American Education Essay - 1271 Words

American Education Today’s schools have standardized promotion requirements in the hopes that all students will be promoted in fairness. Like most states, Ohio’s criteria for promotion in grade school include a passing grade in English composition, mathematics, science and reading. There are state-mandated benchmarks that must be met in all of these areas. The four levels of grading are: Advanced - student performs at a superior level; Proficient - student has a solid performance; Deficient - student’s performance is lacking; Failing - student’s performance is unsatisfactory. A student must be proficient or better in all areas to qualify for promotion. Also, if a student is not performing in the C-range or better in a majority of†¦show more content†¦Additionally, the state of Ohio uses these proficiency tests to evaluate the schools themselves. The schools must pass all areas to retain accreditation. Approximately 93% of schools evaluated are failing in at least on e area (1998-99 1). This creates problems, as teachers, under pressure to perform well, tend to teach toward the tests. Instead of having fun with their students and exploring areas related to the topic, the teacher focuses on the areas the students will be tested over. That is, their curriculum loses its wide range and tunnels towards the information covered on the tests. This tunneling tends to narrow our children’s education. The percentages of failures indicate change is needed. A new form of educating our children, which is really a return to the schoolhouse-type of education, is Mixed Age Education. MAE is an educational program built on the premise that different children learn different things at different rates. This program allows children to be organized not by age, but by skill level. The groups are generally divided into K-2 and 3-5. A child may be in Kindergarten level math and first level reading or fourth grade science and fifth grade English. The child’s progress is frequently assessed for trouble areas and to determine when he or she is ready to advance to the next level in each individual area of teaching. A child’s progress isShow MoreRelatedAmerican Education System Of Education852 Words   |  4 Pagesdifficult to understand the American system of education and the how to cope with American students. To make foreign students understand and able to cope with the America n higher education system, the author explains some assumption that is behind the education system. He noted that American higher education system has a connection with both the mechanical feature and the cultural beliefs, but not intellectual only as it is in many countries. People lacking knowledge of American culture may find it difficultRead MoreEducation And Its Influence On American Education1254 Words   |  6 PagesGraduate Education today shows traces of its European ancestors. The influences range from Greece, Egypt, Italy, Spain, and many others. American education has evolved and manifested throughout the thousands of years of its existence. We can directly trace the roots back to our European ancestors, with the education that exists today in America. Higher education’s journey began in Greece in 387 BC by Plato. The only thing offered at this first educational establishment was an advanced study in philosophyRead MoreThe Phases Of American Education1528 Words   |  7 PagesThe Phases of American Education Can you imagine a world without education? If education did not exist there would be no iPhones, computers, laptops, or cars. Education has had its ups and downs. The learning system in the past was very basicÍ ¾ students got lessons directly from the teacher and more information from the book. Back then, parents taught their children how to read and write from the bible and hornbooks. People usually learned how to read from picture books. Boys went to school whileRead MoreThe American Education System Education1438 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Education System Education plays important role in society. It determines the final development of an adult’s personality. In today’s society most jobs require a University degree. To receive a University degree students need to rely on a good education system. Does America provide this? The American education system has relied on the grade point average system for a long time. The problem with this is there is not a universal GPA grade point system varying from course to course. This createsRead MoreThe Education Of Young Americans2331 Words   |  10 Pagesamong the 8 great nations in terms of math and science according to the National Center for Education Statistics Institute of Education. Based on effective research findings, National Center (2011) gives on making inter-country comparisons concerning the effectiveness of education through policies and other logistics. However, the concept is way beyond simple investigation in the education of young Americans. For this matter, the d epth and approaches for evaluation should take a crucial path that isRead MoreThe American Council Of Education Essay1722 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Council of Education’s A Brief Guide To U.S. Higher Education (2007) provides the reader with an overview of the structure of higher education in the United States. It was published in 2007, so although it is comprehensive, there have been advancements and changes in how American higher education looks today. To be a more thorough in scope, the Guide (2007) should discuss the factors that influence students’ choices of which higher education institution they attend, how much that choiceRead MoreAmerican Education Reform Paper : The Education System1232 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican Education Reform Paper In the past, the learning system was non complex. Students invariably learned in classrooms. They would learn from and be educated by their teacher and grasped other facts from textbooks. The teachers would ask them questions and students would answer them to display they understood. Other information about other parts of the world, they learned from books. Throughout the years, the learning system changed. Issues or flaws in the system were addressed and improvedRead MoreThe Decline Of American Education1251 Words   |  6 PagesNovember 2014 The Decline of American Education The future of society depends on the education of the children in the present generation. The American board of education means well by setting standards for the students in the nation. However, is it more important for students to be excellent test takers or excel in the classroom? Is it more important to accept average work as the standard or to push students to surpass their potential? The downfall of American education is a result of the narrow mindedRead MoreComparing American Education to Nigerias Education579 Words   |  2 Pages When it comes to the education in America compared to other countries, I noticed a large difference in our teaching styles, help, discipline, and dedication. After discussing about the differences of the school system in America compared to his home country in Nigeria, I noticed a large difference in our teaching styles. We discussed about the grade schools in Nigeria. I asked about how do they call they grade levels in elementary and what age could a child start going to school. He responded thatRead MoreThe American Education System1303 Words   |  6 PagesThe American education system is set up to create a clear division between the social classes. The quality of the education that children receive depends on whether they attend an elite school or urban schools. Elite schools are located in upper class neighborhoods. Students who attend elite schools receive high quality education. Demographically, the majority of students who attend elite schools are Caucasian. This does not necessarily have much to do with the skill level of the students who apply

Essay on Prison Growth In American From 1970-2008

Why has there been a massive growth of the prison industry in America since the 1970s? Since the 1970s there has been a steady increase in the prison population where statistics now show from the BJS that more than one in every 100 adults are now imprisoned. Statistics from the PEW state that one in 30 men between the ages of 20-34 are behind bars; however just because there is an increase in the numbers it does not mean its due to an increase in crime. To further emphasize just how significant the growth is, the population in 1970 was around 300,000 but now the population in 2008 is over 2.3 million (BJS 2006). However there is not necessarily a parallel increase with crime; instead experts are putting the growth down to popular†¦show more content†¦The government has tried to battle this rise in the prisons by imposing larger sentences to act as a deterrent and other policies which are known as the broken window. They have introduced the three strike policy which means that if you are convicted of any 3 offences you will receive life which is a very good det errent as Virginia applies this a lot of the time and has managed to slow the growth of the population (Bratton 2002). The government are trying to impose other punishments such as rehabilitation for drug offenders and thinking about legalising drugs because when the prohibition on alcohol ended statistics taken from ACS indicate that crime actually went down. All of these ideas however have not seemed to affect the general trend of the growing prison industry. In Texas the prison industry there faced a 300% increase from 1970 to 2006 forcing a major expansion in the actually prisons. Instead of paying over 500 million dollars Texas decided to authorise a makeover of the prisons introducing drug treatments and diversion beds. By authorising this it meant that there was a huge demand in the market for new treatments and equipment which meant companies could now compete in this market. Consequently by Texas authorising this it meant that there was a sudden boost in the interest in the prison industry (John Moritz 2007). TX State Rep. Jerry Madden said that Its far better for our society if we canShow MoreRelatedChangjiang Liu Essay 21476 Words   |  6 Pages This childhood memory left a deep impression of segregation on Assata. When discussing the origin of Assata’s radicalness, we can conclude that her childhood memory was one important reason. Shakur saw government as enemy. In her speech Women in Prison: How We Are that is documented in Let Nobody Turn Us Around, she drastically denounced the government that was mainly made up by white people: â€Å"Politicians are considered liars and crooks. The police are hated†(Marable Mullings 509). In other wordsRead MoreGangs in Prison Essay1447 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Prison gangs are originally formed by inmates as a way of protecting themselves from the other inmates. These gangs have turned out to be violent and thus posing a threat to security. This paper will have a look at the different gangs in prisons, their history, beliefs and missions, and the differences and similarities in these gangs. The Aryan Brotherhood The Aryan Brotherhood started in 1964 was founded by Tyler Bingham and Barry Mills who were white supremacists and Irish American bikersRead MoreThe American Justice System Is Corrupt1536 Words   |  7 Pagesthat away from people who have done something wrong even when it s for petty stuff like writing a bad check. Some stuff is understandable like murder or other stuff, but some is outrageous. The American prison population has been absolutely ridiculous; it s crazy for the U.S. To have such high prison rates. The more you know about it the more frustrating it gets, and if you ask almost anyone you would think so too. The only people who might agree are big business s owners like American Express andRead MoreCorrections Trends Evaluation Paper1552 Words   |  7 Pagesmany years and continued to change and evolve in the United States reflecting society’s values and ideals throughout the centuries. In the criminal justice system, corrections exist in more than one form. Not only do corrections refer to jails and prison systems but they also pertain to community-based programs, such as probation, parole, halfway houses, and treatment facilities. Past, present, and future trends in regard to the development and operation of institutional and community-based correctionsRead MoreGANG VIOLENCE AND HARSH PENALTIES1465 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Chen March 20 2014 Gang Violence and Harsh Penalties The presence of gang violence has plagued the United States for many years. Although it is more active in some parts of the country than others, gang violence affects every American: either monetarily as a taxpayer or directly as a victim. Regardless, it is a concern of every individual; therefore, the criminal justice system has been addressing it for years in different ways. The approach of emphasizing harsh punishments has been implementedRead MoreTaking a Look at Gang Violence1075 Words   |  4 PagesMany American families share similar stories of their loved ones being murdered by violent street gang members. These victims often had nothing to do with the gangs or gang members that killed them. A street gang is a group of people who commonly involve themselves in heinous crimes such as murder, assault, drug dealing, robbery, and car theft. These gangs are present all over the nation and are starting to spread to other countries. It is imperative for the United States governme nt to put a stopRead MoreEffects of Immigration on the Economy Essay1387 Words   |  6 PagesDecember 1, 2008 the National Bureau of Economic Research officially declared the U.S. in a recession. Before 2007, U.S. economy has grown in 23 of the last 25 years. During this period, the U.S. attracted record numbers of new immigrants. The U.S. foreign-born population had quadrupled from 9.6 million in 1970 to 38.1 million in 2007. In the past decade, more than one million immigrants have entered this country legally each year and about another 500,000 entered illegally. Immigrants from LatinRead MoreThe Problem Of Prison Overcrowding1572 Words   |  7 PagesCalifornia’s prison population has grown by 750 percent (â€Å"California’s Perpetuating Prison Crisis†). As this percentage perpetuates to make substantial gains, inmates are suffering in confinement cells, officials are negotiating over the issue, and the public is protesting to make their opinions cou nt. The prison crisis has continued to grow over the years, causing a great uproar among all of California’s 32 state prisons. Prison overcrowding has been an increasingly vital issue since the mid-1970s. DueRead MoreIs Prison Privatization Really a Long Term Fix? Essay1698 Words   |  7 PagesPrison Privatization is a term used for which local, state and federal correction facilities hire companies from the private sector to run prisons and provide prison-related services. Some private companies are contracted only to provide things such as medical care, counseling, food services, and maintenance within publicly owned jails and prisons. Today, more and more private companies are being contracted to not only design and build, but also to operate new jails and prisons on both the stateRead MoreSecurity Threat Groups/Gangs in Prisons Essay1480 Words   |  6 PagesRunning Head: SECURITY THREAT GROUPS/GANGS IN PRISONS Security Threat Groups/Gangs in Prisons Nicole Sage Kaplan University CJ130-03 Nancy Thode January 18, 2011 Security Threat Groups/Gangs in Prisons In our prison systems today, many different gangs pose a threat to our correctional staff and other inmates. In the United States, gangs exist in forty of the fifty states. These gangs bring violence, drug trafficking and racial unrest to our correctional system. The Aryan Brotherhood

Agency Employment Free Essays

Agency employment is where a person is employed as a contract or temporary worker to fill a position in a host company. The agency is the worker’s actual employer and is responsible for payroll and taxes, superannuation, recruitment/dismissal/discipline, workers’ compensation. The host company is responsible for direction of tasks or jobs to be undertaken and determining the work available for the temporary worker on site. We will write a custom essay sample on Agency Employment or any similar topic only for you Order Now Normally there is a joint responsibility in so far as occupational health and safety is concerned. The labour hire situation results in a division of responsibility for the agency employee between the agency and the client. How should common law accommodate this? Should the agency employee be regarded as having a single employer or is there scope to consider join employment or a temporary transfer of employment to the client? The rule at common law is that an employee cannot be transferred by his or her employer to the employment of another person without some act of assent, express or implied, on the employee’s part. The essence of a contract of employment is that it is freely entered into bargain between two parties in which there is the obligation of personal service to the employer. The common law principle that an employee cannot be transferred to a new employer without his or her consent is relevant to the question whether an employee could be transferred temporarily to another employer. Where the agency worker is injured at the client’s workplace, both the client and the agency may be liable to pay damages to the injured worker. The agency can still be liable under both occupational health and safety legislation and at common law. This may be the case even if the agency employee is working on a client’s premises where there may be diminished opportunities to ensure a safe system of work. An additional basis upon which the labour hire company employer can be liable is breach of a non-delegable duty of care. The effect of this principle is that a labour hire company employer remains liable for a negligent failure to provide a safe system of work even if it is the client’s (or some third party’s) negligence which causes the employee’s injuries. Where the injury occurs at the client’s worksite, the client may also be liable as an occupier of premises for failure to take reasonable care for the safety of a lawful entrant. The agency employee may cause injury or damage either to the client or to a third party whilst working for a client. Whilst an employer is vicariously liable for the tortious wrongdoing of an employee within the course of employment, there are additional complications for agency employees and host businesses. How to cite Agency Employment, Papers

Idea Of A New Cafe Business Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Idea Of A New Cafe Business. Answer: I have got an idea of a new cafe business which is operating in different countries and is preferred by customers. This type of cafe helps the people to enjoy quality time with their families and friends. I have analyzed and found that this type of organization is good for people who want to spend their leisure time after work. The cafe also has provision of various kinds of drinks and people of all ages enjoy quality time reading books, playing games or getting engaged in various other activities. The most important thing I found is that the cafe includes the prices of the drinks with free refills of various kinds of beverages. The customers are also provided with the option of going through any comics online. The cafe also has the provision of separate rooms to spend time with ones family. Various kinds of workshop are also held within the cafe. I have explored the comics and magazine section and have realized that there are more than 10,000 books which are available in the cafe. T he cafe also has the provision of privacy so that one can access the internet according to the convenience. I have analyzed the entire market and have found that there are numerous companies who are operating in this field. ABC cafe has special designed games for its customers and thus they are doing monopoly business in this field. Moreover, the caf also has a large stock of comic and magazine collection as compared to its competitors. I have examined the caf carefully and have found that they give value to their employees. The caf not only focuses on profitability but also tries to fulfill the needs and demands of the customers at an affordable price. The unique selling proposition of the caf is that they serve complementary food and drinks with various games. Moreover, the customers can also access the library and the comics section free of cost. The customers can also pay monthly fees and get registered themselves as VIP customers. This will help them to avail the extra benefit like reservation system, pre order services, drinks and many more. The introduction of VR games has also attracted the customers and this has helped ABC caf to stay ahead of its competitors. I have also visited the other cafes but did not receive the quality service as provided by ABC caf. The most attractive offer of the caf is that if a person refers to his/her friend or relatives, he/she will get an additional discount and various other benefits. This will help in reducing the marketing cost of the company and the caf has expanded its business and developed a huge customer base by adopting this policy. The caf has also planned to replace the paper books by I-books and this will help in reducing the cost of caf which they bear in cloud technology. I have personally talked with the manager of the caf and found that people prefer to go through paper books rather than I-book. If the company removes the service of paper books immediately, it will have to suffer losses initially. Thus, it can be said that ABC caf must expand its business and improve its quality of food so as to retain the customers. The idea of this caf is challenging and its provides new opportunities to the business man as well as the customers to enjoy the new technology.

Autumn Fallin by Jaymay free essay sample

The first song I heard from Jaymay’s album, Autumn Fallin’ was the song Autumn Fallin’ itself. From the first thirty seconds of the song- maybe even less- I knew I had come across something special. It’s hard to believe there are still talented artists in the world when the radio is blaring a nameless fool repeating â€Å"I’m only gonna break break oh break break your heart† enough times that you’re certain it’s the only phrase available in their repertoire of English. Jaymay, however, proved to be a remedy to this poison. Her voice is magnificently simple and fresh, and her guitar, piano, (and occasionally xylophone) ability far superior then most. Her lyrics though, are what makes this artist stand out as my favorite. You know that feeling when you hear a song that just relates to you? Well, Jaymay does that. She does it again and again and again, each song more applicable than the first. We will write a custom essay sample on Autumn Fallin by Jaymay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Anyone who has ever been in love can relate to Jaymay. Anyone who has ever lost someone they love can relate to Jaymay. Anyone who has ever met â€Å"unkind people† can relate to Jaymay. Something about her music makes the listener feel they are connecting deeply to a person who has experienced the same life, or the same emotions. Not only that, but the unedited honesty of the lyrics are breathtaking. In the song â€Å"Sea Green, See Blue† Jaymay admits, â€Å"This is crazy, but I know I left you to be with your art. You always put me first, and somehow that broke my heart.† It’s as if each song is a letter to a loved one, an ex-boyfriend, or even a diary entry to herself. They rhymes and beats are effortless, each one leaving me thinking â€Å"Pshh, I could write music. Jaymay made it look easy!† Trust me when I say that no one can make music like Jaymay. Since my accidental find years ago I’ve been looking. Regina Spektor comes close, but is more poppy than my tastes. No one else is such a confusing and tantalizing mix of pop, country, folk music, indie music, and singer-songwriter melodies, which leaves a genre impossible to define. Her voice is unedited, and her lyrics are unforgettable. I simply cannot manage to say enough good about Jaymay, and so I propose all those with common sense go look her up immediately. After all, Jaymay is relatable not just to lovers and ex-girlfriends, but also to us. The writers, â€Å"And you know I’m always writing so you think I’m good with words, but I can hardly express how I feel, cause words aren’t why love is real.† Jaymay leaves me hopeful and inspired every time.

Free Essays on The Life Of Olaudah Equiano, ACK Gustavus Vassa, The African

In the following essay I am determined to leave my reader with not just the material I’ve been asked to cover, but with the excitement of Equiano’s love for god and life it self that has overwhelmed me when reading his accumulated journal entries. Within this paper I have been requested to address four specific questions which I will address one at a time. In using ideas and information from what I have read I intend to communicate to the reader in successfully manner as to help them understand my thoughts about the following four questions. One, What observations does he make about his situation and about slavery in general? Two, What conclusions does Equiano draw about the motivations of the Europeans he encounters? Three, How does Equiano describe the slave trade? Lastly four, To what extent does this work offer a significant and useful depiction of the past? So with out wasting my reader’s time lets enter the life of Olaudah Equiano. First, I have decided to explain how Equiano a once free child playing with his sister handles being kidnapped into slavery and how he makes of the situation. In the being of the writings Equiano and his beloved sister were seized by two men and a woman that had entered the village when all the adults were gone doing their daily chores. With this sudden change in atmosphere Equiano explains that his only comfort was that of bathing his tears in his sisters arms all night. Quickly Equiano was separated from his only comfort, which was his sister. Equiano tells the travels through the woods and towns on foot, and most of all being separated from his sibling to be merciless. Although he keeps his thoughts positive and mentions the one comfort of the slave trade that keeps him from being suicidal, â€Å"they all used me extremely well, and did all they could to comfort me, particularly the first wife, who was something like my mother.† By this statement you would think that Equi ano observes the... Free Essays on The Life Of Olaudah Equiano, ACK Gustavus Vassa, The African Free Essays on The Life Of Olaudah Equiano, ACK Gustavus Vassa, The African In the following essay I am determined to leave my reader with not just the material I’ve been asked to cover, but with the excitement of Equiano’s love for god and life it self that has overwhelmed me when reading his accumulated journal entries. Within this paper I have been requested to address four specific questions which I will address one at a time. In using ideas and information from what I have read I intend to communicate to the reader in successfully manner as to help them understand my thoughts about the following four questions. One, What observations does he make about his situation and about slavery in general? Two, What conclusions does Equiano draw about the motivations of the Europeans he encounters? Three, How does Equiano describe the slave trade? Lastly four, To what extent does this work offer a significant and useful depiction of the past? So with out wasting my reader’s time lets enter the life of Olaudah Equiano. First, I have decided to explain how Equiano a once free child playing with his sister handles being kidnapped into slavery and how he makes of the situation. In the being of the writings Equiano and his beloved sister were seized by two men and a woman that had entered the village when all the adults were gone doing their daily chores. With this sudden change in atmosphere Equiano explains that his only comfort was that of bathing his tears in his sisters arms all night. Quickly Equiano was separated from his only comfort, which was his sister. Equiano tells the travels through the woods and towns on foot, and most of all being separated from his sibling to be merciless. Although he keeps his thoughts positive and mentions the one comfort of the slave trade that keeps him from being suicidal, â€Å"they all used me extremely well, and did all they could to comfort me, particularly the first wife, who was something like my mother.† By this statement you would think that Equi ano observes the...

Political environment of brazil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Political environment of brazil - Essay Example Brazil ranks fifth in terms of land area in the world and has a population of about 200 million people. Brazil traditional political culture can be described as one of colonelismo, tradition of lack of political party and political clientilism. Under colonelism, the administrator had command in the rural areas. However, the promulgation of the seventh and the new constitution (in 1988) changed the political dimension into democratic ideology from what used to be military dictator ship. Democracy brought back individual rights, by ensuring freedom and punishing offences. Nevertheless, the constitution fell short in outlining the issues in state reforms but addressed to details the economic regulation of the country. However, reforms have been done into the constitution to better the controversial clauses. Two democratic principles operate in Brazil. These are the institutions of liberal values and understanding the role of the state from the economic perspective. International principles, on the other hand, are governed by such principles as non intervention, self determination, human rights supremacy and national independence. The key aspect that the new constitution brought into place was the decentralization of socials services to the local governance. This brought about efficiency in service delivery and governance. Diversity was embraced in decision making as democracy was now brought into play, where the local citizens were given a stake in decision making process unlike formerly where municipalities were not decision making institutions. The legislative branch in Brazil consists of the federal senate and the chamber of deputies. Legislative process involves the legislature and the executive. The congresses make the legislative decrees, traditional legislative procedures enact ordinary laws and the president legislate decree laws. The federal district and the government have some common legislative issues. They

Economic Sustainability, Changing Labor Market through the EU Policies Literature review

Economic Sustainability, Changing Labor Market through the EU Policies - Literature review Example Literature that bears discussions on sustainability as investment policies will be tackled by this review, along with strategic and long-term developments in the EU region. It shall also be relevant to cover literature addressing the purposes of EU and the common interests upheld by its member nations. This will be connected with the literature on the multiplier effect model.  The resources found for this realm are mainly books, which have been appropriate materials that enabled achieving the objectives of presenting and discussing concepts related to the study.The European Union (EU) creates an impact on national political and administrative systems, as well as domestic politics and policies. The research perspective of â€Å"Europeanization† brings into focus that Europe plays a significant role in the usual bouts of the political life of politicians, national bureaucrats, and the wider public, blowing fresh air into old debates of European integration, policy-making, and European governance (Lenschow Andrea 2004, p. 56). The shift of political responsibilities and possibly, public loyalty to the European level has implied a relative weakening of national state structures, while there are some debates claiming that European-level arrangements have strengthened national governments (Lenschow   2004,   p. 56). The separate treatments of European and national politics were ended by the concept of multi-level governance in which the multitude of political and societal actors is considered potential parts of a dynamic network while the vertical levels of governance are interlinked in the concept of multi-level governance. The EU governance structure has a top-down process, which produces an impact on the domestic structures of EU member states (Cowles, et al., 2001 in Lenschow   2004, p. 57). The top-down impact of the EU on its member states suggests reorienting the direction and shape of politics in a way that EU political and economic movements a nd dynamics become a part of the larger organizational process of policy making (Lenschow, 2004, p. 58). There also appears a horizontal transfer of concepts and policies between member states of the EU, in which EU plays a facilitating role for inter-state transfers. Although an inter-state transfer or diffusion exists among states through horizontal, state-to-state transfer processes taking place independently of the existence of the EU, the EU provides the arena for inter-state communication or facilitation of such horizontal processes. It assumes that the EU is the direct or the indirect provider of a necessary impulse for domestic change in that it represents a set of rules and a discursive framework leading to domestic change. Hence, the EU serves as a facilitator of discourses and rules in the political arena of the region between and among member states.

Critically evaluate the management of sustainability at Barclays Essay

Critically evaluate the management of sustainability at Barclays through the triple bottom line, and critically comment on the c - Essay Example The banking industry should be responsible for proper risk management, upholding business ethics and investor protection. However, their contribution to the society and environment by way of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is important for a sustainable growth and development in the long run. Organizational culture and management According to Yeung (2011, p. 112) the bankers shall establish positive organizational culture and socially responsible mindset in the organization and demonstrate accountability and creditability by reducing risks and enhancing quality of service to customers and community through effective and efficient internal audit. Therefore, the bankers’ primary responsibilities of accountability and creditability are very important. The Salz Review is an independent review of certain Barclays’ processes, business practices and culture.   Anthony Salz who headed the Salz Review Team observed â€Å"Despite its turbulent recent history, Barclays ha s emerged from the financial crisis, somewhat against the odds, as one of the world’s leading banks. But this has been achieved at a cost. Significant failings developed in the organisation as it grew. The absence of a common purpose or common set of values has led to conduct problems, reputational damage and a loss of public trust† (Salz Review, 2013) During the period of financial crises there has been â€Å"disproportionate sharing of risk between employees and shareholders became apparent† (Salz Review, 2013, p. 163). The report has also highlighted absence of values, cultural inconsistencies, insufficiency of strong controls, focus on financial performance, but lack of focus on development of its people that led to conduct problems, breach of regulations, investigations, litigations and loss of public trust. Also, the report suggests that Barclays has to re-establish its purpose and values with customer focussed culture by reassessing its governance and risk management. The report concludes that it will need perseverance and consistency at all levels of leadership. (Ibid, p. 164) In response to this review report Barclays (2013b, p. 1) clearly stated â€Å"The Board is committed to implementing all of the recommendations and to publishing an account of our progress in doing so going forward† It should also be remembered that the review has appreciated many other positive aspects and stated that the problems faced by Barclays are also industry problems in some ways though Barclays is cautioned about taking comfort from this. Sustainable management and Social accounting Non-financial accounting and reporting developed over years have been founded on the principles of corporate accountability. The society provides capital, resources and patronage for the growth and development of the companies. Therefore, social and economic sustainability are fundamental for the stability and growth of the commercial organizations. Sustainability accounting seeks to quantify the effects of the contributions made by the companies by way of corporate social responsibility. Barclays published 2011 Citizenship Report, its environmental and social performance for the 12th year on 26 April 2012 (Barclaysa, 2013a). The highlights include ?63.5m invested in communities, 73,000 employees involved in fundraising activities and four per cent reduction in C02 emissions, achieved ahead of our 2013 target date. Corporate Social Responsibility forms the basis for sustainable managem

Gender and Age Difference in Profile Pictures Analysis

Gender and Age Difference in Profile Pictures Analysis Michael Ngo Abstract Does Gender affect the number of profile pictures posted on Facebook? Does age affect a number of subjects in a profile picture? This study seeks to find the potential motivation and personality traits associated with an online behavioral action. The hypotheses focus on age and gender, two factors that could explain some differences or similarities in behavior. A non-experimental content analysis was used as the design with a sample size of 50 participants (25 female and 25 males). The age group was divided into two constructs: young (11-20 years old) and old (21-30 years old). The statistical test found no significance in gender affecting the number of profile pictures and age affecting the subjects in profile pictures. Further investigation and limitations will be discussed later. Gender and Age Difference in Profile Pictures Content Analysis Media, a term encompassing broadcasting medium such as newspaper, TV, radio, and internet use, is constantly being scrutinized for its content and its effect on users cognitive, emotional, and social behaviors. From the recent shootings of unarmed individuals to Trumps attempt at changing the health policies to local school charity successes, each media source provides an outlet for students to react and change their perspectives. Moreover, media use by students could potentially provide researchers important data on their social, emotional, and cognitive states. Social networking has grown and is continuing growing throughout the past decade. Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Tumblr are some of the most popular social networking sites currently (Pempek, Yermolayeva, Calvert, 2009). Students use social networks to express themselves through the use of pictures, status updates, posts, and chats. These online expressions could also affect the original posters viewers and the users themselves similar to the larger scale news outlet. Facebook, one of the most widely used network, can provide a great source of information, especially about school-aged students. Through Facebook, users can share their thoughts through posts and comments, share links and other media to groups, and upload pictures of themselves or their friends. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential motivations, psychological factors, and personality traits behind Facebook users profile pictures. It is important to note that to measure a persons motivation and personality, a researcher must compile a series of test, surveys, and physical interactions among other factors. The point of this research is to examine photo related factors and literature reviews to derive potential reasons for the users action. This current study presents the results of a content analysis addressing the following research question: do gender and age affect the number of profile pictures and the number of subjects in a profile picture? In the study, there are two hypotheses: Female users will have a higher number of profile pictures than male users in their albums and younger people (age 11-20) will have higher numbers of subjects in their profile pictures than older people (ages 21-30). Literature Review Over the past six years, there has been an increase in the number of peer-reviewed articles on social networking sites. Many of these studies explore how psychological factors such as personality traits influence the use of social networking sites. Personality traits include neuroticism, extraversion, low self-esteem, and narcissism when using Facebook (Skues, Williams, Wise, 2012). Some studies claim that participants who were members of more groups on Facebook had reported higher levels of extraversion than those with lower levels of extraversion (Skues et al., 2012). Extraverted people use Facebook to maintain relationships with their peers and engage in social activities offline and online. This would explain the smaller social group membership among introverts and the larger group membership for extraverts. Extraversion could explain why some people upload more profile pictures than others. With a larger friend group, an individual is more inclined to update their photos so that their friends can see what is happening in the users life. Students use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and to let others know more about themselves (Pempek et al., 2011). Users may upload pictures of themselves with multiple subjects to showcase their network and friendship. Subjects may include ones group of friends with studies showing that both the quantity and nature of photos displayed perception of closeness by viewers (Mendelson Papacharissi, 2010). The motivation behind why users would do this could be to seek peer feedback and validation from friends. An introverted individual may not find the necessity to frequently update their profile pictures for their friends. Neuroticism is another trait that has been found to affect how individuals use Facebook. Though there are conflicting findings. For example, a study has found that individuals with higher neuroticism levels were less willing to share any personal information, but preferred posting on the wall compared to uploading photos (Skues et al., 2012). Another study found that high neurotic individuals were more likely to not show their face in pictures than low neurotic individuals (Liu, Moghaddam, Preotiuc-Pietro, Samani, Ungar, 2016). Both individuals with varying neuroticism levels were inclined to share personal information when compared to a middle cohort. With contrasting data, it is difficult to use neuroticism as a factor for explaining the differences in profile pictures by gender (Liu et al., 2016). Self-esteem may be another trait that would serve to explain some individuals motivation for their profile pictures. However, there are mixed finding relating to the relationship between self-esteem and using Facebook. A study suggests that users with low self-esteem spent more time on Facebook and that Facebook may provide a medium to compensate for their low self-esteem (Thompson Lougheed, 2012). Other studies show that Facebook has a positive impact on self-esteem as users are allowed to post what they want the public to see. Oftentimes, users would post positive characteristics and edited photos of themselves to boost their self-esteem. Lastly, other studies found that there is no important association between Facebook and self-esteem (Skues et al., 2012). In Facebook, where disclosing information about oneself and interacting with others is the purpose, researchers found it necessary to examine narcissism and how it can play a role in a users profile. One study has shown that higher levels of narcissism predicted more user information and photos posted and more social interaction (Skues et al., 2012). Narcissistic individuals are more likely to check Facebook more frequently and spend more time on the site (Thompson Lougheed, 2012). There is a potential correlation between individuals with high narcissism and the number of profile pictures. The higher the number of profile pictures may relate to the individuals affection towards themselves. However, even with the increase in studies, there are still missing gaps in the literature relating to the personality and motivation analysis from profile pictures especially in the different age and gender groups. The studies mentioned above examines the effect of one or two psychological variables on Facebook use and not the concurrent effects of various variables. There is only a few select study that addresses this gap. One study claims from surveys taken by their participants that Facebook users are more extroverted and have higher levels of narcissism compared to non-Facebook users. However, a close review of this study shows that the correlation is weak and needs more research examining the psychological factors simultaneously. Since investigating the motivation and potential personality traits for gender and age differences in profile picture is a fairly new area of research, this paper serves to add to the ongoing studies and provide further analysis. This study will address the magnitude and existence of behavioral gender and age differences. Facebook was chosen as the main social networking site because Facebook users are diverse, culturally and socially, and their behavior is more natural than other traditional samples. (Tifferet Vilnai-Yavetz, 2014). Two hypotheses were studied through profile pictures analysis for different gender and age groups. H1 Female users will have a higher number of profile pictures than male users in their albums. H2 Younger people (aged 11-20) will have a higher number of subjects in their profile pictures than older people (aged 21-30). Method Research Design and Procedures A non-experimental analysis was chosen for this study. The profile picture data was collected from my list of an active Facebook friend by utilizing a random number generator online. Each random number represented a friend on my list. For example, the number four would correspond to the 4th friend on my friends list. A sample of 50 friends was used with 25 from females and 25 from males. The criteria for the subjects to participate in this study is to be within the age of 11-30. If a prospective participant was chosen and did not fit the age group, I would proceed to the next available person. Measures Whether age and gender affected Facebook users profile pictures was the focus of this study. Gender differences (male or female) and the number of profile pictures were the predictor variable and criterion variable, respectively, of the first hypothesis. Age differences and number of subjects in profile pictures are the main focus of the second hypothesis. Two age groups were defined, young with people ages 11-20 and older with people ages 21-30, for the predictor variable. The criterion variable, number of subjects in the profile picture, is divided into four constructs: single (themselves), couple (subject and one person), group (3 or more), and others (no people) (Hum, Chamberlin, Hambright, Portwood, Schat, Bevan, 2011). Statistical Analysis I listed the scale of measurement for Gender as nominal (female or male) and Number of Profile Pictures as a ratio. Because this is a group difference question, I chose to conduct an independent t-test for Hypothesis H1. For Hypothesis H2, I listed Age (young and older) and Number of Subjects (4 categories) as nominal and chose to conduct a chi-square test. Results There was no significant difference between Gender and Profile Pictures (H1) and Age and Subjects in Profile Pictures (H2). Using Levenes test, there were no similar variance between gender and profile pictures (construct, F(xx)=xx, p= 0.295). The variability in the conditions is not significantly different. Hypothesis H1 was not statistically significant. The independent t test disproved the hypothesis and the results can be viewed in Table 1. The t-test shows that the male (M= 46.40, SD= 49.79) and female (M=39.28, SD= 36.45) did not influence the number of profile pictures a Facebook user would have, t (0.577), p> 0.05. Females do not have a higher number of profile pictures than males in this case. Thus, Hypothesis H1 was not supported. Hypothesis H2 was not statistically significant, and the results are shown in Table 2. The statistics X 2 (5)>= 2.285 and p= 0.808 (P>0.05) indicates that there was no association found between age groups and subjects in profile pictures. Hypothesis H2 was not supported. Discussion The research behind the use of social networking sites is still growing especially with teenagers and college students population. Previous studies show that personality traits can be inferred from the use of Facebook and profile pictures (Skues et al., 2012). However, there is little research on gender and age differences and potential effects on Facebook functions like profile pictures. The purpose of this study is to explore if gender affects the number of profile pictures and if age determines the likelihood of a number of subjects in a profile picture to support potential data on personality traits and motivations. Two hypotheses were presented and statistically tested. Profiles based on gender and age were chosen and profile pictures were analyzed. Statistical results showed no significance for both gender and number of profile pictures and age and subjects in profile pictures. This meant that both gender and age group have more similarities than differences. This could be due to a separate set of social norms for online users compared to offline users. In real life, gender roles and expected behavior has been established; however, in the virtual world, there are nuances and a completely different subculture that has not been studied yet. These subcultures may disregard gender and may focus more on social structures and practices that shape behavior (Hum et al., 2011). This data may suggest that men and women have the same motivation or similar traits that dictate their actions. Further study would be required to collect more data and complete a thorough analysis, though this is a good start. Limitations The lack of significance can be due to limitations of the study. The sample size of the study was only 50 profiles. If there were more samples, then the data may have changed to show a significance result. In addition, because of Facebook and IRB regulations, I would need to get informed consent from participants (Hum et al., 2011). The way to avoid obtaining consent would be to use my own Friend list, making this sample population not random or representative of the Facebook population. A solution would be to conduct the study with the consent of random Facebook users. Further Research This study is an observational non-experimental design. The data and results could be used to explain with some potential theories about personality traits and motivation, but it does not show correlation or relationship. In order to a relationship or correlation to be determined, an experimental design is required. This study does provide a foundation for future research. A quasi-experimental design is recommended. The dependent variable would be how frequent Facebook users update their profile picture and statuses and the independent variables would be personality trait test results on Narcissism and Self-Esteem. The purpose of this study would be to determine a more direct approach between the personality trait and Facebook usage. This would explain how psychological factors can influence people to act a certain way and add on to online social and behavioral data. The sample size would be larger (n=200) and more diverse (from different regions of the world). This would provide a m ore representative sample of the Facebook community. The independent personality trait tests would have different operational definitions each and the dependent variable would also have different constructs. The age of Facebook users may be confined to a range (18-30) to study a specific populations behavior. References Hum, N. J., Chamberlin, P. E., Hambright, B. L., Portwood, A. C., Schat, A. C., Bevan, J. L. (2011). A picture is worth a thousand words: A content analysis of Facebook profile photographs. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(5), 1828-1833. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2011.04.003 Tifferet, S., Vilnai-Yavetz, I. (2014). Gender differences in Facebook self-presentation: An international randomized study. Computers in Human Behavior, 35, 388-399. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.03.016 Mendelson, A. L. and Papacharissi, Z. A. , 2010-06-22 Look at Us: Collective Narcissism in College Student Facebook Photo Galleries Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, Suntec Singapore International Convention Exhibition Centre, Suntec City, Singapore Online . 2014-11-27 from http://citation.allacademic.com/meta/p404764_index.html Skues, J. L., Williams, B., Wise, L. (2012). The effects of personality traits, self-esteem, loneliness, and narcissism on Facebook use among university students. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(6), 2414-2419. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2012.07.012 Pempek, T. A., Yermolayeva, Y. A., Calvert, S. L. (2009). College students social networking experiences on Facebook. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology,30(3), 227-238. doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2008.12.010 Liu, L., Moghaddam, M.E., Preotiuc-Pietro, D., Samani, Z.R., Ungar, L.H. (2016). Analyzing Personality through Social Media Profile Picture Choice. ICWSM. Thompson, S. H., Lougheed, E. (2012). Frazzled by Facebook? An Exploratory Study of Gender Differences in Social Network Communication among Undergraduate Men and Women [Abstract]. College Student Journal, 46(1), 88-98. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from http://web3.apiu.edu/researchfile/Research%20Materials/Communication/Frazzled%20by%20facebook-an%20exploratory%20study%20of%20gender%20differences%20in%20social%20network%20communication%20undergraduate%20men%20and%20women.pdf Appendix A Table 1 Difference Profile Pictures between Females and Males Gender Male Female t df Profile Pictures 46.40 (49.79) 39.29 (36.45) 0.577 48 Note.   P> 0.05.*=pà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ .05, **= pà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ .01,***=pà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ .001.   Standard Deviations appear in parentheses below means. Appendix B Table 2 Crosstabulation of Facebook Users Age and Number of Subjects in Profile Pictures Age Subjects in Profile Pictures à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡2 à Ã¢â‚¬   Single Couple Group Others Young 9 6 0 2 2.285 .808 Old 19 9 1 4 Note. P> .05.  

Standardized Testing Provides an Inexpensive and Reliable Indicator of

Standardized Testing Provides an Inexpensive and Reliable Indicator of Student Learning and Achievement The question of assessment in the "school system, individual schools, and teachers has evoked strong and sometimes violent emotions from the educational community, the general public and their legislative representatives"(Brown & Knight, 1994). Assessment based on standardized tests has been looked at very closely over the recent years, and some people have even mentioned that they be eliminated completely. Those who feel traditional methods should be replaced by alternative methods. These people feel that demonstration, exhibition, investigation, oral response, portfolio, and written response's are all examples of alternative assessments and should be incorporated in the classroom. They also feel that peer assessment should be incorporated because students learn a great deal from each other, and with large student numbers, "the importance of student feedback increases as the availability of tutor feedback decreases"(Brown & Knight, 1994). G.I Maeroff wrote the first article I read he feels that assessment of student's achievement is changing, largely because today's students face a world that will demand new knowledge and abilities. "In the global economy of the 21st century, students will not only need to understand the basics, but also to think critically, to analyze, and to make inferences" (Maeroff, 1991). The author clearly identifies that we often believe that what get assessed is what get taught and that the format of assessment influences the format of instruction. Contrary to our understanding of how students learn, "many assessments test facts and skills in isolation, seldom requiring students to apply what they already know and can do it in real life situations"(Maeroff, 1991). He feels the problem with standardized tests is that they do not match the emerging content standards, and over reliance on this type of assessment often leads to instruction that "stresses the basic knowledg e and skills" (Maeroff, 1991). The article reassures that rather than changes in instruction toward the engaged learning that will prepare students for the future, these test will encourage instruction of less important skills and passive learning. "Although the basic skills may be important goals of ... ...nt is expensive and difficult to develop, administer and score, which makes their usefulness for large-scale assessment questionable. If these alternative models achieve comparable reliability and validity, wouldn't they in effect have become standardized as well? The issue is not whether or not one form of assessment is better than another; no assessment model is suited for every purpose. The real issue is choosing appropriately among the variables that apply the most suitable model for the students. It is necessary to determine what information is sufficient to each purpose before you decide what format that you are going to teach. The best way to do our students justice is to use as wide as possible a mixture of all the assessment methods; this will allow all the students to show their strengths and weaknesses. Bibliography Brown, S and Knight, P (1994). Assessing Learners in Higher Education. Kogan Page, London. Linn, R.L., Baker, & S. B. Dunbar. (1991). Complex, Performance-Based Assessment: Expectations and Validation Criteria. Educational Researcher, 20 (8), pp. 15-21. Maeroff, G.I. (1991). Assessing Alternative Assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 73 (4), pp. 273-281).