Basketball Essays (1174 words) - Ball Games, Team Sports

Basketball Basketball is a simple and fun sport. Any number can pplay, up to the full complement of ten, and basketball is as satisfying, half court as much as full court, pavement as much as hardwood or Tartan. The invention and spread of basketball is a story of fortunate circumstances and coincidences. With in a few years basketball had caught on in many places throughout the country, largely under the auspices of the YMCA and through the game's immediate appeal to spectators, until by the turn of the century the colleges had begun to dominate the game for both men and women. The rules have evolved in a complex and dynamic way over the years. In another irony there have been many attempts to curb the advantages of height but each antitall rule has forced big men to learn the full range of basketbvall skills. There remain some rules discrepancies particulary in the varied use of a time clock for forcing teams to shoot. Here are some basic skills needed to play basketball. First im going to start out with passing. The idea is to get the ball to a teammate, the shooter, when and where he wants to shoot. Thius the pass receiver should have his hands in shooting position when he gets the ball, and its a shame if he has to move his hanfs more then a few inches from ready shooting position ro recieive a pass and then come back again to shoot. The key thing is to be in the ready position when receiving the ball, ready to pass, dribble or shoot. Efficieny is the point. Another kind of pass is the chest pass, the chest pass is a two hand pass used when there is no obstacle between the passer and the receiver. It is usually a perimeter pass. The ball is grasped in both hands with spread fingers in a relaxed position. The ball is held at the chest and released with a flick of wrists pointing at the targget. Another simple type of pass is the Overhead Pass. This is a thow hand pass thrown from hands extended f ully overhead. The ball is held as in a chest pass with both hands relaxed. Usually there is a fake down with the ball then a quick extension of the arms overhead and a quick release. Dribbling is a very very important skill to play this game corectly. Dribbling has become overemphasized. Overdribbling is a common by product of too much one on one play and it is a difficult habit to break in organized team play. You should have command of the ball with the body. The floor is flat and the ball is round so it will come back to you so u dont have to look for it. The high dribble is used to get quick;lly from one point on the floor to another. The ball is oushed down hard out in front so that you can run as fast as you can while maintanining minimal control of the ball. The head should be up so that you have visual command of the floor. The closer you get to congestion the closer the ball should be dribbled to the floor. Although dribbling is a valuable basketball skill it is probably the most abused of all the skills. Shooting is another really important skill needed to play basketball and win. All moverment in physical activities can be examined for efficiency, balance and rhythm but especially those movements that require the highest degree of coordination. The power for the shot originates from the floor is exerted rhythmically fluidly up through the toes fett ankels flexion of knees hips upper body all the way through the arm hand and fingertips to the release. It should be a snake like motion uncoiling from the feet on the floor through the release. Most great shooters will say aim for the hole. A jump shot should be no diffrent from a set shot. Merely raise the platform from which the shot is launched with increased flexion of the knees and the jump. Free throw is a foul shot basicallt the same as a set shot. You can use any technique to

Uncle Vanya analysis essays

Uncle Vanya analysis essays 1. The Protagonist: Yelena, 27 year old wife to Alexander Serebriakov, a retired professor. 3. Antagonist: Mikhail Lvovich Astrov, a doctor, drunkard and ecologist. 4. Unconscious: Yelena is a woman afraid of her true feelings. She cannot recognize them to act upon them. As a result of playing life safely, boredom is a constant, unwelcome companion. 5. Super Objective: Yelena yearns to break free and fly away. 6. Inciting Event: At the beginning of act three, Sonya confesses her love of Astrov to Yelena. Yelena agrees to find out from Astrov his feelings for Sonya. 7. Rising Action: Sonya admits her love of Astrov to Yelena, who offers to find out from Astrov his feelings for Sonya -> Astrov and Yelena discuss Sonya's affections, but the conversation turns around when Astrov becomes certain Yelena using Sonya as an excuse to see him -> Astrov grabs her by the waist and she nearly gives into him, resting her head on his chest -> Vanya walks in on them at that moment and becomes upset -> The Professor calls a meeting and implores the family for advice on a scheme in which the farm would be sold and the proceeds invested in managed funds and a small vacation home in Finland -> Vanya, upset over a great many things attempts to murder the professor by shooting him, but misses -> Vanya is sequestered in his room as Astrov and Sonya talk him out of killing himself -> He gives back the morphine he stole from Astrov and Sonya takes him to speak with The Professor so they may make amends -> Yelena parts, giving Astrov a last intense embrace -> Astrov l eaves -> The play ends with Sonya telling Uncle Vanya they will have a better next life. 8. Climax: When Yelena rests her head on Astrov's chest, giving into her yearning to break free, but is interrupted by Uncle Vanya walking in. 9. Resolution: The Professor and his wife leave, as does the Doctor, leaving Uncle Vanya and Sonya in a ...

B4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

B4 - Essay Example Ordinal and interval variables collect measurements. Interval data is actually measured on a continuous scale (actual quantities of some quality like height or age) while ordinal data is numerical form of classification, where whole numbers are used to denote order but the numbers themselves are not measures but a form of classification (GraphPad.com). Table 1: Variables Measured in the Survey Interval variables Ordinal variables Categorical variables Age Age category Gender Distance travelled Distance category Reason 1 Regularity of visits Reason 2 Satisfaction with: price Department Number of items Purchase Service Payment Quality Follow up Overall Store Contact The variables in the top row are italicized to indicate that they are independent variables. In this survey, it was hypothesised that demographic factors such as age and gender (pre-existing qualities or ‘independent variables) might influence opinions and behaviour of respondents (dependent variables). For men and wo men might differ in the distance they are prepared to travel to a store. Description of the Data Table 2 shows the number of women and men in the sample and various measures of their age profile. Table 2: Demographics of the Sample Gender All Women Men Number of people 582 373 (64%) 209 (26%) Mean age 42.6 42.8 42.3 Minimum age 17 17 17 Median age 42 42 42 Maximum age 75 75 74 The sample comprises 582 shoppers between the ages of 17 and 75, nearly two-thirds of who are women and just over third men. The age profiles of the men and women are very similar. Analysis of the distance travelled by respondents to the store where they were interviewed revealed a wide disparity. The modal distance (the most common length or trip) was less than a mile, but many had travelled much further, up to 53 miles. The median distance travelled was 5 miles and the mean just under 10. This indicates a positively skewed distribution where it is difficult to say what is the ‘typical’ distance travelled to the company’s stores. Inferential Statistics Table 3 shows the results for all shoppers, with men and women grouped separately. Separating women’s and men’s responses in this way allows a preliminary assessment of whether the independent variable (in this case gender) is influencing the dependent variable (distance travelled to the store). Table 3: Distance Travelled to the Store where Interviewed Distance travelled Less than 1 mile 1-5 miles 5-10 miles 10-30 miles Over 30 miles Total Women 49 (13%) 149 (40%) 83(22%) 69 (19%) 23 (6%) 373 Men 23(11%) 74 (35%) 51 (24%) 52 (25%) 9 (4%) 209 Total 72 223 134 121 32 582 The message is mixed: a higher proportion of the women than of the men travelled the shortest distances, but at the other end of the scale women were also more likely than men to have travelled the longest distances. A possible means of determining whether there is a difference between the distances men and women are prepared to travel to the company’s shops is to compare the mean raw distance (using the actual mileages rather than the categories) travelled by respondents of each gender. The mean distance travelled by the female respondents was 9.54 miles compared with 10.26 miles by the men. The standard deviations of the two samples are similar (11.1 and 10.6), so it is appropriate to conduct a ‘type 2’ test, but since the samples are independent and of different sizes we use an independent t-test

A Review of the Human Resource blogs in the Hospitailty Industry Essay

A Review of the Human Resource blogs in the Hospitailty Industry - Essay Example My research stretched to deeper view and analysis of a Human Resource blog that aimed at having â€Å"Human† back in Human resource. This is criticizing the replacement of labor by technology that ends up giving less meaning to the term Human Resource in various workforces. As per this blog, it is evident that when the job market comes to question, the words Human Resource end up influencing whether one gets hired or fired. The blog highlights that companies indulge in tough decision making difficult choices. Majority of these choices involve their employees: this however does not mean that these choices are precisely to the advantage of these employees. The main discussion in this blog was to criticize the replacement of humans in human resource with other media. It is discussed that when companies decide on the fate of its human personnel, the decision arrived at is vital and important as it dictates whether there is boost in morale and whether there is availability of visible talent rendition that helps evaluate each and every individual contributor in that particular organization (Barrows, 2009). It is unfortunate though, when human workers are replaced by technology. Decisions evaluated change from matters concerning human skills to for instance, discussion of line items on spreadsheet software, computer tabulations and more technology terms that vividly show to what extent humans have been replaced. This replacement in the so-called human resource workforce in the tourism and associated industries in an effort to portray ingenuity in the tourism industry by machinery and other upcoming personnel media has had diverse effect. Bloggers who participated in this tourism blog by posting views and comments have a view that this trend should come to an instant stop. Humans should take back their role in human resource. The first step to take is seeing to it that the roles

Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Discussion Questions - Essay Example Moreover, in some cases, business process changes are modified that are considered the root cause of the issues. Employees related to management should be well aware of various approaches for removing the weaknesses and select the best-suited method, according to the nature of business, resources and the control required over the process. Hence, all stakeholders must participate and show their interest in the selection process. Answer 2 In order to reduce cost on system development, organization purchase fourth generation tools or software packages. As the in-house ‘software development’ cost is high, organizations prefer to buy them from external software houses. Organizations may purchase the software from the vendors, outsourcing organization or application service providers. As business nature of the departments do not change at a rapid pace and are common in almost every organization including inventory control, general ledger, payroll processing and account receiva bles do not change over a long period of time. Applications that are purchased from external sources can be adjusted to the similar in nature business process of an organization. This is a cost saving factor, as applications are purchased from external sources along with customization and maintenance support, which is a responsibility of vendors. These factors conclude that the application software packages reduce the system development cost.

Possible Factors In Underachievement Of Males Within Education Education Essay

Possible Factors In Underachievement Of Males Within Education Education Essay Sociological studies with regard the underachievement of males, throughout the British education system, appear to be dominated by the analysis of three central phenomena; the idea of bias and inequality which flaws the educational system, the prevalence of a modern day, laddish anti-learning culture (Byers, S. 1998, Never mind theories, under-achieving boys need practical help, _The Independent_, 5th January 1998.) and lastly, the psychology of the male mind. Each of these three interlinked themes will be reviewed within this document, which will focus solely upon the reasons which may held accountable for the identified underachievement of young men, most notably, at a General Certificate of Secondary Education Level (G.C.S.E) throughout the British education system, and internationally, around the world. The use of the term underachievement is widespread throughout educational discourse, and is predominately used in explaining a perceived failure to reach a given potential. Scott .J. Marshall .G. (2005:3). Sociologists, whose area of expertise lies within this particular field, tend to view low academic attainment in terms of factors such as prior attainment or socio-economic disadvantage, however in doing so, they acknowledge the danger of pathologising the underachiever, when in fact, responsibility may lie within the educational system itself. The term underachievement although widely used, appears to be problematic; masking ideological assumptions that concern socially constructed, subjective and relative matters, which concern the group understudy. The underachievement of young men within the education system is undoubtedly an immensely complex and contested field. Irrespective of these issues, the British education system has continued to make use of the term with a combinatio n of ubiquity and confidence. Gillies, D. (2010). Educational potential underachievement and cultural pluralism. Available: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/eitn/display.php?article_id=39. Last accessed 16th Feb 2011. Historical Background The underachievement of young men within the education system has appeared as a continual problem throughout the last decade. Dramatic illustrations from the media and speeches gave by the relevant government bodies have created in a sense a moral panic which has came to characterise many of the debates that surround the complex issue. Evidence from newspaper articles would suggest the underachievement of boys began in 1995. During this time the main professional newspaper, The Times Educational Supplement carried headlines declaring school work was Not for wimps Haigh, G. 1995, Not for wimps,_ The Times Educational Supplement_, 6th October 1995 and later asked Where did we go wrong? Bleach, K. 1997, Where did we go wrong?,_ The Times Educational Supplement_, 14th February 1997. Education correspondents for broadsheet newspapers similarly headlined articles which discussed The Failing Sex and called for schools to provide a Classroom rescue for Britains lost boys. Foster et al. (2001 ) What about the boys? An overview of the debates, in Martino .W. Meyenn .B. What About The Boys, Issues of Masculinity in Schools. Open University Press. Acknowledgement of the underachievement of boys within the education system can also be seen in Stephen Byers 1998 speech. The School Standards Minister, said: We should not simply accept with a shrug of our shoulders that boys will be boys. Speaking at the 11th International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement in Manchester, Mr Byers warned: Failure to raise the educational achievement of boys will mean that thousands of young men will face a bleak future in which a lack of qualifications and basic skills will mean unemployment and little hope of finding work. He disclosed new statistics on the standards of education at the time that had been reached by boys and girls. For example, in addition to girls far outperforming boys at a General Certificate Secondary Education level (G.C.S.E), National Curriculum assessments at seven, eleven and fourteen years of age also highlighted boys underperforming, within English Language in particular. Byers then went on to make an att ack on what he described as the prevailing laddish anti-learning culture. (Byers, S. 1998, Never mind theories, under-achieving boys need practical help, _The Independent_, 5th January 1998.) In response to Stephen Byers identification of male underachievement, Ted Wragg also published an article in the Times Educational Supplement, The Times Educational Supplement Editorial. 1997, Keeping Balance on the Gender Agenda, _ the Times Educational Supplement_, 23rd May 1997. Within this article Professor Ted Wragg warned unless the achievement of boys was improved significantly society would witness immense problems that would continue throughout the 21st century. The then Chief Inspector for Schools, Chris Woodhead too believed the failure of boys, in particular working class boys to be one of the most disturbing problems faced within the entire education system. As a result of such media hype education ministers called for all academic institutions to challenge the laddish anti-learning culture, (Byers, S. 1998, Never mind theories, under-achieving boys need practical help, _The Independent_, 5th January 1998.) which had been allowed to develop. Taking such media build up and government vocalizations into consideration, it would appear something significant entered public consciousness during this time. Despite media and government claims of boys underachievement being a recent phenomenon, problems concerning boys and academic schooling has, in fact, been a longstanding priority with regard to educational studies. In particular the English philosopher John Locke, among others expressed great concern with regard the problems boys faced in language and literacy, in the 17th century. Similarly literature on schooling throughout the 1960s and 1970s cautioned teachers against grouping boys according to their academic ability as it resulted in less academic boys developing negative attitudes towards education and schools. Foster et al. (2001) What about the boys? An overview of the debates, in Martino .W. Meyenn .B. What About The Boys, Issues of Masculinity in Schools. Open University Press. The introduction of the National Curriculum alongside the induction of complex assessment and reporting procedures, many believe, was what initially highlighted the problem of male underachievement in todays society. From 1991 onwards students have been made to complete Standard Assessment Tasks (S.A.T.s) at the ages of seven, eleven and fourteen. Responsibility lies with the educational institutions at this time to ensure pupils achieve the expected standards. Additionally schools undergo rigorous inspection; such inspections appear to be central to the Educational Schools Act 1992, which introduced the implementation of National League Tables. These tables rank schools according to their pupils performance in the Standard Assessment Tasks (S.A.T.s). Many believe such a procedure was what set the scene for the emergence of the boys underachievement debate. In order for schools to survive they had to attract clients in the form of parents, and they could only attract parents if they were able to demonstrate they provided and delivered a high standard of education. Schools were judged to be efficient by the national league tables according to their success in getting pupils to reach the required standards at the ages of seven, eleven and fourteen. In 1996 the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Office for Standards in Education produced a joint report on performance differences between boys and girls in school. Their findings included girls being more successful than boys or broadly as successful in almost all major subjects. They reported girls tended to be more reflective than boys and also better at planning and organising their work. Reactions to these findings that boys are doing less well in school and are also suffering in other respects, such as the disproportionate degree of unemployment, as mentioned previously have varied. Some have identified what they see to be a crucial social problem of the 21st century. Others see it as solely a symptom of a male backlash, creating a sense of moral panic, aimed at clawing back the gains made by women in recent years. In light of such diverse view points, when researching this area for myself it would appear necessary to mantain a sense of balance before finishing upon any su ch conclusion. Official statistics on the academic performance of pupils in Northern Ireland, England and Wales indicate girls have been performing increasingly well compared to boys in terms of their attainment at General Certificate of Secondary Education (G.C.S.E) level examinations in most subjects. As mentioned previously, this development has been the focus of considerable debate in both the popular media and the academic press, with regular pronouncements from politicians and government policy makers. The obvious heated debate over boys underachievement throughout the 1990s and into the 21st century is not solely connected to Britain, figures suggest male underachievement is a problematic issue in Australia, Canada, The United States of America, parts of Western Europe and Japan. Epstein. D. Et al. (1998) Educating Boys, Learning Gender. Open University Press. Focusing upon the underachievement of boys within the context of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland in particular, I plan to focus upon Symbolic Interactionism as the basis of my own theoretical research. I plan to consider Symbolic Interactionist debates over Britains Lost Boys and the undoubtable underachievement of boys compared to girls in certain subjects, predominately at General Certificate of Secondary Education level (G.C.S.E). Symbolic Interactionists, unlike functionalists and conflict theorists, tend to limit their analysis of education to what they directly observe happening within the classroom. Their main focus is on teacher, pupil relationships and the interaction processes that occur within the classroom. Symbolic Interactionists see the education system as playing a vital role in shaping the way students see reality and themselves. Interactionists such as Howard Becker see school settings as creating serious difficulties for students who are labelled as less academically able than their peers. He believed such students may never be able to see themselves as good students and move beyond such labels. Teacher expectations play a huge role in student achievement from an interactionists point of view and this is a point I would be interested in investigating further with regard to my own research. Labelling theory, was developed predominately by Howard Becker who in Outsiders 1963 argued underachievement to be created by society, in the sense social groups create underachievement by making the rules whose infraction constitutes low attainment and by applying those rules to particular persons and labelling them as such Scott .J. Marshall .G. (2005:341) Becker and Lermert initially developed Labelling Theory, Hargreaves et al showed how it could apply within school settings and Rosenthal and Jacobson suggested that it could create a Self Fulfilling Prophecy in school, such that children defined as bright would in fact live up to such expectations. In education, despite the Rosenthal and Jacobson study, labelling-based self-fulfilling prophecies usually operate to the disadvantage of students. Specific categories of students, based on gender, ethnicity or indeed social background, may be written off as incapable of achieving, setting up a frame of reference in which their failings are noticed and their achievements discounted. Individual students may also be labelled by being told they will never amount to anything, or for example they are no good at a particular subject. Internalised, these labels are carried into new situations, including further and higher education, as a result many believe the failure of the student to be inevitable. Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conducted a land mark study for this approach in 1968. Firstly, they examined a group of students in accordance with standard IQ tests. The researchers then identified a number of students who they said would likely show a sharp increase in abilities over the coming year. They informed the teachers of these results, and asked them to watch and see if this increase did occur. When the researchers repeated the IQ tests at the end of the year, the students identified by the researchers did indeed show higher IQ scores. The significance of this study lies in the fact that the researchers had randomly selected a number of average students. The researchers found that when the teachers expected a particular performance or growth, it occurred. This phenomenon, where a false assumption actually occurs because someone predicted it, reinforces the notion of a self-fulfilling prophesy. Rosenthal .R. Jacobson .L. (1992) Pygmalion in the Classroom, Teachers Ex pectations and Pupils Intellectual Development. Crown House: Publishing Limited. Ray Rist conducted research similar to the Rosenthal and Jacobson study in 1970. In a kindergarten classroom where both students and teacher were of African American origin, the teacher assigned students to tables based on ability; the so called better students sat at a table closer to her, the average students sat at the next table, and the weakest students sat at the farthest table. Rist discovered that the teacher assigned the students to a table based on the teachers perception of the students skill levels on the eighth day of class, without any form of testing to verify such a placement. Rist also found that the students the teacher perceived as better learners came from higher social classes, while the weak students were from lower social classes. Monitoring the students through the year, Rist found that the students closer to the teacher received the most attention and performed better. The farther from the teacher a student sat, the weaker that student performed. Rist continu ed the study through the next several years and found that the labels assigned to the students on the eighth day of kindergarten followed them throughout their academic journey. Rist, Ray (1970). Student Social Class and Teacher Expectations: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy in Ghetto Education. Harvard Educational Review 40, 3, 411-451. While Symbolic Interactionists have undoubtedly analysed this self fulfilling process, they have yet to find the exact way in which teachers form such expectations of students. Irrespective of such an issue I feel the Self Fulfilling Prophecy may be a crucial determining factor with regard to answering my own research question. The real importance of Rosenthal and Jacobsons findings at Oak School relates to the potential long-lasting effects of teachers expectations on the scholastic performance of students. It is of interest to explore some later research that examined the ways in which teachers unconsciously communicate their higher expectations to the students whom they believe possess greater potential. A study conducted by Chaiken, Sigler, and Derlega (1974) involved videotaping teacher-student interactions in a classroom situation in which the teachers had been informed that certain children were extremely bright (these bright students had been chosen at random from all the students in the class). Careful examination of the videos indicated that teachers favoured the identified brighter students in many subtle ways. They smiled at these students more often, made more eye contact, and had more favourable reactions to these students comments in class. These researchers go on to report that students for whom these high expectations exist are more likely to enjoy school receive more constructive comments from teachers on their mistakes, and work harder to try to improve. What this and other studies indicate are those teacher expectancies, while their influence is not the only determinant of a childs performance in school, can affect more than just IQ scores. Due in large part to Rosenthal and Jacobsons research, the power of teachers expectations on students performance has become an integral part of our understanding of the educational process. Furthermore, Rosenthals theory of interpersonal expectancies has exerted its influence in numerous areas other than education. In 2002, Rosenthal himself reviewed the literature on expectancy effects using meta-analysis techniques. He demonstrated how the expectations of psychological researchers, classroom teachers, judges in the courtroom, business executives, and health care providers can unintentionally affect the responses of their research participants, pupils, jurors, employees, and patients (Rosenthal, 2002, p. 839). Martino .W. Meyenn .B. (2001) What about the Boys, Issues of Masculinity in Schools. Open University Press. What about the Boys, Issues of Masculinity in Schools is a book which attempts to develop further understandings about masculinity. Such a piece of literature is timely given the continued moral panic that persists about boys disadvantaged status in comparison to girls. Throughout this book the view boys are victims and are attributed with a disadvantaged status remains throughout. Research undertaken with boys spanning Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States is brought together in this collection. The focus for each of the contributors is addressing issues of what about the boys in relation to their own research and informed perspectives on boys and schooling. Many focus on what boys (and girls) themselves say about their experiences of schooling and sexuality and use their voices as a basis for drawing out what the implications might be for those working in schools. In this regard the chapters are written with a broader audience in mind particularly teachers and administrators in schools with the view to using research to illuminate the effects of masculinity in the lives of boys and girls at school. All of the contributors are concerned to highlight the impact and effect of certain forms of masculinity on the lives of boys at school, but locate their research and/or discussion within the context of the boys education debates outlined by Foster, Kimmell and Skelton in the introductory chapter. Many have also indicated what the implications of their research are for daily practice in schools and classrooms. In this sense, the research documented here has major implications for the professional development of teachers in schools and for st udent teachers in tertiary institutions. Sociologists like Bob Connell (1987, 1995) have been particularly influential in drawing attention to how social, cultural and historical factors have influenced the various ways in which masculinity comes to be defined and embodied by boys and men. We see the contributors of this book building on this work. They highlight that there are many forms of masculinity that are played out in the context of a complex set of power relations in which certain types of masculinity are valued over others. Many also draw attention to the role of a dominant form of masculinity, which comes to be defined in opposition to femininity, and highlight that association with the feminine for boys can often lead to other boys questioning their sexuality (see also Frank,1987, 1993). Other factors such as race, class, ethnicity and geographical location are also taken up to develop an understanding of the various ways in which boys learn to relate and behave in certain social situations and within particular educational institutions. In this sense feminist educators and theories also inform the perspectives on boys and schooling elaborated in this book. Such perspectives have contributed significantly to producing valuable insights into the links between gender and power (Davies 1993; Steinberg et al. 1997), specifically in terms of illuminating boys social practices and ways of relating at school. All contributors recognize that schools are important arenas of power where masculinities and femininities are acted out on a daily basis through the dynamic processes of negotiation, refusal and struggle (Giroux and McLaren 1994). In other words, these papers illustrate that there are indeed social constraints and power imbalances in educational sites, but that gender regimes are more shifting and contradictory than theorists supposed in the seventies and eighties (Jackson and Salisbury 1996; Kenway et al. 1997). In this sense, each chapter included in this collection builds on studies into boys at school which have been undertaken by Kessler et al. (1985), Walker (1988), Mac an Ghaill (1994) and Epstein (1994). The contributors also suggest ways forward and beyond the popular and simplistic views which stress the need for boys to reclaim lost territory. There is a powerful discourse of neglect informing many of the popularist debates about the boys which continue to assert that provision for the educational needs of girls has been at the expense of boys (Yates 1997). Moreover, the idea or assumption that boys are somehow victims or losers now competing with girls who have suddenly become the winners is also refuted strongly by the various positions that are taken up in this book. Compounding such a position is the view that biology needs to be given equal consideration in developing an understanding of boys behaviours and learning orientations. This argument continues to be promulgated within the context of these debates about the boys (see submissions to Australian inquiry into boys education at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/eewr/Epfb/sublist.htm) as if appeals to biological sex differences and essentialism are somehow outside the effects of certain power relations (see Fausto-Sterling 2000). As Peterson (2000) has illuminated, appeals to biological determinism have been used historically to enforce a binary categorization of gendered behaviours always within the context of and in response to the perceived power gained by women. Moreover, as Lingard and Douglas (1999) have lucidly illustrated, the debates about the boys in the nineties have been characterized by a strong backlash against feminism and this continues to be the case as we enter the new millennium. If we are indeed to encourage diversity and citizenship in multicultural societies it is crucial that issues of opportunity, access and distributed success before grounded in debates about gendered educational outcomes. Collins et al. (2000) have addressed this in a recent governmental report on the factors influencing the educational performance of males and females in school and their post-school labour destinations. In line with the positions taken up in that report, we believe that policy formulation and curriculum development in schools must avoid the popularist tendency to assert a binary oppositional and competing victims perspective on the factors impacting on the social and educational experiences of boys and girls. This will only lead to homogenizing and normalizing boys and girls on the basis of biological sex differences and, hence, reinforce the very versions of masculinity which the research shows have detrimental consequences for both the former and the latter. This book, therefore, is offered as an attempt to provide a more informed perspective on the social practices of masculinity impacting on boys lives at school. We hope that it will have the effect of moving the debates beyond the feminist backlash rhetoric which persists in casting boys as the new victims. If anything, as the contributors of this book argue, the issue that needs to be addressed is the investment that many boys, men and schools have in promoting a particular version of masculinity which is to their detriment in the sense that it limits them from developing a wider repertoire of behaviours and ways of relating. Until a commitment is made, particularly by men and boys themselves, to addressing the role that sexuality, homophobia and misogyny continue to play in how many of them define and negotiate their Masculinities, we believe that very little will change. Connolly .P. (2004) Boys and Schooling in the Early Years. Routledge Falmer Press. Boys underachievement in education has now become a international concern, prioritised highly b government bodies around the world. Boys and Schooling in the early years represents the first study of its kind to focus solely upon young men and their achievement within the education system. Throughout this book this is a powerful argument for the need to begin tackling the problem of boss lower educational performance in the early years. This proved entirely beneficial as it includes one of the most detailed analyses of national statistics regarding gender differences in educational achievement from the early years right through until compulsory schooling. Together with original and in depth case studies which vividly capture the differing experiences and perspectives of 5-6 year old boys, this book sets out the nature of the problems facing young boys in education and highlights a number of practical ways in which they can begin to be addressed. This is entirely relevant as i am conc erned about boys lower levels of achievement. This book follows the sandwich model: for the filling, juicy case studies of two contrasting schools in Northern Ireland; and, around the outside, nourishing chapters of theorizing, a critical review of the rhetoric and reality of the problem, and a detailed discussion of the strategies needed to sort everything out. Of these, probably the most useful is the chapter that sets the factual record straight, dismissing some current explanations of boys under-achievement: its not their brains, neurons or testosterone that are to blame; it isnt a question of girls holding boys back, or the feminization of schools, or an epidemic of laddish behavior. Rather, Connolly argues, the key factor in boys poor educational performance relative to girls is masculinity itself or, rather, masculinities. This is the rationale for the case studies that follow: one school in an affluent, peaceful, middle-class area, and another in a seriously disadvantaged working-class area, riven by sectarian violence. It is also the starting point for the authors research questions: what are the dominant forms of masculinity in the early years, and how do they influence boys attitudes towards schooling? Between October 2001 and June 2002, Connolly spent a day a week in each of the two primary schools, observing five and six-year-old boys, and interviewing boys, teachers and parents. In the middle-class school, dinosaurs are cool but reading is rubbish, while, on the other side of the tracks, resistance to school reaches dizzy heights. Boys in this school are not without enthusiasms, but these appear to be football, fighting, wrestling, pulling down girls trousers and marching with the local loyalist flute band. The chapter on home-school relations in this school is even more depressing, as parents describe how the teachers discourage their children from even entering for the 11-plus. Bad news all round then, including the research process itself: in particular, there are some dodgy interview questions that virtually invite the boys, across the class divide, to assert their innate superiority: If you had a choice, would you want to be girls or boys?; Would either of you like to be a girl? The boys answers fall smoothly into the stereotyped trap prepared for them. Nevertheless, this book asks some serious questions, not least of which is: why do we worry so much about gender differences when social class has a much greater impact on achievement? Furthermore, why are so many teachers apparently so willing to accept their pupils low levels of achievement on entry as a sure and certain guide to the future? And, lastly, when are we going to learn what Bronwen Davies tried to teach us long ago (in Frogs and Snails and Feminist Tales) about the need to go beyond male-female dualism, so that we can position ourselves, and our pupils, as neither male, nor female, but human. Im yet to be convinced that studies such as Connollys are going to help us take this tremendous step forward. Head .J. (1999) Understanding the Boys, Issues of Behavior and Achievement. Falmer Press. Attention is given to general aspects of learning and assessment before examining the response of boys to specific subjects within the curriculum. Personal, social and health education concerns are addressed. http://www.dropshippers.co.za/ This text aims to increase understanding of the potential causes of underachievement, violence and even suicide amongst teenage boys. Suicide has dramatically increased among young males and academic underachievement is common. The author argues that it is therefore important to understand the young male psyche. The text addresses questions such as: has male behavior in school worsened, or has media hype inflated the proportions of a good story; what is at the root of male violence; and are biological or social explanations telling the whole story? The author shows that it is only by engaging boys in arenas of thought and feeling that we can understand and help overcome the difficulties faced by boys today. The issue of boys work and behavior in school has created considerable public interest and has undoubtedly polarized opinion, with some claiming it is the greatest social problem of our time, while other asserts it is merely an expression of male backlash intended to divert attention and resources from the need of girls and women. The first of the two sections within this book contains a review discussion of the various explanatory models biological, social and psychological. Emerging message is schools and teachers matter in academic performance can be made and we need not see the failing or difficult boys as inevitably trapped in their current position. Head believed the key to successful intervention was in understanding the boys and attempting to see things from their perspective. Martino .W. et al. (2003) so whats a boy, addressing the issues of masculinity and schooling. Open University Press. So whats a bay? is a timely volume. It comes at a critical point in the expanding debate regarding boys and schools. Juxtaposed against an increasingly strident and often times stark mass media, this book offers a sober and contemporary view of boys and their place in that confused environment called school. However, not content to simply cite data and/or repeat refrains found elsewhere, the authors have avoided the boy crisis trap and raised the debate by taking an appealing, narrative approach. One can hear and appreciate the voices of boys (all kinds of different boys) through this volume! More Articles of Interest MALE TEACHERS AND THE BOY PROBLEM: AN ISSUE OF RECUPERATIVE EDUCATING BOYS: TEMPERING RHETORIC WITH RESEARCH EDITORIAL WHATS TO FEAR: CALLING HOMOPHOBIA INTO QUESTION Real Men or Real Teachers: Contradictions in the lives of men elementary http://dw.com.com/redir?tag=rbxira.2.a.10destUrl=http://www.cnet.com/b.gif The book is divided into three, roughly equal sections. Part 1, Normalization and Schooling, sets the general scene and brings the reader into the lives of boys with discussions regarding body image, emerging masculinities, bullying/harassment, and friendships. The second part, Diverse Masculinities, delves into the central issue of how boys see themselves, their developing sexuality, cultural/home conditions, how they are seen by others, and how

The Signalman by Charles Dickens Essay -- Charles Dickens Signalman Es

The Signalman by Charles Dickens 'Halloa! Below there!' †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ A small expression that once understood strikes you with an essence of alarm, fear and intrigue. Throughout the short story of The Signalman, this quote was used several times and was repeated by several characters. Coincidence? Charles Dickens invites you to decide. This dissertation from www.coursework.info For the duration of this half term we have studied numerous short stories from the book Telling Tales. Throughout this period, we have developed our skills of assessing characters (characterisation), identifying language style and structure plus various others, and I will try to use my newly developed skills to answer our assigned question. Ultimately, we came round to The Signalman. The Signalman is a grim but well sustained story about an alleged encounter with something not of the natural world. This dissertation from www.coursework.info Throughout his story, Charles Dickens uses a variety of methods to create an atmosphere of tension, mystery and suspense. Suspense is created through supernatural horror and ambiguity. I will explore these qualities, which make this a good suspense story. The methods of creating tension include leaving characters anonymous, using similar gesticulation and supposed 'coincidences,' plus many others. Throughout this essay, I will explain all of these methods.cogd gdr segdgdw orgd gdk ingd fogd gd; The author of this short story was a man named Charles Dickens who wrote during the 19th century. The motivation for Charles Dickens writing this story was a terrible train wreck at Staplehurst, Kent, on 9 June 1865, in which several passengers died. Dickens was a passenger, and although he was fond of ra... ...ies entertaining; I think this is due to the twist at the end of the stories. To me this shows that an unexpected twist makes a good short story. It is evident that Dickens creates a lot of suspense throughout the story with the opening words and as he descends the cutting, looking at the signalman whose actions are very strange, plunging you immediately into the setting. Suspense is created as the signalman tells the gentleman of the strange happenings recently. Mystery surrounds the settings, which are even prone to something like this happening; the mystery also surrounds the two main characters, the Signalman and the narrator. They remain anonymous throughout so the mystery stays with them constantly. I feel that due to Dickens' ability to bring mystery and suspense to life are the main reasons behind what makes this story so fluent and mind initiating The Signalman by Charles Dickens Essay -- Charles Dickens Signalman Es The Signalman by Charles Dickens 'Halloa! Below there!' †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ A small expression that once understood strikes you with an essence of alarm, fear and intrigue. Throughout the short story of The Signalman, this quote was used several times and was repeated by several characters. Coincidence? Charles Dickens invites you to decide. This dissertation from www.coursework.info For the duration of this half term we have studied numerous short stories from the book Telling Tales. Throughout this period, we have developed our skills of assessing characters (characterisation), identifying language style and structure plus various others, and I will try to use my newly developed skills to answer our assigned question. Ultimately, we came round to The Signalman. The Signalman is a grim but well sustained story about an alleged encounter with something not of the natural world. This dissertation from www.coursework.info Throughout his story, Charles Dickens uses a variety of methods to create an atmosphere of tension, mystery and suspense. Suspense is created through supernatural horror and ambiguity. I will explore these qualities, which make this a good suspense story. The methods of creating tension include leaving characters anonymous, using similar gesticulation and supposed 'coincidences,' plus many others. Throughout this essay, I will explain all of these methods.cogd gdr segdgdw orgd gdk ingd fogd gd; The author of this short story was a man named Charles Dickens who wrote during the 19th century. The motivation for Charles Dickens writing this story was a terrible train wreck at Staplehurst, Kent, on 9 June 1865, in which several passengers died. Dickens was a passenger, and although he was fond of ra... ...ies entertaining; I think this is due to the twist at the end of the stories. To me this shows that an unexpected twist makes a good short story. It is evident that Dickens creates a lot of suspense throughout the story with the opening words and as he descends the cutting, looking at the signalman whose actions are very strange, plunging you immediately into the setting. Suspense is created as the signalman tells the gentleman of the strange happenings recently. Mystery surrounds the settings, which are even prone to something like this happening; the mystery also surrounds the two main characters, the Signalman and the narrator. They remain anonymous throughout so the mystery stays with them constantly. I feel that due to Dickens' ability to bring mystery and suspense to life are the main reasons behind what makes this story so fluent and mind initiating

Kill the Internet Essay

Kill the Internet-and Other Anti-SOPA Myths Essay The Article â€Å"Kill the Internet-and Other Anti-SOPA Myths† by Danny Goldberg introduces PIPA(Protect Intellectual Property Act) for online piracy on the internet. This situation is connected to the copyright piracy as well. The issue in this essay is the common problem of published articles and links being copied and pasted from people off the internet and getting credit for another person’s work. In this case I agree with the SOPA because copyright is not to be credited for those who don’t do their own work. To me, it is a guidance for help not coping. Coping someone’s work is not helping the situation and takes the away the opportunity of the author to get credit. One reason to my decision on agreeing is the leading affect of progressive voices and outlets of skillful writers work is being taken into someone else’s work. According to the Politics website, the legislation would allow copyright holders and the justice Department to seek court orders against websites associated with copyright infringement. To the legislative, they believe that the copyright holders chances of winning is not very high. They see coping as a threat to publishers and should be banned even if internet websites lose business. A second reason that got me to agree was a statement made by Clay Shirky’s assistant in the book The McGraw-Hill Guide. â€Å" Many believe that copyright isn’t coping if the creator doesn’t lose profit because nothing physical isn’t taken from them,† – Clay Shirky’s assistant. This statement is false reasoning because even if the authors profit isn’t lost, the fact that their hard work is being copied by someone else doesn’t make things alright. The publisher worked hard on the writing they published to the internet and it shouldn’t be taken advantage of. People need to realize that taking others work isn’t a very clever idea because your only hurting yourself by taking other people’s credit. It’s the same as someone taking a movie that a director worked hard to become public and then has to find out their credit was copied by another person and is being used or is being taken ownership  by that person. Because of this problem many websites are losing their businesses for links and articles of authors are declining their work to be on the internet. For this I believe the SOPA is making the right decision and should proceed in protecting the internet uses. All in all copyright should have been prohibited a long time ago. For those whose work is being taken out of context and losing credit isn’t fair. SOPA and PIPA industries should feel good about themselves for finally taking action and stopping internet copiers on the websites available to the people. Resources: The Politics Website The Nation Website The McGraw-Hill Guide book

enviromental systems in a row essays

enviromental systems in a row essays Environmental systems analysis of 2358 Flora St I chose to analyze an old three-story row house in Clifton. It happens to be the place I am subleasing currently. Although I have not had too much time to spend in it, since I spend all of my time in studio, I have noticed some major problems in the design and implementation of the environmental systems. I will go through some of these environmental issues and how they relate or dont relate to the architecture and recommend an improvement. The House is in a moderate climate, which means that you have to consider adequate heating for the cold parts of winter and enough cooling for the dog days of summer also. The orientation of the house was not considered at all for any environmental reasons. The narrow facade of the row house faces west, while the southern side is totally blocked from any sunlight by the adjacent row house. The shadow that is cast in between the buildings presents a few problems. One of them being no solar gain on the southern side of the house and the other is the walkway to the sidewalk takes so much longer for the ice and snow to melt than the sidewalks that are exposed to the sun. My bedroom has two windows on the west side and a window on the south. The south widow does nothing except lose all the heat that the furnace is pumping and the west windows may allow for a little bit of solar gain but any energy that is stored in the room is quickly lost through the poorly sealed and glazed window s. There is absolutely no vegetation around my house, so it cant provide any protection from the cold northwesterly winds that blow right through the glass in my bedroom windows. If my house were n the other side of the street, then the bedrooms would be shielded from the cold winter winds and the staircases in the back of the house would be the buffer. As I was saying earlier the south side is entirely in the shadow of the adjacent building, ther...

Paragraph Length 5 Essential Tips - Writing Tips with Proofed

Paragraph Length 5 Essential Tips - Writing Tips with Proofed Paragraph Length: 5 Essential Tips Paragraph length is important. Too many long paragraphs in a document may make it difficult to read. Too many short paragraphs and it could seem disjointed. But how long should a good paragraph be? 1. Paragraph Length Depends on Document Type If you look online, you’ll find advice saying that paragraphs should be between 100 and 200 words long. And as a guideline on paragraph length, this is fine for most documents. However, paragraph length also depends on the type of writing. Some paragraphs may be a single sentence. Some may spread across more than one page. In this blog post, for example, most of the paragraphs are under 100 words because shorter paragraphs are easy to read on screen. But the paragraphs in an academic textbook would be longer to offer more depth. As such, you should tailor your paragraphs to suit the document and the subject matter. But to do this, you need to consider why we use paragraphs in the first place†¦ 2. The Purpose of a Paragraph Paragraphs help us organize the information in a document. Consequently, each paragraph should cover one main idea. Try thinking about a paragraph like a tiny essay: Start with a topic sentence to set out what the paragraph is about Use the main body of the paragraph to expand upon this idea End with a concluding sentence that leads on to the next paragraph If you find yourself covering multiple ideas in a single paragraph, especially if there’s no direct connection between them, consider separating them into distinct passages instead. 3. Consistency vs. Mixing It Up Most of the paragraphs in a document should be a roughly similar length. If you find that they vary a lot, it may be sign that some ideas in your document are underdeveloped and need expanding. However, in longer documents it is a good idea to mix things up a bit, especially if you have a lot of long paragraphs. One way to do this is to bookend each section with short introductory and concluding paragraphs, setting out and then summarizing what you’ve discussed. 4. Editing Long Paragraphs While editing your work, you may want to break longer paragraphs down into shorter ones. Look for a point where the focus changes, even if only slightly (e.g., shifting from introducing an idea to giving an in-depth example). You can then add a line break and, if necessary, a linking sentence. 5. Editing Short Paragraphs If your document contains too many short paragraphs, particularly in succession, you can look for passages that cover similar topics and combine them into a single longer paragraph. This may simply involve deleting a line break, but you might also have to consider the overall structure of your document. If you have several short paragraphs touching on the same topic in different places, think about whether they should all be part of one section instead.

Aviation safety and human factors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aviation safety and human factors - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the aviation industry is one of the most important industries in today’s times. Aviation safety is the responsibility of not just one person or one group it encompasses everyone from the manufacturers to the pilots and even to fliers. Therefore, one might say that one of the major factors controlling safety in the sky is human factors. Research has shown that 50% of all aviation mishaps are caused by human factors. One of the most important human factors in aviation is that of decision making and communication. One of the most important controllers of safety is the pilot. Even minor mistakes such missing a problem indication, misreading signs or making judgmental errors made by the pilot could lead to crashes and accidents. Improper decision making on the part of the pilots could be because of improper sleep, lack of concentration and fatigue.   According to a study in China lack of proper aviation safety training in Chinese p ilots was a major cause of aviation accidents that took place between 1999-2002. This lead to crashes owing to reasons such as overrunning, engine strike, ground object impact and mountain collision, all of which were caused by human factors. NASA Aviation Safety reporting system reported that between 1976 and 1983 35000 aviation accidents were caused by conflicts among aircrafts. This primarily happens through human factors such as failure to control traffic in the skies and failure to send signals to the pilots in time.

Human Resources Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Human Resources Management - Research Paper Example All these areas come under the hiring process of the organization. Hiring of the employees signifies placing the right person to the right place is regarded to be a science rather than an art. Most of the managers are involved in this process. This study focuses on the hiring process starting from job description, recruiting, interviewing, selecting, orienting, training, and maintaining employees, from a manager’s perspective. It also focuses on the disadvantages and advantages of each stage Hiring process Hiring process is regarded as the most important step under strategic planning of the organization. This is because of the fact that the new employee entering in the organization will either help the organization to grow or will lower the performance. Therefore, the mangers need to be strategic in hiring the employees who will assist the organization in growing and making it profitable (Luszez & Kleiner, 2000). A proper hiring process has benefits like saving money, increasi ng productivity, lowering supervisory problems and lowering personal turnover. Personal problems and conflicts reduce sharply, thereby, reducing the turnover of the new hires; all these lead to saving of considerable amount in downtime and hiring cost. The hiring process of an organization succeeds only when it places the people to the right job that ensures utilization of their skills, capabilities and abilities. Apart from this, it also create benefits from the societal point of view such as providing genuine and equal opportunities to the people and helping the economy to grow by reducing job dissatisfaction and increasing the productivity (Prien, Goodstein, Goodstein & Jr, 2009). Job description The job description is created after understanding the necessity for hiring employees for filling the vacant position and the reason or the goal behind the hiring. The job description consists of a written document that includes the responsibilities and the duties of the employees. The d etail and the length of job description vary depending on the level of responsibility that the job has. For instance the job description of a clerk can be less detailed as compared to the one of the plant manager or the sales manager. The details of a job description generally include job title, compensation range, qualification, and the person to whom the candidate will be reporting, short summary of the job and a list of major and minor duties. Advantages and Disadvantages Job description bears huge significance in the process of effective hiring as it allows both the applicant and the interviewer a point of mutual understanding based on which they can facilitate the discussion regarding the position. It also ensures consistency in the hiring process. The job description also helps in understanding the type of candidate the organization is looking for. From the job description the candidates can understand whether they are going for a management position or as a regular employee. In simple words it helps in portraying a clear picture about the position, department and company in which the candidate is going to join. It also helps in defining the salary or wage that the job should provide along with the bonuses that the employees should