Law questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law questions - Essay Example This law also applies to situations which consist of an individual entering into contracts to represent a firm which has been established under law. Applying the law to the facts, we understand that Barkley was not eligible to enter into Contract with Chetum. Along with this, Barkley is not eligible to represent the firm of his father in his absence. Therefore, looking at the overall perspective of Contractual Obligations, Barkley could not have entered into a contract with any other party. In case a contract has been entered upon between a minor and some other party, then such contract happens to not be legally binding on the parties although the work of the contract may be carried out and performed by the parties. Issue 2 Whether Knarles is criminally liable for sending a plumber whose license had not been renewed Knarles was aware that the plumber’s license had not been renewed in the current year, and in spite of that his firm had sent the plumber to Chetum’s buildi ng to do the repair work. The question which arises here right now is whether Knarles and his firm are criminally liable under the criminal jurisdiction for engaging a workman whose license had not been renewed. Under the criminal jurisprudence, there is nothing explicitly mentioned with regard to the renewal licence as a criminal liability. However, on the other hand, it is a civil liability the employer should have taken enough precaution to undergo the renewal process. IN this case, Knarles had not renewed the licence of his employee, and therefore on this point the plumber was not eligible to go and work in Chetum’s building. Whether Chetum is liable for Negligence When Barkley had sent the plumber to do the job at Chetum’s building, there were two options present for Chetum to execute: 1. To change the entire Boiler 2. To repair the Boiler When the plumber had gone there to check for the boiler, he had informed his boss Barkley that the boiler needs to be replaced and not repaired. Let us analyse the facts to get a clearer understanding. â€Å"While inspecting the non-operating boiler at Chetum’s building, the plumber notices that the boiler is one that has been recalled by the manufacturer, Housewarm, because of a defect that does not allow all the carbon monoxide produced by the boiler to vent properly. This boiler was purchased by Chetum at a salvage yard and replaced another non-operating boiler. Further, the boiler has been improperly installed, according to the plumber. The plumber notifies Barkley of the problems with the boiler and Barkley immediately notifies Chetum. Chetum tells Barkley that he does not want to purchase a new boiler. He asks if the existing boiler can be fixed to get through the winter months. Barkley calls his plumber who is still at the Chetum site and asks the plumber about a quick fix for the winter. The plumber tells Barkley he would not recommend the quick fix for the winter as this boiler is defectiv e and has been recalled.† Looking at the facts, it can be directly inferred that the boiler which was in the building was defective and should have been replaced. However, to save costs and other expenditures, Chetum did not want that to happen and therefore asked for the boiler to be repaired. It is pertinent to note that the boiler which had been installed int the building was not only improperly installed but also was defective. Therefore there was an urgent need to replace the boiler, which was concurred by the plumber but not approved by Chetum. The

System Analysis Cinema Booking Information Technology Essay

System Analysis Cinema Booking Information Technology Essay Waterfall Life Cycle: Waterfall life cycle is the most familiar and classic life cycle model. It is sometimes referred to as the classic life cycle or the linear sequential model. It the simplest type of life cycle and very easy to use and understand. In the waterfall life cycle, each phase needs to be completed before the next phase can start. Each phase is separate and does theres no overlapping. Requirements Analysis System Design Implementation Unit Testing Integration System Testing Operation Maintenance Phases: Requirement Analysis: Requirements are collected from end-user consultations and then analyzed. A requirement Specification Document is created which guides the next phases of the model. System Design: System design is prepared by studying the requirements specification from the 1st phase. The hardware requirements are specified in this stage and a picture of the overall system architecture is produced. Implementation Unit Testing: In this phase, the work is divided in small units; actual coding starts. Testing makes sure that the software successfully meets the required specification; and that any errors are identified. Integration System Testing: All units are integrated and tested to ensure that the system meets the requirements. At the end of this stage, the software is delivered to the customer. Operation Maintenance: This is the longest phase in the model. The software is updated in this phase to correct any errors, make the software more efficient and to meet the changing needs of the customers. Advantages: It is a linear sequential model Very easy simple to implement; therefore well suited for small projects It is also cheaper Minimal amount of resources are required to implement this model Testing is done after each phase to ensure the project is on the right path Easily manageable because model is rigid; each phase has certain deliverables a review process after a phase is over, which makes understanding of the designing procedure simpler. Disadvantages: High risk uncertainty. Not suited for long projects where the requirements may change. The working software is only produced late during the life cycle. It is difficult to estimate the cost and time for each stage. No back tracking possible; if an error occurred in the earlier stages of the cycle, it cant be corrected for that batch. V-Shaped Model: The V-Shaped Model is very similar to the Waterfall model life cycle, but testing is done upfront instead of later in the life cycle like in Waterfall model. Like Waterfall model, V-Shaped Model is also a sequential cycle and a new phase is only started after the completion of the previous phase. Each development stage is matched with its respective testing stage; Requirements Æ’Â   System Testing, High-Level Design Æ’Â   Integration Testing, Low-Level Design Æ’Â   Unit Testing. V-Shaped model is very useful for systems which require high reliability. System Testing Requirements Integration Testing High-Level Design Low-Level Design Unit Testing Implementation Phases: Requirements: Commences the life cycle; system test plan is created. High-Level Design: Focuses on design system architecture; integration tests are created. Low-Level Design: Software components are designed unit tests are created. Implementation: Coding takes place in this phase. Advantages: Its easy to use; but not as easy as the waterfall model. More chance of success than the waterfall model due to the early testings. Project moves quickly to the implementation stage. Useful for small projects; considering the requirements are easily understood known upfront. Disadvantages: Bugs in the final stage are very costly to fix. Total development time of v-shaped model is more than the waterfall model. Does not contain any risk analysis activities Throwaway Prototyping model: Very useful in situations the users needs and requirements are not clear. The main objective of this model is to validate or drive the system requirements. This model is developed to reduce the requirement risks. This prototype is developed and then delivered to the user for experiments and then it is discarded, hence throw away prototype; and it should not be considered as a final system. Advantages: Requirement risks are fewer If delivered model does not meet the users needs, then it can be discarded and new models can be developed. Disadvantages: Can be undocumented Developers may be push to deliver the throw away prototype as the final system, which is not recommended. System structure may be degraded due to the changes made during the software development process. Evolutionary Prototyping model: In evolutionary prototyping, the initial prototype is developed and it is then refined through number of stages to final stage. The main objective is to deliver the working system to the user. Verification is not possible because there is no specification. Requirement gathering, Refinement Quick Design Building Prototype Refine Requirement End-User Evaluation End Product Refine Prototype Advantages: System development involves the user Working system is delivered fast A more useful system can be delivered Disdvantages: Time required to complete project is unknown. May have problems; Management, Maintenance and Verification problems. Incremental model: The incremental model is similar to the Waterfall life cycle model, but there are multiple development cycles here, which makes it a multi-waterfall cycle. It has an iterative approach (repeating), and each iteration passes through each of the phases. A working version of software can be produced during the first iteration, which means a functioning software is available early in the cycle. 1st Increment Analysis Test Code Design 1st Increment delivery 2nd Increment 2nd Increment delivery Analysis Test Code Design nth Increment Test Code Design Analysis nth Increment delivery Time Advantages: Working Software can be developed quickly early during the life cycle. Its less costly to change requirements therefore; Flexible. Easier to test and fix errors End-users get to see working software early in the software development life cycle. Disadvantages: The total development cost is higher Well defined project planning is required to distribute the work properly. Spiral Model: Also known as Spiral lifecycle model. This model combines the features of the waterfall model and the prototyping model. The Spiral Model is most commonly used in large, complicated and expensive projects; and constant review is needed to stay on target. The main area in which Spiral model is used is Game development due to the constantly changing goals size of the large project. Cumulative Cost Progress 1. Determine Objectives, Alternatives, Constraints 2. Evaluate alternatives. Identify, and resolve risks. Review 3. Development Tests 4. Plan next Phases Advantages: Important issues can be discovered earlier, which makes estimation of budget schedule more realistic reliable. Good amount of risk analysis Really good for large projects Software can be conceived early in the life cycle. Flexible allows for multiple iterations. Disadvantages: Not suitable for smaller projects Success of the project depends on the risk analysis Costly Requires knowledgeable staff; for risk analysis. 2. Identification of the Functions and Purpose of a Systems Life Cycle. The systems life cycle is a series of well-defined phases in the development of systems. It is very important that a project should meet the required specification, should be within budget and delivered on time. Large system developments can take a long time to be developed and can be very costly too; therefore most organisations use the systems life cycle (stages) to develop systems because it saves time isnt as costly. Programming Maintenance Installation Design Feasibility Study Analysis 1. Feasibility study Different solutions are examined in this stage. First step of this stage is to discover the funds available and then compare with the benefits of the company, in view of their requirements because sometimes in order to arrive at final decision a trade-off (give and take) has to be accepted e.g. less functionality for less cash. There are three different options that a company could choose: Options Benefit Cost Performance Company does not change anything No interference to the business. Least cost System remains outdated. Less efficient N/A Company updates half of the system Least efficient parts are redesigned to improve performance while best parts of the system are not changed Moderate, light training for staff 40% improved Complete upgrade More profitable High, New equipments, Upgraded Software, Training for staff. 80% improved (over the old system) 2. Investigation and Analysis Investigation First step of this stage is to investigate the old system and problem it is causing. There are different ways to find out the problems: Questionnaires and Interviews Observing people using the old system Following the information from the point it enters the system till the point of output. Taking the cause of the problem These steps should lead toward the true cause of the problem Analysis The next part is to analyze how the existing system works how information is handled and how people interact with it. To Analyze, different methods are used e.g. System diagrams This shows the dealings between different systems in the company or outside. System diagram shows how they interact and what depends on what and so on. Data Flow Diagram This shows the movement through the system, how the system deals with the information, how information flows through the system, how dose it connect and disconnect and what the outputs are. Process Diagram This shows how people interact with the system for example an employee makes a claim, first it will go to manager who will counter-sign the claim it will then go to account manager who authorizes payment and so on. 3. Design This stage defines the system in greater detail and the best way to start this stage is to write down exact details of the new system e.g. The data Inputs The data Outputs Screen Layouts Documents that are printed out Procedure of the data that flows through the system The structure of any files that store data How information is accessed And so on The testing procedure comes after the system has been built. In my opinion it is really useful to build a test procedure before starting to build a system because, if you know how the system will be tested, it will lead you towards a better design. Prototype Prototype is something that allows you to build a program without having to worry about the details, it is to confirm that design is likely to work. The master document created in this stage is called System Requirement Document. 4. Programming This stage takes the design forward and put it into practice and this stage take place when the client has agree on what needs to be done (Requirement Specification) and the Analyst has clearly described what needs to be done(System Requirement Document). There are several terms involved in this stage so it is reasonable to break down the System Requirement Document into sections that each can develop. At this stage following things may take place: The software developers write code The hardware people develop equipment The testing team develops test plans The user-testing groups follow the test plans and check the system works as expected 5. Installation Now the system is developed and tested and it is working correctly and doing what client wanted. The key events in this stage are: Data conversion: Data stored on the old system are now converted into the correct format for the new system. System Change Over: switch off the old system and turn on the new system, which is not as simple as it sound. Alternatives Run the old and new system in parallel for a time Customer does not care what your IT system is made up of, they are only concerned about their order. One method is to run the old system along the new one, then in the quiet time the new system store the old system data and is then fully loaded and ready to go. Training Training is the vital part of this stage, staff training must take place. Staff needs to be shown how to use the new system How to access help when they run into difficulties Member of a development team should be available on call A user manual should be available for staff 6. Maintenance The new system is running smoothly and it will need to be looked after so maintenance stage takes care of the following that can take place: Problems are cleared as they occur Tweaks to the system are applied to improve performance The system has to be moved due to office movement Data is backed up and kept safe Equipment are replace as required Basically this stage never ends until the new system becomes old and is then switch with new system. 3. Undertake a User Needs Analysis (UNA) for your system. SYSTEM USED: CINEMA BOOKING SYSTEM UNA is the first stage in the system development process. UNA in system developing includes task that is demanded by the user for new or different system. Requirements must be actionable, measurable, and testable and must be related to user needs. The best way to undertake UNA in my view is to have a workshop with the users who will use the new system. This will give me one clear idea of what the new system must do. When working on developing the new system Ill have a better idea of what users wants from the new system, keeping every users requirements in mind. So Ill set up a workshop, in which Ill ask users what they want from the new system. I will document their requirements as I go along. Basically Ill ask different questions from the users and then the users themselves will work out what kind of a new system they want. Questions that Ill ask users: What the new system should do? Do you want it to be networked with other computers? How long the information needs to be saved? Should staff login when using the system? Anything needs to be printing? What information needs to be print out? Payment procedure/ types of cards? Discounts: student Inputs, process and outputs Internet booking/ serial number only for internet booking This is how Ill design the system, keeping in view the users requirements. It will be an advanced system which will be quite reliable and it will be easy for the users to use this system. System Requirements: Inputs Serial number only for Internet booking Name Payment Age/ discount Name of the movie Date Process Theater Number Discount reduction Output Movie ticket for customer Information saved in the system This program is supposed to save the information of the customer and print out a movie ticket containing the required information. Print out of the ticket Name Age payment Discount Payment after discount Theater Number Movies name Date System will show this information on the Ticket. 4. Produce a Systems Context Diagram for your system. User/ Staff New system Customer Info given Input filled Data saved Ticket Process Calculate discount if applied and check for seats in theatre Saved in server for 3 days and is access able by any member of staff Checks the Ticket Ticket given Check movie and time Login Administrator Login Update Movie Data Delete Old Data Updates the system This Diagram explains the program I am building for the Cinema. Circles in the diagram mean the first thing is done by Administrator, User/ Staff and the customer. Explanation: Administrator must update the system by inserting new movies and deleting old movies. User/ Staff is the person who can access the system by login in and takes the details (info given) of the customer. User/ Staff then enter the details (input filled) in the system. News System will process the input and process it, calculate discount if applied and check for seats available in theatre. Itll then give two outputs Data Saved and Ticket. Data Saved meaning the data will be saved in a server for three days and is access able by any member for staff but the saved data cannot be changed after the Ticket is printed out. Ticket will be printed out and is going to be checked by the staff. Staff will give the ticket to the customer. 5. Produce a Level 1 Current Physical Data Flow Diagram for your system. D1 User/ Staff/ counter Enquires Deposits and Withdrawals Process customer data Tickets recheck Data store System Cash Customer Customer details/ data Print Ticket Details are checked Ticket handed to the customer Resource Flow Data Flow Outside data Process D2 In this Physical Data flow diagram customer, who is outside data, goes to the counter to purchase a ticket for the movie. Counter/ staff take his query and process it, system then stores the data and process a ticket, which is given to the customer. 6. Produce a Level 1 Required Logical DFD for your system. Admin User/ Staff Customer System Process Data Stored Ticket Updates the System Customer details/ data Ticket Input customer detail/ data Calculates discounts Theatre No. Stores in a server Print out Ticket details are checked by user/ staff Data Flow Source of Data In this Diagram Admin is updating the data for the system and user is taking the detail/ data of the customer and entering it in the system to process a Ticket for customer. 7. Decompose one of the processes to a Level 2 Required Logical Data Flow Diagram for your system. Admin System Process Data Stored Updates the System Adding new movie data Deleting old movie data Stores admin new data Stores customer data Movie is suitable for customer (age) Theatre availability Calculate discounts Store data in server Auto deletes 3 days old customer data Access to old data In this Diagram Admin is updating the data for the system and system is processing customer details against admin updated data and it is then stored in a server for three days. 8. Construct a Logical Data Structure for the system you are producing. Customer Staff/ counter Ticket Enquires Ticket Customer will seek staff on counter for any enquiry or to purchase a movie ticket Provide service to customer Staff will take customer details from customer for a movie ticket To process a Ticket, staff will have to enter customer details in the system for a movie ticket Ticket is handed to the customer after staff checks for any errors 9. With the aid of your Logical Data Structure, produce an Entity/Event Matrix for your database system. Customer Purchasing a ticket for a movie Enquiry Staff/ Counter Staff/ Counter Solve the issue Yes No Job done Admin Enter customer details in the system System process Ticket Data stored Staff (checks it) Customer (takes ticket) Server 10. Describe the Required Physical Data Model. Customer details/ data Admin Admin login Update new movie data Delete old movie data Problem solving Staff Customer service System operator Staff login handle customer details Ticket Cashier Customer Enquires Ticket purchaser Updates the System Input customer detail/ data System Customer internet serial no. Customer name Customer age Payment method Discount Amount paid Name of the movie Theatre number Date Stores admin updated data Access to old data Check for any errors on the ticket Process Movie is suitable for the customer (age) Discount reduction Theatre number Draft ticket Print out Data stored Stored in server Access able Auto delete 3 days old data Ticket Customer name Customer age Payment method Discount Amount paid Movies name Theatre number Date Admin updates the system and solve problems Staff handles the customers and input the customers details in the system System processes the data and check for availabilities Data is stored for 3 days Ticket is issued for customer as a receipt

East Asian Economic Crisis :: essays papers

East Asian Economic Crisis A large economic downturn in East Asia threatens to end its nearly 30 year run of high growth rates. The crisis has caused Asian currencies to fall 50-60%, stock markets to decline 40%, banks to close, and property values to drop. The crisis was brought on by currency devaluations, bad banking practices, high foreign debt,loose government regulation, and corruption. Due to East Asia's large impact on the world economy, the panic in Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, and other Asian countries has prompted other countries to worry about the affect on their own economies and offer aid to the financially troubled nations (Sanger 1). The East Asian crisis has affected almost all of the Asian nations, but the three hardest hit countries are Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea. The panic began in Thailand in May of 1997 when speculators, worried about Thailand's slowing economy, exces sive debt, and political instability devalued the baht as they fled for market-driven currencies like the American dollar. Indonesia's economy soon fell soon after when the rupiah hit a record low against the U.S. dollar. Indonesia is plagued by more than $70 billion worth of bad debts and a corrupt and inefficient government. Thailand and Indonesia also suffer from being overbuilt during real estate booms that Reven2 were the result of huge influxes of cash by optimistic foreign investors. South Korea faltered under the weight of its huge foreign debt, decreasing exports, and weakening currency (Lochhead 4-5). Other major countries touched by the crisis are Japan, China, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Japan's economy is burdened by $300 billion in bad bank loans and a recession. Chinese banks may carry bad banks loans of up to $1 trillion. The banks lend 66% of China's investment capital to state-run industries that only produce 12% of China's industrial output (Manning 2). Malaysia and the Philippines are both faced with devalued currencies and lowered stock markets (Lochhead 5). The implications of the Asian financial crisis are many. A declining Asian economy will reduce demand for U.S. and other countries' exports. The devalued currencies of East Asia will make Asian imports seen cheap and will lead to increased American imports, thus increasing our trade deficit (Lochhead 2). A worldwide banking emergency could result if the embattled Asian economies failed to pay back their loans to the U.S. and other countries (Duffy 2). If the Asian economies fall further, in a desire to raise cash, they might sell the hundreds of billion dollars of U.S. treasuries they now own, leading to higher interest rates and an American recession (Lacayo 2).

Mens Warehouse

David walks into the Men's Warehouse store. He is getting married. No big fan fare here; no entourage to assist him as his fiance had experienced. David explains his purpose for shopping to Joe, the store sales rep. Joe begin to ask questions as he pull a few looks together that he believes David would like. Joe and David talk and laugh as they find the perfect look David wanted for his big day; Joe was proud – another customer satisfied. David walked out about an hour later knowing he would kook good for his wedding.He felt good George Simmer is known for his classic line, Your goanna like the way you look, I guarantee it†. This is the Men's Warehouse creed. Their emphasis on quality clothes and customer service in their stores has provided them a steady stream of success. However, they don't measure their success by earning growth, geographic expansion or consistent return for investors, although they could have. They measure their success in levels of excellence In cu stomer service, employee enthusiasm and customer loyalty In Dalton to the other uncial measures that are required by successful businesses (Denominator, 2006).The backbone of the Men's Warehouse organizational and financial success falls on their desire to uphold a culture that is based on customer loyalty and employee satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss the cultural metaphor that the Men's Warehouse has embraced. An organization's culture Like any other culture can be defined by the pattern of development reflected in an organizations system of knowledge, Ideology, values. Laws and day-to-day rituals (Morgan, 2006). However it is more than Just a list of rules required as well. It's a symbolic significance commonality that is shared amongst a group.Culture is not something that can be measured but it is a formed of lived experience created by all within it. Creating a positive organization culture takes work from the top down as Men's Warehouse has su ccessfully demonstrated. Organizations such as the Men's Warehouse benefit from operating from a Cultural Metaphor for many reasons. The cultural metaphor directs attention to the symbolic significance of almost every aspect of organizational life (Morgan, 2006). The activities have more meaning for the employees. For example, suiting someone for their wedding is not a normal shopping trip.It is exciting and stressful. Customers will want to get advice from a tuxedo expert who can help them look their absolute best. Also, if fashion is your passion as an employee you are excited to assist In such a wonderful occasion and Knowingly accept ten responsibility Tort ten customers experience as well. It also holds individuals accountable because it makes them own their impact on the way things are and shows that it is their responsibility to change when appropriate (Morgan, 2006). This is demonstrated at the Men's Warehouse from their top down approach to satisfying customers.Simmer state d in his company overview that â€Å"we are not content to merely satisfy them. We win them over completely. This is not so much the results of rigorous training as it is the result of the unique Mess Warehouse culture that runs from the top down through all our operation†. (Denominator, 2006). Having the authority to do what is necessary to make sure a customer leaves happy allows employees to feel empowered. It is not mistake that in 2006, Men's Warehouse was ranked in Fortune's Magazine list as one of the â€Å"100 Best Companies to Work For† (Denominator, 2006).This was based on the policies and culture of the company and satisfaction and opinions of the employees. The Men's Warehouse prides itself on its culture of collegiality, and repeatable consistent customer service, and knows that one will create the other; both require employees to be authentic and pleasant. Men's Warehouse believes that when a workforce is treated with respect and encouragement, there's no limit to where it can take the company (Denominator, 2006). Happy employees' are more authentic and allows for customer to have an experience that they can feel.Customers who experience the Men's Warehouse culture of excellent customer service, empowered happy employees that creates an environment that is service oriented and authentic which fosters repeatable business. Are always going to come back.. In turn, great service almost always fosters repeatable business. This type of interaction creates a cultural enactment that allows for a positive shared reality for both, employees and customers. The Men's Warehouse embracement of the cultural metaphor is a great example of how culture can create loyalty within organizations. The backbone of the Men's

Grammar school Essay

From 1834, the year of emancipation of slaves in Dominica and the other British West Indian colonies to 1845, the popular education that was existent was really religious education. The concept of a state system of education in the West Indies emerged in Britain in 1833 as part of the act to emancipate slaves in British custody. Prior to that, the masses of the people had practically no formal education. In Dominica, from 1834 onwards, the British subsidized primary education through grants but basically, education was imported and promoted mainly by missionaries. The content of education was divorced from the interests and needs of the masses and the community. Emphasis was on the classics and the arts. There is little doubt that the churches original interest in education was the creation of influential educated elite. In practice, their interests were denominational, especially seen in the establishment of secondary schools. Proposed educational policies depended greatly on the availability of funds, which were always insufficient. Therefore, changes and reforms were minimal. The newly elected legislative councils and their leaders gave little support. In reality, education, in practice was for a privileged minority. The populace remained virtually ignorant and illiterate. The pre-emancipation society was therefore not in any sense an educated one. Where slaves received any instruction at all it was of a religious nature provided by the church at long intervals. The authorities had no aims or standards; hence there was no system of formal education. It was against this background that the British Imperial Government incorporated an education grant in the 1833 Act of Emancipation to assist in the educational development of the Negroes. Establishing schools for the masses was provided for by the Act, which included grant money from the imperial government to provide education in the ex-slave colonies. This grant money is known as the Negro Education Grant. It was regarded as an urgent matter. The total grant amounted to a mere ? 30,000 per annum for five years for all the BWI of almost one million people. The decision to allocate the grant was executed through the local legislatures and the religious bodies. The grant was decreased each year and ended in 1845. The denominations were offered financial help to build schools, and later to assist in the payment of teachers’ salaries as the best means of developing a system of education. Dominica’s share of the Grant amounted only to ? 600 to be spent on 14,000 ex-slaves. This amount was very insignificant and was spent mainly by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPCK). After two years it became apparent that the desired and intended results were not forthcoming because of the many difficulties faced. Some churches were unable to accept more grants because they could not bear the recurrent expenditure on their schools. In August 1837, the grant was switched to pay one-third of teachers’ salaries instead. This was insufficient, and the societies did not expand their operations further. As the expected expansion did not materialise the imperial government was disappointed. Hence, the union of the imperial government, local legislatures and the churches could not fulfil the early ambition to create a viable education system. Thus, in 1841, the imperial government started to withdraw the fund. The Mico trustees who had done the most protested, but to no avail. In 1845 it came to an end, and so the burden fell on the West Indian legislatures and workers to increasingly support the education of their own children. In Dominica, the drive towards education for the masses was assisted by the local legislature, thus complimenting the work done by charities and the churches so that by July 1840, Dominica had 20 schools, 10 teachers, 1,086 pupils and total average attendance was 750. The British Imperial Government gave two main reasons for ending the NEG: 1. English workers were said to be worse-off than West-Indian workers 2. The Baptists were said to be prospering – although they had refused all aid Both claims were false. The churches lacked both money and resources. The British felt in the case of Dominica that the Catholic Church could not and would not provide appropriate education. They therefore supported alternatives to church schools. They decided to provide secular schools and to withdraw grants to the church schools. This was strongly opposed until a compromise was reached. The main success of the period of the NEG was the idea of popular education. The Provision of Secondary Education in Dominica: Providers and Gender Issues From the foregoing, one can appreciate the fact that the provision of education was a task that involved the participation of several providers or stakeholders: The British Imperial Authority, the Local Legislature or Assembly, the Church (especially the Catholics) and the Charities (especially the Mico Trust). Prior to emancipation, the provision of education was the responsibility of the churches and the charities. Education was very limited and very few benefited. In reality, what ever was taught was basically religious education. With the passage of the Act of Emancipation, an attempt was made to establish popular education. The NEG thus provided the needed funds for this purpose but eventually ended in failure. These funds were channelled through the bodies mentioned above, especially through the charities and the churches. By 1868 the main providers were mainly the state (the Local Legislature) and the church. It must not be forgotten that the vast majority of the population were Catholics and therefore co-operation and compromise between the two bodies were of paramount importance. By that date, the majority of primary schools belonged to the state i. e. 18 out of 33 (54%). This was unique, for no other West Indian society had such participation by the state in educational provision. In the case of secondary education, the provision was by the Church (Catholic). The first establishment for the provision of secondary education was the Convent High School (CHS) in 1858. This was exclusively for the children of the local elite. The children of the rural peasantry and the working classes were excluded. The state provided some funds for the school. But there were no secondary education provided for the masses. It is again unique to Dominica in that early period that post-primary education was being provided only to girls when this gender was marginalized in the rest of the W. I and in Britain itself. Even today, in 2000, over 65% of secondary school students are girls. The figures for the Clifton Dupigny Community College, University of Technology (Jamaica) and University of the West Indies are roughly the same. In the case of Dominica, male marginalisation has had a long history, contrary to popular opinion. Due to mounting pressure and clamour for secondary education for boys and the children of the masses, the state established the Dominica Grammar School (DGS) on the 16th of January 1893, with a registration list of 25 boys under the headmastership of one tutor, Mr. W. Skinner (M. A – a graduate from Catherine’s College, Cambridge, England). It was to be run as a government school, with the aim to provide higher education for boys. The building being used was a personal gift from Mr. Dawbiney, a respectable Jamaican who had settled in the island. The DGS remained a boy’s school until 1972. This occurred at a time when the number of girls selected by the Common Entrance Examinations far surpassed that of boys. The first DGS girls came from the CHS and the WHS. The total number of girls on the roll for that year totalled 34 out of a total of 560 students. Thus a reluctant but necessary era commenced in that year – the DGS becoming a co-educational institution under the headship of Mr. J. K. Gough (B. Sc; Dip. Ed. from Scotland). In that same year there were 14 Dominican staff members who were university graduates. Not to be outdone by the Catholics, the Wesleyan Society (Methodists) following the tradition of their rivals, opened the second high school for girls in the island, the Wesley High School (WHS) in October 1927. By that year, 80% of the students accessing secondary education were girls. This again was a unique situation second to none in the W. I. This further marginalized the boys given the restrictive and limited nature of access at the time. At this juncture, it is necessary to appreciate the great effort expended by the churches in the provision of secondary education in the island of Dominica, albeit for denominational reasons. In 1932, the Christian Brothers (Catholics) opened the second educational establishment providing secondary education for boys, the Saint Mary’s Academy (SMA). By that year educational provision was roughly equal for both genders with boys now having the slight edge, notwithstanding the fact that the girls were doing better in entrance and scholarship exams. There were insufficient spaces available. An entrance examination would soon be rigorously applied to ration out, select and match the number of students to the available supply of places. This state of inequitable affairs became unbearable as the girls were now being marginalized in favour of boys who were securing less ‘passes’ than girls in the exams. In other words, the selection was a function of available places. The two boys’ schools had more places than the two girls’ schools. Therefore, fewer girls were selected although their average scores were higher than that of boys who secured places. In the1972/1973 school year, the Labour government of Mr. Edward Oliver Leblanc took the bold step to make the DGS co-educational. This occurred at a time when the number of girls who had succeeded at the Common Entrance Examinations far surpassed that of boys. Since then, girls have kept on increasing the education gap or divide to the extent that in Dominica and the West Indies this problem of ‘male marginalisation’ and ‘male underachievement’ and the like, have now become so serious that it threatens the whole concept of male patriarchy. The year 1972 has been regarded as a milestone in Dominica’s educational history as far as secondary education is concerned. From that year all new secondary schools have opted to become co-educational with the exception of the Saint Martin’s Secondary School in 1988. Another important milestone in our educational history is the year 1971. For the first time, secondary educational provision moved out of Roseau with the establishment of the co-educational Portsmouth Secondary School (PSS). This greatly reduced the cost burden to parents in the northwest, north and northeast of the island, who, hitherto had to make tremendous sacrifices to provide education for their children in the capital, Roseau. By 1974, the Common Entrance Examinations as a selector of educational life chances was psychologically so devastating to pupils that those who were not selected felt that they were ‘rejects’ and ‘failures’ with no hope or future. It was against this backdrop that a group of concerned persons headed by Ms. Jean Finucane-James decided to provide a ‘second chance’ to those pupils that was not based on a selective exam. This co-educational school was named the Dominica Community High School (DCHS). Apart from the PSS, the early 1970s were characterised for having secondary education concentrated in the capital city of Roseau. The ‘70s was a period of political upheaval. In August 1979, Hurricane David struck and the island was devastated: 43 deaths, massive destruction of crops and the forest, wildlife was decimated, schools and the social and economic infrastructure was destroyed. The economy came to a standstill. Educationally, the students suffered greatly. A large number of students from the northeast could not attend the Roseau schools. In the aftermath of the hurricane, two schools were opened in the northeast: St. Andrew’s High School (SAHS) in 1979, located in Londonderry which is run and operated by the Methodists and in 1980, the Marigot Foundation High School (MFHS) headed by Mr. Martin Roberts, a former Methodist minister. The last named school was eventually renamed the Marigot Secondary School (MSS) when in 1999 it passed over to the state. These two schools are co-educational institutions. In this catchment area the Common Entrance Exams consistently selects more girls than boys. In the 1980s four schools were established. In 1981, the Seventh-Day Adventists began to provide secondary education. The Seventh-day Adventist Secondary School (SASS) is located in the Portsmouth suburb of Granvillia. It is a co-ed school. In that very same year the co-ed St. Joseph Campus of the DGS was opened which later became a separate entity as the St. Joseph Secondary School. In 1996 it was renamed the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School. In 1988, two government co-ed secondary schools were established from what were formerly Junior Secondary Programmes: the Goodwill Secondary School (GSS) and the Grand Bay Secondary School (GBSS). In that same year, the Catholic–run St. Martin’s School for girls upgraded its technical/vocational wing into a fully-fledged secondary school called the St. Martin’s Secondary School (SMSS). With the opening of these new schools and the continued use of the Common Entrance Exams the gender balance continue to be in favour of girls to the detriment of boys. In October 1994 the Nehemiah Christian Foundation headed by Mrs. Rhoda George opened the Nehemiah Comprehensive School with 60 boys and girls. The school is located in Jimmit, Mahaut. In the financial year 1995/96 the government entered into a loan agreement  with the World Bank to fund the Basic Education Reform Project (BERP). One of the three main objectives of the project was to expand access to secondary education. Under the project, this objective was fulfilled in the co-ed Castle Bruce Secondary School (CBSS) in 1998. TABLE I DOMINICA: Academic Secondary Schools, 2002/03 |School |Year Founded |Boys |Girls |Total |Status | |Convent High School | | | | | | | |1858 |0 |493 |493 |Assisted | |Dominica Grammar School |1893 |518 |281 |799 |State | |Wesley High School |1927 |0 |287 |287 |Assisted | |St. Mary’s Academy |1932 |420 |0 |420 |Assisted | |Portsmouth Secondary School |1971 |402 |435 |837 |State | |Dominica Community High School |1975 |79 |46 |125 |Assisted | |St. Andrew’s High School |1979 |233 |292 |525 |Assisted | |Marigot Secondary School |1980 |86 |59 |145 |Assisted | |Isaiah Thomas Secondary School |1981 |312 |393 |705 |State | |SDA Secondary School |1981 |108 |87 |195 |Private | |St. Martin’s Secondary School |1988 |0 |306 |306 |Assisted | |Goodwill Secondary School |1988 |380 |262 |642. |State | |Grand Bay Secondary School |1988 |334 |343 |677 |State | |Nehemiah Comprehensive School |1994 |64 |73 |137 |Assisted | |Castle Bruce Secondary School |1998 |266 |291 |557 |State | |Orion Academy |2003 | | | |Private | |Total | |3 202 |3 648 |6 850 | | Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, 2002/03 The School Curriculum Several factors impinge on the development of the curriculum in Dominica: slavery, colonialism, politics, economics, religion, socio-cultural biases, parents, teachers and the learners themselves. In the pre-emancipation era the curriculum that existed was of a religious nature. The society was largely illiterate and ignorant. There existed no notion or idea of popular or mass education. With emancipation in 1834, the rudiments of a system of education began to take shape. The limited curriculum was non-scientific and bookishly academic based on rote and memory teaching and learning. By 1868, as the primary system took root the three r’s were taught namely reading, writing and arithmetic. The system that was taking shape was one that would provide labourers and servants and no more. At the secondary level, the curriculum catered for the children of the elite: Maths, Science, Geography, English, Greek, and Latin. The colonial powers and the local legislatures controlled the educational system. In other words, the ruling elites/classes decided who should be taught, what should be taught, when, how and where. The entire process from start to finish was decided for the learner. In 1899, Agriculture was being promoted as a subject to be taught so that the learner would become an agricultural labourer or worker on an estate or join the ranks of the impoverished peasantry. So agricultural schools were encouraged. In this way the islands would remain as sources of primary agricultural produce. When the British abolished the local legislatures and imposed direct crown colony rule the curriculum again was being used as a tool to keep the masses in their place. It limited them to learn the basics and agriculture. Attempts were made to improve education at the end of the First World War (1914-1918): salaries to teachers, payments by results and attempts at compulsory education. The West Indian Conference in Dominica in 1932 urged the region to struggle for compulsory education among other things. This failed. In 1957, the ministerial system was brought to Dominica with some exercise of authority by the house of assembly. But power still lied with the British parliament. Budgets could be passed, but had to be approved by Britain. In 1967, Dominica became an associate state with Gt. Britain. All internal matters were under local jurisdiction, but foreign affairs, trade and defence resided with Gt. Britain. Dominica could now influence and shape educational progress, but very little happened. The primary system continued to develop. The high schools became stagnant. The last one to be established was in 1936 (SMA). Thirty-seven years passed before the next one, the PSS was established. By 1978, the curriculum at the primary was now being driven by the Common Entrance Examinations to the detriment of all else. The same thing could be found at the secondary schools. The entire curriculum was driven by foreign external examinations. The foreign element was removed in 1985 when we switched from the Cambridge and London GCE ‘O’ Levels to the regionally based CXC examinations. But the GCE ‘A’ Levels still continue to dictate the curriculum at the post-secondary level. In 1998, CXC began to test pilot its own ‘A’ Levels known as CAPE, which will soon replace the English-based GCE ‘A’ Levels. The School Curriculum and Examinations The CXC and the GCE curriculum dictate the locus and focus of secondary education in Dominica. These exams cater for the 30-40% of the ability range of secondary students. The entire curriculum was driven by foreign external examinations. The foreign element was removed in 1985 when we switched from the Cambridge and London GCE ‘O’ Levels to the regionally based CXC examinations. But the GCE ‘A’ Levels still continue to dictate the curriculum at the post-secondary level. In 1998, CXC began to test pilot its own ‘A’ Levels known as CAPE, which will soon replace the English-based GCE ‘A’ Levels. The HSC, LSC and GCE dominated the curriculum of secondary schools since the 1880s. The failure rates were very high at both the ‘O’ and ‘A’ Levels. It was also a drain on the scarce resources of the region. The minimum of 5 ‘O’ Level subjects were required to move into the sixth form and five subjects were needed of which 2 must be at ‘A’ Level for university entry. The Caribbean was influenced by educational and curriculum developments in North America and Europe, especially Britain. Revolutionary curricular changes in maths and science were being undertaken in the USA as a result of the Russian success in Sputnik I. In the U. K, the Nuffield Foundation invested heavily in a science development project. In 1969-70, the West Indian Science Curriculum Innovation Project (WISCIP) began at St. Augustine, UWI, and Trinidad. It was a new approach with emphasis on enquiry and experimentation, understanding and constructive thinking. This was introduced in the DGS and the other high schools of the time. During that same period ‘New Mathematics’ was introduced in the schools’ curriculum. All five of the secondary schools in Dominica adopted it. The Convent High School had their first ‘O’ Level candidates in 1971, and the DGS in 1972. Results in all Caribbean schools were not so good at first because of the unfamiliarity with the new approaches and topics such as inverses, identities, algebra of sets and matrices, decimalisation and metrification, vectors, inequalities and topology. At first most of the schools used the School Mathematics Project (SMP) books, but these were replaced by the Joint Schools Project (Caribbean edition) series, as part of the CEDO/UNESCO/UWI Caribbean Mathematics Project. The CXC was established in 1972 to serve the Commonwealth Caribbean. The process took over 10 years. The CXC was to replace the GCE exams. It would develop syllabi, conduct exams and issue certificates. This was a form of asserting cultural and intellectual independence from our colonial past and from Britain. Politically, the Caribbean has eschewed integration. There was the West Indian Federation as colonies of Britain (1958-1962). It ended in failure due to insularity, nationalism and dependency. With independence, the nations can dictate their educational goals and match these to national needs. In Dominica, we have not had a long history of educational reforms established in law. In 1949 an Education Act was passed to regulate and govern the sector. This was changed in 1997 when the new Education Act was passed. This was part of an attempt to harmonise education legislation in the Eastern Caribbean. In 1995 the Basic Education Reform Project was launched (BERP). The Project had three main objectives: 1. to strengthen the management and planning capacity of the Ministry, 2. to enhance the quality of education, and 3. to expand and conserve school places. Economically, we live in an interdependent world, a global village. We are partners bargaining from a position of weakness. Unequal terms of trade, onerous foreign debts, trade deficits and balance of payment problems deplete our resources so that our educational budgets are severely constrained. In general (1999 – 2004), Dominica spends about 17% of its recurrent budget on education, 1-2% on materials and supplies and about 80% on personal emoluments. New Curriculum Developments. Primary schools follow a curriculum, which has recently been reviewed by the Curriculum Development Unit (CDU). Schools have been provided with curriculum guides for English Language, Mathematics and General Science for Grades K to 6. Curriculum guides for Social Studies, Mathematics, Science and English Language were to become available in September 1999 for grades K to 6. A curriculum guide for Social Studies has been prepared for Form 1 at the secondary level. Workbooks for Grades k to 3 for English were to have been made available from September 1999. In addition a curriculum guide for Health and Family Life covering primary and secondary age ranges is being monitored and supported in schools. A draft national policy for this was presented to Cabinet in August 1998 but has not yet been officially approved. The CDU has planned to review Music, PE, Art and Craft, and Agriculture in 2001 as well as to start writing and production of support materials for pupils and teachers. The revised primary schools curriculum appears to be appropriate at the national level. The main problem appears to be in its delivery. The main need at the primary level for curriculum development is in relation to adapting the teacher’s guides for multigrade teaching and provision of differentiated activities for all subjects and all classrooms. Dominica does not have a National Curriculum and therefore, the curriculum de facto is determined by each school and in practice is closely related to the requirements of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) other external examinations and higher ability students. A balance needs to be struck between the academic and practical skills education in the secondary sector in any future national curriculum. The Ministry of Education has outlined the following process to arrive at the promulgation and implementation of the National Curriculum (NC): National Curriculum Committee (NCC) established in school year 1999/2000 NCC reviews existing curriculum: locally and regionally Under the NCC, Subject Teams and Subject Areas are established Development of Syllabi, and Curriculum Guides in Core Subject Areas Curriculum Training of Staff/Subject Team Members Resource Provision First Draft National Curriculum in Core Subject Areas Review of Draft Curriculum Development of Curricula in other subject areas. Establishment of National Norms and Standards for all subjects Piloting of National Curriculum in a cross-section of schools Promulgation of National Curriculum by Minister of Education Use by all schools of the National Curriculum as of September 2003 The Secondary Education Support Project (SESP) had been working with the Curriculum Development Unit (CDU) to write and pilot a revised curriculum for Forms 1 to 3 in the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, incorporating activities for average and below average ability pupils. Drafts of curriculum guides for Form 1 have been completed and were made available to schools in September 1999. All the guides for the four core subjects were made available in 2001. The CDU also has completed work in Music, Art, Craft, and Agriculture. However, the major curriculum need resides in the consideration of a curriculum which will meet the needs of all students – academic, technical/vocational, aesthetic, spiritual, moral and for citizenship and fulfill the ambitions set out in the 1997 Education Act. This would be especially so when Universal Secondary Education is achieved.

Speech recognition technology essays

Speech recognition technology essays Good morning! I quickly open my eyes and look around to see who has the nerve to burst into my dorm room at 6:30 in the morning. Nobody there. Please wake up! I now remember that my computers new alarm clock was set to awake me for my early morning chemistry lab. As the current weather forecast is dictated to me in a female voice, I stagger over to my computer and tell it to be quiet. While I start the coffee machine, I ponder to myself if installing that speech technology program was worth it. Speech technology has emerged and advanced in the past five years. It ranges from microwaves that tell you when your food is finished, to computers that type and perform functions based on the users voice commands. The technology first did not catch on to public appeal because it did not work very well; however, this feature has been creeping into more and more consumer products as it has improved. I was first introduced to speech technology when I purchased my Samsung cellular phone about two years ago. The first feature I wanted to try out was the voice dial option. The phone was advertised to call the number of a person or place you speak into the phone. I anxiously navigated through the menus to set up the phone numbers that I would call simply by speaking my friends names. Please say the name, prompts the phone. I respond with Evan, and then it says Please enter the number. So I punch in the number. Subsequently, I carry out this process for my other phone numbers. It didnt take all that long and was quite user friendly. Now, whenever I flip open my phone I am greeted with Who would you like to call? All I have to do now is say the name of the person I want to talk to. At least that is what I had hoped. The voice dial option was a great new feature; however it didnt always work as expected and called the incorre...

A Woman Love for a Man Essay Example

A Woman Love for a Man Essay Example A Woman Love for a Man Essay A Woman Love for a Man Essay Essay Topic: The Heart Of a Woman Compare and Contrast Essay: â€Å"Story of an Hour† and â€Å"To My Dear and Loving Husband† Thesis: In the short story, â€Å"Story of an Hour† by Mary Chopin and the poem â€Å"To my Dear and Loving Husband†, by Anne Bradstreet both authors reveal how each of their female characters feel about their husband and how each feelings are expressed differently I. Both women are treated differently by their husbands. A. In the â€Å"Story of an Hour†, the central character, Louise Mallard, feels locked in her marriage. B. In â€Å"To My Dear and Loving Husband†, the author Anne feels safe and secure in her marriage. II. Both women express different feelings about their mates. A. In â€Å"Story of an Hour†, Louise feels that it is not enough that her husband loves her. B. In â€Å"To My Dear and Loving Husband†, Anne values her relationship with her husband more than anything. III. Both authors use literary concepts to make their writings easier to understand. A. In â€Å"Story of an Hour†, the line free, free, free tells us that Louise feels free after learning of her husband’s death. B. In â€Å"To My Dear and Loving Husband†, the line I prize thy love more than mines of gold tells us that she values their love very much. A WOMAN’S LOVE FOR A MAN As every woman is an individual with distinct characteristics so too will her feelings towards her husband are uniquely expressed. There are husbands who try to control their wives so much that the woman cannot freely follow does their own will. Then there are those who are devoted to their wives through thick and thin. In the short story, â€Å"Story of an Hour† by Mary Chopin and the poem â€Å"To my Dear and Loving Husband†, by Anne Bradstreet both authors reveal how each of their female characters feel about their husband and how each feelings are expressed differently. Both women are treated differently by their husbands. In Mary Chopin’s â€Å"Story of an Hour†, Chopin describes how the central character, Mrs. Louise Mallard, is locked into a marriage. She is the kind of wife who cannot voice her own opinion, â€Å"without getting approval of her husband† (12). In Anne Bradstreet’s â€Å"To my Dear and Loving Husband†, the author Anne Bradstreet represents herself as a wife who feels secure and safe while living with her husband. It demonstrates a very loving and happy relationship between husband and wife. Therefore, getting approval from her husband would not be so hard because of his love for her. There are key differences in how each woman expressed her feelings toward her husband. In the â€Å"Story of an Hour†, the husband, Brently Mallard, is still a good man to Louise because â€Å"he never looks upon her with anything but love† (12). However, despite the fact that Louise knows that her husband loves her, the sense of his domination makes it difficult for her to feel any love. She can merely attest to an occasional feeling of affection: â€Å"And yet she loved him, sometimes† (15). In â€Å"To my Dear and Loving Husband†, a love poem, dedicated to her husband, â€Å"Anne conveys how much she loves her husband, and that she values her love of her husband more than money; more than anything anyone can imagine† (5-6) . Both authors both use literary concepts to make their writings easier to understand and interesting to read. In â€Å"Story of an Hour†, Louise Mallard learns about a railroad disaster from her sister and her husband’s friend Richard. Brently Mallards name leads the list of those â€Å"killed† (1). At first she weeps in her sisters arms. However, she soon begins to recognize a different sensation. â€Å"A whispered word escapes her slightly parted lips. Under her breath she was says: Free, free, free† (11). This tells us that she is indeed free from the marriage that has kept her repressed. At the same time, love brings on more meaning in â€Å"To My Dear and Loving Husband†. Anne states, â€Å"I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, Or all the riches that the East doth hold† (5-6). This tells us that she values their love very much; more than anything money could buy. She does not care how rich the people in the East are; she already feels rich because of the love that she and her husband share. Anne conveys that she is a happy wife because he has given her all her happiness as indicated in the line â€Å"If ever wife was happy in man, Compare with me, ye woman if can† (4). Clearly, she is proud of the love she and her husband have for each other. Both women eventually experience love to the death, both physically and mentally. In â€Å"To My Dear and Loving Husband†, Anne strongly believes that their love can be preserved; that it will last forever. In the last line of the poem, â€Å"Then while we live, in love let’s so preserver, Then when we live no more, we may live ever† (10-11). Anne is speaking from her point of view. She believe that even if one day, that they are dead, their love will still live on forever. In the â€Å"Story of an Hour†, Louise Mallard’s husband shows up at the door of their house and she realizes that her husband was never on the train. Her heart gives out suddenly; ironically given by the doctor attribute this to â€Å"the joy that kills† (23). In both pieces of writing, each character had experiences more or less love in a different way. One man disallows his wife to unable to make her own life decisions; the other stands by his wife with unconditional love. In Louise’s case, she experiences real freedom during the absence of her husband’s domination. Even if it was a short hour, it was the time when all her dreams came true. I believe that Mrs. Mallard’s death was not only because she was shocked to see her husband, but because she was sad about the loss of her new-found freedom. In Anne’s case, she is enjoying her relationship with her husband, as her husband is the kind of man that treasures his wife. The story and poem both discuss love. The poem tells us that some people view love so strongly, that they truly believe in eternal love, that their love will continue even after they die. In the story, the husband and wife do not have enough love between one another: one is giving and the other is taking. Therefore that kind of love does not last eternally. It is the love demonstrated in â€Å"To my Dear and Loving Husband† that is the cornerstone for every marriage; true love operates both directions. WORKS CITED Bradstreet, Anne. â€Å"To My Dear and Loving Husband†. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2007. 1169. Chopin, Mary. â€Å"Story of an Hour†. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2007. 342-344.

18 Ways for Kids to Practice Spelling Words

18 Ways for Kids to Practice Spelling Words Each week your child is likely to come home with a spelling word list in which they will have a test at the end of the week. It’s their job to study and learn the words, but simply looking at them isn’t going to do the trick. They will need some tools to help them remember the words. Here are 18 creative and interactive ways to practice spelling words. Make a Spelling Word Origami Fortune Teller These are also known as Cootie Catchers. It’s easy enough to create spelling word Cootie Catchers and having your child spell the word out loud is very helpful for auditory learners. Make and Use a â€Å"Word Catcher These modified fly-swatters can be a lot of fun to use. Give your child a copy of their spelling words and you might be surprised to see how enthusiastic they are to start swatting the words in all the books, magazines, posters, and papers in the house. Magnetic Letters, Alphabet Blocks, or Scrabble Pieces Just as saying the words out loud can help an auditory learner, literally building the words can be helpful for more visual learners. Just keep in mind you might need more than one set of magnetic letters to spell all the words. Create Your Own Crossword Puzzle Luckily there are free online tools like Discovery Educations puzzlemaker program to help you make puzzles. All you have to do is type in the word list. Use Sensory Play Some kids learn better when all their senses are involved. Doing things like spraying shaving cream on the table and letting your child trace their words in it or having them write them with a stick in the dirt can help cement the words in their memory. Play Spelling Word Memory There are a couple of ways to do this. You can make two sets of flashcards with the spelling words- it’s a good idea to write each set in a different color- or you can make one set with the words and one with the definition. After that, it’s played just like any other Memory game. Trace the Words in Rainbow Colors This is a variation on the old â€Å"write your words ten times† homework. Your child can trace each word over and over to remember the order of the letters for each word. In the end, though, it’s a lot prettier than a simple word list. Let Your Child Text the Words to You This way to practice spelling words depends, of course, on whether your child has a cell phone and what the plan includes. With unlimited texting, though, it’s easy enough for you to receive the text, correct the spelling if necessary, and send back an emoticon. Use Sandpaper Letters to Make Spelling Word Rubbings Though it requires a little prep work, this is a fun way to practice the words. Once you have a set of sandpaper letter stencils, your child can arrange each word, place a piece of paper over it, and make a rubbing with pencil or crayons. Make Word Searches This, too, is an activity that is easy enough with online resources. SpellingCity.com is a fantastic site that allows you to make word searches and create other activities for your child. Play Hangman Hangman is a great go-to game when it comes to spelling words. If you have your child use a copy of their spelling list, it will be easier for them to narrow down which word you’re using. Remember, you can always use the definition as a clue! Make up a Spelling Word Song It may sound silly, but there’s a definite connection between music and literacy. If you and your child are creative, you can create your own silly tune. For the less musically-inclined, try setting the words to the tune of â€Å"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star† or another nursery rhyme song. Play the â€Å"Add-A-Letter† Game This game is a fun way to interact with your child. One of you starts writing the spelling word on the paper by writing one letter. The next one adds the next letter. Since many word lists include words that start with the same sounds, it may be challenging to know which word your game partner started writing. Write a Story Using Each Spelling Word Many teachers ask students to do this with their spelling words for homework, but you can add a twist by giving your child a topic to write or tell a story about. For example, challenge her to write a story about zombies using all their words. Highlight the Words in the Newspaper Give your child a highlighter and a pile of newspapers and time them to see how long it takes for them to find and highlight all the words on their list. Play a â€Å"What Letter Is Missing?† Game Slightly different than Hangman and similar to the Add-a-Letter game, this game is played by writing or typing the words, but leaving a blank space of two for key letters. Your child will have to put in the correct letters. This works particularly well to practice the vowel sounds. Act Them Out Essentially this is playing the game Charades with your child’s spelling words. You can do it a couple of ways- give your child a list of the words and have them guess which one you are acting out or put all the words in a bowl, have them choose one and ask them to act it out. Put Them in ABC Order While alphabetizing the list won’t necessarily help your child learn to spell each individual word, it will help them recognize the words and, for some children, just moving the strips (on which each word is written) around can help them keep the word in their visual memory.

Taxation Law Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Taxation Law Practice - Essay Example In Australia, income taxes are increasingly imposed with higher income earners paying a higher percentage than lower income earners (ATO, 2007) Where income is earned in the form of capital gains on prescribed assets, only half of the gain is measurable for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) purposes if it was held for at least 12 months. If the assets were held for less than 12 months, then it is fully measurable for CGT purposes. A person's principal place of residence however is exempt from CGT. Where income is earned in the form of capital gains on prescribed assets, only half of the gain is assessable for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) purposes if it was held for at least 12 months. If the assets were held for less than 12 months, then it is fully assessable for CGT purposes. A person's principal place of residence however is exempt from CGT. Medicare (National Health Insurance) is charged at a flat 1.5% rate. If you earn more than 50,000 and do not have private health insurance you are liable for an extra 1% of your taxable income. This extra charge is known as the Medicare Levy Surcharge. Companies and corporations pay tax on profits. Not just like personal income taxes which use a progressive range, corporate taxes in Australia are calculated at a flat 30% rate. Tax is paid on corporate income at the corporate range before it is distributed to individual shareholders as dividends. A tax credit called a franking credit is provided to individuals who receive dividends to reflect the tax already paid at the corporate level a process known as dividend imputation (ATO, 2007). GOODS AND SERVICES TAXES The Federal Government levies a multi-stage tax of 10% on the supply of most and services by entities registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST). There are lots of supplies which are GST-free just like many basic foodstuffs, medical and educational services, exports; input-taxed like residential accommodation, financial services; exempt similar to Government charges; or outside the scope of GST. The profit from this tax is disseminated to the States. State governments do not charge any sales taxes though they do impose stamp duties on a series of transactions (ATO, 2007). PROPERTY TAXES Local governments are typically funded largely by property taxes on residential, industrial and commercial properties. Aside from that, some state governments charge tax on land values for investors and primary residences of high value. The state governments also charge taxes on the transfer of property title and the registration of commercial leases. Fire Service Charges are also frequently applied to domestic house insurance and business insurance contracts. These charges are required under State Government law to assist in funding the fire services in each State (ATO, 2007). EXCISE TAXES Both the federal and state governments require excise

I haven't picked a topic as yet but I would like it to be something Thesis

I haven't picked a topic as yet but I would like it to be something about education in adulthood - Thesis Example The rationale for undertaking this research was the researchers expectations to make recommendations to the educational institutes about using different teaching styles and methods while teaching the adult learners. The current research was undertaken using an interview method where 5 teachers from pre-adult school and teaching children between the ages of 4-11 years, and another 5 teachers from an adult learning center who taught in higher educational institute years were selected. These respondents were selected on the basis of convenience sampling as both the institutes were easily approachable to the researcher. Further, the researcher himself had taught at the pre-adult school earlier and was currently teaching at the higher educational institute, and as such, it was easier for him to interact with the faculty and get their responses. The research findings revealed that the teachers were indeed making use of some different teaching methods. For example, teachers of adult learners made use of discussion and case study methods in addition to the lecture and question answer methods. In the case of children, the most reported method of teaching was lecture, question and answer, and periodical assessment. The research findings indicate that there is further scope for the teachers to make use of more teaching methods in order to facilitate better learning, For example, there are several methods like the case story method, the course portfolio method, interactive multi-media, critical thinking and demonstration and role playing methods, which have been reported to bring a better understanding of the subject material for the adult students. The research revealed that the teachers were aware of the different motivations and approaches of their adult and children learners and tried to modulate their teaching styles and behaviors in the

Bringing Out the Best in People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bringing Out the Best in People - Essay Example In fact, the superior leaders were even using these principles long before psychology was formally given its name. McGinnis' book, "Bringing Out the Best in People," showcases interesting anecdotes and case studies illustrating how a person can put 12 key principles to work for any group, may it be a family or an organization. So whether one is a parent, a friend, a teacher or an executive, his/her satisfaction can be guaranteed by "Bringing Out the Best in People." The author makes it really easy for his/her readers. The 12 principles or rules that he discovered are incredibly easy to follow. The list, however, is not meant to be limiting. It is actually meant to entice the reader to devour the whole book. Right from the start, McGinnis declared that he is taking a Christian standpoint in his approach of the topic at hand. With that said, he actually gives hope to anybody who wants to make a difference by motivating other people. As he points out, "Motivators are not born-they are made." The author asserts that the mental attitude already exists for prospective motivators since it is a human instinct that drives people to do something about lethargy and boredom, and be challenged instead. "Deep in the breast of everyone there is a drive to achieve something, to be somebody," McGinnis says. McGinnis develops his book by doing several things. First, he tells his readers about his observation on listening. According to him, if one will only listen to other people patiently, they will actually reveal what will motivate them. Next, he expounds on the value of encouraging others and creating the optimal work environment in an organization. He said this means giving space for failure because failure is sometimes inevitable when risks are taken, though temporary. Toward the end, the author includes an inspiring section on various leaders, dreamers and the lonely lifestyles these individuals often lead. The book ends with a quote from Goethe, "Whatever you dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." This book is actually useful since it can help a person gain more focus if he/she will take to heart whatever he/she has read and follow whatever the book suggests. McGinnis also guarantees that communication skills will actually be enhanced because of this book. And because of this benefit, a person will be respected more by other people as his/her ability to relate to them improves dramatically and becomes more efficient. In order to help others to grow, it would be helpful to rise up to the challenge of the 12 rules or principles outlined by McGinnis in his book. According to the author, anyone who wants to be a great motivator and help others grow should do the following: 1. Expect the best from his/her employees and those he/she leads. 2. Understand the needs of his/her employees and use the information to create an environment that builds their motivation. 3. Establish standards of excellence that are attainable for your employees and those he/she leads. 4. Create an environment where failure isn't fatal. 5. Encourage his/her employees as opposed to nagging them. 6. Provide models of success

Adult Developement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Adult Developement - Essay Example Beginning with young adulthood and ending with the elderly stage of development, this paper will describe the various characteristics that define what each stage of development is. Furthermore, insights will likewise be given with regards to adulthood in different cultures. In certain ways, adulthood is relative to different cultural aspects. As such, it is essential to describe adulthood in different cultures so as to provide a clearer perspective on the development of adults not just in the United States but in the world as well.The early adulthood stage is typically defined as the period wherein a human being is between the ages of 20 to 40 years old. At this stage, people are in the process if building their foundation for the latter stages of their life. This includes the college years, the early years of employment, and marriage. Moreover, at this stage of development, the various aspects of development are entwined, which is the case with the other stages of development as wel l. More importantly, the choices and the events that occur in the life of a young adult have great influences in how he will progress with his development later on.During early adulthood, humans are at their prime physically. At this stage, they are the peak of their strength, energy, and endurance. Furthermore, young adults also find themselves at the peak of their sensory and motor functioning. ... As such, the lifestyle of a young is highly relevant when considering his physical health. During this stage, the lifestyle of an individual usually includes smoking, alcohol, and in certain cases, substance or drug use. All these factors contribute to the health of young adults. A lifestyle with such elements not only leads to various health hazards during early adulthood, it also contributes to the premature deterioration of the health of young adults especially later on in their lives. Cognitive Development The cognitive abilities of young adults are often shaped by their experiences. A typical description of the cognitive characteristics of early adulthood is known as post formal thought. According to Papalia et al (2001), "It is generally applied to social situations and involves the ability to shift between abstract reasoning and practical consideration; awareness that problems can have multiple causes and solutions; pragmatism in choosing solutions; and awareness of inherent conflict." Moreover, young adults develop more flexibility and relativity in the manner by which they view the various issues that they deal with. They are no longer confined to black and white. Instead, they begin to see shades of gray which is an indication that they realize that there is always more than two sides to any story. Psychosocial Development During early adulthood, people enter into intimate relationships that may or may not lead to marriage. In cases where such relationships end up in marriage, the next concern would be parenthood. As such, young adults begin to consider more factors than those that solely concern themselves. In dealing with people, young adults have far more to consider than when they were younger. As previously mentioned, experience has a lot to do

Human Resource Management - Compensation, Benefits, Incentives Essay

Human Resource Management - Compensation, Benefits, Incentives - Essay Example e that incentives and benefits do very little to persuade a candidate to accept an organizations employment offer if baseline compensation is slightly below the candidates expectations. Of course, each person will try to get a salary that is higher. However, even young candidates will consider benefits and incentives. For instance, a person may be offered an hourly rate that is lower than he/she wishes. However, with free or discounted lunches, longer breaks, a kind manager, flexible hours, accessibility to work (distance), whom he/she will be working with (age group, environment), what he/she will be doing (perhaps working in an area or subject that he/she enjoys), etc. even the younger person will focus on these things and will realize that the benefits/incentives add to their quality of life. IF the younger person does seek the higher salary, eventually the extrinsic values of a job such as money will not be the overriding factor. He/she will eventually want more out of life if he/she is not happy with who they are working for, does not get discounts, enjoyable working atmosphere, etc. and will seek those things in a job. He/she will eventually quit the job and seek the intrinsic values. That is why younger people do not usually stay with a job for an extended amount of time. They move on. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules but we humans will seek intrinsic values more even if it’s only internally. Look at the very wealthy people; i.e. movie stars. They have all the money in the world and yet file bankruptcy, have broken relationships, do drugs, get in trouble with the law, etc. They want more. It is true, younger people will look at baseline pay first. However, if the baseline pay is â€Å"slightly lower† as the very opening post stated, they will also look at the incentives/benefits even if the benefits aren’t so great. As stated in my earlier posting, if the pay is good but the other factors, which are called intrinsic

Qualitative research critique on nurse attrition Paper

Qualitative critique on nurse attrition - Research Paper Example With these statistics and proof in mind, the factors that cause these are necessary to be identified in order to prevent the shift which sooner or later will be problematic (MacKusick & Minick, 2010). Physical exhaustion was bound to take place. Having to recommend someone else may also provide psychological risks because the subject may not have wanted any contact with former employees and the interview questions were many and too demanding. The researchers of this research article are both PhD holders and associate professors who teach nursing in renowned universities. MacKusick is from Clayton State University while Minick is from Georgia State University. The participants in this study were briefed about the purpose of the study and before they signed the consent forms to agree they were guaranteed anonymity. They were informed that it was voluntary and hence could leave anytime they wanted to. The best protection was that the participants used pseudonym during the interview and this guaranteed to protect them. The purpose of this research article was to find out the factors that influence the RN’s decisions to leave the field of clinical practice. The article however ends up not directly finding these reasons but having to seek their perceptions and then deduce from there the factors. No directly related information about the perception of RN’s was found and therefore the literature review search had to take a longer route to find most of the information about RN’s and clinical practice and this was in the psychological and sociological databases. The conclusion therefore is that there is missing gap of knowledge in this area of RN’s and their perceptions about clinical practice. The research question was â€Å"what is the experience of RNs who leave clinical nursing?† It is not concise because the information to be collected through this question will not be in line with the purpose of the study and hence more concise

Human Resource Management - Compensation, Benefits, Incentives Essay

Human Resource Management - Compensation, Benefits, Incentives - Essay Example e that incentives and benefits do very little to persuade a candidate to accept an organizations employment offer if baseline compensation is slightly below the candidates expectations. Of course, each person will try to get a salary that is higher. However, even young candidates will consider benefits and incentives. For instance, a person may be offered an hourly rate that is lower than he/she wishes. However, with free or discounted lunches, longer breaks, a kind manager, flexible hours, accessibility to work (distance), whom he/she will be working with (age group, environment), what he/she will be doing (perhaps working in an area or subject that he/she enjoys), etc. even the younger person will focus on these things and will realize that the benefits/incentives add to their quality of life. IF the younger person does seek the higher salary, eventually the extrinsic values of a job such as money will not be the overriding factor. He/she will eventually want more out of life if he/she is not happy with who they are working for, does not get discounts, enjoyable working atmosphere, etc. and will seek those things in a job. He/she will eventually quit the job and seek the intrinsic values. That is why younger people do not usually stay with a job for an extended amount of time. They move on. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules but we humans will seek intrinsic values more even if it’s only internally. Look at the very wealthy people; i.e. movie stars. They have all the money in the world and yet file bankruptcy, have broken relationships, do drugs, get in trouble with the law, etc. They want more. It is true, younger people will look at baseline pay first. However, if the baseline pay is â€Å"slightly lower† as the very opening post stated, they will also look at the incentives/benefits even if the benefits aren’t so great. As stated in my earlier posting, if the pay is good but the other factors, which are called intrinsic

Conceptual Analysis 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Conceptual Analysis 3 - Essay Example Sowa instigates that diagrams are simplified figures that convey intended message in a simple manner without using many words (John, 1984). In his work he describes several diagramming techniques that are very relevant in conveying messages in a simplified manner. There are many diagramming methods including flow charts, entity relationship, data-flow, and object oriented diagrams (John, 1984). This paper will analyze several diagramming techniques. Data-flow technique is a means of representing information or a system regardless of the level involved using symbols that show the flow of data, network of data, data processes and data stores. The main purpose of using data flow technique is to provide a systematic between users and system developers. Using data flow charts has a variety of advantages. The first advantage is that it reduces the amount of words that would have been used in explanation of the intended message. The second advantage is that data flow representation builds a systematic way of disseminating information. It shows the logical sequence of the data being represented. Thirdly, it represents the information in a hierarchical manner, showing every details of a system at any level. Fourthly, it is user friendly in that it allows users to understand the information being represented and gives the user an opportunity for review. They are diagrams used in object oriented models. They help in definition of machines that have a number of states. These machines receive events from external environment and the events drive the machine in rotation from one state to the other. This kind of diagramming technique helps in giving the explicit definition of a machine and its behavior. One feature that makes this technique unique is its ability to generalize states. This ability allows the factoring of common transitions. State models are suitable when describing

Research into Independent University Learning

Research into Independent University Learning Hazel Christie, Paul Barron and Norma D Annunzio-Green published an article Direct entrants in transition: becoming independent learners in Studies in Higher Education, 2013. It examines students who have come from College having undertaken one or two years of equivalent education, then transitioned directly into a second or third year of a degree in University. Information was taken from direct entry students in their first year of study at University identifying what factors helped them succeed in studies. It identified that students who adjust quickly to new education environments understand what independent learning entails. The challenge for direct entrant students is adjusting to the different learning environment at the university level, where students are required to function considerably more independently than they are used to at college.   A critical factor of success is the ability to be flexible in adapting to new learning environments and adopting the attributes of an independent learner.   Other characteristics of success are students concepts of assessment and time management. Not only understanding the contents and required format prove challenging for students, but also managing their time effectively to allow for sufficient preparation and timely submission of assessment items is vital for academic success. This study was undertaken by Edinburgh Napier University located in Scotland over the 2006-2007 years. The study was made up of sixteen women and four men of which, six entered the second year and fourteen entered third-year studies. Eleven took business studies with the rest undertaking other related courses. Twelve were mature aged, working part time and or raising families. Eight students pathway went through school, college then to university. Interviews were taped and then transcribed at the end of the first year, discussing previous learning environments and their perceptions and preparedness for studies. Information collected was on initial expectations of the new learning environment at the university, the extent to which their expectations were met, and issues around teaching and learning. The study found two key success factors in transitioning to university and becoming successful learners, coping and succeeding in module assessments, and good time management skills. Results identified three groups. Group one found transition reasonably smooth, the second found it hard to adjust, the third found it overwhelming and struggled to cope. The overall transition experience was challenging coming from structured and directed learning to independent learning. Group one were flexible and adapted quickly to the new learning style. They were confident and able to prioritise their time to separate study, work and family life. They believed this was imperative to their success. Students recognised the need to prepare for lectures and tutorials in advance, and the need for feedback on performance to critique themselves for self-improvement. The second group had high expectations but found difficulties in making the transition. They struggled with independent research, the conventions of essay writing, referencing and putting the material together. Students struggled to achieve a balance between their studies and other commitments. By putting things off they engaged in crisis management or adopted a do enough approach. Again, this group identified the need for independent learning and time management skills. They reflected on the need to improve on this if they wanted to be successful at university. The final group was struggling to understand independent learning and found it difficult to take ownership of their learning. They experienced crises which made some consider leaving. None were nervous about starting university, more so they struggled to adjust to university study. They had limited understanding of what independent learning demanded and struggled with time management, interlinking work, social and academic time. Expectations were, they would study the same way as in college, relying on lecturers to guide them and advise on reading material needed. Likewise, lecturers were not aware that they had direct entry students who were unaware what university required. Twenty students were interviewed about their experience of entering university directly from college into a second or third year of a university qualification. There was an assumption from the university that there would be a smooth transition, moving from one education framework to the next. Some students transitioned rapidly however others had difficulties with this transition. These students believed that support would continue, like what was provided at the college. Overall, students need to develop independent learning and time management skills to be successful in the transition to university. Universities need to identify and provide support to those students transitioning from college to university. Characteristics Time management Prior to commencing this course, I felt I was ready to study. I knew I would have trouble with chemistry and biology, but I believed I was ready. After the first week, I soon learnt I was wrong. I then drew up a study timetable and highlighted in different colours each course with lectures, tutorials and study. I utilised the semester planner and diary plotting my course timetable and assessment dates. On Sundays, I now print out the weeks PowerPoint presentations and go through these with study materials to support my learning prior to attending classes. With my prior work experience, I rapidly adapt to change. My family has started encroaching into my study schedule. I have since adjusted some of my study time to after the children are in bed.   I have found some lectures hard to follow, I now watch the recordings from Sippy Downs. I attend the recently introduced weekly consultation support for chemistry and biology to aid my learning. From discussions with co-students, I now utilise YouTube videos to assist my chemistry and biology learning. I have a weakness in writing, so I am using an online grammar spell checker Reverso. With these strategies in place, I have been successful in keeping a study family life balance. Preparedness for Classes The following information has supported my preparedness for classes. On my study wall, I have a timetable outlining lectures and tutorials. A weekly planner has been created setting out each course, highlighted in a different colour showing the day and times scheduled for lectures, tutorials and study. My weekly planner has been amended due to the need of additional time required for the study. This will be monitored and adjusted as changes are needed. A semester planner detailing due dates for each assessment and how they are to be submitted is also on the wall. I update my diary each week with each weeks classes and any additional information as it comes to hand. I attended the two-day skills workshop the week prior to studying studies and I have enrolled in upcoming skills workshops that are available throughout the semester. I have read the TPP101 Course Outline and I review it as we progress through the semester. I access Blackboard which has my e-lectures, quizzes, lecture recordings and PowerPoint presentations, assessment criteria and due dates. These materials are supporting my preparation for classes. The Task 2 Toolkit supports my preparation for not only each week leading up to the assessment submission date but also requirements for the upcoming assessment. The workbook is providing me with opportunities to practice and check on my understanding of key points. Going through these study materials has allowed me to prepare for the class as well as identify questions which can then be asked face to face at the lecture or tutorial.