Professional Development Plan

Furthermore it will discuss techniques widely utilized include multiple association memberships, advanced/continuing education courses, and association with and In both student and professional resource groups. This paper will Identify and discuss two professional membership organizations and explain why each would be beneficial as a psychology professional. It will also identify and discuss one potential resource to utilize as a networking element and explain the steps to realize the opportunity so presented.Lastly this paper will evaluate and discuss the benefits resented by networking among such groups and how they might support vocational goals and objectives. Introduction took an undergraduate class called Positive Psychology and it empowered me more than I thought it would. One supplemental book that was used: Strength Finders 2. 0 (Rata, 2007). Not only did it put me In the right mind-set but it also allowed me to make the right decision career-wise. I was trying to decide whe ther or not to pursue a MS or M. A. In Psychology. After reading Rates book and applying It to my personal life, I finally stuck to what was in my heart; counseling.No coursework actually influenced me to pursue a Masters in Psychology degree. I was attending Morehouse College attempting to pursue Pre-Med Biology and was required to take a few psychology classes, after having a deeper understanding of what psychology was, I was hooked and changed my major. My passion for helping individuals has directly and indirectly influenced the career field I'm pursuing. It has always been a passion of mine to help youth. As I became older and matured in life over the years, Eve been able to direct what I want to do In life In a more concrete direction.I started from mating to be a pediatrician, because I wanted to help kids, to now in the process of becoming a therapist, still helping kids. At 29, I'm still learning that I don't know as much as I think I do. Eve learned that in order to be the best at what I'm trying to do, I need to apply myself much more than I'm doing now. The various theories Eve covered thus far has given me a greater outlook on the past and what the future can be. Everything that I'm learning can be used in some aspect and I won't fully know the extent of what I've learned until I have to use it in practical application career- sis.I'm learning to be thoughtful and respectful of theories and Ideas that do not appeal to me or that I don't agree with. When It comes to Interest, goals and values, It is something that I do not compromise on, especially my values. I use to work at a 1 OFF plan and come up with something that will help them start the process of discharging in the future. Kind of like a therapist but without the therapy part and licensee aspect. I have clients ask me things, ask for things and tell me thing that are far from my values. What I have to remember is that, â€Å"I'm not here to teach my ales, I'm here to make transformationsà ¢â‚¬ .It's hard sometimes because I'm dealing with clients from all walks of life and they've been through hell and back. What it does for me is allow me to appreciate the values that I do have that have allowed me to make it to where I am now. Goal wise, the field that I am in now is where I want to be for the rest of my life. As I stated before, I initially began with wanting to be a pediatrician but as reality set in for me I decided that I can still â€Å"help† people but Just in a different facet, that being through psychology.The things Eve learned over the ears and the experiences Eve have, whether positive or negative are all â€Å"tools† that Eve acquired that will allow me to help others reach and overcome the issues that they may be struggling with. That is why I love working with youth because I seem to relate to them and I can interact with them on a level that is not belittling or degrading. The overused click â€Å"The Children Are Our Future†, i s something that I take seriously and that is why I love doing what I do and I will continue to fine tune my craft and gift that I believe was given to me for a reason.Different Occupations There are a plethora of occupations within psychology that are regulated by state licensee and certification but for the purpose of this paper only two will be addressed; clinical and counseling. Clinical Psychologist This area includes interviewing, observation and testing; all clinical psychologists need to be thoroughly trained in this area and should be able to choose the correct type of testing/method when conducting this with the client.They test such things as intellect, cognitive processes, and social functioning along with this, being able to interpret the test is also essential to clinical psychologist. As well as being able to conduct test, a major role also includes the ability to diagnosis using multiple models. Giving the client the inner strength to acclimatize themselves to change and gain a sense of power in everyday living. The ability to implement and conduct different programs both basic and applied. This is a fundamental function of clinical psychologist in both clinical and academic formats.Working with peers who work with clients, interacting with peers, contributing their services for the bettering of the program, and obtaining supervision. Clinical psychologists have a skill set which revises a much needed service to society. They use it by practicing, creating and evaluating applied and scientific skills (Avails & Hoses, 1996). Specific requirements for a Master's Level Program An individual with a master's degree cannot call themselves Psychologists because they have not obtained the degree level (Ph. D or Sys. D) to have that title.Those at the master's level can only call themselves clinicians or therapist. This is granted only after successively completing an accredited master's level program then passing the exam to become licensed in a partic ular state(s). After taking the exam they will take individuals stop at this level for various reasons such as not wanting to go back to school for the doctoral level degree, their Job does not require a higher level of education than the LCP/ALP, or they feel comfortable at the level of credentials and education they currently hold.There are plenty of careers for therapist/clinicians just in the master's level such as academics, counseling centers, independent practice, human service agencies, hospitals, medical centers, and business/industries (Sternberg, 2007) position it depends on the direction an individual wants to take. Specific requirements for a Doctoral Level Program Obtaining a Ph. D or Sys. D is a slightly different route that requires more years of education and allows you the option to become a psychologist or psychiatrist. There are only a couple of states that allow you to prescribe medication as a psychologist.Many individuals take this route because of the higher level it allows one to begin at, others for the particular specialized area of career one decides to get in. These individuals are held to a higher level of standard and their expectations are also higher due to the lengthy amount of education and experience they bring. In a study one at Rutgers University they found that â€Å"A greater number of Ph. D. Alumni received â€Å"other honors and awards,† and Sys. D. Graduates did not out- perform Ph. D†( Bond, 2010). The study in itself, although Just one study, shows that the only difference lies in the choice that an individual wants to take.There are few differences in the Ph. D and the Sys. D but the main question is what direction you want career moving toward. Most Ph. D programs focus more on research while most Sys. D programs prepare for psychology practice (Translators, 2011). Vail Model The Vail Model formed in 1973 in Vail, Colorado at a conference because of the ongoing levels of disagreement from the Boulder conference. The supporters at the Vail conference believed that psychology was broad enough to have another designator other than the Ph. D (Norris & Castle, 2002).They suggested that there should be a difference between practitioners and scientist so they formed what we now know as Sys. D. Unlike the PDP. D program, the Sys. D could be housed in one of three different settings: (1) University Departments (2) University Professional Schools and (3) Freestanding Institutions (Norris & Castle, 2002). Boulder Model The Boulder Model was founded in 1949 at a clinical psychology conference in Boulder, Colorado. The purpose of the conference was to provide training and was the first of its kind.Duality was given to clinical psychologist as â€Å"scientist- practitioners† (Norris & Castle, 2002). Two other milestones were crossed; (1) the required degree established was the Ph. D and (2) they wanted the training to be within the department and not a stand-alone establishment (Norri s & Castle, 2002). Personal Strengths and Weakness Many of my strengths come from personal experiences and workplace experiences because many of the Jobs Eve held and many of the areas in which Eve volunteered in ere of the mental health aspect or dealt with community services and counseling.My outgoing personality and willingness to go out on a limb for my fellow man is a huge strength of mine. I'm able to empathic with other peoples' emotions and experiences. This aspect allows me to quickly and honestly build a rapport with those who I am working with. Some of my weaknesses are the field itself. I'm a rookie and stubbornness to accept new ideas which are outside of my personal beliefs. Let me say that I love learning new things that will further enhance and expound my reversion but I know that for me personally, other ideas outside of what I feel comfortable with, is an area that I struggle in.This is something that I know I would need to work on because it could hinder my abilit y to learn things beneficial to me. Techniques and Growth The American Psychological Association and the American Counseling Association are just two of the many outlets that are available. These organizations hold conferences and publish material to provide resources to those in the profession. Graduate and post-graduate schools are also a good resource because of the seasoned staff, arums, mini conferences, and meetings related to those in the profession.It is also good to become involved in various organizations to assist with networking and gaining knowledge. Summary and Conclusion I feel blessed to have taken this course and to be apart such a growing field which changes the lives of so many people each day. I am learning much and I will always reflect on what Eve learned in this course and future ones as well. Each day I'm continuing to take what Eve learned and apply it to my personal everyday life. The enjoyment Eve experienced and the trials Eve been able to overcome are a direct exult of this course and other.

The significance of context in information systems and organizational change Essay

Since their arrival on the mobile and web computing scene, information systems have had a profound effect on economies, organizations and societies. Individuals have also enjoyed a great deal of the extended effect of the activities that are conducted within the social aggregates provided by information systems. This report seeks to evaluate the impact and the role of information systems on the quality process on different industries in order to make the implementation and application of quality assurance easy, simple, fast accurate and time saving. The journal of strategic information systems seeks to explore the impact that information systems has had on the general process and profitability of a company. This journal has a scholarly audience for those who are in search of better understanding on how best information systems have improved their lives and the potential that they still hold for the future. Since it is documented as a scholarly article, it is expected that the article shall fulfill educational curiosities regarding how information systems have enabled simplicity and some level of perfection in the business world. It is also expected that the journal shall provide precise information with extensive research carried out to back the statements outlined in the article. According to the journal article, the gradual increase in dependence of information systems has shown a steady rise in the need for quality improvement within business enterprises. The article sites a survey carried out to show that IT improvement in t erms of quality is the top problem facing IT executives in the current job market. It is because of the multidimensional edge that IT presents that the position of Chief Information Officers (CIO) has become a recent development in the corporate sector. The journal models the relationship between information systems quality and the organizational impact it has. The article hypothesizes that there is a greater organizational impact in situations where the systems quality, service quality and information quality are high. According to the article, information system service quality is the most influential concept, followed by information quality and then system quality in the overall performance of the business. However, the article fails to mention other impacts that are attached to the success of the organization such as efficiency of the personnel and the updating of information system quality. On the other hand, the article’s mention of Ackoff (1967) is critical to the support of the information system theory. Ackoff pointed out five misconceptions regarding information systems by stating that the most critical information deficiency that managers suffer is from the high levels of irrelevant information. Furthermore the article points to Whitaker and Voas (2006) and Parnas (2003) who confirm that software is plagued with problems such as fragmented software modules that are hard to integrate and hard-to-use interfaces. However, at the time this information was presented this was a rampant p roblem that was facing the software industry and the IT world in general. However, recent researches have shown that in recent years, this has changed drastically and information systems are required to be top notch before they can be released into the market for use and even for testing. The article fails to mention that there have been increased measures and precaution taken to ensure that quality assurance is the core principle in the world of information systems. It also fails to mention that quality assurance is the only link to continued success in an organization when it comes to matters of information, technology and systems. It is only through the assurance of information systems that organizations can adapt systems that are guaranteed to produce tangible and beneficial results. The article also emphasizes on the use of information technology in the general performance of business and the overall perception of the outside world. It is lacking in the expertise to recognize t he fact that quality assurance goes hand in hand with quality control which is mostly effected by use of personnel employed to overlook the process. Therefore, although the article has been pinned as a scholarly article in the journal, it requires much revision in order to remain relevant in the world we live in today. Encyclopedia Britannica posted an article on information systems that proved to be worth reviewing. The article lays the importance of information systems in organizations. The article states that information systems enhance several capabilities of an organization which in turn provide support for business activities. For example, decision making, product development, customer and supplier relation and sometimes the general business model are the areas where information systems fit best. The article does not hold any opinion towards the importance of information system but it does point out the advantages and the potential that information systems hold in the organization. The article is right in pointing out that information systems advancements create new options in the way business is conducted which is generally true, but the article fails to mention that information systems require to be constantly updated. Besides updating, information systems require to be assured so that the results can be translated into the output of the company which shall be of the same quality. The language used in this article is informative and without any bias and it makes its credibility rise with each statement. For example, the article includes that information systems do not necessarily translate to increased profits. The success of a business depends in part the adoption of effective information systems, but it also in the skill to which the information systems are deployed and used alongside other factors such as customer relation and knowledge of the industry. The article is witty and well updated with the latest advancements in quality assurance processes. For example, the article is clear in the definition and the implication of virtual organizations whose quality assurance has to be constantly updated because of the evolving and fast paced information system world. The article does not fail to mention the importance of human personnel in the workings of the company and the incorporation of information systems. Although the article is mainly focused on the information technology literate the simplicity of definition of terms means that the audiences of the article are both the literate and the illiterate to the IT world. It is through the incorporation of information systems to the World Wide Web that quality assurance can be improved drastically. Through quality assurance, individuals can participate in global forums and national events such as elections, referendums, and opinion polls. It is therefore, through the incorporation of info rmation systems in such fronts that quality assurance becomes paramount. The article vividly describes and gives simple illustrations for the ways in which quality assurance in information systems can assist all members of the society. According to the journal of the association for information, science and technology (2014), quality assurance is an administrative and procedural activity that is implemented in the quality system to ensure that both the goals and objectives of the product are fulfilled as intended. The journal hosted an article on the significance of context in information systems and organizational change. The article mainly speaks about the implementation of information systems which is relevant to the above outlined thesis. The article indicates that there are three distinct principles that are to be followed in the implementation of information systems throughout the organization. The first principle should incorporate innovation of the information system with regard to the socio-organizational change, the second principle involves the analysis of the local organizational, the national and the global context of the information system, while the third system uses the analysis of the decisions mad e towards the innovation process of the information system. The article is based on an assumption that ICT does not face any deterministic implications on the organizational results which makes it miss its mark in terms of convincing about the implementation of information systems. The failure in assumption is largely misplaced because ICT has a large role in the performance of the business which ultimately makes it a valuable variable to consider. The article on the significance of context in information systems and organizational change also points out that the information systems research is mainly contextual because it is mostly based on an organizational setting instead of a laboratory setting. It is for this reason that information systems studies are subject to the environment in which they are applied, according to the article. The position of context of information environment used in the article is fairly placed given that different environments, markets or industries pose different challenges for the organization and the information system in use. Different fields of engagement require certain assurances in terms of the incorporation of information systems. For instance, quality assurance in information systems for the military is more precise that that which would be used in a local bookstore. One in a bookstore would be used to track borrowed books while one for the military would be used to track missiles and comm unicate code during wartime. On both counts, quality assurance would have to be stepped because it involves the use of human personnel to operate the information system. On the other hand, quality assurance should be strict so that human use of the information system can be smooth and accommodating and at the same time it should be time saving. The article is well organized starting from the introduction, all through the body and into the conclusion. The points raised in the article such as the concept that information systems are mainly concerned with IT innovations is well founded. The article sites many references for backing the information presented going as far back as 1989 when the initial concepts for the internet were taking place. The audiences intended for the article are scholars who require in-depth information about information systems, their innovations and implementations. The article is highly resourceful and rich in detail for any scholarly work. The article states that in order to maintain a competitive edge in the respective field, companies have to invest in information systems like ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) software that serve different functions in the organization. These systems also provide real time data that is used to aid in fast decision making. Information systems such as ERPs help co mpanies to manage their operations seamlessly across the globe. This information is particularly helpful especially in aiding the thesis statement that seeks to give credit to quality assurance for the easy integration, simplicity and quickness in the performance of business duties. Quality in any field is determined by the users, clients or customers who use the product and not by the society in general. The quality, as is often confused is not related to the actual price of the product or the service. The two are separate variables though relating to the same product. Therefore, adjectives like ‘poor’ and ‘high’ should not be used in relation to quality. Even in IT and information systems there are standards by which products must conform and they are monitored by such standards as ISO, 9000 or an alternative as the CMMI model. This is the idea projected in the journal of information systems (2009) that was designed in the interest of quality intervention in the quality assessment arena. The article on the benefits of information systems to organizations indicate that companies benefit by cutting down on human labor that previously cost them billions in wages. Since the invention and the spread of information systems companies have op ted to cut down on human labor down to the most important employees within the company. Although the article is fundamentally clear on the importance of cutting down human labor services, it fails to mention that quality assurance in the information systems that replace them are in constant need of updating for as long as the systems are in place. The article is geared to the well informed in the field of information systems and information technology as it mentions some of the most recent advancements such as cloud computing. The article merely seeks to hit the final nail on the information system concept coffin by including these latest features. Although other articles speak about virtual organizations and virtual communication systems, the journal of information systems seeks to give the latest advancements as well as options and possibilities in the industry. The drastic, yet advanced calculations in the growth of the information technology world have led to the overreliance of computerization that might eventually become the downfall of human beings. Without human intervention to the computerized world, there is an ever conscious possibility of failing to meet set objectives in terms of assurance of quality. The article seeks to inform of the impending danger of the failure to adhere to quality assurance precautions which is commendable and very informative. The article is neither biased but rather it leaves the reader with an option to think outside the box, consider gathering more information or take the information provided at face value. The tile of the article suggests that there shall be many sides to the information system story which is clearly shown and well detailed. The main purpose of the article from a scholar’s point of view is to broaden the thinking of the reader and to create a set of questions as to what lies ahe ad with information systems. Both the application and implementation of information systems has been revolutionary and has defined the 21st century in a huge way. Therefore, quality assurance on information systems has become tougher and more brutal as days go by primarily because of the competition and the innovativeness associated with information technology. The article seeks to highlight the consequences of ignorance and also the failures that companies undergo as a result of ignoring quality assurance requirements for the betterment of their stature in the industry. It is only with quality assurance that new ideas and concepts can be fostered within the organization. Quality assurance ensures that there is always room for improvement on the information system so that companies can grow according to their mission statement. The article is witty and largely educative and at the same time cautious as was the intention. The article is one to look out for in the world of information systems. The international journal of computers, communications and control had an article on management of information systems titled ‘managing the digital firm’ which was an eye opener for those interested. The article was written by rather two professionals in the information systems arena who have extensive background knowledge in information systems. From the title of the article, it is expected that the information provided shall be highly educative and without any blunder. It is also expected that because of the doctoral status of the authors, the information provided can hardly be refuted. The article kicks off by stating that knowledge of information systems is essential in the creation of successful and competitive corporations that add value to their products and services. The article further cements this statement by stating that it is inconceivable for a company to operate without the extensive incorporation of IT. This statement is rightly so because from a global p oint of view, all relationships between customers, suppliers and employees are mainly maintained digitally. The tone used in the article is educational which suggests that it is meant for scholars, educators and to a large extent, managers who are often faced with major information systems challenges. In order to do so, the authors of the article have incorporated a sociotechnical style of presentation through the combination of computer science, management science as well as operations research and blended them with behavioral elements that are drawn from sociology, psychology and sociology. The article contains in large part presentation of facts from a management of information systems (MIS) point of view. The article explains in detail the concepts of digital firms and how quality assurance should be incorporated in the information systems adopted by organizations. The article also advices on keeping information systems updated in order to ensure that the quality assurance process remains easy, simple, fast, and accurate and not time consuming. The article is a masterpiece if not the b lueprint of the future of information systems and businesses in all industries. The article explains in great detail that information systems are relevant in all industries and all markets however miniscule they might seem. The article is very resourceful and without any identifiable flaws. However, its lack of emphasis on quality assurance is a minor setback, but the essence of the article is captured in the rest of the details discussed. References Avgerou, Chrisanthi. â€Å"The significance of context in information systems and organizational change.† Information Systems Journal 11.1 (2001): 43-63. Print. Benbasat, Izak, and Ron Weber. â€Å"Research Commentary: Rethinking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Diversityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  in Information Systems Research.† information systems research 7.4 (1996): 389-399. Print. Haigh, Thomas. â€Å"The history of information technology.† Annual Review of Information Science and Technology 45.1 (2011): 431-487. Print. Hayman, J. L.. â€Å"Educational Management Information Systems For The Seventies.† Educational Administration Quarterly 10.1 (1974): 60-71. Print. â€Å"Information Systems Failures.† European Journal of Information Systems 2.3 (1993): 157-158. Print. â€Å"Information Systems Research: Policy on Special Issues.† information systems research 16.1 (2005): 6-8. Print. â€Å"Information systems and interorganizational networks.† European Journal of Information Systems 5.2 (1996): 73-74. Print. â€Å"Journal of Strategic Information Systems.† The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 17.4 (2008): 287. Print. â€Å"Journal of Strategic Information Systems.† The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 17.4 (2008): 287. Print. â€Å"Journal of Strategic Information Systems Best Paper 2008.† The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 18.4 (2009): I. Print. Karim, Akram Jalal. â€Å"The Significance Of Management Information Systems For Enhancing Strategic And Tactical Planning.† JISTEM Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management 8.2 (2011): 459-470. Print. Kini, Ranjan B.. â€Å"Strategic Information Systems.† Information Systems Management 10.4 (1993): 42-45. Print. â€Å"Management Information Systems (MIS).† Inc.com. N.p., 23 Apr. 2010. Web. 15 May 2014. . O’, Tiomothy J.. â€Å"Executive Information Systems.† Journal of Information Systems Management 6.2 (1989): 34-41. Print. Osinulu, L. F. Amusa. â€Å"Information Technology, Quality Assurance, and Academic Library Management.† Library Philosophy and Practice 1 Feb. 2010: 13-29. Print. Parker, Donn B.. â€Å"Ethics for Information Systems Personnel.† Journal of Information Systems Management 5.3 (1988): 44-48. Print. Ritch, Stephen, and Robert J. Munro. â€Å"Management Information Systems, Planning, And Public Community Colleges.† Community Junior College Research Quarterly of Research and Practice 6.2 (1982): 179-186. Print. Sprowls, Clay. â€Å"Strategic information systems: A European perspective.† The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 3.4 (1994): 345-346. Print. Stowell, Frank. â€Å"Do We Mean Information Systems or Systems of Information?.† International Journal of Information Technologies and Systems Approach 1.1 (2008): 25-36. Print. Teittinen, Henri, Jukka Pellinen, and Marko JÃÆ' ¤rvenpÃÆ' ¤ÃƒÆ' ¤. â€Å"ERP in action à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Challenges and benefits for management control in SME context.† International Journal of Accounting Information Systems 14.4 (2013): 278-296. Print. Warren, Matthew. â€Å"Ethics in Information Systems.† Australasian Journal of Information Systems 13.2 (2006): 23-29. Print. Winter, M.c., D.h. Brown, and P.b. Checkland. â€Å"A role for soft systems methodology in information systems development.† European Journal of Information Systems 4.3 (1995): 130-142. Print. Xu, Li D.. â€Å"Systems characteristics in information systems design.† Systems Research 9.1 (1992): 67-78. Print. Zwass, Vladimir. â€Å"Information systems in the economy and society.† Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2012. Web. 23 May 2014. . Source document

Neo-Classicism and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Neo-Classicism and Politics - Essay Example According to the paper subsequently, because of some changes in the governance and the people involved in the political podium of some countries like France, when Napoleon I have raised into power, a shift of the type of arts has been done to serve the propaganda needs. These are just some of the responses of arts to the changes there are in politics. It is very clear that since the Neo-classical era up to the present, the relationship between politics and arts is very much alive manifested though the incessant conformity of art with societal progressions. More than just the visual art and its relation to the political transitions that have occurred to several countries, there is also a contextual relationship between media arts and politics. In the present time, we use media as the largest organ to inform, disseminate information and to teach people about several aspects in the government and to help people realize if the society is still moving. From this study it is ckear that to have a clearer presentation of idea, it is best to classify the relationship of arts and politics in two: in microscopic and macroscopic grounds. Locally, the ubiquity of the linkages between art and politics is very clear. For example, in the Philippines, during the peak of the internationally broadcasted "Ampatuan Killings" where more than 50 journalists were killed.

Implementation of the Saudi Mortgage Law Developing an Effective Research Paper - 3

Implementation of the Saudi Mortgage Law Developing an Effective Mortgage - Research Paper Example The provisions of Saudi Arabia ‘real estate mortgage law’, which was signed into law on July 2, 2012, offer different ways through which the law will be implemented. First, under the ‘Enforcement’ Law, the law has provided that judges should hear and enforce mortgage disputes and insolvency actions (Delloite, 2). In this respect, the law has allowed the courts to decide on the order of the repayment of the mortgages, in a way that would guarantee swift repayments. Under the ‘Real Estate Finance’ Law of the Saudi Mortgage Laws, an elaborate architecture and framework for the authorization and licensing of banks and other non-banking companies to offer mortgage facilities has been established. Thus, according to this section of the law, banks will be allowed to own real estate’s for the purpose of facilitating mortgage lending (Khan, 2). Additionally, the government will facilitate the banks and companies offering the mortgage services, through publicizing real estate market activities, while at the same time granting the companies and the banks an access to the notary registers and the courts (Delloite, 2). This s ection of the law has also provided that a credit risk must be undertaken on the borrowers, through the aid of the authorized and available credit bureaus, to ensure the creditworthiness of all borrowers. Further, the Saudi Mortgage Law includes a section under the ‘Registered Real Estate Mortgage’ Law, which provides for the procedures of the registration of mortgages (Khan, 7).

Question 31 & 32 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Question 31 & 32 - Essay Example This means that criminal activities take places because criminals have low control over themselves. Individuals have low control over themselves because they have been brought up in a poor manner and their attachment with their parents is even quite weak which elevates the chances of them getting into a criminal act. Hirshi and Gottfredson even state that individuals who have low control over themselves even indulge in actions that may not be considered criminal but are quite harmful, these actions include: alcohol and drug abuse, road accidents and pregnancies that are not wanted. The base of the general theory of crime is the elements of love, affection, involvement and belief. Individuals having low self control are those who are not committed to the norms and cultural values of their societies and they end up committing criminal act as they give preference to satisfaction over the norms and cultural values of their society. 2. The theory of Left Realism came into existence during 1970s and was created in response to the importance given to deviant behaviors conducted by those who are considered as elite of the society (Adler, 2010, p.205). Left Realism states that the people within the lower class experience day to day criminal activities conducted against them and they mainly experience street related crimes (Vito, 2006, p.232). According to Left realists, street crimes are caused because individuals are committers of these crimes are deprived from social and political participation. Another emerging perspective of criminology is peacemaking criminology; this ideology of criminology promotes fairness, nonviolent living and impartiality between the components of the society (Adler, 2010, p.206). According to peacemaking criminology, the current state of fighting crime and actions used to counter criminal activities can only lead to more

Pennsylvania's Long Term Care Facilities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Pennsylvania's Long Term Care Facilities - Essay Example Although these care facilities had been designed to provide care that provided more care available in private homes and less than that available in the hospitals, persons living in long-term care facilities are still the victims of physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse (Tatara, 1993). Neglect of the residents in that sense legally construes abuse. In this assignment, abuse and neglect in Pennsylvania's long term care facilities will be critically examined from the point of view of exploring the causes and status of it in the state of Pennsylvania and what law can do to prevent it. To this end, it is imperative to have the legal definitions of these terms need to be established first for the reader's benefits (Underwood, 2005). Caretaker: Under schedule 10225.103 of Pennsylvania Law means an individual or an institution that has assumed the responsibility for the provision of care needed to maintain the physical and mental health of an older adult. This responsibility may arise in several conditions. It may arise voluntarily, by contract, by receipt of payment in lieu of care provided, out of family relationship, or by the order of court of competent jurisdiction. This act, however, mentions that it does not intend to impose responsibility on any individual who is not legally responsible for such (National Research Council, 2003). Older Adult: Most of the older adults are residents of long-term care facilities. The same Pennsylvania law defines an older adult to be a person within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth who is 60 years old or older than that. Therefore, older adult who is in need of protective services would be an incapacitated adult who would be unable to perform activities or obtain services that are necessary to maintain psychological and physical health and wellbeing, for whom there is no responsible caretaker, making him vulnerable to the imminent risks of danger to his person or property (National Research Council, 2003). Abuse: Under the same section of law and also under section 672, abuse is defined as one or more of the following acts. These include infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, and/or punishment that may result into physical harm, pain or mental anguish. This may also include the willful deprivation by a caretaker or caretaker organization of goods or services that are necessary for maintenance of physical or mental health. Moreover Protection from Abuse act, 1976, also includes in this category acts of sexual harassment, abuse, or rape. However, the law excludes the grounds of uncontrollable environmental factors such as housing, furnishings, income, clothing, and medical care (National Research Council, 2003). Neglect: In this law, neglect means the failure to provide for self or failure of the care provider to provide goods or services essential to avoid a clear and serious threat to physical and mental health. As per this law, however, no older adult who does not consent to the protective services shall be found to be neglected solely on the grounds of environmental factors which are beyond the control of the older adult or the caretaker, such as, inadequate housing, furnishi

Response to Manuscript Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Response to Manuscript Review - Essay Example Response to Manuscript Review The two sentences that end the second last paragraph in the introduction, beginning with ‘However, in 2007/2008, Arab†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ are examples of difficult expression and grammar. As an example of good practice please redraft these two sentences to improve clarity of expression and sentence structure. I totally agree with this interpretation, the two sentences indeed are examples of difficult expression and grammar. I have redrafted this two sentences in order to improve the clarity of expression and sentence structure. In order to emphasize this, the two sentences have been modified and now reds as follows: â€Å"However, in 2007/2008, Arab countries were force to bring back agriculture development to center of national strategic consideration. In fact, Iraqi government in their 2013-2017 NDP, they have emphasized on the role of agriculture by presenting concrete goals and associated investment.† â€Å"However, in 2007/2008, Arab countries were forced to revive agricultural development to center national strategic considerations. In 2013-2017 NDP, the Iraq government decided to emphasize on the role of agriculture by presenting concrete goals and associated investment.† â€Å"The process is done in accordance to the law regulating examinations of seeds developed by international union. This sentence has been modified and it now reads, â€Å"The process is done in accordance to the laws regulating examinations of seeds developed by international union of new varieties of plants.

Decline in Trade Unionism and Strike Activity Coursework

Decline in Trade Unionism and Strike Activity - Coursework Example For decades, trade unions have played an important role in Europe as organizations that work to provide common goals for workers, offering traditional functions to its members such as collective bargaining, organized strikes, and support for unfair dismissal. In the UK, for example, the â€Å"Trade Union Congress† (TUC), which is an organization of British trade unions, was founded in 1868, and has since then, become a powerful institution in industrial relations.Trade unions have been commonly associated with strike-related activities since the 11900s but the instances of trade unions and strikes has evolved and changed dramatically since this period (Aligisakis, 1997). Participation in trade unions and strike activity are considered to be two important aspects of industrial relations in any country.   In the majority of European countries, trade unionism and the level of strike activities has experienced a continuous decline since the 1980s. Over the last three decades, a series of global changes have weakened the power of trade unions. These changes are responsible for the decline in trade unionism and fall in strikes, and the reasons for these changes will be explored in this paper. Attempts will also be made to examine whether any relation exists between the decline in trade union membership and strikes. Before embarking on discussing the issues mentioned above, one should look at the trend in trade unionism as well as strikes in European countries, particularly in Germany, France, Great Britain, and Sweden, as this is essential in finding out the relationship between the decline in trade union membership and strikes. These countries have been chosen as they represent the widest spectrum of industrial relations.

Psychologicl Fctors nd Sport Performnce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Psychologicl Fctors nd Sport Performnce - Essay Example This paper includes discussion of two articles on the effect of psychological factors on the performance of sportsmen. Additionally, it includes author's recommendations as to how to deal with these paychological factors. Psychologicl fctors ssocited with sport performnce can influence the sportsmen in a positive and negative way. Some positive factors that significantly enhance the performance of athlets are for examplesegmenting, task-relevant thought content, positive self-talk, and mood words (Rushall, Some Psychological Factors for Promoting Exceptional Athletic Performance). The most common negative factor that influences sports performance is anxiety. Anxiety is a body's automatic response that prepares it to 'fight' or 'flee' from perceived harm or attack that ensures survival of the human species. Sporting competition is an event that creates the feeling of anxiety. Basically, when the demands of training or competition exceed one's perceived ability, anxiety is the inevitable outcome. I will review all of those factors and propose my resonce as a coach to the psychological factors that influence the sport peroformance. norml fcet of dily life, stress is defined s n synchrony between chnge within n individul nd chnge within the environment. This synchrony is concretely pprent in sport s performnce is the externl reflection of blnce between the individul nd the environment. Excessive stress my be detrimentl to performnce culminting in greter psychologicl strin on the thlete. In overtrining reserch, stress is primrily viewed s summtion of severl fctors including life stress, mount of socil support, decrese of coping skills, locus of control, nd emotionl expression. The stress-injury link to negtive life stress hs been investigted nd helps provide coches with new direction to explin why some thletes, my be more vulnerble to injury t different times of the seson (Smith, Smoll, & Ptcek, 1990). Negtive life stress hs ccounted for s much s 30% of the observed injury vrince when ssessing injury vulnerbility (Smith, Smoll, & Ptcek, 1990). The subsequent stress following n injury or performnce decline does not fcilitte regenertion, further contributing to the overtrining syndrome. Excessive life stress is ssocited with n incresed vulnerbility to injury for two possible resons. First, ttentionl disruption my occur cusing less vigilnce to environmentl cues. Secondly, incresed muscle tension my effect fluidity of movement resulting in predisposition to injury (Smith, Smoll & Ptcek, 1990). Socil support nd coping skills my lso effect how thletic stress is reconciled nd hs been investigted through the stress-injury model (Smith, Smoll & Ptcek, 1990). Lck of pproprite socil support nd coping skills hs led to stleness nd eventul burnout (Smith, Smoll & Ptcek, 1990). Exmples include the underdeveloped coping skills of some children who prticipte in sports, nd the potentil for liention to occur t elite levels of competition due to trvel nd prctice time wy from friends. Severity of injury hs not been determined using indices of socil support/coping skill lthough sttisticlly significnt correltion ws drwn when subjects who were low in both socil support nd coping skills were ssessed for injuries. Results suggested tht s high s 47 to 55 percent of

The First Millenium Essay Example for Free

The First Millenium Essay The Year 1000 was once considered a year of apocalyptic proportions as biblical beliefs associated it with 1000 years after the Christ’s death. Historians in the 19th century had once imagined the terror during the climax of 1000 years. Without any serious argument, the notion was introduced despite many who chose to ignore the issue. Current views have however delineated eschatological sentiments of terror that once aroused religious transformations in the 11th century. Many historians have now effectively banished the thought which referenced a wrongful data without providing the solidified basis for such documentation. Lacey and Danzinger has however retrieved from England’s possession visible foundations of history through an old book written in black oak ink â€Å"sometime around the year 1020 probably by a cleric working in the manuscript studio of the Canterbury Cathedral† (p. 5). This book was later regarded as the Julius Work Calendar which provided basis for both authors of the discovery on what life was like a millennium after Christ’s death. The book actually focuses on the everyday lives of the Anglo-Saxons timed at the end of the first millennium. It strived to reconstruct the realities in a monthly tour throughout the period. The ordinary appearance of an English individual was then portrayed as â€Å"tall and people In Victorian England could not match our health or physique† (p.9). Yet â€Å"life was simple- as people wore sack-like tunics in colors that were less muddy† (p.10). No fashionable clothes were worn as people looked extremely uniform as a way of ease for the daily toils. In effect, life expectancy was also short â€Å"where a boy of 12 was old enough to swear an oath of allegiance to the king –while girls married easily in their teens† (p.10). When most adults die at an early age, people who lived well into midlife are considered respectable. At that time, England was able to sustain a â€Å"population of at least a million souls† where people were often grouped together as hunter-gatherers who lived in small groups and villages (p. 11). The simplicity was so pivotal in such that â€Å"cow dung, horse manure, sheep droppings and chicken shit† perforated the air (p.119). Men were also morally driven to religion as excitement is drawn upon a discussion and general arguments over the â€Å"observance of the Christian year† (p.12), â€Å"the lives of spirits and saints who lived their lives for the sake of Jesus’ teachings† (p. 17). England was in fact â€Å"a network of magical sites containing physical relics of at least 1 saint† (p. 19). Faith was in the main core of the simple society as peoples lives were entwined in the lives of saints. The â€Å"believer could even point to the bible which contained no less than 35 miracles in which Jesus defeated illness through the power of faith† (p. 122). Faith was therefore considered of highest consequence as people of the middle ages placed higher degrees of trust and faith. Every believer was highly aware that â€Å"sins were keeping the miraculous tradition alive† (p.122) and reliance to faith is highly a virtue. Faith in medicine was akin to belief in God. Persons during the period have an inkling of disease and illness. Folk remedy might have been applied with a hefty amount of religious conviction and care. Cures for maladies also involved â€Å"binding the stalk of herb crossword to the head with a red bandana while chilblains were to be treated with a mixture of ems, wine and fennel root† (126). Virility was also considered an important health matter that required â€Å"ministrations in the groin area with yellow lowered herb agrimony† (p. 126). Cleanliness was unheard of and people do not bathe as often as we do now. Nudity was even accepted in exchange for food and grain. During the time of the middle ages, the government existed under the rules of the king and his minions. Many may have not seen the king as â€Å"personal portraits did not exist† (p.17) and people were more familiar with the representatives of the church than with political persons. The lord of the land as the king’s minion was also considered the â€Å"loaf giver† (p.46-47) who would pay the Viking invaders at least â€Å"2000 pounds in gold and silver upon which payment invaders departed† (p. 14). In effect, people were highly dependent upon the immediate rulers of lands or village leaders for their safety. Slavery was consistent with the feudal system introduced by Viking invaders with Dublin operating the largest market. Typically everyone was in bondage where men expressed a â€Å"token of their fresh start or servitude† as opposed to prison or difficult times during famine (p. 45). Book Review Lacey, Robert and Danny Danzinger. The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millenium: An Englishman’s World, 1st ed. Boston: Little Brown, 1999. The book Lacey and Danzinger wrote is considered a refreshing answer to the present day worries on the changes which a new millennium can bring. The simple fact that even social scientist were led to believe on the apocalyptic interpretations proved how social changed brought out the emergence of this belief based on the cultural perceptions of the Middles Ages. The daily dangers of life during the period were centered on possible famines which don’t actually happen very often†¦and if it did, for shorter periods. While the book provides a realistic knowledge of the middle ages negating a continued myth on eschatological findings, it still attempts to reap benefits for the common millennium beliefs. However historians alike will welcome the accomplishments that strive to understand medieval lives into a larger global context. While we get insights on the activities of a calendar year, the daily lives of peasants and aristocracies are also exposed. Practicality was the usual behavior of people in an agricultural society. After defining the social dynamics of the period based on the Jules Calendar, I can definitely support that any romantic visions of the Middle Ages should be discounted in favor of the truth based on research and finding both authors made supported by ample evidence of truth. Religion has overemphasized wrong notions that are inherited into our modern era in an unbalanced mysticism. Through Lacey and Danzinger, the powerful heresies of the first decades which looked into the image of the monks provided basis for a historical research to ensue with proper documentation of facts. Hope being the key for existence that promised to inspire even the practical pragmatic individuals was definitely believed in. The only points which the authors failed to consider are the discussion on the recorded events of the period as written by other authors based on the annals of Saint Armand, discussing a power shattering quake that anticipated a catastrophic event for the next millennium. While Lacey and Danzinger provided views disuniting the eschatological findings, they were not able to inundate any countermeasure against the popular voices of the apocalyptic myth or doomsday beliefs. They have the ample chance to disregard the works of the destructive prodigies whose perspectives dwelled on creating a negativist confirmation of religious chaos. Lacey and Danzinger can therefore do well to disorganize this idea in full and weaken any widespread beliefs on the â€Å"end of days†. While having the capacity to exorcised doomsday believers, Lacey and Danzinger left this out for readers to discover in a pragmatic way. Altogether however, I sing praises for this book that glorified human life in the Middle Ages. Both authors have gone a long way in explaining what life was about under moral religious theologies with their documentary evidence as proof. Through their conjectural terrain, I have accepted the confidence of history in a linear time of peasant and aristocratic existence in the middle Ages.

Crash Movie Summary

Crash Movie Summary It addresses the problems of modern society, violence, cynicism of people towards each other and especially towards members of other ethnic cultures. This is especially actual for our country as it unites many nationalities, among which the conflicts are constantly arising. The film is not about few characters, but of many at once. Here are no main characters, but rather all the characters are the main and important (Miller 45). Every person, the member of the film is a separate story different from others, and at first glance, is unrelated to the others. The director shows the fate of fourteen people repeatedly cross over 36 hours. There are two policemen, one of which appears to be a total asshole, rude, harsh, embittered cad and racist, the other is still a young, inexperienced guy, who seems to be good and nice; but during the film they change their roles, and we see who is who. There are two Afro-American guys who steal cars and hate white people. We also see a man who is attorney and his wife, who is suspicious to all non-white people, whether Negro or Hispanic, but tells this only to her husband, being afraid of public condemnation. A young Latino man, who puts locks on doors and do not inspire confidence in clients. There is an Afro-American filmmaker who curries favour with police officers and wishes to be born white. We see Afro-American detective who forgets about his mother and brother and Persians` family, whose head is an American citizen, but not really knowing the language faces a lot of problems (Seller 2006). Throughout the film, we learn about every character, which they really are, if they are able to make sacrifices, to risk their lives, who can go against society, and who tries not to stand out. There ware no obvious good or bad characters. Each has its own truth, its own life. The film attracts as a magnet, enchants and you start to feel a part of it. All characters of the film are bright and deserve attention, but the most impression was made on my by two police officers: Tommy Hansen and John Ryan. Officer Tommy Hansen (Ryan Phillipe) is a young, white Los Angeles police officer who works as a partner with an older Officer John Ryan. At the very beginning we see Tommy as a fair, shy, inexperienced policeman. Once, after watching his partner John Ryan pull over black Cameron Thayer and his wife Christine and sexually molest Christine, Tommy desires to change of partner. He feels guilty over the incident and despises Officer John Ryan, so cant continue to work with his partner-racist. Such reaction on the situation characterized Tommy from a positive side and makes viewers sympathize him. Despite the request of Tommy, his supervisor Lieutenant Dixon doesnt satisfy the claim and agrees to transfer him only if he claims his uncontrollable flatulence requires him to drive alone in the car. Tommy has nothing to do, but to agree and th e next day he is reassigned to a single man patrol car (Ewing 2010). The same day, on his patrol he joins a police while chasing Cameron Thayer, who was being car jacked, but fought off his carjackers and is going away with one of carjacker being still in the car. Once after coming into a dead end Cameron, who is angry because of LAPD, confronts the police officers. Fair Tommy decides to solve the problem and tries to convince Cameron to come down to avoid a quarrel which could possibly end with Camerons death. Tommy defends Cameron, telling that he is a friend of his, and convinces the police officers to let Cameron go home with a harsh warning. This scene proves that Tommy influenced by remorse behaves fairly. He evokes positive emotions, and compared to other heroes looks as a real hero. After all, the director of the film shows the real face of Tommy in the case with Peters Waters. So, almost at the end of the film, Tommy is seen driving in his car and picking up Peter, a young black carjacker who was hitch-hiking. Being in one car with an African -Americans man, Tommy finds out his own insecurity with other races, and shows it through his treatment of Peter and their quarrel. Tommy quickly becomes angry when he assumes that Peter is laughing at him and asks him to leave the car. Peter starts to reach in his pocket and Tommy shoots him dead, wrongly assumes that the black guy is looking for a gun. Here, we see Tommy as totally frightened, lost and cruel man. He throws out the body of Peter from the car to cover up the incident. Here the viewers understand that Tommy is not a positive character, neither are the rest. Finally Tommy burns his car, trying to hide his involvement in the shooting. Once more we understand that this film doesnt have totally positive or totally negative characters, as all people are somewhere in the middle. At the same time, Officer John Ryan (Matt Dillon) shows his negative features from the very beginning of the film. He is a bigoted white police officer who is a partner of Officer Tommy Hansen. He is a rood, impolite, racist man who uses his social position and physically molests Christine (the wife of Cameron) under the pretense of looking for a gun after blaming Christine in performing fellatio on Cameron while he was driving a car. He molested the woman, thus humiliating her husband and forced him to apologize also. Watching this episode, the viewer feels disgust to the actions of the officer and him as a person. This makes his partner Tommy Hansen to believe in Johns racist tendencies. At the same time, Ryan is trying to find help for his father, who probably suffers from prostate cancer but whose treatment is ineffective. This shows him as caring and supporting person, but later he manifests his anger in prejudice. He manifests racist attitude towards an HMO employee who doesnt allow his father visit a desirable doctor (Crash (2004 film) 2009). It is understood that his racial prejudices seem to go from the destructive impact that local positive action policies had on his fathers business. As Officer Hansen decides to patrol alone, so Ryan is partnered with a Hispanic-American with whom he finds common language. The end of the Ryans story is positive as we see him from a good side. He risks his life trying to save Christine (the woman he molested a day before) from the death in a terrible car wreck. The viewer comes to the conclusion that all characters combine positive and negative features, having no idealization. For some reason, usually it is said that this film is about political correctness (as it received Oscar as the best film of 2005 (Beckman 45). However I am sure that Crash is not about political correctness, and nor even really about its ugly flipside. This film is about difficulties of coexistence in a huge multi-national state. About how difficult it is for people to understand each other, especially if they are from completely different culture and upbringing, and also about the tragic consequences of such failure. None of characters in Clash is a total villain or a hero. Almost every one of them is ordinary person with all his advantages and disadvantages. Thus, the film almost doesnt have uniquely right or guilty characters (Fevang 2006). The film consists of several smaller stories that are united by one theme: how people behave in extreme situations: crime, shootings, car crashes. The film Crash is an incredible intertwining of destinies of characters and original story. How is it possible to separate good from evil, a shadow from the light? It is probably impossible, as in the film Crash, it is impossible to determine who of the main characters is bad, and who is good. All of them make us think about our lives and society we live in.

The Role of Witches in William Shakespeares Macbeth Essay -- Papers M

The Role of Witches in William Shakespeare's Macbeth In Macbeth the witches make a huge contribution to the play and the way it comes across to an audience. The witches portray many themes in Macbeth, such as the theme of fate, and the way that they are supposed to have the power of changing someone's fate, and the way they can control people using their power. The witches also depict a theme of pure evil, and the way they treat others in the play shows this. Religion also is a big theme in Macbeth, references to the trinity, whether it is the unholy, or the holy trinity. Also blasphemous and sacrilegious beliefs appear often throughout the play. As well as these themes, one of the biggest is the theme of motherhood, and particular the distortion of motherhood. References to babies being killed appear which only hints at the evil that the witches bring to the play. The witches often speak about being able to change someone's fate, and in the time which Shakespeare wrote Macbeth people had strong beliefs about this as does Macbeth who speaks about fate often. This also hints at the connections between the witches and Macbeth. "Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel" =============================================== Here the captain is talking about Macbeth's victory over the Norwegians. He uses the very significant phrase 'Disdaining Fortune' This relates to Macbeth being able to defeat his fate, which is very important because the witches are said to be able to change about witches and the powers they were supposed to possess. James I, the king in Shakespeare's time had a strong belief in witches and devoted a lot o... ...usly a dangerous thing to do, because if he treats them like friends it means he trusts them. The fact that Macbeth trusts the witches' shows that his ambition and power hungry nature have taken over the way he thinks, and it has taken away the little caution he had in the first place. The witches appear to be taking advantage of Macbeth's ambitious nature and they are using it against him, to get him to trust them more and more. Even thought they never lie to Macbeth they only ever tell him half-truths, which ends up misleading him as he does not think to work out what the witches are telling him. Also Macbeth, because he becomes completely absorbed by his new found power he becomes very cocky, and decides to ignore the fact that there maybe a threat to his life because he doesn't think about what could happen to him.

Coleridges the Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Essay -- essays research p

Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is wrote in a way that the reader is expected to temporarily allow him or herself to believe it to be able to understand it. The poem itself is about a Mariner who is telling his tale of sin and forgiveness by God to a man referred to as the "Wedding Guest." The Mariner is supposedly responsible for the death of all of the crew on his ship because of his killing of a creature which was to bring them the wind that they needed to put power into the sails of the ship. The whole point of the poem is to encourage or convince the reader to believe the tale that Coleridge tells. Coleridge wrote the poem as a means to induce the reader with what he calls a "willing suspension of disbelief." The poem is written in such a way that the reader is expected to willingly decide to temporarily believe the almost unbelievable story. The reason a person is to make sure that he or she believes it temporarily to be true is because the Mariner in the story is trying to get the point of forgiveness from God across to the reader and if the reader chooses not to believe the story behind the poem then they will not understand the effect of the point of the tale. Coleridge's main point in writing the story was to get people to understand forgiveness by understanding the poem. The Mariner in th... Coleridges "the Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Essay -- essays research p Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is wrote in a way that the reader is expected to temporarily allow him or herself to believe it to be able to understand it. The poem itself is about a Mariner who is telling his tale of sin and forgiveness by God to a man referred to as the "Wedding Guest." The Mariner is supposedly responsible for the death of all of the crew on his ship because of his killing of a creature which was to bring them the wind that they needed to put power into the sails of the ship. The whole point of the poem is to encourage or convince the reader to believe the tale that Coleridge tells. Coleridge wrote the poem as a means to induce the reader with what he calls a "willing suspension of disbelief." The poem is written in such a way that the reader is expected to willingly decide to temporarily believe the almost unbelievable story. The reason a person is to make sure that he or she believes it temporarily to be true is because the Mariner in the story is trying to get the point of forgiveness from God across to the reader and if the reader chooses not to believe the story behind the poem then they will not understand the effect of the point of the tale. Coleridge's main point in writing the story was to get people to understand forgiveness by understanding the poem. The Mariner in th...

21st Century Technologies and Their Relationship to Student Achievement Essay

The Holy Grail in education today is to link an educational strategy, program, initiative or technology to student achievement. There are numerous organizations advocating for Technology Literacy, Information Literacy, 21st Century Learning Skills, and any number of other titles for literacy in a modern context. In all sectors of human society, the technology of the 21st Century has revolutionized and enhanced our way of life. From medicine to the military and from business to the arts, the technologies of today have made our lives better. It is not surprising then, that the public expects technology to have a similar revolutionary effect on education. After all, the biggest advancements of the last 20 years have been in the realm of information and the tools of human knowledge; this is Education’s back-yard. Yet, when people look at our schools they see many classrooms that seem to have been immune to these advances. There are obstacles that education faces in implementing a 21st Century approach to education not the least of which is finding a definition and a clear picture of what it really looks like and whether it will be more effective for students. Costs to implement technology-rich programs quickly seem prohibitive when scaling to an entire school system, particularly so in a state that lags the nation in educational funding. Teachers are our biggest asset and are known to be the single largest influence on student achievement the district can provide, so professional development is crucial and fundamental. The measure of success, the CSAP, is a paper and pencil test which will be unable to measure all the positive effects technology can have for student learning. Indeed, a 20th Century test method will be unable to properly assess (and may even inhibit) the skills development of a 21st Century learner. And then, are we just about the content and helping students master it, or is education about something more as well? Therefore, making the case that investment in technology will increase student achievement can be fraught with pitfalls and obstacles. To attempt to tackle this issue, the authors of this paper will review quality research and commentary in an array of areas where technology-related tools and strategies have been implemented with positive effects for students. A strict filter of studies that produce higher test results will not be used because of the limitations current paper and pencil tests have in assessment of 21st Century skills. In addition to improved assessment performances, the reader is encouraged to consider the context of a global workplace and education’s duty to prepare students to thrive in a highly digital, interactive knowledge workforce. Research that shows increased student achievement on assessments, studies that point to ways education can successfully prepare students for a modern workforce and our own experiences in Littleton Public Schools shall all be considered positive correlations between technology and student achievement in this paper. The Challenge Inherent in Determining the Effectiveness of Technologies via Research The following is an excerpt that addresses a gestalt view of technology and its correlation to student achievement: When we try to determine the effectiveness of educational technologies, we are confronted by a number of methodological and practical issues. First, we need to remember that technology is only one component of an instructional activity. Assessments of the impact of technology are really assessments of instruction enabled by technology, and the outcomes are highly dependent on the quality of the implementation of the instructional design. According to Roy Pea, director of SRI Center for Technology in Learning in Menlo Park, California, the â€Å"social contexts† of how technology is used are crucial to understanding how technology might influence teaching and learning. Educational technologies cannot be effective by themselves. The social contexts are all-important. This means more attention should be paid to the teaching strategies used both â€Å"in† the software and â€Å"around it† in the classroom, and to the classroom environment itself. It is a recurrent finding that the effects of the best software can be neutralized through improper use, and that even poorly designed software can be creatively extended to serve important learning goals. There are also a host of methodological issues to confront. First, standardized achievement tests might not measure the types of changes in students that educational technology reformers are looking for. New measures, some of which are currently under development, would assess areas, such as higher order thinking skills, that many believe can be particularly affected by using new technologies. There is also a need to include outcome measures that go beyond student achievement, because student achievement might be affected by students’ attitudes about themselves, their schools, the types of interactions that go on in schools, and the very idea of learning. Another consideration is pointed out by the U. S. Office of Technology Assessment’s Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection: Technological changes are likely to be nonlinear, and might show effects not only on student learning, but also on the curriculum, the nature of instruction, the school culture, and the fundamental ways that teachers do their jobs. Coley, 1997). Instant Response Systems Data-driven decision making is an educational approach that requires educators to decide on instructional strategies and activities based on what they know about how well students have grasped a concept. Whereas before, this might be done with mini quizzes, homework or performances at the chalk board, todayâ€⠄¢s technologies provide another avenue. Using handheld devices in Modesto City Schools classrooms, teachers can pose questions to students who use wireless remotes for real-time responses. Such engagement enables the teachers to immediately determine if students are grasping concepts and decide whether more time is needed on a topic or whether the group can move on. Item banks of standards-aligned questions make teacher’s jobs easier in developing such review materials (Hines, 2005). Another similar technology is the graphing calculator which can be used in math and science classrooms to enable every student to participate and have the power of a modern computing tool. Classrooms that make use of the graphing calculator exhibit better questioning and feedback behaviors; goal-oriented instruction becomes more attainable and more common; activities result in better student engagement and students tend to demonstrate more collaborative learning behaviors (Whitehurst, 2003). In Littleton Public Schools, a definitive interest is rising for these technologies as several classroom sets are deployed in schools across the district. Results are largely anecdotal and preliminary, but math coordinators are seeing the Texas Instruments graphing calculator as a valuable tool that will reach beyond just math class. Technology Education Littleton Public Schools has a strong tradition in the realm of technology education. Our Middle and High Schools are all equipped with curricula that introduce a wide array of technologies to students. LPS technology education students and teachers have won national recognition for their work. A relatively small amount of research has been done on students’ understandings of design and technology concepts, or technical knowledge. This limited research sometimes makes it difficult to capitalize on such an ever evolving subject as Technology Education. The findings from the Australian study state that an increasing awareness of students’ understandings of design and technology concepts can have an impact on the teaching and learning of design and technology in elementary schools similar to that experienced in elementary science education (Davis, Ginns, & McRobbie, 2002). Called Career and Technical Education in Virginia, CTE correlations to curricular areas have been documented on a state web site (http://www. valinkages. net/) and are considered a key component to preparing students for End-Of-Course tests. A study was conducted in 2002–2003 on Illustration and Design Technology coursework, an example of CTE student performance on Standards of Learning (SOL), the Virginia equivalent of CSAP tests. The results showed that 78 percent of CTE students passed the mathematics SOL test while only 72 percent of non-CTE enrolled students pass the test (Dyer, Reed, & Berry, 2006). Authors on the subject advocate for providing students with opportunities to synthesize their learning in other subjects in technology-related programs. The opportunity to apply and reinforce learning from content areas in technology programs is essential if learning is to be meaningful to students (Lewis, 1999). In our own experiences in LPS, we find that the Technology Education courses generate excitement and interest for learning among both male and female students which must have an impact on their learning. Recent research has shown that Technology Education courses appeal to both genders equally (McCarthy & Moss, 1994). Although girls appeared to enjoy required technology education courses, they were less likely to continue taking such courses as electives(Silverman & Pritchard, 1996). Certainly motivation and application of knowledge help to improve student achievement. And while recent results do not conclusively prove that these courses impact student achievement at a higher level than other programs we implement in schools, it would be imprudent to think that these programs do not have a very positive effect. This is one of the limitations of research on students: it is almost impossible to create a true control group. When asked, students currently enrolled in LPS Technology Education courses reported their thoughts of technology to include: computers, iPods, video games, music media, email, and tools in general. Recent legislation supports the concept that education’s technology initiatives need to go beyond thinking about computers. Rather, Technology Education is about teaching innovation; providing opportunity for practical application of knowledge gained in school; mastery of abstraction and problem solving. Technology Education programs at LPS include a broad scope of tools that human beings use to master their environment including manufacturing, construction, power and energy, communication, transportation, and biotechnology. While research that clearly correlates higher student achievement on standardized tests is lacking, the skills that students learn in such courses clearly match what employers, from engineering firms to manufacturing companies, indicate they seek in their applicant pools. Simulations and Video Games â€Å"Dad, did you know that a Prefect in ancient Rome was both a firefighter AND a policeman? † was a question that arose from the back of my (Dan Maas) car during a long road trip with my son, Calvin. He described, in quite accurate detail, the pantheon of Roman gods, the basic elements of Roman society and then abruptly ended the question and answer period that arose from his initial question so he could fend off the Carthaginians. How did he know they were Carthaginians? â€Å"Hannibal always attacks with elephants† was his reply. The boy had learned all this about Rome playing a video game at age five. Video games have long been the bane of the parent and teacher’s existence, but there’s something here that may be of some use to us. Some have picked up on the possibilities. A multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) is a kind of video game. Schools like Harvard University are creating MUVEs that are patterned after video games with a few critical differences. Video games typically have goals like collecting points, defeating enemies or gathering gold. On the other hand, MUVEs have the goal of learning. By creating virtual environments, problems can be posed, research can be collected, theories tested and outcomes achieved. One MUVE example begins with an outbreak of a disease in a small town that players must investigate, determine the pathogens involved, develop theories on how o treat the illness and test methods to resolve the crisis. The simulation is highly visual, interactive, and highly engaging to the students. See   Studies show that children whose teachers use technology for simulations and application of knowledge tend to develop higher order thinking skills and tend to score higher on tests like the National Assessment for Educational Progress. Conversely, technology use that focuses on drill-and-practice tends to correlate to lower performance (Archer, 1998). In another pilot, students who participated in computer-assisted literacy instruction earned higher scores on a Stanford Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory and on a Test of Written Spelling (Bottege, Daley, Goin, Hasselbring, & Taylor, 1997). In a 2005 study on a gaming system called an Intelligent Tutoring System, results showed increased educational interest and motivation among students. Students showed statistically significant gains educationally, but of particular note was the very significant effect on students who had performed poorly previous to the pilot (Virvou, Katsionis, & Manos, 2005). When one thinks about games, it seems as if there is a clear opportunity for using this tool for advancing educational skills. Students solve problems, learn languages and master virtual world rules while playing video games for entertainment. This pattern was examined in a Newark, New Jersey study using Lightspan educational video games where 47 pre-school age children played 40 minutes per day for 11 weeks and demonstrated significant gains over the control group on the Wide Range Achievement Test R-3. The scores for spelling and decoding were significantly improved for the experimental group over the control while no significant difference was detected in math (Calao & Din, 2001). The Pokemon video game is also interesting to consider. By the time the first draft of this document is completed for the Board of Education, the country will celebrate Dr. Suess’ birthday. His children’s books help young people to learn to read by creating simple, repetitive language constructs that reveal patterns to students and help them improve their decoding and phonic awareness. He even made up nonsense words to press the student’s phonetic ability. Pokemon has many similar traits. Text on the handheld game appears in small, five word chunks that only proceed when the reader is done. The reading is meaningful in that comprehension is required to solve the puzzles of the game. And the story line is filled with imaginary creatures with made-up names†¦ each phonetically accurate. Did the makers of Pokemon intend to create a game that might help children learn to read or did the creators use phonics to create the English language equivalents of their native Japanese? Who knows, but perhaps this game, or something like it, could be helpful. In speaking informally at several buildings in LPS, students at the middle level indicated that they would check out educational video games to play on their home gaming systems. Could video games, tuned to education by eliminating violence and other objectionable themes, become a new tool educators can use to engage students both during and after school? More research is certainly warranted but the existing results and intuitive logic leads one to think that there is promise here. At-Risk/Intervention An ever present emphasis in education is how to intervene for students with at-risk characteristics. We see educational and economic gaps forming for students at-risk and our public system is always focused on closing gaps and providing bridges for students. Can technology-integrated interventions be part of the answer? In a recent study published by North Carolina State University’s Meridian, journal on middle school technology, students repeating eighth grade were isolated into a focused 27-week program that used hypermedia, online resources and Power Point as integrated technologies. Students demonstrated statistically significant gains (29 percentile points) in reading and language arts. Additionally students demonstrated marked improvements (23 percentile points) in writing performances (Little, 2006). Within LPS, the Center for Online Studies is a partnership with Arapahoe Community College (ACC). Students come to ACC to take online coursework supplied by Class. com and supervised by a certified teacher. The students enrolled have had difficulty succeeding in their traditional high schools and reported to the Board of Education in January, 2007 that the program has made a difference in their academic pursuits. The principles in use here that are making this first year program a success are having a quality content source, a certified teacher and a supportive learning environment. 1:1 Initiatives One-to-one computing is an industry term of one computing device allocated to one person. This essentially is an initiative to end shared computing resources based on the idea that such learning tools are so essential that every student needs one all the time. This view is something akin to the status that textbooks have enjoyed for some time. When the public hears about classroom textbooks, meaning students can’t take their own book home, there is usually concern or even outcry to increase the resource. Proponents of 1:1 computing believe that the 21st Century represents a time when that status held by textbooks transfers to the computer. Indeed, if we are to shift from paper-based learning materials to electronic sources, a 1:1 initiative of some sort of computing device will be a pre-requisite. Some school districts and even states have begun to explore this concept. In Maine, a state-wide initiative began nine years ago to provide every seventh grade student with a laptop. The program is called the Main Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) and it is having an impact on teaching and learning in their public schools. After five years, researchers reported that teachers were more effective at helping students meet state standards. Also students were more motivated, learned more, and mastered concepts to deeper levels. Finally, students appeared to be learning new skills for the 21st Century (Lane, 2003). Further research into the MLTI project showed that students who had used laptops in 7th and 8th grade, but no longer had school supplied laptops in 9th grade reported that the quantity and quality of their school work had dropped since losing access to school-provided laptops (Pitler, Flynn, & Gaddy, 2004). A 1:1 project is the initiative in Henrico County, Virginia which began in 2001. Prior to the project, 78 percent of the district schools were accredited based on the student achievement on the Virginia Standards of Learning test. By the end of the school year in 2003, all schools had earned accreditation meaning that a satisfactory percentage of students passed the state test (Pitler, Flynn, & Gaddy, 2004). In Canada, a 1:1 effort entitled the Wireless Writing Project begun in 2002 started in Peace River North with 6th and 7th grade students. In pre and post-test results on writing assessments, researchers found that the percentage of students who met or exceeded the performance standards of the test increased from 70 percent to 92 percent (Pitler, Flynn, & Gaddy, 2004). Another 1:1 initiative is underway in New Hampshire where initial results reflect other studies of similar efforts. Students and teachers are demonstrating increased technology use across the curricular areas. Student engagement and motivation is improving and student-teacher interactions are on the rise. Initial reports of teacher judgment of student achievement (that is, basing achievement on grades rather than standardized tests) indicate that students are doing better than before (Bebell, 2004). In our own experiences in LPS, we see classrooms with laptop access achieving a 1:1 ratio for the class period exhibiting much improved academic behaviors. Working in this manner, students demonstrate a tendency to return to previous homework and revise, edit and reuse to far greater degrees than the classroom teacher was accustomed to seeing. Students more often compare their writing samples with peers and seem more likely to collaborate. Using blogs, wikis and other online tools, students expand on the usefulness of word processors by working collaboratively and ubiquitously. Collaboration through Technology A strong theme through the research and observations in this paper is how technologies are used to improve student achievement and general practices. This section is dedicated to the art of collaboration and how various tools allow people to reach across distances and through time like never before. iPods and other MP3 playing devices have opened up a very convenient and powerful pathway for information to be produced, accessed and archived. San Diego State University is leveraging this technology in science teacher preparation. Podcasting is a method of recording digital audio and video files and posting them online for others to access. This method can be used to bring distant experts to students, provide opportunities to review material at leisure, grant unprecedented access to students to research material and extend the learning opportunities for students well beyond the classroom. Surveys of pre-service science teachers who used iPods and podcasting in their preparation reported time savings, increased interest in subject matter, and declared that they would use podcasting in their own teaching methods in the future (Yerrick, 2006). The presence of global networks, the affordability of a wide array of information technology and the reality that connected people create an integrated whole have drastically impacted how we work, and learn today. Learning theories of the previous century including behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism were developed, prior to the current way our lives are organized, as a result of technology. Siemens proposes a new theory of learning based on the new human condition: Connectivism. In this view, knowledge resides in people and on devices. Learning and knowing rest on diverse opinions from a wide array of sources. Learning becomes a process of connecting nodes of information. Continual learning is maintained by nurturing connections. Learners find connections between different ideas, fields of study, and basic concepts. Being current is of paramount importance. And decision-making is actually a learning process, meaning choosing what to learn and being able to deal with the shifting nature of information. Learners must become comfortable with the reality that what is considered correct today might be proven wrong tomorrow. This theory of learning represents a massive shift in thinking: that learning is not an individual pursuit, but is a collaborative, dynamic and never-ending activity (Siemens, 2005). In LPS, the blog and the wiki has become a fascinating collaborative learning tool. In a Language Arts classroom, students no longer just check out a book, write some sticky-note annotations, and have one-at-a-time discussions prompted by the teacher. Rather, students copy Macbeth from a web resource into a word processor and annotate electronically, keeping their work on personally owned USB memory keys. While some students discuss a scene with the teacher, others are free to blog commentary on the topic of verbal discussion or other interests in the subject-matter at hand. Suddenly, a dozen conversation threads are happening all at once and the teacher only has control of one. The participation rate of students has risen and students return to the blog after school to continue their dialog. Students report that the conversation via blog makes them more reflective and yet more confident because of the lack of a public speaking component to the classroom discussion. In one discussion, the number of postings became so frequent over a short period of time that the free blogging service shut down the account because the activity resembled a malicious electronic attack on the blog server. A wiki supporting another Language Arts class is being used to connect students to young people in other countries like South Korea. Students reading Arabian Nights have opportunities to share their insights with others from around the United States and even in foreign countries. Other opportunities include the use of SKYPE for toll-free calls around the globe to other connected classrooms and instant messages allowing free-form, high speed conversation on topics of study. And in a Foreign Language classroom, chat and Voice Over IP systems allow students to practice their second language acquisition with their teacher, with each other, and even with students outside the classroom. The lesson is that the art of collaboration has no boundaries today. Time and space are no longer the limiters they once were and the list of technologies in this section only scratches the surface of what is available. And like the learning theory of Connectivism points out, this too will change. Education must take note and prepare students to succeed in an environment that thrives on collaboration while constantly changing and improving the tools that support it. Word Processing and Writing For decades now, research has been conducted on the effect word processing has on writing skills for students. In a 1997 study, Owston and Wideman cite a considerable body of work on this topic as part of their research project that studied 3rd grade students using word processors for writing. They concluded in their own study that use of word processors that were readily available to students and were an integrated part of their daily activities resulted in considerably higher quality and quantity of writing as compared to a similar student group without access and support for such tools (1997). In a more recent qualitative study, the use of word processors with seven 3rd grade students over a six week period led to significantly more creative, more comprehensive and improved style. This study of five girls and two boys also reported higher motivation to work with the writing process as compared to paper and pencil methods (Beck & Fetherston, 2003). In LPS, Anne Smith reports that students are more engaged when using classroom laptops. The students take advantage of the ease of use to manipulate text to show various sentence structures. While these studies definitely point to improved writing volume and quality from young students, research also suggests that young students need to be exposed to handwritten learning as well, which has been a point of discussion for some time. An article by Balajthy et al points out that students need a diverse writing experience and that word processors should be part of the experience rather than replacing handwritten work (Balajthy, McKeveny, & Lacitignola, 1986). At this developmental level, the various tools for writing are most effective for learners when they are used in an integrated approach with the overall instructional program rather than taught separately (MacArthur, 1988). There are studies that show little or no impact of word processors on the quality of student writing, however, a meta-analysis in 1993 showed that these studies tend to have a number of limitations not the least of which is the use of text-based word processors rather than the Graphical User Interface (GUI) systems in use today. Additionally, the analysis revealed that such studies often involve students who have sporadic access to the technology and were not accomplished with the tool (Bangert-Drowns, 1993). The process of mastering writing is very important and there is research that shows how emphasis on writing skills positively improves student achievement across the curriculum. Writing Across the Curriculum initiatives have over twenty years of professional practice and anecdotal evidence to support this claim. Strong research has been hard to come by, however, to truly evidence the effects. One of the biggest obstacles is the ability to truly have a strong control group for any study as such would require a population of students who did not use writing as part of their learning process (Railsback, 2004). Some studies have been able to document positive effects. In a 1992 study, Van Allen was able to conclude that school-wide efforts in Writing Across the Curriculum in five middle schools over a five year period resulted in better writing and better overall student achievement on assessments (1991). What we have found essential in LPS is to have students write frequently and in a variety of forms including wikis and blogs as well as word processors. We wish to note here that we must be careful about using research that is old, even though some of it is unavoidable. The technology tools of today are very different than when computers first entered schools. As an example, the word processing research from the 1980s may not be completely irrelevant, but the software of today bears so little resemblance to the software of the late 1980s. In addition, increased student (and teacher) familiarity with these tools will also have an effect on the impact these tools have on achievement. A key question is â€Å"How do we measure the impact of tools that change so quickly that by the time you measure their impact, the tools have changed? In other words, by the time most research is done (and published in â€Å"reputable† sources), the technology has changed so much that the research loses at least some of its relevance. This will be a significant hurdle to overcome. In a comprehensive peer-reviewed report, Bangert-Drowns conducted another meta-analysis with Hurley and Wilkinson on the impact of writing across the curriculum in 2004. This analysis, which reviewed 48 studies, produced three major findings. First, writing for learning produced positive effects on school achievement in the studies reviewed. The second finding was that grade levels, minutes per task, and writing prompts had significant impact on results. The study found that programs implemented in Grades 6–8 actually had reduced performances, possibly due to the loss of time on the more differentiated content covered at the secondary level. Longer tasks also depressed results perhaps for similar time constraint issues and motivational issues among students. The use of writing prompts concerning students’ current understandings and confusion were very effective while prompts for personal writing showed no effect. The third finding concerned the length of treatment. The analysis revealed the intuitive conclusion that students who have longer exposure to writing for learning strategies experience a cumulative effect that is very positive (2004). The research continues today and can be seen in an article published in Education Week on February 14, 2007, where the National Assessment of Educational Progress has been piloting a computerized test for assessing writing. This move recognizes the research that is showing how students write more often, of better quality, and with more consistency (between both genders) when using these writing tools. And preliminary results are showing that students tend to write better on the tests when using the word processor (Cavanagh, 2007). What can be drawn from these studies is that writing, being an active learning process, has been shown to positively impact student achievement in all subject areas. It can also be stated that students who have ample access to word processing in conjunction with skillful instruction in a school that is emphasizing Writing Across the Curriculum can be reasonably expected to produce higher achievement results. Streaming Video In four Los Angeles public schools, a study was conducted on the effectiveness of United Streaming video in supporting 6th through 8th grade mathematics achievement. Students were pre and post-tested to provide the source data for the study which revealed that the experimental group using streaming video outperformed the control group by 4. 7 percent among sixth grade students. This differential was shown to be statistically significant. Eighth grade students showed a more modest 2. 2 percent advantage which still registered as significant (Boster et al. , 2004). In LPS, the same United Streaming resources were secured for all schools at the beginning of the 2006–2007 school year. Additional digital projection and speaker equipment was provided to schools along with a concerted orientation effort to help teachers access and use the material. Prior to the introduction of United Streaming video, the Internet connection for the district was peaking at 26 megabits of demand. Within two months of the introduction of United Streaming, the peak demand had reached 100 megabits which represented the maximum throughput the connection was able to sustain. This 400 percent increase in Internet demand was traced directly to streaming video services requested by the schools demonstrating the value teachers immediately saw in this technology. Today, LPS is deploying a locally hosted server to present the streaming video to meet the growing demand for both quantity and quality of the content. Laptops for Teachers The following is an observation of technology use at Lenski Elementary School by Assistant Director of Instructional Technology, Boni Hamilton. As part of the Technology Grants from Plan for Social Excellence (www. pfse. org). schools provided laptops for teachers in the first year of the three year grants. PFSE didn’t collect hard data about the impact, but at Lenski Elementary School, I saw firsthand the effects on teachers and instruction. Some observations: 1. Teachers who had been least confident about their technology skills increased their confidence and competence with technology skills to equal that of the more tech-savvy staff members within four months. While the classroom teachers had regular access to technology skills when they co-taught in the lab and so were fairly confident with technology skills, the non-classroom staff such as specialists received training only when it was scheduled for the staff. This was too infrequent to give them the level of competence they needed. The portability of the laptops allowed the specialists to get help from peers, family members, and friends. A couple of teachers even signed up for computer classes outside the school because they finally had computers they could take home and practice on. One teacher who had been only moderately comfortable with technology learned how to make tables in MSWord and began showing everyone on staff — she became the staff expert. 2. Teachers improved in their trouble-shooting skills. Trouble-shooting is difficult to teach because problems happen at inconvenient times and are hard to reproduce during a training session. However, when teachers were carting their laptops home and had problems, they had to solve the problems themselves. They either used family members to help or they ‘fooled around’ until it did what they wanted. Because they knew the computers could be restored, they no longer worried about what would happen if they took a risk and pushed a button. 3. Teachers grew more relaxed about problems. Before laptops, teachers often got stressed when some technology failed. As they learned to problem-solve laptop problems, they had less tendency to get up-tight when something went wrong. They were then able to think about problem-solving strategies, consult a peer, or cart the laptop to a computer coach for help. 4. Teachers increased the level of student use of technology. As teachers gained confidence, they became more willing to risk using computers in the classroom. It wasn’t as scary to let kids try projects on classroom computers because they trusted that either they or their students could solve problems. 5. The demand for student computers in classrooms has increased dramatically annually. Even though teachers felt their classrooms were too small to handle clusters of computers, six months after they received laptops, they made room for computer clusters because they began to depend on computers to enable students to continue projects, collaborate on learning, and practice skills. The number of desktop computers in classrooms went from an average of three per room to an average of five to six per room. Lenski also bought two 15-computer laptop carts, but demand was so heavy that the school added two more carts in the following year. Then the library’s demand for computers increased so dramatically that the school had to buy a fifth cart. In the third year of having laptop carts, teachers are now complaining that there are too few carts available for the library and 16 classrooms (Grades 2-5). 6. After three years of having laptops, most teachers opted to return to desktop computers. There seemed to be several causes for this: 1) They purchased home computers and found they could use USB drives to cart files; 2) The school had enough wireless laptops for student use that teachers could get on a laptop; or even borrow one overnight, if they needed; 3) They preferred larger screens, faster processors, and standard mice. Based on these observations, I advocate strongly for giving teachers experience with laptops before buying laptops for students. Concluding Remarks The following is a summative commentary from Karl Fisch, Edublog Nominee and Finalist for the Best Blog of 2006: We’re not going to find a whole lot of really good research to support this at this time. I can summarize what the research generally says. The use of technology in appropriate ways has a small, positive effect on student achievement. It also has a larger, but still small, positive effect on student and teacher motivation, engagement and satisfaction. That’s about it. But I would strongly argue that – to a certain extent – this is missing the point. I would also suggest that many of our current practices are in direct contradiction to what the research says we should do, but we do them anyway because it’s convenient for the adults. How come nobody is demanding to see the research to support those practices? But I digress. ) I do not think that if we infuse technology into our schools, even putting in a 1:1 program at the high schools, that we will see student achievement – as we currently measure it – skyrocket. I think we may see a small positive effect, with possibly a slightly larger effect among those students who typically have not done very well in our schools. But the basic problem with looking for research that supports growth in student achievement is that – by necessity – research has to look at fixed, testable content to try to determine growth. Now I’m not saying that content knowledge isn’t valuable, it is. But I think the skills and abilities and habits of mind that ubiquitous access to technology would help us develop in our students are ones that are really hard to measure. How do you measure creativity? Or the ability to collaborate with others, both in the same room or across the planet (or beyond)? Or the ability to take in information from an almost inexhaustible supply, synthesizes it, remix it, and then produce something that is of value to others? How do you measure imagination? How do you measure the ability to function in a flat, globally interconnected, technology-enabled, rapidly changing world? How do we measure the ability to learn how to learn? To know how to adapt, to reinvent yourself over and over again to meet the needs of a world that is changing at an exponential pace. How do you measure the ability to function in a world where all of human factual knowledge will be available practically instantaneously? Knowledge is good. Having content knowledge is necessary, but not sufficient, to be successful in the 21st century. The research – at best – is only going to tell us about content knowledge. The power of the technology is to transform teaching and learning as we know it. To make it more student-centered, more individualized (yet also more community-based), more relevant, more meaningful. It allows each student to connect to each other, to the world, to knowledge, to learning, in the way(s) that works best for that student. I guess I fear we are asking the wrong questions . . . Where does all this leave us? And what use does this document provide? Clearly, more research is needed, but our efforts can no longer await the coming of comprehensive research studies. Not having solid research behind us will not be an adequate excuse for failing to prepare our students for the 21st Century. Therefore, we must be on the constant look-out for research that will help us light the way while we move ahead in the modernization of our public schools and our methods. We must become students of our own society and allow our own observations and action-research to influence our decisions. We must model for our students the creativity and risk-taking that will be defining characteristics of the next age. In short, educators must come out of the comfort zone, release some control and join the wave of seemingly chaotic global empowerment. Daniel Pink describes the next age of society which might give us some clues. He defines an age by the type of worker that is most commonly found among the population. During the Agricultural Age, the common person was some sort of farmer. During the Industrial Age, it was the factory worker. And during the Information Age, which he describes as beginning in the 1960’s, it was the Knowledge Worker. But the end of each age is preceded by an out-sourcing and off-shoring of the common worker prompting the rise of the next age. So what does Daniel Pink suggest is next? The Conceptual Age. This economy maintains the necessity of strong left-brain skills (reading, writing, math and science) while adding the right brain skills (aesthetics, intuition, value and play). Daniel Pink would advise us to continue our left-brain pursuits, but introduce the richness of meaning and value. It is no longer sufficient to create a well engineered product; now the product must be appealing as well (2005). References: http://www.bc.edu/research/intasc/PDF/NH1to1_2004.pdf