The Role and Influence of Mass Media

Topic 5: The role and influence of mass media Since the development of technology, mass media becomes an important part of modern society. It influences all areas; therefore, it is raising a question among people about what are the role and influence of mass media. The term mass media refers to the channels of communication (media) that exist to reach a large public audience (the mass of the population). Mass media includes newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and more recently, the Internet (Kristin& Susan, 2002).Mass media is an efficient supporter in education, policy, entertainment, finance, and all other fields. One function of mass media is education. Mass media supplies an enormous source of documentaries on a wide range of topics such as animals, behavior, geography, history, or art (Kristin& Susan, 2002). The information is extremely helpful with students at any levels. Additionally, mass media contains many visual documentaries, which make learners easier to see and us e theories rather than only reading text.Secondly, there are many educational children’s programs like teaching children to count or recognize words, or introducing them to different societies and cultures (Kristin& Susan, 2002). There are also many programs which help parent to solve their kids’ problems. Fox example, the book â€Å"Good parent bad parenting†, which is published by Lulu. com publisher on February 2 in 2004, is one effective product of mass media which help parents to educate their children. The mass media is also a useful aid of policy. Almost all of politicians use the mass media to promote their positive images or political opinions.There is an example of using the mass media to advertise during his campaign of the United State President Barack Obama: The GOP group announced that they were going on air with a $25 million of advertising to buy in most of the major battleground states to counter a pro-Obama advertising campaign of the same amou nts (â€Å"Obama campaign,† 2012). Moreover, some ministries use the mass media to introduce new policy and to take feedback from the populace. For instance, the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport presented a new policy about taking fare of transport on Monday, January 1st 2012 (â€Å"The Ministry of transportation,† 2012).After a few days, they received many opinions among the public, which included positive and negative feedback so that they could correct this policy. Another important function of the mass media is entertainment. Since the development of the mass media, the entertainment industry has been more and more successful to approach the public. There are many entertainment programs available on TV, radio, or the Internet every day. The variety of entertainment programs make them suitable for all types of viewers. On TV nowadays, there are some special channels for people interested in travelling, discovering, cooking, shopping, etc.For example, cable TV has ne arly one hundred of channels of all fields, which are very useful. One type of the mass media, advertising, brings benefits to both entertainment industry and economy. All producers use advertisements to introduce their products to public with an aim to sell goods. However, with the dense appearance of advertisements, advertising can be seen as one type of entertainment. Besides the positive influence, there is so much negative influence of the mass media. Firstly, the mass media contains so much unsuitable content that affect badly everyone, especially the children.Some violent programs on TV or on the Internet make children aggressive and make them use violence to solve their problems exactly like what they have seen on the mass media. A recent review of sixty-seven studies that investigated the influence of TV violence on aggression in children found that three-quarters of the studies claimed to find some association(Kristin& Susan, 2002). One noticeable example about this issue is about the juvenile criminal named Le Van Luyen. He intended to kill four people in a family to rob their gold (â€Å"Le Van Luyen kill mercilessly,† 2011).His bloody crime was quite a disaster. However, it also has been available in mass media for a long time. Therefore, his images and crime were available on all types of mass media. This led to another terrible crime of a younger criminal named Dao Van Tai. He killed two people to rob property. When being asked by police, he admitted committing this crime by copying the crime of Le Van Luyen (â€Å"The second frightened murder,† n. d). Secondly, mass media sometimes invades people’s privacy. Celebrities and politicians are usually the victims because they receive more concern from society than others.The mass media industry sometimes uses private details to make profits rather than showing the full view of somebody’s live to the public; hence, mass media public their scandals or bad behaviour. These i nvasions are bad for their profession or even destroy their reputation. Mass media even is an origin of spreading out secret information of the government. Once the secret information is leaked out, it will be available all over the world rapidly through mass media. For example, the latest intelligence of the United States, which is flooded in all types of the mass media, is the secret information of the war in Afghanistan.The information really makes the United States nervous. Washington fears it may have lost even more highly sensitive material including an archive of tens of thousands of cable messages sent by US embassies around the world, reflecting arms deals, trade talks, secret meetings and uncensored opinion of other governments (â€Å"Afghanistan war log,† n. d). The mass media may contain misleading information, which has negative impact on the public. Since some information in the mass media is misreporting, misquoting, rumor, or exaggeration, people do not know w hich one is reliable; therefore, they waste time reading wrong information.That is so confusing! Mass media plays an important role in modern society. It can have positive influence on one side and negative impact on the other side. The public can not refuse its advantages by only seeing the disadvantages of the mass media. However, people must have an overlook to the mass media so that they can take advantages of mass media as much as they can! END WORDS COUNT: 994 REFERENCE LIST: 1. Book: Kristine, B. & Susan, H. (2002), Academic encounters- Life in the society, New York, Cambridge. 2. Web document:Afghanistan war logs story behind biggest leak in intelligence history (n. d). Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://www. guardian. co. uk The second frightened murder in Vinh Phuc (n. d). Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www. kenh14. vn Obama campaign: Crossroads ad campaign is â€Å"dishonest† (2012), from http://www. pilitico. com The Ministry of transportation explain the reasons for fare of transport (2012). Retrieved November 1, 2012, from http://www. vneconomy Le Van Luyen killed mercilessly people (n. d). Retrieved November, 2011, from http://www. vnexpress. net

Justinian’s Military Battles Essay

Justinian carried on the unending war against the Persians with mixed success. His general Belisarius lost a battle at first in 528, then completely routed the Persians at Daras, near Nisibis (June, 530); but on 19 April, 531, the Romans were defeated near Callinicum on the Euphrates; in September a peace was arranged on fairly equal terms. The emperor then conceived the plan of reconquering Africa and Italy, lost to the empire by the Vandal and Gothic invasions. In 533 a fleet of five hundred ships set sail for Africa under Belisarius. In two battles the Romans annihilated the Vandal kingdom, took the king, Gelimer, prisoner to Constantinople, and re-estabished the authority of Caesar in Africa. In 535 Belisarius sailed for Sicily. The island was conquered at once. After a reverse in Dalmatia that province was also subdued. Belisarius in 536 took Rhegium and Naples, entered Rome in triumph, seized Ravenna, sustained a siege in Rome till 538, when the Goths retired. A second general, Narses, then arrived with reinforcements from Constantinople; Milan and all Liguria were taken in 539, and in 540 all Italy up to the frontier of the Frankish Kingdom was reunited to the empire. In 542 the Goths revolted under their king, Totila; by 553 they were again crushed. Narses became the first Exarch of Italy. Verona and Brixia (Brescia), the last Gothic strongholds, fell in 562. The Roman armies then marched on Spain and conquered its south-eastern provinces (lost again in 623, after Justinian’s death. ) Meanwhile the Crimean Goths and all the Bosporus, even the Southern Arabs, were forced to acknowledge the rule of Rome. A second war against the Persians (540-45) pushed the Roman frontier beyond Edessa. From 549 to 556 a long in Armenia and Colchis (the Lazic War) again established the empire without a rival on the shores of the Black Sea. So Justinian ruled once more over a colossal world empire, whose extent rivaled that of the great days before Diocletian. Meanwhile the emperor was no less successful at home. In 532 a very dangerous revolt (the Nika revolution), that arose from the factions of the Circus (the Blues and Greens), was put down severely. Bury says that the result of the suppression was â€Å"an imperial victory which established the form of absolutism by which Byzantine history is generally characterized†. (Later Roman Empire, I, 345).

Biomedical Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biomedical Ethics - Essay Example In most cases than not, passive euthanasia results to prolonged suffering for the patient because of cessation of pain alleviating interventions. This is in direct contravention to the foundation upon which euthanasia is laid as a principle of alleviating patient’s pain and suffering. On the other hand, active euthanasia involves the injection or administration of a substance(S) that causes the swift and painless death of the patient. This is more in line with the original intentions of allowing euthanasia to be an option in medical practice. Active euthanasia ensures that the patient does not suffer anymore as long as the decision is consensual and legal. The AMA’s postulation can be construed as an attempt to shield doctors from blame that might emerge from controversial ethical issues that result from cases where euthanasia is involved. Another explanation for AMA’s support for passive euthanasia over active euthanasia despite the clear indications of which mo de is more effective and considerate is to protect/control doctors from using euthanasia unconventionally in practice.Where death is concerned, there is no moral justification for the phenomena because death is always perceived as a bad thing by everyone in society. The AMA’s distinction between passive and active euthanasia as a moral question does not apply to euthanasia because of the moral conditioning of society with regard to death. It would be more appropriate to apply ethical considerations on the matter of euthanasia.... This is more in line with the original intentions of allowing euthanasia to be an option in medical practice. Active euthanasia ensures that the patient does not suffer anymore as long as the decision is consensual and legal. The AMA’s postulation can be construed as an attempt to shield doctors from blame that might emerge from controversial ethical issues that result from cases where euthanasia is involved (Pence 242). Another explanation for AMA’s support for passive euthanasia over active euthanasia despite the clear indications of which mode is more effective and considerate, is to protect/control doctors from using euthanasia unconventionally in practice. Where death is concerned, there is no moral justification for the phenomena because death is always perceived as a bad thing by everyone in society. The AMA’s distinction of passive and active euthanasia as a moral question does not apply to euthanasia because of the moral conditioning of society with rega rd to death. It would be more appropriate to apply ethical considerations on the matter of euthanasia because the way it is executed heavily relies on ethics. The humanitarian principles that support euthanasia are based on the sound morals of alleviating pain and suffering (Pence 309). Thus, AMA’s assumption that passive euthanasia is more morally correct than active euthanasia; it is a selfish notion meant to serve and protect only one aspect of the two sided affair. The trolley problem presents a situation where one is faced with the difficult task of making a life and death decision between the life of five people or one person. Application of morals in this situation is not appropriate because there is no viable measure or gauge for

Product Launch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Product Launch - Essay Example American Goods Wholesale Club (AGW) is a service provider and also carries actual products. Our company will tap into the market of patriotic American consumers whiles promoting products that already exist for both local consumption and export. AGW Club will provide a platform for manufacturers to display and promote their products while servicing its members with their needs. Manufacturers determine their prices but will be at a discounted rate compared to how much they will sell it to other retailers. Product owners will be paid when the product is sold. The marketing mix offers a very competitive pricing for AGW Club members, a solid medium for manufacturers and very low to no inventory cost for the company. AGW Club is situated in Virginia, United States of America. The club has also planned to expand the company in other states in the future with enhanced growth and prosperity. Moreover, the club also has an online store for providing services to members of the club across Ameri ca in a more efficient manner. Product Description AGW Club also facilitates in promoting products manufactured in America and in marketing those products to its members. Moreover, AGW Club acts as a medium for manufactures and the products are offered to the members of the club in accordance with their requirements and preferences. The products are procured from manufacturers at a discounted rate in comparison to price determined by manufacturers for offering those goods to local retailers. Contextually, it has been aimed to conduct a product launch in the emerging market of China with the motive of improving the international market exposure of made-in-America products and to enhance profitability of the club. The developing economy in China will assist the club in performing its business operations in an effective manner. Product Positioning Product positioning is the strategy of offering the products to customers in the market segments in an appropriate manner. The American Good s Wholesale Club (AGW) is required to determine the appropriate market segments where the products of the club will be mostly in demand as well as will be consumed in the market of China. The product positioning strategy will also enable the club to provide their products in the market successfully. The products which are to be provided in the market of China should be differentiated from products which are offered by competitors. The club should provide quality products which are mostly in demand by Chinese consumers due to the changes in buying behavior primarily owing to the developing economy of China as well as due to the advancement of technology. Moreover, the club is required to follow a differentiation strategy with the motive of meeting the requirements of Chinese markets as well as to perform business operations in a competitive manner. The differentiation strategy will enable the products of the club to be differentiated form the competitors as along with facilitating it to obtain loyalty of consumers. Contextually, distinct product features and unique selling proposition of the offerings need to be identified by the club in order to highlight that distinctiveness appropriately. The positioning strategy of the club needs to be maintained thoroughly and it needs to be ascertained that positioning of the

Decline in the American middle class Research Paper

Decline in the American middle class - Research Paper Example They then define what we come to know as white collar jobs and blue collar jobs. These classifications show the diversity of this social stratum in a way that only emphasizes their vast contribution to the growth of the nation and what they fundamentally embody, the American people. The ruling class, many would argue, pertain to the country’s upper class that holds wealth and a monopoly of power. But rather than being antagonistic against this other class, most Americans aspire to be part of it by becoming rich. Contrary to the privileged few, a survey show that around 45% of Americans identify to being in the middle class. These people include highly educated professionals such as lawyers, doctors, engineers and managers. They are classified into living in the suburbs and partaking of other posh activities including country clubs. Similarly, another face of the middle class includes small business owners also called the ‘petit bourgeoisie’ among others. â€Å"Th us, in subjective terms, the middle class is the largest single class in American society, but in cultural terms, it is highly diverse because so many different lifestyles are represented within it† (Kornblum 275). There is no doubt that there really has been a drastic decline in the country’s middle class. ... This is down by 21% from the 1970 recorded 65% of families as middle income. To show the discrepancy, one-third of the families in the same area classified as affluent or within poverty increased from 15% in 1970. This study was conducted through a census involving 117 of the largest metropolitan areas throughout the United States. It is part of US2010 funded by Russell Sage and Brown University. What this implies, Stanford sociologist Sean Reardon explicates, is that the next generation will see the most effects. More children will have less access to better education and child care. In a sense, the affluent families will be isolated to their own class with less interaction coming from public amenities such as schools and transportation. This could perceptively affect future investments and public policies for the benefit of mostly the middle class population. The gap between the rich and the poor is also seen in test scores and consequently college education. More children from wel l to do families are able to complete college compared to low income earners (Tavernise, n.p.). The disparity in education is an easily apparent effect of the continued decline of the middle class. As the gap between income increases, more and more of those from the higher strata are able to afford the increasingly high cost of university education. The bulk of the middle class are in turn become unable to support sustained tertiary education in expensive private institutions. This then becomes a vicious cycle as those from lower income families often begin their career without college education. Education is universally known as a determinative factor in professional success. More

Forensic Questioned Document Examinations Essay

Forensic Questioned Document Examinations - Essay Example Forensic question document examination is also used to analyze documents that are being disputed. For instance, if there is any question that a document is legitimate, then a question document examiner will analyze the document to determine its validity. This is especially necessary in cases where fraud may be present. In some instances, question document examiners are asked to be witnesses in cases (Koppenhaver, 2007; Southeastern Association of Forensic Document Examiners 2010). To have a clear analysis of forensic question document examination, it is fitting that we look at both the advantages and the disadvantages of this element of forensics. First, we will analyze the advantages of question document examination. One advantage to using question document examination is that this element of forensics can enable forensic personnel to extract a number of very elaborate and extremely valuable details that will aid in speedily solving crimes and determining whether or not a particular document is fraudulent or valid. . There are a number of different technologies that facilitate this. For instance, there are techniques to determine what types of inks are used to write documents, which not only works wonders in determining validity but can also point to a particular suspect. Techniques, such as â€Å"high performance liquid chromatography and infrared spectroscopy with principal components analysis and linear discriminate analysis† facilitate the forensic classification of inks from various ballpoint pins (Kher, 2006). . When one knows the type of ink that has been used to write documents, this will possibly narrow down suspects because efforts will then be focused on analyzing documents written in only that particular ink and looking with pens that contain that particular ink at the crime scene, which will bring forensic personnel one step closer to solving the case. Then, there are the numerous analysis techniques and various technologies that enable

Social Development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Development - Coursework Example The social development process continues even after the child crosses into adolescence, through the youthful stage to adulthood. This means that social development is based described as a process of organizing human activities and energies at higher levels in order to achieve results. It also refers to development of emotional maturity and social skills needed to relate to other people and forge relationships. Often developing the understanding the needs for other people and empathy is also included in social development. For children to develop socially, children must interact with adults and their pears alike in a socially acceptable manner. They need to develop social skills in order for them to be able to fit into various social scenarios and form healthy relationships. Parental interactions are the key building blocks for a healthy social development among children. Through providing lots of love and attention to children, parents bond strongly with their children allowing them to grow in secure, comfortable and socially healthy environment. As a child grows and approaches maturity, his or her language skills becomes better, making social emotional development, as well as social interaction with her or his peers an essential part of his life, as he/she gets involved with the adults and other children around him/her. When the child approaches preschool, friendship increasingly become more vital. During this stage of social development, a child often prefers playing with friends of same sex and begin to form â€Å"best friend† relationships with selected peers. Approval and attention of the child’s friends and peers, as well as significant adults become increasingly vital to children of preschool age. At this preschool age, a child becomes more focused on seeking parents and friends’ approval. A child prefer playing with friends or parents or alone. He or she starts showing strong desires for independence and insists on making own prefer ences and choices in food, clothing, activities and so forth. Most of children at this preschool stage of social development, still require assistance and supervision of their parents in order for them to get necessary supplies or settle arguments. Most of the social development skills are often acquired at this preschool stage as children share, learn and take turns. Social Development in Children Milestones Early years of a life of a child present unique opportunities for a child’s healthy development. Researchers have shown that five years of a child’s life are very important. This are the formative years of a child and are characterized by both negative and positive experiences, which help in shaping a child’s social, cognitive, emotional and behavioral development. Emotional and social development milestones are somewhat harder to specify compared to those of physical development. In this area, the various skills involved include self-control, emotional dev elopment, and self-awareness are reflected in a child’s ability to pay attention, empathize, cooperate with others, make smooth transitions from activity A to activity B, and other skills. Studies have shown that social development in the skill of a child are very essential especially in school readiness for children. They also play a significant role in the social integration of a child in school. At 2 years, a child really starts to play interactively with peers. A child experiences real explosion in pretend play, which is the most critical

Negotiations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Negotiations - Essay Example The requirement to move the opponents from their preferred solution could motivate individuals involved to go against contemporary ethical standards; they could employ inappropriate influence tactics so as to gain compliance from the other. Guasco and Robinson put the ethical argument in context noting that â€Å"what is one negotiator’s appropriate tactic is another’s unethical trick† (2007, p. 135). Approaches to ethical reasoning In business negotiation, various standards have been used to evaluate tactics, as identified by Lewicki, Barry and Saunders (2007). The end result tactic would be applied where the negotiator chooses to adopt an action based on the expected results. Duty ethics would cause the negotiator to choose a course of action based on such person’s duty to uphold suitable rules and principles. The third standard referred to the fact social contract would cause one to choose a specific course of action based on the strategy, values and no rms of an organization or community they exist in. Finally, personality ethics would cause one to choose to follow a specific course of action based on personal convictions. ... Here, the negotiator aims at distorting the settlement point. For example, a buyer willing to spend up to $10,000 on machinery could indicate to the buyer the willingness not to spend more than $8,000. This tactic has been noted to be necessary in creating a rationale that would make the opponent make concessions. According to Lewicki, Barry and Saunders (2007), negotiators who make extreme demands and have the opponents give in achieve favorable settlements. In bluffing negotiation tactic, the negotiator would falsely state the intention to perform an act. These have been described by Lewicki, Barry and Saunders (2007) as false threats and acts. For example, a negotiator could threaten to undertake a specific course of action should the opponent fail to perform a specific task. But this would be said without any intention to live up to the stated consequences. Guasco and Robinson (2007) argue about the unethical form of bluffing such as the one where a seller lies to a buyer of a pr ospect who has bid a higher price for a car, yet in real sense no one else has participated in negotiations. Therefore, the scholars liken bluffing in negotiation to poker. With falsification, erroneous or incorrect information would be introduced as if it were true (Lewicki, Barry & Saunders, 2007). Some examples include erroneous financial information, false guarantees and warranties. Falsification could be printed or spoken and would be aimed at using erroneous information to distort actual facts, thus changing the position of the opponent. The fourth negotiation tactic, as identified by Lewicki, Barry and Saunders (2007), is known as deception. Here, the tactic would attempt to manipulate the logical and inferential processes of the opponent so as to cause incorrect deduction or

Whittier Narrows Nature Center Field Project Essay

Whittier Narrows Nature Center Field Project - Essay Example The Nature Center is open from 8am-5pm Tuesday – Sunday. It is also free to enter the nature center. It surprised me a lot because most of the nature parks in China usually have to pay for the ticket. The latitude of the park is 34Â ° 2 3" N and longitude is 118Â ° 2 43" W. The San Gabriel River and Rio Hondo flow through Whittier Narrows only a mile apart. There are a lot of activities you can do at Whittier Narrows Nature Center, such as hikes, walks, bicycle riding,guide-led natural tour, nature day camps and a bird walk. There is also a wheelchair accessible trail available as well. When I first arrived to the park, I walked around a circle from entrance A to F. There were a lot of interesting things to see. The landscape of the Whittier Narrows is flat, dry and monotonous. The center is also bordering the San Gabriel River, this 400 acre preserve of riparian woodland features 4 lakes. If you visit there during summer, many plants and animals can be found in a wetland community. The two rivers San Gabriel and Rio Hondo River flows through the area and they are only a mile apart from one another (David and Guyette 79). San Gabriel River drains the second largest water in Los Angeles while Rio Hondo is a stream that only flows during the rainy season. The floor of the area is filled with the silt, sand, and gravel that are transported from the rest of the watershed north of the gap. When I visited the area, the temperatures of the day was around 86Â °F, the sky was cloudless, humidity was 7 percent, wind speed was 5 mph and it was flowing towards the northern direction. Over the course of the season, the temperatures varies from 48Â °F to 80Â °F, in few occasions it goes below 42Â °F and above 85Â °F, during that day, the temperatures were above the normal temperatures (David and Guyette 79). The climate of Los Angeles is moderate; it is similar to Mediterranean climate, the rainfall changes depending on the season, the summers are

Showing cardiovascular and ventilatory responses at rest and during exercise Essay Example for Free

Showing cardiovascular and ventilatory responses at rest and during exercise Essay Abstract Objective: The objective of this experiment is to analyse how the cardiovascular and respiratory parameters are affected by steady state exercise. Method: The experiment was split into two stages, rest and exercise. A spirometer, an ECG, a Douglas bag and a blood pressure monitor were used at rest on the subject. In the exercise phase a Douglas bag and the blood pressure monitor were used to measure the subject’s volume of air and blood pressure respectively. Results: A positive correlation was calculated for the heart rate, total volume, oxygen consumption, CO2 production, pCO2, and % of CO2, minute volume, ventilation rate, mean arterial pressure and the number of breaths when the subject was exercising. The pO2, the %O2 and the respiratory quotient showed a negative correlation in the exercise phase. There was no significant change in the diastolic pressure in the exercise phase. The change in tidal volume, the systolic pressure and the pulse pressure during the exercise phase showed to vary against theoretical values and would require further studies to explain these readings. Conclusion: In conclusion many of the parameters that were calculated supported previous experiments; however the tidal volume, the systolic, diastolic and the pulse pressure were not conclusive enough to observe any significant trend. Introduction The human body is a complex machine with many mysteries yet to discover. When the human genome project finished we had learnt much about our DNA and how complex the structure is. We had just scratched the service of our true potential. Our DNA plays a major role in whether we have a good or poor cardiovascular system. This is also the same for our respiratory system. Environmental factors also contribute to how effective our cardiovascular and respiratory system can be. Every so often people from different ethnic backgrounds complete against each other in events such as the Olympics and World athletic championship. Studies have shown that when exercise begins there is a rise in the cardiac output that is a consequence of an increase in the stroke volume and heart rate due to the increase in blood circulation, there is a redistribution of the blood to the working muscle by vasodilation and vasoconstriction of the arterioles (coote, 1995). With this the body adapts to changes during steady state exercise to optimise the performance and to prevent any injuries than can occur. Steady state exercise is when the body is performing at a moderate level of exercise producing a balance between production of lactic acid and the removal of lactic acid through oxidation (Thompson, 2008) Exercising on a daily basis results in an individual maintaining a healthy and balance lifestyle. A study in North America showed a group of elderly individuals between the ages of 55 to 70 performed aerobic exercises for four months. The results showed that the experimental group improved their maximal oxygen consumption by 27% (Steinhaus, 1983). This study shows that even at senior age, exercises improves the resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure at rest, sleep habits, well being, hemodynamic and overall lifestyle changes. This study also included anaerobic exercises which too showed an improvement of the individual’s health. On some occasions the production of lactic acid exceeds the removal of lactic acid. This usually occurs when the VO2max is between 55% and 65% in healthy and untrained athlete, however in highly trained endurance athletes this value can reach at 80% (McArdle, Katch Katch, 2006). This is known as the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA), which refers to the level of lactate in the blood reaching around 4mM. L-1. Exercise physiologist traditionally used VO2max as the main benchmark to measure endurance exercise. This however does not fully explain all aspect of the athlete’s ability to do well in a race. An experienced long distance athlete commonly trains slightly above the point of OBLA (McArdle et al. , 2006). Currently measuring exercise intensity by the OBLA has been a more effective and accurate way in indicating the individual’s level of fitness (McArdle et al. , 2006) The causes for OBLA have not been conclusively proven; as many believe it represent the point of muscle hypoxia which is when there is an inadequate supply of oxygen that is being sent to the muscles (McArdle et al. , 2006, p 320). However the muscle lactate accumulation does not necessarily coincides with hypoxia, because the lactate in the blood can be formed even when there is a sufficient supply of oxygen. Nevertheless the imbalance between the production and elimination of lactate in the blood can cause OBLA (McArdle et al. , 2006). In this experiment the aims were to use different equipment to measure a range of cardiovascular and respiratory parameters and to investigate the ways in how the body of a healthy young individual responds to the changes when undertaking aerobic exercise at a stead state level at different intensities. The cardiovascular parameters were the heart rate, mean arterial pressure, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and the subject cardiac rhythm using an electrocardiogram. The respiratory parameters were the tidal volume, vital capacity, oxygen and CO2 percentage, the number of breath in each minute, ventilation rate, oxygen consumption, CO2 production, the respiratory quotient and to analyse how the aerobic response changes at different intensities. Material and method This experiment was performed by using the guideline set in the University of Hertfordshire ‘Level 1 Human Physiology Practical Booklet’ code number 1LFS003. The following changes were made and these amendments were about the level of resistance. At level two the exercise power was changed from 80W to 75W and the same went for level three from 110W to 100W. And instead of using only two levels that were indicated in the practical booklet at page 20, a third level was initiated which had a workload of 75W. When using the spirometry, instead of using a counter-balance gas holder with a writing pen attached to the counterweight, all spirometry parameters were recorded using the computer and the subject just has to inspire and expire through a tube that is connected to the computer. Results The subject’s BMI was calculated using his height and weight measured before the start of the experiment. The total practical time was three hours in which the first hour was used to measure the control variables and ECG. The remaining two hours were used to test the different physical levels and write down the data. The %O2 was measured in the Douglas bag decreased as the intensity of the exercise increased; while the %CO2 was increasing resulting in the pCO2 and the pO2 to increase and decrease respectively. Both the O2 consumption and the CO2 production increased with each level; however the rate of CO2 production was greater than the rate of O2 consumption causing the respiratory quotient to be higher than one. The number of breaths where increasing as the intensity of the exercise increased, but the value for the control was higher than each level. This caused the total volume of air in the Douglas bag to increase but the total volume of the control was higher than level one but not for level two or three. As the volume of air increased so did the ventilation rate and the minute volume. However the tidal volume did not have a linear pattern. Between the control and level one there was a sharp increase in the tidal volume, but during level two and three the tidal volume started to decrease. Figure 1 shows the CO2 production and the O2 consumption at the different exercise intensity. There was a large increase in the subject’s heart rate from the control to level one and from level one to level two, but from level two to level three the heart rate started the plateau. Figure 2 show how each exercise power affected the heart rate of the subject. The systolic pressure increased dramatically from the control to level one. But there was a decrease in the systolic blood pressure from level one to level two and eventually a rise in the systolic blood pressure from level two to level three. The diastolic pressure decreased from the control to level one and from level one to level two the diastolic blood pressure increased. At level two to level three the diastolic pressure decreased. Both the diastolic blood pressure at level one and three was lower than the control value, which caused the pulse pressure to be similar during level one and three but the pulse pressure during level two was very different. With the changes of the blood pressure that occurred during each level the mean arterial pressure increased gradually from the control to level three. Figure 3 shows how the blood pressures were affected by the change in the exercise intensity Before the exercise we tested the subject’s lung function by using a spirometer. Figure 4 shows the respiratory parameters of the spirograph. The ratio of the force vital capacity (FVC) and the force vital capacity expired in one second (FEV1. 0) was above the normal value of 85% (McArdle et al. , 2006, p 298). An electrocardiogram was also carried out to determine the subject’s heart rate and to analyse each wave of a single cardiac cycle. Figure 5 shows the ECG of the subject showing the different waves in a single cardiac cycle. The T wave represents the repolarisation of the ventricles, the P wave represents the depolarisation of the atria, the QRS complex is the depolarisation of both ventricles, as the ventricles is larger in size than the atria; the QRS complex has a larger peak and trough. The RR interval is the time taken for the R wave to appear again on the ECG (Fox, 2011). The ECG shows that the subject has a normal heart rate subjected to his age. Discussion Our major findings is that there is a decreasing trend in pO2, %O2, the respiratory quotient, and the diastolic blood pressure while there is an increasing trend in pCO2, %CO2, heart rate, systolic and mean arterial pressure, all respiratory parameters except for the O2 levels. As the exercise power increased the %O2 and the pO2 decreased which causes the working muscles to require more oxygen to keep up with the demands of the aerobic intensity. However the level of expired CO ­2 that is collected in the Douglas bag increased as the intensity increased. This is due to the increase production of CO2 in the working muscles during respiration. In all, the level of oxygen consumed and CO2 produced caused the respiratory quotient to be slightly above one. The respiratory quotient is the ratio between the total amounts of CO2 that is being produced to the amount of oxygen needed (McArdle et al. , 2006, p 240). During the exercise phase, the subject was catabolising the carbohydrates that he consumed prior to the experiment. As the values are very close to one, all the calories were derived from the carbohydrates that the subject consumed (McArdle et al. , 2006) The subject’s tidal volume increased from the control to level 1 where there was a peak at level one. The increase in the tidal volume from the control to level one was when the ‘demand for energy increases, the tidal volume increases by expanding into both the inspiratory reserve and the expiratory reserve’ (Smith Plowman, 2008). However during level two and three the tidal volume started to decrease. This cannot be explained as sources say that exercising actually increases the tidal volume (Garrett Kirkendall, 2000) and so further investigation is needed to be performed at different exercise power. The spirometer was used to measure the subject’s lung function and this instrument would have indicated if there are any obstructions present in the airways. By using the ratio between the FVC and FEV1. 0, the subject can be identified in having any lung obstruction or none at all (McArdle et al. , 2006). The spirometer produced an accurate value of the tidal volume at rest, while using the Douglas bag breathing forcefully can overinflate the bag which can produce an overestimation of the tidal volume. Also determining the number of breaths was difficult as the non returning breathing valve was moving very quickly to accurately count it. The parameters that were measured were the total lung capacity, inspiratory reserve volume, expiratory reserve volume, residual volume, vital capacity, functional residual capacity and tidal volume. The value of the subject’s tidal volume using the spirometer was 1. 5L. This value exceeds the average value of 500ml which has been given in many different studies of a young adult male (Normal breathing, 2010). This shows that the subject has a large lung capacity, indicating that the subject has maintained a good level of fitness. During exercise the heart rate increased due to the CO2 levels stimulating the chemoreceptors in the aortic arch which overall results in an individual inspiring more O ­Ã‚ ­2 and expiring CO2 quickly (McArdle et al. , 2006). With an increase in the heart rate the systolic pressure of the blood vessels also increased. Systolic pressure is the pressure in the aorta when the ventricles are contracting’ (McArdle et al. , 2006, p334), and due to the heart rate increasing at each level the systolic pressure correlates to the change in the heart rate. The diastolic pressure is the filling of blood to the arteries when the muscles are contracting. The trend, with the value at level two ignored, see that as the exercise power increases the diastolic pressure decreases. This is because the blood vessels dilate which in turn reduced the diastolic pressure (R. Noah, personal communication, June 7, 2000). The mean arterial pressure is the average blood pressure of an individual during a cardiac cycle. The value of the mean arterial pressure increased gradually when the exercise intensity increased because of the systolic pressure increasing at a greater rate than the diastolic pressure, which deceased relatively slow. The ECG and the blood pressure monitor were used to measure the subject’s heart rate and blood pressure respectively. Both ECG and the blood pressure monitor measured the heart rate as similar values when the subject was not exercising. While the blood pressure monitor only measures the heart rate, the ECG is used to detect if the patient’s heart is beating normally. The results from the ECG indicate the subject’s heart is beating at a normal rate and rhythm. However during the practical the value of the blood pressure during level 2 did not match with the other levels and the control. The systolic pressure was lower than the systolic pressure of the control. This is due to an error that was occurring with the machine when the subject’s blood pressure was being measured and the fact that the subject was perspiring which caused the machine to slip, making it difficult to acquire an appropriate reading. With the error present at level two the value for the mean arterial pressure was also an anomaly. To make sure how results were reliable a second reading for each level was planned however, there was a time constraint which prevented the use of calculating an average. During the beginning of the practical, the subject found it difficult to maintain the speed of 50 rpm which was prescribed in the practical booklet, which could have made the value inaccurate. Some other areas where this experiment can go further is the difference in the respiratory and cardiovascular parameters between different gender groups. They have been a few studies with regards to male and female such Leddy, Horvath, Rowland ; Pendergest (1997) which mentions the effects of a high or low fat diet on the cardiovascular factor between female and male runners. Another factor to consider is the use of age and how that affects the cardiovascular and respiratory parameters. Introducing subjects who have illnesses such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other cardiovascular co-morbidities would show how the heart is working when it is damaged. The one problem is that the subjects would need careful monitoring by healthcare professional. As this experiment was focussing on the aerobic exercise, an anaerobic experiment can be implemented with subjects that are trained athletes and untrained athletes to see the difference in their cardiovascular and respiratory parameters. You could also include male and female subjects with the similar athletic background to perform some anaerobic experiments to see if there are any significant differences between the two. You could also introduce different ethnic groups and see if there is any significant difference in the results. Reference Coote, J. H. (1995): Cardiovascular responses to exercise: central and reflex contributions in JORDAN, D. , and MARSHALL, J. (Eds): Cardiovascular regulation (Portland, London, 1995), Garrett, W. E. , ; Kirkendall, D. T. (2000). Exercise and sport science. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams ; Wilkins Leddy, J Horvath, P. , Rowland, J. ; Pendergast D. (1997) Effect of a high or a low fat diet on cardiovascular risk factors in male and female runners. . Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 29(1), 17-25 Normal breathing (2010) Amazing DIY breathing device. [online] Available at: http://www. normalbreathing. com/nb-word/DIY-device-short-2010. pdf [Accessed: 5 Jan 2013]. McArdle, W. D. , Katch, F. I. , Katch, V. L. (2006). Essential of Exercise Physiology. (3rd ed. ). Santa Barbara: Fitness Technology, Inc. McArdle, W. D. , Katch, F. I. , ; Katch, V. L. (2001). Exercise physiology: energy, nutrition, and human performance. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams ; Wilkins. Smith, D. L. ; Plowman, S. A. (2008) Exercise physiology for Health, Fitness and Performance. (2nd ed . ). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams ; Wilkins. Steinhaus, L. A. (1983). Cardiovascular Response to Exercise Training in the Elderly. Unpublished thesis, University of Utah, Utah Thompson, G. , James, N. W. ; James, R. (2008). OCR PE for AS. Oxon: Bookpoint Ltd. Raizwan. N. (June 7, 2000). Blood pressure. Message posted on MadSci Network, archived at http://www. madsci. org/posts/archives/jun2000/960410763. Me. r. html. Appendix All the results that were made were placed into a table with each level indicated and the control as well. The table below shows the respiratory and cardiovascular parameters of the subject during rest and exercise. Table shows the cardiovascular and respiratory parameters of the subject at each level and the baseline of the O2  ­and the CO2 in the classroom. To calculate the mean arterial pressure you: As the mean arterial pressure indicates the average blood pressure of a human, the diastolic phase is longer than the systolic phase, hence the reason to multiply the diastolic pressure by two. By using the values of the blood pressure the mean arterial pressure can be calculated: The ventilation rate is the rate at which the air move into the lungs and out of the lungs. This can easily be calculated by the following equation: This is the value at the control level: When calculated the ventialtion rate it is more effective to calculate the mintue ventilation instead as this corresponds to the amount of air that enters and leaves the lung in one minute. This is also a pretty sraight forwards equation: The minute volmume is used to indicate a quantitive value to the minute ventilation as the minute volume is about the amount of air inspired and expired in one minute. The minute volume is the product of the tidal volume and the minute ventilation as shown in this equation: The partial pressure of the two gases, oxygen and CO2 are used to measuere the amount of oxygen and CO2 that are being expired by the body. The equations for the two gases are shown below: The oxygen consumption is the amount of oxygen that the person inspires and transported to the cells by haemoglobin. This is to measure the efficiency of the subject; how much oxygen is that person actually using? The equation is: The CO2 production is the amount of CO2 that is expired from the lungs by the process of gases exchange between oxygen and CO2. Through the process of respiration, the cells produce CO2 as a waste product, and with the help of diffusion, the pCO2 in the cells is higher than in the blood stream so diffusion takes place. The equation is: The respiratory quotient is used to measure what type of fuel the individual is consuming (McArdle et al. , 2006) and the equation is shown below. The peak expiratory flow is used to determine how fast the person is able to expire and is used to test the function of the lungs and to see if there are any obstructions are present. The equation and example are: The equation for the FEV1: FVC and example that was used during the experiment: To calculate the BMI: The value of the subject’s BMI was:

Child Friendly Schools In Kenya Education Essay

Child Friendly Schools In Kenya Education Essay The purpose of this essay is to explore the contribution of Comparative and International Research in the successful implementation of Child Friendly Schools (CFSs) in Kenya. Emphasis will be placed on the background of CFSs, current practices and emerging critics, success stories, problems and pitfalls and what CIR can do to subjugate some of these challenges. I will start by examining the rationale for exploring CFSs, based on literature and my professional experience. Following this background will be literature surrounding the concepts of CIR and CFS in relation to global agendas, exploring how CFS came into existence and the driving forces behind it. I 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. I will further critically analyze challenges facing CFS and how knowledge on CIR can contribute mo re effectively to successful implementation of CFS. A conclusion based on the literature and authors experience will then be drawn. Throughout the essay, I build a case in favour of CIR arguing that CIR stimulates critical reflections about our educational systems by investigating commonalities and differences across national borders. Background and Rationale 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 scholarship in 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 at grass root levels. 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 effects 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 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 World Education Forum (2000) agreed on six Education For All (EFA) goals. The sixth goal conce rned Education quality, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. The term quality in education is dynamic because of the social, political and economic 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. Furthermore, with the fear that some countries may lag behind as others move forward, sub-Sahara countries are now engaging in various practices in order to achieve this goal, a race against the 2015 set deadline for attainment of EFA goals. As the clock ticks towards the year 2015, priority goals in education may change for post-2015 and the worry is further elevated. One of the efforts the government of Kenya is doing to improve the quality of education is by integrating CFS model into the basic education system. Two major questions arise here: First, how is CFS realistic considering myriad challenges facing the FPE policy in Kenya? Secondly, if CFS model is the best practice to go by, what is the role of CIR in successful implementation of the CFSs? It is against this background that the purpose of the essay hinges. Literature Review In this section, I will look at the concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) based on the literature and merge them with the global forces that catapulted the emergence of CFS with an attempt to unveil the voices behind the introduction of CFS in Kenya. In addition, I will use an example of PRISM experience in Kenya to reinforce the understanding as to the role of international bodies in promoting quality through well strategized and executed projects, arguing that lessons from PRISM experience can be used as insights to successful implantation of CFSs. 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: Rights Based School: CFS proactively seeks out-of-school children and encourages them to enrol, irrespective of gender, race, ability, social status, etc. Gender Sensitive School: CFS promotes equality and equity in enrolment and achievement among girls and boys. Safe and Protective School: CFS ensures that all children can learn in a safe and inclusive environment. Community Engaged School: CFS encourages partnership among schools, communities, parents and children in all aspects of the education process. Academically Effective School: CFS provides children with relevant knowledge and skills for surviving and thriving in life. Health Promoting School: CFS promotes the physical and emotional health of children by meeting key nutritional and health care needs within schools. (UNICEF, 2007) Fig 1: Model of the Child-Friendly School Source: UNICEF( 2007. 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). It is important to note that there is no one-way to make a school child-friendly. The model may differ from country to country depending on the context. 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). Rationale for 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. However, there are myriad challenges facing the implantation of FPE policy: 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: accor ding 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 (2006:1): 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, and achieve expected learning outcomes and successfully transition to secondary school. 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 Tikly (2011:10) who argued that: A good quality education is one that enables all learners to realise the capabilities they require to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods, contribute to peaceful and democratic societies and enhance wellbeing. The learning outcomes that are required vary according to context but at the end of the basic education cycle must include threshold levels of literacy and numeracy and life skills including awareness and prevention of disease. In his description, Tikly believes that a good quality education arises from interactions between three overlapping environments, namely the policy, the school and the home/community environments. In his perception of quality education, Tikly 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. This encourages policy makers to take cognisance of changing national development needs, the kinds of schools that different learners attend and the forms of educational disadvantage faced by different groups of learners when considering policy options'(ibid:11). 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 multiple realities. Thus, quality of learning should be viewed in the context in which it is occurs. Towards Quality Basic Education In Kenya: Developing Research Capacity and Evaluation Before we acknowledge the contribution of CFS in providing quality education to the children at Primary school level, it will be prudent to review some of other contributions that has been made by international organizations in collaborations with the local governmet in promoting quality of education at grassroot levels by building research capacity. Kenya has had a history of benefiting from international assistance in its education sector. One of the programmes is the Primary Schools Management (PRISM), an initiative of DfID through the Ministry of Education, which places a lot of emphasis on participatory approaches and emphasis on mobilising community support, resource management and utilisation, supporting learning of pupils and developing action plans. It targeted teacher training and management and the impact of this is overall effectiveness of an education system which has a direct bearing on quality of education. According to Otieno Colclough (2009:26), PRISM is regarded as one of donor-funded programmes which had most positive impact on quality of basic education and CFS can learn from it. As Crossley et al notes, the main objective of PRISM was to improve the quality of primary education through the training and support of head teachers in practical management skills. Borrowing from the PRISM experience it is worthy l earning that well planned and organized CFSs projects involving community participation at grass root level could help tap local voices and lead to successful implementation of educational policies not only in Kenya but also other parts of African contexts. Challenges in implementing CFS in Kenya In this section I will explore common challenges associated with the CFSs concept with an aim of illuminating and critiquing the gap between policy and practice in CFSs. 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) observes 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. What Lessons can Kenya learn from other Countries in Implementing CFS? A Review on the Contribution of Comparative Research Kings (2007) emphasizes the need to explore the tension between the national and the international policy agendas in Kenya in order to make informed decisions when crafting educational policies. Clearly, this is a view that underscores the contribution of CIR researchers in bridging theories, policies and practices with both local and global minds (Crossley, 2000) in trying to identify betters grounds to critically reflect and determine appropriate course of action. Apparently, 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. In these respect therefore, I have identified two key elements of CIR which could help implementation of CFS. The first element is on identification of the gap between policy and practice. 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) and CIR can be used as a lense to focus on adaptable or adoptable practices. UNICEF repeatedly emphasises that CFS is a pathway to educational quality rather than a blueprint and that it is counterproductive to regard the CFS model as rigid, with a present number of defining characteristics or key components (2009c, Ch. 1, p. 9). Thus, the essay sought to present an overview in favour of the contribution of CIR in improving successful implementation of CFSs in the Kenyan context. As such, the essay acknowledges the role of CIR in stimulating critical thinking and reflections about CFSs system by evaluating its success and failures, strengths and weaknes ses. 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 organizations and development agencies.

Government Essay examples -- Analysis, Locke, Mill

According to Hobbes the need to create a form of government arises from fulfilling the need of security. In order for government to provide this security, it is necessary for government to be able to use its authority in any way it pleases. Locke and Mill on the other hand believe that government should be able to provide security for its citizens, but in order to do this government does not need to be large rather it should be limited. Thus, the question arises of how limited government should be in order to provide security. In this case, should government be able to use its authority in any way it pleases as Hobbes argues or should there be a limit placed on governmental power as argued by Locke and Mill? I believe that a powerful government can exist and provide its citizens with the necessary security while being limited. There is no need for government to be large in order to achieve this. Although both Locke and Mill have a just understanding of what the limits of government s hould be, I find Locke’s understanding more persuasive. Locke writes that while government should restrict our freedom in order for us to avoid returning to the state of nature , the amount of restriction should be limited. For Locke, we are all in the State of Nature before any form of government is created (289). And since humans have a tendency to live in groups as well as desire to avoid the State of War, humans subject to a common power creating a common government and giving up natural power. Therefore, once this contract is created it is only then that we step out of the State of Nature. Hobbes, on the other hand, writes that the sovereign should have as much authority as possible to govern as needed. Nevertheless, Hobbes just as Locke belie... ... to be than just this. Mill has the right idea of balancing freedom and limits but that is not enough. Hobbes, on the other hand proposes a well though out government. However, the fact that he believes that in order for government to work it needs to be huge makes me think of a monarchy right away. I believe the people should have the right to speak up for what they believe in as well as have the right to go against government if and when they feel the laws being imposed by government are not moral. However, if we were to subdue to Hobbes form of government we give up any right whatsoever to disagree with the sovereign. Therefore, Locke’s governmental proposal is a balance between that of Hobbes’s and Mill’s. After all, when a man steps out of the State of Nature it is not to create absolute monarchy, as Hobbes believe but to create o form of civil government.

Jazz Age Essay -- Music, Armstrong, Ellington

music alike ( Windfield 240). A lot of musicians were involved, from Louis Armstrong to Duke Ellington. The Jazz movement affected United States history and the future music industry in a variety of ways. Initially, the first jazz is said to have been played by funeral bands that wailed music full of soul and sadness as the followed horse drawn hearses down the streets of New Orleans. It was blues music though (Winfield 157). Many historians mark the start of the â€Å"Jazz Age† on November 12, 1917- the day the Department of the Navy closed a thirty-eight square-block neighborhood known as storyville in the city of New Orleans. Fearing the health of its sailors, the navy shut the doors of Storyville’s brothels and nightclubs, forcing hundreds of New Orleans musicians to search elsewhere for the livelihoods (Friedwald 157). After storyville was closed down, jazz musicians began moving north to take up permanent residence-several dozen of them landing in the great migratory target of Chicago alone (Shipton 132). From Chicago, jazz quickly migrated to New York City. That is where jazz became popular on the radio (Shipton 137). Jazz grew up in variety of venues as diverse as America itself-in taverns, ballrooms, gambling clubs, and hotels. Musicians at little clubs with their tiny audiences was where their music flourished (Shipton 143). Many Jazz musicians spent the most part of their adult lives in clubs, drank there, ate there, avoided the draft, and met their ends (Shipton 144). In addition to how Jazz started, there were plenty of musicians involved in the movement. One of the most impactful players were Louis Armstrong. Louis hardly had a family at all and raised in New Orleans’ Negro red light district (Friedwald 342). From th... ... like in places such as Britain, Germany, and France. That was helped on having it being radio broadcasted. Jazz introduced other stuff like the birth of Bebop, Free Jazz, and Smooth Jazz (Shipton 850). In conclusion, November 12, 1917 was an important day since it was the start of â€Å"Jazz Age when the Navy closed down a neighborhood named Storyville in New Orleans. Every musician involved helped to shape the music of Jazz. African Americans were able to express their feelings and make some money to play in bands. People in the music industry now use some jazzy kind of music and do not even know (Winfield 427). If was not for the jazz movement we probably would not be able to enjoy the music going on now. Many people call jazz America’s most original art form of music, but the great trumpet player Louis Armstrong would say its form is just unknown. (Szwed 457). Jazz Age Essay -- Music, Armstrong, Ellington music alike ( Windfield 240). A lot of musicians were involved, from Louis Armstrong to Duke Ellington. The Jazz movement affected United States history and the future music industry in a variety of ways. Initially, the first jazz is said to have been played by funeral bands that wailed music full of soul and sadness as the followed horse drawn hearses down the streets of New Orleans. It was blues music though (Winfield 157). Many historians mark the start of the â€Å"Jazz Age† on November 12, 1917- the day the Department of the Navy closed a thirty-eight square-block neighborhood known as storyville in the city of New Orleans. Fearing the health of its sailors, the navy shut the doors of Storyville’s brothels and nightclubs, forcing hundreds of New Orleans musicians to search elsewhere for the livelihoods (Friedwald 157). After storyville was closed down, jazz musicians began moving north to take up permanent residence-several dozen of them landing in the great migratory target of Chicago alone (Shipton 132). From Chicago, jazz quickly migrated to New York City. That is where jazz became popular on the radio (Shipton 137). Jazz grew up in variety of venues as diverse as America itself-in taverns, ballrooms, gambling clubs, and hotels. Musicians at little clubs with their tiny audiences was where their music flourished (Shipton 143). Many Jazz musicians spent the most part of their adult lives in clubs, drank there, ate there, avoided the draft, and met their ends (Shipton 144). In addition to how Jazz started, there were plenty of musicians involved in the movement. One of the most impactful players were Louis Armstrong. Louis hardly had a family at all and raised in New Orleans’ Negro red light district (Friedwald 342). From th... ... like in places such as Britain, Germany, and France. That was helped on having it being radio broadcasted. Jazz introduced other stuff like the birth of Bebop, Free Jazz, and Smooth Jazz (Shipton 850). In conclusion, November 12, 1917 was an important day since it was the start of â€Å"Jazz Age when the Navy closed down a neighborhood named Storyville in New Orleans. Every musician involved helped to shape the music of Jazz. African Americans were able to express their feelings and make some money to play in bands. People in the music industry now use some jazzy kind of music and do not even know (Winfield 427). If was not for the jazz movement we probably would not be able to enjoy the music going on now. Many people call jazz America’s most original art form of music, but the great trumpet player Louis Armstrong would say its form is just unknown. (Szwed 457).

Change Management :: essays research papers

Change Management Abstract How do people survive in the changing business world today? Some people even excel with the dynamics of change. In today’s business would one must change or be left behind hold the proverbial empty bag. Wonderful leaders create there own opportunities and fight for what they believe in. During a transition teambuilding within a company is one of the most important things that will lead a team to success. A successful leader is one that strives to motivate and empower their team to get through the change. A company with leader that can lead their team through change will survive. There are five basic prerequisites for leading a team through transition. The first is knowledge. Knowledge worker are the cornerstone of successful business today. Knowledge workers are creative and treat there co-workers as there customers. The second is Vision. A successful team must have a mission developed and agreed upon by the entire team. They must believe in the mission. The third is Faith. The team must believe in what they stand for. Before a team can build faith they must first have a strong mission and be knowledge workers. Vision is only an illusion without knowledge and a clear vision. The fourth is Initiative. Peter Druker says that â€Å"sooner or later all plans degenerate into work.† In order for a team to be successful they must have initiative. One must make sure that the team fells like they are part of the mission. Thomas W. McKee states that â€Å"initiative without knowledge, vision and faith is misguided energy. Without initiative, knowledge, vision and faith are just a dream.† The final prerequisite is training and development. A company must continually train and develop their employees in order to survive today’s changes. Closing I thought that this was a very well written article and the author makes some very good points. Business today is ever changing and a company must always be ready to change.

Ends, Ways and Means of Us Policy Towards North Korea Essay

â€Å"Ends are defined as the strategic outcomes or the end states desired. Ways are defined as the methods, tactics and procedures, practices, and strategies to achieve the ends. Means are defined as the resources required to achieve the ends, such as troops, weapons systems, money, political will and time. † MG Dennis J. Laich, USAR, Retired President Obama stated in the 2010 National Security Strategy that his administration â€Å"has no greater responsibility than the safety and security of the American people† (Obama, 2010, 4). In order to successfully safeguard and secure America, the administration must have clear foreign policy delineating how it will deal with the various states across the globe that pose potential threats to America. One of these is North Korea. The US policy ends this essay will focus on are denuclearization and the improvement of North Korea’s human rights record. The Obama Administration inherited a difficult situation with regard to North Korea’s continued attempts to advance its nuclear weapons program. The ends of US policy regarding North Korea’s nuclear weapons program is successful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula (Obama, 2010, 23). President Obama stated in his 2010 National Security Strategy, â€Å"if they [North Korea] ignore their international obligations, we will pursue multiple means to increase their isolation and bring them into compliance† (Ibid, 24). During his first term, President Obama chose to continue the Bush Administration’s policy of direct, bilateral diplomacy in effort to reduce North Korea’s nuclear threat (Klingner, 2009, 1). This effort included enforcement of existing sanctions, expansion of the Proliferation Security Initiative and demanding North Korean compliance with U. N. Security Council resolutions regarding the dissolution of Pyongyang’s nuclear program (Ibid). The US continues to use U. N. sanctions and diplomatic effort to reduce the nuclear threat North Korea presents. However, US policy does not focus solely on the denuclearization of North Korea. It also addresses other issues North Korea brings to the international stage such as human rights violations posed on the international front as well. Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is usually considered the main focus of US policy towards North Korea; however, issues such as North Korea’s illicit activities and human rights violations are also of concern (Chanlett-Avery, 2011). The strategy of the Obama Administration is to influence North Korea to improve its human rights record through international pressure and direct support via the North Korean Human Rights Act (Ibid, 13). The North Korean Human Rights Act (NKHRA) authorizes funds to support human rights efforts in North Korea and improve the flow of information to and from the country. It also requires the President to appoint a Special Envoy on human rights in North Korea. Additionally, it allows for North Koreans to apply for asylum in the United States (Ibid, 14). As of 2011, relatively few North Korean refugees live in the US, but the program continues to â€Å"facilitate the unhindered dissemination of information in North Korea† through Korean language radio broadcasts funded through the NKHRA’s $2M annual budget (Ibid). The ways and means of US policy towards North Korea require dedication, diligence and comprehensive confrontation using a combination of all instruments of national power (Ibid, 9). Nuclear proliferation may be the main issue between the US and North Korea, but it is not the only one. The US is also engaged with North Korea in effort to improve Pyongyang’s human rights record and improve the way the North Korean government treats its populace. US policy toward North Korea has proven to be similar to dealing with an obstinate, attention seeking child and will require patience and willingness to use all instruments of power should there be no other alternative.

Vision’s of Light

Applying â€Å"Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography† After watching the film, â€Å"Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography,† I was introduced to the beauty of capturing perfected lighting, highlighting, and shadowing. Before watching this documentary, I never truly focused on how a scene was portrayed and why it made me feel how I did. After careful consideration, I have decided to apply my new knowledge to why I feel, â€Å"A Little Princess† has been perfected by cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki. Furthermore, why I am pleased to know that â€Å"A Little Princess,† was nominated Academy Award for Best Cinematography back in 1996.During the film, â€Å"Visions of Light,† I learned about the importance of how lighting an individual or a certain part of a room can speak for itself. One fact that I found was interesting, was one character in a scene will have more light on them than any others in the room to show the importance of that cha racter in that moment. Another interesting fact I learned was on female actresses, they used flashing to make the image look soft and beautiful. In â€Å"A Little Princess,† Emmanuel Lubezki used flashing during filming.My favorite scenes are of India with the contrast between the richness of whites, oranges, and bright yellows. The cinematography is so soft and beautiful, it can easily consume one. Another scene that takes my breath away, is when Sara wakes up one morning to the light shining into her glass windows. As she gets out of bed, her windows fly open with little snow flakes floating in the air. The light captures it so well, you can see each speck of glittering snow. The rest of the room is dark, while the light strictly focuses on her while she twirls in the snow.It truly is alluring. On the contrary, shadowing and darkening also can speak for itself. â€Å"Visions of Light,† referenced darkening scenes to give off sadness, lonesome, anxious, and horror. It builds up suspense and thrill. This aspect of â€Å"lighting† is applied to â€Å"A Little Princess,† as well. There is such a dullness to New York in the movie. It has colors of green, black and white. Each scene is gloomy and sad. The scene where Sara Crew's father has recently been presumed dead, she is walking up to the attic where she will be living with absolute nothing.During her walk, the long hall behind her is dark with only a few candles lit. As Sara proceeds to walk to her bed, the room is shadowed and darkened, giving the watchers a sense of sadness and loneliness. The way this movies heightens and diminishes colors is quite symbolic. The cinematography captures the beauty in the movie so well, it almost creates the story on it's own. Being more advanced in knowledge, I cannot wait to start comparing differences between movies and how each cinematographer displays their own piece of art.

Case Study One Solved Ethics Essay

Integrity Your son, Mark, has been working â€Å"night and day† on a major contract for his company over the past six months. To substantiate his company’s viability, Mark had to divulge certain private corporate information to Jim—the prospective customer. He gave out the private information during the closing phase of the contract—only after it had been clearly implied the contract would be his. Unfortunately, the contract did not materialize. Jim found a better deal. Mark is really upset by Jim’s lack of business ethics. He is also a little worried about keeping his job. He now believes that many of the statements made throughout the contract discussions and negotiations were false and deliberately misleading. Question OK dad/mom, your son Mark needs some advice. Write him a one-page letter. How should he have handled this situation and what should he do now? Bring your answer to week 2. Dear son I feel very good that you are seeking help of your parents .Being a mother I feel that you should try to keep your professional life a better one and not to reveal any information about the company and the policies to any of the customers as the information and the things of business are very sensitive and may cause a great harm if the person you are sharing with is not loyal. According to me you should have read the policies and the contract before signing any of the document and you should try to avoid such a mistake again in life. With regard to this I must say you should try to consult a lawyer or any law  suit if you find any problem with the Jim. And if you feel that Jim is not doing well and is not standing on the contract made then you should try to avoid revealing secretive information to any of the person and should read the policies and make a suitable contract with only trust worthy person and if you feel like you are cheated or any kind of loss has happened then you must sue or file a case against that person. But the ethics and the last things that comes to my mind is the ethic of honesty and a reliability. You should try to avoid such mistakes in future so that your hard work will become fruitful and you will become a successful business personality.

Education: A Mother’s Struggle For A Child

In â€Å"Kaffir Boy†, Mark â€Å"Johannes† Mathabane†s mother strives to send him to school. She does not let anything get in the way of her ambition. Even though her husband disapproves, she will not let anything get in her way, but now her desires for her son to be educated are stronger. Her courage speaks louder than the consequences she will face with her husband. It seems as though her husband is dealing with a great amount of jealously. A jealously that will decipher Johannes†s decision about school. â€Å"Did you hear what that woman said!† â€Å"Do you want the same to happen to you?† A statement and question raised by his mother to show Johannes the importance of an education. â€Å"They finally did. But what a battle it was, it took me nearly a year to get all them papers together.† Since it took his mother so long to get everything together there was no way she was going to let everything she worked so hard for go down the drain. Even though Johannes†s mother and father were from different tribes, that did not stop her from putting her son in school. â€Å"Your father and I fought today because I took you to school this morning.† Johannes†s mother expresses her courage throughout the story. â€Å"He had told me not to, and when I told him that I had, he became very upset. He was drunk. We started arguing, and one thing let to another.† She shows her courage by disobeying her husband†s orders. Unlike her husband, she wants Johannes to have a future and getting an education is the only way for a future. Being beaten was the consequence of disobeying her husband, but the beating how no effect for Johannes†s mother wanted to see her son succeed in the world. Johannes†s father seems to be jealous that his own son may have a chance to be educated. He says, â€Å"he doesn†t have money to wasted paying for you to get what he calls an useless white man†s education.† It seems that he does not understand that school will keep Johannes off the streets. He, himself being uneducated seems to be the result of not comprehending how valuable an education is. Johannes is extremely upset with his father because he beat his mother, and is also upset since his own father does not want him to be educated. Johannes sees school differently after he learns that his mother has always wanted to go to school. Also, her courage and ambition out weighs his father†s jealously. Johannes makes a decision that will forever affect him. After, he realizes all the trouble and hard work his mother went through, he promises his mother that he will forever go to school.