, where participating companies contribute a fraction of their sales towards the project. In addition, he serves as a member of various boards across different industries, which has seen him enhance his management skills as well as career. Among his accomplishments, Bronner is a recipient of the Anti-defamation League’s Torch of Liberty award (Bloomberg). Recently, Michael Bronner’s 15-year-old son developed an idea to rid a flooded market of junk food through Unreal Brand's incorporation. Regardless of the iconic brands in the market; Nicky Bronner has embarked on a mission, to recreate the traditional junk foods with the same taste but with healthier ingredients (Alspach). This is aimed at eliminating health complications resulting associated with junk foods such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Hostage Crisis of 1979 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hostage Crisis of 1979 - Research Paper Example number of hostages held down to 52.2 There are several questions that are being asked on what could have been the actual cause of the attack on the US embassy in Tehran by the pro Ayatollah students. There are varied views on what could have motivated them into the act. It is generally said that the Shah Pahlavi in New York may have been the cause of the crisis. Despite the acceptance of Shah into US soil being taken to be the immediate cause of the attack, the hostage taking was actually much more than Shah’s acceptance.3 This was an avenue that the participants in the act used to show that they were breaking away from the past where the Americans had been interfering with the Iran’s internal affairs by supporting Shah. Moreover, they used it to raise the profile of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The hostages were finally set free after 444 days on 21st January 1981.This coincided with the inaugural address of President Ronald Reagan. The immediate cause of this crisis was the decision by the Carter administration to accept Shah into the US.4 It was purported that Shah had travelled to the US to seek medical attention. This was a few months after government had been toppled by the Muslim Students Followers of Imam’s Line and other revolutionary groups in Iran that were opposed to Shah Pahlavi’s rule. The students were angered by the fact that Shah was accepted into the US despite the fact that he had committed atrocities against the Iranians. As a way of showing their disappointment, they decided to raid the US embassy. The group considered the USA to be the country that was responsible for the crimes that were committed by Shah and the decision by the Carter administration to accept Shah into the US was an act of disrespect to the Iranians.5 Shah Pahlavi and his administration have been blamed for the hostage crisis that took place on 1979.6 This is because he allowed the US to dictate how things were run in Iran especially when it came to matters

Indonesian Political History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Indonesian Political History - Research Paper Example An armed struggle followed between the Dutch and the largely Japanese-trained Indonesians, which culminated in the Netherlands’ recognition of Indonesian independence in 1949, after much loss of lives on both sides. 2. Japanese interests in Indonesia were closely linked to Japan’s colonial ambitions in Asia. It sought to establish itself as the biggest power in Asia after having achieved many victories, on the economic front and on the warfront. Japan also intended to gain an upper hand in the volatile situation that the Second World War presented. They sought to take over the reins of power in Indonesia from the Dutch. They were widely perceived to have dented the power and pride of the white western man and were thus welcomed in many Asian countries struggling under the yoke of colonialism. One of Japan’s main professed objectives in Indonesia was to end the system of administration that was based heavily on race. The objectives of the Japanese were not very di fferent from the Dutch and this can be inferred from the imperialist measures that they undertook while in power. 3. Japanese policies towards Islam in Indonesia were the opposite of those that were followed by the Dutch. While the Dutch believed in imposing restrictions on the practice of Islam through the use of force, the Japanese administration was able to harness the energy of Islamic institutions so as to provide itself with support during the Second World War. Their choice of a course of action was also influenced by the lack of resources available to pursue any alternative strategy. The War had drained tem of the power to pursue any policy that was based on the use of force. Japanese policies were aimed at enabling Islamic structures to be centres of mobilization for the cause of the War and the nation. 4. While a majority of the Indonesian population is Muslim, the constitution does not grant a pre-eminent position to Islam. Based on the principle of Pancasila, the Indonesi an constitution provides its citizens with the freedom to practice whichever religion they choose. The first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, was fearful of the secessionist impulses that may have arisen had Islam been declared the state religion. While there were uprisings for the cause of the inclusion of Islam as the state religion, they were defeated with the defeat that the first elections in Indonesian handed out to parties that were based on the principle of Islamic nationalism. Later on, Sukarno, the second premier of the nation, showed great inclination to grant Islam a prominent position within the constitution but failed. As a result, the Indonesian constitution does not grant any special status to Islam. 5. The establishment of a secular constitution received a mixed response from the Indonesian public. While there were protests demanding the inclusion of Islam within the constitution as the state religion, they were largely unsuccessful owing to the lack of large number s to support the movement. The period of Sukarno’s reign saw a secular government because of the response that the Indonesian public gave to political parties with Islamic nationalism as its main agenda. These parties were able to get only a small portion of the total votes in the first Indonesian elections, signaling the Indonesian public’s aversion to the rise of Islamic politics. Even though Sukarno, during his tenure, tried to appease Muslim powers, the rise

How Milton develops Paradise Lost against Epic Tradition Essay Example for Free

How Milton develops Paradise Lost against Epic Tradition Essay One of the passages in Paradise Lost is â€Å"Answerable Style† specifically the Genre of Paradise Lost wherein the main concern of Milton pertains to which genre must be chosen and not just a simple matter to seek the story’s perfect medium but the writer’s anxiety in placing himself with the poetic tradition known as old centuries. With his decision in writing an epic, Milton was able to place himself in the writers’ epic tradition like for instance the Medieval and Renaissance poets Dante. The content of the Paradise Lost is the classical and epic conceits in the Renaissance concerning heavenly beings with the possible interaction while using the epic similes as well as the places and people’s catalogues with muse invocations. This means that the themes’ content is usually common to epics like for example war, its nationalism, the empire and the origin stories. Another passage in Paradise Lost is â€Å"Things invisible to mortal sight†, which means the classical epics of gods and goddesses and the desires including disagreements are mirroring the human but that of Milton is omnipresent and also invisible. Milton’s God cannot be compared to any individual because of His existence. In Paradise Lost, the story was inspired by the heavenly muse wherein fallen humans are unknowable. God’s portrayal by Milton became the subject of such debate among those scholars as well as critics. Still Milton believes in God’s power and yet explains the foreknowledge of fall and yet human beings may even fall to temptations because of free will given by God to choose and made a decision for them. This is not comparable with those gods as well as goddesses in terms of the epics in classic because of different views and beliefs but still Milton has his own presentation in his belief with God.

Comparing the Fall of Han China and Roman Empire Essay Example for Free

Comparing the Fall of Han China and Roman Empire Essay Han China and Rome were two of the most powerful and popular empires of their time, but they fell like any other empire before them. Han China and Rome’s Empires had the same causes for their declines, but their effects are different. The major reasons for the fall of Rome are truly those that have to do with Romes political and economic state. One of the Rome’s problems prior to its fall was the lack of respect for authority, among the citizens and military forces. All the attacks from the barbarians caused problems in the military. This basically led to a lot of political turmoil because of all the chaos that was born, and it started to make the military crumble as well. Romes economy started to go downhill too, after a long period of time, especially because of the gold. The Romans started using gold (coins) and because of that the trade shortage of the eastern regions of the Empire served to block the growth of wealth in the west. The major reasons for Han China Empire’s fall were also because of their economic and political problems, but the effects are different. One of Han China’s problems was the uprising of desperate and hungry peasants. Another problem was their lack of authority to the Han government, which caused the economic problem. The Han Empire was being invaded by nomads, which were also known as barbarians. These barbarians kept invading the empire and made them have to keep fighting, and provide military forces. This worsened the economy and Han finances. Han government had to hire foreign soldiers who only wanted to be paid for their services which made the economy even worse.

Segregation Of Public Schools Effects On Student Achievement Education Essay

Segregation Of Public Schools Effects On Student Achievement Education Essay School systems across the U.S. are voluntarily segregating their schools and schools may be more segregated today than they were at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. There is overwhelming evidence that segregation is a toxic social issue that serves to fortify discriminatory viewpoints and attitudes that negatively affect particular populations of people and innately puts Black and Latino students at a disadvantage, weakening facets of social capital in these students neighborhoods and further widening the life-long achievement gap between these students and their White counterparts. Black students continue to score lower than White students on standardized tests are underrepresented in institutions of higher learning and achieve overwhelmingly lower rates of wealth. This research will evaluate the affect of racial segregation on student academic achievement, which for purpose of this research will include standardized testing performance as well as attributes of social mobility, in order to identify the best model for U.S. school systems that fosters equity in access to resources and high student achievement. In the present paper, several case studies that investigate the learning outcomes and academic achievement in segregated schools are evaluated. From review of these case studies a hypothesis can be formed that states that racial segregation is detrimental to non-white students, particularly Blacks and Latinos. The following literature reviews demonstrate and support this hypothesis. The studies conclude that students who attend primarily minority schools are not as well prepared for post-secondary education and that this achievement gap is directly related to the degree to which they experienced segregation. The research also shows that all student benefit from diversity in their school setting; White students are also disadvantaged by re-segregation of schools. Review of Literature In a research article by Jones-Sanpei (2009), the research first identifies specific overarching goals of public education. The goals of education that this study evaluated are individual outcomes (academic achievement and job readiness) community outcomes (parental empowerment and social capital networks) and, individual social outcomes, such as future political engagement, social skills, and civic skills. Secondly the Jones-Sanpei research discussed the theory and research surrounding social capital and used data from five southern school districts and matching data from the 2000 Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey (SCCBS), (7) to examine the relationship between community social capital and segregated public schools. The study concluded by speculating about the potential effect of re-segregating public schools on both community and individual social capital. The Jones-Sanpei study stated that several factors promote student individual academic outcomes, which are usually measured by standardized exam scores. According to Jones-Sanpei (2009), student individual academic outcomes rely heavily on teacher attributes, pedagogical philosophy (teaching styles), and school structure. The study also takes into consideration school-mixed factors (community measures) such as parental involvement, curriculum funding, equity issues and community involvement, deemphasizing the practice of using solely standardized testing models to quantify students learning outcomes and student potential future competitiveness. The literature further legitimizes the importance of community measures as important outcomes of public education. Specific forms of social capital that may be fostered by public education include obligations and expectations among a network of individuals, information channels, and social norms. Social capital enables community members to tru st one another, establish business and political organizations, and to be involved in public education. Interactions through the public school medium have the potential to increase the general social capital of a community. (Jones-Sanpei, 2009). The Jones-Sanpei study looked at two large southern school districts from 1992/1998 through 2005. The six school districts included in this analysis all had between 50,000 and 125,000 students in the 2005-2006 school-year. Additional community measures included the percent of each racial group in the community; mean community education, mean community income, and population density based on 1990 Census data. Community social capital measures tested by the study were interracial friendships, informal socializing and social trust. To test the hypothesis that communities with segregated public schools have lower community social capital, the study used t-tests, then used logistic regression to examine which social capital measures contributed to the interracial friendship measure. The findings of the study were that residents of communities with higher levels of school district segregation reported significantly lower levels of general social trust while communities with less segregated school districts reported significantly more social trust. Furthermore, respondents with higher general social trust were twenty-nine percent more likely to report having interracial friendships than respondents who reported lower general social trust. The findings support the hypothesis that segregated schools put children at a disadvantage for competing with their peers who will later have to work in a diverse society. It may be that community social capital influences local school district policymaking with respect to racial integration or that district segregation influences community social capital. In conclusion, there seems to be a relationship between district segregation and community indicators of social capital. ( Jones-Sanpei, 2009) The (Goldsmith, 2009) study of the affect of re-segregation of public schools focused on the long-term effects of this segregated schooling on achievement levels of Black and Latino students. The study used longitudinal data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 which surveyed a sample of eight graders from across the U.S. in the spring of 1988. Students were resurveyed in 1990, 1992, 1994 and 2000. The NELS:88 data is relevant research about educational processes and outcome which include student learning, predictors of dropping out and effects on students access to equal education. Studying the minority-concentration and educational-attainment relationship is important because racial  segregation results  in  blacks and Latinos attending  schools  and living in neighborhoods with higher proportions of minorities than whites. (Goldsmith, 2009, 4) This study hypothesized that segregation perpetuates racial inequality and that the percentage of black or Lati no in a neighborhood negatively affects individuals educational achievement. The focus of ( Goldsmith, 2009) was the circumstances surrounding segregated schools, and possible causes of the segregation. This research summarized findings of previous studies and found that The racial segregation of neighborhoods is principally responsible for the racial segregation of schools (Goldsmith, 2009, p10).that show that schools that attempted to change from white, segregated schools to integrated schools had high rates of teachers and staff who reported that they did not receive adequate training to teach in integrated settings. Goldsmith also concluded that schools of segregated populations of Black and Latino students were less likely to graduate from high school and attain a bachelors degree than students in predominantly white schools. Empirical data from previous studies was analyzed the correlation between segregated neighborhoods, segregated schools and educational outcomes. This research supports earlier discussed hypotheses of segregations affect on individua l achievement and community social capital by analyzing the validity of the perpetuation theory. This theory maintains that Blacks and Latinos who experience segregation in schools and their communities continue to be segregated in other social institutions over the course of their lives fail to develop networks with whites or the knowledge for developing these networks. These networks are important because they carry high-status knowledge, for example, about college admission procedures. An inability to form social ties with whites and to access information in white networks reduces the life chances of blacks and Latinos well after adolescence. (Goldsmith, 2009, p10). Goldsmith, 2009 also presents reason for future research to study schools in predominantly minority neighborhoods as it would provide valuable data on effects of segregation on student achievement. The method for this research included NELS data as stated before as well as an analysis of students residential zip code areas retrieved from eth 1990 and 1992 census reports. The research conducted by (Austin, A M, 2008) clearly lays out data for the correlation between segregated schools and achievement on non-white students. The weight of the findings in this study further legitimize the importance of the two previous studies discussion of the long-term, quality of life disparities caused by the lack-luster community social capital of students in segregated schools and segregated neighborhoods. The main focus of this research was to compare the grade point averages of white male and female students to the grade point averages of male and female minority students. The students high school GPAs are then used a measure to project future college achievement by race. This research also supports the research presented by the NELS, clearly stating that racial segregation in schools across the U.S. directly affects minority students ability to compete in institutions of higher learning and eventually in the job market. (Austin, A M, 2008) found that the gap between white and minority students is about 11.2% of the average GPA. This study also looked at the effect of different environmental factors faced by minority students, specifically their segregation in early years of schooling, to explain the academic performance gap that existed once they reached the post-secondary level. Like previously reviewed studies, this study sound that minority students tend to live in segregated neighborhoods and attend segregated schools. This fact put minority students at a grave disadvantage at the post-secondary education level. For the research, student performance was tracked over a period of 6 years of 1331 public school students from the State of Georgia who enter the University of West Georgia in the Fall semester of 2001. Of the 1331 students in the study, 60% are female, 75.1% are white, 20.4% are black and the remaining students are Asian (1.1%), Hispanic (1.4%), Native American (0.4%) and multi-racial ( 1.7%). The average high school GPA is 3.01, and the average SAT scores are 502 for the verbal test, and 497 for the math. The study by (Massey, 2006) reported that 2/3 of African American lived under conditions of high racial segregation, and that 2/3 of all African Americans attended minority dominant schools. Masseys study focused on the academic achievement of 3924 students entering 28 selective universities in the Fall semester of 1999. He surveys these freshmen and assembles a data set on social conditions in neighborhoods and high schools and finds that minority students from segregated backgrounds attended substandard schools, received lower quality instruction, were exposed to higher levels of disorder and violence, and were less prepared socially for campus life. (Massey, 2006, 6) By looking at the reported performance of these students over their first three semesters in college, Massey concluded that segregation has a significant impact on student achievement. He estimated that going from total integration to total segregation would lower GPAs by about 0.13, and that taking segregated backgro unds into account reduces the performance gap, but doesnt completely eliminate it. He also predicts that, because his data is from highly selective schools, in general the effect will be worse. The study by (Condron, 2009) found that the number one cause of the achievement gap between minority students and white students is racial segregation in the schools. This study cited the social and economic stratification (social capital) between black and white Americans as a barrier to student achievement in schools and later as adults. This research used 1st grade data from a longitudinal study of a pre-kindergarten cohort and found that segregated schools cause an elevated role in the academic achievement gap as well as in social class disparities. This studys approach to the research differed from most by looking at social class as it directly correlates with race as opposed to looking at race as a sole determining factor of socio-economic status. This approach allowed the researcher to take into account that children growing up in different positions in the stratification hierarchy have categorically unequal and qualitatively different (rather than continuously graded) life and educational experiences [and that] poverty involves distinct material hardships and environmental disadvantages that may stunt poor childrens cognitive development (Condron, 2009, p9). This research also went deeper into the school-level practices that attribute to student achievement gap more so than the other literature reviewed here. In addition to looking at social capital, which other studies also did, this study analyzed organizational processes, teacher attributes and resources at the schools, in relation to student body composition. This study found that racially segregated schools had poor administrative cohesion, poorly developed staff, and substandard resources for students. In conclusion, the research is clear that despite historic Supreme Court victories to desegregate U.S. public schools, the workforce may be integrated but our neighborhoods and schools are not. There needs to be more research done in the way of showing more qualitative data of the future overall individual achievement of minority students who attend predominantly minority schools, segregated from white students. This should be done so that that one of two things can take place. Either a de-segregation movement in education reform policy needs to be pushed through or schools that remain segregated need to be brought up to the same standards of predominantly white, high performing school. It has already been proven that this has a significant impact on students in two ways. The first solution may prove more favorable as research also provides evidence that a diverse school environment benefits both minority and white students alike. The study will seek to provide to answer these specific questions: What is the perspective of individual teachers of the effects of their students culture, class, and gender on their academic performance? How do students view their race and the race of their classmates as factors that affect their academic achievement and overall academic experience? How do students and teacher talk about racial inequality in their school? How does school segregation affect both white and non-white students? The proposed study will help bring awareness to these critical points. Methodology For my study I will use two New York City schools, both on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. One school is a charter school where of the 380 students, 43% are black, 29% are Hispanic, 1% are White and 1% are Asian (information for the ethnicities of the other 25% was not provided at time of this proposal). 100% of the students who attend this k-5 school qualify for free lunch based on government poverty guidelines. The math and reading scores are high, among the best in the city (http://insideschools.org/?fs=1280). The other schools, a pubic school under the department of education, demographics is such: of 336 students, 13% black, 36% Hispanic, 34%White, 13% Asian (http://insideschools.org/index12.php?fs=20). The math and reading scores at this school are less than stellar. I will select 15 respondents from each school for the interview; three students from each grade, grade 3 through 5, one Black, one White and one Asian. I will select two teachers from each grade level. Teachers i n both upper and lower elementary school will be chosen and their ethnicities will be mixed to mirror those of the students being interviewed. This will be done to ascertain whether there are common themes in regards to perspective of race and students achievement amongst the teachers in terms of their ethnic background. The teachers will be selected based on the test score of their students from previous years; teachers with high results for student achievement will be selected. Data will be collected through interviews and observations. The interviews will be open-ended. They will focus on biographical information, what populations they have the most experience teaching, what they felt contributed to their success and trends in academic achievement they notice among the students they have worked with. They will also be asked general questions about how they prepare themselves to be culturally aware, how they address diversity or multiculturalism in the classroom and how they communicate expectations to their students. A sample of interview questions for the teachers that will be used: 1. Tell me about yourself? (Where are you from, upbringing, culture, why you chose to be a teacherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) 2. Have you been to any professional development workshop about diversity in the classroom? 3. How do you think your background and/or teacher training influence how you interact with students? (Your rapport with the students, communication style, your ethnic background in comparison to your students) 4. Do you set high expectations in your classroom? Why? Why not? 5. Do your expectations change depending on the demographics of your class? A sample of interview questions for the students that will be used: 1. Do you spend time with kids who are different from you in school? How are they different? 2. What is it like to go to school with these kids? 3. Do you have friends that attend another school? What is it like for them? 4. Does your teacher set high expectations for you? 5. Is school difficult for you? Why or why not? 6. Do you ever feel that you are different from your classmates or teachers? How? The teachers will be observed and video taped for ten hours in the span of three months. During the observations the researchers will take specific notes in regards to the teachers behavior and interaction with students. Potential codes that may arise include: expectations, communication, empathy and rapport. The researchers will look at the data identify overarching themes that speak to the effects of the shift to re-segregation of public schools. The data will be studied to see how the experiences of students in racially diverse school settings differ from those in segregated school settings and how this experience may translate to differences in academic achievement and components of the social capital theory, specifically, obligations and expectations among a network of individuals, information channels, and social norms. The committee will also seek to see if there are common themes in regards to the teachers ethnicity and professional development in regard to their cultural sensitivity. They will look at how the perspectives and identity of the teachers reflects how they approach diversity in the classroom and how they transmit information about a variety of topics, and how they set expectations for their students depending on students race. Discussion This research will clearly show that re-segregation is a problem that needs to be taken under control. This research is not only concerned with academic achievement affected by segregation, but is also concerned with students and teachers experience and perspective of race in the school. The data collected will tell the story of what effect race has on a school community and the whole educational experience of students. I expect to find that in the charter school where students are segregated in that there is a very small percentage of white students and there is less of a mixed demographics, that teachers are under-prepared to teach in classrooms where their students race is different from their own. I also expect to find that these teachers have had little or no professional development for fostering cultural sensitivity in their classrooms. Most importantly, I expect to find that teachers expectations and perception of student achievement in the charter school will be inconsistent, and differ from those of teachers in the public school where there is a more diverse student population and that their attitudes will decrease the effectiveness of their classroom instruction, thereby hindering the academic achievement of their students. Another expected result of this research is that students of different races will have significantly different responses to the question of what their teachers expectations. I expect that while teachers may report that they have the same expectations for all of their students, interview responses from students may very well reveal that students are intuitive and sensitive to the differences in teacher expectation that may be communicated through subtle teacher behavior like how much they are encouraged to participate in class discussions compared to other students. Possible shortcomings of the methods in this proposed study are that this data collected in the manner previously stated does not provide true longitudinal data to track specific students experiences of racial integration or segregation and their resulting academic achievement beyond elementary school. A longitudinal study may follow this study in the future. Further considerations for methodology that may affect the outcomes of this study are the affect of overall student interracial experiences. Limitations to the proposed research methods are that no data will be collected that gives researchers information for what the out-of-school experiences for the students are; do they live in diverse neighborhoods or segregated communities? What are their parent interracial relationships and/or experiences that may inform them? In future research data may be collected on the degree to which students are segregated outside of school. To collect this data, student enrollment records would have to be collected, tracking the students by race and places of residence, which can be generally identified by area zip codes. The possible problem with collecting this data may be that some students actually live outside the neighborhood listed on records. This could affect the findings of this research by misrepresenting the correlation between in-school seg regation and neighborhood segregation that affect overall student segregation and academic performance. Another limitation of the interview method to collect data in this study is that students and teachers may answer as they feel they are expected to. This would make the data collected by interview about teacher rapport with students and expectations of students achievement inconsistent with data that may be collected through formal observations by researcher. As we see more school reforms that resemble business models and more charters, we also see more segregation. One possible implication of this research is that charter, which appear to contribute heavily to the re-segregation, will come under more stringent scrutiny and closer regulation. As for public schools that are a part of the board of education. Other possible implications of this research are that administrations will consider more professional development training for their teachers in eth way of preparing them to teach their diverse or non-diverse populations. As stated in the introduction of this proposal, one of the goals of public schooling is to produce critical thinkers who can function in what is becoming a more diverse global job market. Having said this, it is foreseeable that this research will be used to inform schools and educators to the extent to which they are meeting this requirement of public schooling or missing the mark. There sill also be a shift in the conversations that surround race in the school. Through the information gathered from the interview responses, teachers and administration will become aware of the disconnect between students experiences and teachers perception of students experiences.

Us Vs Japans Education Essay -- Education

Us Vs Japan's Education Education is the foundation of a strong and productive individual as well as being the foundation for a strong and productive country. Any country that keeps its' people uneducated or does not help to educate them cannot hold them entirely responsible for their actions that result from their lack of education. The United States and Japan both feel very strongly about education and that they need to have well educated people. Both of these countries have educational systems that are similar in some ways and yet very different in other ways. Both the similarities and the differences of these two systems give light to how each of these countries go about educating its' people and how much each of these countries value education. The educational system in Japan has not always been the way it is today. In fact it went through the very drastic changes in the end of the eighteen hundreds and then again in middle of the nineteen hundreds; right after World War II. The Meiji government was the first imperial government and it came into power in 1868. This government had a relatively nonrestrictive textbook policy. Then in 1872 it passed the School System Law, but it still did not include a Textbook Compilation Bureau. In the 1880's, there was a surging of nationalistic sentiment among Confucian scholars and this group was led by Motoda (1818-91). Due to this feeling sweeping the country, Mori Arinori (1847-89) became Education Minister and under his leadership state control on what was taught and what was in textbooks tightened. Then there was the Imperial Rescript on Education of 1890. This document had three themes: that the foundation of the nation is Confucian Values, that the role of education is perfect... ...rent ways; ways that pander to the results they want. Bibliography: A. Education in Japan: A Century of Modern Development Ronald A. Anderson, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1975 I think that this is a very good source because it was put out by the U.S. Government. B. Education in Japan: A Source Book Edward R. Beauchamp and Richard Rubinger, Garland Publishing, Inc. New York & London, 1989 This was an excellent source because it was very unbiased and factual C. Dimensions of contemporary Japan: Education and Schooling in Japan Since 1945 Edward R Beauchamp Garland Publishing, Inc. New York & London, 1998 This source is also very good and it is very new, which is always a good thing D. The American School 1642-1993 Joel Spring McGraw-Hill Inc., 1994 This was very strait forward and factual, meaning it is a good source.

Neither Oedipus nor Hamlet was the direct cause of his troubles. :: essays research papers

Although you may never meet them, and although you may not tread the soil of God’s green earth at the same time, many believe it to be a scientific fact every one of us has a twin. These people believe that in some way, we are all connected as twins. Upon presenting their theory, these individuals must have been confronted with hitches and hurdles. From chuckling and chortling to snickering and sneering, one can only imagine the response these scientists must have received! Upon hearing the stories of Oedipus and Hamlet, our eighth period English class reacted much like the scientists’ audience. We began with a prince by the name of Hamlet. The quote, â€Å"with great power, comes great responsibility† comes to mind. As a scholar, Hamlet questioned and analyzed everything set before him. It was no surprise that when presented with the murder of his father, Hamlet acted with extreme caution. He knew it was his duty to avenge his father’s murder, both as a prince, and as a son. In no way could he have prepared himself for such an arduous task. This is why I believe Hamlet was a victim of his circumstance. Hamlet did not provoke the murderer of his father nor influence the course of events that spurred such shocking circumstances; however, being analytical, his best quality, made it more difficult to reach his goal. In the same way, Prince Oedipus is faced with an indubitable fate. From childhood, this young prince was cursed, but destiny never gave up. Again, having such fervent love for his father, Oedipus did the unthinkable- he gave up everything he had ever known to save the life of the man whom he thought to be his father. Once again, it was the protagonists’ best quality that made him vulnerable to his circumstances. Oedipus never sought to mistreat, much less murder his father, but fate would have it no other way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both of these protagonists have many difference and similarities. Their differences range from motive to the method, which they reacted to their circumstances. Oedipus doesn’t kill to avenge anyone; he kills†¦ well†¦ because some men were in his way? Whereas Hamlet kills to seek justice for an indiscretion committed against he and his family- the honor, which defined his name. Hamlet fought for a father he knew; a father whom he had shared new experiences and memories with. This was not a life Oedipus was familiar with, that is with his birth father.

Watergate Chronology :: President Richard Nixon

January 20,1969 Richard M. Nixon elected the thirty-seventh president of the United States 1969 Ehrlichman suggests to Caulfield that he leave the White House and set up a private security business that would provide security to the 1972 Nixon campaign. This project, Sandwedge, would be similar to the Kennedy security firm, Intertel. June 5, 1970 With the goal of increasing cooperation between various intelligence agencies within the government, a meeting was called in the Oval Office. Those in Attendance: Richard Nixon, J. Edgar Hoover, Richard Helms, and chiefs of the NSA and the DIA. Nixon aide Tom Charles Huston was assigned to work with the heads of these agencies to facilitate increased cooperation. early July, 1970 The Huston Plan sent to the President. This plan was an addition made by Huston to a plan endorsed by Hoover and Helms (NSA and DIA as well?). Huston's addition called for electronic surveillance, monitoring activities, surreptitious entries, recruitment of more campus informants, et al. July 14, 1970 Nixon endorses the Huston Plan July 27, 1970 Hoover visits John Mitchell. Mitchell hears about the Huston plan for the first time. Mitchell later goes to Nixon and urges the President to Stop the plan. Nixon later cancelled the plan. September 17, 1970 Mitchell met with John Dean. Mitchell discussed the poor job that the FBI was doing in the area domestic intelligence. This followed a conversation between Mitchell, Helms and others from the CIA on a similar topic. September 18, 1970 John Dean sends a memo to John Mitchell in which he offers a plan for intelligence gathering. "The most appropriate procedure would be to decide on the type of intelligence we need, based on an assessment of the recommendations of this unit, and then to proceed to remove the restraints as neccessary to obtain such intelligence." May 3, 1971 Following Nixon's decision concerning Laos, Anti-Vietnam activists attempt to shutdown Washington by blocking roads with stalled cars, human blockades, garbage cans, and other materials. The protests result in over 12,000 arrests. John Dean headed up the White House intelligence gathering during this protest. June 13, 1971 The New York Times begins publication of excerpts from "The Pentagon Papers". The Pentagon Papers was a 7,000 page document that was first commissioned by Robert McNamara in June of 1967 for future scholars to use. The Papers were leaked to the Times by Daniel Ellsberg. Although there were many crucial documents that were not included, the Papers did include documents from the Defense Department, the State Department, the CIA, and the White House. June 14, 1971 John Mitchell sends a telegram to the New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger President and Publisher The New York Times

Keeping the importance of QA for e-Learning

Keeping the importance of QA for e-Learning, it is of import to develop model for formal quality confidence of e-learning content. As a first measure to this quality prosodies have to be developed that can be used for quantifying the assorted quality parametric quantities of an e-Learning tool and the content. The development of quality prosodies and the model can go the base for developing the QA tools, which can roll up informations on assorted facets, analyze and arrive at quality steps utilizing well- understood theoretical accounts and so rate the e- Learning environments. How does one define quality? In peculiar it is non easy to exactly make up one's mind what constitutes quality of instruction. Different individuals may hold different positions of quality. There are two facets of quality in the educational context: quality of the system as a whole and quality of what the system offers to the pupils or the scholars. In cotrast to conventional instruction quality covers assorted elements of face-to-face instruction like the substructure and basic comfortss, societal & amp ; geographical environment, professional instruction competency, administrative and finance staff, rightness and relevancy of the course of study, teaching-learning stuffs, teaching-learning procedures, community support to the establishment, public presentation rating of the module, scholars ie. pupils and the system as a whole.Meaning of quality in e-learningLearning results are at the bosom of respondents ‘ apprehension of quality in the field of e-learning. When we talk abo ut quality in e-learning, we assume an inexplicit consensus about the term ‘quality ‘ . In fact, nevertheless, ‘quality ‘ agencies really different things to most e-learning suppliers. Harvey and Green ( 2000 ) , ( and see Ehlers, 2004, pp. 52-56 ) have suggested the following set of classs: ( a ) exceptionality, ( B ) flawlessness or consistence, ( degree Celsius ) fittingness for intent, ( vitamin D ) adequate return, ( vitamin E ) transmutation The last perceptual experience of quality, transmutation, is the most relevant to the pedagogical procedure. It describes the addition in competency or ability as a consequence of the larning procedure as transmutation. In order to do these classs manageable for respondents, they were operationalised as follows in the survey: Sing everything asked so far, which of the undermentioned statements best represents your ain personal apprehension of quality? Please choose merely the one component from the list below which best represents your ain sentiment. Harmonizing to the paper New Developments in Technology Enabled Education presented by Professor Singaperumal these points were put A clear and documented demand for 450000 seats ; the demand is increasing exponentially Even to keep the current degrees of admittances a new major university is needed every hebdomad in India entirely to run into the demand! Therefore on a monolithic graduated table online instruction is emerging as an of import market and thereby besides offering a concern chance to some establishments choosing for an instruction concern model out of it. With these ideas in head, and the huge chance in footings of possible pupils in the higher instruction, the scene has to alter quickly to switch the paradigm.THE NeedE-Learning is the larning experience that is delivered or enabled by electronic engineering. The bringing of acquisition or content can be over the intra-net, extra-net or over the Internet, via CD-ROM, synergistic Television, or satellite broadcast. In footings of construction, pupil Numberss have been detonating on university campuses. The universities have been loath to alter their plans, both in content and bringing. They are confronting challenges from alternate suppliers of instruction and preparation, with more focal point on employability ; the university professors represent a strain of calling faculty members who are rather stray and insulated from the alterations in the existent universe around them ; distance acquisition is considered 2nd best, even though universities are hard pressed to explicate the high q uality of the traditional schoolroom processes in set uping cognition transportation.INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION SCENARIOE-learning or electronic acquisition in India is deriving prominence easy, but so steadily. This is due to the fact that more than half the population of India today is below 25 old ages of age and the Numberss of Internet users are turning continuously. The enormous growing of the economic system in the recent yesteryear has besides helped in the growing of on-line instruction in India. E-learning in India is specially popular with the immature professionals who have joined the work force rather early but still would wish to go on their instruction that may assist them travel up their calling ladder rapidly and safely. They find on-line instruction in India really convenient, as the nature of the class work does non necessitate them to go to regular categories. Furthermore reputed institutes like Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade are today offering e-learning classs. INDIA is encompassing e-learning in a large manner. India has learned lessons from the success of the e-way in the West and today the inexorable educational image is being replaced by e-governance's-classroom, e-tutorials. It is a affair of pride for the state in general and bureaus in peculiar for the popularisation of the mission manner programmes on e-governance. The major advantage of e-learning is that it is self-paced and acquisition is done at the scholar ‘s gait. The content can be repeated until the trainee understands it. E acquisition is synergistic excessively. With the growing of e-learning, more and more students will choose for it, as there would be no concern that the math instructor will crush them for a amount gone incorrect. Besides, there will besides be no fright of coming tardily to category and so standing outside the schoolroom waiting for permission to come in. More and more on the job professionals would be interested in larning the e-way because of flexibleness that e-learning offer. E-learning will shortly go a great tool to heighten makings and acquiring publicities in the occupation market. So, to sum up, the hereafter of e-learning is bright. However, there is important cognition keeping. High quality e-learning solutions are being developed in India with the right engineering and industry support in sectors every bit distinguishable as steel, IT, automobiles, cement and telecom. Industry spectators estimate that because of its advantages, India is bound to turn in stature as the hub for e-learning programmes. In 2002, deliberations of assorted commissions were held that led to the puting up of the UGC-INFONET towards the terminal of 2004. UGC besides joined this campaign of presenting e-learning. Wholly funded by UGC, UGC-INFONET provides electronic entree to scholarly literature available over the Internet in all countries of larning to the university sector in India. Yet another undertaking to supply web based preparation is the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning ( NPTEL ) , which is being funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development ( MHRD. ) This was first conceived in 1999, to pave the manner for presenting multimedia and web engineering to heighten acquisition of basic scientific discipline and technology constructs, was launched in September 2006. Significant substructure has been set up for production of video-based learning stuff by the Indian Institutes of Technology ( IIT ) , the Bangalore based Indian Institutes of Sciences ( IISc ) and Technical Teacher Training Institutes ( TTTI. ) Gyan Darshan, which was launched on January 26, 2000, as an sole higher instruction Television channel to supply quality distance instruction by IGNOU, can be considered as an effectual attempt in India. At the institutional degree many institutes, chiefly private as of now ; hold entered into on-line distance instruction and the much talked about NIIT Varsity offers developing to 500,000 pupils yearly across 33 states. One of the universe ‘s prima direction schools, the Indian Institute of Management at Calcutta ( IIM-C ) , amongst others, entered into a strategic confederation with NIIT, to offer executive development programmes through practical schoolrooms. It is really hard for a individual of my stature to publish a declaration on the issue but I suggest that higher educational establishments in India, which plan to venture into e-learning should take a lesson from this and must foremost follow the instruction and communicating scheme of organisational alteration where the stakeholders should be informed as to how the alteration will impact them. The authorities needs to excite a learning civilization and e-learning must go a policy issue. Government must acknowledge the e-learning industry as a separate forum and non handle it as portion of the IT enabled services ( IT ‘S ) or a sub sector of the IT industry.Cardinal E-LEARNING: QUALITY ISSUESAs establishments adopt e-learning, some of import new issues arise: i? µ Institutions should do available an equal and dependable proficient substructure to back up and prolong e-learning activities. i? µ Teachers and pupils must possess the proficient accomplishments to utilize e- acquisition tools. i? µ Teachers must redesign their classs to integrate e-learning efficaciously into their teaching method.Online acquisition should be an active, non inactive, experience:Two of import facts converge to do this recommendation a cardinal portion of any theoretical account for on-line acquisition. The first has a nucleus rule of effectual teaching method. Microsoft PowerPoint presentations or Word paperss saved in HTML format do n't let scholars to make anything except sit in forepart of their screens and chink through text. The 2nd convergence fact is that early attempts at e-learning suffered a high rate of abrasion because many scholars complained that the content was deadening and withdrawing. To trip pupils so that they engage with content better, larning ware should incorporate multimedia interactions, such as simulations, geographic expeditions, games, and drag-and-drop exercisings. Animations, picture, and audio round out some of the loyalists of rich media. When you map larning content to the appropriate rich media, you get impressive consequences.Choice FACTORS DRIVE E-LEARNING ADOPTIONInstitutions interviewed for this research cited assorted institutional, user, and market drivers as spurring the acceptance of e- acquisition. Some establishments designate e- acquisition as an institutional aim, for illustration, to back up their charter of outreach, reach new markets in an country of specialisation, or heighten the educational procedure. Faculty interest-to improve learning methods in general, to do classs more interesting for pupils, or to maintain up-to-date in their academic field-spurs e-learning acceptance at others. Institutions might utilize e- acquisition to assist pupils ft larning into their progressively feverish agendas and develop required proficient accomplishments for their professional development. In some establishments, e-learning classs have developed from video-oriented classs. Some establishments reported the usage of intercrossed classs to relieve overcrowded schoolrooms. For many establishments, e-learning is portion of higher instruction ‘s development, and class direction systems ‘ easiness of usage has encouraged e-learning acceptance.BENEFITS OF E-LEARNING WITH QUALITY ASSURANCEIntegration: All establishments, research establishments, regulative organic structures, professionals, academicians and pupils can be integrated on regional, province, national and international degree. Sharing of cognition, experience, substructure and engi neering will heighten the effectual and efficient use of available resources. Students can hold an entree to limitless depot of information at any hr and from any topographic point. Entree to outdo module and quality study stuff: Since e-Learning has ability to cover distances, a few good instructors can be scaled up. Faculty handiness is non restricted by geographics or even clip because of recorded schoolrooms. The expert instructors besides will be identified and honored by the demand for them from scholars. Human prejudice: eLearning helps removes the prejudice of sex, faith, colour, caste etc. Dust free environment: Unlike in chalk and speak method, larning atmosphere becomes dust free. Individualized direction: E-Learning besides offers individualised direction, which print media can non supply. It makes larning exciting, prosecuting and obliging. Blended programmes can incorporate eLearning with face-to-face workshops, coaching, action acquisition and a immense scope of other larning methods to cover a scope of demands, manners and attacks. Private messaging readily supports these exchanges while protecting the participants ‘ privateness. Based on the single and/or group needs, involvements, calling aims and occupation profiles, lesson faculties can be chosen. The new system must be made up of five different constituents. These are: aˆ? Audits of the quality confidence mechanisms of the higher instruction establishments aˆ? Evaluations of topics and programmes. aˆ? Appraisals of the entitlement to present grades aˆ? Thematic ratings and thematic surveies aˆ? Identification of centres of educational excellenceA CASE STUDY ON QUALITY ASSURANCE EFFORT AT THE SYMBIOSIS CENTRE FOR DISTANCELearning, Pune, India The Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning ( SCDL ) , Pune, is the taking private sector supplier of unfastened & A ; distance acquisition in India. Its scholars, totaling more than 200,000 are drawn from all the nooks & A ; corners of India, and besides, from more than 40 abroad states. Quality is the trademark of SCDL ‘s working. The quality concerns adopted by the SCDL are presented below: The acquisition plans are selected really carefully, taking into consideration the market demands every bit good as the felt-needs of the scholars. Once a probationary determination is taken to present a new plan, its assorted pros & A ; cons are discussed in the Academic Council, which is the chief organic structure for taking all academic determinations. The following measure is to apportion the work of composing the Self Learning Materials. For this intent the SCDL has enlisted more than 400 sing module who are all good qualified and long experient instructors from reputed universities and colleges every bit good as individuals with practical experience in industry. Electronic acquisition stuffs in the signifier of e-learning faculties and pre-recorded DVD talks are besides prepared. The module fixing the electronic acquisition stuffs may, or more likely may non, be those who had prepared the SLM in the print signifier. Self appraisal is an of import system adopted by the SCDL. All the learning stuffs sent to the distance scholars – whether print or electronic – contain self-assessment inquiries. In fact the larning stuff contents are broken down into subdivisions and sub-sections, and at the terminal of each the scholar is expected to take a intermission and effort replying the self-assessment inquiries. This manner, the scholar will come to cognize whether she/he has understood the content of the subdivision or the sub-section. This procedure builds up the scholar ‘s assurance. A distinguishing characteristic of the SCDL is the usage of most modern engineering in the pupil patterned advance and appraisal system. Each scholar is required to finish two on-line assignments per class per semester. The on-line assignments are based on the thoughtfully prepared and thorough Question Banks which are uploaded on the web for accession by the scholars. Last but non least of the quality confidence steps cover the Student Support & A ; Guidance System. This system has three of import boards: the Personal Contact Programs ( PCP ) , the Data Support Department and the system of speedy response to pupils ‘ questions and demands.CASE STUDY 2: E-LEARNING AT BOSTON COLLEGEBy Rita R. Owens, Associate Academic V.P. for Technology, Boston College This is merely one illustration of how 141-year-old Boston College ( BC ) , one of the oldest Jesuit Catholic universities in the United States, is integrating e-learning into its time-honoured academic tradition. Indeed, the older and more venerable an institution-US News & A ; World Report ranks BC figure 37th among national universities-the more that ‘s at interest when it introduces a dramatic and potentially radical tool like the Internet into the educational plan. Reputation and quality are the first concerns. Important Decisions E-learning has affected everyone at our 15,000-plus-student university, irrespective of age, function, experience or academic subject. And largely in a positive manner. But success has n't come without obstructions, challenges and tough determinations. One of our most critical determinations was measuring how e-learning would impact our hard-earned repute, steeped in centuries of classical academic tradition. Although we plan to scale our e-learning, we had no demand to utilize it as a flagship selling tool for admittances. Our course of study sells itself. We evaluate e-learning merely in the context of its power to better instruction. As a affair of fact, we do n't even do any differentiation between on-line instruction and traditional instruction. Education per Se is the lone thing that affairs. Consistent with this place, we elected non to mandate e-learning for every class. Alternatively, we have let e-learning develop organically, driven by pupils, module and the academic environment. Several learning-related factors are beef uping our e-learning acceptance. E-book publishing houses are deluging academe with digitized online content for a broad scope of classs. All of our schoolrooms have been networked with state-of-the-art installations. Faculty members are supplied with powerful desktops and laptops. Our pupils tend to be technologically savvy and frequently come to us with e-learning experience gained in high school. Not merely are they comfy with the engineering, they virtually grew up online. Their demand for on-line class constituents has propelled our e-learning acceptance. Early on on, we determined we needed chiseled â€Å" cheques and balances † to guarantee e-learning was decently incorporated into our campus environment. We have adopted a multiple commission construction that serves us really good. Our University Council on Teaching comprises respected module members who set scheme on how e-learning will play out on campus. We have an e-learning Action Group, a coaction of college mention bibliothecs and academic enterprises. My group, Academic Technology Services, promotes e-learning on campus and aids in preparation and proficient support. Strong Consequences With these cardinal administration and substructure determinations made, we ‘ve had strong consequences with e-learning across a broad scope of subjects. Extracurricular activities are besides got boosted by e-learning engineering. Freshman MBA campaigners at our Carroll School of Management have a particular intranet where they can happen families, societal activities, treatments, and a â€Å" community calendar. † Although it sounds like a fiddling thing, this digital orientation/bulletin board in one is a campus line of life for the many pupils with full-time occupation and household duties.FuturesCompared to an about 80 per cent literacy rate in urban India, that in rural countries is merely 56 per centum. Further, the mean instructor: pupil ratio at primary degree is 1:58 in rural parts. Improvement of connectivity is another country of concern. India needs to increase incursion in footings of Personal computers and communicating lines for any e-Learning undertaking to be successful. The high cost of ownership, which proves to be a barrier, needs to be lowered. Following stairss could assist in collaring the above jobs: The Service suppliers, including the Government need to cut down the duty degrees. As the field becomes more and more competitory, this is bound to go on. Inventions such as the Computer can cut down costs by supplying low-cost calculating. At INR 10,000 a piece, the Computer offers calculating installations at a drastically lower cost compared to INR 30,000 for a Personal computer. Further, it has a local linguistic communication interface. Use of unfastened beginning package will non merely be cost effectual but can besides run into the localised demands of the tremendous lingual diverseness of India. Further, unfastened beginning package can besides be used on old hardware.