Sunday, January 26, 2020
Implementation Of Child Friendly Schools
Implementation Of Child Friendly Schools This article explores the contribution of Comparative and International Research in the successful implementation of Child Friendly Schools in Kenya. Emphasis will be placed on the background of CFS, current practices and emerging critics, success stories, problems and pitfalls and what CIR can do to subjugate some of these challenges. In the introduction section, the essay will start by examining literature surrounding the concepts of CIR and CFS in relation to global agendas; explore how CFS came into existence and the driving forces behind it. We then go on to focus on a case study of CFS in Kenya, discussing the role of CIR in the Kenyas CFS, arguing that CIR is used as a political tool in creating educational policy, rather than a research method or an intellectual inquiry. The article will further critically analyze challenges facing CFS and how knowledge on CIR can contribute to achieving the aims and objectives of CFS. A conclusion based on the literature and authors experien ce will then be drawn. Throughout the article we build a case in favour of CIR arguing that the strength of voices of comparative researchers lie on uncritical transfer of policies and practices from one context to another which could otherwise open a Pandoras Box. Introduction Perhaps, one of the growing fields in education in the modern age is comparative and international education, judged by the volume of studies reported in the literature. Central to this is that many countries around the world have formulated some of their educational policies based on findings from CIR. With the current wave of globalization, researchers and experts, especially in the field of education, are always trying to find ways of streamlining their educational policies with the global trends. According to Giddens (1990:64), globalization is the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distance localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Global forces therefore have an impact on shaping local practices with global trends. In order to do this tactically and critically, comparative and internal research remains cutting edge in informing people about the realities, the challenges and the possible ef fects of uncritical transfer of ideas. Interestingly, global agendas in matters related to education are prioritized towards basic education as opposed to adult education or higher education. In Africa, this would be probably because, as Oketch (2004) points out, basic education yields higher rates of returns compared to higher education. This has subsequently caused government and non-governmental organizations to focus more on improving the quality of basic education. Child-friendly schools (CFSs) in Kenya is an example of a non-governmental initiative sponsored by UNICEF with the aim of not just providing children right to education but the right to the right education. In other words, CFSs are more concerned with the quality of basic education in addition to its access. The emergence of CFSs in Kenya was catapulted by the forces of agendas 1 and 2 of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which emphasizes on the provision of basic education. The term quality in education is dynamic because of the social, political and eco nomic context at which it is used. Because of differences in contexts, it is imperative that knowledge of comparative and international research be used in designing policies and pedagogy in CFS that fit that particular context. But the question is: how can CIR be helpful in successful implementation of CFS in Kenya? To answer this question, this essay hinges on two broad concepts: Comparative and International Research and Child Friendly Schools. Literature Review In this section, the author will look atà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ Concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) CIR is a fusion of two broad areas of research: Comparative Research and International Research. To understand its full meaning, it is important we define the two areas of research separately. In his definition of comparative research, Mills et al (year) argue that: Comparative research is a broad term that includes both quantitative and qualitative comparison of social entities. Social entities may be based on many lines, such as geographical or political ones in the form of cross-national or regional comparisons. (p. 621) A similar perception was echoed by Noah and Eckstein (1969: 127), who described comparative education as an intersection of the social sciences, education and cross-national study [which] attempts to use cross-national data to test propositions about the relationship between education and society and between teaching practices and learning outcomes. In light of this definition, comparative research in the context of education can be defined as a study of two or more entities or events (Crossley Watson 2003) with the underlying goal of searching for similarity and variance. Cross-national or regional comparisons may include comparing educational policies, pedagogy, educational leadership and so on. According to Mills et al (2006: 621), the search for variance places more emphasis on context and difference in order to understand specificities. International education, on the other hand, can be defined as the application of descriptions, analyses and insights learned in one or more nations to the problems of developing educational systems and institutions in other countries (Wilson 2000a: 116). Thus, international research is concerned with research carried out across two or more countries, often with the purpose of comparing responses between them. This might be done in order to devise strategies that work well across both or all these cultures or to suggest local adjustments to a global strategy There is a close relationship between comparative and international education. Epstein (1994: 918) points out, that international educators use findings derived from comparative education to understand better the processes they examine, and thus, to enhance their ability to make policy. We can therefore draw from the above two definitions that CIR in education as a method of comparing both qualitative and quantitative entities in education across different countries, societies or cultures with the aim of identifying similarities and differences. It is however important to note that not all international research is comparative, and not all comparative research is international or cross-national. According to UNICEF, a child-friendly school is both a child seeking school and a child-centred school: It is child seeking because it actively identifying excluded children to get them enrolled in school. It is a child-centred school because it acts in the best interests of the child leading to the realization of the childs full potential, is concerned about the whole child: her health, nutritional status, and well-being and concerned about what happens to children before they enter school and after they leave school. A CFS system recognizes and respects childrens right and responsibilities; it provides the enabling environment to realize childrens right not only in schools, but also in childrens home and their communities. These include children from conflict zones, street children and children with disabilities. The Child-Friendly Schools model (see fig 1) is based on simple, rights-based concepts that would have all schools be: Safe, healthy and protective; Staffed by trained teachers; Provided adequate resources and the appropriate physical, emotional and social conditions for children to learn, develop their talents and reach their potential. Fig 1: Model of the Child-Friendly School Source: UNICEF, 2009. The CFS model provides a framework for planning (and monitoring the effectiveness of) strategies for increasing access to quality basic education with the specific focus on the development of strategies to include those children hitherto excluded from education (UNICEF, Global Education Strategy, 2007). International and Local Pressures and their influences to formation of CFS in Kenya Education in sub-Sahara Africa, and indeed in Kenya, is crafted from both influences by global trends in education and the legacies of colonialism. Chisholm and Leyenderker (2008) observe that: Since 1990, the goals and purpose of education in sub-Sahara Africa has been reshaped by four interconnected developments: globalisation, the changed focus of international aid agencies towards development assistance, the adaptation of sub-Sahara African countries to the new world order with its new political emphases, and the spilling over of new pedagogical ideas from the USA and Europe into sub-Sahara Africa. (p 198) Kenya is a signatory to a number of conventions in education, including the Convention to the Rights of the Child (1989), the World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien, 1990), the Dakar accord and the Millenium Development Goals (2000). In achievement of education development goals, Kenya is bound to, among other things, quality education by MDGs. The Jomtien call for access for access, equity, quality and democracy in education appeared to promise both social and economic development (Chisholm and Leyenderker, 2008). Social and economic development, and continues to be believed, requires educational change and educational change is necessary for social and economic development (ibid:). Educational change, in turn, is perceived to depend on, amongst other things, the input from relevant development assistance projects. These projects, in the arena of education, are typically formulated with reference to internationally negotiated development agendas (like the MDGs) and priority (Crossley Watson, 2003). An example of these projects in Kenya is CFSs which are supported by United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). The Education Section of UNICEFs Programme Division introduced the Child Friendly Schools (CFS) framework for schools that serve the whole child in 1999 (Chabbott, 2004). Theoretical underpinning of introducing CFS framework in Kenya The increased reliance of foreign aid to support education reform in Kenya has been accompanied by a transition, from understanding education as a human right and the general good to viewing it primarily in terms of its contribution to national growth and well-being through the development of the knowledge and skills societies are deemed to need. (Arnove Torres 2007:359). Occasional voices continue insisting that education is liberating, that learning is inherently developmental (ibid: 359). With the global concern that Sub-sahara Africa countries may not achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 unless the progress is accelerated (Carceles et al., 2001; Bennel, 2002), Kenya responded by introducing Free Primary Education (FPE) policy in 2003 with both local and global pressure. The rationale behind introducing FPE was (apart from the pressure from global and international agendas) to alleviate poverty attributed to lack of literacy skills. The success story behind implementation of FPE policy is the increased enrolment at primary schools by nearly 50%, from 5.9 million in 2003 to 9.38 million pupils according to the Kenya Economic Survey 2011. One of its standout achievements was the enrolment of the late Kimani Maruge, the worlds oldest person to start primary school, he enrolled in the first grade in 2004, aged 84, he holds the Guinness World Record for this. Besides the enormous enrolment rates resulting from free primary education, there are concerns about t he quality of schooling in primary schools in Kenya. There are not enough textbooks, classrooms are overcrowded and the infrastructure in many schools is inadequate for the numbers of pupils attending. Many of the schools do not have sanitation facilities. The teacher-pupil ratio is quite high: according to UNESCO there are more than 40 pupils per teacher, on average. All of these factors militate against the provision of quality teaching. There is no magic wand for fixing this problem of quality in education. In response to this CFS were introduced in Kenya by UNICEF. According to UNICEF (2006): The challenge in education is not simply to get children into school, but also to improve the overall quality of schooling and address threats to participation. If both quality and access are tackled, children who are enrolled in primary school are likely to continue, complete the full cycle, achieve expected learning outcomes and successfully transition to secondary school. (p. 1) The CFS framework (see appendix 3) aims at promoting child-seeking, child-centred, gender-sensitive, inclusive, community-involved, protective and healthy approaches to schooling and out-of-school education with a general goal of improving the quality of learning. Since CFSs are concerned with the quality of learning, it is important we look at the meaning of quality. The national examinations to obtain the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at the end of primary cycle and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at the end of secondary cycle are designed to evaluate the extent to which the primary and secondary graduates master the curriculum content. In other words, the national test scores are used as the indicators of quality. The limitation of this indicator is that it does not take into account the context at which learning takes place i.e. the learning environment, learners unique characteristics etc. There are many definitions of quality but one of the descriptions of quality which emphasizes on the context was by Coombs. In his definition, Coombs (1985) suggests that quality: à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ pertains to the relevance of what is taught and learned to how well it fits the present and future needs of the particular learners in question, given their particular circumstances and prospectsà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ in the nature of its inputs (students, teachers, facilities, equipment, and supplies); its objectives, curriculum and educational technologies; and its socioeconomic, cultural and political environment. (p. 105) From his definition, Coombs puts context into consideration i.e. needs of the learner, cultural and political contexts. In addition, he emphasizes on the relevance of what is taught and learned and how it fits the nature of particular learners in question. The fact that CFS emphasizes on learner-centered pedagogy and puts the child at the centre or focal point in the learning process raises the idea of what is regarded as valuable knowledge and how this knowledge is acquired in this particular context. This leads us to the inquiry on the school of thought or paradigm behind introducing a contextualized CFS framework. CFS as an approach to education is premised on constructivism, a theory of knowledge arguing that humans generate knowledge and meaning from interaction between ideas and real experiences. According to constructivists, the notions of reality and truth are socially constructed and in different context with the understanding that knowledge is subjective and embedded in mul tiple realities. Thus, quality of learning should be viewed in the context in which it is occurs. Mainstreaming CFS model into the Kenyas educational system: Whose voice Matters? Challenges in implementing CFS in Kenya Access and Quality Dilemma: Which one should be first priority? As I mentioned earlier, one of the role of CFS in Kenya is to improve the quality of learning. But the access to education is still a challenge in Kenya and there is fear that Kenya will not have achieved EFA goals 1 and 2 by the year 2015. As we near the 2015 set deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, at a time when hopes should be high, universal access to primary education in Kenya seems to be slipping away. Many comparative researchers argue that different countries have different educational problems and it is the countrys obligation to identify what should be the priority and why. Aksoy (2008: 218) insists that: While developed countries are mainly engaged in activities to increase the quality of education, or they practice and seek new techniques and methods of learning and teaching, developing countries struggle to provide equal opportunities for education, trying to increase the rate of participation of all citizens in basic education, which is actually compulsory. To deal with its educational problems, each country works out countrywide or local solutions, depending on the nature of the problem. The tone of such statement is more closely allied to the question of priority. Priority in one country may not be a priority in another. In Kenya, the major problem basic education is facing is of access while higher education is facing the problem of quality. CFS focus more on quality, but in the Kenyan context, access to education is still a problem in basic education even after the introduction of FPE. The CFS concept of quality can however suit very well in small state commonwealth countries which have almost universal access to basic education. It has been noted that small sates have now shifted education priorities towards focus in school effectiveness, quality and inclusion (Crossley Watson 2003) and CFS in Kenya should learn from small states that the priority should now be on access to basic education before shifting to quality. Atomizing the child: is child-centred the solution to quality CFS? A key feature of a right-based, CFS system is that it is linked tightly to the child-centred learning process. CFS advocates for child-centred learning where a child is treated as a single entity or an atom in learning processes. The idea of atomizing a child has its drawbacks derived from child-centred learning. First, there is an oversight on early year development behaviour of the child. Psychologists believe children undergo various levels of development and their learning behaviours are different at each level. For instant, Vygotskys (1978) concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) implies that a child cannot ordinary create ZPD by himself; he needs the more expert individual to bridge the gap between his current development level and his proximal level of development. Secondly, a child-friendly, democratic learning environment may not work successful in overcrowded classrooms and school with limited resources like it is the case in Kenya. Thirdly, child-centred learning weakens the role of the teacher. The idea that a child must be active in construction of knowledge is often understood to imply a diminishing role for the teacher in learning process who now becomes a coach or a facilitator. A call for paradigm renovation, from an exclusively child-centred learning to a combination of both child-centred learning and teacher-centred learning approach is important so that the weakness of one method is complemented by the other method. Several comparative studies concur with this blended approach. What Lessons can Kenya learn from other Countries in Implementing CFS? A Review on the Contribution of Comparative Research The term that is commonly used in Kenya and indeed many Africa countries in the initial processes of designing an educational policy is benchmarking. Essentially, this is usually a comparative study which is carried out either locally and/or internationally in trying to compare different models of policy framework with the aim of critical adaption or adoption. Lessons are well learnt when a comparisons are made, and this underscores the strength and significance of comparative research. Moreover, since problems transcend national borders, it is prudent to seek possible solutions from a similar experience in another country, and this explains why international research is important. Kenya can learn from other countries that are either progressing or failing to implement CFS because lessons can either identify opportunities or gaps, based on comparative analysis. The first lesson to be learned is that documenting the emerging good practices and lessons learned within the regions is useful in informing evidence based programming and advocacy to enable us to achieve better results. For example, a Global Evaluation Report published by UNICEF in 2009 on comparative studies of how to six countries (Guyana, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand) with different experiences implementing CFS, demonstrated the following: CFSs in varying contexts successfully apply the three key principles of CFS models-inclusiveness, child-centredness and democratic participation. Schools operating in very different national contexts, with different levels of resources and serving populations with different needs have succeeded in being child-centred, promoting democratic participation, and being inclusive. Schools that had high levels of family and community participation and use of child-centred pedagogical approaches had stronger conditions for learning, that is, students felt safer, supported and engaged, and believed that the adults in the school supported the inclusion and success of each student. (UNESCO, 2009) Kenya can use this success report to assist in providing a broader perspective on the ways in which CFSs can contribute to quality in the countrys unique context. The caution should however be that any steps taken should have hindsight of the current context in the country to avoid uncritical transfer of practice which may end up opening a Pandoras box. Secondly, through CIR, studies of educational systems that share similar problems can provide information for learning possible consequences. A recent comparative evaluation research conducted by UNESCO in Nigeria, Gunaya, Thailand and the Philippines on CFS pedagogy gave different findings. While teachers in Nigeria and Guyana mainly focused on meeting basic instructional material needs (textbooks, paper), many teachers in Thailand and the Philippines focused on having greater access to information and communication technology (UNESCO 2009). Kenya experiences the same challenge as Nigeria and Gunaya, and data from these countries can be used to learn how they coping with inadequate basic instructional material. The caution here should be, that common problems may prevail in different countries, but common model cannot be applied because each country has different culture/context (Crossley Watson, 2003:39). This provides invaluable information of what to adopt, modify or avoid. Conclusion It is worthy reiterating Crossley'(2003) emphasis that context matters and different countries have different needs and priorities even if they are faced with the same challenges. The value of CIR is studying foreign systems of education in order to become better fitted to study and understand our own (Sadler 1900, reprinted 1964:310). Thus, this essay has not provided, and has not sought to provide, solutions to empirical problems affecting CFS, but has presented an overview of the contribution of CIR in improving successful implementation of CFS in Kenya. As such, the essay acknowledges the role of CIR in stimulating critical thinking and reflections about CFS system, its success and failures, strengths and weaknesses. This critical reflection facilitates self evaluation in our own context and the basis for determining appropriate courses of action. The article also hints that CIR helps us understand global agendas and how they shape educational development projects from organizati ons and development agencies like UNICEF. Recommendations and Way forward for Comparative and International Research in Education While policy borrowing and cross-national educational comparison have been central concerns of the field of comparative education since its inception, political, economic, and cultural changes worldwide have challenged comparativists to consider new questions of power, politics and relevance in relation to educational policy transfer and diffusion processes. First, it has been argued that politicians who talk about educational development or economic development talk less about education and its role in economic development. This means that if comparative researches are to have their voice heard, then it should focus on strengthening multidisciplinary directions both in vertical and horizontal orientation. Secondly, in 1980s, comparative education focused majorly on the issue of policy, but it has now been shifted to qualitative research with an aim of gaining information at grassroots level. This has been catalyzed by the fact that culture is a complex phenomenon and understanding i t requires researchers to focus more on specific, small-scale contexts.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Creative Spark Talk Analysis Essay
Sir Ken Robinson is an educator, respected author and leading advocator for changes to the educational system. A Professor believes that the education system needs to be more creative and stop preventing creativity. Sir Robinson speech on ââ¬Å"How Schools Kill Creativityâ⬠; given on February 2006; at TED conference in Monterey California. It focuses on the education system goals and the educators understanding the process of developing a successful system. The focus of his speech is how schools do everything they can to dissuade children from being creative. He is advocating for a monumental change in current educational systems that nurture and promote creativity. The education system profound way of how the selection process of the employee, prevents the out-of-box thinkers from maintaining their creativity growth. Stages of Creativity Robinson begins his talk referencing how we have become a society that deeply vested in education. He goes on to say todayââ¬â¢s children have incredible talent but we waste it through our current educational systems. He discusses how we have become a society that is educating for 50 years in the 2065 we really have no idea what the future will look like in five years. In looking at the four stages of creativity, it is easy to see how the current educational systems stifle creativity. Stage one according to Ryan Ruggiero is searching for challenges or ââ¬Å"meeting challenges in an imaginative, original, and effective wayâ⬠(Ruggiero, 2012). Robinson discusses how our educational systems have become more about mathematics and science and less about the arts. Young children are willing to take aà chance. If they do not know an answer to a question, they are not afraid to go for it or of being wrong according to Robinson. Robinson makes an excellent point that ââ¬Å"if you arenââ¬â¢t prepared to be wrong then you will never come up with anything creativeâ⬠(Robinson, 2007). Stage three, which probably the most important deals with investigating the problem. It is important to make sure you obtain the necessary information to deal effectively with the problem. The last stage is stage four, which involves producing ideas. It is importa nt to make sure you generate enough ideas to decide which action you should take. Concepts of imagination and Curiosity Almost the entire talk Robinson gave revolved around creativity and imagination. Robinson discusses how todayââ¬â¢s society has become dependent on rising through the ranks by achieving different degree levels. He explains that in order to rise to different levels there is too much focus on answering questions accurately and too much focus on when mistakes occur. Personal experiences and Benefit Society I remember not doing well in my Biology class and my instructor challenge me to change location in the classroom. I did not believe that the seat selection was the problem, but changing the seat eliminated the surrounding distraction and my grades highlighted the improvement. I took that same approach to the rest of my classes and the results astonishing. I believe at that time most of my teachers had written me off, but as an educator you have to seek ways more creative approach to capture and develop the students minds for thinking out of the box. I have learn from that experience and lecture, we as educators in the educational system have to be open to ideas and develop different methodology that will help our learners to mature and produce different avenues of approach to accomplishing a task. Sir Robinson talk was quite eye opening for me and has made me take a more analytical approach to how I even educate my children. References Robinson, K. (2007, January 6). Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity? [Video file]. Retrieved from Youtube.com website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY Ruggiero, V. R. (2012). The Art Thinking. The art of thinking: A guide to critical and creative thought (10th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Longman.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
The New Fuss About Preparing an Outline for Research Articles and Thesis
The New Fuss About Preparing an Outline for Research Articles and Thesis To begin, you're going to want a great topic and a strong focus so as to receive your paper outline rolling. How to structure the outline is undoubtedly a topic of private opinion. You might also state what kind of approach it is you'll use in your paper for the full discussion of your topic. For your research paper example to get going, you ought to announce your introduction with few sentences that show what sort of research questions you are going to be asking. Preparing an Outline for Research Articles and Thesis - the Story You should begin with the thesis of the paper, and thus do not begin using subheadings. Read guidelines to learn what numbering you ought to use for the biggest chapters, their subsections, and little elements. All your headings have to be equal in significance or importance of one another. Now you have to make sure to create your other headings and sub-headings have verbs ins ide them. Remember that the primary goal of the research paper is to demonstrate your abilities to work on your own and demonstrate the reach of your knowledge on several topics. A well-made outline is crucial in locating substantial info and keeping track of large quantities of information from a research paper. Conducting a research isn't any doubt an elaborate affair and with all these tasks to do, it isn't uncommon to eliminate consistency if there is absolutely no outline. Fantastic research paper's examples almost always concentrate on novel suggestions to address which will be of value in the area. To begin with, you should have an outline to assist you determine just what you'll be searching for. It might be helpful as you're developing your outline additionally to write down a tentative collection of references. The more points you would like to include, the more elaborate outline you'll ever have. By studying various outline samples, you're guaranteed to come up with the ideal research paper outline in almost no time. The Basic Facts of Preparing an Outline for Research Articles and Thesis How to make an APA research paper outline If you've got to write employing the APA format, you should stick to the general rules of making the outline. Utilizing an outline template can assist the student organize the paper and eliminate the ideas that aren't pertinent to the use of the essay. Making an APA outline is the very first matter to do in developing a structure on what's going to be written in the paper and the way it's written. Completing an MLA outline will guarantee your research paper format is accurate. You can also see speech outline. You might also see program outline. A great outline has become the most crucial step in writing a superb paper. Developing a fantastic outline is important in an additional composing of your research paper. The Lost Secret of Preparing an Outline for Research Articles and Thesis The report covers its most important elements and offers valuable examples. The overwhelming majority of scientific reports can be simplified into the next constituent parts. Sooner or later, you will find that all of the research paper examples will allow you to start and get you moving in the proper direction for you to reach the very best possible mark you are able to. If you take a close look at research paper outline examples, you will observe there are several strategies to present the major body. Planning is certainly a necessity, and all the ideal research papers examples come from effective planning. Summarize what you've said earlier in your dissertation, and following you are finished, return and revise! After reading the thesis, there ought to be no doubt precisely what the research will be about. An outline is vital when a student has to handle a concise assignment of 1000 words or less. Writing a research paper is as essential as performing the true research or experiment itself and can seem to be an extremely daunting undertaking. In order to start outlining the research paper, determine why you're researching the subject. If you've ever done a research before, then you know it's hard to find the best results if you don't use an outline. Whether you do a very simple research or a complicated one for a larger project, a research outline can help you receive the best outcomes. The paper comprises a 1 paragraph abstract. The debut of the research paper outline should have a thesis or hypothesis that illustrates the claim the paper is attempting to prove. A research paper outline, though, will additionally have a hypothesi s or thesis as a portion of the introduction. It is preferable to use complete sentence outline structure, if your paper needs to be formatted in MLA. What You Should Do to Find Out About Preparing an Outline for Research Articles and Thesis Before You're Left Behind An outline is essential for all sorts of research papers. After all, you're making a paper outline so that it is possible to guide yourself towards starting a research paper, so naturally, you won't wish to enter the literature review practice. Ask any professor or academic and they're going to tell you the research paper outline is the main portion of the entire process. The research paper outline will help to clarify the topic of the research paper, guide the subject matter to remain on course, and helps to begin the writing of the true research paper. Research Paper isn't a task for a single day. An individual should realize that every Research Paper is a sophisticated writing because it must contain distinctive research and distinctive idea. Research papers are almost always exciting to read. They are a major part of the educational process, and many instructors require students to provide an outline of their research paper before they actually write it.
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Morality from Different Perspectives in aP by John Updike
What does it take to behave morally and ethically? Do all people know what morality is and how it can be measured? Certainly, every single person has his or her own set of moral ideas and concepts of right and wrong. Consequently, various people may understand morality differently. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, morality is conformity to ideals of right human conduct. [1] In this research paper I would like to prove that morality can be seen differently for a different person under the same circumstances. I have based my research on a story AP written by John Updike. Though ââ¬Å"APâ⬠is a short story, it definitely has a very deep message. Personally, I believe that John Updikeââ¬â¢s writing speaks about moral concepts and decency.â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦In this part of my research paper I would like to talk about Sammy, the protagonist, and his understanding of morality. Sammy is a nineteen-year-old boy, who works at the checkout line at AP where the story happens. He seems to be a little bit sarcastic person, because he is quite faultfinding with his clients and co-workers. For example, he calls one of the older cash-register-watchers ââ¬Å"a witch with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows, who would have been burned over in Salemâ⬠[5] However, he becomes literally mesmerized by Queenie when the girls in swimming suites show up in AP. He describes her as ââ¬Å"a queen walking straight on slowly on these white prima donna legs.â⬠[5] Certainly, we may notice that in case with Queenie Sammy is physically attracted, because he sees nothing, but her physical appearance, body, and outfit. Certainly, this reaction is very typical for a nineteen-year-old man who meets an attractive girl. Obviously, it doesnââ¬â¢t even occur to Sammy that wearing bathing suits in a supermarket or any public place is not quite appropriate and ethical no matter how cute the person is. Consequently, he believes that Queenie and her friends have acted absolutely morally while his manager has been undeservedly rude with them. However, I think that Sammyââ¬â¢s quitting the job the way he has done shows his immaturity and desire to be a superhero in front of girls rather than a protest against injustice. That is why when heShow MoreRelated Comparing Updikes AP and Joyces Araby Essay1336 Words à |à 6 PagesComparing Updikes A P and Joyces Arabyà à à à à à à à à à John Updikes A P and James Joyces Araby share many of the same literary traits. The primary focus of the two stories revolves around a young man who is compelled to decipher the difference between cruel reality and the fantasies of romance that play in his head. That the man does, indeed, discover the difference is what sets him off into emotional collapse. One of the main similarities between the two stories is the fact that the mainRead MoreJohn Updikeââ¬â¢s Portrayal of Individualism vs. Conformity in Society2079 Words à |à 9 PagesA society consists of a community of people living together and sharing customs and traditions. Once immersed in this society, one can begin to see certain standards woven into the social fabric of the community. These standards, ranging from not walking into public areas scantily clad to not embarrassing people in front of others, are usually unspoken and sometimes cause strife. Young adults often find these standards to be extremely restricting and favor freedom of action over the collective controlRead MoreAn Analysis Of The Unknown Citizen By F. H. Auden2316 Words à |à 10 Pagesthe rules that are made for the society. On the other hand, the short story ââ¬Å"A Pâ⬠by John Updike and the play ââ¬Å"Antigoneâ⬠by Sophocles there is a conformist character which enforces the rules set in place, and a rebellious character which goes against the principles of society. Each author depicts a character to represent the conformist and rebellious individuals within todayââ¬â¢s society. Within the three different literary writings there is a character that acts as a conformist. W.H. Auden created
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Two Views of the Mississippi by Mark Twain Essay - 1113 Words
Jerry Bradshaw Assignment #1 ENG 112 1-23-08 Two Views of the Mississippi One may argue that certain learned abilities become instinctual over time and through repeated practice. I do not believe there could be any solid proof for this theory. Instinct can be defined as something that we do without even thinking about it, yet when we are in a panicked state, we usually tend to forget some of those learned habits and react in a way that truly is pure instinct, having nothing to do with anything we had previously learned. Mark Twain writes of ceasing to note the beauty of the river while steamboating, implying that once you have learned certain practices, they become almost innate qualities. That is not to say that they becomeâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦After about half a dozen loaves, I was bored and ready to buy Aunt Millieââ¬â¢s all over again. The intricate details of recipe, water temperature and other variants became something I memorized. It no longer took any measure of time or celebratory ritual to do what once was so exciting. Twain discusse s his loss of excitement of what was once new and exciting. He gives the reader a chance to take in his first reaction and then he repeats his memory of that very same scene ââ¬â only now he uses his current reaction. The second description is void of all poetic language. The river no longer has any human characteristics. Twainââ¬â¢s second description reads like a book of directions or an employee handbook. Twainââ¬â¢s use of language is quite effective in differentiating his newly acquired view of the once marvelous scenes he beheld. The beautiful ââ¬Å"splendor that was flowing from the sunâ⬠is now only an indicator that this particular sun ââ¬Å"means we are going to have wind tomorrowâ⬠. The ââ¬Å"black and conspicuousâ⬠log is now just an indicator that the river is rising. An interesting distinction between descriptions in this piece appears in Twainââ¬â¢s use of the phrase ââ¬Å"boiling tumbling ringsâ⬠when talking about his first glimpse of them. In his practical view of the river he actually places the word ââ¬Ëboilsââ¬â¢ within quotations, whereas his first description leaves the word boiling just the way it is ââ¬â to imply that this river wasShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Importance of Mark Twain in American Literature840 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Importance of Mark Twain in American Literature Mark Twain is important to American literature because of his novels and how they portray the American experience. Some of his best selling novels were Innocents Abroad, Life on the Mississippi, Huckleberry Finn, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In these books, Mark Twain recalls his own adventures of steamboating on the Mississippi River. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born on November 30, 1835 in a small village of Florida, MissouriRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain922 Words à |à 4 PagesSamuel Langhorne Clemens went under a pen name of Mark Twain when he began his career as a writer. Born on November 30, 1835, Mark Twain went on to write a couple of novels that have become known as an American classic. One of his most famous novels is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which was published in 1884. The novel follows the journey and adventures of a boy named Huck and a runaway slave named Jim. In chapters twenty-one and twenty-two, Twain uses diction, character, and setting to establishRead More Samuel Langhorne Clemens Essay1140 Words à |à 5 PagesSamuel Langhorne Clemens or commonly known as Mark Twain was an American writer and humorist. Twainââ¬â¢s writing is also known for realism of place and language, memorable characters, and hatred of bad faith and oppression. 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Monday, December 16, 2019
Genetic Modified Food Free Essays
Introduction Food is any material consumed to provide nutritional support for the body which it is probably from plant or animal that holds important nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, or minerals (Shah, 2006). Despite the importance of the food but it will be harmful in human health if it was genetically modified. So, genetically modified Food, is food that has been well genetically altered. We will write a custom essay sample on Genetic Modified Food or any similar topic only for you Order Now Furthermore, they are foods products from genetically modified organisms that have had their DNA changed through genetic engineering which the DNA is the chemical inside the nucleus of a cell that transmits the genetic orders for making living organisms. So, Genetic engineering can be completed with plants and animals like for example, the most mutual modified food that resulting from plants are soybean, canola, cotton seed oil and corn (Shah, 2006). In addition, the benefits of genetically engineered food such as food will be tastier, more nutritious food, the plants and animals grow faster, some medicinal foods that could be used as vaccines and decreased use of pesticides (Shah, 2006). This assignment will shed the light on the history of GMF, the advantages and disadvantages, discussing the role of the food industry in the marketing of the GMF and perform the opinions of government and food companies about GMF. To define more genetically modified food, which it is food that produced by changing the DNA of an organism, which probably done with a plant that make food. It begins by inserting a gene in organismââ¬â¢s genome to create new characteristics (Organization, 2012). Moreover, these characteristics contain a confrontation to wildflowers, pests or herbicides, growth rate will increase faster and improved nutrients. Moreover, people can produce hereditarily modified food by altering the amount of the genes in an organism by simply adjusting the genes. Furthermore, the history of genetically modified food started since scientists discovered that DNA can transmit between organisms in 1946. The first product of genetically modified food crop was a tomato created by California Company in the early1990s which they called it Flavr Savr tomato that it have been submitted to the US food and drug administration in 1992 (Organization, 2012). However the aspect of GM food has received much criticism after marketable introduction of these in the form of making them accessible to the general public. The food industry has grown and stabilized strongly, because of the increasing demand of the population for food resources (Nataliya Moglina, 2010). To keep up with it, the food providing companies or farmers had to adjust in their production plans, one of the methods besides good marketing, was to genetically modify the crops of plants and the meat sources (Nataliya Moglina, 2010). Over the past decade, consumers have showed a high level of anxiety about the safety of the food source, which consumers asked for assurances that food is free from materials such as pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. Moreover, some consumers accepted on the benefits of chemicals in the food production that resulted in cosmetically perfect fruits and vegetables at low price. It has been seen in the previous researches that the worldwide consumers respond negatively towards food products made from genetically modified food which they try to avoid taking and consuming GMF because of the risks and negative effects on the human health. Some studies in US showed a higher acceptance from consumers on biotechnology and genetically modified food than other countries. Furthermore, China, India, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia are the main countries are working on modified crops in Asia. Nevertheless, in developing countries only little acceptance have been showed toward genetically modified food. In my opinion, most of the consumers they mostly refuse using genetically modified food because of the risks on their health such as liver cancer, allergies, heart diseases, and colon cancer and it may damage nerves system. However, the marketing is promoting the product and attract people to buy these products even if they are harmful on their health also it help them to achieve more sales. Recently, genetic modified food is being consumed in a big amount to provide peopleââ¬â¢s needs of food according to the increasing numbers of the population, which it produces cheap, safe and nutritious foods. The advantages and disadvantages of GMF caused diverse opinions and arguments in different countries (Amin, 2011). So the advantages of GM foods such as, good quality of food, offer inexpensive and nutritious food like carrots with more antioxidants, provide food with a greater shelf life like tomatoes hat taste better and last longer, produce food with medicinal benefits for instance bananas with bacterial or rotavirus antigens, and produce crops that require less chemical application, such as herbicide resistant canola. Despite the many advantages to genetically modified food there are also several disadvantages. The main impact is that genetically modified foods are original and it is difficult to know all the coming effects it might be on human health and environment (A min, 2011). Another disadvantage is the possible impact it could have to human health, like for example some of new genes that are inserted into food can be resilient to specific antibiotics, so when we eat these products the effectiveness of antibiotics might be reduced. Also new allergens could be suddenly created and well-known allergens might be transmitted to new foods, for instance when the genetic factor of the peanuts was taken and put in a tomato so people that are allergic to peanuts could be allergic also to tomato (Amin, 2011). Genetically modified food endures a debatable subject which some experts trust that the future of GM crops is at a crossroad (Biggs, 2007). Some genetic modification of food has helped producers more than consumers because it gives more products faster which can be sold to the consumers and most of the consumers cannot accept to get specific nutrients from genetically modified food (Biggs, 2007). So, the future of GM foods seems to depend on purpose of issues linked to cross-pollination and change of existing crops, the viability of small farms, consumer benefits, and other worries (Biggs, 2007). After the appearance of genetically modified food, some people were against of using these products according to the risks on their health which the other side of people was with using these products because of the advantages (Biggs, 2007). This issue leaded to debates and different arguments such as, the government was against of using these products so it has decided to introduce classification of genetically modified food to protect consumers from misuses of producers and providers of biotechnology products ( council, 2007) . Also it will allow for the consumers to choose between genetically modified or non-Genetically modified food. So the labeling polices depend on the supposition that the industry is incapable or unwilling to recognize the risks that inherited in their GMF products (council, 2007). Thus, the government gets involved in the market with obligatory labeling policies to ensure consumer protection from possible health and safety risks related with depletion of GM food. Moreover, environmental activities, religious administrations, professional associations and other scientists have worries about GM food so it seems that everybody has a strong view which most worries of GM food separated into environmental dangers, human health risks and economic concerns (Herbert, 2005). From my side am impartial, I command and approve with some of the advantages that GMF have, like feeding the hungry mass of people and enriching the world economy by constantly providing the food supply to sell and buy. On the other hand I find the cons are more harmful and despicable, the gene engineering of an organisms is harmful to the human body in an indirect way, no proven studies but some rare cases brings the big question. Conclusion In conclusion, hereditarily modified food they are food that provided by crops and their genetic has been changed to develop their agricultural qualities. As I have mentioned about the positive and negative impact such as the grow rate of the plants will be faster some medicinal foods that could be used as vaccines and decreased use of pesticides. However, the disadvantages mostly effects on peopleââ¬â¢s health and cause disease due to misusing of herbicides on the crops. So in my opinion GMF has the potential to solve several of the worldââ¬â¢s hunger and starvation problems and to protect the environment from the over using of chemical pesticides and herbicides and GMF should be a good solution for the worldââ¬â¢s increasing population because it reached six billion and it might double in the coming 50 years and according to growing population many people will die and mare children will be suffer starvation because of food shortage. References Amin, L. (2011, September 29). Risks and benefits of genetically modified food. pp. 1-3. Association, N. S. (2007, March 6). Genetically Modified Crops . pp. 4-5. Biggs, A. (2007). Biology . New York: National Geographic . Chapman, J. (2006, December 2). History of genetically modified food. Retrieved November 24, 2012, from How to cite Genetic Modified Food, Essay examples
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Bobjones Essay Example For Students
Bobjones Essay Differences and Similarities: Apollo and DionysusIn Greek Mythology a rivalry always occurs between certain Gods and Goddesses. In the case of Apollo and Dionysus there is no exception. They are half brothers, both sons of Zeus and they compete just as most brothers do. Though the two Greek Gods, Apollo and Dionysus, were actually very similar in some ways, they severely contrasted in others.Dionysus, son of Zeus and Semele and Apollo, son of Zeus and Leto, both were born under strange conditions. Dionysus was born from the thigh of Zeus after being fully grown, and Apollos mother, Leto, was in labor for nine days with him because Hera did not want him to be born and would not give Leto a safe place for the child to be delivered. Both these Gods have the need for power and a very creative drive. They spent their youth recruiting new worshipers for their respective cults in which they started, each cult showing their divinity. They are both associated with the phenomenon of ecstasy, meaning to stand outside oneself. In one such case, Apollos priestess Pythia was overcome by his spirit and began speaking in tongues. Also when possessed by Dionysus, his followers similarly changed there normal actions, breaking into wild dances and experienced a rapturous sense of union with their God. This shows how they made contact with humans, but in very different ways. The Differences between Apollo and Dionysus are not difficult to see. Though both Gods are associated with music and dance, their musical styles are dissimilar. Apollo plays the golden lyre, which invokes feelings of harmony and serenity. Dionysus, on the other hand, invents the timbrel, it is a drum beaten to furious, erratic rhythms that express his compulsive nature. Apollo retains abstract intellect, he is an educator of young men, and promotes logical and rational thought. Dionysus desires irrational power, he liberates humans to explore there potential for emotional and behavioral extremes, he allows his unconscious to flourish, and he is embodied by spontaneous emotion.Greek tradition said that each year Apollo left his sanctuary at Delphi to live with the Hyperboreans, a mythical tribe inhabiting the extreme north. When he did that, Dionysus reigned in Delphi for the 3 winter months. During these months a noticeable change would come over people. Spontaneity came over everyone, and the concept of rational thought would be lost until Apollos return. Obviously Dionysus was much more liberal when compared to Apollo. One would clearly be able to see these noticeable similarities between Dionysus and Apollo, but I feel that their severe differences are not as obvious. When taken into consideration, half-brothers that are both Gods would not be deemed such opposites. Their characters express extreme parallels of personality, one being passive and the other more aggressive. I believe that for all of Apollo and Dionysus similarities, that they are more different than anyone would conclude. It doesnt seem that they would meet eye to eye on any one subject and that their only real connection is the father that they share. Words/ Pages : 540 / 24
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