Persian Poetry

A Brief History of Persian poetry: One of the most noble forms of literature is poetry. Over the centuries Persian and non-Persian poets have written their poems in the Persian language, Farsi, and it's variations. Even though the Farsi language has changed over time the ancient poems are still readable. Iranians highly value their poets who kept their culture and language alive even during numerous invasions. Persian poetry is as ancient as Avesta (the holy book of Zoroastrians) where first form of poetry is documented.Persian and non-Persian poets express their creativity in different forms and styles. The earliest poetry was of two types. One was the ballad and the other was the epic. The ballad later developed into different forms such as lyric, hymn, satire and panegyric. The epic poem is an enlarged ballad. Therefore, the origin of all poetry is in the ballad although no records have remained from these primitive ballads. Persian songs goes back to 3000 BC to the time of king J amshid. Xenophon wrote about songs that were sung when Cyrus the Great was still a boy.The halls of the Achaemenian palace at Persepolis echoed with the poetic singing of the tale of the romantic love of Zariadres and Odatis. The Arab conquest influenced the Persian vocabulary causing an even smoother poetic verse. Poetry, nursed for 200 years by the care of three dynasties (Tahirid, Saffarid, Samanid). Therefore, it was during ninth century when the new form of Persian poetry began which is found today. One of the early forms of poetry was qasida in royal courts. Qasida are poems of more than 100 couplets that do not rhyme. Anvari was one of the poets who used qasida.Ghazal from about 12th century is another form of lyric. Ghazal poems were a much shorter form, 10 couplets that do not rhyme and mainly used to express love, both human or mystic. Hafez and Saadi mastered this form of poetry. Rubai and dobaty are both four lines poems which are distinguished from each other by their r hythm. They may express mystical, romantic or philosophical themes. Omar Khayam is one of the pioneers in writing Rubai and his books are translated into many languages. A Review Of Persian Poetry: Classical Persian poetry is always rhymed. The principal verse forms are the Qasideh, Masnavi, Qazal and Ruba'i.The qasida or ode is a long poem in monorhyme, usually of a panegyric, didactic or religious nature; the masnavi, written in rhyming couplets, is employed for heroic, romantic, or narrative verse; the ghazal (ode or lyric) is a comparatively short poem, usually amorous or mystical and varying from four to sixteen couplets, all on one rhyme. A convention of the ghazal is the introduction, in the last couplet, of the poet's pen name (takhallus). The ruba'i is a quatrain with a particular metre, and a collection of quatrains is called â€Å"Ruba'iyyat† (the plural of ruba'i).Finally, a collection of a poet's ghazals and other verse, arranged alphabetically according to the r hymes, is known as a divan. A word may not be out of place here on the peculiar difficulties of interpreting Persian poetry to the western reader. To the pitfalls common to all translations from verse must be added, in the case of Persian poetry, such special difficulties as the very free use of Sufi imagery, the frequent literary, Koranic and other references and allusions, and the general employment of monorhyme, a form highly effective in Persian but unsuited to most other languages.But most important of all is the fact that the poetry of Persia depends to a greater degree than that of most other nations on beauty of language for its effects. This is why much of the great volume of â€Å"qasidas in praise of princes† can still be read with pleasure in the original, though It is largely unsuited to translation. In short, the greatest charm of Persian poetry lies, as Sir E. Denison Ross remarked, in its language and its music, and consequently the reader of a translation â⠂¬Å"has perforce to forego the essence of the matter†.

Product Life Cycle Concept Essay

Michael Porter’s framework of competitive analysis is applicable to our business organization known as D.T.DOBIE TANZANIA LTD which falls under the automobile industry in Tanzania and worldwide in the following ways: A.Barriers to entry/threat of new entrants. It’s true that the average person can’t come along and start selling brand new cars. The emergence of foreign competitors with the capital, required technologies and management skills began to undermine the market share of brand new car sellers. The following factors are barriers to automobile seller’s new entrants: * Knowledge and Technology Ideas and knowledge of servicing its supplied products is the one that provides competitive advantage to D.T Dobie over others. D.T Dobie uses machines of highest technology on checking and servicing its cars in which, gives them power to provide guarantee of up to one year service to its product since they are assured of what they are doing. The machines used by the skilled labor of D.T Dobie to service and check the product are of high quality and they are very expensive in such a way that for new entrants firm in that business its an ownership barrier. * Access to distribution The demand for brand new cars in Tanzania is very low since they are sold at price that individual can’t afford. D.T Dobie is a greater supplier of brand new cars to Tanzania government institution, most United Nations (UN) organizations such as UNICEF, ILO, UNESCO, representative’s offices in Tanzania and embassies offices. Since these agencies are the most buyers of brand new cars, it has made D.T Dobie to have almost the access to distribution channel of selling brand new cars in which this act as barrier to new entrants since the buyers are few. * Cost of entry Initial capital required to set up a new firm is very high, it makes the chances of new entrants to be very less. * Product differentiation and cost advantage The product has to be different and attractive to be accepted by the customers. D.T Dobie is the greater seller of brand new NISSAN, MITSUBISHI, MERCEDES BENZ, HONDA and HYUNDAI in which made them different from its competitor since it sells many brands than others. By being supplier of government cars has made them to be exempted when importing cars for government institution uses. B. Bargaining power of suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers is also described as the market of inputs. Suppliers of raw materials, components, labor, and services (such as expertise) to the firm can be a source of power over the firm, when there are few substitutes. Suppliers may refuse to work with the firm and also may charge excessively high prices for unique resources. For organization of our choice i.e. D.T Dobie its suppliers for motor vehicles are TOYOTA, NISSAN, MITSUBISHI and MERCEDES BENZ. D.T Dobie is the seller of brand new car in Tanzania where by its inputs i.e. imported new cars from great multinational companies are so important for its survival, this leads the suppliers having great power over D.T Dobie since it’s not manufacturer but the buyer of finished product. Increase in production cost to one of suppliers on specified product may lead to switching cost which will be relative to D.T Dobie switching cost. Degree of differentiation of inputs: D.T Dobie supplier’s supply different brands in which is difficult for them to switch from one supplier to another. For example if they are required by its customers i.e. government to supply cars that’s engine capacity is V8 that pushes them to deal with TOYOTA since other suppliers are not producing cars with that engine capacity. For parts suppliers, the life span of an automobile is very important. The longer a car stays operational, the greater the need for replacement parts. On the other hand, new parts are lasting longer, which is great for consumers, but is not such good news for parts makers. C. Bargaining power of customers: Buyers refer to the customers who finally consume the product or the firms who distribute the industry’s product to the final consumers. Bargaining power of buyers refer to the potential of buyers to bargain down the prices charged by the firms in the industry or to increase the firms cost in the industry by demanding better quality and service of product. Since our organization of our choice D.T Dobie supplies and sell brand new cars in Tanzania, its customers are few since who can afford to buy brand new cars are government institution, most united nations (UN) organizations such as UNICEF, ILO, UNESCO, representatives offices in Tanzania, embassies offices and individuals who can afford to do so. Since its customers only want quality and guaranteed products this act as driving force to D.T Dobie to supply not only quality products but also quality parts and servicing those cars for the whole year as guarantee after being sold out. Since D.T Dobie is greater supplier of brand new NISSAN, MITSUBISHI, MERCEDES BENZ etc. cars in Tanzania availability of substitute products such as FORD, RANGE ROVER, LAND ROVER which are supplied by its competitors like CMC motors and sold at same or at lower price than D.T Dobie’s have made some of its customers to shift to those brands as it’s known customers are very sensitive to price. Most of those mentioned above customers purchase in large quantities. They have full information about the product and the market. They emphasize upon quality products. They pose credible threat of backward integration. In this way, they are regarded as a threat. D. Threat of Substitute Products: Substitute products are goods or services from outside a given industry that perform similar or the same functions as a product that the industry produces. Rather than looking at the threat of someone buying a different car, there is also a need to also look at the likelihood of people taking the bus, train or airplane to their destination. When determining the availability of substitute’s time, money invested, personal preferences and convenience in the auto travel industry should be considered. D.T.Dobie should consider the following factors when analyzing this force: * Price Band The threat that consumer will switch to a substitute product if there has been an increase in price of the product or there has been a decrease in price of the substitute product. If the price of the cars sold by D.T.Dobie will increase the main expected customers i.e. the one switching from bike to car will not move to car and will remain in the bike only. Thus the price is kept checked in this manner. * Substitutes performance The performance of the substitute sector also plays an important role in the success of the business. If the price of other dealers such as Africariers increases or the price band of the small segment falls, it will have effect on the quantity required in the market. It’s just on the price but also the features and the other services associated or it may be the status symbol story. * Buyers willingness Products with improving price/performance tradeoffs relative to present industry products. It will determine the willingness of the buyer to buy from D.T.Dobie.The willingness of the customers to go forward to try the new product in the market such as Mercedes Benz reduces the threat from substitute products. E. Competitive Rivalry: This force analyses the level of competition between existing players in the industry. Because an industry’s firms are mutually dependent, actions taken by one company usually invite competitive responses. Thus in many industries firms actively compete against one another. Highly Competitive industries generally earn low returns because the cost of competition is high. The auto industry is considered to be an oligopoly (a market condition in which sellers are so few that actions of any one of them will materially affect price) which helps to minimize the price-based competition. Below are factors which are seen in this force: * Price Competition Advertising battles may increase total industry demand, but may be costly to smaller competitors. Products with similar function limit the prices firms can charge. Price competition often leaves the entire industry worse off.. * Product Quality Increasing consumer warranties or service is very common these days. To maintain low cost, companies consistently has to make manufacturing improvements to keep the business competitive. This requires additional capital expenditure which tends to eat up company’s earning. On the other hand if no one else can provide products/ services the way you do you have a monopoly. D.T.Dobie enjoys the monopoly of selling new cars are there are no competitors in this segment. * Unique Selling Point Also D.T. Dobie has advantage over its rivals because it represents a premium brand which is recognized over the world, they found a niche in the market where have a leading brand like Mercedes-Benzes a and a brand which people aspire to own .Also they are lucky to have Nissan one of the most renowned Japanese brands which is an equal pillar of their business. * Expansion DT Dobie is looking to grow and move forward, both in its native Tanzania and in surroundings regions. By building strong relationships and working closely with strategic partners, DT Dobie’s footprint keeps on growing. Also they are expanding by appointing more dealers around the country. * Investment In terms of investing in our own equipment, this takes priority; they put all eyes on technology so they are not behind the rest of the world. Even if the latest technical advancement s are available to the company, DT Dobie makes sure any investment is benefiting to the organization as a whole .Every five years D.T. Dobie has an equipment review which makes sure the company is on right track, ensures investments have been successful and assesses whether upgrades need to be made in order to reach the next level, they are absolutely up to date. Also ensures that its vehicle testing equipment has modern standards which outnumber it from its rivals. CONCLUSION: In general, any CEO or a strategic business manager is trying to steer his or her business in a direction where the business will develop an edge over rival firms. Michael Porter’s model of Five Forces can be used to better understand the industry context in which the firm operates. Porter’s Five Forces model is a strategy tool that is used to analyze attractiveness of an industry structure. Porter’s Five Forces model views the business from inside and outside. It focuses on assessing competitive position within the industry.

Opening remarks. President of ASO Essay

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen. First, let me warmly welcome you all to this meeting of the Associated Students Organization (ASO). I hope that my introductory remarks will help to give us all a sense of direction and a common purpose for our work within the guidelines set out in the ASO Charter of July 2005. Let me begin by briefly revisiting last year’s ARO sponsored career day: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Over 7500 students attended 550 businesses had booths 15 distinguished speakers ( Steve Jobs, Colin Powell to name a few) All branches of services were represented 45 business development services offering workshops on starting businesses The responses last year were some of the largest we have ever seen even with this weak economy. The goal for this year is to aid our students to get hired before they leave for the day. I would like us to focus on more career planners and workshops to help these students plan for their life long career. When our students graduate, they are competing with a high unemployment rate, thus making securing the job as well as keeping it difficult. Business development can aid our business majors with the consideration of starting their own business and being their own boss, not to mention maybe if they are successful, they can hire others within their communities that need employment. Our challenges are tough, but I believe that we are successful if 80% of our graduates get hired as a result of this career day, we have been a success. Thank You.

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 50

Leadership - Essay Example All organizations should have a purpose that brings people together to work towards achieving it. It is the role of leaders to put human beings in the best environment to meet the objectives of the organization by proving to them all they need in order to accomplish the purpose of the organization (Burns, 2012). Groups are preferred to solve problems in organizations due to the fact that groups have a variety of talent and abilities that can be pooled together to solve the inherent problem amicably. However, the individuals in a group possess different skills and each one of them will try to utilize his/her own abilities to outshine the other in order to stand out as the most valued member of the group. In the process, the primary intention of group work that was meant to be cooperation turns out to be competition among individual members. In some instances the competition among group members turns out to be unhealthy as members will resort to utilizing uncouth techniques to outshine each other thus losing the core purpose of the team and in the long run the purpose that the team was meant for is not achieved (Burns,

Violence, the American Creed and the Rulling Class Essay

Violence, the American Creed and the Rulling Class - Essay Example The following essay forwards the thesis that the American Creed, either wholly or in parts, has historically been used by the elite ruling class of whites for their own gain, primarily as an ideology used to explain and excuse the use of violence to oppress other racial minorities in the process of consolidating power for their own gain. Evidence for the use of the American Creed in this manner is easily seen in several instances in American history, most notably from the end of the Civil War to the time of World War I, a period of time from the 1860s to the 1920s. The essay will take a chronological approach in the discussion while pointing out the specific use of violence with regards to preserving the power of the ruling class. The essay will use three particular instances in American history when the American Creed was used as a justification for racial violence against three separate races: the post-Civil War Reconstruction and violence against the former black slaves, the perio d of the Western frontier and violence against the Native Americans, and finally the excessive violence and torture used on Filipinos by American soldiers during the Filipino-American War. The essay’s first example of the misuse of the American Creed occurs after the Civil War. America entered into a period termed as the Reconstruction, during which white Southerners secured amnesty from then President Andrew Johnson and after taking an oath of allegiance were restored their political and property rights (sans slave ownership) prior to the Civil War. Many blacks who were formerly slaves had found themselves freed as a consequence of the war, and legislation headed by politicians such as Massachusetts senator Charles Sumner and Pennsylvania representative Thaddeus Stevens were making it so the blacks were granted political rights equal to whites.1 However, racial hatreds and the belief that black people were inferior to whites led to those legislations eventually being disrega rded in all but name and the prevalence of discrimination, racially-motivated violence, and segregation. In a bid to seemingly uphold these laws of equality, the concept of â€Å"separate but equal† was devised, with the facilities and services for blacks being highly inferior to non-existent. To enforce this â€Å"separate but equal† rule, an oppressive system based on violent reprisals for breaking social hierarchy was informally established. It became common for blacks who had violated the established hierarchy by speaking or acting out against the whites to end up dead either through beatings or at the hands of a lynching mob.2 Indeed, lynching became a common occurrence which continued well into the middle of the 20th century. In the first example, the portion in the Creed pertaining to equality is put into play. The â€Å"separate but equal† ruling allowed the ruling whites to keep their distance from people they viewed as being lesser than them while upho lding the equality referred to in the Creed. Anyone trying to bridge the separation was seen trying to break the equality, disrupting the Creed and therefore deserving of punishment and violent reprisals. Following the Reconstructio

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Essay

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Essay Example The paper tells that despite the presence of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), US have been faced by many crimes that have not been researched on to get helpful information. Many of these crimes have been cases of terrorism. Terrorism has really threatened the security in United States. All the presidents in the country have been addressing this issue. This is evident from the efforts of Barrack Obama to capture Osama bin Laden, one of the most notorious terrorists who hit US. There are some causes of failures of the projects like inefficiency technology; lack of trained personnel; lack of funds; and lack of corporation from other organs. There are reports that are given on this agency an annual basis giving some recommendations that have to be implemented but this has not been enough since there is much information that the urgency not yet has about terrorism. There are some recommendations that may act as long-term solutions to this basing them on the ways of improving eff iciency of a project as it is in project management. The FBI as an agency of investigation on major crimes in the United States has been successful in different ways. It is the expectation of everyone that US, the most powerful country in the world, has all possible ways of ensuring security of its people. This has not been the case since security in its states has been threatened occasionally through some major crimes. They have increased their technology for instance introduction of DNA tests, fingerprint tracking, among other technologies that are used in crime investigation. (Jenkins, 2005, p.13). Despite the many achievements the FBI has, it has not been able to end and get enough information on some major crimes like terrorism. Terrorism has been a challenge to the agency and this is observable from the chronology of terrorist attacks from 1995. However, they have been successful on some terrorist activities; there are some that they still lack information on. This does not me an that the agency is a failure. There is a need to find out the causes of such challenges and give recommendations. The recommendations should be different from the ones that are given at the end of each year in such a way that they give long-term solutions. The agency has been regularly financed thus it becomes a surprise what the problem could really be. Analysis of FBI Database Project FBI as an agency of investigation has not been able to get information on some major issues like terrorism. It has been faced by some challenges that are expected in any project. Terrorism is one area in which the agency has failed. They lack much information on the issue and this has seen the rise of terrorist attacks over the years. However, they have not sat back to watch this happen, most of the measures that they have put to fight this have not bore any fruits. Forensic sciences are one of the fields they have advanced in to carry out investigation. They have been able to use some forensic te chnologies like fingerprints to track nagging criminals. This has however been successful with minor crimes within the states like robbery and murder but it has not helped much to get adequate on some major crimes like terrorism. This is what has led to negative judgments of their performance from different parties. They cannot despair since it is connected directly with the people’s lives on this project. There are some reasons that have been highlighted in different publications, in speeches, in

Workable methodology II Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Workable methodology II - Research Proposal Example In this regard, in order to have an insight of the current situation, the study will gather information from incarcerated offenders and facilities staff. The study will be concerned about the current programs used by Alabama Department of Corrections and their effectiveness in relation to modifying the behaviors of women offenders. The women will be requested to provide their views in relation to what contributed to their incarceration, how different they feel being in the correction center, and what they expect after their release. This will give a base on what can be done to improve the situation. On the same note, the study will also gather information from former incarcerated women. This will help the researcher in gaining an insight of their experiences in prison and after they were released. Basically, the respondents will provide information such as their views on whether the programs they were subjected to during their jail term helped in modifying their behaviors or not. In addition, the researcher will seek to know if there are any after release/follow up programs in place, and if there are, their perception on their effectiveness as far as behavior modification is concerned. In addition, since the current programs seem to be applied to both male and female offenders, it would be necessary to have male offenders included in the study. This will help the researcher to have an understanding of the differences of effectiveness that these programs have for female and male offenders. This will help to modify the existing treatment programs or identify new programs that will be more effective than the current ones. In this regard, the researcher will purposively sample male offenders and former male offenders, who have been subjected to treatment programs similar to those that selected female offender participants, have been subjected. This will help to evaluate the impact these programs have to both male and female offenders. In addition, facilities staff will play a crucial role in highlighting major challenges or achievements they experience in their line of duty. The use of questionnaire The questionnaire will be utilized to collect information from the service provider (staff members) because they are help to be straight forward and less time consuming for both the researcher and the participants. Use of questionnaires will make it possible to reach correction centers staff members participating in the study since they will only be required to fill in the questionnaire at their own convenient time (Bryman & Bell, 2003). The questionnaire will contain closed and open-ended items that are meant to capture the responses of the participants regarding the issue under investigation. Use of the interview guide On the other hand, interview method will be used to gather information from offenders since it offers high response quality, and offers an in-depth scrutiny of the phenomena at hand information (Bryman & Bell, 2003). This will be useful in determining how treatment programs are effective in behavior modification of female offenders. Validity and reliability/pilot project In regard to testing the validity and reliability of the instruments to be used for the study, the instruments will be given to two independent experts from the counseling psychology. The views from the two experts will be welcome. The recommended changes in the instruments will be made accordingly. This process is vital because it will ensure reliability and consistency of measurement before the actual research. With a sensitive case like the current phenomena, it is always important to have accurate instruments in place. In addition, before the actual study, there will be a pilot test of the instruments, which will be

Does Negative Attack Campaigns have an impact on US Presidential Research Paper

Does Negative Attack Campaigns have an impact on US Presidential Elections - Research Paper Example kinds of negative advertisement, and stands to reason that these different kinds of negative ads will have different effects on the people who view them. Some negative ads simply state that there are policy differences between the two candidates, so these are more compare and contrast. Others are scurrilous attacks – they might be lies, or irrelevant, or both. The types of ads out of the first category will have different effects than the types of ads from the second category, and the research bears this out. However, the research does not necessarily state whether the policy difference ads increases turnout for one candidate or another – the research simply states that these ads increase turnout overall. Moreover, the research indicates that scurrilous or irrelevant attack ads – the kind that do not advance the debate – depresses turnout overall. This study will attempt to discern if the policy type negative ads increases turnout for one candidate over an other, and how these ads makes the electorate view each candidate. This study will also seek to find out if the more scurrilous, mud-slinging type ads depresses turnout, and how these ads make the electorate see candidates. Finally, this study will seek to discover how the public perceives ads which might either be seen as advancing the debate, or scurrilous or irrelevant, and will seek to find out how the public views these ads, how they categorize them, and why. Mark (2006) states that negative campaigns very often depend upon television advertising. However, the negative campaigns are not restricted to television advertisements, stating that the negativity often pervades every aspect of the candidate’s messaging, including candidates’ speeches, debates, press statement and talk show appearances. The Internet also plays a large part in negative campaigning, as Stokes (2006) notes. Specifically, Stokes (2006) points to a smear campaign against Teresa Heinz-Kerry, who is the wife of Senator John

Conflict as a Team Tool-Terence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Conflict as a Team Tool-Terence - Essay Example Task interdependence can be referred to as where actions by one team in an organization or under project influences the outcome of other members. To this extent, all team members must collaborate and work together for the benefit of the organization. Management must decide on the level of acceptance that can be allowed between teams if they are to achieve a better result. The following outlined discussions can be used to illustrate the degree of interdependence between groups in an organization. Task independence in most of the organizations is the link between the team commitments and team performance. In situations where the independence levels are high, teams will work together and contribute interactively to achieving the goals and objectives of the organization. On the contrary, where moderate task independence exists, team members are most likely work discretely for the accomplishment of their target (Fransen, Kirschner & Erkens, 2011). The connection between goal commitment and performance will only occur if the level of interdependence is high. It is because team commitment influences the outcome since the results are due to the collective responsibility of the entire members. The impacts that are then generated on performance are greater on the performance than if the interdependence levels were low. Due to the relationship between team goal commitment and team performance, interdependence between teams should be allowed to a greater extent as both members require one another (Halevy, Chou & Galinsky, 2011). Where the goal commitments do not relate to the performance, team members can concentrate on individual outcomes than a collective responsibility and team independence will be low. Assume two IT firms in apple and dell with both aspiring to be market leaders in technology sectors. The two organizations will become

American Inervention Policy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Inervention Policy - Term Paper Example Throughout the twentieth centuries, most of the colonized countries gained their independence from the European nations, making rendering this traditional and overt kind of imperialism a much-hated memory of past exploitation. There are some who argue that in the absence of this controlling power of these Western European colonizing forces, the United States of America has now stepped in as a new kind of imperial player in world politics. In a recent book which provocatively calls the United States a â€Å"Rogue State† a great many incidents are mentioned which show the extent to which American governments have gone to ensure that American interests are actively promoted across the globe. A list of morally and legally dubious strategies is given, including deliberate assassinations of foreign leaders, regime changes, military strikes, and economic measures designed to cripple whole countries and regions which for whatever reason oppose American plans for the world. The author, American journalist and researcher William Blum, cites 40 incidences of assassination, for example, which are recognized as having been carried out by American forces and mentions evidence that convicted murderers were even recruited for this task: â€Å"The training of the carefully-selected recruits ranged from dehumanization of the enemy to acclimating them emotionally through special films showing people being killed and injured in violent ways† (Blum, 2000, p. 40). In its methods, then, it is clear that the United States has had occasion to use at least some of the hated tactics of colonial rule. The invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq bear some resemblance to imperialist interventions because they involve the explicit movement of troops and some administrative personnel to these foreign lands in order to effect political changes. There is no immediate danger of attack from either of these two countries on American soil, though the possibility of single terrorist acts fro m smaller groups which may well shelter in these countries is always present, as was seen to terrible effect in the 9/11 atrocities.  

Balanced Scorecard Essay Example for Free

Balanced Scorecard Essay The balance scorecard is used as a strategic planning and a management technique. It is widely used in many organizations, regardless of their scale, to align the organizations performance to its vision and objectives. The scorecard is also used as a tool which improves the communication and feedback process between the employees and management, and to monitor performance of the organizational objectives. There are four different perspectives of balance scorecard which are financial performance, customer knowledge, internal business processes, and learning and growth. Each perspective represents a different aspect of the business organization in order to operate at optimal capacity. Financial perspective is about how does the firm look to shareholders. This is concerned with the shareholders view of performance. Shareholders are concerned with many aspects of financial performance. Amongst the measures of success are market share, revenue growth, profit ratio, return on investment, economic value added, return on capital employed and profitability. Customer perspective is about how do customers see the firm. This perspective focuses on the analysis of different types of customers, their degree of satisfaction and the processes used to deliver products and services to customers. Particular areas of focus would include customer service, customer retention and customer satisfaction. Internal perspective is about how well it manages its operational processes. This seeks to identify how well the business is performing, whether the products and services offered meet customer expectations, and the critical processes for satisfying both customers and shareholders. Learning and growth perspective is about can the firm continue to improve and create value? This perspective also examines how an organisation learns and grows. This perspective is concerned with issues such as can we continue to improve and create value? In which areas must the organisation improve? How can the company continue to improve and create value in the future? What should it be doing to make this happen? The concerns of balanced scorecard are long term with short term concerns, financial with non-financial concerns, and internal with external concerns.

The Bildungsroman in Victorian Novels Essay Example for Free

The Bildungsroman in Victorian Novels Essay The Bildungsroman Genre. The narrative mode Dickens has adopted aligns his novel with the Bildungsroman  genre of literature. The term  Bildungsroman  is a German word meaning novel of formation or education novel. A  Bildungsroman  novel frequently puts an emphasis on the moral and psychological development of its protagonist. Morality is an important theme in  Great Expectations, one of the episodes of  Great Expectations  which illustrates the conventions of the  Bildungsroman form is the storys opening which immediately establishes the protagonists orphaned status with the young Pip contemplating the graves of his dead parents. The figure of the orphan illustrates Dickenss innovative engagement with the  Bildungsroman  genre, as Pip could be viewed as a blank slate, or tabula rasa, in that his mind isnt informed by any external psychological influence from his parents. Instead his shrewish older sister and her husband, the kindly and unassuming blacksmith Joe Gargery, are raising him. Initially Pip is content with his humble surroundings, although his class-consciousness receives a rude awakening on his first visit to Satis House. Here he encounters Miss Havisham and her ward Estella, the latter of whom takes delight in continually reminding the protagonist of his lowly status. When Estella remarks on Pips coarse hands and thick boots, and his habit of calling knaves Jacks when they are playing cards together, she is expressing her contempt of his background. Even though Pip is hurt by her taunts, he still becomes infatuated with Estella, and it is this attraction which triggers his own animosity towards his origins. Sometime after Pip has come of age and has been working in the forge with Joe, the lawyer Jaggers informs him of an anonymous benefactor who wishes to make the protagonist a gentleman. Incorrectly Pip assumes this benefactor to be Miss Havisham, and starts to entertain the belief that the old spinster intends him for Estella. This episode heralds a great advance in the protagonists own snobbery and delusion, as he sets off for London, putting his origins in the Kent marshlands behind him. While Pip is enjoying the leisurely life of a gentleman in the capital, he receives a letter from his old acquaintance Biddy, stating that Joe has come up to London and would like to visit him. Pips disdain for the blacksmith is revealed in his reservations concerning such a prospect: If I could have kept him away by paying money, I certainly would have paid money . When the protagonist returns to his hometown for his sisters funeral, his snobbery is further evinced on his insistence at staying in the Blue Boar inn in town, as opposed to the forge with Joe. His actions are evidence of the  Bildungsroman  narratives preoccupation with moral and psychological development. Pips final exchange of wealth and status for friendship and humility indicate how he has matured as a protagonist. On the other hand, the novel by Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D’urbervilles, has not made any case for the novel’s being a Bildungsroman. Tess has been called a â€Å"fundamentally changeless† ballad heroine; her story has been referred to as â€Å"mythological† a â€Å"personification of rural Wessex† a representation of the agricultural community in its moment of ruin†. However, categorising and allegorizing Tess’s story, it is possible to lose sight of the novel’s unrelenting focus on Tess the individual as she attempts to make something of her life. Holding that the novel â€Å"develops a single theme, the life-history of one person, and sends this uninterrupted forward†. Thomas Hardy, in his time plan for the novel, graphically stressed the centrality of Tess’s experience as he carefully noted the dates of the novel’s events in relation to Tess’s age. What Tess attempts to do during the brief portion of her life dramatized by Hardy makes her story one of coming of age, in other words, the novel ought to be viewed as a Bildungsroman.

PESTEL Analysis of Tesco

PESTEL Analysis of Tesco Table of Contents PESTEL Analysis Political Economic Social Technology Environmental Legal Review of Tesco PLC References PESTEL Analysis Political The UK government has recently adopted a tax measure that affected Tesco. In 2011 the UK government increased the VAT rate from 17.5% to 20% with the aim to increase government revenue by  £13 billion per year (BBC, 2011, n. p.). Crossley et al. (2009, p. 3) contend that an increase in the VAT rate leads to lower customer spending. Therefore, an increase in the VAT rate negatively affected the sales revenue generated by Tesco. Sales revenue is the key source of income of the organisation and thus it holds a substantial effect on profits (Atrill, 2009, p. 33). The UK government has also proposed to adopt a fat tax with the aim to control obesity and limit the medical problems associated with it (The Guardian, 2011, n. p.). Such measure can adversely affect the sales revenue of certain products retailed by Tesco. Tesco is responding to such a threat. Indeed, in 2014 Tesco launched a brand new healthy food range (Tesco, 2014, n. p.). Economic The UK economy is showing positive signs of recovery from the financial crises. Higher economic growth rate was forecasted and the gross domestic product was estimated to be 2.7% higher than the pre-crises peak (BBC, 2014, n. p.). A growth in economy is a positive sign for Tesco because it results in a growth in the supermarket industry, which is the main industry in which Tesco operates. When there is an economic recession, which is the opposite of economic growth the rate of unemployment increases. This results in lower disposable income in the hands of the British people. Therefore, customers will decrease spending and will shift to products of a lower price (Mankiw, 2012, p. 97).Therefore, recovery from the economic recession stimulates revenue growth for Tesco. Social The number of elderly people is increasing in the UK due to the baby boom generation. In the past years there was a decrease in the birth-rate and an increase in the life expectancy of people (Independent, 2010, n. p.). This led to a shift in the tastes of individuals which should be taken into account by Tesco. For example, the adoption of online shopping by Tesco for grocery products is an approach that takes into consideration the mobility issues that elderly people face. Eastmen and Iyer (2004, p. 208) examined the perception of elderly people to the use of the Internet. These scholars found that elderly people view the Internet favourably and are willing to use it. This research also suggested that elderly people with a high income are generally more in favour to the use of the Internet and are interested to acquire products online (Eastmen and Iyer, 2004, p. 208). Therefore, Tesco has positively responded to this social change. The literature says that the customers opinion of an organisation can quickly change due to changes in the quality and price of the companys products, shopping service provided to customers and competitive moves (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010, p. 163-165). This highlights the importance that the corporate strategies should be responsive to the business environment. For example, in 2013 Tesco was accused of the horsemeat scandal. Horse-related puns were identified in Tescos burgers and the organisation was accused of not providing the good quality products claimed in their advertising campaigns (Pratley, 2013, n. p.). This scandal affected negatively the perception of customers on Tesco, which resulted in a decline in sales (Neate and Moulds, 2013, n. p.). Tesco needs to respond to such scandal, which adversely affected its image. Technology Technology is critical for the supply chain management of Tesco. Retailers like Tesco develop supply chain management systems in order to attain competitive advantages and enhance cost efficiency (Tan, 2001, p. 41). Johnson et al. (2005, pp. 132 133) posit that the most effective competitive advantages are those that are difficult to imitate by competitors.These are reflected in the core competencies of the organisation (Johnson et al., 2005, pp. 132 133). Tesco needs to be very attentive to technological advancements because these may be an opportunity for the firm. For example, mobile technology helped to improve Tescos distribution service because customers can selected their preferred wine through their mobile (Tomlinson and Evans, 2005, n. p.). The management of Tesco needs to be attentive for disruptive technologies, which occur frequently in retailing. For example, the introduction of e-grocers led to a disruptive wave in the supermarket industry (Wessel and Christensen, 2012, p. 7). Disruptive technologies result from an innovation in technology that is initially incapable of reaching the performance of the present technology. Therefore, customers value the present technology more than this new technology. However, a niche in the market arises where the disruptive technology is more convenient to customers. Therefore, such technology will appear unattractive to large well established organisations, like Tesco. On the contrary small firms will regard a disruptive technology as an opportunity to enhance the market share (CIMA, 2009, pp. 1 2). These small firms will utilise the technology in order to meet the standards of performance expected by the bulk of the market (CIMA, 2009, p. 2). Therefore, over time the disruptive technology will increase in popularity and will be more valuable to customers than the present technology (CIMA, 2009, p. 2). This will thus negatively affect organisations that have not used this technological opportunity. Environmental In the press substantial emphasis is made on global warming and the consequences associated with it. For example, the increase in average temperature is leading to a melting of the Arctic ice and it is envisaged that by 2040 there will be an ice-free summer (National Geographic, 2007, n. p.). Such facts are leading to higher emphasis on environmental sustainability. Tesco is adopting a number of measures that are aimed to protect the environment. For example, Tesco is committed to diminish the consumption of energy and utilisation of greenhouse gases (Tesco, 2014c). Management claimed that when they are doing store adjustments they are taking into account such environmental factors. For example, in Thailand the organisation has invested  £3.1 million on 49 stores in order to provide energy savings of approximately  £2 million (Tesco, 2014, c, pp. 44 45). Legal There are a number of laws that affect Tesco because the organisation markets a wide number of products and services. For example, as regards the agricultural products the UK government is reforming the common agricultural policy. The government is revising the way direct subsidies will be allocated to farmers (Gov.uk, 2014, n. p.). Such measures can lead to lower subsidies, which affect the ability of farmers to meet the agricultural standards set by Tesco and the prices agreed with organisations engaged in the supermarket industry. Winnett (2012, n. p.) contends that significant fines can be imposed on firms like Tesco if such organisations force agricultural suppliers to sell at a price which is lower than costs. Tesco is also engaged in financial services products like credit cards, savings, loans and mortgages (Tesco, 2014a, n. p.). The Financial Services Act (2012) was recently implemented in the UK (Noked, 2013, n. p.). Three new governing bodies resulted from this act, which consist of the Financial Policy Committee, the Prudential Regulatory Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority (Noked, 2013, n. p.). The Prudential Regulatory Authority adopts a micro-perspective and is responsible that organisations engaged in financial services products operate in adherence to relevant regulations (Noked, 2013, n. p.). The Prudential Regulatory Authority seeks to decrease the negative effects arising from disruption to the continuity of financial services, which may be influenced by the way financial services organisations operate or their failure (Noked, 2013, n. p.). Review of Tesco PLC Tesco is facing serious threats that are weakening the leadership in the supermarket industry that the organisation holds in the UK. Furthermore, the financial health of competitive firms is better than that of Tesco. Tesco needs to respond to these threats and utilise its main strength, which consists of a strong brand name in order to sustain its competitive advantages. References ACCA F7 (2009) Financial Reporting: The Complete Text. Berkshire: Kaplan Publishing. Atrill, P. (2009) Financial Management for Decision Makers. Fifth Edition. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall. BBC (2014a) Tesco Turns Stale as Competitors Freshen up Ideas [online]. Available from: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29310445 [Accessed 2 October 2014]. BBC (2014) UK Economy Grew 0.9% in Second Quarter, says ONS [online]. Available from: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29422267 [Accessed 1 October 2014]. BBC (2011) VAT Rate Rises from 17.5% to 20% (online). Available from: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-12099638 [Accessed 1 October 2014]. Bokaie, J. (2008) Tesco Finest Hits  £1.2bn Sales to Become Top Grocery Brand, Marketing Magazine [online]. Available from: http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/803672/tesco-finest-hits-12bn-sales-become-top-grocery-brand [Accessed 2 October 2014]. Brealey, A. R., Myers, C. S. and Allen, F. (2011) Principles of Corporate Finance. Tenth Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. CIMA (2009) A Strategic Approach to Disruptive Technologies [online]. Available from: http://www.cimaglobal.com/Documents/Thought_leadership_docs/cid_dispap_strategic_approach_disruptive_technologies_nov09.pdf [Accessed 1 October 2014]. Crossley, T. F., Low, H. and Wakefield, M. (2009) The Economics of a Temporary VAT Cut. Fiscal Studies, 30(1), 3-16. Eastmen, K. J. and Iyer, R. (2004) The Elderlys Uses and Attitudes towards the Internet. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 21(3), 208-220. Eiteman, K. D., Stonehill, I. A. and Moffett, H. M. (1999) Multinational Business Finance. Eighth Edition. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Gov.uk (2014) Reforming the Common Agricultural Policy to Ensure a Fair Deal for Farmers, Consumers and Taxpayers [online]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reforming-the-common-agricultural-policy-to-ensure-a-fair-deal-for-farmers-consumers-and-taxpayers [Accessed 2 October 2014]. Huang, Y. and Huddleston, P. (2009) Retailer Premium Own-Brands: Creating Customer Loyalty through Own-Brand Products Advantage. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 37(11), 975-992. Hunger, J. D. and Wheelen, L. T. (2000) Strategic Management. Seventh Edition. London: Prentice Hall. Independent (2010) Will the Baby-Boomers Bankrupt Britain? [online]. Available from: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/will-the-babyboomers-bankrupt-britain-1936027.html [Accessed 1 October 2014]. Johnson, G., Scholes, K. and Whittington, R. (2005) Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. Seventh Edition. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Kaplan, S. R. and Norton, P. D. (1996) The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action. Watertown: Harvard Business Press. Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G. (2010) Principles of Marketing. Thirteenth Edition. London: Prentice Hall. Mankiw, N. G. (2012) Principles of Economics. Sixth Edition. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning. Matsa, A. D. (2011) Competition and Product Quality in the Supermarket Industry. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 26(9), 2375-2410. McKenzie, W. (2003) Using and Interpreting Company Accounts. Third Edition. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Meyer-Waarden, L. and Benavent, C. (2009) Grocery Retail Loyalty Program Effects: Self-Selection or Purchase Behaviour Change? Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 37(3), 345-358. National Geographic (2007) Global Warming Fast Facts [online]. Available from: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1206_041206_global_warming.html [Accessed 7 October 2014]. Neate, R. and Moulds, J. (2013) Tesco Sales Stumble on Horsemeat Scandal, The Guardian [online]. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jun/05/tesco-sales-fall-horsemeat-scandal [Accessed 1 October 2014]. Neville, S. (2013) Tesco is still UKs Top Retail Brand despite Horsemeat Scandal, says Report, The Guardian [online]. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/mar/19/tesco-retail-brand-horsemeat-scandal [Accessed 2 October 2014]. Noked, N. (2013) Financial Services Act 2012: A New UK Financial Regulatory Framework, The Harvard Law School [online]. Available from: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/corpgov/2013/03/24/financial-services-act-2012-a-new-uk-financial-regulatory-framework/ [Accessed 2 October 2014]. Pike, R. and Neale, B. (2003) Corporate Finance and Investment: Decisions and Strategies. Fourth Edition. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Poulter, S. (2014) Price War at the Checkout: Rival Supermarkets Forced to Fight Back after Morrisons Slash  £1 Billion off the Cost of Basic Food, Daily Mail [online]. Available from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2579920/Morrisons-vows-Lidl-Aldi-slashing-prices.html [Accessed 3 October 2014]. Pratley, N. (2013) Tesco and the Horsemeat Scandal: Answers Needed Quickly, The Guardian [online]. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2013/jan/16/tesco-horsemeat-scandal-reaction?guni=Article:in%20body%20link [Accessed 1 October 2014]. Reuters (2014) Financials: Tesco PLC (TSCO.L) [online]. Available from: http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/financialHighlights?symbol=TSCO.L [Accessed 2 October 2014]. Tan, C. K. (2001) A Framework of Supply Chain Management Literature. European Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 7, 39-48. Tesco (2014b) Annual Report and Financial Statements 2014 [online]. Available from: http://www.tescoplc.com/files/pdf/reports/ar14/download_annual_report.pdf [Accessed 3 October 2014]. Tesco (2014 c) Environment [online]. Available from: http://www.tesco.com/csr/downloads/pdf6.pdf [Accessed 7 October 2014]. Tesco (2014a) Tesco Bank [online]. Available from: http://www.tescobank.com/home/home.html [Accessed 2 October 2014]. Tesco (2014) Tesco Launches Brand New Healthy Food Range for People on the go [online]. Available from: http://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=17newsid=1005 [Accessed 1 October 2014]. Tomlinson, H. and Evans, R. (2005) Tesco Stocks up on Inside Knowledge of Shoppers Lives, The Guardian [online]. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2005/sep/20/freedomofinformation.supermarkets [Accessed 1 October 2014]. The Guardian (2011) UK could Introduce Fat Tax, says David Cameron [online]. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/oct/04/uk-obesity-tax-david-cameron [Accessed 1 October 2014]. Wessel, M. and Christensen, M. C. (2012) Surviving Disruption. Harvard Business Review, 90(12), 56-64. Winnett, R. (2012) Supermarkets Face Large Fines for Abusing Farmers, The Telegraph [online]. Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/supermarkets/9720989/Supermarkets-face-large-fines-for-abusing-farmers.html [Accessed 2 October 2014]. Wood, S. and McCarthy, D. (2014) The UK Food Retail Race for Space and Market Saturation: A Contemporary Review. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 24(2), 121-144. Other Essays on Tesco Other essays available on the Tesco organisations are: Tesco SWOT Analysis Tesco Business analysis Tesco is one of the leading supermarkets Tesco Strategy analysis Tesco Changing Business Environment Tesco Fresh Veg Supply Chain Management

Essay --

The Effect of Religion On The Arab Springs Movement Neil Gallagher Beal 2/12/14 My paper analyzes the role of religious intolerance on the Arab Springs. My first two articles discuss trends of religious intolerance and categorize the Arab Springs countries based on their levels of tolerance. Secondly, I define religious tolerance by analyzing a country that is considered religiously intolerant and one that is not. By comparing these two cases I create a concrete definition of a religiously tolerant country and one that is not tolerant. Thirdly, I analyze Egypt and compare it with the rest of the Arab Springs Countries in. Fourthly, I analyze the root causes of the Arab Springs Movement. Lastly, I analyze the effect of religion on the Arab Springs revolution, and the events that came after. 1. Arab Spring And Its Effect On Religious Tolerance. Chicago Citation: Brian J. Grim, â€Å"Rising Tide of Restrictions on Religion, Pew, September 20 2012, http://www.pewforum.org/2013/06/20/arab-spring-restrictions-on-religion-preface/ After the end of Arab Spring there was a large desire to persuade governments to create more religiously tolerant law’s. This is in part because religion was one of the issues that sparked revolutions throughout the Arab world. According to previous pew research, there is a strong correlation between religious intolerance and social revolution.( Grim, 2013) Currently, many of the countries that are experiencing revolution are labeled by pew religiously intolerant countries. These countries include Egypt, Yemen, Syria Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan. However, according to a 2012 study done by pew, despite this correlation, countries did not become more, but less religiously ... ...mpante, 168) Another key factor in Arab springs is economic inequality and its association with education level. ( Campante, 171) As stated above the individuals inside Arab Spring countries were intelligent, however they were unable to obtain economic success in their respective countries. ( Campante, 171) The Arab Spring countries were some of the most economically unequal countries in the world. The economic policy of the Countries rewarded the friends of the king and left the majority impoverished. The education that was supplied toward the Arabs was not able to prepare them for the current economic atmosphere of the Arab countries. ( Campante, 171) This agitated the general population and made them even more likely to rebel against the current governmental structure. I will use this source to help analyze the factors that caused the Arab Spring revolution.

gatwomen gatmyrtle Great Gatsby Essays: Similarities of Gatsby and Myrtle :: Great Gatsby Essays

Same Goal, Different Route in The Great Gatsby A more thorough investigation of The Great Gatsby is necessary to uncover a well-disguised theme by Fitzgerald in this work. Upon a simple read through one would probably not notice the great similarities of Jay Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson, but the two characters seemed to have the same agenda for their lives. While Gatsby took the route of acquiring money at all costs to join the upper class of society and to be acceptable in the eyes of a woman, Myrtle chose to make her way up in society at the cost of her marriage by attaching herself to money. The underlying question is who had the most success. As a young man, Jay Gatsby was poor with nothing but his love for Daisy. He had attempted to woe her, but a stronger attraction to money led her to marry another man. This did not stop Gatsby’s goal of winning this woman for himself though, and he decided to improve his life anyway he could until he could measure up to Daisy’s standards. He eventually gained connections in what would seem to be the wrong places, but these gave him the opportunity he needed to "get rich quick." Gatsby’s enormous desire for Daisy controlled his life to the point that he did not even question the immorality of the dealings that he involved himself in to acquire wealth. Eventually though, he was able to afford a "castle" in a location where he could pursue Daisy effectively. His life ambition had successfully moved him to the top of the "new money" class of society, but he lacked the education of how to promote his wealth properly. Despite the way that Gatsby flaunted his money, he did catch Daisy’s attention. A chaotic affair followed for a while until Daisy was overcome by pressures from Gatsby to leave her husband and by the realization that she belonged to "old money" and a more proper society. Myrtle eventually had similar goals as Gatsby, but her life did not begin the same way. She was of the lower class of society and married a simple man. The two pursued a poor life, but Myrtle’s husband George was a decent man. Nevertheless, Myrtle became unsatisfied, and when the opportunity arose to better the quality of her life, she took it. Daisy’s husband Tom, an unfaithful, rough man not very committed to his marriage, began an affair with Myrtle.

Social Constructivism Essay example -- Education, Teachers Training

Vygotsky's (1978/1981) social constructivism (SC) theory suggests that teachers can use an alternative instructional method by engaging students with a set of approaches and strategies. Vygotsky’s SC approach reflects on creating a learning setting which, allows students to negotiate meaning through learning by doing to facilitate wireless computing within the classroom (Woo and Lim, 2009). Teacher training and input in their personal view points on technology integration professional learning experiences are essential for constructive changes (So & Kim, 2009). Teacher training and point of views through the social constructivism (SC) theory can create opportunities to provide hands-on learning and enables students to access electronic books, study, review, research or explore through SC concept (Zucker & King, 2009). Ryu, Parsons, Li, Sheng & Javed (2009) found that the antidote to learning, requires referencing prior knowledge to recent experiences, referencing different situations to similar, past situations, and then incorporating what one has learned to the past foundation. A foundation upon which to build needs to be established first to construct planned activities (Kundi & Nawaz, 2010). The social constructivism (SC) approach makes it possible for teachers to meet online, share ideas, prepare lesson plans and activities using different software packages (Moses, Khambari, & Luan, 2008). Dewey (1916/1997), Papert (1993/2000), Piaget (1932/1997), and Vygotsky’s (1978/1981), social constructivism (SC) theory illustrates that the teacher guides the learner during the learning process rather than instructing through traditional lecturers. Wellings and Levine (2009) established that technology literacy i... ...s. Children, preteens and teens naturally network with devices and interfaces that were not available a decade ago (Wellings & Levine, 2009). Wireless computing using laptops in the instructional setting creates room for the teacher to assume the role of facilitator (Woo & Lim, 2009). Teaching with wireless laptops guides learners to become self-driven and transform a passive learning setting to an active learning setting (Skevakis, 2010). As facilitators, teachers can ensure that their students’ tasks performances occur in an appropriate social constructivism (SC) manner. The SC approach places students as active participants in their learning process (Mileva, Simpson, & Thompson, 2008). Current research can help develop a plan and concept of the deliberating rate of integrating wireless computing (So and Kim, 2009) through an OSN for K–12 teachers.

CIPD Notes Essay

Terms of Reference To investigate how an HR practitioner within East Surrey College (ESC) should ensure that they deliver timely and effective HR services to meet user’s needs. The report was requested by Charles Sleet, HR Director, on 11/11/2013 to be presented on 14/01/2014. Procedure 1. Understanding different customer needs in HR. 2. Communicating effectively in HR. 3. Building and maintaining effective service in HR. 1. Two HR colleagues were interviewed in order to determine who the 3 main customers of the HR department were. Furthermore, requests and enquiries that came through to HR were recorded via the same HR colleagues to identify the main needs of the customers during a period of three weeks from 13th November to 4th December. The way in which these needs are prioritised was recorded. 2. A questionnaire was issued to 20 members of staff to discover the most effective communication method. Staff members were chosen through random sampling. 3. An interview was held with the HR Business Partner to gain insight into the main areas of effective service delivery and how it is constructed. Findings 1. Understanding Customers needs After interviews with the two HR Practitioners, the three main customers of the HR Department were identified as follows: Type of customer Key needs Candidates for interview Gaining information on the outcome of their interview A swift pre-employment check process, ensuring a quick start into a new job Heads of Department (HoD) Absence levels of employees Monitoring online training completion Employees Requesting a copy of their own CPD log – these are updated and kept on HR records Enquiring about upcoming training events The HR practitioners highlighted that the needs of different customers may conflict. An example could be a HoD enquiring about the completion of a member of staffs online training courses conflicting with an enquiry coming in at the same time of a staff member urgently trying to find out when the next ‘Teaching and Learning’ forum is due to take place. Maximum service delivery has to be initiated with regards to these needs – therefore the HR practitioners advised on the ways these needs are prioritised. These prioritise are; Timescales – some requests may have longer timescales than others. These timescales therefore contribute to the importance of the arisen needs. Consequence and risk to the company – discovering the consequences and risks to the company helps prioritise incoming needs and enquiries. For example, it would be seen as more important to provide a HoD with an absence level report for their department than it would to advise a member of staff on their current CPD record. 2. Methods of communication After analysing feedback from the completed questionnaires, highlighted below are 3 methods of communication appropriate to employees at ESC at different levels: Communication method Advantages Disadvantages Face-to-face Immediate feedback Gives a personal touch, body language can be read Can use facial expressions to enhance communication Can be lengthy if certain attendees are unavailable to meet No chance to go away and think about an answer No privacy as someone could overhear Email Can take time over response Large amounts of information can be sent e.g. attachments Able to pass on information without interrupting someone Lack of body language and tone Impersonal Emails can be misinterpreted Phone Immediate interaction with someone far away More personal than an email Ability to transfer calls across locations/conference calls Can be disrupted by hindrance of poor signal Lots of details over the phone can be hard to record 3. The key components of effective HR Service Delivery Delivering service on time – SLAs need to be SMART, in particular they should be realistic and achievable. For example, in the HR Department at ESC HR practitioners aim employ a new member of staff in, at most, 4 weeks from the  date they were verbally offered the role. This is important as it earns the department respect and often means customers will look to reply in the same, efficient way. Delivering service on budget – It is important to ensure that you keep within budget but still deliver a high level of service as going over budget can incur costs financially. Costs that need rectifying mean that other areas would then be restricted to an even lower budget. Dealing with difficult customers – Identify the problem, stay calm, and understand how it can be resolved. Handing and resolving complaints – With the secure SLA in place, the query should be met in a timely way to elude complaints. Any complaints that do arise should be dealt with in an equally timely and professional way . Keeping customers in the loop with updates on progress is key. Conclusions 1. ESC use all 3 methods identified (phone, email, face-to-face) to communicate to employees at all levels, making sure the correct method is used 2. Consequences and timescales were key as methods used to prioritise conflicting needs in the workplace. 3. the HR Business Partner delivers and expresses a high level of service that fits with the four outlined objectives.

International Communication Focusing on Fifa 2014

Vuvuzelas sound and it fills the stadiums with a noise that is still heard ringing in the ears of millions days later, even months after it has ended. The overwhelming feeling of excitement spreads through the veins of everyone watching and those on the edge of their seats just waiting for the next goal to be scored, determining who wins the world cup and takes home the famous gold â€Å"FIFA World Cup Trophy. † The World Cup is a tournament that comes every four years and lasts a month long with tournaments every day from June 13th- July 13th The World Cup brings in a whirlwind of excitement and emotions. This victorious event will be held in Brazil in the year of 2014 but before June 13th hits, there is a massive amount of planning to be done. With all the preparations leading up to the World Cup we will capture the trials and tribulations through the eyes of four locals in Rio de Janeiro. First, we will film one year before hand and capture everyday life without the World Cup. We will take a look at how Brazilians live their lives on a day to day basis without the chaos and media attention of the event. We will do this by following four individuals, interviewing them about how they feel about the World Cup and how it is affecting their daily routine. Our second round of filming will place our crews with the same four peole on the day of the first game in Rio de Janeiro. The World Cup takes the world by storm every four years. While in America, soccer has just recently gained a large following, it has been a way of life for generations in many countries throughout the world. We can identify with this phenomenon somewhat if we relate it to the impact of the Olympics when they were held in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996. An event of this scale becomes all-consuming and places the city and country under a worldwide microscope. The World Cup produces a whirlwind of excitement with years of preparation that costs and generates millions of dollars. Many sports in America have a strong following and fan-base, but nothing can truly be compared to that of soccer overseas. Countries such as Mexico, Spain and Brazil look at soccer, its players, and the games, as a way of life. Brazil especially has been known for its talented and renowned soccer (â€Å"futebol†) team throughout the years and they have won five World Cups. From the outside looking in, Brazil has been known as one of the powerhouses, if not the powerhouse of soccer worldwide. The fact that FIFA and all of the other governing and deciding bodies have chosen to place the World Cup 2014 in Brazil generates further excitement, but also places this country under close watch from viewers worldwide. As we saw with the World Cup 2010 in South Africa, a country can be drastically altered and affected by such a large-scale event. We want to create this documentary to shed light on the impacts, trials and jubilation of such an incredible event. While many see the benefits of hosting such an event, there are plenty of drawbacks as well. We want to create an in-depth look of this phenomenon, the World Cup, and show also how it affects the country that is producing the event. So much goes on behind the scenes and many lives are impacted, whether negatively or positively. By following four real people with everyday jobs and average, normal lives, we hope to inform the public of the on-goings of the preparation for the World Cup, as well as how individual lives are impacted. We want to follow four people; a ticket scalper, police officer, a fan and a street vendor. Through this we hope to achieve a more personal view of such an immensely grand event. We want to inform the public of the preparations involved in the World Cup as well as the madness that ensues once it all begins. We will chronicle this massive worldwide soccer tournament through the eyes of normal everyday Rio de Janeiro citizens in the attempt to show a real-life perspective of a fantastical and media-centric event. While there are documentaries aplenty, ours is unique in that it shows the impact on a country and its citizens, something many viewers of the World Cup never consider. By creating a personal and impactful narrative that comments on economic repercussions, nationalism and pride, we hope to appeal to viewers who want to see a cultural view of soccer that has never before been created. Nicknamed â€Å"Cidade Maravilhosa† — Portuguese for â€Å"marvelous city† — Rio de Janeiro conjures many images including Ipanema Beach and the famous Cristo Redentor statue atop Corcovado Mountain. But in 2014, one of the most important global sporting events, the World Cup, will arrive in Brazil where soccer — or futebol as they know it — is the lifeblood of the culture. After FIFA announced Brazil as the hosts of the 2014 World Cup on October 30, 2007, a different set of images would materialize for the population of Rio de Janeiro. Once upon a time it was the site of the final match of the 19 50 World Cup in Maracana Stadium. Uruguay came from behind to beat its host 2-1, even though Brazil was heavily favored after eliminating previous opponents Spain and Sweden. Since then, Rio de Janeiro has been home to some of Brazil’s most popular soccer clubs: Botafogo, Fluminense, Vasco da Gama and Flamengo. With a past and present such as this, tensions and expectations will undoubtedly be high, especially where soccer is so inter-meshed with their culture. Choosing to film in Rio de Janeiro will capture much of this drama associated with the World Cup as we follow our four subjects: the police officer, the fan, the street vendor and the ticket scalper. In general, we want to keep the area surrounding Maracana Stadium as our locus of interest, but this isn’t necessarily realistic. The subjects have dynamic lives each and every day, especially as the World Cup draws closer, so it may be difficult to remain under the shadow of the venue. As each subject travels through different areas of the city, the camera crews will have to make critical judgment calls about when to uncap the lens. Our film crews can expect to capture the best footage in some of Rio de Janeiro’s most exciting sites. The city is known for its soccer, tourism, night life and beaches, but we will want to focus on the North Zone. It contains several neighborhoods and important tourist attractions, including our primary filming location, Maracana Stadium, which is located in the Tijuca neighborhood. It is home to many of the middle class residents and also the lower class favelas, which are crime-ridden neighborhoods filled with poorly built shanties. Our police officer will certainly be answering calls from this poor section of Rio de Janeiro where our ticket scalper is a resident. Our street vendor and soccer fan will also be residents of the Rio North Zone. It is there in the North Zone that we will want to follow each of our characters into their homes. Once inside their homes, our camera crews can film the effects of the World Cup on the Brazilian household unit. We will discover just how the home family life is transformed both demographically and psycho-graphically. Questions can be answered such as: a) Has new disposable income, as provided by the World Cup’s economic opportunities, increased the family’s standard of living? b) Has Brazilian pride in its national sport entered the home life? c) Has the importance of home security changed due to the hysteria associated with the World Cup? Once these questions are answered, a more complete view of the character is revealed and analyzed by the audience. Another set of important sites will be public centers for transportation. The primary modes of transportation are by municipal train and bus lines since driving by car is very difficult. Due to a great deal of highway congestion, cars often move at a snail-like pace. Important themes will manifest themselves as we travel to and from each location. These places, which are usually replete with a colorful culture, will be amplified in the presence of the World Cup. The documentary will actively connect the dots between Brazil’s national pride and their national sport at these various locations. The Maracana Stadium will be the most important site. There we will capture each of our characters’ paths intersecting outside and inside the venue. The fan will obviously be destined for the stadium itself; the street vendor will set up shop as close to the stadium as possible so as to snag the most consumers as possible; and the policeman will have critical interactions with the ticket scalper, who will be acting against the law. Many memorable characters exist in a documentary just like any other genre of film. The goal is to capture reality but there is no need to move away from the act of story telling. The idea behind the characters of our documentary is that they are all connected through each other by the duties they perform throughout the documentary.. Our first character to appear is the police officer. Juan Sminho is 38 and works for the Rio de Janeiro tourist police. He performs regular policing in the streets of Rio by assisting tourists and pointing them in the proper direction to where they are headed. Juan also performs similar duties to what the united states police force does but he is not as involved with crime as our police forces are. He lives on the north side in a two bedroom apartment with his wife and brother. He does not come from a wealthy family but did inherit some from his parents when they were murdered 10 years ago in a robbing which pushed him to become part of the Brazil police force to keep things like that from happening to other families. He will show the audience what it is like in everyday life as a tourist officer, then there will be a dramatic change of pace a year later on the chaotic streets of Rio where his duties are truly put to the test with all the tourist in town for the World Cup games. Juan’s duties will be to perform crowd control, assist tourists and seek out ticket scalpers; this is a highly illegal offense in Brazil. Most everyone has seen a ticket scalper before, but if not, they are the ones that stand on the corners of concert/sport venues and sell those last minute tickets needed for the fans. Ticket scalping is very illegal in Brazil and punishable by jail time, but that does not stop our scalper from risking it all for some extra cash. We will follow Gustavo Silva, a thirty-four year old Rio native who has never left the North region. He works as a ticket scalper primarily, but during the slow months tries to make ends meet by helping out at his parents' modest fruit stand in the outskirts of Rio. The popularity of soccer as a sport, particularly in Brazil, directly effects his livelihood and well-being. Seeing Gustavo in his element both before and during the World Cup will create a dynamic story for the viewers. Viewers will identify with Gustavo's endearing and persuasive personality because of his hard-working attitude. Ticket scalping just became illegal in Brazil, which is obviously a threat for Gustavo. The documentary will show the discrepancies in this law as it is not seriously enforced until the World Cup in 2014. The effects of this on Gustavo will prove to be detrimental. With money being tight and having to find work wherever possible, some residents of Rio do not have a choice. Our team has high hopes for our scalper that he will sell a ticket to our next character, the fan. What is a team without its fans; similar to a sandwich without bread. A sandwich does not exist without bread much like a team would be nowhere without fans. Soccer fans have been seen taking their â€Å"fandom† to the extreme, but the more extreme it is, the more the team feels honored and welcome. Brazil soccer fans are famous throughout the world for their enthusiasm and carnival atmosphere at the World Cup. Many soccer managers will often claim that soccer fans can act as an extra man or the infamous â€Å"12th Man† and this is certainly the case when Brazil plays in front of over 100,000 soccer fans at the famous Maracana Stadium. The fans are not always as supportive though, in fact, they can be rather harsh. This was shown when the team came home after the 2006 world cup without a win, according to Kevin McNally of E-zine Articles. We hope to capture all this excitement while following around our dedicated fan, if Brazil loses then it is possible that our film gets even more interesting with the outrage that the country will have on them. Choosing a fan for our documentary was tough but we have found one who truly shows the spirit needed to connect with our audience. Paulo Cardoso is originally from Rio and lived there until he was 18. Once old enough, he moved to the United States to attend college but soon wanted to return to his home country after graduating. Paulo is a business major but is currently working at his parents coffee shop as a manager to help them out. He is 28 and has been an avid futebol fan since he was born, according to him. Every four years he gathers around the big screens in Rio to watch Brazil triumph, or try to, over their competitors. He will take us through the festivals in Rio including â€Å"Fan Fest Rio 2014. † His grandfather attended the World Cup in 1950 when it was last held in Brazil followed by the World Cup in 1978 held in Argentina and this time Paulo’s father went alongside. Paulo has been saving as much money as he can to be able to hold the tickets that so many others strive to have. He does not plan on buying a ticket before the games due to hopefully cheaper prices on game day. He will be a huge help on guiding us around Rio due to our unfamiliarity to the city. Paulo brings to the documentary the familiar language of English but with the Brazilian traditions that we could all stand to learn from. He as well as many other fans will interact with many people but as always, he will buy some form of merchandise from a street vendor before the game. This will allow for our fan and street vendor to interact with one another. There will be a numerous amount of street vendors trying to sell anything they have that represents the world renowned Brazil â€Å"Futebol† Team. Our film crews will follow around one vendor who sets up shop close to the stadium in hopes of catching the most business. Gearing up for the World Cup takes a lot of preparation, which is why it is imperative that we catch her one year before hand before she starts ordering merchandise and preparing for the mass amounts of fans to flood the city of Rio. Claudia Trigoso, 26, lives in the favelas in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro. Under normal circumstances Claudia deals with irregular employment due to his low socioeconomic standing, but the arrival of the World Cup will give her the opportunity to transform her situation. She has applied to Eurosport catalog to sell some of their merchandise near Maracana stadium. Soon, with the proper licenses, she will be cleared by Rio’s municipal administrators to set up in this area. Claudia hopes she can make enough profit to start a business of her own after the World Cup and its excitement wane. With this in mind, she might someday have the opportunity to move out of the North Zone favelas into a safer, more affluent neighborhood where she hopes to start a family of her own. In addition to highlighting the changes from life before the World Cup to life uring the tournament from the perspective of our four main characters, our camera crew will venture out into the streets and local pubs. Our crew will conduct first-hand interviews with everyday citizens to get a better grasp on the impact of the World Cup on the people of Rio. The filming crew will ask the public questions pertaining to how the World Cup has economically impacted their businesses, their transportation around the city, and whether or not they will be watching or attending the World Cup. There are many components that go into making a documentary outside of the characters, locations and themes. While the overarching themes will make a large impact on our viewers, the intricate details disbursed throughout the film will contribute drastically to the overall feel of the documentary. Throughout the documentary our characters and locations will be introduced using typewriter text as it is typed across a blank screen. The segments will not necessarily be rigidly formatted but the characters will be introduced as they fall into place in the documentary. Aside from the interviews included in our film it will primarily remain in the observational category of documentary film making. By taking a third-party neutral approach to the film the audience will get a realistic and personal view into the lives of the residents of Rio. Our documentary will target a large demographic due to the emotional and sports aspects as well as the excitement generated from the FIFA World Cup overall. We hope to target ages eighteen to fifty by placing this sixty minute documentary on a major network such as ABC. We initially contemplated airing the documentary on ESPN because of its sports focus, but eventually agreed that ABC would be the best choice. Not only is it a well-respected major network, but our aim is to capture the World Cup viewers for our documentary. By airing Joga Bonito on the network that is already broadcasting all of the World Cup games, we will grab the attention of the avid soccer fans who will hopefully already be watching ABC (the World Cup games will be used as somewhat of a lead-in for our documentary). In order to generate even more viewers, we will air advertisements throughout the month of the World Cup tournament to create buzz and excitement. Throughout this month, the public will have plenty of time to hear and read about our documentary. The documentary â€Å"Joga Bonito† will air as a prime-time special a few days before the World Cup finals. The title of our documentary, Joga Bonito, is meant to evoke the spirit and essence of soccer and of Brazil. This term is Portuguese for â€Å"The Beautiful Game† which is commonly used to describe Association football, also known as futebol or soccer. When soccer was originally created and rules were formally established, it was referred to as â€Å"The Simplest Game†. This eventually evolved into The Beautiful Game, or Joga Bonito, when a famous Brazilian player named Pele named his biography The Beautiful Game. Because this term is now widely used when referring to the sport of soccer, and because of its roots and foundations in the country of Brazil, we saw Joga Bonito as a fitting title for our documentary. Joga Bonito will, as previously stated, offer to its viewers a discourse of national identity and the impact of the World Cup on the citizens of Brazil within the context of an emotional adventure through the streets of Rio. The juxtaposition of a personal look at the four characters and the mainstream international media event known as the World Cup will create a unique and powerful documentary. This concept appeals to the masses because it addresses a worldwide event. Within this discourse, however, we visit the personal implications of such an event and the role of nationalism and pride within an international context. By contrasting life before the World Cup with life during one of the first games, the drastic cultural and societal changes that occur in preparation of such an event will be highlighted. The emotional appeal of this documentary will intrigue viewers while informing them of international life and the results of an event that thrusts a nation into the international spotlight.

Understand Child and Young Persons Develpment

Understand Child and Young Person Development. Core 3. 1 1. 1 The term â€Å"Sequence† of child development refers to the how we expect a child to develop from the day it was born to the age of 19. Child Development is the biological, physiological and all the emotional changes that happen during these formative years as the child goes from dependency to autonomy. These changes could be hugely influenced by genetics, events that occur whilst in the womb and during prenatal development and are usually included in most studies of child development.Developmental changes are different. They occur as a result of a genetically controlled process called maturation or as a result of environmental factors and learning (home life and school for example) but these changes most commonly happen as a result of a combination of them both. It can also be a result of â€Å"human nature† which is the ability of the growing child to in fact learn from their environment. Human beings and e specially children have a keen sense to adapt to their surroundings and this is what child development covers and includes.A child’s development is continually happening and can be measured in many different ways and although the child will develop at different rates and in different ways, the sequence in which this happens will follow the same sort of pattern . This is because in most examples they need to learn one skill before they can move onto the next. An example is walking. The child will need to learn to walk before they can run or jump etc. Development in children is more rapid in the early stages with many milestones happening in quick succession.This slows down as the child becomes a young adult with the milestones becoming further apart. (Cache children and young people’s workforce p49) The table below looks more closely at the aspects of child development. THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES CHART Age| Intellectual| Social / Emotional| Language| Gross motor| Fine Mot or| Infant – Birth to one year| Uses hands and mouth to learn| Forms a bond with parents, will begin to recognise faces and smiles, at about 6months will recognise parents and be fearful of strangers. | Starts being ocal and using terms such as â€Å"mammy and daddy†| Lifts head first then chest, rolls over, pulls to sit, crawls and stands alone| Reaches for objects and picks up small items, clutches onto toys, e. g. Rattle | Toddler 1-2 years| Begins to learn words for objects and people| Learns that self and parent(s) are different or separate from each other, imitates and performs tasks, indicates needs or wants without crying| Can follow simple instructions and say more words than just â€Å"mammy and daddy†| Can walk, stop, jump and throw things like a ball. Unbuttons clothes, builds tower of 4 cubes, scribbles, uses spoon, picks up very small object| Preschool2-5 years| Understands things such as tired, hungry and cold, recognises colours, becomes aware of numbers and letters| Begins to separate easily from parent(s), dresses with assistance, washes and dries hands, plays interactive games like tag. follows directions, can make simple sentences of two or three words, vocabulary increases Names pictures| Runs well, hops, pedals tricycle, balances on one foot| Buttons Clothes, builds tower of 8 cubes, copies simple figures or letters| School age 5-12 years| Develops understanding of numeracy and literacy concepts, learns relationship between objects and feelings, acquires knowledge and understanding| Acts independently, but is emotionally close to parent(s) dresses without help, join same sex play groups and clubs| Defines words, know and describes what things are made of, vocabulary increases| Skips, balances on one foot for 10 seconds, overestimates physical abilities| Draws person with 6 parts, copies detailed figures and objects| 12-18 years| Understands abstract concepts like illness and death, develops understanding of complex id eas| Experiences rapidly changing moods and behaviour, interested in peer group almost exclusively, distances from parent(s) emotionally, concerned with body image, likely to have first sexual relationship| Uses increased vocabulary, understands more abstract concepts like grief| May appear awkward and clumsy while learning to deal with rapid increases in size due to growth spurts| Fully developed| 18 +years| Continues to develop the ability to make good decisions and to understand the complexity of human relationships| Becomes independent form parent(s), own lifestyle, and career, social and economic changes, develop interests, chooses a partner, becomes a parent. | Continues to develop knowledge and vocabulary of different styles of language used| Fully developed| Fully developed| (Cache Children and young people’s workforce p51-66) 1. 2Child development is the term used to describe how the child will grow through a progression of developmental milestones. All children are believed to follow the same sequence of growth (the child will crawl, then stand, then walk for example) this is called the normative pattern. What we need to know is that not all children follow this pattern and for example some children will miss out stages altogether. One example of this is blind children and some children may decide to bottom shuffle and not bother with the â€Å"crawling phase†. The traditional approach to monitoring this is to use this normative measure which as I have mentioned already is the milestones in which we measure our child’s development.These actually only show what most children can do and in reality many factors such as genetic, cultural and social factors will all have an effect on the child’s development and it is important we take this into account before labelling children â€Å"advanced or backward. † The sequence of development refers to the stages of which a child develops; the rate of development is how fast the child is expected to achieve these developmental milestones. It is important to realise that the normative measurements can only indicate general trends and cannot be taken as â€Å"normal† . It is very important to realise that while the sequence of development may be somewhat the same in most children, the rate or speed in which the child develops can vary in many ways.Things that have a massive effect on the rate of a child’s development can include environment (home life) culture (religious beliefs), ability, the amount of stimulation a child receives and input (from parents for example). It is important to understand the difference between the rate and the sequence of a child’s development as this will equip you with the knowledge you need in order to plan effectively with your child and will help you identify any concerns which you may have within the developmental process. (Cache Children and young people’s workforce) 2. 1-2. 2 A child’s gr owth and development can be affected by many factors, with some having more of an affect than others.They can be split into two categories which I will go into more depth later. These are Personal factors (such as genetics and health related issues) and External factors (such as poverty, family life, personal choice and social interaction. ) Below is a diagram illustrating things which can affect a child’s development? Disability or special needs. Inherited (downs) or chronic (Autism) Disability or special needs. Inherited (downs) or chronic (Autism) Finances (living in poverty) Finances (living in poverty) Education (home schooled, private or state) Education (home schooled, private or state) Cultural background (Religion or beliefs) Cultural background (Religion or beliefs)Health status, Antenatal issues (smoking, drinking, drugs) Health status, Antenatal issues (smoking, drinking, drugs) Social class (lower, working, upper) Social class (lower, working, upper) Genetics, Bi rth problems Genetics, Birth problems Family Environment and background (loving or divorced parents) Family Environment and background (loving or divorced parents) Gender Gender Interpersonal Relationships Interpersonal Relationships Personal Factors influencing development. Genetic Influences Many studies believe it is both our environment and our genetics which will mould us into the person we ultimately become. Our chromosomes are where we find our genes.Parents pass these onto their children via their cells (the sperm and the egg). Alleles are different versions of the same gene and it’s this which can determine distinctive features such as eye colour, but also it is this which could lead to the inheritance of disorders such as cystic fibrosis. A baby’s development is also affected during pregnancy(before the birth) ,at the time of the birth and after the birth. Examples include a woman not knowing she is pregnant in the early stages and carrying on with all her ba d habits (drinking, smoking, drug taking and diet. ) It’s at these crucial first 12 weeks in the uterus when all the essential organs are being formed. This is called the antenatal period.A child being born before term (37 weeks) and therefore is born prematurely may need intensive care and this could affect development. Health Status A child’s health status can have a great effect on how it develops. This is determined by genetic inheritance but can also be affected by factors such as diet, environment, and what health care they receive. Some children are born with conditions which affect their development (these include Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis and heart defects). Other illnesses which may develop over time( including asthma and diabetes) will also have an effect on the child’s development if for example they have frequent visits to the hospital and miss school or their activaties are restricted because of their condition.External Factors Influencing Dev elopment. Poverty This is the single biggest thing that threatens the healthy development of children and young people in Great Britain and can have an effect on all areas of a child’s development (Physical, Intellectual, Language, Emotional, Social, and Spiritual. ) This threat is part of the â€Å"cycle of deprivation† where poorer families will tend to live in poorer housing; they may also have a poor diet which will not provide all the right vitamins and minerals which will affect the child’s immune system which will have a knock on affect to the increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Other things which are linked to poverty are:Accidents and illness: Children from poorer backgrounds are four times more likely to have an accident than those from higher up the social ladder. Quality of life: many children from lower classes have none or little toys, meals and clothes Poor diet: As I mentioned above a poor diet comes hand in hand with low income fami lies as they more times than not have to buy the cheaper brands or processed convenience foods. Space to live and play: poorer children are more likely to be limited in their play space as the housing which they live will is more likely to be small and substandard. Growth: Poorer children are more likely to be smaller at birth and shorter in height. Education: Children from the lower classes are more likely to have poor attendance and less likely to do well.Long Term Effects: As adults they are more likely to be homeless, be unemployed, and become involved in drug abuse, offending or be in abusive relationships. Social Interaction There is a lot of research to show that social isolation or a lack or opportunity’s to socialise ( playgroup, family members, mother and baby groups, toddler groups) can lead to early child development issues such as speech problems , the inability to share or in fact the ability to socialise with people in a civilised manner. The social environment in which a child is raised can have a dramatic effect on their development. An example of this would be a child who has had no contact with neighbours, family members or classmates.Family Environment and background The situation at home will have a huge effect on a young person or child’s development. A child may seem physically healthy but if they are unhappy and are not enjoying their time at home this is will most definitely be affecting their development. Things a child needs include: Love and affection: A child needs unconditional love and affection from their primary carers whoever this may be (Parents, Grandparents, Foster Parents etc. ) A child needs to feel safe and secure. Stimulation: a child needs the right amount of stimulation for healthy growth and development. Too little or too much will result in unhealthy developmentOpportunities to play: It is common sense that all children need to play to develop, then on from that, young people need to be given the oppor tunity to socialise and have leisure opportunity’s (such as learning an instrument or joining a sports club). A child’s social and emotional development is majorly influenced by the foundations which the family unit creates. Most parents will provide a nurturing unconditional loving family environment where their child will embrace and flourish within it. There are some carers or parents who, for a lot of different reasons will not provide this nurturing platform which all children need. Examples of this include carers with mental health issues, drug misuse, marital conflict and violent behaviour.Theories Regarding Child Development. Theories of child development can be said to be a set of principles that are designed to explain or predict some things. There have been many theories over the years by many scientists and psychologists and they have come up with a multitude of different perspectives as to why a child will do certain things within their development. Theori es not only provide an extended outline of understanding, they also allow educated guesses or hypotheses about some parts of a Childs development that are not clearly understood yet. These theories can provide a bounce board for other research but they also have some practical benefits.They can be useful (if you are a parent, teacher, therapist or carer) as a reference point when you need to make important decisions within the Childs lives and a well-founded theory can provide valuable information in making responsible decisions. On the flip side though, some child development theories can be limiting and misleading and can in fact hinder or jeopardise a Childs development if the primary carer follows this theory to the letter. It is with this in mind that it is vital to compare and evaluate a lot of theories before acting upon them and it is with this comparing and contrasting that you will find that a lot of theories strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted. There are many the ories out there and underneath I will be going into a few of them in more detail. Alfred Bandura (Social learning theory) Main theory: Learning takes place by imitation.The social learning theory suggests that people will learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modelling. This theory has been renamed â€Å"the social cognitive theory† this is to accommodate later developments of this theory. Albert Bandura found that children tend to copy people they hold in high status (parents etc. ) especially so if these people are warm or have powerful personalities. This theory could lead us on to the fact that we should very aware of our behaviour in front of children and the effect this could have on them. Things to think about: * If children are smacked by adults will they be more likely to smack other children? * If children are shouted at by other adults, are they more likely to shout at other children? If children are given explanations, are they more likely to explain things to other * If children are comforted when they fall, are they more likely to do the same to others? How this affects practise * You will have to be very wary of the language and behaviour you use in front of your children. * It could a useful theory to use if you want your children to experience role play. * Being a good role model can only help the child. * This theory allows learning without direct experience. * Promotes positive behaviour. If you are positive this will rub off on the child. Transmission theories There are three main theorists involved in transmission theories.John Locke: He thought that the child was an empty vessel and that they can be shaped by the adult and that children can be shaped by external factors and these are greater influences than any genetic involvements (nature v nurture) Ivan Pavlov: (classical conditioning): Pavlov’s theory was his famous conditioned Reponses in dogs experiment. Pavlov likes to be known as a physiologist ra ther than a psychologist as he believed the two were linked and were useful and scientific. Classical conditioning is the way in which responses are under the control of new stimulus. In his case the â€Å"conditioned† stimulus was a church bell and the â€Å"unconditioned† stimulus was food. His experiment involved feeding the dogs every time the church bell rang. This eventually produced an â€Å"unconditional† response from the dogs which was saliva flowing from the dogs mouth when the food appeared.This would then gradually change into saliva being produced with any bell noise thus producing a â€Å"conditioned† response from the dogs. Food will produce salivation, but it’s this change in stimuli using classical conditioning which means that saliva is being produced with the sound of the bells and not the actual food. Pavlov’s Experiment Burris Frederick Skinner: (operant conditioning) Skinners main theory was one of that reinforcement a nd punishment moulds behaviour and children are conditioned by their experiences. Skinner maintained that learning occurred through responding to the environment and he coined the term â€Å"operant conditioning† to describe this phenomenon.He did extensive research with animals, notably with rats and pigeons. I t was skinner who invented the famous box in which a rat learns to press a lever in order to obtain food. He gave rats a reward of food if they pressed the lever. This was positive reinforcement. The desired behaviour was rewarded. Conversely, undesired behaviour could be negatively reinforced. The rats would receive an electric shock every time they went near one area of a maze and they would then begin to avoid that area. The undesired behaviour was got rid of and the desired behaviour was encouraged. How this affects Practise. Positve reinforcemnet includes * Special helper Kindness awards * Points * Stickers * Special jobs * Star of the week * Trips out * Priase o r golden time. Negative reinforcement includes: * Lines * Detention * PunishmentThings taken from or kept from the child. The effects this has on practise is that it will provide motivation for the child to behave and also to put that lirttle bit more effort in than they would normally if they have something to aim for at the end of the week or day. It will give the child encouragement to repeat the good behaviour or effort upon recieving their treat or reward. Social constructavist theory Jean Piaget: This is the theory where all other theories are judged.His main theory is that the development of children take place in distinct stages of cognitive development. The adult does have an influence but the child is building their own thinking systems. Piaget believed that nature and nurture interact to create cognitive development. He claims that children when learning: * Go through stages and sequences in their learing * Are active learners * Use first hand Experiences and prior experi ences in order to learn. * Imitate and transform what they learn in to symbolic behaviour. He devolped four stages of cognitive learing. 1: Sensory motor stage (0-2 years) the child explores using its senses( sucking ,grasping etc) : Pre operational stage (2- 7 years) The toddler understands the use of symbols and language and this can be understood. 3: Concrete operational stage (7-11 years) the child can now conserve and begin to reason logically. The child can now solve problems but their sucessful reasoning is largely limited to concrete situations. 4. Formal operational years (11-16 years) the child is now developed and can show logical thinking and be able to work through abstract problems. Piaget view on a child as an active learner. Piagets three process: 1. Assimilation: this process is where people translate information in to a form they can understand. 2. Accomodation: This is where people adapt current knowladge in reponse to new experiences. 3.Equilibration: this is whe re people balance assimilation and accomodation to create a stable understanding. Implications in practise. Piagets theory suggests that childrens distictive ways of thinking at different ages need to be considered when deciding how best to teach them. In addition beacuse children learn by mentally and physically interacting with their environment, relative phsical activites are important in educational practise. How they influence current practise: * The language we use with the children * The resources you provide for the children * The need to incorporate role play * Activities( what to do with the resources at hand) * The way in which we chack for understanding from the child * We can question certain techniquesWhat are social constructivists? A social constructivist feels that the adult will play an active role in helping the children through their stages of development. Lev Vygotsky: He was a russian psychologist who died prematurely. His theory dates back to 1924 and he devel oped ideas that there was relationship between language and thinking and cognative development. His theory empahsised the roles of historical, cultural and sociual factors in cognition and argued that language was the most important symbolic tool provided by society. He said that the ZAD (the zone of actual develpment) is where the child will develop naturally with out the adults help.He then says that the ZPD( the zone of proximal devlepment) is where the adult helps and he believes that adult intervention is crucial for the child to move between actual and proximal development. Jerome Bruner: he belived that learning was an â€Å"innate† function. He believes that children â€Å"do â€Å" â€Å"imagine† then â€Å"translate† them into sense through schemas and that older children create symbols to imterpret what they have done. Bruners three stages of development are: * Enactive (0-1 yrs) Doing * Iconic (1-7 yrs) Imagining * Symbolic (7+) Using symbolic repr esentations Bruner also has his theory of â€Å"scaffolding† where he does recognise the importance of adult support.The easist way to get your head round this is to imagine the adult as the â€Å"scaffold† round the child, a bit like the scaffolding on a building. The adult moves and grows with the child offering them â€Å" support â€Å" and reinforcement on the way. How this effects current practise * We can use this to observe the children * We can look at the prefered learnign styles considered * This theory basically sums up the role of a teaching assistant â€Å" supprort and reinforcement† * Intorduce new concepts to expand learning * Will influence the way in which you question a child Humanistic Approach. Abraham Maslow and Mia Keller Pringle. Maslow created a theory of human needs that was relevant to all ages not just for children. This was known as the humanistic approach.He said that there was five levels of need and his theory suggested that ea ch level had to be â€Å"met† before you could progresson to the next one. Maslow also said that it was almost impossible to reach your full potentiol if the lower needs were not sufficiently met. Maslows Hierachy of needs. How this may impact on current practise. There are many ways this theory could impact on practise: * Keeping an eye out for the childs basic needs( Hungry, clothing, tired,) * Awareness of bullying and social exclusion * Having a homework club (where the older children could help the younger ones. ) * Praise( Give praise when a child Produces a good piece of work) * Having a â€Å"Get to know you† activity or activities Understanding problems with a child( enabling you to asses the need of the child so he/she can progress) * Promote a positive learning environment which is individual to the children. * Devolop a â€Å"Culture† where the child feels comfortable to come forward and say they have a need that is not being met. Mia Kellmer Pringle Pringle suggested that there are four primary needs that have to be met from birth. Love and security: this is probably the most important one of the four as this provides the basis for all future relationships. A child will also have objects as â€Å"security blankets† ie a favorite toy which they will use when they feel threatened or upset.The child will want routine which helps with their development and also they will need attachment which comes in the form of a caring a stable family. New experiences: this is a fundemantal requirement for cognitive development. In ealry life the act of playing and using new language as well as revisiting previous experiences and accesing new and demanding phsical and mental challenges all help in the childs cognitive development. This goes with them through to adolecence where they will start experimenting with boyfriends/ girlfriends and get involved in team roles etc. Praise and recognition: Strong incentives are vital for a child who is going through a difficult time.If a child is constantly put down or told they are useless it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy where the child has low expectations leads them onto low achievement. This will eventually lead onto the child never getting into any situations where they feel they will fail. Responsibility: It is also very inportant to structure the childs environment so he/she have challenges which reflect their interests and ability levels, this will encourage independance and co operation. Pringle goes along the same lines as Maslow so their impacts on practise are similar. Produce a routine the children are familiar with Plan trips out( get them interested in a musical instrument or have a themed week) Recognise cultural normsMake a child feel valued and Individual Have a School council( Promoting responsibilty) Welcome the child to his/her new setting( name on the peg, â€Å"get to know you activites) Give them jobs( registor monitor,handout milk etc) Leave it to nature Theories ( laissez faire model) Rousseau: was an 18th century philsopher who thought that the child will †learn naturally† and they were genetically engineered to learn certain things at certain times. He thought that a childs learning unfolds like a flower and that babbling leads onto talking which leads onto writing and reading, the same way kicking the legs and crawling leads onto walking and running.This theory suggests that adults mould the childs development through the environment they create and this â€Å"environment† will support the childs learning and help it to unfold. One example being speech. If a childs environment is all English speaking, the child will speak english, if a child hears both chinese and English it will become multi ligual and speak both languages. This view suggests that the child will do what they need to devolp and learn naturally. It sees the child as â€Å"active† in their own learing and as the adult do not ne ed to act this is sometimes reffered to as the laissez faire view of how children learn. Rousseau mapped a set of developmental norms charting expected development.He believed that development followed a sequence and identified ‘normal’ age ranges of achievement. A depressing approach for children with special needs. Gessel: In the 1930s he mapped out a set of developmental norms which charted expectent development in children. These norms mapped out the childs expected development and this followed a sequence which identified the normal age ranges of achievement. This was also a very depressing approach for any children who have disabilites or learning needs. Gessels spiral of development. How this approach impacts on current practise. You will have an understanding that you can observe and not always intervene in a childs behaviour. Understand Child and Young Persons Develpment Understand Child and Young Person Development. Core 3. 1 1. 1 The term â€Å"Sequence† of child development refers to the how we expect a child to develop from the day it was born to the age of 19. Child Development is the biological, physiological and all the emotional changes that happen during these formative years as the child goes from dependency to autonomy. These changes could be hugely influenced by genetics, events that occur whilst in the womb and during prenatal development and are usually included in most studies of child development.Developmental changes are different. They occur as a result of a genetically controlled process called maturation or as a result of environmental factors and learning (home life and school for example) but these changes most commonly happen as a result of a combination of them both. It can also be a result of â€Å"human nature† which is the ability of the growing child to in fact learn from their environment. Human beings and e specially children have a keen sense to adapt to their surroundings and this is what child development covers and includes.A child’s development is continually happening and can be measured in many different ways and although the child will develop at different rates and in different ways, the sequence in which this happens will follow the same sort of pattern . This is because in most examples they need to learn one skill before they can move onto the next. An example is walking. The child will need to learn to walk before they can run or jump etc. Development in children is more rapid in the early stages with many milestones happening in quick succession.This slows down as the child becomes a young adult with the milestones becoming further apart. (Cache children and young people’s workforce p49) The table below looks more closely at the aspects of child development. THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES CHART Age| Intellectual| Social / Emotional| Language| Gross motor| Fine Mot or| Infant – Birth to one year| Uses hands and mouth to learn| Forms a bond with parents, will begin to recognise faces and smiles, at about 6months will recognise parents and be fearful of strangers. | Starts being ocal and using terms such as â€Å"mammy and daddy†| Lifts head first then chest, rolls over, pulls to sit, crawls and stands alone| Reaches for objects and picks up small items, clutches onto toys, e. g. Rattle | Toddler 1-2 years| Begins to learn words for objects and people| Learns that self and parent(s) are different or separate from each other, imitates and performs tasks, indicates needs or wants without crying| Can follow simple instructions and say more words than just â€Å"mammy and daddy†| Can walk, stop, jump and throw things like a ball. Unbuttons clothes, builds tower of 4 cubes, scribbles, uses spoon, picks up very small object| Preschool2-5 years| Understands things such as tired, hungry and cold, recognises colours, becomes aware of numbers and letters| Begins to separate easily from parent(s), dresses with assistance, washes and dries hands, plays interactive games like tag. follows directions, can make simple sentences of two or three words, vocabulary increases Names pictures| Runs well, hops, pedals tricycle, balances on one foot| Buttons Clothes, builds tower of 8 cubes, copies simple figures or letters| School age 5-12 years| Develops understanding of numeracy and literacy concepts, learns relationship between objects and feelings, acquires knowledge and understanding| Acts independently, but is emotionally close to parent(s) dresses without help, join same sex play groups and clubs| Defines words, know and describes what things are made of, vocabulary increases| Skips, balances on one foot for 10 seconds, overestimates physical abilities| Draws person with 6 parts, copies detailed figures and objects| 12-18 years| Understands abstract concepts like illness and death, develops understanding of complex id eas| Experiences rapidly changing moods and behaviour, interested in peer group almost exclusively, distances from parent(s) emotionally, concerned with body image, likely to have first sexual relationship| Uses increased vocabulary, understands more abstract concepts like grief| May appear awkward and clumsy while learning to deal with rapid increases in size due to growth spurts| Fully developed| 18 +years| Continues to develop the ability to make good decisions and to understand the complexity of human relationships| Becomes independent form parent(s), own lifestyle, and career, social and economic changes, develop interests, chooses a partner, becomes a parent. | Continues to develop knowledge and vocabulary of different styles of language used| Fully developed| Fully developed| (Cache Children and young people’s workforce p51-66) 1. 2Child development is the term used to describe how the child will grow through a progression of developmental milestones. All children are believed to follow the same sequence of growth (the child will crawl, then stand, then walk for example) this is called the normative pattern. What we need to know is that not all children follow this pattern and for example some children will miss out stages altogether. One example of this is blind children and some children may decide to bottom shuffle and not bother with the â€Å"crawling phase†. The traditional approach to monitoring this is to use this normative measure which as I have mentioned already is the milestones in which we measure our child’s development.These actually only show what most children can do and in reality many factors such as genetic, cultural and social factors will all have an effect on the child’s development and it is important we take this into account before labelling children â€Å"advanced or backward. † The sequence of development refers to the stages of which a child develops; the rate of development is how fast the child is expected to achieve these developmental milestones. It is important to realise that the normative measurements can only indicate general trends and cannot be taken as â€Å"normal† . It is very important to realise that while the sequence of development may be somewhat the same in most children, the rate or speed in which the child develops can vary in many ways.Things that have a massive effect on the rate of a child’s development can include environment (home life) culture (religious beliefs), ability, the amount of stimulation a child receives and input (from parents for example). It is important to understand the difference between the rate and the sequence of a child’s development as this will equip you with the knowledge you need in order to plan effectively with your child and will help you identify any concerns which you may have within the developmental process. (Cache Children and young people’s workforce) 2. 1-2. 2 A child’s gr owth and development can be affected by many factors, with some having more of an affect than others.They can be split into two categories which I will go into more depth later. These are Personal factors (such as genetics and health related issues) and External factors (such as poverty, family life, personal choice and social interaction. ) Below is a diagram illustrating things which can affect a child’s development? Disability or special needs. Inherited (downs) or chronic (Autism) Disability or special needs. Inherited (downs) or chronic (Autism) Finances (living in poverty) Finances (living in poverty) Education (home schooled, private or state) Education (home schooled, private or state) Cultural background (Religion or beliefs) Cultural background (Religion or beliefs)Health status, Antenatal issues (smoking, drinking, drugs) Health status, Antenatal issues (smoking, drinking, drugs) Social class (lower, working, upper) Social class (lower, working, upper) Genetics, Bi rth problems Genetics, Birth problems Family Environment and background (loving or divorced parents) Family Environment and background (loving or divorced parents) Gender Gender Interpersonal Relationships Interpersonal Relationships Personal Factors influencing development. Genetic Influences Many studies believe it is both our environment and our genetics which will mould us into the person we ultimately become. Our chromosomes are where we find our genes.Parents pass these onto their children via their cells (the sperm and the egg). Alleles are different versions of the same gene and it’s this which can determine distinctive features such as eye colour, but also it is this which could lead to the inheritance of disorders such as cystic fibrosis. A baby’s development is also affected during pregnancy(before the birth) ,at the time of the birth and after the birth. Examples include a woman not knowing she is pregnant in the early stages and carrying on with all her ba d habits (drinking, smoking, drug taking and diet. ) It’s at these crucial first 12 weeks in the uterus when all the essential organs are being formed. This is called the antenatal period.A child being born before term (37 weeks) and therefore is born prematurely may need intensive care and this could affect development. Health Status A child’s health status can have a great effect on how it develops. This is determined by genetic inheritance but can also be affected by factors such as diet, environment, and what health care they receive. Some children are born with conditions which affect their development (these include Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis and heart defects). Other illnesses which may develop over time( including asthma and diabetes) will also have an effect on the child’s development if for example they have frequent visits to the hospital and miss school or their activaties are restricted because of their condition.External Factors Influencing Dev elopment. Poverty This is the single biggest thing that threatens the healthy development of children and young people in Great Britain and can have an effect on all areas of a child’s development (Physical, Intellectual, Language, Emotional, Social, and Spiritual. ) This threat is part of the â€Å"cycle of deprivation† where poorer families will tend to live in poorer housing; they may also have a poor diet which will not provide all the right vitamins and minerals which will affect the child’s immune system which will have a knock on affect to the increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Other things which are linked to poverty are:Accidents and illness: Children from poorer backgrounds are four times more likely to have an accident than those from higher up the social ladder. Quality of life: many children from lower classes have none or little toys, meals and clothes Poor diet: As I mentioned above a poor diet comes hand in hand with low income fami lies as they more times than not have to buy the cheaper brands or processed convenience foods. Space to live and play: poorer children are more likely to be limited in their play space as the housing which they live will is more likely to be small and substandard. Growth: Poorer children are more likely to be smaller at birth and shorter in height. Education: Children from the lower classes are more likely to have poor attendance and less likely to do well.Long Term Effects: As adults they are more likely to be homeless, be unemployed, and become involved in drug abuse, offending or be in abusive relationships. Social Interaction There is a lot of research to show that social isolation or a lack or opportunity’s to socialise ( playgroup, family members, mother and baby groups, toddler groups) can lead to early child development issues such as speech problems , the inability to share or in fact the ability to socialise with people in a civilised manner. The social environment in which a child is raised can have a dramatic effect on their development. An example of this would be a child who has had no contact with neighbours, family members or classmates.Family Environment and background The situation at home will have a huge effect on a young person or child’s development. A child may seem physically healthy but if they are unhappy and are not enjoying their time at home this is will most definitely be affecting their development. Things a child needs include: Love and affection: A child needs unconditional love and affection from their primary carers whoever this may be (Parents, Grandparents, Foster Parents etc. ) A child needs to feel safe and secure. Stimulation: a child needs the right amount of stimulation for healthy growth and development. Too little or too much will result in unhealthy developmentOpportunities to play: It is common sense that all children need to play to develop, then on from that, young people need to be given the oppor tunity to socialise and have leisure opportunity’s (such as learning an instrument or joining a sports club). A child’s social and emotional development is majorly influenced by the foundations which the family unit creates. Most parents will provide a nurturing unconditional loving family environment where their child will embrace and flourish within it. There are some carers or parents who, for a lot of different reasons will not provide this nurturing platform which all children need. Examples of this include carers with mental health issues, drug misuse, marital conflict and violent behaviour.Theories Regarding Child Development. Theories of child development can be said to be a set of principles that are designed to explain or predict some things. There have been many theories over the years by many scientists and psychologists and they have come up with a multitude of different perspectives as to why a child will do certain things within their development. Theori es not only provide an extended outline of understanding, they also allow educated guesses or hypotheses about some parts of a Childs development that are not clearly understood yet. These theories can provide a bounce board for other research but they also have some practical benefits.They can be useful (if you are a parent, teacher, therapist or carer) as a reference point when you need to make important decisions within the Childs lives and a well-founded theory can provide valuable information in making responsible decisions. On the flip side though, some child development theories can be limiting and misleading and can in fact hinder or jeopardise a Childs development if the primary carer follows this theory to the letter. It is with this in mind that it is vital to compare and evaluate a lot of theories before acting upon them and it is with this comparing and contrasting that you will find that a lot of theories strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted. There are many the ories out there and underneath I will be going into a few of them in more detail. Alfred Bandura (Social learning theory) Main theory: Learning takes place by imitation.The social learning theory suggests that people will learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modelling. This theory has been renamed â€Å"the social cognitive theory† this is to accommodate later developments of this theory. Albert Bandura found that children tend to copy people they hold in high status (parents etc. ) especially so if these people are warm or have powerful personalities. This theory could lead us on to the fact that we should very aware of our behaviour in front of children and the effect this could have on them. Things to think about: * If children are smacked by adults will they be more likely to smack other children? * If children are shouted at by other adults, are they more likely to shout at other children? If children are given explanations, are they more likely to explain things to other * If children are comforted when they fall, are they more likely to do the same to others? How this affects practise * You will have to be very wary of the language and behaviour you use in front of your children. * It could a useful theory to use if you want your children to experience role play. * Being a good role model can only help the child. * This theory allows learning without direct experience. * Promotes positive behaviour. If you are positive this will rub off on the child. Transmission theories There are three main theorists involved in transmission theories.John Locke: He thought that the child was an empty vessel and that they can be shaped by the adult and that children can be shaped by external factors and these are greater influences than any genetic involvements (nature v nurture) Ivan Pavlov: (classical conditioning): Pavlov’s theory was his famous conditioned Reponses in dogs experiment. Pavlov likes to be known as a physiologist ra ther than a psychologist as he believed the two were linked and were useful and scientific. Classical conditioning is the way in which responses are under the control of new stimulus. In his case the â€Å"conditioned† stimulus was a church bell and the â€Å"unconditioned† stimulus was food. His experiment involved feeding the dogs every time the church bell rang. This eventually produced an â€Å"unconditional† response from the dogs which was saliva flowing from the dogs mouth when the food appeared.This would then gradually change into saliva being produced with any bell noise thus producing a â€Å"conditioned† response from the dogs. Food will produce salivation, but it’s this change in stimuli using classical conditioning which means that saliva is being produced with the sound of the bells and not the actual food. Pavlov’s Experiment Burris Frederick Skinner: (operant conditioning) Skinners main theory was one of that reinforcement a nd punishment moulds behaviour and children are conditioned by their experiences. Skinner maintained that learning occurred through responding to the environment and he coined the term â€Å"operant conditioning† to describe this phenomenon.He did extensive research with animals, notably with rats and pigeons. I t was skinner who invented the famous box in which a rat learns to press a lever in order to obtain food. He gave rats a reward of food if they pressed the lever. This was positive reinforcement. The desired behaviour was rewarded. Conversely, undesired behaviour could be negatively reinforced. The rats would receive an electric shock every time they went near one area of a maze and they would then begin to avoid that area. The undesired behaviour was got rid of and the desired behaviour was encouraged. How this affects Practise. Positve reinforcemnet includes * Special helper Kindness awards * Points * Stickers * Special jobs * Star of the week * Trips out * Priase o r golden time. Negative reinforcement includes: * Lines * Detention * PunishmentThings taken from or kept from the child. The effects this has on practise is that it will provide motivation for the child to behave and also to put that lirttle bit more effort in than they would normally if they have something to aim for at the end of the week or day. It will give the child encouragement to repeat the good behaviour or effort upon recieving their treat or reward. Social constructavist theory Jean Piaget: This is the theory where all other theories are judged.His main theory is that the development of children take place in distinct stages of cognitive development. The adult does have an influence but the child is building their own thinking systems. Piaget believed that nature and nurture interact to create cognitive development. He claims that children when learning: * Go through stages and sequences in their learing * Are active learners * Use first hand Experiences and prior experi ences in order to learn. * Imitate and transform what they learn in to symbolic behaviour. He devolped four stages of cognitive learing. 1: Sensory motor stage (0-2 years) the child explores using its senses( sucking ,grasping etc) : Pre operational stage (2- 7 years) The toddler understands the use of symbols and language and this can be understood. 3: Concrete operational stage (7-11 years) the child can now conserve and begin to reason logically. The child can now solve problems but their sucessful reasoning is largely limited to concrete situations. 4. Formal operational years (11-16 years) the child is now developed and can show logical thinking and be able to work through abstract problems. Piaget view on a child as an active learner. Piagets three process: 1. Assimilation: this process is where people translate information in to a form they can understand. 2. Accomodation: This is where people adapt current knowladge in reponse to new experiences. 3.Equilibration: this is whe re people balance assimilation and accomodation to create a stable understanding. Implications in practise. Piagets theory suggests that childrens distictive ways of thinking at different ages need to be considered when deciding how best to teach them. In addition beacuse children learn by mentally and physically interacting with their environment, relative phsical activites are important in educational practise. How they influence current practise: * The language we use with the children * The resources you provide for the children * The need to incorporate role play * Activities( what to do with the resources at hand) * The way in which we chack for understanding from the child * We can question certain techniquesWhat are social constructivists? A social constructivist feels that the adult will play an active role in helping the children through their stages of development. Lev Vygotsky: He was a russian psychologist who died prematurely. His theory dates back to 1924 and he devel oped ideas that there was relationship between language and thinking and cognative development. His theory empahsised the roles of historical, cultural and sociual factors in cognition and argued that language was the most important symbolic tool provided by society. He said that the ZAD (the zone of actual develpment) is where the child will develop naturally with out the adults help.He then says that the ZPD( the zone of proximal devlepment) is where the adult helps and he believes that adult intervention is crucial for the child to move between actual and proximal development. Jerome Bruner: he belived that learning was an â€Å"innate† function. He believes that children â€Å"do â€Å" â€Å"imagine† then â€Å"translate† them into sense through schemas and that older children create symbols to imterpret what they have done. Bruners three stages of development are: * Enactive (0-1 yrs) Doing * Iconic (1-7 yrs) Imagining * Symbolic (7+) Using symbolic repr esentations Bruner also has his theory of â€Å"scaffolding† where he does recognise the importance of adult support.The easist way to get your head round this is to imagine the adult as the â€Å"scaffold† round the child, a bit like the scaffolding on a building. The adult moves and grows with the child offering them â€Å" support â€Å" and reinforcement on the way. How this effects current practise * We can use this to observe the children * We can look at the prefered learnign styles considered * This theory basically sums up the role of a teaching assistant â€Å" supprort and reinforcement† * Intorduce new concepts to expand learning * Will influence the way in which you question a child Humanistic Approach. Abraham Maslow and Mia Keller Pringle. Maslow created a theory of human needs that was relevant to all ages not just for children. This was known as the humanistic approach.He said that there was five levels of need and his theory suggested that ea ch level had to be â€Å"met† before you could progresson to the next one. Maslow also said that it was almost impossible to reach your full potentiol if the lower needs were not sufficiently met. Maslows Hierachy of needs. How this may impact on current practise. There are many ways this theory could impact on practise: * Keeping an eye out for the childs basic needs( Hungry, clothing, tired,) * Awareness of bullying and social exclusion * Having a homework club (where the older children could help the younger ones. ) * Praise( Give praise when a child Produces a good piece of work) * Having a â€Å"Get to know you† activity or activities Understanding problems with a child( enabling you to asses the need of the child so he/she can progress) * Promote a positive learning environment which is individual to the children. * Devolop a â€Å"Culture† where the child feels comfortable to come forward and say they have a need that is not being met. Mia Kellmer Pringle Pringle suggested that there are four primary needs that have to be met from birth. Love and security: this is probably the most important one of the four as this provides the basis for all future relationships. A child will also have objects as â€Å"security blankets† ie a favorite toy which they will use when they feel threatened or upset.The child will want routine which helps with their development and also they will need attachment which comes in the form of a caring a stable family. New experiences: this is a fundemantal requirement for cognitive development. In ealry life the act of playing and using new language as well as revisiting previous experiences and accesing new and demanding phsical and mental challenges all help in the childs cognitive development. This goes with them through to adolecence where they will start experimenting with boyfriends/ girlfriends and get involved in team roles etc. Praise and recognition: Strong incentives are vital for a child who is going through a difficult time.If a child is constantly put down or told they are useless it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy where the child has low expectations leads them onto low achievement. This will eventually lead onto the child never getting into any situations where they feel they will fail. Responsibility: It is also very inportant to structure the childs environment so he/she have challenges which reflect their interests and ability levels, this will encourage independance and co operation. Pringle goes along the same lines as Maslow so their impacts on practise are similar. Produce a routine the children are familiar with Plan trips out( get them interested in a musical instrument or have a themed week) Recognise cultural normsMake a child feel valued and Individual Have a School council( Promoting responsibilty) Welcome the child to his/her new setting( name on the peg, â€Å"get to know you activites) Give them jobs( registor monitor,handout milk etc) Leave it to nature Theories ( laissez faire model) Rousseau: was an 18th century philsopher who thought that the child will †learn naturally† and they were genetically engineered to learn certain things at certain times. He thought that a childs learning unfolds like a flower and that babbling leads onto talking which leads onto writing and reading, the same way kicking the legs and crawling leads onto walking and running.This theory suggests that adults mould the childs development through the environment they create and this â€Å"environment† will support the childs learning and help it to unfold. One example being speech. If a childs environment is all English speaking, the child will speak english, if a child hears both chinese and English it will become multi ligual and speak both languages. This view suggests that the child will do what they need to devolp and learn naturally. It sees the child as â€Å"active† in their own learing and as the adult do not ne ed to act this is sometimes reffered to as the laissez faire view of how children learn. Rousseau mapped a set of developmental norms charting expected development.He believed that development followed a sequence and identified ‘normal’ age ranges of achievement. A depressing approach for children with special needs. Gessel: In the 1930s he mapped out a set of developmental norms which charted expectent development in children. These norms mapped out the childs expected development and this followed a sequence which identified the normal age ranges of achievement. This was also a very depressing approach for any children who have disabilites or learning needs. Gessels spiral of development. How this approach impacts on current practise. You will have an understanding that you can observe and not always intervene in a childs behaviour.